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I seem to have accidentally started cycle commuting again, in January.
My motorbike has electrical gremlins that I need to fix, but as I don't have a garage I'm waiting for some less unpleasant weather.
In the meantime I finished converting my old hybrid into a gravel commuter and its great but the ride home is hard! I've always had an interest in road e bikes but on my old commute, my rolling average speed was over 16mph so I didn't see much time saving vs weight/cost/complexity.
My current route profile is this [url= https://i.postimg.cc/wTnwrLf9/IMG-5283.pn g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/wTnwrLf9/IMG-5283.pn g"/> [/img][/url]
It's pretty much one long climb all the way back with an average speed less than 12mph, significant sections below 10mph and my heart rate is 48% Z4 even trying to take it easy.
I think an E-bike would make a lot of sense on this route, but I'm wondering should I go for something 'urban' with flat bars or an e-gravel/road bike so I can go the long way in the summer.
The route is 8 miles each way on the shortest road route, but does go straight across Cannock Chase so there are plenty of off and on road diversions I could take on a summer morning.
Whatever I went for would have full guards and a rack so I've discounted the idea of getting a full suss MTB despite quite fancying the idea.
Any thoughts on the merits of drop bar vs something more 'Dutch' style.
Flat bar for commuting for me. Better control and braking. Easier to see what's around
You could but a kit on your existing bike. The tongshen mid mount is good
I've just done the same - after a while mostly WFH but with 1 day a week at an office a long way away, I'm now at a much more local (if you can call 30 miles "local"...) office but 2, potentially 3 days a week.
Anyway, there's a load of decent routes, I have the option for doing train/bike as well but for that kind of distance 3x a week, an e-bike is near essential. So I went for a drop-bar e-gravel (some of the route options, especially in summer time are gravel trails). Done 2 train/bike commutes on it so far; still getting used to timings, route options, battery range etc but I'm really looking forward to the longer rides home in the lighter evenings. I reckon I can work up to doing full distance each way at least once a week.
Other than that, it handles more or less like a hefty road bike so the drop bars are great. It will take mudguards and a rack, albeit brand-specific ones.
Worth considering your charging options too. Can you take the whole bike into your workplace/home or would it need to be locked outside? If the latter, then a removable battery is essential. 8 miles each way though, any decent e-bike should do 2-3 days on one charge unless you smash the whole thing in Turbo mode!
Ahh yes battery would need to be removable, no electricity supply in the shed and I don’t know how work would feel about me charging there so probably won’t try it.
I’m not going to put a kit on my existing bike, I’ll use that as a monstercross bike if I stop commuting on it, there’s miles of off road routes near me, that are too boring and uncomfortable on a mountain bike. I don’t like riding far on flat bars.
I think I’m going to take advantage of Halfords electric bike trial to see how bad a cheap e-bike is, it might do the trick? But I could easily turn a ride to work into an on/off road 40+ miler in the summer, which I wouldn’t want to do on a flat bar e-bike and I’d probably be too knackered to ride home if I did a big acoustic ride before work.
I'm talking myself into an e-gravel bike, but I can’t help wondering if a cheaper practical bike wouldn’t do at least in the short term
I think I’m going to take advantage of Halfords electric bike trial to see how bad a cheap e-bike is, it might do the trick?
That's a bit like buying a Raleigh Activator to see if MTBing is your thing. It'll be shit because...well, it's shit.
So the customer spends a reasonable sum of money on a bike, goes out off-road, the gears don't work properly, it weighs as much as a small planet, the suspension seizes within 5 minutes and they come back having hated every second of their "MTBing" experience and vowing never to do it again.
On the other hand, if they bought a decent bike with working gears and light enough to not feel like they're towing an elephant, they'll have a great time.
See if you can find a demo day with a reasonable selection of e-bikes. For example:
https://www.cyclingelectric.com/news/cycling-electric-demo-day-events-2025
For an ebike hybrid, the Crossfuse is on offer at Halfords.
Like the idea of the Boardman adv 8.9 adventure ebike, you can remove the Fazua battery and motor to use as a normal bike, replacing them with a ~£90 cover. Do wonder about max tyre.
Van Rysel road and gravel ebikes are on offer at Decathlon, but not removable battery iirc, although only weigh ~14Kg. Max tyre 35mm and 50mm respectively iirc.
I'm tempted by the Van Rysel 2*11 road for £1899, I could probably fit a small with a longer stem or simply be quite upright on the large, but the last medium went last night. Actually went out for 90mins on my road bike earlier and now quite achy, after only averaging 12.7mph over 19 miles and only 1064 feet without a proper hill.
Cargo bike is the answer.
You can ride as fast as you would on a normal ebike, but with the added bonus of being able to do a shop on your way home. You'll find it replacing the car for most local journeys.
If you still want to ride around Cannock after work take your big boy bike.
Interesting thread.
I stopped (occasionally) riding to work a few years ago. Hit (lightly) by a car, too much effort doing 16miles of undulating traffic getting stuck at probably 30+ sets of lights with work bits in a rucksack.
The thought of being able to do a 20+ mile ride taking in the nicer waterfront and parks with a pannier / frame bag of work stuff and not being flogged by the time I get to work has been rumbling around my head. Better than the 80 minute car commute.
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Momentum-Transend-E-2024-Electric-Hybrid-Bike_262940.htm for £999 has been getting a lot of attention on hotukdeals in last week or so.
Apparently, Momentum is part of the Giant group... Which might not be a good thing if you need to make a guarantee claim!! 😉
7-speed Nexus gear hub with revo shift, few reviews reckon it's not crisp changes, but my 2008 Saracen Alfine shifted better when no load applied
Blurb claims 105 miles max (claimed battery life desperately needs a standard test being used), review online reckoned more like 60 miles)
Battery is removable, but not easily, can be done by shop or those happy to remove bits by BB
Huge max weight limit of ~340lbs (inc. ~40lb bike)
2.35"+ tyre clearance
Surely an e-gravel bike would be ideal for this purpose.
My wife has a Ribble and loves it, but there are surely other options.
The e-gravel vs cargo/upright is the big question really. Part of me thinks a cargo style bike and normal clothes would be great, but I’m concerned that 30-40mins would be too long for that, I’ve never tried it though.
I would definitely need to charge the battery off bike though, that is the only thing (other than my wife) stopping me buying a CGR AL E.
Popped into my LBS earlier today and saw a Spesh Turbo Creo, very nice! But for not a lot more I could get a brand new Royal Enfield.
I have the gen 1 Crossfuse from Halfords. I bought it s/h for £700. It has a Bosch Active Line Plus mid mount motor and a 400wh battery. I have fitted an Alfine hub and a Lezyne wired in front light, plus rack and mudguards. I do 8 miles each way on a traffic free route. It is ideal for me.
There have been some crazy deals on Giant commuters recently.
Forget a cargo bike. For the money, buy that Trendz. Bargain. I don’t need one and my bank card is itching! Spend on mudguards, rack and nice panniers. And enjoy Zone 2 on that hill home. Do it before they sell them all. Seriously, that is cheap for a crank drive e-bike.
Lost earlier post. :/
Few Momentum variations besides the Transcend E at Tredz posted yesterday, that has 27.5" wheels, revoshift and 7-speed Nexus.
https://www.giant-southampton.co.uk/gb/bikes/electric-bikes
Includes 26" and 700c wheels, 10-speed Deore cassette, Gates belt with an in-house(?) hub.
700c version lighter at ~18Kg, which would help in my case, as I'd be storing it in my first floor flat.
But I still like those Van Rysel road and gravel ebikes at Decathlon, which only weigh ~14Kg, barely heavier than my Voodoo Marasa.
@zippycona - do you have a side hustle with Just Eat?
I don't know much about e-bikes, but Banana Industries have one (in large) for the same price as that Trek; it's a city bike so might suit.
https://www.bananaindustries.co.uk/collections/bike/products/kinesis-lyfe-equipped-city-e-bike-large