Hi all. Reached a bit of a crossroad in my life. 56 years old ex Firefighter who was fit as hell done loads of cycling in my time including the Milk Race. Gone to seed now, 17 stone, bulging disc and anuler tear in my back, asthmatic and on high blood pressure meds. Apart from that I'm fine lol. Looking to get an ebike to go to work on to get a bit fitter and loose weight. Journey is 8 miles each way mostly flat. I've been looking around at bikes sub 2k. Cube Reaction, NCM Moscow Plus and Woosh Gran Camino. I know the legal limit is 15mph but would like to be able to do take the limit off to do around 20 ish. Most of my trip is in the sticks. Any help in choice/advice would be most welcome. Thanks all.

Any of the e-bikes you mention would do the trick - it's just a case of what you want, what's currently available (stocks are low everywhere), and what you want to pay.

 

The Cube can be dongled to de-restrict it (at a cost, and with some risk), Woosh don't support de-restriction, and NCM use their own modified Das-Kit control system - I can't recall if that can or can't be derestricted. (EDIT: Apparently it can. Do a search on this forum).

 

De-restriction aside, any of the bikes you're looking at I'd think would be perfect for what you want to do.

Some bikes are easier to de-restrict than others. If that's important, make sure you know how to do it for the specific model you want to buy before you hand over any cash.

 

The NCM Moscow has a special controller that costs an extra £150 if you want the derestricted version, though, if you're any good at DIY, you can change the control system to a different one for about £80, or do some wiring and replace just the LCD for about £50.

 

Bikes with Bosch motors can be derestriced by fitting an after market device (dongle), but you must check that the dongle you get will work with your Bosch software version. Shimano motors are similar.

 

Bikes with Chinese electrical systems are the easiest becaause they nearly all use the same motor connectors. In the worst case, you can replace the control system for about £80, which often improves the bike at the same time, and if you're lucky, it can be as simple as entering some settings in the LCD.

 

For 20ish MPH, you'd really need 48v unless you're very light, but with 17st (108kg), you'll only see that going downhill with a 36v system.

If you de-restrict and any sort of accident happens, any insurance claim goes right out the window.

My only advice to you is to try to get something thats local to you. Should you need either it fixed or a warranty claim, its far easier to wheel it in local than to try to rebox it up and send it off. Turn abound too could have you waiting a couple of months to get your bike back.

If you de-restrict and any sort of accident happens, any insurance claim goes right out the window.

Do you have any evidence of that, are you spreading an urban myth or is it something you invented?

After a lot of looking around at various bikes I've gone for a Cube Kathmandu Hybrid One. Can't wait to pick it up and get cycling again.