Thinking of getting ebike...

Sandor Clegane

Looking to get an ebike for around €1,500, I was looking online but what concerns me with this is if something were to go wrong with it, id have no comeback, I have some cycle shops in my area that say they do repairs but I've yet to find out if they fix ebikes, for instance I was looking at this one:

https://pogocycles.com/products/kugoo-t01-electric-bicycle

The bike is for commuting, not exercise, so I'm trying to go for one that will offer maximum assistance, can anyone recommend anything or advise me on anything?

magicbastarder

the bike in question is legally an MPV - the gardai are not paying attention to this, possibly due to expected legislation which will clarify some matters, but just beware that if they ever did start policing that, you'd legally be riding a moped and not e-bike.

anyway - how long is your commute? if you did want something 'legal', they all pretty much meet the max allowed specs, which is a 250W motor, assistance up to 25km/h, and only assist while pedalling. my wife's bike on turbo mode will provide (i think) more than triple the power of the cyclist, so basically sails along with little effort. the average person might be able to put out 75w, which means that combined with 225W from the bike, you'd be putting out 300W which will feel absolutely plenty anyway.

the bike above has fat knobbly tires; unless you're commuting over rough ground, you will not need those. and they sound like a swarm of angry bees. go for a bike with traditional size wheels for easier maintenance and availability of parts.

what brands do your local shops stock?

Joe1919

The Kugoo bike above is very heavy at 38Kg and looks like a small motorbike, so I would be afraid that it might draw attention as to its legal position.

Cabaal

When legislation does eventually come in expect to have to have pay insurance, wear a helmet etc on that thing, as already noted its an e-moped. So you need to factor all those costs into owning it.

Even at present that type of ebike would get more attention due to have it looks so higher chance of Gardai stopping you right now especially given this type of ebike is illegal due to max speed etc. The comment on the weight is valid, I cycle a bike weighing in at 43kg (its a cargobike) and there are plenty of times when you feel that extra weight both when cycling and just rolling about/parking it.

Unless you want to pay out insurance in the long run i'd be focusing on a decent e-assist bike which gets good range in turbo mode.

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058289266/thinking-of-getting-ebike

I think you should look at overall long-term cost of your purchase and also value for money rather than cheap.

Whatever bike you look at see if you can get spares for it before you buy it; I'm thinking battery, motor, wheels, bearings for hub etc.

Maybe look up specific ebike shops here or at least by a major recognised brand.

This forum doesn't have a lot of ebike traffic, maybe try Facebook groups or larger UK forums?

Hopefully some regular ebike user here could recommend a bike for you.

Also if it's for commuting you need full mudguards including flaps (for you and bike) and decent lights.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120390076#Comment_120390076

i hadn't seen that - my wife's bike (a cube touring 400) is a bit of a beast, and it has a stated weight of 24KG; the one above is over 50% heavier.

DaveyDave

One of the issues with bikes like that is people see it and think comfort. Cycling isn't comfortable like sitting in a car. You're going to feel bumps and potholes, larger tyres will reduce that feeling but not get rid of it. Big tyres slow you down, reduce battery life, are harder to shop for and have less grip on a road surface and those cheap suspension components only weigh the bike down and are very likely to break over time. You also need to get air suspension serviced and that's a no name part that shops probably won't touch. If you have an ebike there's a risk of running out of battery, my ebike is only 15kg and on normal road bike wheels and tyres even then running out of battery sucked.

Have a look at Decathlon or Halfords for ebikes in the €1,500 budget. If something goes wrong with the motor in those bikes you'll have warranty with a shop plus you'll have a normal bike with normal parts that a bike shop can look after for you if anything needs repairs or upgrades.

getoutadodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120398732#Comment_120398732

good advice. keep it simple

fat tyres, shocks, even disk brakes all add complexity and ultimately cost and maintenance. mudguards and bulletproof tyres are way more important that fancy gadgetry... when commuting. more weight means less range. get a sturdy push bike and put a kit on it

most bicycle shops won't touch e bikes when it comes to maintenance...even just fixing a simple puncture. i have three in my area that specialise in e bikes ...so no issue when needed. they're very busy precisely because traditional bike shops generally refuse e bike clients who are growing in number especially among older people interested in returning to cycling

but go for it. e bikes really changed my daily routine for the better

Sandor Clegane

Hey all, thanks for the feedback, I've gone from the bike in question and I'm going for a more conventional one, I was down at a bike shop who were offering a da vincy for €1, 500...but I went to a local cycle shop who recommended a ridgeback arcus 1 which as €2,100, I wouldn't mind coming up to that price if it was a better bike, my commute isn't long it's 1.3km away from where I live, but there is a bit of a steep hill on the way home, any opinions on which would be better suited to me?

Andrea B.

I understand these €2k prices for non ebikes and the technology that delivers comfort and efficiency.

Ebikes? Battery and motor for the most part, with good quality everything else.

Under €1k should see you good (maybe not bricks and mortar).

Park your €1k saving in a Revolut vault to act as "warranty" money.

Added value in that a theft of a €1k bike will also be less pain.

Bought an engwe ep2 pro (folding fat tyre) recently from pogo for €1k.

The battery and drive alone would have cost me €700. I had been considering conversion of a hybrid.

Can't get over the quality of the build. Have picked up some inner tubes off Amazon, as backup.

DaveyDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120403216#Comment_120403216

Personally if I was getting into the €2,000 bracket I would want to see more well known brands with motors from Shimano, Bosch, ebikemotion etc. I'm not familiar with that Sportdrive motor, those Alhonga brakes are apparently super budget tier too.

Probably fine for a short commute but for €1,950 you'd get an Orbea Optima with the well known ebikemotion motor and built in mudguards as a comparison.

Ferris

This is on chainreaction. No knowledge on Brose motors, they used to be sh1t but I think they might be good now (I think the specialised ebikes are rebadged Brose) so maybe do some research. Seems to have a lot of power at 90NM and has a 500wh battery. Commuter ebikes are best with mudguards / rack / integrated lights IMO. I think crank drive bikes with torque sensing are better to ride than hub drive with cadence sensing and they get better range too. My advice is that battery capacity is the first consideration on any ebike - then spec and price come next.

Ridley RES U800 Deore Mens Urban E-Bike 2022 | Chain Reaction (chainreactioncycles.com)

getoutadodge

"My advice is that battery capacity is the first consideration on any ebike - then spec and price come next."

Agree. My current set up has a 70 km range. Taking no chances! I ran out in the early days and it was like cycling thru treacle. Learnt my lesson and upped the battery specs. Second is bulletproof tyres (e.g. Schwalbe) along with a puncture cannister which will get you home in an emergency. Taxis will NOT take u. After that comes saddle and handle bar posture then lights... especially for winter...and last but not least...a very good u lock

magicbastarder

the OP has stated that the commute is a 1.3km one, so if that's the intended use of the bike, range anxiety won't be an issue.

ED E

Why would yo bother like? Lets say the OP is really really slow at 15km/hr. Just over 5mins. Lets make it 7 mins with the hill. €700 for a utility bike, safe the rest for a holiday or something.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120408487#Comment_120408487

Could end up using it for shorter trips to the shops etc, can definitely feel like less of a ‘hassle’ to hop on an ebike compared to a regular bike when you aren’t a regular cyclist.

Daisy 55

I have a rad runner for work and bit of jobs, shopping etc. came in a box from Holland.

Love it! Not a cyclist really but getting great use out of it.

Easy to maintain yourself. The website has lots of videos. The local bike shop wasn’t keen on repairs, but I think I made a mistake in not looking for a repair shop. The only thing I’ve needed were new brake pads, but now I do them myself.

would definitely recommend!

_Brian

Rather than start another thread I'll pop this question here...

Myself and herself are thinking of moving up to e-bikes, locally hills are killer when getting out and longer range is attractive..

Looking at the Veloci brand, specifically the https://veloci.ie/products/veloci-vivid, bonus it comes on a small enough frame suitable for herself and full size for me.. 13Ah battery and 80nm torque..

Anyone familiar with these bikes or any other input on sub €1500 e-bikes..

magicbastarder

I think that's the one that was permanently 'reduced' as an Irish independent offer - to the 1.5k listed. So pay no heed to the 'discount'.

Ferris

That’s pretty good spec for the price. Bafang mid drives are supposed to be good and on a par with Bosch/shimano etc. A mid drive will feel very natural to cycle and the bikes look comfortable. 13ah battery is ok, would prefer more capacity but mid drives generally get good range as you so more work. Look like solid commuting bikes.

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120490037#Comment_120490037

They won’t be commuting bikes as it’s not possible for us. I’m recovering from a back injury and can’t see me managing without help for a good while.

Ferris

This is the beauty of ebikes. An injury such as yours can be accommodated and you retain access to a bike with all the associated benefits.

That motor is whats called a torque sensing motor. Essentially it takes your effort (torque) and matches it or in most cases multiplies it. In simple terms it means you have to push/pedal but the input can be really gentle. There is another type of motor which uses a cadence sensor which only requires you to move the pedals for the motor to engage so it requires practically no effort - this may be of interest to you depending on your injury. I like torque sensing as I get a bit of exercise and the bike is very smooth and natural to ride. I find cadence sensing a bit jerky but some newer bikes have this all ironed out. So you should probably try before you buy, the wrong bike is never cheap.

To me the bike seems to be really good spec for the money, a cut above some of the trash ebikes that are out there.

magicbastarder

after sales support and servicing would be one of the common warnings people would give here - check to see what is on offer, and whether local bike shops in your area can support you.

_Brian

One question i had, this is mid mounted motor with 80nm torque, i see many rear hub motors but usually 40-50nm torque, is there less requirment if its a rear hub motor or are they just literally lower spec, I'm not slim but not mad heavy either 88kg @181cm

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120490426#Comment_120490426

Local shops are €1k dearer for similar spec bike, anything in this price in B&M shops seems very low end indeed.. Veloci are offering a 3year electrical, 7 year on mechanical parts and lifetime frame waranty.. That seems at the top end of waranty too

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120490419#Comment_120490419

Truth is 27 years ago I was diagnosed with severe degenerative disc disease, between that and a bad RTA in 2009 I've done well to get this far, I'm just back on my feet after being down for 3 weeks in the most recent episode... We've always enjoyed being out on the bikes and i'm not on for giving up on that.. the e-bike hould keep me going with less stress

Ferris

So 360cycles in Clontarf sell bikes (Kuma) with similar Bafang mid-motors. Bikes will feel much the same I expect if you ask for a test ride. Specifically I would like to see what it was like to push one over the 25kph cutoff to see what resistance is present. One suspects 360cycles could service / repair. In reality these motors and batteries are usually straight replacement items, any decent bikeshop should be able to repair. I suspect the 'we don't fix ebikes' mantra comes from requests to fix dodgy cheap ebikes with no parts support - thats not what you have here - Bafang are the largest ebike system manufacturer in the world.

On the torque issue, 80NM would probably surprise you at how powerful it is, mine is 75NM (Bosch) and its loads of power. At full power you can hit the 25kph limit before you are through a typical road junction. Torque figures hub vs mid motor has little comparison as the mid motors nominal torque value can be multiplied many times over by the bikes gearing. Weight of bike and rider are not much of a consideration with ebikes apart from lifting the actual bike onto a bike rack etc. 25kg is pretty much par for the course. Check the spec of the brakes, they look like mechanical rim brakes which seems at odds with the spec for the rest of the bike, maybe ask the exact spec. Possibly not an issue for your intended use.

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492408#Comment_120492408

Yes I have hydraulic disc brakes on my current hybrid bike, they are obviously superior to rim brakes. But I think for leisure cycling few times a week it will be fine

I suppose it may be a compromise so I can get an e-bike on my budget. I was happier with the longer warranty and 13Ah battery for range than many I looked at.

MojoMaker

Those mythical "trips to the shops" never happen though do they? Good for the man-maths of course!

fits

I’m going to jump in here too.

live in a hilly area and have two kids. One is flying around on his frog bike - the other has issues with balance and safety awareness so I’m thinking of getting an e-bike that could tow him in a trailer. He’s six.

went to bike shop today and they recommended a cube supreme hybrid. it seems like a lot of bike could I get away with less?

will mainly be for family spins and 1 km hilly trips to shops or school.

I had road bikes in past and cycled a lot pre kids. still do for commute from train to office in Dublin but wont be using this bike for that.

eljono

Hi OP, I bought a Claud Butler Haste-e bike last year, and am very happy with it. Our local town has some hilly parts to it and the electric assistance really helps, I use it a lot more than I did my regular bike.

I mostly use it to take my son to creche on a rear mounted carrier, again, the e-assistance is great at disguising the extra weight on the bike.

I'd definitely recommend one and I'm very happy with the Claud Butler. It's quick, comfortable and battery life is excellent so far.

blackbox

If your route has very steep hills I'd recommend a mid drive rather than a hub drive. Being able to change gears reduces strain on the motor and allows it to apply more torque to the wheel.

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120521195#Comment_120521195

Can you recommend a particular bike? I’m finding it difficult to figure out which have hub or mid drive.

Ferris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120522181#Comment_120522181

Anything with a Bosch / Shimano or Yamaha drive systems are mid drive. For a mid-drive the motor replaces (in this case) the bottom bracket. The motor has a sensor that takes your torque input and multiplies it, by a factor of 3 in some of the more powerful motors. This torque is fed through the bike gearing so you avail being able to further multiply torque.

I have a Cube MTB with an Bosch mid-drive, I can easily tow a two child trailer with a 3 and 6yr old in it up steep hills where I live. The bike manufacturer is irrelevant with ebikes, its the drive system thats important. Try a few to see what you like and then buy on spec level. comfort and price imo.

In saying that, any ebike will climb hills within reason, its one of the things they're really good at. Also worth considering is a longtail cargo bike if you think you're going to be carrying a passenger long term. Decathlon do one as do Radpower ('Radwagon'). You might struggle with Radpower if you are looking to use the bike to work scheme.

fits

Thanks. I had considered a cargo bike but they seem a little unwieldy for use without a child on the back.

this is the trailer I am looking at getting.

https://www.weehoo.co.uk/products/weehoo-thrill-bike-trailer

blackbox

That's an interesting trailer where the passenger pedals. I haven't seen one of those before.

Hurrache

You can set a variety of those types where the trail-ee can pedal. I rented one years ago when staying around Lake Garda, if your kid is feeling vigorous it can be disconcerting when you're freewheeling or slowing for obstacles or people and all of a sudden you feel a push from the back.

patmahe

I recently purchased an ebike from Greenaer in Mullingar and thought my opinions/thoughts might help others here who are going through a similar decision making process. Bottom line though I am finally commuting to and from work any day I am in the office (2 days a week currently).

My commute is 16km each way and the terrain is 30% Urban, 70% rural with some long steep hills thrown in for good measure. My purpose for the ebike is to provide a form of exercise that I can easily integrate into daily life and it has fulfilled that purpose. Essentially I had a very tough few years and lost a lot of the fitness I once had and gained weight so the full on commute on my road bike was a bit too much to face each day for my liking.

I have looked at e-bikes on and off for a while and becoming eligible for the cycle to work scheme again was the trigger I needed.

My advice:

• Don't buy online, you need to be able to sit on and try as many bikes as you can, when I first walked into the bike shop I had a very different idea to what I eventually ended up buying. If you get a knowledgeable sales person they are gold (Alan in Greenaer was very good). You will also get a feel for differing levels of quality of components etc. There is also the added benefit of being able to go back to bricks and mortar shop if you have an issue.
• Be open minded and try all sorts of bikes, depending on the distance you need to travel, the terrain, the amount of stuff you have to carry etc. you might surprise yourself with what you like/don't when you actually try it.
• If you intend to use the bike for work consider things like security, how and where will you lock it, will you need to shower when you get there, can you leave changes of clothes in work or will you have to bring one each day, once you've considered all of that, think about whether a small backpack on your back will be sufficient or are you going to need something like panniers and a rack on the back to carry them.

For what its worth, I started by wanting a small hybrid type bike with a subtle but removable battery (so I could charge it at my desk in work). When I tried bikes at a few shops I realised from talking to the salespeople that stated ranges were with the bike in the most economic mode and with the hills I was going to be tackling these machines were no good.

So I tried a bigger bike which happened to have front suspension, I liked the comfort and upright position this bike gave me, I also noticed how little the wind mattered with the electric motor. I also noticed the motor cutting out above 25kph. These are all things you don't experience until you actually ride the bike. What has ended up happening is that I tend to stick to in or around the 25kph mark when cycling, so when the bike is free wheeling at 25+ down hill, I often won't pedal at all. When moving up hill I will wait until the speed drops to below 25kph and then pedal to keep it there, it sounds odd but sometimes it makes more sense to slow down to get the assist and be economical with your energy overall rather than always trying to go as fast as possible.

When I really started to think about how my bike was going to be used a rear rack seemed like a sensible addition, I started using a backpack, but have since bought a pannier. Weight of bike and components is less of a consideration on an e-bike than normal (unless you regularly need to lift your bike, up a stairs, into a car etc).

I bought a mid mounted bosch motored bike as the torque these motors provide beats the cheaper hub mounted devices on significant hills. If your commute is relatively flat, a hub motor may be sufficient but will have less torque.

Its enjoyable. You know those days where you'd like to out on the bike, but the thought of 'that hill', 'that wind' etc. keeps you on the couch, that is where an ebike really, REALLY shines. You could argue that I won't get as fit as if I was using a normal bike, but I'd argue if I was using a normal bike I probably wouldn't be out there at all. Some exercise is better than none at all and the fun side of cycling is enhanced.

I still have my road bike and I still intend to use it for sportives and weekend rides once the fitness returns, but as a workhorse to get me to and from work in a consistent and reliable way and carry all the bits and pieces I need for a day at the office and crucially build fitness with minimum risk of strain or injury I'd highly recommend it.

Hope this helps a few others.

fits

Any thoughts on this bike?

I haven’t tried it yet but will do so next weekend. I have tried a few others and this spec and motor seem good I want battery in frame

https://thompson-bikebuilder.be/en/product/altea-9spd/

Ferris

Seems expensive and thats with the 400wh battery. An equivalent Cube has the 500wh battery and a nexus hub and is cheaper.

Cube Supreme Hybrid One 500 Unisex Electric City Bike - Electric Bikes - Cycle SuperStore

Very difficult to beat Cube on price or spec if you're sticking to a proprietary system like Bosch.

If you wanted you could go for a Bafang (chinese but the largest manufacturer of ebike motors in the world) mid drive and an Irish company, Kuma bikes, sell this:

Kuma S1 (Mid-Drive) Step Through Electric City Bike 2022 - 360 Cycles

I had a look for my wife and its a nicely finished bike.

magicbastarder

similar to the cube Ferris mentioned, my wife has the predecessor to this, which is also a little cheaper and well built.

https://www.cube.eu/de-en/cube-touring-hybrid-pro-500-black-n-metal/631101

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651484#Comment_120651484

It is a 500 wh battery. And price I was quoted was slightly cheaper

I had looked at cubes but the shop I was in that sells them is a distance away. I’ll have a look closer to home again.

I should mention I live in a hilly area and hope to tow a 40 kg trailer. I won’t be doing very long rides with it though.

Ferris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651820#Comment_120651820

I have towed a trailer with two kids up a 12% hill near where I live and the bike did fine. My bike has a more powerful motor than any of the options here at 75NM but it was an extreme case. Generally I would imagine that any of the bikes here would cope well with hills / trailers.

getoutadodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651820#Comment_120651820

I have a 800 Watt battery (36 x 22). I calculate, after a year plus usage, that I get 70 Km range max. I notice the bike couriers double up on those same batteries to maximise range. Be aware that hilly terrain seriously depletes the battery quite quickly and so range will be far less if you are commuting thru hills. I noted manufacturers in the thread above claim 100K range for a 500 watt. I would be very skeptical of such claims. Range is the key attribute of any e bikes since to cycle them with an empty battery ...is hell. The 500 watt should be good for a 35 to 40 km round trip which covers most urban commutes

cullenswood

Would a 45km one way commute be feasible with a decent ebike?

I'd probably do it inbound one day and outbound another day, once a week.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120686395#Comment_120686395

For once a week it should be handy enough, especially in decent enough weather, you’re probably looking at about an hour and a half on the bike.

It’s the wet and cold days that’ll make it much more difficult for that kind of distance, but with proper wet gear and the ability to shower and change into dry clothes at your end point you should be fine

magicbastarder

in terms of battery capacity, should be fine - if you can charge it between each 45km cycle. 90km is usually about the upper range quoted for e-bikes, and then you're in economy mode rather than 'take me home, i'm tired' mode.

cullenswood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120686427#Comment_120686427

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120686492#Comment_120686492

Thanks, yeah would have access to showers, and be able to charge overnight etc.

It would be for a bit of extra exercise really.

An hour and a half would be grand actually, I was counting on two hours for that distance

magicbastarder

i'd say it'd be nearer the two hours - as the bike will probably top out at 25km/h for assistance.

DaveyDave

My bike has a smaller battery at 250whr, I can get 80km range at full power and I'm 110kg. Anyone who isn't a 6'4" Michelin man like myself will get even more range. I've also tweaked the software so the power comes on really aggressively which uses even more battery. My commute has a ton of traffic lights and a few long, gradual inclines that use assistance longer than it would on a few hills so that's worse case scenario range.

Since you can charge at your destination the battery shouldn't be a real concern. The only issue with that distance is if you couldn't charge you risk the battery running out on those days where the wind is against you and the motor will be working overtime

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120686515#Comment_120686515

Depends on the route obviously but if it’s mostly flat and there isn’t an awful lot of junctions etc, you’re probably looking at around 25km/h average speed (and that’d be a fairly conservative figure)