Electric Bicycles (eBikes)

Just be aware these are very hot picks for thieves.....and the normal locks are not a deterrent, so get good insurance.

Yes, I’m becoming aware of this Gazza.  Even with 3 gold ‘sold secure’ locks, all it takes is a portable angle grinder and about 30 seconds.  Have found a good insurance company though, even though it means that I have to chain it to a ‘Gold standard’ ground anchor in my locked garage.  I’m probably going to be too paranoid to leave it anywhere - can see myself taking it into the shops with me when I go into town!

Do you have an eBike?   Interested in hearing from other’s experiences......

ATB.  George.

No I don,t have one George.....they do seem the way to go, but where I live I think it would just get nicked in 5 minutes. If you cannot just relax and enjoy the ebike.....it could be a liability. Hope it works for you.

I don't own one, but have borrowed one a couple of times from a friend. I'm of a similar age as you and ride a regular bicycle daily. My impressions are that it is not really cheating. You still have to spin those pedals and the battery helps when doing hills. It gets you outside, your body is moving, so my take is, it's all good. I certainly felt like I got a decent workout when I did a 20 km ride on it.

Thanks DKNK - that’s where I got to on this as well.....

ATB. George.

George, I am the same age as you and have been going through the same thought process regarding e-bikes as you. However you are far more advanced in the research department but the bike you have gone for has all the features I have been looking for, especially the belt drive. The Riese & Muller seems to fit the bill perfectly for me.

Do you mind me asking how much you paid for it (presumably new)?

The research I have done seems to confirm that, as with most things, you need to pay a premium for quality.

Thanks Nigel.  Yes, the Reise and Müller bikes are not cheap - probably nearer the ‘bentley’ end of the market, and whilst their bikes start at about £3k, my configuration is about £5k.  Ebikes certainly are more expensive than conventional bikes, however even those can get up into some spicy figures if one was to go for a carbon fibre Canyon (for example).  Also beware that as the eBike market is undergoing massive growth, there are a lot of poorly designed bikes marketed by ‘chancers’, so it’s well worth spending some time online and having a look at some of the YouTube channels and recommendations from others.  One of the most informative channels sites is EBR - electric bike review - with a guy called Court Rye who hosts much of the content. I’ve just signed up for the EBR forum.  There’s also a good review of the Fully charged guys in London done by Robert Llewelyn (yes, he of scrap heap challenge and Kryton the robot in Red Dwarf) and Johnny Smith (motoring journalist from fifth gear TV programme he used to do with Tiff Needell) on his e-vehicle channel - coincidentally also called Fully Charged.

Moustache is worth looking at - a very good quality French brand, and you might be surprised to hear that Raleigh have some reasonable machines as well - both use the Bosch spindle motor (eg as opposed to something like the Shimano hub motors).  First thing to figure out is the kind of riding you’ll mostly be doing.  I didn’t want a mountain bike, but did want something that would cope equally well on road as well as on off-road cycle lanes - it might be called a ‘hybrid’ or some-such.....  One of the tips I picked up is to buy well and buy once, rather than buying something that’s going to need replacing very soon.

Hope you find something that works for you - would be great to hear back when you’ve done some more research and have pinned down some models to demo.

ATB.George.

I’m 5 years older, and have the same idea for after I retire, though that not planned for another year or two (too many expensive holidays to try to cram in!). I don’t have one yet myself, but recently had a quick scan of current availability (N.B. I’m aware that it is still a developing area).

What struck me was the need to balance weight against range (minimum weight to allow maximum ‘real’ cycling, but sufficient range to have confidence that if I start venturing further afield I’ll still be able to get home if I push too far). Also a significant consideration IF wanting to maximise your own exercise is the gears, because many seem to have quite limited gear ranges compared to ‘normal’ road/touring/hybrid bikes.

Also, I have some family in Hong Kong, who say that electric bikes are avaolable there that are far cheaper than in UK, so when tge time comes I may look into that, though aware of the many pitfalls, including UK regulations, safety and battery life/replaceability.

Cheers George, that is very helpful.

A pleasure Nigel!

Up late as I received my ND 555 today and still listening to the music - don’t want to go to bed!

ATB.  George.

I’ve owned my Raleigh Motus for just over 12 months. Only £2k, so I guess in the Ford Mondeo range as opposed to George’s Bentley!

My wife has the same machine, and we take both on the back of our motorhome on all our trips. Have ridden just over 1500 miles since purchasing, 60% totally unaided, 10% in each of assist categories (Eco, Tour, Sport & Turbo). We’ve used them extensively throughout France and on U.K. trips to the Isle of Wight, Wales, Scotland and Dartmoor - some pretty challenging terrain. Longest journey on one charge was on Dartmoor, just under 60 miles. There is no doubt that, while making hilly terrain far more accessible, they are definitely not cheating. Electric assist only cuts in when you are pedalling - what it actually means is that previously unachievable climbs and journeys are now possible, but with hard work and physical effort.

Having had three back operations in the last 5 years, together with being on waiting list for both knees to be replaced, replacing my manual Trek with the Raleigh has meant being able to continue to enjoy recreational cycling rather than give it up (I’m 65 and retired). I didnt do any of the market research described above, just a little internet ‘googling’ and advice from a local cycle dealer. I’m sure George’s bike is wonderful, but, as with hi-if, you don’t have to have a Statement system to enjoy music or a Bentley to enjoy driving. 

E biking is, without doubt, a fantastic innovation for those of us with health issues or for whom traditional cycling has simply become too hard with advancing years and physical decline. I heartily commend it!

What ever you do don't just splerge out on a nice shiny new thing that just sits in the garage unused.

TOBYJUG posted:

What ever you do don't just splerge out on a nice shiny new thing that just sits in the garage unused.

Yes TJ, I know what you mean.

I do however tend to use my toys well. Had motorbikes for a few years and decided to sell as they were used…err….a little too well!

Also, I know I simply have to do some exercise and shed a few (well lots) of pounds and I will only achieve that doing something I enjoy. I used to cycle for many years and loved it. I just need a bit of assistance these days and I am sure an e-bike will keep me out there for longer stints. Well that's the theory anyway. I would also like to think that I could run some errands on the bike instead of the car. Cheaper, more enjoyable and healthier. Sound good when you say it fast!

Thanks Tobyjug - Absolutely.......  good point!  Funnily enough, if I use it a lot (and I plan to), it’s probably the car that I can see being the shiny thing in the garage that never gets used!

ATB. George.

I’m still huffing and puffing on a new regular bike at 52. In my day job I’m Project Manager for a major new cycleway/footway that we are building in town. We’ve seen a big up take in electric bikes and it’s certainly on my list of things for enjoying in retirement. We now have off road cycleways from where we live all the way into town, so it’s a great option for us.

I’m 61, and have ridden an iZip E3 Path for the last three years. I love two things about my e-bike. First, it has greatly increased the distance I can ride, allowing me to explore lots of new areas. Second, by using the throttle, I can pedal up the steepest of hills without hurting my knees or back. 

Must say, that Riese and Müller is a fine looking bike!

Some friends of ours are both keen cyclists and  they have got a Trek electric bike amongst 2 tandems and Bromptons,mountain bikes,racing bikes etc.They both use the E bike and like it alot.Their commute is always a 16 mile round trip and there is a 2 mile at the start .A gradual gradient but if you have a headwind it can be a real slog.Think they love the E bike for this.It takes all the slog out of hills.

In the high-end road bike market Pinarello have a E bike in their product range now.I think it's exciting times in the cycling industry right now with E bikes.Battery life has definitely increased and alot smaller now.

Cycling purists think their not real bikes but as a keen cyclist myself if they get more people cycling so much the better as you still have to peddle on a E bike.

Thanks all!

@Mike Sullivan, yes, its great to cycle, and when I’ve been on my test rides on these ebikes, they have brought such a huge grin to my face and encouraged me to go much further than if I’d been on a non eBike!  In fact, when I was given a 30 minute slot for each of my test rides, I found myself wanting to be out much, much longer.  In London for example, I crossed London Bridge and was off cycling round the many new dedicated cycle lanes that the Capital now has.  Lotsafun!

@Hook, great feedback from your experiences and reinforces that purchase of an eBike is the right thing.  I dithered on the decision for weeks (anxiety about security, use and the investment), however like a lot of folks at my age, I recently lost some friends to ill health which has spurred me on to live life and not procrastinate!  Liikewise, I’m looking forward to exploring and also for replacing short car journeys - with the 1000Watt battery capacity, I’m figuring I can actually get quite far to go visit people and take bike rides together.  My wife has another year to go until she’s retired, and we’ll look to see if an eBike is something that will work for her nearer the time.

@Taby Cat, absolutely - I couldn’t have put it better.  There are so many good bikes, and the Treks and Haibikes are good ebikes.  Likewise, I still have my old Dawes Galaxy (which was refurbished in 2007 to replace the old Simplex chain set with Shimano, upgraded brakes and new tyres).  The disk brakes on the new ebikes are incredible though and take some getting used to - certainly if you are only used to ‘block on rim’ brakes!  Interestingly, yes, it’s the e mountain bikes (emtbs) that appear to be pushing the technologies the most, and the trickle down of that tech to the urban commuter and hybrid ebikes is apparent.

Thanks again all!

ATB.  George.

I have also been seriously considering an ebike for myself and my wife.  We live in the countryside and often cycle a few miles ending up at a pub which then negates all the good healthy exercise !!..  However an ebike would allow us to go further and go on roads with hills that we just cannot mange now.

I have been looking on t'internet and like the sound/look of Volt bikes.  There is a dealer near us and I will have a demo before I buy.  However just wondering if anyone else has had experience with Volt ebikes.  Especially as they are British (well assembled in Britain)

I also considered to buy one for my daily commute to work, but so far only bought a road bike for sporty drives. As it’s also hilly in my area I wouldn’t consider a normal bike as I would need to shower again at work.

So far I haven’t driven one and was also contemplating what happens over the speed limit indicated...

I’ve been sniffing around these recently too, must be an age thing! Seems the Bosch system is the way to go and avoid hub motors. I’ve been looking at the Cube range and they seem reasonable value and good all-rounders. I’ve had a few test rides and it’s great that you still can get a good cardio workout if you want but are able to go places you might not have otherwise. 

Bert Schurink posted:

I also considered to buy one for my daily commute to work, but so far only bought a road bike for sporty drives. As it’s also hilly in my area I wouldn’t consider a normal bike as I would need to shower again at work.

So far I haven’t driven one and was also contemplating what happens over the speed limit indicated...

Bert - you really should use one for the daily commute! I bought an Electra Townie Go (with a Bosch motor) a year ago. Looks like one an old gentlemen's bike with a rack front and back so you can strap on a leather briefcase and arrive at work without a sweaty shirt. I practically live on top of a mountain and it's very hard work to use an ordinary bicycle to work. I have also become less "less social" in the morning and can't stand the friendly chatter on the buss anymore, so using an E-bike is a blessing.

The speed you can achieve down a slope is insane. An e-bike weighs considerable more than a standard bike and when you add my own 100 kilograms of galloping midlife crisis my max speed so far is 73,6 km/h. 

[@mention:13533848853057382] - congratulations with your new bike. Riese & Müller is the best company in the business. A friend of mine has one of those Riese & Müller cargo bikes and it's a fantastic thing.

Be prepared for the service costs though as you will go through your brake pads in no time. I have had them replaced three times already in a year and the service costs add up to around 500 pounds (including winter tyres with spikes, a replaced rear brake disc and replaced brake fluids).

Of course, one could do all the service oneself.

Bert Schurink posted:

I also considered to buy one for my daily commute to work, but so far only bought a road bike for sporty drives. As it’s also hilly in my area I wouldn’t consider a normal bike as I would need to shower again at work.

So far I haven’t driven one and was also contemplating what happens over the speed limit indicated...

Hi Bert - I agree with @Mr.Fjeld, and once you try one, you will be addicted (a bit like listening to a ND555 - I’m sure you can relate to that Bert????!) and you’ll definitely have a big grin on your face.

In Europe, Pedelecs are restricted to 250W motor output, assistance up to 25kph (15.5 mph), however once you reach that speed and the motor cuts out, you can still increase your speed through peddle power alone.  If you want assistance over the 25kph limit, there are speed Pedelecs that have higher output motors and will go faster.  Riese and Müller have some in their range, and another brand you might be interested in is the Swiss Company, Stromer.  Again, these are at the high end of the market, and there are other manufacturers of speed Pedelecs.  A downside of speed Pedelecs in the UK is that they need to be registered with the government (DVLA), require a number plate, full motorcycle helmet and similar insurance as a moped.  The lights are wired to be permanently on and a hooter/horn must be fitted.  You also can’t ride speed Pedelecs on trails and paths intended for pedestrians and cyclists.  For most people though, a normal pedelec will be sufficient for having fun, getting exercise and also for replacing many of the journeys currently done in a car.

ATB. George.

Mr Fjeld posted:

[@mention:13533848853057382] - congratulations with your new bike. Riese & Müller is the best company in the business. A friend of mine has one of those Riese & Müller cargo bikes and it's a fantastic thing.

Be prepared for the service costs though as you will go through your brake pads in no time. I have had them replaced three times already in a year and the service costs add up to around 500 pounds (including winter tyres with spikes, a replaced rear brake disc and replaced brake fluids).

Of course, one could do all the service oneself.

Thanks Mr Fjeld.

Yes, the cargo ebikes are very impressive, and there are models where you can get 3 children in for the school run, and with the increasing congestion charge and accelerating closure of roads to motor vehicles in London, this style of bike is also very popular with small businesses for delivering quite heavy payloads (e.g. wine, food, clothes, etc. - I’ve even seen one with a trailer for delivering bicycles!).   As well as companies like R&M and Tern making these, there is another company called Butchers and Bicycles - I believe this is a Danish company.

On spares and servicing - absolutely, this makes good sense, however the bike I’ve chosen is low maintenance (the carbon fibre belt doesn’t stretch like a chain, doesn’t need lubricating (no more oily trouser legs!), the Enviolo CVT is virtually maintenance free as well).  The bike shop tells me that despite the brakes being hydraulic, they also need very little maintenance (e.g. fluid changes), and similar with brake pads. Being a road vehicle, and as with cars, it makes good sense to have the bike checked over and inspected annually - it’s a heck of an investment, and properly maintained should last a long time.  Derailleur gears of course need more maintenance, and if you go for the very cool E-14 Rohloff rear hub transmission (14 electrically selected gears), an annual oil change is a requirement.  As you say though, there is no reason why a reasonably competent owner couldn’t do much of tthis themselves.

Thanks for your comments and reply.

ATB.George.

Timmo1341 posted:

I’ve owned my Raleigh Motus for just over 12 months.

Hi [@mention:46901101887305210] - great bike and also uses the Bosch system as well if I remember correctly.

You reminded me that on the way up to London on Friday by train (to order my bike), I took this photo of the only e-bike in the station bike park (also a Raleigh Motus) - just hope no-one uses the key this person has left in the rear wheel ‘cafe-style’ lock to unlock and steal the battery! 

ATB.  George.