Buying an e-bike

[SexyGreyFox]

Most people have that opinion until they try one!

Me (6 years ago): I'm struggling on a normal bike now
Mate: get an e-Bike
Me: Sod off, that's cheating
Mate: How is it cheating unless you are in a race, is driving to work cheating? Is catching a bus cheating?
Me: Not for me thanks

4 weeks later having major problems and finds an e-Bike shop
Me: Have you got anything I can try please?
Owner: Yes, take that converted Trek out
Me (10 seconds into test): OMG, this is awesome

Hooked.
In the last 6 years I have never missed a day riding 4.5 mile to work no matter what the weather throws at me and last year I sold my car.
I'm never in a traffic jam and I'm never sweating unless I decide to lower the pedal assist or turn the electric off.

 

[Lakeland]

Me (6 years ago): I'm struggling on a normal bike now
Mate: get an e-Bike
Me: Sod off, that's cheating
Mate: How is it cheating unless you are in a race, is driving to work cheating? Is catching a bus cheating?
Me: Not for me thanks

4 weeks later having major problems and finds an e-Bike shop
Me: Have you got anything I can try please?
Owner: Yes, take that converted Trek out
Me (10 seconds into test): OMG, this is awesome

Hooked.
In the last 6 years I have never missed a day riding 4.5 mile to work no matter what the weather throws at me and last year I sold my car.
I'm never in a traffic jam and I'm never sweating unless I decide to lower the pedal assist or turn the electric off.

Great example.

Lots of people say don't try one unless you can afford to buy one! (it's not meant in a snobbish way)

 

[Pyr0m@nI@]{]

I have a friend who's cycled for years and has a couple of bikes. When he heard i was buying an ebike he couldn't understand why and was saying I should just get a normal bike.
He changed his mind when he tried it and now wants to get one too.

For me, it just makes the ride more enjoyable, especially riding up hills or off road. The lack of drag when riding over muddy or sandy ground is great as I can ride for miles and miles and not get worn out.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Here's another great example of 'cheating' on an e-Bike.
About a year after I had my e-Bikes my Brother in Law kept taking the pee so I gave him a challenge and he came down to my house on his £5,500 Cervelo road bike.
I told him to take his Cervelo down to the bottom of this road, cycle up to Bargain Booze and get a taste for how easy/hard it is - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9..._bbP4y5kQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

When he got to bargain Booze I was waiting with my Hybrid e-Bike and gave him the same instructions but to put the pedal assist on until it felt like his bike.
He got to the top and said he had it on assist 5 but it still didn't feel as easy as his Cervelo.
I'd now swapped his bike for my MTB and gave him the same instructions and he said it was hard work getting up the bank on pedal assist 5 on the MTB.
I turned to him and said "Well if your £5,500 Cervelo is easier to pedal up the bank than my two e-Bikes who is the one who's actually cheating?".
He's never mentioned it again.

 

[Lakeland]

Here's another great example of 'cheating' on an e-Bike.
About a year after I had my e-Bikes my Brother in Law kept taking the pee so I gave him a challenge and he came down to my house on his £5,500 Cervelo road bike.
I told him to take his Cervelo down to the bottom of this road, cycle up to Bargain Booze and get a taste for how easy/hard it is - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9..._bbP4y5kQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

When he got to bargain Booze I was waiting with my Hybrid e-Bike and gave him the same instructions but to put the pedal assist on until it felt like his bike.
He got to the top and said he had it on assist 5 but it still didn't feel as easy as his Cervelo.
I'd now swapped his bike for my MTB and gave him the same instructions and he said it was hard work getting up the bank on pedal assist 5 on the MTB.
I turned to him and said "Well if your £5,500 Cervelo is easier to pedal up the bank than my two e-Bikes who is the one who's actually cheating?".
He's never mentioned it again.

That’s a good point, when I ride my super light carbon road bike it feels like ‘cheating’ compared to a normal mtb.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

That’s a good point, when I ride my super light carbon road bike it feels like ‘cheating’ compared to a normal mtb.

All my KOH's (King of the Hill) are still on my road bike

 

[Pyr0m@nI@]{]

I'll admit to being lazy lol

I just did a nice 35k ride across lots of different terrain today, including 'orrible clay like mud. There's no way I could have gotten across there without assistance or carrying the bike lol.
Needed a really good scrub afterwards though.
https://imgur.com/a/xPXEJ7W

 

[linford]

Standard Bafang BBS02 48v750w (new controller version, but with the markings sanded off and this stuck on) with a 42t chainring, 750c display and hydraulic brake sensors. No gear sensor as I'm using the SRAM EX1 groupset that's ok to shift under load.

Battery is a 52v13.5ah 700 wh unit from Luna Cycles. It's mounted via 5 stainless rivnuts inserted into the down tube and re-inforced tabs, although if I'm doing serious off-roading I can either use re-inforced rubber straps that wrap around the battery and down tube to tightly secure the pack or pop the pack in a ruck sack - I've made it so the battery connector is easily accessible - you can just see it behind the seat tube. At full front suspension compression, the front tyre clears the pack by 1cm if anyone was wondering.

hi this looks a great build, tempted to do a similar project of my own. I am Gt. m/c based could u please recommend where to buy the required parts and also would go for their own modified disc brake lever kit (less cabling) rather than the sensors ? ta

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Bloody battery has just failed on one of my bikes
Luckily I have two e-Bikes with identical parts except for the motor so I can switch around.

 

[Deleted member 66701]

hi this looks a great build, tempted to do a similar project of my own. I am Gt. m/c based could u please recommend where to buy the required parts and also would go for their own modified disc brake lever kit (less cabling) rather than the sensors ? ta

https://em3ev.com/store/

 

[Deleted member 66701]

ok I understand that and that's fine, and for me that is one of the two reasons why someone buys an e-bike.

The other reason isn't so.......nice shall we say With the exception of the above, unless you are just plain lazy and/or fat, I cannot remotely see why anyone would want one.

There's a third reason - they are more fun than unassisted bikes.

 

[Shadowness]

How is having a motor on the bike more fun?

Personally if I got to the top of a climb, or rode a particular trail really quick, it was because of me.....not because of a motor doing the hard bits for me.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

How is having a motor on the bike more fun?

Personally if I got to the top of a climb, or rode a particular trail really quick, it was because of me.....not because of a motor doing the hard bits for me.

You sound like me before I tried my first.
As soon as you get on one your whole thinking changes HOWEVER if you're doing it for fitness then your way is better.

 

[Outcast]

How is having a motor on the bike more fun?

Personally if I got to the top of a climb, or rode a particular trail really quick, it was because of me.....not because of a motor doing the hard bits for me.

But what if you're of an age or physique that "getting to the top under your own steam" would, quite literally give you a heart attack ?
What if you had a gammy knee or two ?
Or a million other reasons ?
As SGF states "You sound like me before I tried my first."

 

[TallPaul_S]

If I had the money to spend, I'd have an eMTB along with my regular FS mtb and gravel bike.

I definitely wouldn't ride it all the time, but for those days when you want a big ride, stick it in eco and smash out 30-40 miles in a few hours. Or, locally there's a few trails but the hill they're on is a right ******* of a climb, twice is all I can manage normally - with an ebike in turbo I'd get 5-6 runs, 3000ft+ of climbing.

Also, flat trail centres where keeping up a good speed to make them interesting is hard work, an emtb would make them fun.

 

[Lakeland]

 

[Kelt]

But what if you're of an age or physique that "getting to the top under your own steam" would, quite literally give you a heart attack ?
What if you had a gammy knee or two ?
Or a million other reasons ?
As SGF states "You sound like me before I tried my first."

That's why I'm looking at ebikes.

Not as young as I used to be, and my knees, particularly my left, are starting to give me some bother.

Came very close to buying a Scott that was on offer this Xmas.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I hope @Shadowness is now getting answers.

You have Pyr0m@nI@]{ above who went on a 35k ride that you definitely wouldn't be able to cycle.
Kelt above who wants to cycle but finding it hard because of his knees.
Tall Paul who has already identified what rides he would want to do.
I have a mate who used to be called Phil 'Speedy' Carr in his heyday because of his road biking and trophies. Him and his wife take their caravan out, park up and then cycle around the local area but this has not happened over the last few years because both of them have problems at age 71. I suggested e-Bikes last year and now they can explore the areas while having fun.

You now have to put all your thoughts about what you think bikes are for and put them to the side.
Somebody put an electric motor on one and now a market has sprung up with all different reasons for using one.
Tomorrow morning I will leave my house, cycle on 'safe' pavements, cycle lanes, paths etc and be parking my eBike right outside my office in 20 minutes.
If I took the car it would take me 20 minutes to get to the car park in heavy traffic and then a 20 minute walk to my office.
If I used a motorbike or scooter I would still end up in traffic and still couldn't park outside the office.
For me an e-Bike is one of the best things I've ever had for commuting.

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

Ok guys I'm keen to get an e-mtb as I need to get fit again and Epping Forest is less than 2 miles away so plenty of places to ride. Looking to spend between £1500 -2k max. Know nothing about them. A mate has the Specialised Turbo Levo Hardtail and loves it. Just out of my price range unless I look for a second hand one. All help/suggestions welcome.

 

[Shadowness]

@SexyGreyFox I am but I still dont get it personally.

Why can you not just cycle normally to work? Why do you need a motor on your bike?