Thinking of getting ebike...

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)

fits

Currently thinking of getting this bike with 500 wh battery. The 28” wheel version.

https://gepida.com/webshop/electric-bicycle/30221445-46a-bonum-edge-nexus-8-26

but also considering this as it’s on sale.

https://www.giant-dublin.ie/ie/amiti-eplus-1-electric-bike-2021

I suppose everyone will think I should get the giant/liv. Opinions welcome.

maddladd

Hi all.

Some great info on this thread re e bikes, looking at getting one for myself, won't be doing huge mileage it will be for leisure use and cycling with kids to school/town etc. Have a long term illness so can't use normal bikes as much any more and also live in a very hilly part of west Cork with rough road surfaces. Any recommendations on bike shops and/or suitable bikes in Cork that supply e bikes appreciated. Thanks

fits

Just an update here. I don’t know if I wasn’t being taken seriously but two bike shops couldn’t seem to get in what I wanted so I took my business to Dublin and got a cube supreme hybrid. Good geometry for me with old shoulder injury and enough oompf to tow the trailer in the hills around here. It was expensive and a lot of bike for me but happy with it so far.