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Electric bikes 15.5mph powered top speed?

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  • AdrianHi
    AdrianHi Posts: 2,228 Forumite
    POil wrote: »
    While most 'traditional' cyclists think electric bikes are a waste of time and for the elderly or infirm, there are other reasons for buying one! Many people use them to commute where they don't have shower facilities at work or want the electric option to help cut the journey time. One of the biggest reasons why electric bikes have seen a huge increase in sales is the increase in the costs of fuel. Many are now looking to ditch the car and get on the bike and are perhaps afraid to jump straight to a normal cycle. Even if the electric bike is a transitional purchase at least that is another car off the road. There are a couple of good sites in the UK for electric bike info:

    http://www.atob.org.uk

    http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum
    You've hit the nail on the head there, if electric power can reduce my travelling time there will be more journeys I can do by bike instead of car.
    I registered on pedelec.co.uk/forum yesterday for a bit more info.
  • AdrianHi
    AdrianHi Posts: 2,228 Forumite
    Quote from the 50cycles website;

    26V 10A Lithium Manganese battery pack
    for Kalkhoff electric bikes

    £295 inc VAT & delivery
    A battery is apparently good for 500 cycles 40,000km.
    If I hit my target of 500 miles a month the battery would be good for just over 4 years. Decent value I think, always possible the replacement battery available 4 years from now will be better too.
    Another consideration is insurance and security locks.
    I've just got some quotes for an up to £1500 pedal/electric bike for my post code area and your looking at £172 to £189 a year. My Direct Line household insurance policy has a £1000 limit for bicycles and cover away from home is optional but again limited to £1000.
  • AdrianHi
    AdrianHi Posts: 2,228 Forumite
    scbk wrote: »
    I read this review on the vectrix a few months ago http://londonbikers.com/articles/6325/petrol-not-included-a-vectrix-electric-scooter

    Seems an alright bike, pity about the price tag though!
    I read that yesterday too.
    I really like it, they can be test driven in Eastleigh, Hampshire which is not far from me.
    I'm swaying towards the Kalkoff Pro Connect pedelec though, if the battery goes flat I'm not stranded, can recharge the battery under my desk at work plus with the much lower price tag would give me a cost saving if I used it 4 to 5 days a week.
    I could not get rid of the car which ever way I went, paying out £5300 for the Vectrix is never going to be money saving.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I have a kalkhoff pro connect. I still cycle but the bike helps me up hills and there are many hills around where I live. It means that I do not take the car, whereas previously cycling was daunting because of the hills. I have 2 good panniers and a full battery charge costs me 5p and out of that I get 50 assisted miles. The bike weighs only 20.8 kg with the battery so is easy to handle. An example: I went to the hairdressers on tuesday, a round trip of 12 miles. I took the bike instead of the car and arrived feeling cool and fresh and with plenty of time to spare

    The ride on this bike is very positive and it feels very safe and is wonderfully easy to handle. The pedelec system kicks in only when needed and I choose at what level it is needed. If I want to get puffed, then I choose the mode/gear accordingly. I have also obtained 3rd party insurance with ctc

    Be aware that not every electric bike fully complies with the legal requirements

    This is A to B review
    http://www.50cycles.com/pro-connect-electric-bike-review.shtml

    It is such a good build that I can see the bike lasting a long time and getting much use. I just have to say that we don`t have spare storage so it has pride of place in my kitchen :cool:
  • AdrianHi
    AdrianHi Posts: 2,228 Forumite
    kittie wrote: »
    I have a kalkhoff pro connect. I still cycle but the bike helps me up hills and there are many hills around where I live. It means that I do not take the car, whereas previously cycling was daunting because of the hills. I have 2 good panniers and a full battery charge costs me 5p and out of that I get 50 assisted miles. The bike weighs only 20.8 kg with the battery so is easy to handle. An example: I went to the hairdressers on tuesday, a round trip of 12 miles. I took the bike instead of the car and arrived feeling cool and fresh and with plenty of time to spare

    The ride on this bike is very positive and it feels very safe and is wonderfully easy to handle. The pedelec system kicks in only when needed and I choose at what level it is needed. If I want to get puffed, then I choose the mode/gear accordingly. I have also obtained 3rd party insurance with ctc

    Be aware that not every electric bike fully complies with the legal requirements

    This is A to B review
    http://www.50cycles.com/pro-connect-electric-bike-review.shtml

    It is such a good build that I can see the bike lasting a long time and getting much use. I just have to say that we don`t have spare storage so it has pride of place in my kitchen :cool:
    Wonderful to hear from someone who actually has one :cool::cool:
    That review is what has got me so interested in this bike. My key concern is, how long will it take me to do my 14 mile commute. If it takes too long it's a non-starter.
    How long did it take you to do the 12 miles?

    I've read a lot of comments praising the build quality of this bike.
    I'm hoping to get up to Richmond for a test ride, don't know how I'll make time to do it though.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I didn`t really time myself and I rode leisurely because I was enjoying the ride instead of dreading the hills

    The people at 50cycles are very good and they specialise in the kalkhoff, I think they are the only make they sell. They will answer any questions.

    Re time again, I did 30 downhills, 16 on the flat and 7 up very steep hills and I am 60 and cautious down hills. I expect you could go a lot faster if you wanted to. My dh put a bike computer thing on for me as I wanted to keep a record of mileage and I did notice the speeds in mph. They will do test rides and will be at the new forest show this month but I don`t know the date

    ps I have the step through 45 cm bike as I am 5 foot
    another ps my dh is a lycra cyclist ex pro) and has two expensive road bikes and is very involved with a well know cycle club. It was he who persuaded me to look at electric bikes. He gave the pro connect a good look and we bought it. He didn`t hesitate
  • AdrianHi
    AdrianHi Posts: 2,228 Forumite
    kittie wrote: »
    I didn`t really time myself and I rode leisurely because I was enjoying the ride instead of dreading the hills

    The people at 50cycles are very good and they specialise in the kalkhoff, I think they are the only make they sell. They will answer any questions.

    Re time again, I did 30 downhills, 16 on the flat and 7 up very steep hills and I am 60 and cautious down hills. I expect you could go a lot faster if you wanted to. My dh put a bike computer thing on for me as I wanted to keep a record of mileage and I did notice the speeds in mph. They will do test rides and will be at the new forest show this month but I don`t know the date

    ps I have the step through 45 cm bike as I am 5 foot
    Thanks for that.
    38, 5'11 and determined to go fast, so I'm hopeful and need to get fitter :o
    The A to B review suggested average 14-15 mph on their circuit, I need to get the average speed up to about 21-22mph if this is going to be a realistic car replacement, the car does average 37mph on a clear road on the same trip which I never expect to match on a pedal bike, in the rush hour the car is down below 30mph average speed which is where the bike comparison gets interesting.
    I'm just going to have to have a go on one.
    Unfortunately the New Forrest show days are week days and being self employed I'd loose income. I'll see when I can get to Richmond.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I almost managed to drain the battery for the first time. I have to drain it and then give it a full charge in order to condition it. I have done 53 miles on rough, cracked (mid glamorgan!!) tarmac and up quite a lot of hills. The battery itself has 6 indicating lights on it so it is easy to see the amount of energy left. At 52 miles the last light on the handlebar indicator started flashing and I continued home in mode 2. I parked in the kitchen and switched the bike lights on (they go off every 10 mins when stationary). The lights are still blazing strongly and I have been trying to do the last drain since 9.30 am. I reckon I could have got another 3 miles out of it

    I absolutely love this bike and my dh (ex cycle pro) is very very impressed with it. It freewheels so easily and smoothly and is light to handle. I am using the bike as a helper and am still cycling properly but motorists seeing me glide up the long steep hills must think I am supergran, as the battery isn`t obvious. One of my best ever buys :beer:
  • tillson
    tillson Posts: 167 Forumite
    I have recently bought a Kalkhoff Pro-Connect and have to say that I agree with everything said by Kittie. You can put in as much or as little effort as you like on these bikes and can arrive fresh for work. I use mine to comute to work. It is 10 miles and takes me 35 minutes one way and 30 on the return. This is a very hilly route and I am by no means a fit cyclist. I have just changed the rear sproket from the standard UK 23 tooth to an 18 tooth. The 23 tooth sproket makes the bike very low geared and I never used a gear lower than 4th. Putting on the 18 tooth makes you use the full range and allows you to cruise at about 20 mph on the level.

    The Kalkhoff really is a well made bike. The only possible downside I can see is availability of replacement batteries in 10 years time. At present, these bikes are quite a minority item and I wonder if things like batteries will still be in production.

    Interestingly, there are equivelents to the Kalkhoffs known as the Raleigh Lester and Raliegh Dover, but I don't think that they are available in the UK. Strange.
  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 30,077 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Hello, I'm not lazy, old or infirm but I do have 3 issues with cycling 30 miles a day.

    One of them is that there's a great big hill in the way which is really off putting.
    The second problem is the time it takes to cycle 30 miles.
    If I'm doing anything in the evening (ironically sometimes an exercise class) then I might have to ditch the cycling because I can't get home in time.
    The third problem is sometimes back problems. With variable assistance I might still be able to cycle on days I'm not feeling 100%.

    So thanks Kittie for the info.

    I am on the verge of considering giving up my car so this could be a solution for me.
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