What practical ebike?

My partner would like to get an ebike for commuting to work, but the choice out there is overwhelming. Please could we get recommendations? Ideally,

• On the practical end of the load lugging scale without being a cargo bike (Mostly used for unloaded commuting, but capable of reasonable shopping trips to avoid sitting in traffic)
• “nippy” (perhaps the lighter end of the spectrum so it can be lifted onto trains etc)
• Reasonably powerful – we live on a very steep hill
• Big enough seatpost that I (20cm taller) can borrow it to go to the shops (She trialled a raleigh crossover that I borrowed a lot, due to the above hill)
• Integrated lights?

It’s hard to know where the sweet spot is in terms of battery size and motor power vs. weight. Her commute is 10 miles each way and ideally done in turbo mode the whole way. All the lighter bikes seem to be hub motors, which I thought were considered inferior?

Thanks!

Reasonably powerful – we live on a very steep hill

This plus wanting to go shopping probably tips it to needing a mid motor to me. We’ve a radwagon (very heavy hub motored cargo bike) and it’s zippy up to a certain gradient after which it really bogs down (it does still help a lot- I can get up our local two chevron on it in normal clothes without turning into a sweaty mess, but it really doesn’t feel like it while you’re doing it).

Something toward the mountain bike end of hybrid with rack and pannier capability would be what i’d be looking at.

I’d say these are likely to be available on the cheaper end of ebikes so it’s less of a commitment. If after a year or two you discover you really want a Tern it’s less sunk costs to switch!

(I don’t have experience of the mid motors to offer an opinion of what’s good to go for)

Have a look at the cube reaction hardtails, bosch motor, available with integrated lights/mudguards/rack/sidestand.
my wife has one, with a 625 battery, hard to fault it really.
but, lightweight it is not.  That’s no problem riding, but it may matter if it needs to be lifted onto a train etc.

I’ve got a Moustache Samedi that is halfway between a hybrid and MTB – has 50mm tyres, fitted with mudguards, rack and lights, plus Bosch CX mid-motor. Ticks all your boxes except weight. I use it as a utility bike, particularly in summer where village centre parking is tricky and it’s 1km at 10% climb home which is no fun with full panniers.

I have a Carrera Crossfuse (not Crossfire) which has Bosch Active Line Plus mid-drive. I run mine with 45mm tyres. The assistance goes from 35nm to 50nm in 5nm steps Eco-Tour-Sport-Turbo. I have added rear rack, barbag & mudguards, plus lights.

I bought it second hand for £700. It isn’t light, but nothing will be. I have modded mine to run an Alfine rear hub.

You can add integrated lights to most mid-drives.

I do 8 miles each way. Easy…

Also interested in this, currently have a short commute with a steep hill at the end.  Its ok for riding home with a backpack but trying to push a bike back up with anything more than a small of shopping would be like trying to push a bikepacking bike over a mountain pass!

Would also be nice to have some decent panniers that don’t rub me heels in work boots, the current ones are pretty small and still do it!

I might hold out until March in the false hope that my employer will raise the c2w limit above £1k but its doubtful!

Whyte Rheo? Comes with a pannier rack, lights and mudguards. Reasonably light.
We got the older version for my other half and she loves it. I mean she rarely uses it but she does live it. Some steep hills round our way and she has no issues pedalling away from me.

Cube of correct budget I’d suggest

Go Dutch, get a Gazelle. Cycle Heaven in York will sort you out.

My wife has a Haibike . Looks a bit like a hardtail MTB but has mudguards, fitted lights etc. Seems to last for ever and never goes out of max power and top gear mode.

Thanks for the suggestions. We managed to find the specs of the one she trialled, which was a 50Nm motor and 400Wh battery. That was the right kind of range and oomph but she found it very unwieldy, perhaps mainly because the battery was over the back wheel under the pannier.

I was thinking of a Specialized tero (I’d say Bosch and brose most rebuildable motors) but saw this

https://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/electric-bikes/hybrid-electric-bikes/lapierre-e-explorer-4-4-electric-bike-bosch-400wh-red/?attribute_type=52cm&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9vx042DelPOsyZsU7RKi-4l4Hrp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2a2L-YPjiQMVY5xQBh3biADeEAQYBCABEgKsXfD_BwE. Which looks vfm

https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/electric-bikes/specialized-turbo-tero-x-40-full-suspension-electric-mountain-bike-2024-in-gunmetalwhite-mountains__44987?currency=GBP&chosenAttribute=91622-5204&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADKiiCJTyBc1rQGaNG7epcD4MWZ4e&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItNno2ILjiQMV-6RQBh2f9CnoEAQYAiABEgJD3fD_BwE

Cannondale Neo compact? Lots on offer for under £1,800 at the moment. Light, low, integrated lights and mudguards

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cannondale-Compact-Neo-2023-Electric-Hybrid-Bike_264178.htm

I think you’ve summed up the key issue there – power and range vs weight!

I’ve got a hub motor hybrid, with a 250wh battery. It’s a bit of a lump at 17kg (including rack, lights and mudguards) – add a pannier and a D lock and you’re at nearly 20kg before any shopping. And even with the battery in the downtube, it’s still rear-heavy. An effort to get onto the local train (which has about a 12″ step up!)

I also use turbo mode all the time and 250wh wouldn’t quite be enough for 20 hilly miles. Aim for 375wh or more.

The hub motor (a Mahle X35) isn’t super powerful at 40nm but that’s only an issue on the steepest hills – because as a CFS sufferer I have no energy of my own to offer up. If i was a normal human I suspect I’d be fine – so your wife may have to make a call on how much effort she’s willing to expend (if any)!

So yeah, adding a bigger battery and a mid motor will make it heavier again, and for that reason I’d avoid suspension, or those giant 600wh batteries if weight is an issue.

For a commute of that length I’d look a specialized turbo vado SL – its not a full power ebike, but its mid motor, only weights about 15kg and as a result its a really nippy “bike like” ebike. £2.3k will get you a 4.0 “equipped version with lights , panniers and guards.

they come in step through and standard frame sizes – step frames are ugly (to my eyes) but make a lot of sense when dismounting a laden bike.

https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/electric-bikes/specialized-turbo-vado-sl-40-step-through-eq-electric-hybrid-2024-in-white-sage__49771

I’d have one if I wasn’t looking lustfully at a Creo 2 instead.

That Specialized looks a great option. Very impressive weight for a 320wh battery at that price. I paid that much for my heavier Cannondale hybrid with a smaller battery!

It doesn’t fit the OP’s requirements. but this thread got me looking at ebikes again, following my window shopping after hiring a Ridgeback hybrid e-bike at Center Parcs back in September and being allowed to take it off campus.

Why is it so many e-bikes look gasly sub ~£2.5k?

I then came across this ~14Kg Van Rysel road ebike for ~£2k https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electrical-assistance-road-bike-e-edr-af-105-2x11s-red/_/R-p-335142

The only things that concern me a bit are a max load of 110Kg (which is a problem if that includes the bike as I’m currently close to 98Kg according to one of our scales, but 93Kg according to other).

Plus the max tyre width of 35mm, which is more than enough for tarmac, but would I want something able to take ~45mm for offroad having yet to own a gravel/adventure bike to date?

The other other theoretical contender that looks decent is https://www.halfords.com/bikes/electric-bikes/boardman-adv-8.9e-mens-adventure-electric-bike-2021—s-m-l-xl-frames-439294.html , which can have the battery and motor replaced by a cover and the max battery distance forecast is 60Km (100Km for the Van Rysel, if believed).