Guy at Halfords trying to put me off buying single speed ebike.

Herzlos

SneakySpectator said:

So basically what you're saying is at max speed my legs will be moving really fast? I actually found that to be a problem with the geared halfords bike I was using. In max gear at max speed my legs were going round really fast and it actually felt uncomfortable. 

Ideally when going at max speed I want my legs to be rotating at a comfortable relaxed paced, not going round like the clappers 

With geared ones it's rarely a problem unless by max gear you mean the lowest (smallest front compared to largest back). 

Basically, when cycling there's a comfortable number of pedal rotations, somewhere around 60-90rpm. How fast you go at that speed depends on the gearing (difference between front and back cogs).

On a geared bike, what you'd do is adjust the gearing so that at your pedally at a comfortable cadence, so to double your speed you'd double the front:back ratio. 
On a single speed bike, you can't change that ratio so to cycle faster you need to pedal faster. 

Using QrizB's figures above (15.5mph is the max assisted speed, you can go faster under your own power), you'd be fine at lowish speeds, but would likely find your legs spinning unconfortably fast if you were go at a more reasonably cycling speed. Especially with the battery power you could easily find yourself at 16mph/90rpm on any flat section. 

I'm not particularly fit and could easily top 16mph on a leg powered folding bike (8-speed) on the flat. 

So if there's even a 2-speed option you'll find that a lot more versatile and comfortable. 

Herzlos

I can't help but think that for a mostly flat commute/leisure bike, you could get much nicer options for the £1400 you'd be spending on the 2-speed Pro. 

This is what I've got, and I honestly think you'd be better with that and keeping the difference for a decent lock, helmet, jacket, tools, and still have £700 left. 

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/folding-bikes/carrera-intercity-folding-bike---grey-361318.html

SiliconChip

Herzlos said:

I can't help but think that for a mostly flat commute/leisure bike, you could get much nicer options for the £1400 you'd be spending on the 2-speed Pro. 

This is what I've got, and I honestly think you'd be better with that and keeping the difference for a decent lock, helmet, jacket, tools, and still have £700 left. 

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/folding-bikes/carrera-intercity-folding-bike---grey-361318.html

I don't see the point in recommending something that the OP clearly doesn't want - they are looking for an ebike. 

SiliconChip

What I didn't say in my first post, and what the OP is probably unaware of not having ridden the ADO bike yet, is that the motor can be set to provide 3 levels of assistance, I tended to use level 1 to set off, 2 for riding on the flat or downhill, and 3 for going up hills. The different levels change how fast you need to rotate the pedals, I never felt I was having to pedal faster than was comfortable. 

This is what the ADO site says for the Air 20 (single speed):

"ADO Air 20 has a single gear. However, you can choose to use 3 levels of electrical power to assist your ride. Besides, ADO Air 20 is equipped with a smart torque sensor system that provides you immediate power assistance according to terrain. In this case, even if you ride or start the ride on an incline, you will get the assistance you need immediately even with a single gear."

SneakySpectator

Herzlos said:

I can't help but think that for a mostly flat commute/leisure bike, you could get much nicer options for the £1400 you'd be spending on the 2-speed Pro. 

This is what I've got, and I honestly think you'd be better with that and keeping the difference for a decent lock, helmet, jacket, tools, and still have £700 left. 

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/folding-bikes/carrera-intercity-folding-bike---grey-361318.html

That's great, except it isn't an ebike?

Herzlos

It's not, but it was just a suggestion based on what it sounds like you'll use it for. 

bouicca21

I think OP should find an independent bike shop that stocks this kind of bike and get advice and a test ride there.  But tbh I really don’t understand why anyone would need or want an e-bike for 3 mile ride, especially if it is pretty flat.

SneakySpectator

bouicca21 said:

I think OP should find an independent bike shop that stocks this kind of bike and get advice and a test ride there.  But tbh I really don’t understand why anyone would need or want an e-bike for 3 mile ride, especially if it is pretty flat.

Because I sweat very very easily. I'd happily ride 20 miles without a problem with a normal bike, if I didn't sweat.

And because I sweat so easily it puts me off taking the bike to other places for leisure, with an ebike I would take it more places.

Nasqueron

SneakySpectator said:

Nasqueron said:

The average Halfords bike/ebike customer knows nothing about bikes and just wants a ride that will do their journey without issue. A single speed bike won't be suitable for the majority of riders who either won't have the ability to get up a hill on a single gear even with e-assist, will run out of gear and start spinning etc. He likely assumed you would come back and complain the bike wasn't suitable.

Single speed is a niche market even among normal bikes let alone e-bikes so, they have their place and I have considered one myself (normal) but it's unlikely to be a market big enough for them to justify stocking or training on. 

That's fine, but I'm mostly asking for peoples personal opinions. How can an average rider make it up a 1km 8% gradient hill with a 20% gradient top on a single speed ebike if single speed is basically like riding a bmx? 

Literally every review I'm reading has nothing bad to say about single speed. My commute to work is only 3 miles and is pretty flat the entire way with just 2 or 3 average normal hills.

Either they're not average or it has a sympathetic gear ratio - single speed bikes don't have the same gears, you spec as you want. I'll assume you know nothing about bikes so sorry if you do, but it makes it easier

Less teeth front = easier
More teeth back = easier

For reference I ride 52/36 front 11-34 rear on my road bike

Sigle speeds normally start with the 2:1 gear ratio

A 32/16 single speed wouldn't be that hard to get up a hill, 32 is only a bit tougher than the granny cog on a triple (53/39/30 for example) and a 16 rear, while not easy easy, with the 32 it's pretty relaxed. You can go for more of a harder spec like 44/16 44/18 46/16 46/17 48/17 

Nasqueron

QrizB said:

LeafGreen said:

I would guess that the single gear it comes with is a very low/small/easy gear, so cadence would quickly increase with speed - perhaps it is optimised for going up hill but you would be spinning a lot on the flats?

The website is terrible - too much lifestyle puff, not enough technical info - but judging by this picture it looks like roughly a 3:1 gear ratio (like 48:16 sprockets):

Yeah like the "Hydraulic Dis Brake", a "swift frame"

That said, a single speed folding e-bike isn't unappealing if we move and I have to go back to cycle commuting and choose to use the train