Commuter ebike – What’s good?

I have a Cube kathmandu e hybrid had it for 3 years no problems other than I go through brake pads fairly quickly, no matter what brake pads I use. I do live about 500ft up a steep hill though. Whatever you do buy check if you can get it on bike to work or part of the cost on bike to work.

Are gears really important? If I think the singlespeed Lime bikes are adequate for my needs (I would buy one if I could), will I be okay with one of the singlespeed e-bikes? Or will I really miss out. I hate the idea of a derailleur so I would only get a hub gear bike…

I used to have a RoadRat with an Alfine 8 hub. Just less faff for daily use. Did break my arm falling off it though.

As others say, the 15.5mph limit is a killer for commutes, after my hardtail died i’ve had to use my ebike once or twice a week to commute and it’s not saving any effort, the motor cuts in for uphills and maybe windy days into headwinds, so it’s weird that you are feeling effort on the easy bits, and no effort on the climbs, and still getting to work sweaty!

Wish they’d up the limit to 20mph, which seems sensible enough, and would cover commuters as well, i enjoy using my normal full susser more for commutes, but it’s got a nicer drivetrain and shocks, so loathe to using it for anything other than dry commutes sparingly.

Apparently tongshengs are easy to make go more than 15.5 mph or so I’ve been told.

@nicholas_yiu I don’t go a bundle on Apex 1 either, but mainly it’s the flimsy brake levers and protuding gear paddle that bother me. I swapped the cassette to an 11-28, which seems way more suitalbe for my hilly commute. With the motor I don’t need more than 28 for the ups, but I really like the closer ratios on the downs.

@RustyNissanPrairie
Agree about 15.5 on the flat. But the ebike helps a lot for my commute which hassn’t much flat all – it’s basically over a big hill. Flat’s still aren’t too bad on the boardman because it’s not _horribly_ heavy, the Fazua doesn’t drag, and I weight it down with panniers anyway.

I don’t find the speed limit much of a problem; it’s probably very much down to your particular journey and riding style whether it annoys you or not. I find it doesn’t matter downhill, it’s more then enough uphill, and I find it easy enough to cruise along on the flat just above the cutoff unless there’s a headwind.

Where it gets me is at the bottom of a valley where you’re going fast downhill into an uphill; it always seems to take aaaaaages for the motor to kick in. After going so fast downhill it feels like you’re nearly at walking pace at the start of the the uphill before the motor takes over…

Comparing my Boardman hyb-e to my old PX London Road I find my normal commute very slightly faster but much easier in the morning (downhill) but much faster and MUCH easier in the evening (uphill).

£400 for the Evans Muddy Fox Electric Avenue singlespeed ebike. Crikey.

https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/muddyfox/electric-avenue-hybrid-bike-700516#colcode=70051603

He must’ve bought something by now..?!

“I wanna rock down to…” stuck in my head now :laugh emoji:

My Mrs got a Raleigh Trace as mentioned in the chat, she’s been very happy with it, and it does exactly what she needs.

She’s less impressed with summer and is buying yet another jacket!