Chris, I have just completed my own conversion to an old MB and i can tell you it cost me about £450 all told. I laced the wheel myself which was the hardest part, but a shop would do it for about £60. See my thread here, links to suppliers at the bottom of my posts. http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/6113-my-19-year-old-gt-mb-conversion.html

 

 

£60 lace a wheel! Halfords £11!

 

Budget is too tight, good battery costs few hundred, have a 48v 40ah at £500.00. Seen the new Thunderskys, very nice. Kits wise try conhis, no issues yet.

Edited June 7, 201015 yr by Leesome

thanks for the info guys.

 

i have worked out a few journey's that i would be doing. some would be a bit hilly and the longest so far is about 15 miles. most of the journeys are about 6-8 miles. i would probably be pedlling for most of the journey and need help on the hills. not sure of the incline but i dont think they are to steep.

 

i would be traveling mostly on the road. but there is some gravel cycle ways which i would also go on so the tyres would need to be able to handle gravel. my mountain bike had great tyres for what i used to do. i am wondering if the cyclamatic fold would not be up to the job.

 

any ideas would be good. i am still looking at the cyclamatic power plus. i did see a powabyke for £95 and its local but i think that is to cheap.

 

thanks guys

 

chrisc:)

for a 15 mile one way journey...30 mile return? I would want a full size 36 volt bike. Honestly, look at Bob "Blew it" recommendation with your budget it makes sound sense:)

the 15 miles is the hole journey. same with the 6-8. i might want to go 20 miles (10 there 10 back) but that would be the most distance to start with. i had forgotten about the e-ride. i wonder if anyone has one on here? it does look like a good bike.

Edited June 8, 201015 yr by Chrisc

link to Folder

 

 

Browsing this thread and had a look at your video Old Timer,

 

Really enjoyed it, feel as though I've had a day at the seaside:)

Browsing this thread and had a look at your video Old Timer,

 

Really enjoyed it, feel as though I've had a day at the seaside:)

 

Thanks

 

Now I`m getting back more to normal there will be more videos to come in the future:D

 

Dave

Dave great videos. What do you use to hold your camera? I am looking for something to fix my camera to but I don't know what to use.

Dave great videos. What do you use to hold your camera? I am looking for something to fix my camera to but I don't know what to use.

 

Chris

 

I use one of these, strap around neck(that takes the weight of the camera) they are designed to then be held by hand but all I do is to fit a couple of bungees around my chest area to keep the whole thing against my chest. That then puts the camera just below your chin so that you can talk into the mike. Cover the mike with cotton wool or sponge to cut out the wind noise. The top section has a QR plate for easy removal and is adjustable for angle + you can also adjust the whole length to what ever suits you. Simple but works a treat.

SIMA SVP-3 Mobile Video / Camera Prop Support Rest 3BM# on eBay (end time 25-Jun-10 09:54:12 BST)

 

Dave

Thanks Dave. Looks like it's a good bit of kit.

 

Chrisc

£60 lace a wheel! Halfords £11!

 

Do Halfords really only charge £11 ?

local shops

 

i was wondering if any one knew of some local shops for me. i know that there is one in richmond and one in woking. just wondering if there is any others.

 

where is The Electric Bike Centre. have they moved yet?

 

thanks guys.

 

chrisc:)

The most powerful out of the box is the MTB but if you are prepared to change the chain ring and crank up from 44 teeth to at least 52 teeth then the folder really comes to life. I have a 57 tooth one on mine and Annes is a 55 tooth. The folder is quite low geared without the upgrade although to be honest if you wanted the bike for just running around town or just pleasure around the coast then no problems( Morag gets on fine with hers) I like to ride mine on the road and around the country lanes and thats why I upped the gear ratio. They are quite decent little folders with mudguards and carrier as standard. They are not high speed main road bikes but then they were not designed for that.

Did you see the videos I shot on one?

 

Dave

 

Dave is it an easy thing to change the chain ring. i am thinking (after seing your videos) that the folder cyclamatic might be a good choice for me. i would be doing an average of 7-10 miles twice a week to start with .mainly on the road but also some gravel paths. theres only one hill really which isnt to bad. would the cyclamatic fold be good for what i want. you seam to do ok on yours.

 

what sort of speed do you get out of yours?

 

what sort of distance do you get?

 

an example of my journey would be:

cycle down hill (no assistance needed)

cycle on the flat (some assistance)

cycle up hill (assistance or throttle depending on how i am feeling)

 

any advice would be good.

 

thanks

 

Chrisc:)

Do Halfords really only charge £11 ?

That seems very cheap, maybe £11 to lace it and then £40 to true it.

Dave is it an easy thing to change the chain ring. i am thinking (after seing your videos) that the folder cyclamatic might be a good choice for me. i would be doing an average of 7-10 miles twice a week to start with .mainly on the road but also some gravel paths. theres only one hill really which isnt to bad. would the cyclamatic fold be good for what i want. you seam to do ok on yours.

 

what sort of speed do you get out of yours?

 

what sort of distance do you get?

 

an example of my journey would be:

cycle down hill (no assistance needed)

cycle on the flat (some assistance)

cycle up hill (assistance or throttle depending on how i am feeling)

 

any advice would be good.

 

thanks

 

Chrisc:)

 

Hiya Chris

 

First of all. Changing the chain ring! you need to remove the crank complete with chain ring because the built in crank doen`t really lend itself to being upgraded. The crank is a standard tapered sq drive so are very available anywhere (I`ve changed all of mine for about £25each) Although I have put a 57 tooth ring on mine for an even higher gear they normally come with something like a 52 tooth which will be quite acceptable. It takes me around 5 mins to change a complete crank and pedals but there is one tool you need (about £6)

My wife rode hers around with the standard chainring and was quite happy.

 

They are a great little bike with a decent finish, good tyres, mudguards and a rear rack all as standard. They are 24V and are not the most powerful bike I`ve ridden but as you say from my videos they are more than adequate. The main attraction is the foldability for taking with you in a car or estate car or for storing but I would say that they are a bit heavy for carrying around on and off of trains etc.

I`ve never actually run the battery completely down on the road but I would estimate around 20 miles would be a safe bet.(maybe more using the lower gears that came with the bike) because I tend to push along quite fast with the higher gearing.

 

What I find is a real big plus is that they are just so easy to get on and off of in and around people or traffic. You don`t have to think about it, you just stop and step out and then have a light and easily managed bit of kit with you that you can park or push anywhere with ease. The downside to this(if there is one) is that they are not a main road commuter (I don`t mean a few miles either way but more if you had a 10 mile each way commute you really would need to be looking for either a full size step through or a MTB.)

 

If you look at those youtube videos you see just how easy it was to get in and around the people and objects which would not be the case with a full size bike plus I think the folder would be more acceptable in most places whereas a full size bike would start to get sarcastic looks.

 

BTW I find cycling without any power on with the folder is easy. The bars are nice and high and the seat has more than enough adjustment and surprisingly enough the standard seat is actually quite comfortable.

 

Tell me your height, weight and sex and that might give me a better idea of suitability (on a pm if youd rather)

 

I think the Cyclamatic folder is a great little bike to own as possibly a second bike to a full size 36V. They both have there place in my bike shed and if we went away for a weekend in a cottage we`d probably throw the folders in the back of the estate car. If we went away for a week to the Lakes then I`d probably suffer the extra fuel and throw our full size bikes in the van.

 

To give you an indication

 

Anne and I riding local to our house

Anne Synergie Breeze Me Powertrek dynamo

 

Anne and I off in the van to new pastures within Norfolk (both bikes kept on the van)

 

Anne on her Cyclamatic Power Plus

Me on my converted Evans/Alien kit bike

 

A trip down to Wells next the sea on my own, car and the folder. Both of us probably both folders in the car.

 

Dave

Thanks for the info Dave.

 

I am a male, 5"8 and 16 stone. I have a 26 inch mtb which I have been trying to use but because of my weight and chest problems I haven't been able to go very far.

 

I wanted the power plus mtb version but I can't find one anywhere.

 

I am still unsure which bike to get.

 

Chrisc

There is an Alien 36 v in classified at the moment......you would need to arrange a bike courier (loads advertise on ebay) as it is in Scotland I think;)

Thanks eddieo I will have a look.

i was wondering if any one knew of some local shops for me. i know that there is one in richmond and one in woking. just wondering if there is any others.

 

where is The Electric Bike Centre. have they moved yet?

 

thanks guys.

 

chrisc:)

 

We're still in Crowthorne until next Friday,then we're off Farnham way.We've still got some cheap bits and pieces left in our moving sale.IE Urban Mover at £450 ,half price

 

Urbanmover UM36X UGlider

 

You're not far from us at SL4 .I'll open up again this coming Sat morning if you and any one else wants to pop down.If any one does want to come please PM me or send an email via the website

Thanks BigBee.

 

Sounds like a good deal. I would like to come and have a look but not sure if I can. Plus my bike fund has taken a bit of a bashing ( car trouble ).

Will let you know.

 

Chrisc

We're in Crowthorne ,Berks

 

We've a brand new Powabyke City in stock.If you can collect you can have it for £450.00

 

sorry i didnt answer. its a bit late now. bummer. i am still thinking about what bike and i have to wait to save my money up.

 

thanks for the other.

 

chrisc:(

cyclamatic power plus

 

i have been looking for a cyclamatic power plus. i like it better than the fold but i cant find anywhere that sells them.

 

i was wondering if there is a bike of similar spec and price.

 

the funds are still a bit low but i like to plan a head.

 

i have been looking at the cheaper bikes and came across the giant suede and the izip ezgo. i know that acid batteries are a no no.

 

i was wondering if any one knew of a good bike for around £300.

 

any ideas?

 

thanks

 

Chrisc:eek:

Good no cheap.......Cheap no good

 

your a big lad like a few of us on here with health issues and to get you up hills you will need a reasonably powerful bike, did you try an offer on the alien in classified?

Not yet I will have a look. I have since found out that Sports hq are getting some cyclamatic power plus's in July. So that's good news.

Eddieo Iam not sure if I could get to scotland. It's a bit to far.

 

Would the cyclamatic power plus be good enough or do I need to look at something else?

 

Chrisc:)

Eddieo Iam not sure if I could get to scotland. It's a bit to far.

 

Would the cyclamatic power plus be good enough or do I need to look at something else?

 

Chrisc:)

 

As I said before use a bike courier, lots on ebay......the cyclamatic is not a 36 volt system, I am guessing here I have never tried one! but the Alien would be in a different league for performance I would think, lots of happy owners on here.