Ebikes and Motorhomes

[witzend]

I've noticed many carrying ebikes on their motorhomes started looking at them in French Hyper markets & Decathlon Stores since returning home continued on line. Our interest would be a folding model but what a choice Do any of You use them and have any reccomendations this type of model

https://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/brands/raleigh/raleigh-stow-e-way-20-folding-electric-bike-2022-graphite-grey

[Solwaybuggier]

We use Wisper 806SEs and love them - had them about 5 years.  But tbh I wouldn’t have got folding ones if I’d known - van has a garage which takes them fully assembled so we never fold them, so it’s just extra weight and complexity .

[laimeduck]

Witzend

We have 2 Evora fold up bikes which we've had for about 8 years. We tend to use them for short trips - shopping, going into town, and the occasional longer trip eg Cagnes Sur Mer to NIce ~ 15-20 miles. They are great, pedal assist or twist grip. As with all small wheel bikes they are not the most stable or comfortable, but they are fine for the way we use them. We do fold them and keep them in the Benimar garage along with the MadAss 125 motorbike.

Our modus operandi ..... We explore on the Madass and if we find a decent restaurant or bar we go back on the electric bikes so we can have a wine or two!

Jeremy

 

[witzend]

1 hour ago, laimeduck said:

Witzend

We have 2 Evora fold up bikes which we've had for about 8 years. We tend to use them for short trips - shopping, going into town, and the occasional longer trip Jeremy

 

 

3 hours ago, Solwaybuggier said:

We use Wisper 806SEs and love them - had them about 5 years. 

Thanks to both of You good to hear that their still going well after a few years I don't have space for  normal bikes and don't like the idea of carrying them on a rear rack so it'll have to be folding bikes 

[Philip M]

I use a Brompton folding bike which is both excellent to ride and folds up vey small. Mine isn't electric, but there is a front wheel replacement with an electric motor built into it which gets a very good write up. I'm told the whole thing is very easy to fit but you can get them professionally fitted.

Have a look at the Nano Brompton on A to B magazine. 

https://www.atob.org.uk/electric-bike-buyers-guide-uk/

[Globebuster1]

We have a couple of cheapo Coyote folding pedal assist e-bikes from Halfords, had them since 2015.

They were around 500 quid at the time, and we've certainly had our moneys worth.

I'm sure in the eyes of others they're considered a load of crap - but they've done us proud so far.

I think Argos also do a similar model now.

They get a fair bit of use, and have been surprisingly good and robust - realistically we get around 15 miles out of them, and I think [regardless of the make or model] the claimed range figure is always a bit optimistic! 

Ours are never folded - although for a brief period we had a Hymer with a smaller garage, and that enabled us to still store them [folded] internally.

We find that having them give us great options for exploring.

If we're at our little 'shed' in France, the van sometimes stays parked up for a week or two - and all the shopping is done by a 5 mile cycle along the riverbank into town.

We've added pannier bags, and with those [and the rear rack] we can get enough supplies to last a week, whilst enjoying the ride too.

Wouldn't be without them now - great for getting about once on site.

Probably our best and most useful purchase for the van.

 

[TeamRienza]

Similar to Globebuster, in 2016 we bought 2 coyote connect folders from Halfords. They were on offer when I bought the first at £500 and when I bought the second a few weeks later they had risen to £550, but I haggled it back to £500. Great bikes but as the price indicates the range was not big. Not an issue as ours tend to get used mostly on flat French cycleways. (Il de Re, Oleron, Nantes to Brest canal etc.) we would still be using them except my wife had a knee operation and found the crossbar difficult to lift her leg over. She is not a good or confident cyclist. We gave the bikes to family and they are still in use.

Last year at Black Friday, we bought 2 Raleigh Evo electric folders.

 

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/electric-bikes/raleigh-evo-electric-folding-bike-20in-wheel-858578.html?stockInventory=undefined

 

These were due to retail at around £1600 each, but they were discounted by 10%. They might have been even cheaper if we had gone via a cash back site. They have a lower step through frame which suits my wife. We simply fold the handlebars and store them in the Motorhome garage. They have a bigger range (30 miles). 4 power levels of which number 4 is excellent on steep hills and 8 shimano gears on the rear wheel. Power is directed to the rear wheel. 

We bought cheap the first time round as £1000 was still big money for us at the time. I was concerned also about theft and replacement cost, but more importantly potential availability of parts, particularly the battery. One charger did fail after 5 years and sourcing another was a bit of a job.

we bought more expensively this time round as we were more confident of fitness for our purposes, and (hopefully) a more in depth back up in future. The extra power and range have proved excellent.

The only downsides to folders that I have found is that 20 inch wheels whilst fine for what we want are not as comfortable a ride and will not tackle rougher terrain but that does not worry us.

Here in N. Ireland the biggest issue we had in buying was lack of shops, and those that did sell rarely had a wide range of models to try. We were fortunate that a distant Halfords did have an Evo in stock for my wife to try getting on and off comfortably and with confidence.

 

Davy

[witzend]

2 hours ago, TeamRienza said:

Not an issue as ours tend to get used mostly on flat French cycleways. (Il de Re, Oleron, Nantes to Brest canal etc.)  The extra power and range have proved excellent.

The only downsides to folders that I have found is that 20 inch wheels whilst fine for what we want are not as comfortable a ride and will not tackle rougher terrain but that does not worry us.

Here in N. Ireland the biggest issue we had in buying was lack of shops, and those that did sell rarely had a wide range of models to try. Davy

Thanks Ours will be used as yours mainly in France, Canal tow paths and their Green Lanes + that morning Boulangerie visit now walking is getting difficult. I understand about the wheel size but have no choice if I carry them inside the van. Cornwall has several shops but apart from 2 the others haven't even bothered to reply to email queries and those 2 only 1 had the Raleigh step e way I could try around their carpark not really much of a trial so thinking next week we'll try hiring one on a local trail won't be what we'll buy but they do have similar.

[Ocsid]

The Woosh Rambletta LINK is a well regarded folding ebike on some ebike forums, and I very much liked one I inspected. Unfortunately, Woosh are way from Cornwall for making a test ride, so it would be a remote purchase unless Woosh can link you to one of their many satisfied owners to physically see it and get a direct opinion.

However, I prefer a more conventional ebike and ours, we can carry with the front wheel quick released, as conveniently as I once carried a folder.

For areas where I see no "need" for an e-bike, flattish and where journeys say sub 10 miles, I then take a non electric Brompton, this folds way more compact than any others I know, and I can usefully involve public transport as a part of a trip, with that. 

[stevec176]

We bought 2 folding Batribikes nearly 3 years ago. As my van doesn't have a garage and I didn't want to fit a rack we had to have something that would fit inside the van. We purchased the upgraded batteries which, depending on how hard you use them, are suppose to have a range of about 80 miles so don't have to charge them after every ride. Agree small wheels don't give a comfortable ride but as the saying goes, a bad ride is better than a good walk.

[witzend]

2 hours ago, Ocsid said:

The Woosh Rambletta LINK is a well regarded folding ebike on some ebike forums, and I very much liked one I inspected.

Thanks There's 2 I'm interested in at the moment The Rambletta and the Basis Osprey https://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/electric-bikes/folding-electric-bikes/basis-osprey-folding-low-step-electric-bike-88ah-battery21

but the search continues

 

[B Dobson]

We were lucky enough to be gifted 2 new ebikes a couple of years ago, a Cube and a Haibike . They aren't folders and a bit different to the type you're after . They are great and I've done 4000 miles on mine since all over the place . As with all things though the better the bike the more desirable it becomes to the undesirables . Hope you find what you want and enjoy them as much as we have 

[witzend]

1 hour ago, B Dobson said:

We were lucky enough to be gifted 2 new ebikes a couple of years ago, a Cube and a Haibike . They aren't folders and a bit different to the type you're after . They are great and I've done 4000 miles on mine since all over the place Hope you find what you want and enjoy them as much as we have 

Thanks that was lucky. We need folders to get them inside but its nice to read that several have used their bikes for some miles without problems 

[witzend]

On 10/15/2022 at 10:01 PM, witzend said:

I've noticed many carrying ebikes on their motorhomes started looking at them in French Hyper markets & Decathlon Stores since returning home continued on line. Our interest would be a folding model but what a choice

Thanks to Everyone for all helpful suggestions. Well last 20 days and have looked at dozens of bikes in several shops an 100's on line finally made a decision to get the Ampere Alter 

 https://tinyurl.com/2ptesb3n

[B Dobson]

Look really good those and fold up nicely for easy storage , The weight of them also not bad and they should provide much fun . My partner has a Yamaha battery on their bike and even though that battery gets some hammer it outlasts mine which is supposedly a more or less like for like Bosch one . The Yamaha one charges up much quicker also . Hope you enjoy the bikes 

[Hans]

 On E bikes you have a lithium battery. When the battery is Dead . You have buy a new one. But some can wake up at half price of a new one. Any comments?

[witzend]

1 hour ago, Hans said:

 On E bikes you have a lithium battery. When the battery is Dead . You have buy a new one. But some can wake up at half price of a new one. Any comments?

Never thought about it before but there's a firm near me rebuilds power tool battery's possibly they could do bike battery's 

[witzend]

bikes arrived not the next day as advertised but their here with no damage. Only a few parts to assemble an adjust folding is quite easy an better with a little practice first trial went well for us both but getting used to controls will also come with practice.