Which electric bike shall I buy?

[Neilgbj]

We have just bought an Orbea Gain F20 for my wife for a bit of assist uphills/mountains in France. It’s a hybrid so good for road/tracks (cones with 35mm tyres but can go smaller). Same motor as the Ribble CGR. Both do road bikes (carbon if you really want it but can’t see the point). Unless you look closely you can’t tell it has a motor, unlike many.

The spec we got was about £2400 but I think there are cheaper options.

Very nice bikes and pretty good value.

 

[JaneJ]

And the answer is... it's really nice. Though you'd have to wait a few months to get one...

How I Flitted away my Friday afternoon! | Status-Q

Quentin Stafford-Fraser's blog

statusq.org

@Quentin SF, have you also reviewed the Cambridge-based Arcc Innovations Brompton electric conversion?

https://www.arccbikes.com/pages/brompton-with-e2-pod

Expensive but very well engineered system, and impressive design and manufacturing facility.

 

[Quentin SF]

@Quentin SF, have you also reviewed the Cambridge-based Arcc Innovations Brompton electric conversion?

https://www.arccbikes.com/pages/brompton-with-e2-pod

Expensive but very well engineered system, and impressive design and manufacturing facility.

Ah, no. Thanks - I must look out for that. It does cost the same amount for the conversion as Flit charge for the whole bike, though...

 

[Trevor Brown]

I thought arccbikes was interesting because it uses a standard Bosch battery.
With the integrated batteries, I sometimes wonder if at a later stage in the bike's life it will still be possible to buy replacement batteries, given the tailored form factor, and the tendency of all bike manufacturer's to discontinue holding parts after maybe 10 years.

 

[JaneJ]

Ah, no. Thanks - I must look out for that. It does cost the same amount for the conversion as Flit charge for the whole bike, though...

Yes, that's why I thought you might want to review both, and I think you would find the Cambridge Arcc Innovations facility very interesting.

The Arcc system is certainly expensive, especially relative to a DIY electric conversion, but it's not a like-for-like comparison, so it depends on the functionality needed. The Arcc system is quite sophisticated and has some benefits. It senses gradients and has an assist feature to accelerate from a standing start (eg a pull-away boost at traffic lights). It uses standard 36v Bosch batteries the same as on high power tools, which are available anywhere and only take around 30-40 mins to charge. That means you can stop for a coffee and charge it on a longer trip. For that you have to take the charger of course, which adds some bulk but isn't too heavy. The battery & controller are also removable so you can ride it as a normal Brompton when you don't want assistance, or you run out of battery. You can also use standard Brompton luggage with the conversion kit, unlike the Brompton electric.

As with everything, it depends on user requirements. For short-range commuting in flatter areas or local rides from a campsite the cost is hard to justify, especially added to the price of a new Brompton. But for greater flexibility, hillier areas, and converting an existing Brompton, the system might have some longer-term benefits.

 

[JaneJ]

I thought arccbikes was interesting because it uses a standard Bosch battery.
With the integrated batteries, I sometimes wonder if at a later stage in the bike's life it will still be possible to buy replacement batteries, given the tailored form factor, and the tendency of all bike manufacturer's to discontinue holding parts after maybe 10 years.

Yes, Arcc say that's one of the reasons they chose Bosch 36v batteries. Apparently, Bosch have committed to retaining the same connection/charging interface and battery technology will continue to evolve with associated power improvements. Time will tell whether that's valid (think Apple). The batteries are universally available and very rugged, being designed for power tools, so withstand being dropped unlike most Li-ion batteries.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Any updates here please...

I need to sort out an electric bike for my wife.
She just doesn’t have my fitness and for the sake of a more pleasurable ride I need to find her a bike which offers decent hill assistance.

My local shop only stocks Trek & Specialized. Both offer great bikes, but more than I want to spend.
So ideally looking for something in the £1500-£2k mark...?

 

[Doorbundle]

Have a look at this site
www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/electric-bikes
In less stringent times they offer a hire / try before you buy service at some of their locations.
Evans cycles www.evanscycles.com/electric-bikes_c Evans sometimes do a Part ex / New bikes for old scheme , that gives a purchaser a discount and donates the part -ex'd old bike to charity.
Lady I work with has a Cube which she swears by
Another has a Pendleton which she also swears by.
Get all the advice you can, buy the best you can afford.
Useful tip?
Wait until Black Friday!

 

[Moakesy]

Any updates here please...

I need to sort out an electric bike for my wife.
She just doesn’t have my fitness and for the sake of a more pleasurable ride I need to find her a bike which offers decent hill assistance.

My local shop only stocks Trek & Specialized. Both offer great bikes, but more than I want to spend.
So ideally looking for something in the £1500-£2k mark...?

Halfords range of Boardman bikes are good value, offering reasonable spec for the money. It also helps that they are nationwide.

This is their offer, and you'll notice they have £200 discount, applied once it's in your basket.

Boardman HYB 8.9E Womens Hybrid Electric Bike - 45cm | Halfords UK

Shop the latest Boardman HYB 8.9 Womens Hybrid Electric Bike at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

Also, if you are a British Cycling member, you can get a 10% discount at Halfords (you have to use a code you get from British Cycling in advance, one code per month. So join B.C. and get the discount on both the bike and any other stuff like a bike helmet, bike pump etc. I doubt you can use both offers at the same time, so the BC discount is better one to have.

Link to BC here... https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership

 

[soulstyledevon]

My only reservation with the Boardman, is the running gear.
A friend of mine has one and says the assist could be better...

Ive not experienced it myself, I’m not sure if he was expecting more...?
He did comment that his wife’s Trek was a far better system.

 

[SimonB]

Hi @soulstyledevon I can't remember which part of the country you live, but I got my bike from this company
https://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/ They will assess what bike would fit your wife's needs and they loan it to you from Saturday lunchtime till Tuesday morning for £50. This is refunded if you buy it.

It gave me a much better idea of what they can do, how they ride and so on. They have branches in Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge and York. I tried all the shops in Bristol when I was looking and the rest would let you cycle up the road and back. That isn't enough to get a good feel of it. All the bikes I tried were very different. I went for a motor in with the pedal crank as that gives the motor all the gears to use and puts the weight in the middle of the bike. If you plan to use them with the Cali I would suggest a low level bike rack on the tow bar.

Good luck with your search, I think they are great. Ideal now as you can bring back a lot from the shops in panniers and on the cycle rack without being worried about the hills.

Simon

 

[Moakesy]

My only reservation with the Boardman, is the running gear.
A friend of mine has one and says the assist could be better...

Ive not experienced it myself, I’m not sure if he was expecting more...?
He did comment that his wife’s Trek was a far better system.

I absolutely love Trek, all of my bikes apart from one are Trek's.

But you said Trek was outside of what you wanted to spend, so hence the suggestion for Boardman. Without doubt, compromises are to be made somewhere.....on either price or components.

With a budget of £1,500 to £2,000 you are looking at the value range for electric bikes I'm afraid. They will be heavier, the batteries less capable, but for all that you do spend less money. For a little more, you can get this...

Powerfly 4 Women's | Trek Bikes (GB)

Discover your next great ride with Powerfly 4 Women's. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

But that is over your budget. If you can push the budget to a bit more, then you do get better options. Even cheap Trek's are expensive compared to a Halfords bike, in much the same way Audi don't price match a Hyundai. I'd put Boardman as similar to a modern day Skoda....actually good value, but some people sniff at the badge.

Also, what sort of riding....is it road only, or a few country tracks as well? Do you want a hybrid bike, mountain bike or what?

 

[patnolan]

I have a Raleigh step through with the latest Bosch motor. Best e bike I have ever ridden. Discount if member of C & Motorhome club. My lass has a Cube with earlier Bosch gear, brilliant bike but more expensive than Raleigh.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Sorry, based in Warwickshire. I know it confuses a lot of people. I lived in Devon in my younger years and it’s an internet handle I’ve used ever since...

@Moakesy the powerfly 4 had caught my eye.
The advantage if I stay with Trek, is the shop in our town is a main dealer and has been here for years and is well supported.
Therefore shouldn’t have any issues long term with servicing and parts etc...

Looking at a hard tail mountain bike as they are the most versatile IMO.
The Cube bikes seem a good spec for the money.

 

[Moakesy]

@Moakesy the powerfly 4 had caught my eye.
The advantage if I stay with Trek, is the shop in our town is a main dealer and has been here for years and is well supported.
Therefore shouldn’t have any issues long term with servicing and parts etc...

Well, have a good local bike shop is very important I'd say.....just a different level of service compared to Halfords and the like. If your budget can stretch that far, then it's another reason I'd go for the Trek. The new Powerfly has the new Bosch motor & battery too, which is lighter than the previous one. Looks good in red too!!

I don't really know Cube at all, so can't comment on them.

 

[Wongo]

Have a look at 50cycles, they have a good range and ex demos

 

[shudycamps]

We both have Wayscral electric bikes; here and in Spain. Wouldn't be without them. I have the Ladies Dutch walk through and himself, the bendy-foldy bike. In retrospect, I would change the Wayscral Dutch Ladies for a bendy-foldy; less weight on Campi's bike rack. We can still put both on, but just under limit of 6Okilos. This brand may not be all the bells and whistles, but then again neither is the price. Check out NorAuto, either in Spain or France. We are very very pleased with them.

 

[CaliAM]

Good luck keeping up with your wife once she gets her new wheels! Upward flow means cruising up hills at 10-12 mph.....she’ll want to go twice as fast and twice as far!

 

[CoboCali]

My wife has the model up from this Cube - only real difference is the lack of suspension seat post. Bosch crank drive, good spec and price... https://www.damianharriscycles.co.u...-one-400-low-step-e-2020-womens-electric-bike

 

[Moakesy]

Seems like you have a fair choice now @soulstyledevon

The Cube looks good and is a lot cheaper than the Trek. Good Bosch motor (400wh, 50Nm), but less powerful than the Trek

The Trek is a considerable amount more money, but the motor and battery are both more powerful (500wh, 75Nm)

The Boardman bike has a different motor (250 wh, can't find the Nm figure), but is the lightest bike. Middle of the bunch regarding cost.

Based on the whole point of an electric bike being the motor, I think the Boardman is maybe not the one to go for considering the price of the Cube. It's either Cube for cost, or Trek for the motor.

Or continue to look at other brands I suppose......

 

[soulstyledevon]

I stupidly showed her the purple one. She now wants that one...
Powerfly 5

 

[Moakesy]

I stupidly showed her the purple one. She now wants that one...
Powerfly 5

Well that escalated quickly!!!!

 

[soulstyledevon]

Well that escalated quickly!!!!

The 5 has the better motor, lighter and you start getting SRAM fitted.
Its a much better package.
Maybe, better to spend that little bit more...
Will need to test it first, before sinking that much into a cycle for her.

 

[Moakesy]

The 5 has the better motor, lighter and you start getting SRAM fitted.
Its a much better package.
Maybe, better to spend that little bit more...
Will need to test it first, before sinking that much into a cycle for her.

Agree. Checked the specs and it’s a much better bike. But a much worse price!!

if it was me,I’d go for the better bike as long as it would be used. Knowing couples in what sounds like a similar situation to you, the addition of an electric bike made a huge difference when cycling together.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Agree. Checked the specs and it’s a much better bike. But a much worse price!!

if it was me,I’d go for the better bike as long as it would be used. Knowing couples in what sounds like a similar situation to you, the addition of an electric bike made a huge difference when cycling together.

@Moakesy that’s what I’m hoping...
Unfortunately she has a desk job and doesn’t do the level of exercise I do.
Really hope with an electric addition, it makes life easier for her and she’s more willing to take to two wheels more often and with less complaining.

Ive tried to explain, the world is not flat and wherever we cycle, we will encounter hills...
Personally, I love a good hill. What goes up must go down and that’s normally a lot of fun...