fairweather camper Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Hi I have just done a forum search for e bikes and come up with nothing ?, so can anyone recommend a large wheel step through electric bike ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 fairweather camper - 2014-03-07 9:45 PM Hi I have just done a forum search for e bikes and come up with nothing ?, so can anyone recommend a large wheel step through electric bike ? Try seatching electric bikes in the last year and you get loads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 fairweather camper - 2014-03-07 9:45 PM Hi I have just done a forum search for e bikes and come up with nothing ?, so can anyone recommend a large wheel step through electric bike ? Check www.alienbikes.co.uk. My wife has one which she enjoys riding. (There are ebikes available at 5 times the price and more, so these are at the "budget" - I say "normal" - end of the spectrum. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I expect the Judge will be along soon he's the expert on here. Don't be persuaded on price you get what you pay for take into account you can't get an ordinary push bike that's rideable under £500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Depends on whether your after cheap low tech heavy chinese junk or a bit more pricey quality german engineering. So without knowing your budget it's impossible to advise..... Step throughs due to the weakness of design (cant beat a triangle for strength and lightness) tend to be a lot heavier..there are a few exceptions R&M for one but they are pricey. I'm selling my wifes AVE Bosch bike on ebay at the moment, there's a thread about it further down....its light, easy to ride and powerful and will climb any hill as it hs the mechanical advantage that 20 inch wheels offer. But you asked about step throughs: http://en.r-m.de/ http://www.cyclingmadeeasy.co.uk/store/stepthrough-electric-bikes/ave/ave-easy-edition/ http://www.electrifyingcycles.co.uk/stepthrough-electric-bikes.html http://e-motionevc.co.uk/store/product-info.php?pid313.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddies104 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Hi Try googling ASbikes, they do a step through with large wheels, called Electo bike plus.. There after sales service is exceptional...Always at the shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairweather camper Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Thanks for information everybody. Our price range is about £1500 to £1700, and we want one that will take us up hills easily and have a good battery range, and be fairly lightweight, I was hoping for a reply from anyone who is very satisfied with the bike they have as I like to buy from recommendations if possible, the people in the next pitch to ours have 2 lovely looking bikes, but all it says on them is 'German Technology' and unfortunately they do not speak a word of English and I am afraid I do not speak anything but (much to my annoyance, but I am useless with languages) thanks Judge your links look good. Regards Val Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 We've recently bought AS bikes after researching and on reccommendation, mid range bikes, our 26" step through cost about £800 each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Val the AS are among the chinese bikes I was alluding to, cheap hub driven bikes...sold to people at shows who know nothing about cycling.... Thats a reasonable enough spend to get decent German bikes. KTM and AVE are good value. for serious hill climbing you need a center/crank drive bike, anyone with half a brain and takes cycling seriously rides these. Bosch mine and many others favorite, Panasonic also good but new 36 V are expensive...There are KTM and AVE bikes within your budget on my links. But again: step throughs heavier and not so nice to ride as battery high above wheel, whereas most triangle frames batteries low down in frame so a decent centre of gravity..also step throughs can also break. go to a good dedicated e bike shop or two and test a few...dont rush or be persuaded!..come away and think about it first. Take a picture of neighbors bikes and post on here, I will know what they are. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-03-08 5:16 PM for serious hill climbing you need a center/crank drive bike, anyone with half a brain and takes cycling seriously rides these. Eddie, As previously mentioned, my wife quite enjoys cycling her Chinese, hub driven, step through ebike. She says it takes all the effort out of going up hills! £800 well spent, she reckons. She's asked me to point out that, as a recently retired Maths teacher, she believes she has at least half a brain, most of which is still in reasonable nick. :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 a shame she didn't engage it when going e bike shopping.... but that the curse of her gender :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-03-08 5:48 PM a shame she didn't engage it when going e bike shopping.... but that the curse of her gender :-D Ahhh, but she did. After much research, and a detailed cost/benefit analysis, she concluded that spending £800 on a 100% Chinese Bike was preferable to spending 3 times as much on a bike which was, in all likelihood, 90% Chinese - but assembled somewhere else ! And, at her age, the "curse of her gender" (a misnomer, it's surely the curse of OUR gender) is a thing of the past. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 But from what you say that don't make any sense! Val has a proper budget and contemplating a decent cycling experience that only the more sophisticated centre drive bikes offer. What I hate about this forum is anytime e bikes mentioned out come the usual crap recommendations, fine if on a tight budget but a nonsense if after proper cycling. The Chinese bikes are machine built rubbish, the price tells it all, that the seller at shows has thrown a fit previously when other retailers have tried to book, and have been blocked ( I personally know two examples) says it all to be honest. It's like going to a greengrocer to buy a chicken *-) Buy in haste repent at leisure. "gets her up hills without peddling" says it all to be honest!lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 ....avoiding all the usual "sniping"....... I can recommend the following as my wife has been using one (at least a previous year's model with little change in spec) for a couple of years now. http://www.50cycles.com/electric-bikes/agattu-all-rounder/agattu_i8_hs_step-thru.html It meets your "specification" (including being German ;-) ) in all respects other than possibly weight - it comes fully equipped and with a big battery, and is built like the proverbial brick shipyard. Other than lifting it, this is no great issue as the quality of running gear makes it relatively easy to pedal with no or little assistance, and I can vouch for the fact that my wife gets greater than the quoted range in mixed-mode general use (I get about 80 real miles out of a heavier, gents framed version, and I am not sylph-like!). Hill-climbing is no problem, and we find the crank-drive much better than any hub-drive bikes we've tried, and the 26" wheel is a good compromise for road and trail use.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter lambert Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 We bought 2 Giant, Electric Cycles 2 years ago. One mans bike, and one ladies. We love them. Very well made and good quality. Check out their website. They are not cheap, but good things always come at a price, they will fit your budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-03-08 7:51 PM What I love about this forum is anytime anything is mentioned out come the usual wide range of diverse opinions. Jolly well said. Vorsprung durch Technik. as they say in Beijing these days. :-D And as Elton John might say, Saturday Night's All Right for Sniping. :D :D :D Now, need to console my half-wit wife who is upset at having wasted £800 on some Chinese Junk - hang on, is that why it came with all that canvas (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 candapack - 2014-03-08 9:42 PM Now, need to console my half-wit wife who is upset at having wasted £800 on some Chinese Junk - hang on, is that why it came with all that canvas (?) ....no doubt, in this context, that would be a broad canvas? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Val...This style of dropped crossbar bike stronger and lighter then the usual swan neck style. also the battery in the right place..can be had on budget and cheaper if happy to buy of German ebay. My new Haibike was £2800 here..got it on German ebay for £1500 including delivery. happy to help cant load pic..here is a link to type of frame I'm talking about http://www.ebay.de/itm/Testrad-E-Bike-KTM-Macina-Cross-Trapez-Bosch-Motor-1999-jetzt-nur-1750-RH-51-/380837790236 plenty on here from about £1200 http://www.ebay.de/bhp/e-bike-bosch-motor these cheap chinese bikes are real expensive for what they are, in china they cost 2-300$ so mark up much higher then on the european bikes. They are a simple on/off motor, crude and noisey, and motor in wheel a disaster waiting to happen, loose, broken spokes common, total wheel collapse not unusual..I know as I had 2 complete wheel collapses and that was on £1500 chinese bikes. nothing worse then a bike breaking down on holiday...better ones now have torque sensors (like the best centre drives) but they cost as much so pretty pointless, and in no way can they climb hills as well or be such a pleasure to ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Eddie, have you seen Gepida before, bosch motored ebike... http://www.reactionelectric.co.uk/newsite/gepida-ebikes/product/12-gepida-asgard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 bolero boy - 2014-03-09 9:04 AM Eddie, have you seen Gepida before, bosch motored ebike... http://www.reactionelectric.co.uk/newsite/gepida-ebikes/product/12-gepida-asgard Yes Chris a fine bike from a good manufacturer with a fine reputation..everyones doing Bosch these days try one to find out why! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertieburstner Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 go european.We had on loan 2 Giant twist electric bikes last year. Well made and seemed good value at about £1,000 each. BUT and it's a big but, the batteries both packed up after about 20 miles (despite saying the range was "up to 70 miles") and then they became very heavy bicycles not much fun to ride. You can't lump "electric" bikes in one bag in the same way that there are a myriad types of pedal cycles, racing, commuter, mountain etc etc. I would say the most important thing is range, if you are only doing 10/15 miles tops buy cheap crap, but if you want a decent bike and decent range see a specialist, and don't rely on forums like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john the spark Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 AS bikes good quality for the money but a bit heavier than the expensive models, great after sales service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocro Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Bosch,Panasonic and then the rest. It is a case of you get what you pay for. A crank drive motor is a lot better than a hub motor. If at all possible go the extra mile and visit a shop that will let you test ride over a range of hills to evaluate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-03-09 9:12 AM bolero boy - 2014-03-09 9:04 AM Eddie, have you seen Gepida before, bosch motored ebike... http://www.reactionelectric.co.uk/newsite/gepida-ebikes/product/12-gepida-asgard Yes Chris a fine bike from a good manufacturer with a fine reputation..everyones doing Bosch these days try one to find out why! :-D They are local to use, OH gets her bike serviced there. I tried the demo the other day, sh*t off the proverbial! A nice big discount on the demo one with the 400wh battery thrown it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughman Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Large wheel stepthru - Kalkhoff Agattu a very good bet as has previously been said. Robust, quality, Panasonic crank drive, and very good user feedback. If you can live with a smaller wheeled bike, Eddie's AVE would be a very good bet. Bosch crank drive is even better than Panasonic's IMHO (and I've had both), and the AVE is a good quality bike. I've ridden it and it's not nearly as 'nervous' to ride as many small wheel bikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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