Electric bikes

Thanks all for good ideas - Some more investigation needed methinks. Err New page fail

Any recommendations for folding electric bikes that are under £1,200 or so and don't weigh a ton? Does such a thing exist?

doubt it

On the previous page I mentioned Swytch, it’s a front wheel replacement that’ll work on a wide variety of bikes.

Cheers. There's not an existing bike for this to go on though, and I don't think there are any lightweight folding bikes out there for £600 or so.

lightweight folding bikes out there for £600 or so.

You could get something like a used Dahon?

Or a second hand Brompton plus a Swytch

https://www.swytchbike.com/p/swytch-ebike-conversion-kit-for-brompton/

Bike Shack in Leyton might be worth talking to if you can get over there, they seem to be churning out conversions for the Deliveroo crowd

I'd prefer new and available off the shelf (it's not for me so I don't want to get involved with conversions and stuff).

Quite tempted by the swytch and brompton idea for myself though.

Incredibly easy to set up the Swytch.

R.Hobbs or whatever he's called now on here put me off the Swytch a couple of years ago. *
Something to do with the number of people with missing front teeth he'd had in the shop.

I did have a demo ride on a Brompton out at Swytch Hackney Wick HQ.

• in the Brompton outed thread.
  https://www.lfgss.com/comments/15054023/
  

Orbea seem to do fairly good ‘it’s not really an ebike’ road bikes that would work for my commute. Has anyone used one? I’ve read mixed views on the motor they use but local shop is Orbea dealer so it’s tempting

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Probably not easy enough for my mum who has no knowledge of bike maintenance to set up though I'd guess.

And @not4sale, right then, I've only seen it used on 559 and 622 rimmed bikes.

I've ridden a friend's from Old Street to Highgate to try it out. I enjoyed riding it and it is on my list of possibles if I ever get an ebike. Don't think that one has rack mounting holes which puts me off though.

My Missus wants an e-bike but even with C2W she doesn't want to spend much.
My dream bike for her was a Ribble Urban AL e but 2499£ (even if C2W) aren't a thing for her...so we were looking to some shayte on halfords.

These https://www.halfords.com/bikes/electric-bikes/carrera-subway-e-womens-electric-hybrid-bike-2.0---14in-16in-frames-445966.html seems to be very basic but her commute is 6 miles total and the hospital where she's working has a very bad reputation thieves-wise.

Are we missing the point?

Looks fine to me for that money. Take battery off when locking and there is VERY little incentive to steal it. Those batteries are about 400 quid.

Same thought, thanks amey

a Ribble Urban AL e

This is better:

yep agree.
her idea is: if we spend ££££ I don't wanna see the battery (so ribble), if we are spending ££ I don't care how it looks like (halford)

I would speak to your dealer about their experience. The X35 motors are good when they are working, but are quite sensitive and can throw up error codes which brick the motor. All warranty and service is done through Orbea rather than direct with ebikemotion so it will depend how well trained / willing / well stocked the Orbea service is as to whether the whole system becomes a pain.

Beware of swytch, on regular hybrids they are OK, they are well enough made, good enough instructions and seem to be reliable (so long as not DOA).
But on folding bikes, jesus, just avoid in my extensive recent experience.

Loads of them for Brompton (and the other popular folder, Dahon?) have been shipped with front axles way way too short for safe usage, their 'fix' for the actual axle being too short is to use dangerously undersize and substandard fasteners. Note also Brompton do not condone use of anything but their own add e system, I think the front part of the frame and the fork are different for e bike variants (much beefier), as the classic style fork leg brazed into cast crown is NOT up to the job of resisting the forces from a front wheel hub motor.

There have been issues, there have been accidents (though when something is not manufactured right and 'passed qc', its not really an accident, its a court case) and there will be more.

As for deliveroo riders, yeah bound to happen. Many are riding legit e bikes (and then hacked), others just put together some far east express parts and use a hand throttle. That part of it isn't the worst. Its the absolute POS bikes they fit them to that don't have brakes capable of stopping very well even when new (£89.99 of argo's finest with a £600 500w kit attached with zip ties). Regularly get them in the shop with punctures, but unless they commit to £££ brake upgrades and maintenance I have to turn them away, otherwise it can become my liability for enabling them to ride a bike with actually no brakes.

Many of the legit riders who used to use scooters/motorbikes gave up and went to ebikes, as the cost of legitmate businesses hire + reward insurance for the job is in the £1500-3200pa range, motorbike theft is high and in the UK there is a serious shortage of good and affordable MC mechanics, so their bikes often become total deathtraps (that thankfully the UK MOT system mostly weed out).

Thanks, in-depth rebuttal!
As I mentioned, I’ve only seen it used on 559 622 wheels where it has performed admirably. I agree that the bike that the drive is fitted to needs to be robust and have decent braking power and reliability.

Interesting to see VanMoof reducing a bike and pushing for liberalising speed restrictions on ebikes. I definitely see a place for ebikes in transport infrastructure but concerned that liberalising laws will make pedal powered bikes feel marginalised in a space that was originally designed for them

https://www.theverge.com/22722099/vanmoof-v-electric-bike-price-specs-date-preorder

Wow! Fuck that.

37mph is an insane speed for any bike being ridden outside of controlled conditions to be going, and pairing that speed cap with the fact that your average eBike enjoyer isn't usually well-versed in proper safety or cycling etiquette, it only seems like a matter of time before someone riding this new VanMoof seriously injures themselves and/or someone else just trying to get to work on a local path.