creakyknee Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Just been reading on Daily Telegraph website about an electric bicycle produced by Sanyo with a range of 40km. The downside is it needs 210 minutes charge. I could probably get enough solar panel on the roof of MH if we did without ventilation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron. Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 The two big issues with electric bikes (apart from build quality/cost of course) are weight and battery range. A range of 40km is a bit low (you can get double this but it will cost you) and I would imagine that you will be forever recharging the batteries. However, the 210 minutes will be for a full charge I assume and you will not have to always do this if only going to the shops, etc. Do go for the lightest bike you can. All electric bikes are heavy compared to traditional types and if you run out of power you are going to have to resort to old fashioned peddling - not nice on some. The Schwinn Streamlines that we have come in at 20lb in weight (inc battery) and have a range of around 40 miles undulating. They are costly but worth it. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 is that correct, or should it be 20kg ? Brian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 thebishbus - 2010-03-09 8:45 AM is that correct, or should it be 20kg ? Brian. Yes I agree kg not lb :-D best resource for Electric bikes is: http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/ You will find all you need there. our wispers have a range of approx 45 miles we stop at sites now and again so have no problem recharging... but you can charge while driving via the inverter as well, and as long as sun shining I am sure a pair of batteries and a panel would be enough.... we bought initially for the motorhome last year. My Wisper 905 SE is now my preferred daily transport. I don't like using the car in stop start traffic and trying to park etc, with the bike I just sail along past the ques of traffic, it is a great feeling and you are getting exercise as well with help on those hills, turning cycling back to being enjoyable rather then a chore.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron. Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Oh that they were 20lb, they would fly off the shelves! Sorry about that. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Judge I agree Pedalec is a good source of information, but find they have a negative take on the Shwinn bikes not sure of the reason. Like Ron we have Shwinn streamline we changed our Giant La Free for them after 5 years, the Shwinn are so comfy to ride and light to lift on and off the van find them brilliant, they are a bit expensive £1,300 approx but then so is a good bike of any kind. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 shwin just are not very well regarded, they have recently adopted a new battery chemistry that is being lambasted by the experts on the E bike site.......... There is simply better bikes around for the money :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 My point have these people actually got a Schwinn, or just jumping on the band wagon because they don't distribute them, Having had the Giant La free which was regarded a the best on the market, and finding the Shwinn much improved on that, and having done well over 1,000 miles on the Shwinn in the last 18 months with no trouble at all was why I made my point. If of course you have a Shwinn and have experience of it then I apologise for surmising the point. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Carol, you know very well I have no personal knowledge of Swinn bikes, you have seen yourself the response to your post on pedelec regards the failures, of the controllers and the unreliability of the Tongxin Nano motor in early models, which made people cautious. That you enjoy yours and they are trouble free is great :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I have no personal knowledge of electric bikes however my daughter has a very inexpensive one that is heavier than the 20kg mentioned (28kg) but that feels no heavier than my own mountain type bike. It has an all aluminium frame, suspension on front wheels and on the sadle. It has a stated range of 26 miles, though she has actually got 31 miles from it, from a LiPoX battery. It has pedal assist or full electric on a throttle. she has achieved a recorded 20mph according to the bikes own computer speedo. It is really comfortable to ride, more like the continental style, and is not hard to ride without assistance though it only has six gears against the twenty one on my own mountain bike. Now I don't know why one should have to pay some of the prices I have seen for electric bikes as this one seems to do all that the others say they do (agreed that if 8kg puts you over your load limit there may be a problem) and cost only £399 plus vat, good deal I believe, just not paying for a 'big' name. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Hi Basil! Its no different then the choice between different cars I guess..... With a quality E bikes a lot of the cost is in the battery. replacement batteries can be approx £400 - 500. a reasonable spec peddle bike cost in the region of £300? so an E bike for £399 has to be built from cheap components or simply priced to clear stock...... At the end of the day if it works for you then fine. but the proof will be if anything fails on the cheap bike, and if the supplier can respond to it. your daughters bike, probably a cyclomatic? is 24 v where better bikes have a 36v system with larger capacity battery, giving better range/power and hill climbing ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Hi Judge, sorry for my ignorence,but what is a 'cyclomatic'. Bas P.s. Just looked on the Pedelec site mentioned earlier and her bike has user ratings of 8 out of 10 so others must feel they are ok too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Basil - 2010-03-11 11:20 AM Hi Judge, sorry for my ignorence,but what is a 'cyclomatic'. Bas P.s. Just looked on the Pedelec site mentioned earlier and her bike has user ratings of 8 out of 10 so others must feel they are ok too. was just hazarding a guess that the bike your daughter bought was a "Cyclomatic " model. These are a recent £399 budget job...what has she got then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Hi, sorry as you were talking specifications I thought it was some type of drive or something, didn't know it was a make. Her bike is a PowaCycle Salisbury and they are still currently in Makro's for £399.99. Comes mainly assembled and complete with a rear rack and mudguards, seems quite well made and she has been using it most days for around three months with no problems. The route she takes each day includes hills in both directions one quite severe that she would normally, on an ordinary bike, dismount to get up the top part but this sails up. Quite impressive really. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 she has bought a very decent bike at a great price, far better then one I thought it may of been......Not the fastest or the greatest range, but a bike thats been around for a while and is well respected :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron. Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Basil - 2010-03-11 10:51 AM I have no personal knowledge of electric bikes however my daughter has a very inexpensive one that is heavier than the 20kg mentioned (28kg) but that feels no heavier than my own mountain type bike. Bas I think the difference might be in the use that the various bikes are put too and how serious you are about cycling. For decent length rides (40-60 miles) a weight of 28kg would be hopeless to my mind but maybe, just maybe, fine for short trips or shopping, etc. The point about lighter electric bikes is their ability to cover long distances only using power when really necessary - and at my age it has become necessary. :-| To think that these days my 'serious' Roberts traditional tourer (the one I use when without the boss) which comes in at just over 13kg including racks, mudguards, etc, is considered quite heavy according to my club-mates. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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