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Looking for Electric Bike

notitle
Posts: 4 Newbie

Hi everyone.
My father is turning 60 next month. I'm looking for a quality electric bike for him. It will be mostly used for pleasure. He likes medium/long-distance cycle rides but sadly he can't do it anymore riding a normal bike.
I have heard of a few brands but before I want to ask for recommendations.
Thanks.
My father is turning 60 next month. I'm looking for a quality electric bike for him. It will be mostly used for pleasure. He likes medium/long-distance cycle rides but sadly he can't do it anymore riding a normal bike.
I have heard of a few brands but before I want to ask for recommendations.
Thanks.
5
Comments
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Define medium / long distances? Any off road type cycling involved? Do you have a budget ceiling?0
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I suggest you start here:
https://www.bikeradar.com/electric-bikes
Lots of good information and advice.1 -
Have you got a local bike shop who you can go talk to?I’ve got a forme peak which I love, I’ve done nearly 2000miles on it. I’m looking to upgrade to something lighter though.Things to consider- riding position, weight of bike, battery position (in tube is best rather than on the back wheel). I’d definitely take your dad to have a look and see if you can hire an ebike for a day and give it a go.MFW 2021 #76 £5,145
MFW 2022 #27 £5,300
MFW 2023 #27 £2,000
MFW 2024 #27 £6,055
MFW 2025 #27 £550/£50000 -
A day or half day bike hire is a great idea. Most bike shops with outdoor space will let you have a quick trial but it's not enough really to see which suits you better. You need real world conditions. I have a Raleigh step through bike as it makes getting on and off a doddle. Get one with a prop stand as ebikes are mostly very heavy unless you pay a premium.0
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It really depends how big the budget is - you can go from potentially less than £1000 to well over £8000.
Mine was in the middle. It's Trek. And I love it! Nearly done 4000 miles and so, so, so glad I bought it, and it really has changed my life. In the end I'm glad I paid for the size of battery and size of motor (this is where much of the money goes). However, I do l live at the top of a big hill, and if I didn't have a decent battery/motor combination, that would be challenging...0 -
Specialized Turbo Vado SL all day long. Superb bikes, very light - not much heavier than a hybrid bike and you can buy a battery extender if you want to do long trips. I can get 30-40 miles on one charge over variable terrain including big hills. Where I live is pretty hilly and wish I'd got one years ago. They do a step-through version which I have and find it great as I'm quite tall and as I approach my dotage it get's hard to get my leg over (wey-hey!) a conventional crossbar. Many outlets seem to be selling the 4.0 SL with step-through for £1,500 - unbelievable value for money. As to be expected, bike comes with pretty naff saddle so I replaced mine straight away with something more comfortable. I cycle for the pleasure not the pain! Battery extender will set you back about £300 and slots in the water bottle carrier and will add 20-30 miles to the range depending on the terrain. I can't post links but as an example have a look at the Certini bike website and search for:
2022 Specialized Turbo Vado SL 4.0 Step-Through Electric Hybrid Bike - Limestone
0 -
Would definitely agree that he should try before committing to a purchase. Some bikes have the motor on the bottom crank, others on the back hub. They definitely feel and handle differently. A couple of years ago, at age 61 my wife and I both settled on Orbea (Spanish) Optima E50 e-bikes. Not a current model, but looks like you can still pick one up around the £1600 mark. Motor in the rear hub, which feels ok. Advantages - step through frame (future proofing for later years), relatively light (23kg) reasonable range (about 35 miles), great gearing when power not switched on. A very well made bike.Major potential disadvantage - battery is in the seat tube, so you need to have the facilities to charge the whole bike, rather than just removing the battery. However if he isn’t touring about, then this may not be an issue. Uses the Mahle x35 system (motor, controller, battery etc) which is common to a lot of bikes, reasonably reliable although there are some software issues with potential overcharging, that can only be resolved by a dealer, unless you get the latest firmware update (again only from a dealer)0
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Thanks all for the recommendations.
I'm thinking less than £2500 if possible. Sometimes too cheap could be expensive.
Mainly off-road, countryside, and some hills.
I want to pick up a UK-based brand, warranty included and good service.
If it's possible, not too heavy bike.
Thanks again0 -
IMO, the most important thing for an electric bike is comprimise between the weight and the power/assistance/range. Powerful e-bikes are far too heavy and almost unusable without assistance as a result - very hard to accellerate on crossroads and virtually impossible to ride even a short distance steep uphill. I'm saying this after owning my first Carrera Crossfire - and it wasn't the heaviest of e-bikes available. I was lucky to have it stolen near my Tesco.
Now I'm really enjoing my Ralleigh Trace that is just about 17 kilograms and that I can easily ride without any assistance even uphill if needed. I switch assistanse ON only when riding uphill, against strong wind or when time is really critical.
That said, I don't think this particular bike is good for off-road - at least because of lack of front suspension, but any suspension comes at a price - higher weight.
And I'm in my 60s, but I'm a keen cyclist and hardly ever drive my car.1 -
Watching this with interest - my next bike will be an e-bike (though I also hanker after a Brompton). For me weight will be all important, but if there’s a going to be a lot of difficult terrain involved in the kind of off-road biking involved then a heavier sturdier bike might be more appropriate.0
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