Electric Bikes

Transcription

Electric Bikes

Issue 3 www.electricbikemag.co.uk
£2.50 where sold
Six electric reviewsl
Full beginner’s guidel
Crank vs hub drivel
ON TEST: Powabyke X-24 EBCO UCR60 BionX kitl
lKudos Tourer Nexus-8 Bosch crank drive Daum TrekkingHl
e for easily.
easily the most economic power assisted transport there is.
easily the lowest prices guaranteed.
easily the most comprehensive range.
easily delivered and pre-assembled.
easily the best finance arrangements.
WE STOCK:
The Gepida Range of Electric Bikes
The Powabyke Range of Electric Bikes
The Raleigh Range of Electric Bikes
The IZIP Range of Electric Bikes
The GoCycle Range of Electric Bikes
The Reptila 900 Electric Bike Ladies & Gents
The Ultra Motor A2B Hybrid Electric Bike
The Ultra Motor A2B Metro Electric Bike
The Green Edge Black Star 2 Folding Electric Bike
The Wisper 906 XC Tourer Electric Bike
The Wisper 905 SE Sport Electric Bike
The Wisper 905 SE City S Electric Bike
The Wisper 905 ECO Electric Bike
The Wisper 805 FE Folding Electric Bike
The Wisper 705 SE Ladies Electric Bike
The Wisper Alpino Range of Electric Bikes
The Powacycle Salisbury LPX Electric Bike
The Powacycle Windsor LPX Electric Bike
The Powacycle Puma / Lynx LPX Folding Electric Bikes
The Powacycle Milan 2 Electric Bike
The Infineum Extreme Electric Bike
The Viking Range of Electric Bikes
and many more........
as well as a comprehensive range of Tricycles
NEW LONDON SHOWROOM NOW OPEN!
To find out more about our fantastic range and unprecedented
knowledge of electric bikes in the UK contact us on:
Tel: 01580830959 www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk or www.tricyclesales.co.uk
Head office & showroom - Unit 6, Midicy Oast, Bodiam Business Park,
Bodiam, East Sussex. TN32 5UP
New London showroom - E-Bikesdirect London, 14 Ingate Place,
Battersea, London. SW8 3NS
It is advisable to contact us prior to coming for a demonstration
TM
Contents
4 News
From the editor
Welcome to the third edition of Electric
Bike magazine!
Four more electric bikes go under the
spotlight this issue in our full reviews.
Testing several bikes side by side is
always illuminating: there are really very
significant differences to be discovered
even between bikes at similar price-points.
I hope the reviews give you some idea
of these differences: often it’s not a case
of better or worse, just of the designers
working towards different objectives. My
aim in reviewing is always to tease out the
strengths and weaknesses of each design
decision, so that you as a reader can match
them up against your own priorities and
budget to make a choice. Or even better, to
make a shortlist for test-riding at a dealer
or manufacturer’s showroom.
We’ve had great support from both
advertisers and readers over the last few
months, and as a result we’ve been able
to add 12 extra pages this issue. That has
allowed us to accommodate even more
reviews, extra articles, a page of your
letters, and more even more advice. It
has taken rather longer than originally
planned to bring this issue together, for
which apologies – I hope you think it’s
worth the wait.
Peter Eland
All the latest from the electric bike world
8
6 Letters
Your queries, suggestions and comments
8 Review:
8
Powabyke X-24
14 Review:
14
EBCO Urban Commuter UCR60
18 Short review:
Bosch assisted Haibike MTB
20 Review:
Kudos Cycles Tourer Nexus-8
26 Review:
20
Daum Ergo-Bike TrekkingH Premium
30 Short review:
BionX power assist kit
32 Dealer locator
Find your nearest electric bike dealer
26
38 Electric Bikes – the low down
Author Richard Peace offers a
beginner’s guide
42 Decisions, decisions
Crank drive vs hub motor, and
derailleur vs hub gear
ELECTRIC BIKE
Electric Bike magazine
is published quarterly by
Velo Vision Ltd.
ISSN: 2045-3183 (Print)
ISSN: 2045-3191 (Online)
Velo Vision Ltd
York Eco Business Centre
Amy Johnson Way
York YO30 4AG
Tel/Fax 01904 692800
[email protected]
www.electricbikemag.co.uk
Editor/Publisher:
Peter Eland
Art Director:
Brian Holt
Web Programmer:
Simon Ward
Editorial Assistant:
Sue Archer
Photo Assistant:
Debz Butterworth
Printer:
Stephens & George
Magazines Ltd
Cover photo: Peter Eland
Subscribe to Electric Bike
38
UK subscriptions cost just £10 (including UK postage)
for a year (four issues). Back issues are also available
while stocks last (£2.50 each). To order, call us on 01904
692800 with card details, order securely online at www.
electricbikemag.co.uk or send a cheque (to ‘Velo Vision Ltd’
please) to Velo Vision, Freepost RSBT-TLTE-RBHU, YORK
YO30 4AG with your name and address. Please specify
with which issue you’d like the subscription to start.
Readers outside the UK should order via the website.
We can send Electric Bike to anywhere in the world!
Issue 3 Electric Bike 3
+
NEWS
Ten year battery
warranty unveiled
The Electric Transport Shop, with
branches in Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol
and London, have come up with a
unique ten-year battery guarantee
scheme intended to remove the worry
of high battery replacement costs for
electric bike users – even daily riders
who are hard on batteries! It’s tied
in with a twice-annual (paid) service
at their stores, but a heavy user
would probably need that anyway
unless intending to do their own
maintenance.
You’ll have to contact The Electric
Transport Shop for full details, terms
and conditions, but this is a welcome
development. www.tets.biz
Royal
rider
P
Storck Raddar move
to Gateshead
rince Charles added some royal
pedalling to proceedings at the
Bridgestone Eco-Rally which he was
hosting at Clarence House in London.
In attendance was Va Hua, director of
Spencer Ivy, one of whose Panasonic-powered
electric bikes we’ll be reviewing next issue.
He’d brought with him ‘Ivy’, a unisex stepthrough model.
Va describes how it happened: “I arrived at
the event in my lounge suit (as per invitation
guidelines), sweat-free thanks to the power
assist. The Prince made his way around the
gardens, inspecting the eco-vehicles and
sustainable garden displays, but he seemed
particularly taken with Ivy, and expressed an
interest in finding out what she was capable
of. After quick instructions from myself, the
gravel path was cleared of VIP guests and off he
shot, even going off-piste onto his royal lawn!
It was a fantastic and enjoyable moment for the
Prince and spectators, most of all Ivy, having a
royal bottom perched on her!”
www.spencerivy.com
Juicy’s celebrity cyclist
road forks and 8Ah LiPo battery, intended for
shorter road commutes.
It’s been a busy year for Juicy. “We
have recently moved into a wonderful new
warehouse, with a dedicated, modern, bright
workshop and now have excellent facilities
to custom-build bikes,” says Bob. “That’s
important because this year I’ve noticed a
marked increase in younger, fitter riders who
simply see the sense of electric bikes and who
want to show off their own design choices.
We can now respond to customers who want
their own unique bike by providing a menu
of options that we will build in, especially for
them, here in the UK.”
Juicy have also recently added two new
dealers to their list: Green Electric Transport in
Weymouth and Rusty’s Cycles in Scunthorpe.
www.juicybike.co.uk
Juicy Bike in Buxton also had a brush with
celebrity over the summer, reports company
head Bob Wales. Apparently TV presenter Julia
Bradbury was in town and enjoyed her ride
on a Juicy Bike Classic around the grounds of
Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens. Julia was, says Bob,
surprised and impressed by the experience,
and is reported to have said “I must have one
of these!”
Juicy Bike are soon to reveal a new
model, the Juicy Merlin, which will act as a
showcase for a host of extras and upgrades
soon to become available for their Sport
range, including remote lock-out air shocks,
hydraulic brakes and swept handlebars.
They’ve also hinted at a Sport ‘Lite’, with rigid
4 Electric Bike Issue 3
Storck Raddar UK are now trading
from their new offices in Gateshead,
overlooking the River Tyne. The
Raddar range of pedelec bikes
“combine Swiss motors and German
design and engineering for smooth
reliable power.” Storck are also
collaborating with Cosworth, best
known for their motorsport engines,
and who are diversifying into
clean energy, saying electric bike
technology is “an exciting new area”.
www.storck-raddar.co.uk
NEWSI
Following up last issue’s report of police on
electric bikes, E-Bikesdirect sent us this shot of
bikes which they supplied recently to Wealden
Police, a division of the Sussex police force.
They’re based around Wisper bikes, with custom
graphics and other modifications.
www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk
Congratulations
to the following:
50cycles, who have been
named Distributor of the Year
by German e-bike manufacturer
Kalkhoff. It’s the second time
they’ve won the award, the first
being back in 2008 at the end
of their first year importing the
brand. The trophy will soon take
pride of place in their Richmond
showroom. www.50cycles.com
Infineum have launched a new bike for the UK,
the £1699 Continental (pictured above), a model
which is already a good seller in mainland Europe,
they say. It employs their unique stackable
battery system, letting you add packs for extra
range, all locked in place for security. A crossbar
frame version, the Continental GT, will also be
available shortly. We’ll be reviewing an Infineum
machine in a future issue! www.infineumbike.co.uk
Farewell John Gallahue,
Irish electric bike pioneer
Hase Bikes, our advertisers
from Germany, whose Klimax
2K weather-proofed and
e-assisted trike (pictured
above) earned the prestigious
Eurobike Green Award. It has
also been recognised with two
international product design
awards: a Gold iF award and
the ‘red dot’ award. A new ‘5K’
version of the machine is also
under development with a 500W
motor, to be licensed under
German’s moped regulations.
www.hasebikes.com
Marty Mannering of Goeco writes:
John Gallahue of Ballylanders, Co Limerick and
president of the Irish Electric Bike Association,
sadly passed away on Sunday 29th May 2011.
A man of great charisma, pride and
enthusiasm, he would always give advice and
guidance when called upon without hesitation.
An established author, singer and businessman
in his own right, he never closed his door to
any entrepreneur, especially those battling
against the many barriers with Ireland’s
bureaucratic systems
When the Irish Electric Bike Association was
formed in 2009, we approached John to be the
president to which he answered “It would be
my honour”: the type of response we had come
to expect.
The picture shows John helping to tackle rural
isolation with an electric tricycle fitted with the
first bicycle roof in the country.
A small tribute to John can be read on the
Goeco website: www.goeco.ie. He will be sadly
missed by all at Goeco; John did more to help our
development in Ireland than any other individual
and stepped forward with a helping hand
whenever we asked. A true gentleman and friend.
Sincere condolences to John’s family, friends and
colleagues from us all at Electric Bike and, I’m sure,
from all in the electric bike industry.
Powabyke, who collected two
top awards from Able magazine
at the 2011 Mobility Roadshow.
The two winners were the
Powabyke XLS (with the low
step through frame) and their
tricycle model, the Powatryke
Cruiser, which was commended
“for its unique qualities as a
pre-mobility vehicle designed
for those with limited use of
their legs”. www.powabyke.com
York retailer and Gazelle
importers Cycle Heaven, who
recently opened a new store in
a great location at York’s train
station. www.cycleheaven.co.uk
+
LET TERS
Thank you for the many
letters we’ve received after
the first two issues, with
encouragement, suggestions,
questions and even the
occasional constructive
criticism! Sadly we only have
space here for a few.
If you have any thoughts
of your own we’d love to
hear them. You can e-mail to
[email protected],
send messages by post to the
editorial address (see page 3) or
by fax to 01904 692800. If you
can include a picture, please do!
Tom Daggett writes:
I just recently signed up for
a subscription to Electric Bike
magazine, and I was wondering if
you have any plans to review the
Dahon Boost. I’m curious to know
how it stacks up compared to the
other bikes you’re reviewing.
That’s a tricky one. I was well
advanced in arranging a review
via Dahon’s UK distributors Zyro
when it was announced in June
that Dahon and Zyro are to end
their collaboration after the 2011
model year. I still hope to review
the Boost but wouldn’t like to say
exactly when.
I request that you include the
motor wattage in your reviews
(and any other motor size options)
as many countries have limits as
to the size allowed.
You can take it as read that the
motors in bikes we test are rated
at 250W continuous (to comply
with UK/EU regulations) unless
stated otherwise.
Paul Youe writes:
Firstly may I congratulate you on a
great magazine. You mention you
will be doing a review of the Wisper
DaaHub (pictured above) when you
get your hands on one. Have you
any idea when this will be, as I may
wait until you have published your
findings before I make a purchase.
It should be reviewed in Issue 4.
With a bit of luck you’ll have been
able to try it for yourself before
then!
in Issue 2 (see above), but despite
having sent them three e-mails I am
still waiting for a reply. I am trying
to find out who imports these kits
and what they cost.
As far as I’m aware there is as yet
no EU importer. Sadly, I suspect the
company will have little interest
in dealing with individuals: they
would want distributor orders in
the 100s or preferably 1000s to
Fietsen Koen writes:
Do you know if the Electric
Wheel Company (who
produce the Nano motor
for Brompton) still exists?
One of our customers here
in Belgium has one of their
systems, keeps having
problems with it, but there
seems no way to reach
them by phone or e-mail.
No: the gaps between issues are
too long for this to be practical.
But you’re very welcome to use
the busy free small ads facility on
the website forum of our sister
publication Velo Vision: you’ll see
a link from www.velovision.com
Happy to float the idea but
I can’t see it happening.
Everyone in the industry has
their own ideas about what
works best, and there’s little
commercial incentive to make
parts interchangeable between
brands. There is an organisation
(see www.energybus.info)
pushing for battery connectors
to be standardised but even
that doesn’t seem to have made
much headway.
Crank drive motors from
Pacific (right) and Bosch (top):
what chance a standardised
mounting system?
Paul Bradley writes:
I have an electric bike I want to sell
(Salisbury LPX). Is there a section to
advertise second hand bikes in your
magazine?
Magennis Weate writes:
I am glad to have stumbled onto
your magazine and will attempt
to subscribe from Australia. Can
Jon Bendtsen writes:
Your report from EuroBike about
all the different electric assist
options made me think we need a
standard for physical crank motor
size and placement. We have a
cassette standard, a standard for
pedals, and to some extend for
cranksets, so why not for motors?
William MacDonald writes:
I am trying to find out about the
Achiever retro-fit crank drive electric
assist system which you pictured
I received several similar
queries – it appears that
the company did have
some staffing issues
earlier this year but they
are now apparently back
up to speed.
make export viable. But the kit
does look interesting, and the
company do now have some extra
details on their website (see
www.achieverbike.com).
On Bike
The
E bike specialist
Specialist Electric Bike Shops in both Presteigne and
Kidderminster. Come and get expert advice on all the best
makes and models and try them on quiet, traffic free roads.
www.onbike.co.uk
We always have at least 15 demonstration bikes you can come and ride including the full range
of eZee and E-motion bikes plus models from EBCO, Wisper, Raleigh, Daum, Batribike and more.
KIDDERMINSTER 01299 251514
PRESTEIGNE 07944 636080
Wednesday - Saturday
10.30am-4.30pm
Unit 330, Hartlebury Trading
Estate, DY10 4JB
Ring Pete first
The Workhouse
The Industrial Estate
Presteigne, Powys LD8 2UF
+
ON T E S T
Powabyke
X-24
The X-24 is the latest £999 flagship model
from Powabyke, a long-established and
best-selling brand since the very start
of the recent electric bike renaissance.
So how does their top model measure up?
ON TEST:
Ezee X-24
Torq
ON TEST:
Powabyke
P
owabyke can justifiably claim
to be among the pioneers of
modern electric bikes in the
UK, with their first machines
sold back in 1999. Since then they
have sold tens of thousands through
an extensive dealer network, and they
now also have distributors in the USA,
the Netherlands, Ireland and Sweden.
Specialising in affordable machines
with popular appeal, Powabyke
doubtless owe much of their enduring
success to a fine track record in
supporting their bikes even several
years after purchase. An online parts
shop (for both consumers and dealers)
provides instant access to spares and
upgrades to fit machines going back
many years.
Their range was revamped in
2010 with the launch of the ‘X-Bike’
concept. As you’ll see when we
examine the X-24, the key idea behind
the X-bike is to use small, handy
battery packs rather than one huge
one – so it’s easy to carry a spare if
necessary. For shorter trips, you’re not
carrying extra battery weight around
unnecessarily, and of course you only
pay for extended capacity (in the form
of an extra battery) if you need it. The
other concept embodied in the X-bikes,
say Powabyke, is modularity. The
various electronic components are all
plugged into each other, so if any part
were to fail then it can be quickly and
easily swapped out.
The current Powabyke range
consists of the X-24 as tested here
(RRP £999), along with crossbar and
step-through framed versions of the
X-6 (£899, with six-speed gearing).
All come in two frame sizes. There’s
also the Powatryke Cruiser (from
£1024), a three-wheeler with a low
step-through frame which is a popular
option to provide independent
mobility for the less agile, or for
anyone with balance difficulties.
Spare batteries for the X-24 cost
£299 (36V, 6Ah) and a spare charger is
£89. The standard warranty is for five
years on the frame and one year on
all other parts including the battery,
excluding wear items. A three-year
‘total cover’ extended warranty is
available for £99.
Our review bike was delivered
direct from Powabyke, so we handled
the pre-delivery assembly and checks
which would normally be done by
your dealer. Our machine was the
smaller (18") frame size.
Specification
ABOVE: The X-24’s
electrical system is
built onto an essentially
standard bike frame,
giving the machine
‘normal bike’ proportions
and looks.
» ON THE BIKE
If you like your bikes shiny, then the
X-24 won’t disappoint! The mirrorfinished alloy frame looks reassuringly
substantial, with oversized tubing
and the tidy, scalloped joints typical
of TIG-welding. It’s complemented by
silver components throughout, with
the odd bit of black for contrast.
The electrical system is fitted
around what is essentially a standard
bike frame, so the X-24 retains
very much ‘normal bike’ looks and
geometry. The motor is in the front
wheel, the lithium-ion battery pack
is attached to the frame where you
Weight overall (inc batteries):
22.09 kg
Battery weight: 1.79 kg
Bike only weight: 20.3 kg
Charger weight: 0.38 kg
(inc. mains cable)
Battery type: Li-Ion
Battery capacity: 216 Watt
hours (6Ah 36V)
Gearing: 24-speed Shimano
Alivio derailleur gears.
28/38/48 T rings, 11-32T
sprockets. Ratios 24-120"
Brakes: Shimano Alivio V-brakes
Lighting: none
Other accessories fitted:
mudguards, carrier rack, stand,
bell.
Price as tested: £999
might often find a water bottle, and
the control electronics are tucked
away in front of the rear rack.
The battery is a tidy little thing
in its alloy case. It attaches to the
bike via a neat alloy mounting, and
it’s wedge-locked in place by an
unobtrusive Allen-key grub screw –
+
ON T E S T
Powabyke provide a suitable ‘key’ for
your keyring. Arguably not as secure
as a full locking system, but you’d be
unlucky indeed to come across a thief
targeting batteries.
The control box is perhaps less of a
thing of beauty than the battery: its
alloy shell is secured to the carrier
rack stays via a simple metal plate and
two screws, which on ours resulted
in it being noticeably off-centre. The
clamp screws also pull the aluminium
case out of flat, so there’s a distinct
gap between the end plates and the
case edges. It’s of no real consequence
– hard to see how much water could get
in – but surely a more elegant solution
is possible without excessive cost.
The components are all joined
together by wires fitted with
heavy-duty XLR connectors, the
only exception being the motor
wiring which employs a two-part
waterproof connector. On ours, I
noticed the insulation on the wire
from the controller had split where it
entered this connector, which might
compromise its waterproofing – but
we had no problems even after riding
in the wet.
All the cables run outside the frame
tubes for easy access, so if any part
needed replacing, you’d just snip a
few cable ties to remove it before
plugging in a new one.
As its name suggests the X-24 has a
24-speed derailleur transmission. Gear
changers and handlebar-mounted
‘trigger’ shifters are from Shimano’s
mid-range Alivio groupset, a good
quality set. The crankset has nonreplaceable chainrings and a plastic
guard ring.
The V-brakes are likewise Shimanobranded with Alivio levers, and they
work against deep-section alloy rims,
built with stainless steel spokes into
ABOVE: The 1.79 kg
battery is fitted where
a water bottle might
otherwise go; it’s
secured and released via
the red-handled Allen
key shown above.
BELOW: Adjustable stem
and ergonomic grips are
both welcome features.
the 700c wheels. Spoke tension was
minimal on the front wheel on our
bike, but that’s the sort of thing
that a dealer would pick up and fix
before delivery. The back wheel was
well-built.
The two-legged alloy stand and
the substantial rear rack are both
solid and welcome accessories, as
are the fitted mudguards – the front
one could be a bit longer perhaps, to
prevent muck being thrown onto the
chainrings. No lighting system is
fitted.
A wide, soft saddle is fitted on top
of a short-travel suspension seatpost.
A minor niggle is that the box for the
control electronics gets in the way
when you open the quick-release to
adjust the saddle, making it tricky
to undo far enough. The seatpost is
also a rather loose fit in the frame,
although it’s perfectly secure once the
quick-release is tightened.
Like the suspension seatpost, the
suspension forks are unbranded
and have quite short travel – maybe
40mm or so, which is fine for road use.
There’s no adjustment to match rider
weight.
Finally, the handlebars. They’re
supported on an angle-adjustable
stem which puts them high enough to
achieve a comfortably upright riding
position. The combination of riser bars
and ergonomically-shaped grips make
for a comfortable ‘cockpit’, although
the grips rely on friction to secure
them to the bars – so they gradually
twist away under palm pressure.
‘Lock-on’ types with a clamp would
be better. The twist-grip throttle is
activated by your right hand.
The X-24 comes with a compact,
silent charger which is light enough
to take with you. It plugs straight
into the battery pack, either on or off
the bike. On the bike this would be
easier were the pack a little further
up the frame: it’s a tight squeeze to
get the plugs in and out against the
downtube. It would also be good if
the XLR socket on the battery were
the other way up, so that you can see
and more easily press the little tab
which releases the plugs.
» ON THE ROAD
The X-24 has a throttle to control
the motor, and it’s activated after
a couple of pedal strokes. The key
switch on the controller (it’s a captive
key by the way, so no putting it on
your keyring…) has two ‘on’ settings:
in the first the motor cuts out after
a moment if you stop pedalling
(assuming you keep the throttle
twisted). In the second, the throttle
keeps working even if you stop
pedalling, so you are pulled along
without the need to pedal.
Braking doesn’t cut the motor,
incidentally. What does is taking
your hand off the throttle to indicate
right! Once the motor has stopped, in
either mode you’ll need a few more
pedal strokes to start it up again.
The motor response is certainly
powerful, whisking you up to speed
swiftly. There’s a whine from the
motor which is clearly audible but not
excessive, changing note as you go
through the speed range. The motor’s
speed is quite easy to modulate using
the throttle, so you don’t have to
charge around at top speed all of the
time (unless you want to!).
Talking of top speed, our X-24 had
rather a high one. On the flat and
under electrical power alone, no
tailwind, the motor didn’t cut out until
almost exactly 30 km/h – whereas the
UK’s legal limit is 25 km/h (15 mph). I
measured it several times to be sure.
Powabyke looked into this and found
that our review bike was set up for the
USA market; UK retail ones all have
the correct 25 km/h limit, they say.
The motor is also impressive on
hills: the sound deepens a bit as it
works harder, but it pulls along well
as long as you keep the speed up. The
24 gears are probably overkill for all
but really hilly terrain, where they’ll
be particularly good on hill starts,
but for flatter areas, the cheaper
6-speed option should be more than
enough. As with many electric bikes,
I found you actually use relatively few
gears in normal use – a lowish one
for starting off and a higher one for
cruising near the cut-out speed.
ON TEST:
Ezee X-24
Torq
ON TEST:
Powabyke
The trigger to shift the rear gears
is somewhat awkwardly placed, well
inboard of the throttle grip, so even
with my big hands it was a bit of a
stretch to the levers. But as above,
the gears weren’t really an issue on
my mainly flat commute.
My journey to work is five miles
each way, just the sort of trip the
X-bikes are made for (and realistically,
aside from real cycling enthusiasts,
few will commute more than five
miles or so by bike). Even though
I’m a heavy rider, the X-24 would
comfortably manage a one-way trip
relying mostly on battery power. But
it would then need a charge before
the return trip: attempting a ten-mile
stretch on one charge was touch and
go to have any power left at the end.
Lighter riders and those who
put in more pedal effort will get
better results, of course. But even
for a modest commute, it does mean
carrying the charger with you and
being punctilious about setting the
battery on charge after each ride –
it’s good practice to do that with all
lithium batteries, anyway.
HIGH POINTS:
Powerful motor
No-pedalling mode
Modular electrics
Company track record
Easy spares availability
Wide gear range
Relatively light
Spare batteries are
relatively lightweight
and compact
LOW POINTS:
Limited range
Motor noise
Not fully lockable
battery
Some design niggles
for the picky
No lights
GOOD FOR:
Riders with generally
short journeys
Those who prefer not
to pedal
Riders who couldn’t lift
a heavier bike
Available from:
Powabyke dealers:
for the full listing see
www.powabyke.com or
phone 01225 786791.
Unassisted, the X-24 was fine to
ride for get-me-home purposes, and in
this state the gear range did receive
a bit more of a workout than when
under power. The brakes were fine.
As is often the case, I wasn’t
convinced how much difference the
suspension forks and seatpost really
made to the ride quality, but the
comfy saddle certainly made a major
contribution.
» SUMMARY
The Powabyke X-24 was an
interesting machine to review. It’s a
straightforward throttle-type machine
in many ways, with a powerful (but
not especially quiet) motor and a rarenowadays no-pedalling mode. I also
very much like the modular design,
so that parts (easily available via
Powabyke’s online shop) can simply be
swapped out if necessary, even by a
non-technical user.
I did pick up on a number of design/
build niggles. Powabyke do say that
this, the excess speed and other
issues I mentioned will be checked
and/or fixed in future bikes, and to
be fair none of them really make all
that much difference to the usability
of the bike.
At £999, the X-24 comes in under
the £1000 limit for the ‘Bike to Work’
incentive scheme for UK taxpaying
employees, and if your journeys
are generally short, it’s a machine
which will pull you along with some
power, pedalling or not, and it’s also
reasonably lightweight to lift, and
normal-looking to boot. There are
bikes in the same price-bracket with
more range, certainly, but they may
not have the X-24’s other qualities. As
ever, which approach is best for you
is simply a question of where your
priorities lie.
If you’re not as mechanically picky
as I am, then I doubt you’ll notice
the niggles: the X-24 will do the job,
and the backup of a company which
has sold perhaps more (in the region
of 40,000, I’m told) electric bikes
than any other in the UK has to be
a reassuring encouragement to give
it a try.
Peter Eland
Autumn 2010 Electric Bike 5
+
ON T E S T
EBCO
Urban
Commuter
UCR60
The UCR60 is one of six bikes offered by
EBCO, a company new to electric bikes
but with an enviable bike industry
background. We tested it: does this
£1499 bike measure up to expectations?
TEST: Ezee
Torq
ON TEST: EBCO UrbanON
Commuter
UCR60
A
fter several years of
planning and preparation,
EBCO launched last year
with a compact range of
six bikes, all using the TranzX PST
electric assist system from JD Group
of Taiwan, a well established system
also used on many bikes in mainland
Europe. Behind the company are Rick
and Paul Stanforth, widely known in
the UK cycle industry as the founders
of Saracen, in its time one of the bestselling mountain bike brands in the
country. EBCO is based in Warwick,
and as well as selling direct via their
showroom and website, the bikes are
available via a network of around 30
selected dealers across the UK.
Alongside the UCR60 in the range
is the low-step-through equivalent,
the UCL60, at the same £1499 price;
then two models (UCR30 and UCL30)
at £1099 with more modest battery
capacity and specification. Finally, two
versions of the modernist 20"-wheeled
‘Eagle’ bike at £1599, with even larger
battery packs, complete the line-up.
There’s a single frame size for the
UCR60, which EBCO say will suit riders
with inside leg measurements from
around 28" to 37". The UCL low stepthrough version is slightly smaller.
EBCO bikes come with a five-year
frame warranty, and one year for
parts and battery. The battery is, they
say, expected to withstand around
500 charge cycles before it starts to
lose significant capacity – so about
two years in daily use. Spare battery
cost is to be confirmed.
Our bike was supplied direct from
EBCO, needing only minor assembly
and a charge before the first ride.
Specification
» ON THE BIKE
The UCR60 isn’t the first and won’t
be the last bike to go for an all-black
colour scheme: it’s smart, discreet
and doesn’t show the dirt. The matt
finish on this bike seems tough, and
the colour co-ordination extends to
pretty much every component bar the
front hub motor and the rear hub gear,
both silver. The graphics are also
agreeably understated.
The high and wide-swept handlebars
are one of the first things to strike
you about this bike. The long angleadjustable stem, which you can lock
and unlock without tools, lets you
position the bars anywhere from low
down and forwards to upright and
close, and at the angle of your choice.
ABOVE: The display unit is
built into the handlebars,
and you can adjust the
angle as you ride for the
best view.
RIGHT: The electric assist
is controlled via this
cluster of big, rubbery
buttons near the lefthand grip.
Well-shaped ergonomic grips, solidly
secured to the bars via a clamp system,
support your wrists.
Curving between the grips is a rigid
plastic ‘bow’ which holds the electric
assist display console. This can be
simply pivoted around by hand to suit
the angle at which you’ve set the bars.
Sometimes it was handy to swivel
the control downwards to avoid
reflections in strong sun, too.
The electric system’s controls are
clustered on a separate unit near your
left hand. Four large, rubbery buttons
are provided for assist mode, ‘turbo’,
25.8 kg
Battery type: Lithium-polymer
hours (10Ah 24V)
Gearing: Shimano 8-speed
Nexus hub gear. 38T ring, 16T
sprocket. Ratios 34-104"
Brakes: Shimano IM-80 roller
brakes front and rear
Lighting: front LED, rear LED
mudguards, carrier rack, stand,
bell.
Price as tested: £1499.
+
ON T E S T
HIGH POINTS:
Great build quality and
attention to detail
Low-maintenance parts
and design
Comfortable ride and
easy adjustment
Smooth powerful assist
Understated good looks
LOW POINTS:
Battery capacity not
huge
Not the lightest bike
Not quite silent
Assist doesn’t start
immediately when
setting off
Only a single frame size
available
GOOD FOR:
power on/off and lights on/off. It’s
easy to use and feels solid.
At first glance you might miss
the front suspension: unlike most
which have the suspension in the
fork legs, as for motorbikes and most
mountain bikes, this bike uses rigid
fork legs and places the suspension
element within the fork shaft. It’s an
arrangement which is arguably tidier,
especially given the relatively short
suspension travel, 35mm. This is fine
for road use, where it just has to deal
with vibration on poor surfaces and
the occasional pothole. Mountain bike
users need considerably more, but
longer travel also means more dive
under braking. So it’s an appropriate
choice here. A rubber bellows keeps
dirt out of the moving parts.
The fork also accommodates the
motor in the front wheel, a fairly
bulky unit. I thought the cable
arrangements particularly neatly
done, with a plastic shroud giving
a clean exit from the hub, and a
reassuringly chunky metal connector
to attach it to the bike’s wiring –
which in turn is neatly secured with
P-clips to the fork blade.
On the other side, the motor has a
Shimano roller-brake fitted, the latest
IM-80 model which is noticeably more
powerful than previous versions. It’s
a sealed unit which is pretty much
impervious to the weather, and
requires very little maintenance. A
good choice for an urban commuter
machine.
Further items of note on the fork
include the LED headlight, powered
along with the matching rear unit via
the main battery (with several hours-
worth of light available even after
the battery is empty for motor use).
There’s also a steering damper fitted,
essentially a spring working between
fork and frame to keep the front
wheel from flopping round when the
bike’s parked. The spring’s too weak
to affect the handling as you ride, but
it’s a great help when propping the
machine up on its stand.
The transmission is via an 8-speed
Shimano hub gear, with twist-grip
shifter on your right hand. The
rustproof-coated chain is protected
by a plastic guard, keeping trousers
tidy. Like the front wheel, it’s built
into a good quality Alex 700c rim
with stainless spokes, and fitted with
Kenda 40mm wide tyres complete with
reflective stripes on the sidewalls.
Mounted to a substantial rear
carrier is the 240Wh (10 Ah, 24V)
lithium-polymer battery, with the
wires running from it neatly down a
channel on the back of the seatpost,
and thence inside the frame until
they emerge near the fork crown.
Everyday commuters
The maintenanceaverse (within
reason!)
Anyone looking for a
smart, fully-equipped
machine
Available from:
EBCO: Tel 01926 437700
or see www.ebco-ebikes.
co.uk
Contact EBCO or see
their website for a list
of dealers
The battery itself is removable (by
key, of course) by sliding it out of
the rear of the rack. This is optional:
you can charge it in place instead if
you prefer; just lift a rubber cover on
the side of the battery and plug the
charger in. It all seems well-designed,
rattle-free and secure.
What’s left? EBCO have decided not
to include a suspension seatpost (as
you’ll have read in past reviews, many
don’t perform that well anyway) and
instead there’s a good alloy seatpost
and a wide, supportive saddle.
They’ve also added folding pedals –
they are solid enough when riding,
but can be flipped open to lay flat
against the cranks. Possibly handy
when storing the bike away!
» ON THE ROAD
The character of the UCR60 can be
varied quite noticeably by simply
moving the handlebars – from a
very upright cruiser-style bike to
a crouched-over more sporty ride.
Occasionally, facing a howling
headwind on the way home, I would
drop the bars for some aerodynamic
gain: the tool-free adjustment really
is handy.
The character of the UCR60 can be
varied quite noticeably by simply
moving the handlebars...
Hub gears mean you
can shift gears even
when stopped, and the
chainguard protects
your clothing.
Either way, it feels like a solid and
stable bike; like many electric bike
it’s not exactly light (at around 26
kg), so this is perhaps to be expected.
But the short-travel front suspension,
solid seatpost, secure brakes and
general rattle-free construction all
combined to make it feel dependable.
The brakes pull you to a halt silently
and strongly, gear changes are dramafree, and thanks to that steering
stabiliser, even parking it is easy:
just drop the two-legged stand and it
stays secure, without the front wheel
flopping round.
Unassisted, it rides well: not a
speed machine but apart from a little
extra weight, it’s much like any other
bike. The decent tyre pressure and
good gears make for fine get-youhome riding – but of course the whole
point is to add in electric assist.
The TranzX system used in the
UCR60 is of the ‘pedelec’ type: it
senses how hard you’re working (via
a sensor in the bottom bracket) and
TEST: Ezee
Torq
ON TEST: EBCO UrbanON
Commuter
UCR60
The battery slides into the
substantial rear rack and
locks in place.
The pedals fold flat(ish),
possibly handy for storage.
matches your effort via the motor.
Setting off from a standing start
there is a slight delay before the
power cuts in, a turn of the pedals or
so, but then it responds smoothly and
powerfully, with only a light buzz to
let you know the motor’s working.
The power assist can be set to
three levels, with an additional
‘turbo’ boost effectively providing a
fourth level. It did feel a little less
eager in the lowest setting, but I
couldn’t really tell all that much
difference between the rest of
them, and even the ‘Turbo’ boost
button seemed to have little real
effect. With my five-miles-each-way
commute not really threatening the
range, it was very tempting to leave
it on Turbo all the time.
Even in this mode, it is good to
use the gears to best advantage,
especially for that first turn of the
pedals before the motor assist takes
the load off your legs. One of the
features of the hub gear used on
this bike is that it can be shifted at
a standstill, so it’s easy to select a
lower gear before you set off.
Once you get going, the electric
assist makes accelerating up to
the standard 15 mph easy, and the
cut-out at that point is handled
smoothly: as your speed dips below
the motor picks up again gently.
As with many electric bikes, you
quickly get the knack of riding at
just below the cut-out speed, so
that you’re covering the maximum
distance with minimum effort.
Hillclimbing is pretty good too: all
but the steepest gradients don’t slow
you down excessively, though they
do eat battery of course. At 240 Wh
the capacity of the UCR60’s battery
pack isn’t among the largest around
(nor is it the heaviest, of course…)
but on the flat and with a heavyish
rider (me) putting in modest work on
the pedals, it managed 30-odd miles
per charge, in line with EBCO’s claims.
That’s enough for most there-andback commutes with charge to spare,
away from the worst hills at least.
» SUMMARY
The level of fit and finish on the
UCR60 is most impressive, and so
too is the way that low maintenance
and practicality has been designed
in from the start. This should be a
bike to transport you year round
and in all weathers with a minimum
of attention. It’s also a comfortable
bike and easily adjusted to get a
good fit.
The TranzX system also impressed,
with well-behaved power assist, a
good display and intuitive controls.
The delay before it kicks in when
setting off might be a drawback
for some riders, although the gears
compensate to an extent. More
effective ‘economy’ settings might
also be good to let you really stretch
out the battery capacity if you run
short, but that’s a minor matter.
Overall this felt to me like a
quality bike with handsome looks
and functionality to match; it has
the backup of a well-funded and
experienced company too. If the
price is in your budget ballpark, it
should be on your shortlist and a
target for a test-ride.
Peter Eland
B
I
K
E
S
The K L I M A X of all-weather mobility!
Ride to work in morning rain with the Foldable
Fairing, and back home in the afternoon sun
“with the top down”. With powerful electric assist,
you can master even hilly stretches sweat-free.
And always nice and dry:
The K L I M A X 2 K makes it possible.
w w w. h a s e b i ke s . c o m
Electric bikes
Come and see our range of bikes from:
Daum • Batribike • Velospeed
***** Five star electric bikes (as reviewed in A to B magazine)
Pugh’s Garden Centre,
Ty-nant Road,
Radyr,
Cardiff.
CF15 8LB
The Old School House, Ambury Road, Aldworth, Berks RG8 9TJ
01635 579304 • www.velospeed.co.uk • [email protected]
Please contact us to arrange a visit
+
ON T E S T
Bosch
at the beach
We take a first ride of the new Bosch powerassist system, fitted on a Haibike mountain
bike, at the beach near Felixtowe, courtesy
of importers Justebikes.
W
e mentioned the Bosch e-bike
crank drive system last issue
in our Eurobike report, but all the
indications were then that it would
take a year or so to reach the UK. Not
so: it’s here already! Justebikes in
Leiston (near Ipswich) in Suffolk, who
also import European brands Koga,
Sparta and Hercules, already have
bikes with the Bosch system in stock
– specifically two models from German
company Haibike. They kindly let us
test-ride the first to arrive, the offroad eQ Xduro FS (£2759). Since our
visit they have added another model,
the on-road eQ Trekking (£2395).
We were keen to get a proper ride
on the Bosch system: the credibility
of a household brand name like
Bosch entering the electric bike field
is a welcome move. But how does
their drive system measure up?
Justebikes dropped me and the
Haibike just north of Aldeburgh on
the Suffolk coast, and I rode the
machine over a mixture of road and
beach to the Martello tower a few
miles south of the town.
The battery is a 288 Wh (36 V, 8Ah)
unit, mounted to the downtube
above the crank motor – both have
chunky, power-tool-style looks. The
display console is smart and clear,
and quickly removable as an antitheft measure. As for most crankdrive machines, there’s no throttle,
although you can set varying power
assist levels. The bike instead senses
your pedalling effort and adds to it.
The Haibike it’s fitted to is a serious
mountain bike, with long-travel
suspension front and rear. I’m no MTB
ABOVE: With the Bosch drive unit mounted
within the main frame triangle there’s plenty
of ground clearance.
TEST:
Torq
ON TEST: ON
Bosch
eQEzee
Xduro
FS
expert but can say that it all looks
like top quality stuff, as it should be
for the price…
I set off on sandy, gravely beach
– unassisted a real chore to ride
through, with the bike bogging
down easily and requiring low gears,
reminding me why I’m not really fit
enough for full-on mountain biking!
Switch on the Bosch system, though,
and the experience is transformed.
The motor drive gets your speed up
without excessive effort, so that
you can ride through the terrain
and really take advantage of that
suspension travel. And in contrast to
electric cycling on the road, where
the 15 mph assist speed limit often
seems frustratingly low, off-road it
was just fine: at my skill level at least
I wouldn’t have wanted to go any
faster through the bumps…
I was too busy steering and
balancing, and enjoying the novel
feeling of off-roading without the
effort, to really gauge the Bosch
system’s responsiveness until the
beach section ended and a road began.
Some experimenting with starting off,
ABOVE: A spoke-mounted
magnet on the rear wheel
lets this sensor feed back
your riding speed to the
control electronics.
BELOW: Bosch’s smartlydesigned display unit,
easily removable when
you park the bike.
low-speed riding etc. proved that the
system is well-behaved: it responds
pretty much instantly to your
pedalling (from the very first moment
as you set off) and also cuts out well.
At high power levels it does kick in
powerfully enough to really make the
bike feel alive.
The drive isn’t silent: it has a
mechanical-sounding buzz which
is low-pitched enough not to be
annoying, but it is just loud enough
to be audible to passers-by.
My conclusions? First, that
mountain bikes and electric assist are
a fantastic combination: it can only
be a matter of time before it really
catches on. Second, that the Bosch
system is a good performer. I felt it
was noticeably more lively/powerful
than the widely-used Panasonic or
Yamaha crank drive systems, but
possibly a tad noisier. It certainly
looks well made and appealing.
It’ll be interesting to see, though,
whether it eventually appears on sub£2000 bikes. At the moment it seems
to be fitted to machines only at the
top end of the range, while the other
crank drive systems I mentioned are
rather more affordable. Justebikes
do say there is a £2099 model coming
for 2012.
As far as I can judge from the test
ride, it has the edge in terms of lively
performance, certainly in styling, but
at a price. It’s early days yet of course,
with the Bosch system in its first year
on the market, and it’ll be fascinating
to see how it develops. We’ll doubtless
have a full review in due course.
Peter Eland
Justebikes: Tel 01728 830 817 or see
www.justebikes.co.uk
No.2 Electric Bike 3
+
ON T E S T
Kudos Cycles
Tourer
Nexus-8
Newcomers this year to the
electric bike industry, Kudos
Cycles are keen to make waves
with their 2011 range. Among
their launch offerings is the
Tourer, which we reviewed in
its £925 hub-geared version.
ON TEST:
Torq
ON TEST: Kudos Cycles
TourerEzee
Nexus-8
K
udos Cycles launched earlier
this year, and they’ve
come to market in a fullhearted fashion, offering
a range of 11 bikes. The operation’s
parent company, Rally Design, is a
successful car parts supplier which
has been trading now for 38 years,
and is still family-owned and run.
Specification
27.7 kg
(inc. mains cable)
Battery type: Lithium iron
phosphate
hours (10Ah 36V)
sprocket. Ratios 34-104"
Brakes: V-brake front, Shimano
roller brake rear
full chaincase, frame lock,
mudguards, carrier rack,
panniers, stand, bell
Price as tested: £925
Both operations work from a base
in Swalecliffe, Kent, where their
warehouse was recently extended
to accommodate the stock of Kudos
bikes and spares. Test rides are
available by appointment, and at
many events which Kudos attend.
The machines cover a wide range
of styles, from cruiser to folder,
modern to retro. Kudos operate a
comprehensive online shop with
every spare part for each model. For
all bikes, the warranty covers frame
and battery for two years, while
controller, charger and all other nonwear parts are covered for one year.
Kudos claim to offer unusual
value for money when it comes to
specification by buying in bulk and
selling direct to consumers and via
a select dealer network. If you buy
direct, the bike arrives fully checked,
with the only assembly required being
to re-fit the handlebars.
Our bike is the Tourer, a model
which comes in two versions. The
‘Deore-9’ version uses derailleur
gearing and costs £845, while the one
we tested, the ‘Nexus-8’ version, uses
hub gearing and costs £925. Kudos
actually sent us both models, and as
BELOW: A nice wide
saddle, the framemounted lock for the
rear wheel and the
luggage elastics are
all good features.
you’ll see elsewhere in this issue, we’ve
taken the opportunity to explore some
of the differences between the two
drivetrain types. But this review will
concentrate on the hub geared version.
Only a single frame size and colour
is available, about an 18" frame. Spare
batteries (36V, 10Ah) cost a reasonable
£208.80. All prices include VAT.
Our review bike arrived direct
from Kudos rather less assembled
than a customer’s bike would, but
after a short spannering session it
was ready to go.
» ON THE BIKE
The Tourer is an interesting mix
of influences: the alloy frame and
the handlebars both show their
mountain-bike heritage, while the
chaincase, wide saddle and frame
lock remind me of a Dutch town bike.
Kudos market this bike as ‘designed
for long range touring’, which it will
do, but it looks more like a commuter
bike to me. Either way, it’s smart
enough in a bold white colour scheme
for the frame, and black or grey for
just about everything else.
Kudos have bucked the trend
for electric bikes, even the very
+
ON T E S T
cheapest, to use suspension forks and
seatpost, instead providing relatively
lightweight, rigid items for both. To
my mind, lack of suspension is in this
situation a positive bonus: the cheap
units never work well anyway, they
introduce play and ‘brake dive’ which
makes the handling less precise, and
they can sap your energy as you
pedal. Plus suspension is heavier and
requires more maintenance.
That’s not to knock good (usually
more expensive) suspension: it can
make a real difference to comfort –
but if a bike’s parts budget is tight,
then I’d suggest that suspension isn’t
a priority. Most electric bikes are used
on roads, which may not be perfect
but do tend to be essentially flat…
In any case, both tyres and saddle
provide a suspension effect on any
bike. The Tourer’s saddle is wide and
supportive, and the 700c wheels are
shod with 40 mm wide Kenda tyres
(with welcome reflective sidewalls,
which illuminate in the headlights of
cars approaching you side-on). There’s
masses of clearance in both frame and
fork for wider tyres if you did want a
little extra comfort.
The handlebars are MTB riser
type, supported by a fixed-angle
stem, and with round rubber grips
which unfortunately (as on several
other bikes I’ve reviewed recently)
‘squirm’ under palm pressure, rather
than being properly locked onto the
bars. The round profile isn’t very
comfortable to hold, either – I’d
upgrade to ergonomically-shaped ones
which support your palms.
For me, a fairly tall rider at 6' 2",
the riding position is moderately
leaned-forward. An angle-adjustable
stem would have been welcome, so
that I could have raised the bars up
and towards me. One could be added
cheaply enough if your taste matches
mine. Then again, for longer rides
many would prefer to be a little more
leaned-over; it’s more aerodynamic
and it also tends to make climbing a
bit easier.
The major contributor to easy
climbing is the motor, a well-proven
Bafang unit, fitted into the front
wheel. A connector behind the fork
joins it to the bike: the cable then
joins the other wiring which passes
through the frame to the battery and
controller which are mounted at the
rear rack. The various wires which
leave the handlebars (for control
22 Electric Bike Autumn 2010
console, light switch, brake lever cutouts) are all tidied using some rather
basic-looking heatshrink tubing: one
length had already split under the
strain. Not the neatest wiring I’ve
seen, perhaps.
The battery pack on the other hand
is a tidy unit, slotting into the rack
via a metal guide rail, and locking
into place. Kudos have chosen lithium
iron phosphate packs for their bikes,
saying that while this type is not at
the cutting edge when it comes to
capacity per unit weight, it is safer in
the event of damage or short circuit,
more environmentally friendly and
also expected to last longer in use
than most lithium-ion or lithiumpolymer types. The unit fitted here is
a 36V, 10Ah pack. There’s a charging
socket and four-level charge display
hidden under the fold-out handle, so
you can charge on or off the bike. The
charger is silent and fairly compact.
The handlebar control unit offers
five levels of power assist, and a clear
display of speed, distance and battery
state. There’s a backlight for night
use. The button labelling might be
clearer perhaps, but it’s of no matter –
you very soon get the hang of using it.
Opposite the display on the bars
is the twist grip for the hub gears,
a Shimano Nexus 8-speed. The
whole chain drive is concealed (and
protected from dirt) by a three-part
plastic chaincase, which comes apart
easily for maintenance or rear wheel
removal. Of course the chaincase also
completely removes any risk to your
trousers from grease marks or getting
caught in the chain. More bikes
should have them.
Brakes are in the form of a Shimano
roller brake at the back, and V-brakes
at the front. The roller brake rear is
HIGH POINTS:
Excellent display
Rigid forks rather than
cheap suspension
Good to get a hub gear,
full chaincase, great
stand and lights for the
money
Spares easily available
and reasonably priced
Reliable Bafang motor
Two year warranty
covers battery
LOW POINTS:
huge
Not the lightest bike
Not quite silent
Assist doesn’t start
immediately when
setting off
Only a single frame size
available
GOOD FOR:
Those wanting the
motor to do most of
the work
Commuters seeking a
low-maintenance e-bike
sub £1000
Riders who value
keeping clothing
muck-free!
Available from:
Kudos Cycles: Tel 01227
792 792 or see
www.kudoscycles.com
great – smooth if not overly powerful,
and works well in all weathers. The
V-brake has a bit more power, but can
suffer more in the wet, so it’s not a
bad combination.
Also fitted are good mudguards
and an excellent stand, which swings
out way to the side to provide stable
support. There’s good bright LED
lighting front and rear, running from
the main battery (even if ‘empty’ for
motor power) and controlled by the
red handlebar-mounted button.
Mounted to the frame at the back
is a frame lock: very popular overseas,
this is a device which lets you lock
the back wheel in an instant, with
a steel bar passing between the
spokes. It’ll immobilise the bike, but
not prevent it being carried away. A
handy bit of extra security.
Finally, the Kudos comes with a
set of black panniers which drape
over the battery pack and rear
rack, secured there via straps. Not
perhaps the most robust, capacious
or waterproof panniers ever but hey,
they’re free, and will be useful for
quick errands. But the main reason
they’re included is again for security,
to conceal the battery and make the
bike less obviously electric to the
casual onlooker. Not a bad idea at all.
» ON THE ROAD
BELOW: Shimano Nexus
hub gears are good to see
at this price, as is the full
protective case around
the chain. That finned
ring beyond the hub is
the cooling disk for the
roller brake.
The Tourer’s electric assist is fairly
simple: you choose one of five power
levels, then once you’ve pedalled a
couple of turns the motor kicks in at
that power, propelling the bike until
you either squeeze a brake lever or
stop pedalling. This does mean that
instantaneous, fine control of the
power isn’t really possible: changing
the power level involves repeated
button presses, not easy to do in a
hurry.
In practice, though, you swiftly
adapt and learn to anticipate the
motor power. The Bafang motor gives
its usual hum, audible to passers-by if
there’s no traffic, but not particularly
annoying and very hard to hear over
traffic noise.
It pulls you up to speed well, and
will maintain the pace up modest
hills. If the speed does drop below
around 12 km/h or 8 mph, though,
you can hear it starting to strain
and it’s best to help out with some
pedalling. I wouldn’t say this is
a hillclimb specialist bike, but it
does have enough gears to get up
ON TEST:
Torq
ON TEST: Kudos Cycles
TourerEzee
Nexus-8
almost anything if you can provide
moderate pedal input.
The system does favour letting
the electrics pull you along, I think,
rather than encouraging pedalling. If
you want to contribute meaningfully
to acceleration you need to actively
change gears to keep up. Instead, it’s
far easier to stay in a lowish gear for
those initial unassisted moments,
then just keep your feet moving so
that the motor doesn’t cut out, as
it drags you up towards 25 km/h.
Going much faster (by pedalling)
than ‘assist speed’ involves so much
extra effort that it’s very easy just to
stay just below and let the motor do
the work.
Unpowered, I found the bike rode
well. It’s when you have no power
that you particularly appreciate the
lack of excessive suspension: your
work’s all going towards motion, not
bouncing up and down. Only my
hands and wrists suffered at all from
bumps, under power or not, and that’s
more due to the uncomfortable grips
than any lack of suspension.
I did sometimes feel the handling
ABOVE: A Bafang motor, as
seen on many an electric
bike over the years.
BELOW: I’ve seen neater
routing for the wires and
cables. The LED lights are
good, though.
» SUMMARY
The Kudos Tourer makes many design
choices with which I would agree,
going for simplicity over complication.
I’d probably make a few changes
ELECTRIC
BICYCLES
Buyers’ Guide
-
Technology
was a little ponderous, and I suspect
this may be the result of that fairly
heavy battery, placed high up and
to the rear. It’s also quite noticeable
when wheeling the bike around. Like
all such things, you quickly get used
to it.
The accessories fitted to the Tourer
really do increase the ease of use –
especially if, like me, you just tend to
ride in ‘normal’ clothes. The chaincase
means there’s no need to even tuck
in a trouser leg, and the side stand
makes it easy to prop the bike up
wherever you are.
One minor niggle is that the bulk
of the battery makes it a bit difficult
to attach certain panniers to the rear
rack – there’s not much room behind
the rail for the hooks. But it’s hard to
be too critical about this when Kudos
have provided a set of panniers free
with the bike!
-
History
ELECTRIC
BI C YC L E S
The Complete Guide
David Henshaw & Richard Peace
Foreword by Dick Strawbridge
to the stem and grips to make the
riding position more comfortable for
my taste, and eventually change the
tyres for fatter ones, but nothing’s an
urgent upgrade.
Overall it’s well equipped for the
money, and some of the details are
excellent, such as the backlit display.
That said, it isn’t a silent bike, some
of the cosmetics and details aren’t
flawless, and it’s not an especially
light machine. But at a price of
£925, the Tourer is a definite and
worthwhile step up from the cheapest
bikes around, and its low-maintenance
design, complete with full chaincase,
rivals bikes considerably more pricey.
It’s good to see a two year battery
guarantee, and replacement batteries
are also very reasonable as these
things go. The availability of a
full set of spares online is also a
reassuring sign.
Overall the Kudos put in a very solid
performance: if you’re looking for a
sub-£1000 all-weather, all-year round
ride, it should be on your shortlist.
Peter Eland
Out mid December
Everything you always wanted to know
about electric bikes, with expert opinion
on:
* The different technologies
* The latest models
* Using and maintaining electric bikes
* Their green credentials and their pros
and cons
And lots more...
£12.95 - 256 pages - 170 photos,
diagrams, graphs and tables
ISBN: 978-1901464245
Available online via
www.electricbicyclesbook.com
or through all good bookshops and
selected bike shops
“A Rolls Royce on 2 wheels” Mick Brown MD.
FOX
KING LCD PROGRAMME
PEDAL ASSISTANCE
check out this
technology
www.fallbrooktech.com
POWERFUL 36V
1OAH LI-ION BATTERY
GEL SADDLE WITH
SUSPENSION BALL
26” DOUBLE WALL
ALUMINIUM RIM
V BRAKES
FRONT & REAR
Continuously Variable
Programmable (CVP)
That is 30% lighter
Easiest, smoothest shift ever
No more missed shifts,
dropped gears, hesitation,
or gear lash.
12 month
warranty
trade &
international
enquiries
welcome
replacement
batteries
available
WWW.BYOCYCLES.COM
Features:
full spec’s available on our website
N360offersan“infinite”numberofratioswithinits360%range.
Findingtheperfectratioiseasyandspontaneous.
• KingLCDProgrammablePedalAssistance
• ByadjustingtheratioyoucancontinuouslyandseamlesslyshifttheN360to
maintaintheperfectcadencethroughouttheride
• WiththeN360continuouslyvariabledrivetrain,you’realwaysincontrolinaway
nootherfixedgearsystemcanmatch.Smoother,simplerandmoreenjoyable
forall.Neverfearshiftingagain.
• ARollsRoyceon2wheels
•
“Purrs like a Rolls Royce”
byo-26nuv £1249
INC VAT
FREE UK DELIVERY
IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY DELIGHTED WITHIN 28 DAYS WE WILL COLLECT AND REFUND YOUR MONEY
www.
.COM
TRADE ONLY ENQUIRES - PLEASE ASK FOR CREDIT APPLICATION FORMS
new Electric
bike range
Folding Frame
Folding Frame
chameleon 20
20” Alloy folding frame
20” Wheel
6 Speed Shimano gears
36v 10aH Li-ion battery
250w Brushless geared motor
25 miles/40km Range
4-6 hrs Charging time
Pedal assistance with throttle controller
byo-20fd £575
FREE UK DELIVERY
INC VAT
INC VAT
mountain bike
ibex 26
26” Aluminium frame
26” Wheel with double rim
6 Speed Shimano gears
250w Brushless motor
Suspension ball saddle
24” Aluminium folding frame
24” Wheel with Double Rim
6 Speed Shimano Gears
36v 10aH Li-ion Battery
250w Brushless Motor
25 miles/40km Range
4-6 hrs charging time
Pedal with throttle controller
byo-24fd £749
INC VAT
FREE UK DELIVERY
mountain bike
ibex 28
28” Aluminium frame
28” Wheel double rim
8 Speed with roller brakes
250w Brushless geared motor
25 miles/40km Range
25 miles/40km Range
Pedal with throttle controller
byo-26mtb £799
chameleon 24
INC VAT
FREE UK DELIVERY
King LCD programmable
Pedal assistance
byo-700mtb £1199
INC VAT
FREE UK DELIVERY
Call 02392 488362
email: [email protected]
AUTHORISED ONLINE RESELLER www.sophies-cycles.co.uk
+
ON T E S T
Daum
Ergo-Bike
TrekkingH Premium
The Ergo-Bike from Daum Electronic brings a
fresh design approach from Germany, with its
own crank-drive system, distinctive battery case
and GPS-equipped display. How does it perform?
ON TEST: Ezee
Torq
ON TEST: Daum Ergo-Bike TrekkingH
Premium
D
aum are a well-established
fitness and gym equipment
manufacturer based in
Germany, and the machine
we tested is one of a range of three
‘Ergo-Bike’ electric bikes. Ours was
the ‘TrekkingH’ model; a mixte frame
(semi-low step-through) is also
available as the ‘TrekkingD’, while the
‘Comfort’ has a very low step-through
frame. Two frame sizes are available
for each design, and colour choice is
silver or black for each.
‘Classic’ or ‘Premium’ versions of
each are offered, the main difference
being the addition of GPS and mobile
phone functionality to the display of
the Premium models. Our test bike
was a black ‘Premium’ with a smaller
(48 cm) frame.
Daum are represented in the UK by
Velospeed, based in a quiet village
between Reading and Oxford, with
lovely riding to hand on and around
the ancient Ridgeway, which is close
by. Their showroom also holds bikes
from E-Motion, Batribike and Gocycle.
The Daum bikes are also sold by
Onbike in Kidderminster.
All of the Daum models sell for the
same prices: £1950 for the Classic and
£2350 for Premium versions. All come
with a two-year guarantee including
the battery.
Daum-specific optional extras are
limited to the heart-rate monitor
chest belt (£67.99). Spare batteries
cost £399, and a spare charger is £169.
A number of standard bike accessories
such as baskets can of course also be
fitted.
Shimano hub gear, and there’s a
separate chain tensioner at the back
to keep the chain tight as it wears.
The V-brakes fitted may be less
fashionable than disk brakes right
now, but they’re dependable, simple
and powerful enough.
It would all look very normal
Specification
25.6 kg
Bike only weight: 22 kg
Battery type: Li-Ion
hours (9.5Ah 36V)
sprocket. Ratios 26-80".
Other accessories fitted: bell,
mudguards, carrier rack, stand.
Price: £2350 (note mechanically
identical Classic is £1950)
and ‘non e-bike’ were it not for the
massive battery box which sits above
the rear carrier – a very solid rear
rack, incidentally, with a handy set
of extra rails to support panniers.
Initially I’d assumed that this box was
in fact the battery, but no, there’s
a separate, noticeably smaller 36V,
9.5Ah battery inside it which you can
simply pull out for charging (having
used the key to unlock it of course).
It looks very much like a generic
Chinese battery pack, in an extruded
aluminium case, but Velospeed say
it’s equipped with extra battery
monitoring circuitry, and that it uses
higher grade cells than most. The big
battery box is equipped with rubber
BELOW: The battery
case dominates the
bike visually – although
arguably the huge
display console gives
it some competition!
Otherwise, the bike’s
a fairly normallyproportioned diamondframed machine.
P h o t o : D a u m El e c t ro ni c
» ON THE BIKE
I picked up the Daum fully-assembled
from Velospeed, so there was no
assembly to contend with.
First impressions were of a very
sleekly fi nished bike: the matt
black fi nish on the frame, smooth
welding at the joints and all-black
components combine for a classy,
but not showy, look. The alloy frame
is pretty much a standard diamond
frame shape, with just one extra
tube above the motor. Bike parts are
all of a good quality, with branded
suspension forks and seatpost, a
good set of mudguards and kickstand
thrown in. A plastic chaincase
conceals the motor, and also offers
plenty of protection to keep your
trousers free from chain dirt.
The transmission is via an 8-speed
+
ON T E S T
» ON THE ROAD
THE DISPLAY
It’s hard to sum up in a few
words all that the display
console on the Daum can do.
Indeed, it’s hard to get your
head around it on the bike
unless you have a real need:
I, like most riders I suspect,
just settled for the very clear
display of speed, charge level
and distance remaining. Time,
temperature and distance covered are also given, all displayed very legibly
via the LCD screen, with a backlight for when it’s dark.
Delve into the menus, however, and there’s a fair bit more to discover.
You can record your heartrate, speed and distance against time on an SD
memory card, which slots into the display, and then later analyse it on
computer. The SD card also handles software updates.
Our ‘Premium’ version adds in a GPS system, allowing the bike to
determine its location by satellite and to record your route with even
more accuracy. With an altimeter also built in (working on the air pressure
principle, to complement the GPS altitude determination) height and
gradients can also be recorded. It’s possible to get the system to adjust
assist levels according to gradient, and it’ll even recommend which gear
you should be in!
The final extra for the ‘Premium’ is the GSM module, which effectively
means that the console has its own built-in mobile phone, complete with
SIM card. This means that the bike can send its position to a remote
operator – perhaps a hire company – so that it can be kept track of at all
times. If it’s stolen, a ‘theft’ function can be set up remotely via the Daum
website so that the bike sends a text message (with its GPS location) to
the owner next time it’s switched on.
It’s all exceedingly clever, and Daum also provide software for your
computer to import the route data and to convert it to KML format for
display via Google Earth, or to GPX for other route-sharing applications.
Pre-prepared routes can also be downloaded to the console, and they’re
displayed as a rudimentary but zoomable line map for you to follow.
This would be ideal for hire operators, who might send bikes off preprogrammed with a scenic route for their customers to follow.
If the preceding two paragraphs make sense to you, you may well enjoy
the extra functions offered by the ‘Premium’. If not, the simpler and cheaper
Classic console is probably the one to choose!
straps so that you can easily attach
loads to the top of it, and it will
certainly protect the battery itself
from knocks.
As mentioned, the motor is
concealed around the bottom
bracket – it’s a 250W brushless motor
system with, says the manual, a
two-speed gearbox built in (though
I never felt or heard it operate). And
it apparently not only has torque
sensors built in but also tilt sensors,
and there are cut-out contacts on the
brake levers too.
It’s all controlled by the substantial
display console. No flimsy plastic
here – it feels like you could lift the
bike by it! I’ve described some of the
functions on offer separately above. A
smaller switch unit with four buttons
by your left hand lets you set power
assist level as you ride, cycle through
the display models (‘scan’) or activate
the ‘push assist’ – a low-speed motor
assist mode to help you push the bike
when walking with it, up a ramp out
of a cellar for example.
There’s a lighting system running
off a hub dynamo in the front wheel,
so it’s completely separate from the
electric assist system, and both front
and rear lights are excellent LED type
units.
Finally, a kickstand is fitted to a
purpose-made mount point on the
frame near the rear axle.
The first impression of the bike
is one of solidity – everything is
rigid, rattle-free and secure. There’s
little flex in the bars, and the front
suspension travel is modest enough
to keep dive under braking to a
minimum. But it is also responsive
enough to take the harshness out of
the ride.
Wheeling the bike around, I
occasionally felt the weight of that
high-up battery, but on the road
never. It certainly didn’t seem to
affect handing at speed, which was
solid and stable, levels of control
helped doubtless by the relatively
wide handlebars. The brakes also
functioned fine with good levels of
stopping power.
...the Daum’s convenient controls and
power level system can really help you
eke out its capacity when necessary
HIGH POINTS:
Excellent build
Well-behaved electric
assist
Quiet if not quiet silent
Clear console display
Unique console
functionality
LOW POINTS:
Bulky battery box on rack
massive Noisy motor,
even after resonance
fixed
Heavy bike thanks to
huge battery
Not cheap (but nor are
the parts)
So to the electric assist element.
As a crank-drive pedelec system, the
motor kicks in when you put pressure
on the pedals, matching your efforts
with electric ‘boost’. The level of
assistance is set by the ‘Mode’ buttons
near you left hand, easily accessible
as you ride.
The assistance is smooth and
quiet – not quite silent – and it’s very
well-behaved. Standing at the lights
ready to set off, there’s none of the
occasional ‘kickback’ you get with
some crank drives. Then setting off, it
adds in power with a gentle buzz, and
GOOD FOR:
Hire operators
People who like
recording, sharing or
analysing route maps
Those worried about
theft
Anyone looking for
understated style and
quality
Available from:
UK importers:
Velospeed: Tel 01635
579304 or see www.
velospeed.co.uk
Also from dealers
including Onbike: Tel
01299 251514 or see
www.onbike.co.uk
Manufacturer: www.
daum-electronic.de
with a quick cut-out as you stop. The
transition to pure pedal power at the
legal limit of 15 mph is well handled;
it cuts in and out smoothly as you
transition around the critical speed.
The 8-speed Shimano hub gearing
system worked well with the crank
drive: shifting was drama-free, and
if you didn’t manage to ease off the
ON TEST: Ezee
Torq
ON TEST: Daum Ergo-Bike TrekkingH
Premium
for being so understanding about its
mucky state when I handed it back.
The Daum acquitted itself very
well on this ride, making it to within
a few hundred metres of the finish
before the battery finally cut out. I’d
been putting in a fair bit of pedal
effort, and turning the power off or
down to minimum on the flats and
downhills, but it’s worth noting that
every other bike on the ride with
similar battery capacity had swapped
to a fresh pack en route. I suspect I
was just pedalling a lot more than the
others, but it does also show that the
Daum’s convenient controls and power
level system can really help you eke
out its capacity when necessary.
pedalling before shifting, it would
cope with some shifting under load.
With the electric assist to help, low
gear was fine even on fairly steep hills.
As well as our usual testing around
York (fairly flat) I took the bike to the
Tour de Presteigne and rode it on the
hilly 60-mile day ride which had been
organised for the Saturday, taking
us to Hay-on-Wye and back despite
the rain. Many thanks to Velospeed
» SUMMARY
Good quality SR Suntour
forks, complete with
preload adjustment to
match rider weight. Also
note the tidy guide for
the hub dynamo cable.
It’s hard to fault the build quality or
the comfort and solidity of the Daum.
I do have some aesthetic reservations
about the rather strange design
choice that is the huge battery box,
but that’s a minor matter with no real
consequences for the ride.
With prices from £1950, it’s not
exactly cheap, but the bike parts
and component quality are in line,
and all I can see points to the drive
and battery being of really good
quality too.
The elaborate display system was
good to use, and reassuringly solid
and waterproof. For private users,
however, the advanced GPS and SIMcard features of the ‘Premium’ version
seem like pure overkill. But for hire
applications or geeks they could be
fantastic, and if you’re a pessimist,
the theft prevention aspect could be
attractive too. Anyway, if you don’t
want these bells and whistles, just go
for the Classic version instead.
Overall, the Daum we tested was a
high-quality, durable bike ideal for
hire services who want little hassle
and can employ its advanced features
to good effect. For private users,
you’re paying for industrial-style
quality which should provide good,
dependable cycling performance,
and if there are a few features left
unused, so what? It’ll still be a
pleasure to ride.
Peter Eland
The IRISH Electric Bike Experience
3 day trips
7 day trips
2 day bike testing weekends
A legendary Irish welcome is promised with electric bike
enthusiasm thrown in from Ireland’s only electric bike specialist.
Top of the range electric bikes, top of the range fun & craic!
Visit www.goeco.ie or www.electricbikeholidays.ie
Well then
are ya
coming?
No.2 Electric Bike 5
+
ON T E S T
BionX:
the boost
which brakes
A first impressions report on the BionX power
assist system, in the form of a kit fitted to a
Dahon Cadenza full-size folding bike…
T
he BionX power assist system
was initially developed in
Canada, and immediately gathered
a reputation for being really good
kit. Unfortunately, for several years
manufacturers and consumers alike
found supply difficulties frustrating.
Now, though, they seem to have
sorted that out and in the UK,
distribution is in the capable hands
of well-established trade supplier
Zyro. Kits to fit to an existing bike
are available with prices running
from £1079.99 to almost £1800.
Zyro sent us a well-used Dahon
Cadenza demo bike with a kit already
fitted, along with other (not relevant
here) upgrades and modifications.
It’s not obvious, but this bike can be
folded in half via hinges hidden in
the frame tubes – and having the kit
fitted doesn’t affect this.
Our kit uses a substantial 37V,
9.6Ah battery pack. You’d best hope
you don’t need more, as a spare
costs an astonishing £1049.99! It’s a
curvaceous unit fitted to a bracket
on the downtube, with a key lock to
release. It can also be charged in situ
via the XLR socket on the side.
The cables to motor and handlebar
display unit are led out from the
battery mounting bracket (so they
stay in place if you remove the
battery). There’s plenty of heatshrink
and insulation to protect the cables
as they exit – the rest of their runs to
motor and controller are tidied with
cable ties.
The whole rear wheel is supplied
with the kit (either 700c or 26") and
the cable enters the motor on the
non-drive side, with a connector
ABOVE LEFT: As you can
see here, the rear wheel
version of the BionX
motor can be fitted with a
disk brake. The neoprene
sleeve on the chainstay
protects the motor cable
and connector.
ABOVE RIGHT: Spare
batteries are fearsomely
expensive, so take care
of the one that comes in
the kit!
hidden below the chainstay under
a protective cover. The motor is
equipped with a standard disk brake
mount, and on the drive side with a
mounting for a screw-on freewheel.
The handlebar console fits on a nice
solid bracket, and is quickly removed
if necessary. Here you can select the
various power assist levels, see speed,
distance, charge level etc.
A secondary cable runs from the
console bracket to the front brake
lever, where a small magnet and
ON TEST:
EzeeBionX
Torq
ON TEST:
ABOVE: The display is
easily removed.
LEFT: Magnet and pick-up
on the brake lever let you
control the regenerative
braking.
sensor allow the brake lever to control
one of this system’s key features – the
regenerative braking function. The
idea is to set the sensor so that when
you just tweak the lever, it switches
the motor from assisting you to
acting as a generator and slowing you
down, feeding some energy back into
the battery as it does so. When it’s
set up right you can use this effect to
slow down without using your normal
brakes at all. If that’s not sufficient
stopping power, just squeeze the lever
a bit harder and the brakes engage as
normal.
So how did it work? Well, it feels like
one of the most powerful systems I’ve
tried: after an initial half turn of the
pedals, the motor kicks in and at the
full assist level, it simply whisks you
up to 15 mph smoothly and silently –
so quickly in fact that I got into the
habit of simply leaving the bike in
top gear: nothing else is needed! The
power the motor gives is nominally
300% of your effort: in reality this is
enough that you rarely need to put
in significant work yourself to get
the bike up to full speed. At lower
power levels it works well with you if
you want more of a cycling workout,
feeling natural and responsive. And
the range seemed really good too:
depending on your pedalling effort
and all of the other factors, the quoted
50-odd miles doesn’t seem unrealistic.
The regenerative braking also
worked remarkably well – you save
the wear and noise of ‘conventional’
braking, and it slows you really
noticeably. Great for descents
or stops planned ahead, but you
definitely need good brakes too for
more urgent stopping.
So, all in all the BionX seems to live
up to expectations, with completely
silent power assist which is strong,
smooth and responsive, with the
added bonus of regenerative braking
which really works. But the price for
the kit alone is more than many midrange complete bikes – which means
it’s a substantial investment indeed.
Peter Eland
Available via Zyro dealers: see
www.zyro.co.uk
See the latest
juicybike
Built for the UK & European Markets
electric bikes
Electric Trikes also Available
from only
Stockists around the UK
Dealer Enquiries Welcome
£714
www.batribike.com
at
Powashop
Buying your electric bike parts has never been so easy!
Order Powabyke parts,
accessories & upgrades online
Batteries, ignition keys, circuit boards,
chargers, adaptors and much more...
Free delivery
BUXTON
Stylish Sport, Urban and Classic
bikes available to test ride now
great quality, great spec, great price
when purchased online
Go to www.powabyke.com
to nd Powashop on the homepage
ECO - REPUBLIC.COM
01298 214040 Cavendish ArcadeNo.2SK17
6AL
Electric Bike 3
154
154
160 156
156
160
155
155
157
157
Electric
Bike’s
dealer
locator
159
159
111
111
21
21
20
20
19
19
109
109
69
69
105
105
82
82
146
146
145
145
124
124
126
126
125
125
83
53 83
53
80
52
80
52
12 16
102
12
102
16
13
13
164 15
164
15
163 18
14
163
18 14
17
17
165
165
139
139
151
151
127
127
88
88
103
103
87
87
136
136
86
137 86
137
138
138
11
11
67
67
55
41
41
150
150
113,114 10
113,114
10
104
104
132
132
47,50
47,50
131
131
68
68
48
48
49
49
91to
to101
101
91
1
1
22 3
90 70
90
3 44
72
70
72
133,134
71
133,134
71
74
74
119
135
73
119
135
73
122,123
56
122,123
56
30
30
148
148
45
45
147
121 147
121
57
55 61
14955
6157
51 149
51
59,60 64
59,60
141
44
64 141
44
58,6554,62,63
58,65
142
54,62,63142
33
33
40
140,144 143
3840
143
140,144
43 38
43
32
32
39
31
39
31
35 34
35
34
36
36
168,169
168,169
37
37
167
167
24 23
23
24
25
25
26
26
115,116
115,116
85
85
66
66
162
162
W
89
89
2827
28
27
29 112
29
112
128
128
129
129
130
130
118
118
117
117
46
46
106-108
106-108
79
79
75 84
75
78
78
84
77
76,81 77
76,81
166
166
110
110
Guernsey
Guernsey
Map outlines courtesy of www.comersis.com
England:
01 Avon Atmosphere Electric Bikes (Bristol)
137 St Georges Road Bristol
BS1 5UW 0117 9087153 www.electricbikes.org.uk
Long established e-bike centres with a stunning
range of brands, workshop, demo area at superb
prices.
02 Avon Gardiner Homecentre
Old Bread St Broad Plain Bristol BS2
0JP 0117 9292288 www.gardinerhaskins.co.uk
03 Avon The Electric Transport Shop
St Gabriel’s Bus. Park St
Gabriel’s Rd Bristol BS5 0RT 0117 955 2271 www.
electricbikesales.co.uk Ten+ major brands stocked,
conversions, custom builds, repairs. Ask about
10 year battery warranty, e-bike hire, more.
04 Avon Take Charge Bikes
3 Georges Place Bath BA2 4EN 01225
789568 www.takechargebikes.co.uk
99
7788
66
elcome to this issue’s
dealer locator! Readers
in Scotland, please
don’t write in – your
map is over the page!
To make it easier to locate a
local shop we’ve sorted the whole
listing into England, Scotland and
Wales first, then by county.
The shops listed are from the
dealer networks of Raleigh
and Wisper Bikes
. Dealers
with extended descriptions and
highlighted in blue are Electric
Bike advertisers, too, and of course
many dealers will carry other
brands not detailed here as well.
The shops listed are featured
because their participation helps
support this magazine. As readers,
please support them too, and do
mention Electric Bike if you call.
Finally, if you’re an electric bike
dealer and would like to be listed
next issue, please do get in touch!
170,171
170,171
Jersey
Jersey
05 Bedfordshire Cyclelife Edlesborough
Janes Ltd, 4-8 High Street,
Edlesborough Dunstable LU6 2HS 01525 220208
www.cyclelife.com
06 Berkshire Berkshire Cycles
207 High Street Crowthorne RG45 7AQ
01344 774520 www.berkshirebikes.com
18-20 Wokingham Road Reading
RG6 1JQ 0118 9661799 www.berkshirebikes.com
186 Loddon Bridge Road Woodley
RG5 4BS 0118 9695776 www.berkshirebikes.com
09 Berkshire Velospeed The Old School House,
Ambury Road, Aldworth Reading RG8 9TQ
01635 579304 www.velospeed.co.uk Bikes from
Daum, Batribike and Velospeed. Try out our bikes
in the quiet Berkshire countryside.
10 Buckinghamshire Cyclefleet Ltd
The Bicycle Workshop Rookwood Frith
Hill Great Missenden HP16 0QS 01494 868607
11 Cambridgeshire The Electric Transport Shop
Hope Street Yard Hope Street
Cambridge CB1 3NA 01223 247410 www.
electricbikesales.co.uk Ten+ major brands stocked,
conversions, custom builds, repairs. Ask about
10 year battery warranty, e-bike hire, more.
12 Cheshire Cyclelife Lymm
1 Birchbrook Road, Heatley Lymm
WA13 9RR 01925 753424 www.cyclelife.com
13 Cheshire John Geddes Cycles
43 Widnes Road Widnes WA8 6AZ
0151 4207797 www.johngeddescycles.co.uk
14 Cheshire Morreys of Holmes Chapel
8-10 The Square Holmes Chapel
CW4 7AD 01477 533125 www.cyclelife.com
15 Cheshire The Bike Factory
153-161 Boughton Chester CH3 5BH
01244 317893 www.thebikefactory.co.uk
16 Cheshire P and H Lawnmowers and Cycles
173-175 Market Street Hyde SK14 1HF
0161 368 1558
17 Cheshire Supreme Cycles
42-52 Earls Street Crewe CW1 2AT
01270 585640
18 Cheshire The Bike Factory
153-161 Boughton Chester CH3 5BH
01244 317893 www.thebikefactory.co.uk
19 Cleveland Cyclelife Stockton
Skinnergate Cycles Stockton Brunswick
Street Stockton on Tees TS18 1DU 01642 606520
www.skinnergate.co.uk
20 Co Durham Cyclelife Durham
A1 Motorstore, Front Street,
Framwellgate Moor Durham DH1 5AU 0845
6521442 www.directcarparts.co.uk
21 Co Durham Geared 4
The Old Bank, Newmarket Consett
DH8 5LQ 01207 504652
22 Cornwall Aldridge Cycles Cambourne
38 Cross Street Cambourne TR14 8EX
01209 714970 www.aldridgecycles.co.uk
DEALERS
23 Cornwall Clive Mitchell Cycles
6 Calenick Street Truro TR1 2SF
01872 276930
www.clivemitchellcycles.co.uk
24 Cornwall Aldridge Cycles Camborne
38 Cross Street Camborne TR14 8EX
01209 714970 www.aldridgecycles.co.uk
25 Cornwall Hayle Cycles
36 Penpol Terrace Hayle TR27 4BQ
01736 753825
26 Cornwall The Cycle Centre
1 New Street Penzance TR18 2LZ
01736 351671
27 Derbyshire Hassop Station Ltd
Monsall Trail Cycle Hire Hassop Station nr
Bakewell DE45 1NW 01629 810588
www.hassopstation.co.uk
47 Essex Colchester Cyclestores
50 St Johns Street Colchester CO2 7AD
01206 563890 www.colchestercyclestores.co.uk
71 Kent Bike Bike Sevenoaks
53-55 High Street Sevenoaks TN13 1JF
01732 464997
48 Essex Cyclelife Brentwood
B & M Cycles & Toys, 13 High Street
Brentwood CM14 4RG 01277 214342
www.cyclelife.com/brentwood
72 Kent Cliftonville Cycles
166 Northdown Road Cliftonville
Margate CT9 2QN 01843 291650
49 Essex D2 Leisure Group
Unit 3/4 Falcon Park, Luckyn Lane,
Pipps Hill Ind Estate Basildon SS14 3AL
01268 288208 www.d2leisuregroup.co.uk
50 Essex Cyclelife Colchester
26 St Botolphes Street Colchester
CO2 7EA 01206 530073
www.cyclelifecolchester.co.uk
73 Kent Cycles UK
111 High Street Tonbridge TN9 1DL
01732 365718 www.cyclesuk.com
74 Kent Lean Machines
36 Kirbys Lane Canterbury CT2 8AG
01227 811 717 www.leanmachines-kent.co.uk
We offer quality electric 2 wheelers: innovation
and attention assured! Come and see us!
51 Gloucestershire Williams Cycles
82-86 Albion Street Cheltenham
GL52 2SE 01242 512291 www.williams-cycles.co.uk
75 Lancashire Bikes Direct 365
Granby Marketing Services, Stanley
Street Blackburn BB1 3BW 0844 8119784
www.bikesdirect365.com
52 Greater Manchester Cyclelife Failsworth
Rowbothams, 470 Oldham Road
Failsworth M35 OFH 0161 6811671
76 Lancashire Bill Nickson Cycles
55A Towngate Leyland PR25 2FQ 01772
422259 www.billnicksoncycles.com
53 Greater Manchester Winstanleys BMX
8 Martland Court, Martland Point
Industrial Estate Wigan WN5 0LU 01942 205463
www.winstanleysbmx.com
77 Lancashire Cyclelife Accrington
A1 Motorstores Market Street Church
Accrington BB5 0DP 01254 389911
www.a1motorstores.co.uk
54 Hampshire Cycle World - Portsmouth
373 London Road Portsmouth PO2 9HJ
02392 666500 www.cycleworld.co.uk
78 Lancashire Cyclelife Blackpool
5-21 Vicarage Lane, Marton Blackpool
FY4 4EF 01253 763442 www.samtaylorbikes.co.uk
55 Hampshire Cycle World Wessex
Unit 9 Bourne Centre Southhampton
Road Salisbury SP1 2NY 01722 440372
www.cycleworld.co.uk
79 Lancashire Cyclelife Fleetwood
Brooks Cycles & Leisure 4 & 8 North
Albert Street Fleetwood FY7 6AA 01253 872169
www.brookscyclesandleisure.co.uk
32 Devon Exmouth Cycle Hire
1 Victoria Road Exmouth EX8 1DL
01395 225656 www.exmouthcyclehire.com
56 Hampshire Cyclelife Farnborough
Silvester Brothers, 5 Cove Road
Farnborough GU14 0EH 01252 543778
www.silvesterbros.co.uk
80 Lancashire Cyclelife Leigh
Ratcliffe’s Cycles 113A Bradshawgate
Leigh WN7 4ND 01942 673481
www.ratcliffesofleigh.co.uk
33 Devon Partridge Cycles Superstore
A38 Kennford Exeter EX6 7TF
01392 833303 www.partridgecycles.co.uk
57 Hampshire Cyclelife Petersfield
Rear of 40 Dragon Street Petersfield
GU31 4JJ 01730 266644 www.cyclelife.com
81 Lancashire Cyclelife Preston
Sutcliffe’s Cycles 26 Ribbleton Avenue
Ribbleton Preston PR1 5RY 01772 796176
34 Devon Simply The Bike
100-102 Belgrave Road Torquay
TQ2 5HZ 01803 200024
www.simplythebike.co.uk
58 Hampshire Cyclexperience - Brockenhurst
The Island Shop, Brookley Road
Brockenhurst SO42 7RR 01590 624207
www.cyclex.co.uk
82 Lancashire Oggys Cycles 34 Regent Road
Morecambe LA13 1QN 01524 832860
www.morecambecyclecentre.co.uk
35 Devon Bigpeaks.com
Bigpeaks Centre Linhay Business Park
Ashburton TQ13 7UP 01364 654080
59 Hampshire Hargroves Cycles
453 Millbrook Road Southampton
S015 0HX 02380 789170
www.hargrovescycles.co.uk
28 Derbyshire Juicy Bike
5 The Colonnade Buxton SK17 6AL
01298 21 40 40 www.juicybike.co.uk
Best kept secret: style, quality and excellent
value. Great range available, all under £900.
29 Derbyshire Samways Cycles
20-22 Ashbourne Road Derby DE22 3DR
01332 368849 www.ukcyclestore.com
30 Devon Bike-It Barnstaple
The Warehouse, Mill Road
Barnstaple EX31 1JQ 01271 323873
www.bikeitbarnstaple.co.uk
31 Devon Braking Wind Cycles
2 Park Road Dawlish EX7 9LQ
01626 865161
www.brakingwindcycles.co.uk
36 Devon Plymouth Cycle Scene
Hyde Park House Mutley Plain Plymouth
PL4 6LF 01752 257701
37 Devon Trading Post
31 Fore Street Kingsbridge TQ7 1PG
01548 852923
38 Dorset Cycle Path
Unit Q Link Mall,
1st Floor Dolphin Centre Poole BH15 1TF
01202 680123 www.cycle-paths.co.uk
39 Dorset Cyclelife Weymouth
28 Abbotsbury Road Weymouth
DT4 0AE 01305 781831 www.cyclelife.com
40 Dorset Cyclelife Christchurch
Cyclexperience 179 Barrack Road
Christchurch BH23 2AP 01202 486278
41 Dorset Cyclelife Gillingham
Wheels Cycles Station Road Gillingham
SP8 4QA 01747 825757
42 Dorset Cycle Paths
Unit Q Link Mall, 1st Floor Dolphin
Shopping Centre Poole BH15 1TF 01202 680123
www.cycle-paths.co.uk
43 Dorset Dorchester Cycles
31 Great Western Road Dorchester DT1
1UF 01305 268787 www.dorchestercycles.co.uk
44 Dorset Wheels Cycles
Station Road Gillingham SP8 4QA
01747 825757 www.wheelsofdorset.com
45 East Sussex E-BikesDirect
c/o MTF Enterprises Ltd, Unit 6, Midicy
Oast Bodiam Business Park Bodiam TN32 5UP
01580 830959 www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk Quality
bikes, low prices, assembled delivery, finance,
test facilities, London showroom now open.
46 East Yorkshire Cyclelife Bridlington
Hilderthorpe Cycles, 40 St Johns Street
Bridlington YO16 7JS 01262 677555
www.hilderthorpecycles.co.uk
60 Hampshire Peter Hansford Cycles
Bridge Road, Parkgate Southampton
SO31 6BX 01489 573249 www.peterhansford.co.uk
61 Hampshire Team Hybrid
Unit F3, Knowle Village
Business Park, Mayles Lane Knowle PO17 5DY
01329 832068 www.teamhybrid.co.uk
UK distributor for Falco E-Motors. Dealers for
Raleigh, Ultra Motor, Wisper E-Bikes.
62 Hampshire Solent Cycles
159 West Street Fareham PO16 0DZ
01329 822608 www.solent-cycles.co.uk
63 Hampshire Town Bikes
2 Portland Buildings Stoke Road
Gosport PO12 1JH Hampshire England
02392 584410 www.townbikesgosport.co.uk
64 Hampshire Emsworth Car and Cycle
41-43 North Street Emsworth
Portsmouth PO10 7DA 01243 372742
65 Hampshire CycleX Ltd
Brookley Road Brockenhurst SO42 7RR
01590 623407
66 Herefordshire Mastercraft Cycles
39 Bridge Street Hereford HR4 9DG
01432 274047 www.mastercraftcycles.co.uk
67 Hertfordshire Cyclelife Royston
44a High Street Royston SG8 9AW
01763 247911 www.cyclelife.com
68 Hertfordshire Cycle Experience Ltd
Unit 4c Beaumont House Hedley Road
St Albans AL1 5HH 0845 4348451
www.cycleexperience.com
83 Lancashire Valley Scooters
136 Blackburn Road Bolton BL1 8DW
01204 532183
84 Lancashire On Yer Bike
Queen Street, Off Queens Lancashire
Way Burnley BB11 1AT 01282 438855
www.onyerbikeonline.com
85 Leicestershire 50cycles (Loughborough)
Unit 21, Gordon Road Loughborough LE11 1JP
0800 0288 116 www.50cycles.com
New 50cycles showroom, headquarters and
workshop. Test ride bikes from our entire range.
86 Leicestershire Bikes & Sports
6-10 Stockwell Head, Hinckley
Leicester LE10 1RE 01455 617202
www.bikesandsports.co.uk
87 Leicestershire Cyclelife Coalville
Coalville Cycles 28 Belvoir Road
Coalville LE67 3PN 01530 832179
www.cyclelife.com
88 Leicestershire Top Gear Electric Bikes
82-86 Leicester Road Mountsorrel
Loughborough LE12 7AN 0116 237 6800
89 Lincolnshire J.C. Cook
125 Pasture Street Grimsby DN32 9EE
0800 0560380 www.jccookcycles.co.uk
90 London 50cycles (London)
82 Hill Rise, Richmond upon Thames TW10 6UB
London 0800 0288 116 www.50cycles.com
Test ride electric bikes from Kalkhoff, Oxygen,
Freego and Gocycle in nearby Richmond Park.
91 London W Bicicletta Limited
5 Pall Mall Deposit 124-128 Barlby Road
London W10 6BL 0208 9682155
92 London Bike Republic
Unit 2 Premier Park Park Royal London
NW10 7NZ 0208 4001251
69 Isle of Man Outdoors
Albert Road Christian Street Ramsey
IM8 2EL 01624 811550 www.outdoorcycles.com
93 London Cyclelife Mill Hill
8 Bittacy Hill Mill Hill NW7 1LB
70 Kent Bigfoot Bikes
50 Hayes Street Bromley BR2 7LD
0208 4625004 www.bigfootbikes.com
94 London Cycles UK
135 Creek Road Greenwich SE8 3BU
0203 4177237 www.cyclesuk.com
95 London Cycling Made Easy
18 Chipstead Valley Road Coulsdon
London CR5 2RA 02086 608823
www.cyclingmadeeasy.co.uk
96 London E Chamberlaine & Son
75 Kentish Town Road London
NW1 8NY 0207 4853983
www.chamberlainecycles.co.uk
97 London T Ditchfield Ltd
792-794 High Road, Leyton
E10 6AE 0208 5392821 www.ditchfields.co.uk
98 London E-bikesdirect (London)
14 Ingate Place Battersea
SW8 3NS www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk Quality bikes,
low prices, assembled delivery, finance, test
facilities, London showroom now open.
99 London Electric Zero Ltd
6 Heath Street Hampstead NW3 6TE
0207 7943373 www.vitaelectric.co.uk
100 London The Bike Shop
2288-290 Lee High Road Lewisham
SE13 5PS
0208 852 6680 www.bikeshoplewisham.co.uk
101 London The Electric Transport Shop
183 York Way London N7 9LN
0207 4822892 www.electricbikesales.co.uk Ten+
major brands stocked, conversions, custom
builds, repairs. Ask about 10 year battery
warranty, e-bike hire, more.
102 Merseyside Quinns Bike Centre
379-385 Edge Lane Liverpool L7 9LQ
0151 2286262 www.quinnsbikecentre.co.uk
103 Norfolk Cycles UK
Norwich Pilch (Lower Ground Floor) 1517 London Street Norwich NR2 1JE 01603 624253
www.cyclesuk.com
104 Norfolk Transport Electric
16 Longs Industrial Estate, England
Lane Gorleston NR31 6NE 01493 603388
www.transportelectricuk.com
105 North Yorkshire Bike-It Cycle Warehouse
Victoria Courtyard, 131 Victoria Road
Scarborough YO11 1SP 01723 507332
www.bikeitcyclewarehouse.com
106 North Yorkshire Cycle Heaven
2 Bishopthorpe Road York YO23 1JJ 01904
636578/651870 www.cycle-heaven.co.uk
Your classic all round bike shop, but well known
for utility roadsters, folders and electric bikes.
107 North Yorkshire Get Cycling
22 Hospital Fields Road Fulford York
YO10 4DZ 01904 249581 www.getcycling.org.uk
108 North Yorkshire Shannons Cycle Centre
169-171 Boroughbridge Rd York YO26
6AN 01904791610 www.shannonscyclecentre.co.uk
109 North Yorkshire Electric Mountain Bikes
Kirkbymoorside 01458 550304
www.electricmountainbikes.com
Very powerful custom-built e-bikes & conversion
kits. MTB/Hybrid, commuting, folding, tandems.
Electric Goat, Heinzmann, Gruber, BionX.
110 North Yorkshire Trailways
Old Railway Station, Hawsker Whitby
YO22 4LB 01947 820207 www.trailways.info
111 Northumberland Cyclelife Alnwick
The Great Outdoor Store, Unit 10, Oak
Drive, Lionheart Ent. Park Alnwick NE66 2EU
01665 602925 www.cyclelife-alnwick.co.uk
112 Nottinghamshire Powered Bicycles
50-52 Main Street Long Eaton
NG10 1GN 0115 9727201
www.poweredbicycles.co.uk
113 Oxfordshire Reg Taylor
285 Iffley Road Oxford OX4 4AQ
01865 247040 www.regtaylorcycles.co.uk
114 Oxfordshire The Electric Transport Shop
125 Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RJ
01865 243937 www.electricbikesales.co.uk
Ten+ major brands stocked, conversions, custom
builds, repairs. Ask about 10 year battery
warranty, e-bike hire, more.
115 Rutland Rutland Cycling
Whitwell Car Park, Bull Brigg Lane,
Whitwell Oakham LE15 8BL 01572 737624
www.rutlandcycling.com
116 Rutland Rutland Water and Cycle
Unit 3 Manton Engineering Wing Road
Manton LE15 8SZ Rutland England 01572 737624
www.rutlandcycling.com
117 Shropshire Honda Equipe Ludlow
Coronation158
Avenue Ludlow SY8 1DP
01584 874738
118 Shropshire Plush Hill Cycles 01694 720133
8 The Square Church Stretton SY6 6DA
www.plushhillcycles.co.uk
119 Somerset The Bicycle Chain
Salmon Parade Bridgwater TA6 5PY
01278 423649 www.bicyclechain.co.uk
120 Somerset Cyclelife Crewkerne
Serv-u, 10 Market St. Crewkerne TA18
7LA 01460 76191 www.cyclelifecrewkerne.co.uk
152
121 Somerset Cyclelife Wellington
Kings Cycles, 7 Corn Hill Wellington
TA21 8LU 01823 662260 www.kingscycles.co.uk
153
122 Somerset Kings Cycles Shop
Station Road Taunton
157 TA1 1NL
Somerset154
England 01823 352272
160 156
155 Electric
123 Somerset Reaction
159
84 Priory Bridge Road Taunton TA1
1QA 01823 274444 www.reactionelectric.co.uk
124 South Yorkshire Barnsley Bicycle Centre
16 Doncaster Road Barnsley S70 1TH
01226 287770
125 South Yorkshire Fosters Cycles
Thames Street Rotherham S60 1LU
01709 371576/820293 www.fosterscycles.co.uk
126 South Yorkshire Hudson Cycles
4 Eva Building, King Avenue
Rossington DN11 0PF 01302 868889
www.hudsoncycles.co.uk
136 Atmosphere Electric Bikes (Coventry)
18 Chequer St, Bulkington
Coventry CV12 9NH 02476 490339 www.
electricbikes.org.uk Long established e-bike
centres with a stunning range of brands,
workshop, demo area at superb prices.
160 Renfrewshire The Bicycle Chain
3 Collier Street Johnstone PA5 8AR
01505 335551
161 Shetland Eric Brown 01595 692709
North Road Lerwick ZE1 0NT
137 West Midlands Chris Dodd & Sons
8 Manor Court Road Nuneaton
CV11 5HY 02476 385160
Wales:
138 West Midlands Coventry Cycle Centre
140 Far Gosford Street Coventry CV1
5DY 024 76222997 www.coventrycyclecentre.co.uk
162 Ceredigion New Image Bicycles
29/30 Pendre Cardigan SA43 1LA
01239 621275 www.newimagebicycles.co.uk
139 West Midlands Pedals Plus Power
Halfpenny Green Vineyards Tom Lane
Bobbington DY7 5EP 01384 221766
163 Flintshire All About the Bike
Unit 10 Pinfold Workshops Pinfold Lane
Buckley CH7 3PL 01244 552000
140 West Sussex Barreg Cycles
Main road Fishbourne PO18 8AN 01243
786104 www.barreg.co.uk
164 Flintshire Graham Weigh Cycles
3/5 Chester Road East Shotton CH5
1QA 01244 831110 www.grahamweighcycles.co.uk
141 West Sussex Kardinal Mobility
82-84 Broadwater Street
West Worthing BN14 9DE 01903 211931
165 Powys Onbike (Presteigne)
The Workhouse, The Industrial Estate
Presteigne LD8 2UF
07944 63 60 80 www.onbike.co.uk
Electric bike superstore with over 15
demonstration bikes. Unbiased expert advice on
all the major brands.
142 West Sussex Cyclelife Centre Shoreham
38-42 Kingston Broadway
Shoreham by Sea BN43 6TE 01273 596368
143 West Sussex Cyclelife Centre Worthing
31 Chatsworth Road Worthing
BN11
111 1LY 01903 823370
144 West Sussex Stowaway Bikes
Unit 4, Premier Business Park, Main
Road Birdham PO20 7BU 01243 550042
www.stowawaybikes.co.uk
21
14520
West Yorkshire Don’s Cycle Centre
15b Barnsley Road South Elmsall
WF9 2QW 01977 642593
19
146 West Yorkshire The
110Bike Shop - Leeds
78-84
109 Crossgates Rd, Crossgates Leeds
LS157NL 0113 2328483 www.leedsbicycle.com
GY1 6HU 0148107781 456372
www.sarniacyclehire.co.uk
170 Jersey Lawrence De Gruchy
46 Don Street St. Helier JE2 4TR
01534 730090
[email protected]
171 Jersey Lawrence De Gruchy
Les Vaux Store, La Routede la
Monnaie Trinity JE3 5DG
[email protected]
Ireland
158
172 GoEco Electric Bike Holidays
Eyon Cappamore Co Limerick Ireland
00353 61 381427 www.goeco.ie
Ireland’s electric bike specialists with over six
years’ experience, trained technicians & world
leading brands to facilitate the electric bike
holiday experience.
154
160 156
166 Powys Heart of Wales Bikes
Oxford House High Street Llandrindod
Wells LD1 6HE 01597 825533
www.heartofwalesbikes.com
167
150
113,114
9
10
Scotland: 78 6
68
159
82
167 Full Charge Ahead Electric Cycles
Pugh’s Garden Centre, Tynant Road Cardiff South Glamorgan CF15 8LB
0845 619 8976 www.fullchargeahead.com
South Wales’ electric bike shop. Sales, service,
repairs for most brands including Wisper and
Raleigh.
79
75
78
76,81 7
8
53
80
1
13
102
164 15
163 18 14
17
172
118
117
Channel Islands
166
162
165
161
167
33
24 23
25
26
21
3
119
122,123
14
121
30
36
15
66
31
35 34
32
4
3
37
161
Shetland
48
158
49
91 to 101
90 70
152 Angus Lawntech
133,134
71
Unit 20 Manhattan Works Dundonald 74
135
73
119
Street Dundee DD3 7PY 01382 459459
122,123
56
Birmingham Rd Lichfield
WS13 6HU
01543 411633
30
148
153
Fife
The
Scottish
E-Bike
Centre
45
www.freedomcycles.co.uk
147
121
57
51 149 55 1-961
Street Lochgelly KY5
59,60 Plantation
141
44 9LP 01592
64www.ebikescotland.com
130 Staffordshire Powastation
58,65 780528
54,62,63 142
6 Three Spires House
33 Station Road
40 Lanarkshire
140,144
38154
143
Cyclelife
Bikechain
43
Lichfield, WS13 6HX 01543 419419
32
1417
Dumbarton Road, Scotstoun
39
31
131 Suffolk Alford Bros
Felixstowe
Glasgow
G14
9XS
01419581055
35 34
119-121
Road Felixstowe
www.bikechainglasgow.co.uk
36 Hamilton
168,169
IP11 7BL 01394 284719
155 Lanarkshire FreeFlow Bikes Ltd
37
24 23
132
Suffolk
Byways
Bicycles
Unit
Cathkin Farm Rutherglen
25
Guernsey 5 South
170,171
Priory Farm, Priory Lane Darsham
26
G73 5RG 0141 632 2733
IP17 3QD 01728 668764
156 Lanarkshire Freeflow Glasgow
www.bywaysbicycles.co.uk
Jersey
924 Pollockshaws Road Glasgow
133 Surrey PowaRider Electric Bikes
G41 2ET 0141 632 2733
Unit G3a The Mayford Centre Mayford
157 Midlothian Electric Cycle Company
Green Woking GU22 0PP 01483 801026
133-135 Granton Rd Edinburgh EH53NJ
134 Surrey Greased Lightning Cycles
0131 5534900 www.electriccyclecompany.co.uk
Access, Unit F Dolphin Ind. Est.
158 Morayshire Bikebug 01667 455416
Windmill Rd Sunbury TW16 7HT
Falconers Lane Nairn IV12 4DS
08444 145192 www.greasedlightningcycles.com
159 Peeblesshire B Spoke Cycles
135 Cyclelife Cyclelife Centre Guildford
Old Tweed Dale Garage Innerleithen
19 Woodbridge Road Guildford GU1
Road Peebles EH45 8BA 01721 723423
1DY 01483 504932
www.bspokecycles.co.uk
21
3 4
157
155
69
127 Staffordshire Cyclelife Burton-on-Trent
69
Sheffield Cycles, 156 Station Street
147 Wiltshire Batchelors 105
Bikz Ltd
Burton On Trent DE14 1BS 01283 532155
168 Guernsey Adventure Cycles
24 Market Place Warminster
82
46
128 Staffordshire Cyclelife Chasetown
Grande Rue, St Martins
BA12 9AN 01985
213221 www.bikz.co.uk
106-108
Sanders Cycles 1 High Street
79 Chasetown
GY4 6LH 01481 232855 www.adventurecycles.net
Burntwood WS7 3XE 01543 686102
146 Cyclelife Salisbury
75 84 148 Wiltshire
78
169 Guernsey Sarnia Cycle Hire
Hayball Cyclesport, Black Horse
76,81 77
129 Staffordshire Cyclelife Lichfield
Officemaker, Unit 1, Church Road
Chequer, 26-30
145Winchester Street Salisbury
Freedom Cycles The Bus Station
Industrial Estate, St Sampsons
124
83
53
SP1 1HG
89
80
52
126
12
102
125 Cycleworld Wessex
16149 Wiltshire
13
Unit 9, Bourne Centre, Southampton
Road
164 15
28 Salisbury
SP127
1NY 0845 6526501 www.cycleworld.co.uk
163 18 14
29 112
17
150 Wiltshire E Motion Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd
373 Cricklade Road Swindon
12701793 251200 www.e-motionevc.co.uk
128SN2 1AQ
115,116
129
85
151 Worcestershire
Onbike (Kidderminster)
103
88
130
Unit 330, Hartlebury
118
87
104
Industrial
Estate
Kidderminster
DY10
4JB
136
117
139 01299
15 14 www.onbike.co.uk
1372586
138 bike superstore with over 20
Electric
151
132
demonstration bikes. Unbiased expert advice on
166
165
11
all the major brands.
66
162
47,50
67
131
5
41
152
153
72
152
153
154
160 156
157
155
158
159
111
21
19
152
109
69
153
20
82
110
e-bikes
e-bikes with style.
Deore-9
TOURER
Nexus-8
£925 £845
SPARE
BATTERY
£208.80
A bike designed for long range touring, choose between the simplicity of the
Nexus 8-speed internal hub or the lightness and speed of the Shimano Deore 9speed Derailleur gearing. With its 36v x 10Ah long range battery and easy riding
stance it will comfortably and speedily eat up the miles.
• Aluminium 6061-T6 frame
• Solid front forks
• Shimano Deore 9-speed Derailleur
or Shimano Nexus 8-speed hub
• 700c dual wall rims
• Reflective Kenda tyres
• Velo Plus saddle
• Deore-’V’ brake front & rear,
Nexus-’V’ front, roller rear
• 36v x 10Ah LiFePO4 battery
SPARE BATTERY £237.60
£695
• 3-position PAS,
LCD display
• Spanninga LED
integral lights
• Art Certificate
anti-theft lock
• Weight 21.30kgs
• Ideal rider height
165-190cm
Available in
black or silver
SPORT
One of our best value cycles, the styling looks so right from all angles.
Strong purposeful frame and powerful front forks combined with 21speed Shimano gearing. The mountain climbing ability of this cycle was
confirmed when French racer, Bertrand Maucout won the steep climb up
the Alpe d’Huez known as ‘Montée Èlectrique’ using this bicycle, the climb
of 1860 metres altitude, stage lengths 16km, 21 climbing slopes of average
incline 7.9% is a real test for the bike. Maucout broke the world record
for the climb and finished 91 seconds in front of second placed finisher
at an average speed of 27kph.
• Aluminium 7005-T6 frame
• Zoom dual crownforks
• Shimano 21-speed derailleur
• 26” x 1.5 dual wall rims
• ‘V’ brake front & rear
• 3-position PAS, LED display
• LED integral lights
• Available in silver or satin black
• Weight 23.90kgs
• Ideal rider height 165-190cm
KING
£945
SPARE BATTERY £208.80
Our top of the range mountain bike. Absolute top specification with 6061-T6
ally frame, Shimano Alivio 24-speed gearing, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes and RST
front forks.
A bike for a true e-bike enthusiast, you and the powerful motor combined will
really power up hills. Everybody who rode this bike described its hill climbing
abilities as awesome and the downhill as exciting.
A true King among electric bikes.
• Aluminium 6061-T6
• RST forks
• 3-position PAS, LCD display
• Shimano Alivio 24-speed Derailleur
• LED lights
• Available in white
• Weight 23.20kgs
• Velo Streamline saddle
• Ideal rider height 160-185cm
• Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, front & rear
SPARE
BATTERY
£277.92
£1395
KING CARBON
The optional carbon frame and special Panasonic battery reduces overall
weight to 19.65kgs. The clever controller will optimise battery power plus
rider power to efficiently climb hills. Top specification including Rock Shox
front forks, hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano Alivio 24-speed gearing.
Our current flagship bike.
• Carbon fibre frame
• LED lights
• RockShox forks with lockout
• Weight 19.65kgs
• Shimano Alivio 24-speed Derailleur
• Ideal rider height:
48cm frame 150-175cm
51cm frame 160-190cm
• Velo Streamline saddle
• Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, front & rear
• 36v x 10Ah Panasonic battery
• 5-position PAS, LCD display
All prices include 20% VAT
Kudos
CYCLES
Unit 4, St. Augustine’s Business Park, Estuary Way, Swalecliffe, Kent CT5 2QJ, UK
Tel. 0044 (0) 1227 792792 Fax. 0044 (0) 1227 794888 www.kudoscycles.com
Subscribe to Electric
Bike magazine
Introducing Velo Vision
– Electric Bike’s sister
publication
Issue 2 www.electricbikemag.co.uk
If you’d like future copies of Electric Bike delivered to your door,
why not subscribe? It costs just
£10 (including UK postage) for a
year (four issues). Back issues are
also available while stocks last.
Reviews: four e-bikes
Basics: reality check
Report: Eurobike
The eclectic cycling magazine
ISSUE 41 JUNE 2011 £6
REVIEWS:
ROTOVELO VELOMOBILE
DAHON IOS XL FOLDER
JANGO FLIK FOLDER
PAPER BICYCLE
ON TEST: Wisper 906 Alpino Gazelle Orange Pure Innergy
lJuicy Bike Sport 2011 Kalkhoff Pro Connect Disc
01 Cover2.indd 1
11/03/2011 11:46
The publishers behind Electric
Bike have for the last ten years
published Velo Vision, a premium
subscription cycling magazine
covering bikes for transport and
touring, with a particular emphasis on innovative and specialist designs. It’s an international forum for transport cycling culture and bicycle design. You can read
much more (and there’s even a free sample issue to
download) on the Velo Vision website:
www.velovision.com
VISITS:
BURROWS, ICE
TO ORDER:
REPORT:
SPEZI 2011
01 Cover3.indd 3
Call us on 01904 692800 with card details
Order securely online: www.electricbikemag.co.uk
Send a cheque (to ‘Velo Vision Ltd’) to Velo
Vision, Freepost RSBT-TLTE-RBHU, YORK YO30 4AG
with your name and address. Please specify with
which issue you’d like the subscription to start.
Readers beyond the UK should order via the website.
We can send Electric Bike to anywhere in the world!
Award Winning
Gazelle E-Bikes
and Classic Dutch Bikes
12/06/2011 10:22
Want to try a sample copy? Simply add £1 to any subscription order and we’ll include a recent Velo Vision
issue. Or send £3 for a sample copy by itself.
e-motors
Falcoe
ONE MOTOR FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
WORLDWIDE RELEASE - 3.5kg, 250W to 1000W, 55Nm motor.
Revolutionary Multi-Phase, Multi-Pole, Brushless,
Gearless Motor Technology.
Gazelle Orange Pure Innergy
Available from:
Cycle Heaven of York
High Efficiency
High Torque Light Weight Zero Cogging
High Power www.cycle-heaven.co.uk
Phone us now for a test ride on:
01904 636578/651870
Also: Brompton, Birdy, Dahon, Airnimal, etc.
Cycle Heaven Ltd
2 BISHOPTHORPE ROAD YORK YO23 1JJ
MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE
European Distribution:
Telephone: +44 (0)1329 832068
E-mail: [email protected]
www.teamhybridebikes.com
Unit F3, Knowle Village Business Park
Mayles Lane, Knowle
Hampshire PO17 5DY
ElEctric BicyclEs
Taking you furTher, fasTer
Tackle the steepest hills with ease. Spencer Ivy electric bikes
use the reliable and efficient Panasonic motor and battery
system that has 3 levels of assistance and is capable of 50
miles of assisted riding pleasure. Made in Germany, the motor
and battery comes with a 2 year warranty.
Continental
“Offering almost everything the casual commuter could possibly
want… one of the best we have come across to date.”
The Bicycle Buyer magazine
“ The bike rides beautifully, the battery life was plenty and
it’s a stunning design that’s guaranteed to turn heads.”
London Cyclist
www.InfineumBike.co.uk
Salisbury
Windsor
5% discount
n
on bikes whe
you mention
this advert
Lithium Polymer Battery
www.
.co.uk
Premium
Electric Bicycles
01279 821243
email: [email protected]
Akhter House Perry Road Harlow Essex CM18 7PN
JN-1515 14.4.2011 prices subject to change without notice. E&OE
To book a test ride
go to www.spencerivy.com
or call us 020 3021 3388
connect with us:
+
E-BIKE BASICS
Electric
Bikes –
the low
down
Richard Peace, co-author of the
recently-published book Electric
Bicycles – The Complete Guide, gives
us his beginner-friendly overview
of today’s electric bikes.
IE-BIKE BASICSI
What are electric bikes?
Electric bikes allow you to add power
from a small electric motor to your
pedalling effort; they are not mini
electric motorcycles as they almost all
still require pedalling.
They do make pedalling easier,
especially up hills, into headwinds
and with heavy loads.
Subject to a power assist speed
limit of 15 mph or 25 km/h (though
you can use pedal power alone above
this limit) and a motor rating of
250W, they are treated exactly the
same in UK law as non-electric bikes –
no need for any red tape whatsoever.
How long have electric bikes been around?
You might think of electric bikes as
a phenomenon of the last few years,
but the 19th century saw an electric
machine produced by Humber, a
tandem used as a ‘pacer’ (to literally
set the pace) for the Bol d’Or 24-hour
track race in 1899 in Paris.
The 1920s and ’30s saw a number
of designs intended for public use,
one example being the EMI/Philips
system. Petrol power overshadowed
electric bikes in the post-war years,
but the oil crises of the ’70s saw an
increasing number of designs come and
go (including the well-known Sinclair
C5). The ’80s and ’90s saw steady
technological progress, meaning a
reduction in weight of electric bikes
and extending battery range.
As we move into the 2010s, electric
bikes’ popularity has built to the extent
that they now account for a significant
proportion of bike sales – up to around
one in four in the Netherlands, perhaps
the country leading the European field
in electric bike take-up, with Germany
close behind.
P h o t o : W i s p e r B ike s
Aren’t they expensive?
Models start at a few hundred pounds,
but £1000 seems to be the starting
point for good quality bikes from
well-known firms.
Electric bikes are eligible for the
government ‘Cycle to Work’ tax subsidy
in the same way that non-electric
bikes are: this allows taxpaying
employees to save on bike purchases
by paying for them via their employer
through salary reduction.
P h o t o : D a u m El e c t ro ni c
What designs are there?
BELOW: An EBCO Eagle
tackling the 50-mile ride
in the Welsh hills which
formed part of this year’s
Tour de Presteigne event.
There are two main designs, based on
how motor power is applied:
Pedelecs: here the power is
activated by your pedalling motion,
so as you pedal you feel the motor
magically helping push you forwards,
measuring your effort and adding to
it. They tend to be the most efficient
systems and to give good smooth
assistance over a wide speed range.
E-bikes: these usually use a throttle
to control the motor power level, but
you will have to spin the pedals round
(though not necessarily put any effort
in) to activate the power.
Bikes can also be classed according
to whether they have a crank motor
(usually located near the pedals
and driving through the chain) or
a hub motor, located in the wheel
hub (front or rear). Crank motors
are usually more reliable but more
expensive and may not be as good
at speedy hill climbing as some hub
motors (although crank drives are,
paradoxically, often best for very
steep hills).
What batteries are used and
what mileage do they achieve?
Most electric bikes use lithium
batteries of one description or
another, which currently tend to
have a life expectancy of around two
years before capacity drops below
about 80% of the ‘new’ value – though
tests suggest longevity is improving
beyond this in the newest batteries.
Some companies still use nickelmetal hydride battery packs, which
last longer but have a lower capacity
for the same weight, and a few still
even use relatively very heavy and
low capacity (but markedly cheaper)
lead-acid batteries.
Current average range for an
electric bike is around 20-25 miles,
but large capacity batteries mean
some designs can reach 40 miles+.
+
E-BIKE BASICS
Range figures are of course highly
dependent on rider weight, terrain,
wind and other contingencies. Beware
of exaggerated mileage claims on very
many electric bikes!
Also make sure you check out the
price of replacement batteries which
are often the most expensive long
term cost (£300 and up) – try and
get a battery guarantee of two years
minimum.
How light are the bikes and
how light might they become?
Bikes of 20 to 25 kg are commonplace
and the lightest models are sub15 kg (for example, from UK make
Cytronex). The UK-designed GoCycle
comes in at under 17 kg. Some bikes
obviously choose to trade off a little
extra weight against using higher
capacity batteries.
The trend towards lighter motors
and higher power density batteries
(more capacity for the same weight)
Buying Tips
Factors to consider:
How hilly is the terrain – if it’s very hilly a
crank drive could be a good option (it drives
through all gears, even the lowest), or if you
go for a hub motor, make sure it is geared for
steep hills or is a ‘high torque’ model. Dealers
will advise.
How much range do you need? The higher
and more consistent speeds of electric bikes
mean up to a 15 mile commute (taking about
an hour) is now within the range of even the
less fit rider. Just about all current batteries
will easily do this unless it’s particularly
hilly, and a top-up at work should mean a full
battery for the return journey. For touring or
serious hills you might want to look at models
with the largest batteries out there – currently
a capacity around 500 Watt hours (Wh) is at
the top end of the range.
Go for the longest guarantee period you can
– especially on the batteries. With replacement
lithium batteries well into the hundreds of
pounds, a two year battery guarantee is the
minimum you should look for. There are several
extended warranties available – for example
from Koga and 50 Cycles (Kalkhoff), but the
longest currently is a ten year warranty from
the Electric Transport Shop, although this ties
you into a twice-yearly service to keep the
warranty valid.
As you might expect, price tends to correlate
P h o t o : W i s p e r B ike s
to quality. £1000 seems to be the starting point
for decent quality bikes from European and
Japanese firms. Whilst there are some decent
machines at the cheaper end of the market
(which tends to be dominated by Chinese
makes, rebranded for the UK), you’re also more
likely to find some less reliable bikes.
Well-known brand names are perhaps the
most likely to hold spares for their electric
bikes on a long term basis, though a number of
other more specialist but well-established UK
companies should also be safe bets.
Folding electric bikes are just starting to
become feasible, although the majority are
heavy and inconvenient to fold. However, there
are some good options. A kit conversion of the
Brompton from the Electric Wheel Company is
probably currently the best bet.
Kits can be fitted to convert existing bikes
to electric, usually by replacing the front
wheel with a new motorised one. The results
can be good, although it’s often hard to
integrate the electrics as neatly and reliably
as on a purpose-made bike. Most of the
above considerations apply equally to kits.
Only consider fitting one yourself if you’re
technically competent and confident.
For off-road use or regular heavy load
carrying, Heinzmann make one of the toughest
add-on motor kits around, if somewhat noisy by
today’s standards. Electric Mountain Bikes are
one of the few companies offering services in
this specialised area of kit fitting.
should continue to see weight creep
down, although huge reductions
aren’t likely in the short term. Apart
from racing models, even ‘normal’
unassisted bikes tend to weigh over
15 kg once you’ve added accessories
such as mudguards, carrier rack etc.,
so there isn’t huge scope for further
savings.
Read more
Electric Bicycles – The Complete Guide
by Richard Peace and David Henshaw
is available online from
www.electricbicyclesbook.com or
phone 01305 259998, and also via the
book trade. It’s 256 pages, around A5,
full colour, and costs £12.95.
ISBN 978-1901464-24-5
£1599 inc. VAT
For details of the full range and where to buy go to:
www.ebco-ebikes.co.uk
+
E-BIKE BASICS
Decisions, decisions…
If you’re in the market for an electric bike you’re
faced with a bewildering set of choices. We’ll tackle
more in future issues, but for now we’ll start with two
fundamental decisions: motor position and gearing.
Crank drive vs hub motor
What’s the best place to put the motor
in an electric bike?
There are two main options: either
the motor goes into one of the wheels
(hub motor), or it sits in the middle
of the bike between the pedals (crank
drive), driving the wheels through
the chain and any gearing system
which the bike may have.
The vast majority of electric bikes
use hub motors, and the main reason
is simplicity. You simply replace one of
the wheels with an electric one, and
everything else including the frame
can be standard cycle parts, with a
few tweaks perhaps to accommodate
controller and battery pack.
In contrast, a crank drive almost
invariably requires a specially-made
frame, and these systems tend to be
pricey partly for that reason. So why
even consider crank drive?
The answer is to do with how
electric motors work. Generally, a
motor is at its most efficient over a
limited range of speeds, and outside
that range it’ll either lose power
(so it won’t pull you along so well)
or efficiency (so more of the energy
from the battery goes to heating up
the motor windings, instead of into
rotation). Or both!
An electric bike can be travelling
under power at any speed between
zero and 25 km/h. That means that
a typical hub motor has to provide
power from zero to around 200 rpm.
That’s a huge range for the motor
designer to optimise over, although as
you’ll have read in the reviews, many
ABOVE: Crank motors, like
this one on a Daum bike,
tend to be at the pricier
end of the market. But
they’re efficient, usually
reliable and if you can put
in modest effort, great on
even the steepest of hills.
hub motors do make a very good
job of it thanks to modern control
electronics. But it’s a real challenge
to make a motor efficient both when
pulling you up a steep hill at walking
pace (say 5 rpm) and bowling along at
25 km/h (200 rpm).
In contrast, a crank motor drives
the bike via the gearing on the bike,
which is designed so that you can
E-BIKE BASICSI
LEFT: The line-up of bikes
which we reviewed in
Issue 1 offers examples
of crank drives from
Panasonic and Yamaha,
plus hub motors in both
front and rear wheels.
keep pedalling at a comfortable pace
(typically 50-70 rpm) while the bike
speed varies. Just as your legs work
most efficiently over that relatively
limited speed range, so does the crank
drive motor. For that hypothetical
walking-pace hill, you’ll be in a low
gear and the crank drive motor can
be assisting your pedalling over the
same, limited 50-70 rpm range for
which it will have been optimised.
An automobile analogy is rather
apt. Using a hub motor is equivalent
to driving everywhere in third gear:
the motor is straining as you set
off, and screaming when you get up
to speed. With crank drive, you can
use the gearbox to keep the engine
at a comfortable rev-count while the
speed of the vehicle varies.
ABOVE: The Panasonic
system has the battery
mount built into the
crank drive unit. A range
of battery capacities
are available from many
different vendors; the
Kalkhoff bike seen here
(from 50Cycles) uses
one of the largest, with
a capacity of 468 Watt
hours (18Ah, 26V).
But that points up another
advantage of the hub system: its
ease of use, especially if you’re not
keen on frequent gear shifting.
With crank drive you really need
to be changing gears as the terrain
alters to take best advantage of the
system. With a hub motor, it doesn’t
really matter: it’ll provide assist
whichever gear you’re in.
Then again, crank drive can
claim an advantage in another area:
packaging. With motor, any sensors
and often also the battery pack all
in a single, mostly sealed unit, the
amount of wiring on the bike is much
reduced, generally good for reliability.
Crank drives have a reputation for
efficiency, too. Because it stays in its
most efficient speed range, the crank
motor should offer a better range for
a given battery capacity than a hub
drive. Against this, a crank drive puts
more strain on the bike’s transmission,
which will wear out faster.
There are only a handful of crank
drive systems (Panasonic, Yamaha,
Bosch and Daum are the main ones)
currently available, all at the pricier
end of the market. All use ‘torque
sensing’: they measure your effort
and add to it from the very first push
on the pedals as you set off. I hear
that cheaper systems with throttletype controls are in the offing too,
though – watch this space.
In contrast, there are a multitude
of well proven hub motors at all price
points. Some of the more expensive
also use torque sensing controls,
others use a throttle (or power level
settings), generally combined with a
pedal rotation sensor, to let you add
power whenever you’re pedalling.
So which is best for you? I think
the answer is only really clear-cut
if you regularly tackle really steep
hills, know how to use your gears
and just want some help pedalling:
here a crank drive is hard to beat. It’s
also the system of choice if you really
want to eke out the maximum range
from a battery.
But otherwise, hub motors can do a
perfectly good job, and often for less
money. If you want torque sensing
you can have it, or stick to simpler
controls. A hub motor is probably
the more obvious choice if you prefer
being pulled along to pedalling.
So as ever, the answer is ‘it depends’.
If you possibly can, do try both layouts
for yourself before you buy!
+
E-BIKE BASICS
Hub gear strengths
Hub gears vs derailleurs
Cycle gearing is a bit of a Marmite subject:
endlessly fascinating for some, and a complete
turn-off for others. So I’ll try to keep this brief!
But it’s a subject worth considering, as it’ll affect
both how your bike rides and how well it performs
longer-term.
One spark for these musings was the chance
to ride two Kudos bikes, identical apart from the
choice of gearing. I’ve also ridden many, many
of both types over several decades, admittedly
mostly on non-electric bikes.
The two types you’ll see on electric bikes are:
Hub gears. Here there is just a single toothed gear
at both pedals and rear hub, linked by the chain,
and all of the gear-shifting mechanism is enclosed
within a fat rear hub.
Derailleur gears. For this type, there are multiple
cogs on the back wheel and often several at the
pedals. The chain which runs between the two
is guided by shifting mechanisms onto different
cogs to select the various gears. The mechanisms
are called ‘derailleurs’, a French word roughly
meaning ‘de-railers’ (think trains). All they do is
to shove the chain sideways off of one sprocket
so that (if all goes well) it falls neatly onto the
next. The inventor is said to have remarked “C’est
brutal, mais ca marche” (It’s brutal, but it works).
Nowadays, after around a century of development,
shifting is usually far from brutal, thankfully.
Traditionally, racing and touring bikes use
derailleur gears, while bikes used for everyday
transport favour hub gears, especially on
mainland Europe. So where do electric bikes fit in?
I’ll nail my colours to the mast and say that
for most riders, hub gears are the way to go. As
you’ll see from the list of pros and cons (right),
derailleur gearing usually offers a wider range
of gears, can be lighter, and can be marginally
more efficient, but electric bikes make all of those
factors more or less irrelevant. Who cares about a
few grams weight difference when you’re carrying
a massive battery? Who needs super-low gears
when the motor helps you up the hills? And who
cares about miniscule extra drag when it’s vastly
outweighed by motor power?
Hub gears provide enough gear range for the
majority of electric bike users in a far simpler,
more robust package than derailleurs. It’s much
easier to enclose the chain, and there are no fiddly
mechanisms to get caught. Clumsy use can damage
derailleurs: especially shifting at a standstill then
rolling the bike backwards. Not so hub gears.
Hub gears also offer the huge benefit of being
able to shift gears at a standstill: ideal if you’ve
been cruising under power and stop in top gear.
Changing down while you wait for the lights to
change means you can set off in a comfortably low
gear, especially good if your electric assist is slow
to kick in. Derailleurs should always be shifted
only while pedalling.
That said, derailleurs are popular for a reason,
especially among the more sporty type of cyclist.
They offer a lively feel to the ride which hub gears
can’t match, and the ‘snick’ as the chain drops
into the next gear is very satsifying. Derailleurs
can also do sterling service providing gearing at
price-points where hub gears are out of reach, or
where hubs just don’t have the range. In serious
hills, for riders who want to pedal well above the
25 km/h limit, or for people who like to fix things
themselves, derailleurs still have much to offer.
So did riding the two Kudos machines change
my mind? Jumping from one to the other, the main
difference was in the handling, which I put down
to the derailleur bike having the motor in the
rear wheel. The steering was perhaps a bit lighter
under power with the rear motor, but really it isn’t
a major issue. Remembering to shift down before
stopping was more of a concern, though you get
used to it quickly.
Both were actually fine as far as riding went,
but I’m a mechanically inclined and experienced
rider. For non-enthusiasts I’d suggest hub gears
every time: they’re just more abuse-proof.
Indeed, it’s longer-term that I’d expect the lowmaintenance aspects of the hub gear to shine
through, and to justify the price difference (£80,
in this case). The choice is yours.
Peter Eland
Low maintenance. Hub gears can
go for literally years before requiring
attention. All the delicate internals
are sealed away inside, either in an oil
bath or ‘sealed for life’ in grease.
 No real need to clean the chain.
Of course a clean chain is good, and
will be smoother and last longer, but
unlike a derailleur system, a hub gear
will work just as well however caked in
gunk your chain may be.
 An even better solution is to fit a
full enclosing chaincase, which keeps
dirt off the chain and grease off
your trousers. This isn’t possible for
derailleur gears.
 The wide chains used on hub gear
systems last much longer than the
narrow, more delicate ones used on
derailleur systems. They’re usually
cheaper, too.
 You can shift at any time – either at
a standstill or while pedalling.
 Hub gears are much less easily
damaged by unskilled riders than
derailleur gears.
Hub gear weaknesses
 Weight: most hub gear systems
weigh more than a derailleur set-up of
comparable range.
 Efficiency: hub gears are very slightly
less efficient than a clean derailleur
drive. But the difference narrows as the
derailleur chain gets dirty, and most
riders will never notice a difference –
especially if you add electric assist.
 Emergency repair: if a hub gear
does break when you’re on the road
there’s not usually much you can do,
whereas derailleur gears can often be
temporarily fixed.
 Cost: there are a lot of highlystressed, precision-formed gears and
other parts in a hub gear, and this can
only be made so cheaply.
 Spares and repair. UK bike shops
have for many years struggled to
competently repair hub gear bikes, and
to get the spares. That’s improved in
recent years, especially for the common
Shimano Nexus hubs.
 Motor placement. Having hub gears
in the back wheel generally means
that a hub drive motor has to go in the
front, whereas with derailleur gearing
there are many motors designed to fit
into the rear hub too. Some people
prefer the handling of rear motors, but
there’s not much in it, in my view.
CALLING ALL ONLINE MERCHANTS AND DEALERS
Are you looking to simplify your SEO efforts, improve the effectiveness of your PPC ad
campaigns, and build your credibility and market presence? We have the following high
quality, memorable domain names for sale, on a first-come, first-served basis. Give your
customers something truly easy to remember so that they will find you again, and stand
out from the competition!
ElectricBicycle.co.uk £6,000
ElectricBicycleBatteries.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBicycleBattery.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBicycleConversionKit.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBicycleConversionKits.co.uk £2,000
ElectricBicycleKit.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBicycleKits.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBicycles.co.uk £10,000*
ElectricBike.co.uk £7,000
ElectricBikeBatteries.co.uk £3,500
ElectricBikeConversion.co.uk £2,000
ElectricBikeConversionkit.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBikeConversionkits.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBikeConversions.co.uk £1,500
ElectricBikeKit.co.uk £3,000
ElectricBikeKits.co.uk £3,000
ElectricCycle.co.uk £2,000
ElectricCycles.co.uk £1,500
ElectricCycling.co.uk £2,000
ElectricMoped.co.uk £4,000
HybridBicycle.co.uk £1,500
HybridBicycles.co.uk £2,000
HybridBikes.co.uk £3,500
HybridCycle.co.uk £2,000
HybridCycles.co.uk £2,000
*includes well-ranked website
Kindly note that VAT is applicable to all prices. To purchase any of the above domain
names, email [email protected] or visit www.MemorableDomains.co.uk
www.MemorableDomains.co.uk
juicybike.com
juicy bike
...arrive fresh
Stylish, powerful, high spec
electric bikes at amazing prices
Sport bike: 21KG alloy frame,
36V/10AH lithium battery,
250W motor,
disk brakes.
To find your local stockist visit juicybike.com
VELO
PLUG
R
POWE
PEDAL
VELO
ELO RANGE - COMING SOON
Visit www.raleighebike.co.uk to book your test ride
THE NEW
WISPER 2012
BIKES HAVE
ARRIVED!
Pl
Please
call
ll D
Douglas
l
on 0
01590
90 68
681553
3
or visit our web pages for details
British Electric
Bicycle Association
Member
www.WisperBikes.com

Electric Bikes

Transcription

Similar documents

Registration Form - City of Airway Heights

the best wayto discover Orléans and the Loire River

REDMOND Bicycling Guide Regional Map

APRILIA SHIVER, DUCATI STREETFIGHTER 800, MV BRUTALE 800

LIGHTWEIGHT NEWS – 51 (May/June 2014) Editor: Peter

The 7 th Annual Orchard Beach Car Show

Inddiethumpers http://www.inddiethumpers.com/

“Chicano is a Mexican style of bicycle, or the lowrider bikes. So I

Week 9 - Wideview Public School

Dragstars at IBW Race Days!