Get a grip woman!

Busy_Mee

Woo hoo. Mortgage Free that is worth a celebration 

Suffolk_lass

It is worth a celebration! I think it might be the electric bikes that we promised ourselves from my M-i-L's estate proceeds - stock is starting to return. And a bottle of something lovely...

greent

Oh definitely worth marking in some way, S_l! - a bottle of something lovely sounds great - as do the bikes - will you be taking them away in the van with you? 

Suffolk_lass

Yes, that is the idea. I want a step through (like a Dutch style) bike that can help us out, both to go and see things a bit further afield and to do the shopping if we are away for a bit longer. We have been looking at Raleigh all year (European build, British Company ) versus Holland Bikes who do mail order. There is a £1000 difference per bike in price. Another discussion before we commit to go for it.

Karmacat

So you're the reason I was looking at folding electric bikes on the web yesterday!  I wondered why I chose that day

Suffolk_lass

Did a fair bit of bramble and creeping sweetpea clearing on Sunday and got stung on the ear by what sounded like a bee but no sting evident so DH convinced it was a wasp. I took two each of paracetamol (very painful) and antihistamine and dabbed my ear with both bicarb (for bee stings) and vinegar (for wasp stings. It is just very red and extremely itchy now. Ironic really. Spent Friday dealing with 50,000 bees with no stings and then get stung while doing a bit of garden clearing! 

Yesterday we popped along to talk to the nice man in the local bike shop and even they cannot order the bikes we want. He said it could be next year before they are available. If the Brexit discussions tank that could mean a price hike of up to 83.5%!

themadvix

Ouch, both to the ear sting and the potential price hikes for the bike. Will that price increase be due to customs charges or are you betting on a fall in the £/increased costs for parts? If the latter, could it be worth buying them in Europe (assuming its the Holland bikes?). I guess if it's the Raleighs and it's just down to part cost increases/customs charges, there's not a lot you can do about it. What a rubbish situation! (*walks off grumbling, 'bl**** Brexit').

Knowing how much research you've done, I'm sure you've made your decision, but there are companies offering conversion kits for normal bikes - including one that featured on an episode of Fully Charged recently: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo6i5VcJ-ME (Did put the hyperlink in originally but then it had a massive YouTube link that embedded the video!). Might be worth considering (although depends on the state of your push bike).

Suffolk_lass

My pushbike is not a step through and really uncomfortable. I think if there is a realistic possibility of getting the Raleigh's we will do so. Some further research on my part clarifies that that is the EU tariff on e-bikes from China (anti-dumping duty) - it is to stop China from putting the european makers out of business by dumping cheap exports on the market that make the home-grown uneconomic.

Most frames are made in South Korea but there are european premium manufacturers. I think we are going with 1st choice Raleigh if there is a supply, 2nd choice one of the Hollandbikes - made in NL, DE or CZ, if no update on the Raleighs by November.

Karmacat

It never occurred to me there'd be financial problems with bikes ... I didn't buy one over the summer, and I'm still really undecided what to get - I wound up looking at electric folding bikes at one stage ... but winter, and covid, argue against that.  I may just get a cheapish folding bike from Halfords and think about a car again ...

themadvix

That seems like a sensible plan SL. If your pushbike is no good, then making it electric would be a waste. Let's hope the Raleighs come through for you.