mids Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Hi thinking about buying 2 electric bikes £1000 each. Halfords own make Carrera. Seems a fair price for us they are hybrid. Been wondering about recharge from motorhome. Do you just plug in from m/h electric socket when on site. Saying normal recharge time 5_6 hours.would it overload the electrical supply any thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 The chargers take very little power, that's why they take so long to charge the batteries, I did once post a photo of meter showing power IIRC it was 84w. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Can I suggest you view what e-bike specific dealers can offer, before committing to Halfords. They will be more capable of advising what will suit your need & answer any specific concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmold Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Halfords are doing a 20" wheel non-folder for £398. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix Meanderer Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 paulmold - 2019-06-18 10:40 PM Halfords are doing a 20" wheel non-folder for £398. Yes but these small wheeled bikes can be unstable. I would recommend going for full size (28") wheels, much safer. We've had ours for 4 years and witnessed cyclists with these small wheels loosing balance on small potholes. Bigger is better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 You'll get lots of advice, from serious bikers with expensive German bikes, to cheap Chinese bikes. All make cycling much easier. You make your choice based on budget and usage. Charge up from a 240v socket overnight if you've done a long ride. I bought a Dutch style tourer with panniers and basket for comfort. I can now overtake serious bikers on hills with a full load. Apologising for "cheating"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adiebt Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 flicka - 2019-06-18 10:13 PM Can I suggest you view what e-bike specific dealers can offer, before committing to Halfords. They will be more capable of advising what will suit your need & answer any specific concerns. Totally agree , always choose a specialist , when I was looking to buy I found the staff at Halfrauds absolutely clueless re e bikes . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 As a lifetime cyclist I can vouch for larger 28" wheels (like Ian of MM). Early designers were not persuaded by fashion and made things best suited to the job (travelling in a straight line). The larger diameter has a gyroscopic action in keeping its self in one plain where as small wheeled cycles have none of this, even when going at speed a small wheel can turn to 90 degrees effortlessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maldonmole Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 I have had a Gtech electric bike for 3 years now with no problems. There are no gears or chain, the drive is by a toothed belt so there is no oil or dirt. (no worries about that - motorcycles have been using them for decades). The absence of gears is not a problem unless you are going to be doing serious off roading with massive inclines. I have used mine in mid Wales up some pretty steep hills without any difficulty. Another plus point is that all the little bolts for mudguards etcetera are stainless so no brown smears after it gets wet! They are also reasonably light compared to many electric bikes which might be relevant if you run close to your max payload/axle weight as we do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyLou Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Billggski - 2019-06-19 8:09 AM I bought a Dutch style tourer with panniers and basket for comfort. I can now overtake serious bikers on hills with a full load. Apologising for "cheating"! That sounds like what I have been looking for. Can post the make and model and where you bought it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adiebt Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 My boy for some serious off roading ! Cube 160. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wirehaired Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Did you buy the Dutch bike here or in Holland,last year while visiting friends in Holland I tried a e bike and was very happy with it,the build quality of the Dutch ones looks very good,my friend told me he bought it in Belgium for just over a thousand Euros,looking at it I would have thought it would have cost more,i would think about getting one from the same place but the problem would be with any warranty,i have also seen second user Dutch bikes on ebay but I would be a little nervous about one in case the battery wasn't just as it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 What speeds can the electric bikes do and do they have a speedo and a battery power indicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 "Dutch bike" is a generic term for the old style sitting up straight type. Mine was French, they are limited to 14mph? By law and tend to have a battery gauge rather than speedo. Aldi are selling front baskets for £7.99 at the moment. I found off road types put to much weight on my wrists and had hard seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive_Adams Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Can only reinforce what other members are saying here, visit or talk to a couple of e bike dealers, with regard to your needs and pricing. I would also not discount Dutch or German Brands as they have been doing it a lot longer than some of the UK dealers. At the end of the day it may be quite a large investment but with sound advice your outlay should be protected and moreover you should end up with what you need and it should last for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 The UK and EU legal assisted speed limit is 25 kph, about 15.5 mph, plus I believe some modest tolerance. You can go faster but it then is all down to you or the incline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive_Adams Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Below link to the UK rules, on EAPC, (Electronically Assisted Pedal Cycles) think the European rules are pretty much similar, but do check, while we are still part of Europe lol. https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Thanks for the replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william49 Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 get the shop to loan you a bike and for more than that 5 mins round the car park. You are spending a serious amount of dosh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkyrunner Posted June 24, 2019 Share Posted June 24, 2019 Look at the bike to work scheme we two Giant bikes at £1000 each and got them for approx £750. Been very reliable, bought them from a local cycle speciaist and had them now 7 years and they are very easy low power to charge put both batteries on at same time on even foreign site electrics with no problem. We are retired now and may look at either changing bikes or getting new batteries. And yes they are 28 inch wheels and very tough and stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Yorkyrunner - 2019-06-24 9:02 PM Look at the bike to work scheme we two Giant bikes at £1000 each and got them for approx £750. Been very reliable, bought them from a local cycle speciaist and had them now 7 years and they are very easy low power to charge put both batteries on at same time on even foreign site electrics with no problem. We are retired now and may look at either changing bikes or getting new batteries. And yes they are 28 inch wheels and very tough and stable. I’ve posted in the recent past about my experiences with the two German Kalkhoff bikes we bought. My wife elected for a ‘step-through’ frame with 26” wheels, whilst I went for a traditional man’s frame with (sloping) crossbar and 28” wheels. Having ridden both extensively, I wish now I’d gone for one like my wife’s. As one gets older it’s trickier to cock your leg over whilst mounting and dismounting, especially if you’re carrying your groceries or stuff on the rear carrier.. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with 26” wheels, it’s only a matter of adjustment, but I wouldn’t go any smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodach Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 I second maldonmole. I also have a GTech Sport. The battery life depends on your usage but I expect 25 to 35 miles depending on headwind and hills. Battery life is a bit of a minefield and the makers tend to quote distance based on downhill of flat with the wind behind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Sankey Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 We've had electric bikes for the last five years. Naturally the more you pedal the further you can go. Do shop around. Do go to some of the electric bike specialist shops now in most bigger towns. Do read reviews. Do ask other users. Don't believe the claims made. I'd question own brands as they are often built down to a price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wirehaired Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Anyone had experience off those E Bikes sold on ideal World? think they are called e life,one has full size wheels and is a folder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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