First E Bike

hawkwinddotcom

Hi

Looking at getting an ebike for commuting to work (6 miles) as I need to get fitter etc I weigh 125kg........but my knee no longer accepts uphill punishment lol.

I have 2 "normal" bikes but don't really want to go down the conversion route



I quite like the option of throttle and a drive motor larger than 250w, but sadly they are illegal after 2016.

Does anyone have recommendations for companies that have these options? And below £1400?

KeithP

Can I recommend you to:

www.pedelecs.co.uk

There is an active forum there with lots of knowledgeable people who are very tolerant of 'newbies'.

Nasqueron

One thought - what gearing do you have on an existing bike? Remember an e-bike can only do so much and will run out of battery eventually plus it adds weight


A more generous gearing e.g. 52/36 to 50/34 or going to a triple such as 50/39/30 with a big cassette on the back (11-34 is freely available) would give you an extremely easy hill climb spin

CarolynRach

The e-bike experts near me are Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op but I'm not sure they have a shop near you (they have ones in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Newcastle & Leeds) although they do free delivery too if you didn't need to see the bike before purchasing. I think the brand they like the most is Kalkhoff or Whyte so maybe see if a shop near you stock those?

From my experience, it's best to either do a good deal of research yourself or speak to a trusted local bike shop because an ebike is an investment. You want to get the right one even if it takes you a bit longer to choose.

Hope that helps.

Johnmcl7

After seeing a lot of recommendations for the pedelecs forum I went there looking for fairly specific requirements I was hoping to get a good deal on an end of season bike. I didn't get any helpful replies and instead a load of PM's from sellers pushing their bike model which didn't meet the requirements I asked for nor reduced either. I kept on hunting myself and found a good deal instead.

I'd also echo advice to try a bike in person as there's a lot of variety in bikes and if you save money buying a bike online and it doesn't suit you, you'll lose a lot of money selling it on. It's a mistake I've seen quite a few people make including myself.

What sort of route is your six mile ride, is it particularly hilly?

hawkwinddotcom

Thanks everyone.

I made the plunge and bought (awaiting delivery) from a place in the UK of an ebike for around my budget.
It comes with a 1000w motor and larger battery and a few extra's.
It comes restricted of course...

KeithP

Oh, a 1000w motor.

Direct drive no doubt? It will be no good at hill climbing.

Did you have a test ride before riding?

Is your commute all on private land to which the public have no access?

Xbigman

1000w is legally a moped. You need to register it, mot it, tax it and wear a helmet.



Darren

PS. I'm 56, 114kg, dodgy knees and bowels and I ride a 250w road legal ebike 5 miles to work and back all year round. You simply don't need an illegal bike.

Hannes2019

if you think about e-bike conversation kit?

see on
aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-electric-bike-conversion-kit.html

Nasqueron

Hannes2019 wrote: »

if you think about e-bike conversation kit?

see on
aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-electric-bike-conversion-kit.html

If it's sold on ali express it's almost certainly dodgy/fake/dangerous


Also suspect you are building post count to spam given your 3 posts so far have been pointless