E-Bikes Who , What , Why

following on from the I lost my Riding buddy to an Ebike thread it seems there are quite a few folks with them .
so which one are you riding and what type of riding do you use it for.

all the haters please go and read some other threads .

I am tempted but dont know which to go for
Fully sus
Hard tail with 27.5+ tyres
Fatty I do like the look of the Nutrail Hybrid

which drive system is the best

Specialized Turbo here. Use it for commuting.

Specialized brose system is the best IMO (I’ve ridden Bosch and Yamaha bikes also)

I honestly don’t think there’s a better E-MTB bike than Moustache. It’s what they do – that and nothing else. Check out their range:
http://www.moustachebikes.com/uk/

IMHO you want lots of grip to make use of the power, so 27+ makes a lot of sense. Their carbon full-sus bikes are very spendy unfortunately but an absolute blast to ride.

Scott E-Genuis for me

Not demo’ed any other brands/motors but i’d like a shot on a Rottwild E+, Specialized Levo FSR and the new Focus Jam2.

Decent enough range, i get around 25-30miles but that’s pretty much on turbo mode all the time so if you are able to pedal then expect 50mile+ with careful use of the various modes.

I use mine for all my riding these days whether that be back n’ forward to work, walking the dog, shopping, and for it’s intended purpose – mtb’ing.

My Tripster build may be about to get a Bafang BBS02 750w mid drive kit thrown at it, it’s not turned a pedal in over 5 months as my leg strength has failed rapidly this year so rather than sell it for a fraction of the £5k build cost i may as well uglifi it with a motor so i can still use it, i loved this bike and it was built to fulfil my daydreams of buggering off for weeks at a time which never really transpired so it makes sense to reassess what is now possible and fit a mid drive kit that gives me a reasonable 80mile+ a day touring range.

Check out E Bike Mag[/url] for reviews etc.

I don’t own one but I will do one day. I’ve ridden most systems, Bosch, Shimano, Yamaha, Panasonic but not Specialized. An ebike linked to a Nuvinci CVT rear hub is probably the most refined way of riding a bicycle I’ve ever come across – Sir chooses how fast sir would like to pedal and lets the bicycle waft him along in eerie quietness. Superb.
Panasonic was crap.
The Bosch CX motors have some real punch and are very refined, but I’d say Yamaha is more refined. Shimano less so, but can be linked to an Alfine Di2 hub for auto gear changing which is an absolute blast.
I’ve got to be honest, I’m waiting until auto or stepless gearing becomes the norm. Why would I want to be bothered changing gear? So uncouth!
I’ve also ridden a few chipped Bosch ebikes and it ruins them. Flat spots, surging, and the speedo is utterly useless as it still thinks you’re doing 16mph when you’re doing 25.
I’ve also ridden a (regular customers) German spec fast pedalec, and that’s the way to go if you want speed. very smooth, but it does require more effort.

Ive owned a turbo levo 6fattie expert since May
Because it’s fun everywhere and I’m not left for dead on group rides, so I don’t feel like I’m ruining other people’s fun as they wait for me.

I originally bought it as I live 10 miles away from stainburn and don’t drive so thought it would be great for that, living arangements have now changed so it’s not used for that, bur it still ace fun

I still ride normal bikes too, hey aren’t less fun, just different.

I got a haibike fat six

Unusually for E bike owners Ive upgraded it quite a bit. It has a Bosch cx motor (which I think is the best around) better than the yamaha units

I upgraded to hope hubs, on custom camo hydrodipped mule foot rims, hope brakes/rotors, stooge bars, 4.8 jumbo jim in the front instead of the 4.0

I ride it mainly on tour and sometimes sport modes, don’t use turbo much unless big hill/headwind

I find it just gets me further than my non assisted bikes, thats all, and more miles means more fun, at weekends I can commute to work (15-18miles each way) through the woods, Its great, it has of course upped my average speed considerably. I can easy nip out after work and get back an hour later having done a nice 18 mile loop

here it is a few weeks back on the Isle of Harris, since I’ve had it Ive been out so much more, done loads more riding, and its really got me going again,

Of course (apparently) you can even make them go a bit faster 😉

Thanks folks Glad I asked as some useful info posted
Tomhoward where is home as I am in Silsden and would like a look at your bike if close by .

Cube do a nice looking Stereo e-bike if you want something with big suspension.
Chap at Llandegla loved his.

I have to confess I’m getting properly ebike curious! The turbo levo and the Scott genius up there look great but the Trek powerfly LT 9 has really caught my eye, geometry looks spot on. Moot as I have no money but it’s nice to dream. Maybe in a year or two, they’re only going to get better

Mate who rode the ebike race at fod with us this weekend has the haibike enduro version. It’s an absolute beast riddled with bling! I literally rode up a hillside at the end of stage 3, it’s incredible and if you can turn the pedals it will climb! It’s done two laps of llandegella in 2hrs 40.

Trout, home is Leeds now, but still work in Harrogate, mail in profile if you want to pop over!

Felt Lebowske e fat bike here.

I went for a fat bike as it would offer some compliance with the fat tyres, and the additional drag associated with fat bikes wouldn’t matter with the e motor.

Can be a bit of a handful on fast descents, all that weight and big fat tyres take a firm handful of brakes.

I have one of these arriving shortly!

I have a cube e stereo, 120mm float 32 forks, xt gears and brakes, bosch motor.
It does everything, ive been camping on it, commuted to work, play around in the woods, sat on the speed limiter for 3 hours straight along an old railway line.
Ive managed 35 miles on half the battery.
Ive also managed to almost flatten it in 10 miles.
Would i buy another? Yes.
Would i buy the exact same model? Probably.

I want the haibake or the lebowsk-e. Fat + motor seems like a glorious and logical combo.

One thing that just totally defies logic to me is fast tyres on an e-bike. Look at that Turbo Levo, it’s got a bloody fasttrak control on it- basically a durable version of their zero-grip XC race tyre. That’s less traction than most people’d want even on a bike that they had to power up the hill themselves, never mind one with an engine. The KTMs come with ralphs or rons or something, same thing. Why sacrifice grip and durability on your heavy bike, when you don’t need to drag it up the hill?

I have one of these arriving shortly

Nice! So, er, which is it and what are you using it for?

I’m with those who foresee a pedelec when funds allow.

I could really do with one in order to ditch the car 99% of the time when out with the camera etc. It would not only be quieter and less polluting – butbetter equipped at reaching far-flung or even awkward to get at local places, and with a couple of full panniers worth of fairly hefty eqpt.

I could also carry the shopping back up the mountain (but now in time for dinner) and also visit rural friends, carrying beer/cider and supplies 9k ft each way without being beaten up and still have time to hang out.

Wouldn’t stop mtbing or touring on my regular bikes but I would be leaving the car behind most of the rest of the time. So (single occupant) local/medium distance utility/car replacement really – all about spending more time carrying stuff on bikes and less time in the belching bubble.

Am looking at the Spesh Turbo S at the minute, yet by the time I can afford one no doubt there’ll be a raft of new exciting bikes on offer.

I think id be most tempted by a 27.5+ hardtail if i was buying again. Mostly because it would take a rack.

Actually what am I thinking – the Turbo S is megabucks and won’t get me far along the beach or even down gnarly bridleways . One of the problems I have is schlepping stuff across sand in a timely fashion. Maybe this Moustache S+ARCKBIKE Sand is the ticket:

? But wouldn’t a sandy life pretty much wreck any bike in a short time?

that looks nice, i like that a lot

but the motor and battery don’t integrate into frame as much as on the haibike

and its dearer

I think most any keen cyclist could use an electric cargo-bike to get some more bike-time in when running bigger errands? I’ll definitely be looking into 3″-4″ tyred cargo options, either longtail or Bakfiets styled.

If you go full suss, it seems silly not to go longer travel. Bunch of friends, have had hoot on them all summer, leaving me in the dust on every hill climb. I borrowed a cube 140 stereo and did a Welsh hills weekend, which would have just been painful on my normal bike but was still hard work (low setting) but so much fun on the e-bike. Like the looks of that trek myself, & they have demo not too far away.
Out of the Yamaha & Bosch motors, we prefer the Bosch, more robust if nothing else.
Interested to hear anything more about the new Shimano system.

A question of terminology…

A few years ago I started looking into electric-assist bikes as my terrain and reqts had changed. I was then under the impression that an ‘E-Bike/Ebike’ was a simple throttle & go kind of thing (with ability to pedal with motor unengaged) whilst a ‘pedelec’ was variably assisted by an electric motor that enhanced power when required – but you are always pedalling?

Is ‘Ebike’ now a catch-all term for any type of electric-powered/assisted bicycle?

Nice! So, er, which is it

specialized turbo levo ht 29

Built my own.

Bafang BBS motor w/ 17.9 ah @48v battery

Mounted on A kona sutra frame with an xtracycle free radical kit out back with top deck and wide loaders

For reducing car usage on shopping trips and the like.general utility. Still a good work out but instead of arriving sweaty from lugging a heavy load about I just arrive when I plan to thanks to ability to do 15.5 mph everywhere

Oh and north wind . Range. Less drag = range you fit a knobbly draggy tire and ride in deep mud you won’t get the range they quote bit like car mpg figures

E-enduro bike for self-powered uplift would be great!

I’d have a Turbo Lev FSR. Possibly just for the paint job.

Had a go on WCA’s Scott E-Genius recently, I think he’s tuned/chipped it, it was bloody brilliant fun. He reckons 50 miles in normal mode. I’m looking for a hard tail though – the Cube’s seem well specced for components and Bosch motors for the money (still a lot) compared to others – anyone with experience of these?

I bought a Specialized Turbo Levo FSR in July, after riding my local shops demo. I’m as fit as I am ever going to be, but on my Orange 5 the lads I ride with leave me for dead on climbs. I can pedal at my own pace all day, but their pace means they’re always waiting for me. The downhills and flat bits I can hold my own on, it’s just the up. They say they don’t mind, but I do mind, very much indeed! The Specialized has levelled the playing field, with the assistance set at 15% I can now stay with them. I could bang it up to 100% and leave them gasping, but that was never the point.
My girlfriend isnt as fit as me, so she take the Specialized whilst I ride the Orange, and again the playing field is levelled. She likes the reassurance that if she gets tired, the motor will help her get home.
Mark

How weird, seems we aren’t all fat, lazy pricks after all. Who knew huh?

How weird, seems we aren’t all fat, lazy pricks after all. Who knew huh?

oy….you speak for yourself youth………. 😆

It’s like the handicap system for golf!

Here’s my bike, a 2016 Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 Action Team:

Got it in June, after pre-ordering in October last year… Just love the bike. Use it for mellow road rides, xc stuff, playing around, even rode Lac Blanc bikepark in France on it (removed the screen and battery for that occasion)…Taking my health in considering, one of the best buys I made the last couple of years. This bike has already ridden more since June than my last mtb’s (Yeti ARC, Epic, SX Trail, Kona Satori, M6, 303DH…) did in the last couple of years, I think that says enough…

When I ride alone, I ride my own pace, but with friends, I just adapt to their uphill speed. Instead of only being able to ride on a very good health day, I now get to ride with fiends a lot more, even on days I don’t feel that fresh. Win win for both I think…

Two m8’s now have them (or one’s 2017 is soon to land), and I would be (more) tempted by a sale Race 500, if they weren’t so damned short on the geo charts.

Scott E-Genius 710 Plus has been my weapon of choice for the last twelve months. Loved every ride to the point my SC Tallboy has gathered dust.

Next year it will be a Scott E-Spark 700 Plus Tuned.

Looking forward to trying the Shimano motor out long term to see how it pedals compared to the Bosch CX. Rode a Shimano motored bike at Eurobike this year and was impressed by the integration of the whole system.

Also got an Orbea Wild 20 on order which was a super fun wee hardtail to ride.

Confession. I’m not a lottery winner, I own a shop that specialises in electric bikes here in Scotland.

It’s definitely tempting I have to say. Has anyone tried one of the retrofit options? Especially the Vivax Assist?

Due to recent health issues, I’ve had to cut down the time spent on the bike. But if I can have an option to basically fast forward the climbs, then it might be a bit more feasible to actually ride again.

I’d kinda like to keep my current hardtail as I do really like it.

Picked up this Haibike in the January sales, mainly ride the local hills and trails with occasional visits to Surrey hills and bpw.
https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/Electric-Bikes-UK-Dealer/10-Day-Sale/Haibike-xDuro-All-Mtn-RC-2015
Loads of fun.

Just back from a few hours riding a Specialized Turbo Levo around the Surrey Hills. Properly ace fun. I even got a KOM 🙂

Giant Dirt-e 2 for the old man 🙂

Back riding again 🙂

P1350814 by SGMTB[/url], on Flickr

PS Very heavy for me to lift over gates 🙁
PPS Forks were upgraded quick smart.