OT: buying an electric bike for the missus

[Gazz]

The missus wants to get back into riding a bike, and as it's her birthday soon, i thought i'd get her an electric bike,

She's seen them in Germany and loved the idea, and particularly likes the dutch/german designs of bike, i.e. the classic style, step thru frame, pull back handlebars, sit up and beg riding style.

Wondering what peoples thoughts are on this style of electric bike, any owners on here??

i believe it's a 250 watt power limit to be used in the uk, and i am almost

100% sure i'd want to go for a lithium type battery... tho are there choices like li-ion, li-po, li-fe etc for bikes, and which would be the best compromise for cost, life and power.

we did see one in a shop in germany that seemed to meet all requirements (2 x lithium batteries, 10 gears, 26" frame etc, 650 euro's), except it made a big deal about a 75 kilo rider limit, the style of bike was aimed at middle aged house wife's i'd have said, and neither me or the missus have been 75 kilo's since our teens, (i'm around 115kg, and she's just, ahem, ever so slightly more :)

[Ericp]

I know nothing about electric but that style of bike was notorious for weight. You needed a lot of muscle to handle them and wasted energy in propelling them. Are they now made in lighter modern materials?

[David.WE.Roberts]

Have you looked at the possibility of getting a standard Dutch style bike (Giant do some nice ones) and adding the electrics?

Not sure about this 75 Kilo weight limit - have you been to Holland and looked at the Dutch? Some really big buggers out there.

Many years ago I followed a Dutch friend (female) around a supermarket in Holland. She was 6' 3" and I am only 6' so I had flash backs to following my Mum around when I was a kid. Scary!

uk.rec.cycling.moderated is a likely place to get expert advice.

75 kg is under 12 stone so that is most adults ruled out. Are you sure this isn't related to the electric motor, and how much it will push without pedal assistance?

As you are both the North side of 18 stone I suspect that you would need some pedal assistance to get the bike going and also up inclines, but I don't think Dutch bikes would balk at your bulk.

My Lady Wife and I both have Giant Dutch bikes and they are very comfortable and sedate - got a pair because although I like charging around with flats or drops she finds this uncomfortable so we go for a meander on the Dutch bikes or I bugger off on my own on one of the others. These have 7 speed hub gears which seem more than adequate.

So - a proper Dutch bike will carry your weight, no worries.

Electrics may not give you the assistance you expect, but there are quite a few people whizzing around on electric bikes here (Felixstowe) where it is nice and flat and they seem to do pretty well.

At the end, question I should have asked first. What exactly do you expect to get from an electric bike? Extended range whilst you build up fitness? Assistance up hills? What exactly do you expect to use it for? Short trips to the shops or extended rides in the country?

Cheers

Dave R

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Two years ago I put a 750W kit on my old Claud Butler - well worth it, now the knees are a bit fecked.

You'll find a mix of old women and more progressive types on there. If all you want is to go fast, look at

[WeeBob]

The site you want is:

Some years ago I ago, I bought a Kalkhoff Agattu. Not a cheap bike, and very much in the Dutch/German mode.

If there were nothing else on the road, I'd ride it to work every day. It is a well made, well designed, well engineered bike.

But sadly, riding a bike (powered or not) takes a special kind of courage. Suggest you have a few cheap day trips before making a large investment.

[Clive Page]

Have a look at the information here before buying anything:

[Bill]

In message , David.WE.Roberts writes

I've been listening to some Cajun music on internet radio recently. My daughter wants to know why every other song is about chickens, but this post reminded me of the first two lines of one of the current "hits" by, I believe, one Horace Trahan

"I don't like golf, I don't like swimmin' I just like chasing them big butt wimmin"

They never play quality material like that on the beeb.

[Theo Markettos]

They're worse if they've got a stonking great electric motor and battery attached too.

I've ridden an early 2000s version, which was about 30kg (NiMH battery). The worst time was dragging this home 3 miles through snow which was over the pedals.

The other thing to worry about is range and battery lifetime. A battery typically gets 500 cycles. If you commute (say 250 days/year) that's only 2 years before you need a new battery, and the range starts dropping off dramatically before then (think what happens to laptop batteries). Unlike a laptop, where a 5 hour battery now lasting for 3 hours is acceptable, if the range drops such that you can't do your commute then you need to buy a new battery (or recell the old one). So a battery is a consumable, and usually quite an expensive one. Budget £100-200 per year as a minimum service cost.

If you keep it in the shed and take it out occasionally, that's where NiMH wins. Lithium batteries will be dead after a few years even if you don't use them. But you don't get as good on-the-road performance.

Theo

[Gazz]

"David.WE.Roberts" wrote

That is an idea, guess i'll have to look into the costs of both,

I was thinking similar, most german blokes have 75 kilo's of beer belly alone :) , i guess if it was a cheapo chinkie bike made for their market, 75 kilo's is prolly good enough for two's up :)

assistance up hills and to help out whilst we get fit, i guess it's the fitness thing mainly, the missus has trouble walking very far, and can ride only a little further due to being unfit, so motor assistance will be there to help go further and hopefully not notice the exercise so much.

use would be mainly long-ish rides in the country, once we have built up better fitness locally, we would put it on the bike rack and drive somewhere nice, then go for a ride without getting too worn out,

[harry]

I know someone around 60 who has one. Lithium batteries, unbelievably small. Swears by it. You can get some now that recharge the battery by regeneration going down hills. More expensive but better range. You can buy a kit and fit it to a "normal bike" (Hub motor) I think the current ones only work if you actually pedal (safety thing).

I would worry about the traffic these days. Lotsa loonies about in cars/trucks.

[Geoff Pearson]

115kg =18 stone for those who can't find their calculator. I recommend bikes that have to be pedalled. Never mind li-po batteries.

[Brian Gaff]

Maybe the idea is that you eventually get down to the weight at wheich point the electic bit comes into play as a reward?

Brian

[RJH]

That's a fair weight for any bike - powered or otherwise. I'd suggest hiring for a day and taking advice from the hire shop. They often sell ex-hire too - the one near me does:

Have to say, the electric bikes look a hoot.

Rob

[Gazz]

Exactly, ATM the missus can go so far on her bike, but then sort of suddenly wears out, so it's hell getting back home, so the idea with the lecky bike is the motor can help so she's not so worn out on the way out and can make it back home easier, or she can pedal unassisted till she's knacked, then let the motor help on the way back.

the plan for me also is to be able to extend the distance every day/week, without noticing, and hopefully get fitter gently.

[Gazz]

Cheers, i spotted that last night, the monsal trail is about 20 odd miles from us, so a trip to the bike hire place and half a day on the lecky bikes is a must,

now if only i could find a place that hires lecky recumbents near to us, as that's the style of bike i rekon i'd get on with the best, it's mostly the back rest and more relaxed sitting position i want to try out, due to arthritis i find normal bikes painfull,

I know we are both lard arses, but not quite at the stage where i have to make up a Y seat post and fit 2 saddles side by side, one for each cheek.

[John Williamson]

Legal, I think. If it's not powered by pedals, it's a motor bike or moped, which needs an MOT, tax and insurance. If it's just helping the pedal power, it's not, so doesn't. I could be wrong, though....

[Theo Markettos]

Theo

[The Medway Handyman]

(i'm around 115kg, and she's just,

If you bought her a pedal bike, she might end up slightly less :-)

Not that I wish to encourage cycling.

[Geoff Pearson]

It would be a lot easier to just stop eating so much - that is how you lose weight. Exercise makes you feel good but you don't lose weight - compared to slackening off on the food. I swim a lot and the fat people zoom week after week along feeling good but remaining of battle cruiser bulk. They even drink at the end of a length - most people are gaining fluid by absorption when swimming and don't need to drink.

[RJH]

The trail is a nice place to pootle, outside weekends and holidays. Just be wary that the surface is made of reclaimed glass amongst other things. My partner came off and needed 12 stitches in her knee. Thick trousers . . .

Sounds good - wouldn't fancy one myself mind!

Good for you taking the initiative - best of luck. 'Hardy recreational' burns 500 calories an hour on a non-powered bike I gather. YMMV obviously.

Rob