e bike for work

ssmith6287

before people start yelping at me. I suffered a fairly bad knee injury about 2 and a half years ago which makes it get extremely sore and inflamed after small amounts of exercise.

We have 2 cars in the house, I live about 6 miles from work, its the only time my car gets use, so im thinking my car is a waste of money. thinking of getting rid of it and buying an ebike. Reason I'm not using my standard push bike is there are quite a few tough hills and my knee simply locks out so it's not feasible. Can anyone with experience recommend 1. Im a heavy bloke, played rugby most my life, I have an engine but thanks to my knee I have been dormant for close to 3 years. looking to introduce myself to a low impact form of exercise that doesn't revolve around me dodging kids bombing into a swimming pool, hopefully if improvements are made I will go back to the pushbike.

been looking at this 1. https://eurocycles.com/raleigh-strada-large-ts-electric-bike-green/ . if anyone knows anything about it id love to know

privateBeavis

I bought e-bike from these guys:
http://greenaer.ie
You can go test out of few of their bikes see how your knee fares.

I'm on my second e-bike now, first one was cheaper model (sub 1,000) and had it for about 5 years. had to replace good few parts in that time (including the battery which was about 400).

This time I paid more (around 3k) and I only have it about a year and all well so far!

I was considering getting a motorbike after the first one but with running costs of motorbike and having to get a license was cheaper/better to stick with electric bike plus still get some exercise with an e-bike!

ssmith6287

how would they fare with around 20 stones on the saddle?

mloc123

What kind of speeds can you average on these? How long is a piece of string I guess, but for the same effort as cycling at 25pkh what will an e-bike return?

ED E

Barnacules is about your weight and is a real proponent of them (ignore the specific bike in this video).

Depending on the grade of the hills in question the weaker models may leave you a tad lacking.

ssmith6287

jesus them tyers are wider then my cars

schemingbohemia

Have an A2B Ferber bought from http://www.cyclebike.ie/ it's great. I would have been around 18 stone when first using it now 15.5. Mine would be longer journey. Just remember you will still be putting some pressure on your knee but it's more a steady pace than pure effort.

ssmith6287

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Have an A2B Ferber bought from http://www.cyclebike.ie/ it's great. I would have been around 18 stone when first using it now 15.5. Mine would be longer journey. Just remember you will still be putting some pressure on your knee but it's more a steady pace than pure effort.

That's the hope, I want to exercise it but I know the limits, if I had a pushbike Id simply have to get off and walk it up 1 of the hills

iwillhtfu

ssmith6287 wrote: »

before people start yelping at me. I suffered a fairly bad knee injury about 2 and a half years ago which makes it get extremely sore and inflamed after small amounts of exercise.

Terrible you feel the need to justify this. I think e bikes are great things altogether. Depending on your budget and desire I'd get a mtb model as you can take in some forest trails tow paths etc.

More power to you. Be sure to get a rear wheel drive one as the front wheel drive ones arent great from reports I've read.

They're limited to 25km/h which in some instances can be bypassed but it's more than fast enough to be honest.

ssmith6287

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Terrible you feel the need to justify this. I think e bikes are great things altogether. Depending on your budget and desire I'd get a mtb model as you can take in some forest trails tow paths etc.

More power to you. Be sure to get a rear wheel drive one as the front wheel drive ones arent great from reports I've read.

They're limited to 25km/h which in some instances can be bypassed but it's more than fast enough to be honest.

Ah personally I wouldn't have taught anything of it. Just any of the other forums ive been looking at anybody talking about ebikes are being made out to performing witchcraft. I could prob stretch to about 1700. like i said its a replacement for my car so itd pay for itself in a year. think i can get 1000 tax free on the bike to work scheme too. chances of me doing trails and stuff are extremely slim. just want to make sure things like the pedals are strong and the motor is relaiable

shawnee

If it gets one back cycling then go for it. I had given up cycling for medical reasons 5 years ago but bought an e bike recently and am really enjoying it. The e just kicks in on the hills so I still get exercise and plenty fresh air.

TitianGerm

A local company to me is launching their electric bike range in the coming weeks.

They currently have electric motorbikes and are expanding the range to include standard bikes.

Volt Motorcycle is the company and Lizard Bikes will be the brand name of the bikes.

The fully road legal bike will do 30 kph but they also have a non road legal opinion that will do 70 kph

tomasrojo

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Terrible you feel the need to justify this. I think e bikes are great things altogether.

Yeah, so do millions of people around Europe. Good option for a lot of people.

homer911

I have Lapierre overvolt shaper (commuter ebike). I was also well over 17 st when I started and would never have got back in the saddle without it. Got mine from cyclesuperstore in Tallaght


Would recommend commuter bike over mtb if you are not going off road - lower friction and better range


Also be sure to get a center mounted motor with power to the rear wheel via the chain. I think wheel hub-mounted motors are a problem - you generally find them on cheaper bikes for a reason


The TranzX system or the Bosch system https://www.bosch-ebike.com/ are fitted in many bikes and provide great service. Also get a bike with disc brakes!

homer911

mloc123 wrote: »

What kind of speeds can you average on these? How long is a piece of string I guess, but for the same effort as cycling at 25pkh what will an e-bike return?

Hard to quantify as ebikes are heavy and almost impossible to ride without the battery. Lets just say that on uphill stretches I can keep pace with and pass out guys/gals on their flashy road bikes!

Tenzor07

Nothing wrong with ebikes for commuting, I mean it's only getting from A to B after all!
And I see E-mountain bikes are getting more popular for downhillers, so they don't need an uplift van or truck....

Also noticed a lot of them in GC last winter, mostly older folks or less fit people keeping up with their fit cycling buddies...


Having said all that.... ;-)

ssmith6287

in fairness in them pictures it looks like the ebike was bought for different reasons then I would be looking at it

homer911

Looks like he stopped a lot more than regular cycling! either that or its a great ad for how effortless ebiking is!!

Lumen

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Terrible you feel the need to justify this

It's not really surprising that people who are enthusiastic about self-propelled cycling are negative about the use of motors.

For most people on many shorter commutes, particularly in a flat city like Dublin, a regular bike is much cheaper and simpler, and not much slower. Unless you have a particular disability (like the OP here, although hopefully it is temporary) e-bikes are really not necessary.

They're also very expensive and very stealable. Bicycles are not very easy to insure outside of the home.

ssmith6287

Im on the waiting list for surgery. knowing our health service id say id get my moneys worth. has anyone any opinions on the link i posted originally

Lumen

ssmith6287 wrote: »

has anyone any opinions on the link i posted originally

https://electricbikereview.com/guides/ebike-mid-drive-motor-comparison/

" TranzX motors may also be found on Raleigh and Diamondback ebikes. Unfortunately, I have heard from users and some dealers that the TranzX system is also susceptible to a complete unit failure if used for heavier loads and climbing. I’m not sure exactly what the issue is but it sounds unrepairable and complete units have had to be replaced in many situations"

iwillhtfu

Lumen wrote: »

It's not really surprising that people who are enthusiastic about self-propelled cycling are negative about the use of motors.

For most people on many shorter commutes, particularly in a flat city like Dublin, a regular bike is much cheaper and simpler, and not much slower. Unless you have a particular disability (like the OP here, although hopefully it is temporary) e-bikes are really not necessary.

They're also very expensive and very stealable. Bicycles are not very easy to insure outside of the home.

It may not be surprising but it's utter bull ****. Never and I mean never judge another. People automatically assume these are mobility scooters for fat over weight people where in reality they're a great inbetween for those that aren't regular cyclists or those more interested in just getting out. Another elitist off shoot of cycling I despise to be honest.

Generally self propelled bikes will be faster as ebikes are limited anyway but I'd never begrudge someone using or looking for an ebike. I'd actually like to take one for a spin myself some day.

Lumen

iwillhtfu wrote: »

It may not be surprising but it's utter bull ****. Never and I mean never judge another. People automatically assume these are mobility scooters for fat over weight people where in reality they're a great inbetween for those that aren't regular cyclists or those more interested in just getting out. Another elitist off shoot of cycling I despise to be honest.

I'm judging nobody, but who are you to tell me who I can and can't judge?

We make judgements about other people all the time. It's human.

Having opinions is not elitism.

iwillhtfu

Lumen wrote: »

Who are you to tell me who I can and can't judge?

I'm clearly a person that's telling you that you should never judge others.

Lumen wrote: »

Having opinions is not elitism.

No but passing ill comment on another is being a dick.

Lumen

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I'm clearly a person that's telling you that you should never judge others.

No but passing ill comment on another is being a dick.

You're the only one doing that in this thread.

iwillhtfu

Lumen wrote: »

You're the only one doing that in this thread.

I'll leave it there, my kids would pay better attention.

You have a good night now.

Apologies for dragging thread off topic OP good luck with your bike purchase.

homer911

Lumen wrote: »

https://electricbikereview.com/guides/ebike-mid-drive-motor-comparison/

" TranzX motors may also be found on Raleigh and Diamondback ebikes. Unfortunately, I have heard from users and some dealers that the TranzX system is also susceptible to a complete unit failure if used for heavier loads and climbing. I’m not sure exactly what the issue is but it sounds unrepairable and complete units have had to be replaced in many situations"

Great set of reviews, thanks for posting

Duckjob

Lumen wrote: »

It's not really surprising that people who are enthusiastic about self-propelled cycling are negative about the use of motors.

For most people on many shorter commutes, particularly in a flat city like Dublin, a regular bike is much cheaper and simpler, and not much slower. Unless you have a particular disability (like the OP here, although hopefully it is temporary) e-bikes are really not necessary.

With due respect, I think you're completely missing the real point of ebikes.

As the regular user of both a road bike and an ebike, the main benefit of an ebike isnt getting somewhere quicker, it's getting there with less effort and less hassle. In my last job I did a near 25km commute to work. I could do that on my ebike without having to worry about -
- having time to cool down + shower when I arrive
- having to carry changes of clothes
- having to keep additional footwear at the office because I can't spend the day clomping around work in cycling shoes
- boil-in-a-bag symdrone having to do a long commute in raingear

With my ebike, I could arrive in from my commute fresh and if I wanted to I could push on for exercise on the way home.

I own both a road bike and an ebike and I love them both. I use my road bike when I really want to exercise and burn off energy. There's nothing I love than the deep chilled out feeling I get after a good spin out on the road bike. But if I want to get from A to B quickly with with no hassle, it's my ebike all the way.

They're also very expensive and very stealable. Bicycles are not very easy to insure outside of the home.

Ebikes are expensive it's true. But not so much when you consider their utilization as an alternate transport that can easily replace annual commuter costs. A battery charge on most modern ebikes costs around 5-7c.

As for them being easily stealable, display/control units on most ebikes are removable, as is the battery. An ebike with no control unit/battery simply wont have any assistance, and what the thief is left with is a heavy lump of ***. Not a very attractive proposition for a thief looking to make a quick buck.

rubadub

Lumen wrote: »

It's not really surprising that people who are enthusiastic about self-propelled cycling are negative about the use of motors.

I find it ironic & amusing that the people I see most opposed to them, and consider them "cheating" or being "lazy" etc, are often the same ones spending huge amounts of money on frames/wheels/components which weigh a few grams less to improve their own efficiency -to make their own journey or speeds a bit easier to achieve. Cycling flimsy bikes on the road which feel every little bump and be fcuked if they hit a pothole or kerb.

Duckjob wrote: »

With my ebike, I could arrive in from my commute fresh and if I wanted to I could push on for exercise on the way home.

+1 on most decent ones you can set the level of assistance, so you can certainly get exercise if you want, it is very versatile, like a gym machine with different settings or just a barbell you can add/remove weights on, you can arrive sweating like a mad man or not a bother -your choice.

On the lowest setting it would take more effort to cycle than a light roadbike (you know -those efficient bikes only bought by lazy feckers who can't cope with a hybrid or MTB ).

Because they are such a joy to use many would be out on them more anyway.

Duckjob wrote: »

I could do that on my ebike without having to worry about -
- having time to cool down + shower when I arrive
- having to carry changes of clothes
- having to keep additional footwear at the office because I can't spend the day clomping around work in cycling shoes
- boil-in-a-bag symdrone having to do a long commute in raingear

+1, you can also carry a lot in a bag and not notice it nearly as much. You can cycle out to an event/place in regular clothes rather than get a taxi, and carry several kilos of locks & chains too. The raingear is a huge plus, also the extra weight is very nice in windy weather, stay solid as a rock.

homer911 wrote: »

I have Lapierre overvolt shaper (commuter ebike). I was also well over 17 st when I started and would never have got back in the saddle without it. Got mine from cyclesuperstore in Tallaght

Would recommend commuter bike over mtb if you are not going off road - lower friction and better range

That "shaper" model has the bosch active motor, the performance bosch one is higher torque but usually only on the more expensive models. You can change the tyres on a MTB to slicks and lock out or lessen the suspension.

Lumen wrote: »

They're also very expensive and very stealable.

it would be a nightmare for a casual thief to cycle off on -as it would presumably have no power. The pro thief would know its going to cost the guts of 800 to replace the battery and computer on any of them -presuming they took them off, most would at least take the computer/speedo off.

Lumen

rubadub wrote: »

it would be a nightmare for a casual thief to cycle off on -as it would presumably have no power

Do they all have some sort of fob immobiliser or code?

homer911

Lumen wrote: »

Do they all have some sort of fob immobiliser or code?

No, they have a controller with a simple on/off switch. I remove the controller and battery on mine wherever I park it, including my shed.

New battery is about €550
Controller about €90
Charger about €50

Cant see a thief making that kind of investment to make it saleable..