ebike for Fred that looks "cool" :))

[Kev45]

So Fred, you are talking about buying a fat tyre ebike, similar style to this one, with a £1,000 budget cap.



Unfortunately, for £1,000 you won't get much ebike for your bucks, engine wise, and of course ultimately the reliability of that engine and trust me they are barstewards to peddle five miles home if the engine goes.

Halford's sell these in various colours for £1,000.



You said 'looking good was important' and while the Halford's model isn't a Brad Pitt, it is 'cool' enough imo. The spec is just so so, it's a budget bike, but for £1,000 that's all it is going to be anyway. You will get more utility out of a hardtail eMTB than the style you want and while Halfords isn't to everyone's taste it is always best to buy locally on a strict budget in case anything goes wrong with the engine and so easier to get fixed etc.

Plus, the overall Halford warranty is decent.

Personally, I would pay more for a decent mid-drive engine, and currently Bosch leads that field (arguably) in the ebike world and for £2,000 you would get a better all round specced bike and engine albeit still a budget ebike.

If you need any more help, don't be afraid to ask hun bun xxx

(Edited, based on new ebikes not second hand mwahhh).

 

[Dropship]

..trust me they are barstewards to peddle five miles home if the engine goes..

As a matter of interest why?
I used to pedal 12 miles a day to and from work on my non-e-bike 50 years ago.
And in my cycle-touring days I once pedalled 800 miles from Leicester to Paris and back over 8 days..

Below- my bike in Amiens (top), and in Paris (bottom)


Me in my cycling glory days-

 

[Kev45]

As a matter of interest why?

Because the actual physical bike (crank) doesn't completely disengage from the engine, and therefore there is drag, and it is like cycling through treacle. The emtbs weigh up to 25 kilos and a good chunk of older people using them, such as Fred and I, are doing so because we are recovering or have existing health issues.

But that's the pleasure of emtbs, the mobility it affords an individual who otherwise would not have it.

 

[Dropship]

Because the actual physical bike (crank) doesn't completely disengage from the engine, and therefore there is drag..

Sounds like a design flaw then, because if the engine can't be disconnected from the crank the rider won't be able to pedal on to his destination..
PS- So presumably if you come to a downhill section, the engine can't be switched off to save the battery because it'll be dragging on the crank?
Do you still have to keep pedalling if you can't freewheel?

 

[Kev45]

Sounds like a design flaw then

No. I am talking about mid-drive hub motors on an eMTB, it may well be different with others (back/front wheel), I don't know.

if the engine can't be disconnected from the crank the rider won't be able to pedal on to his destination..

Of course, you can pedal but like I said it is like wading through treacle, resistance due to the hub motor, much bigger tyres and weight of the bike etc. Think of it like riding an acoustic racer bike uphill in a high gear. Now, that won't be as much a problem for fitter riders, it is doable, but for everyone else it is or could be a problem over longer distances.

So presumably if you come to a downhill section, the engine can't be switched off to save the battery because it'll be dragging on the crank?

The engine doesn't engage unless you strike the pedals, so downhill it switches off into idle mode if you like, automatically, anyway.

You can't pedal faster downhill with the engine on because ebikes are speed restricted.

Do you still have to keep pedalling if you can't freewheel?

You can freewheel just like an acoustic bike with the engine on or off.

The engine only engages when you strike the pedal.

The bikes are great fun btw, there are some really steep hills where I live that a fit person would struggle with, so just imagine a chubby unfit guy (me) breezing up them, past much fitter riders, on an eMTB.

They are the future.

 

[Dropship]

Are e-scooters as good as e-bikes?