Cycling UK Forum

What do people here think of this cheap E-Bike?

https://www.50cycles.com/westhill-link?utm_source=Main+50cycles+List+-+Toba+%26+Newsletter+Combined&utm_campaign=db70061e59-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_01_15_02_14_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d348b5c4ef-db70061e59-65863817&goal=0_d348b5c4ef-db70061e59-65863817

it isn't that cheap (shopping channel = £499 for a folding ebike ) so that's a plus. I'm wondering if it's based on a Tern (they call it "Link"). If so, that's another plus.

One thing about folding ebikes is that folders generally are supposed to be carried at some point (into a car, upstairs etc). They are usually in fact a bit heavy for most people but a folding ebike (18 kg) I would have thought is well outside people's capacity to lift it far.

I pinged that almost immediately.

18Kg?
I doubt Mrs Mick F could lift that, and it's supposed to be a folder ..................
......... and I quote ..............

It's perfect for completing your commute, keeping in your car boot or on standby in a motorhome or yacht.
Considering it only weighs 18kg, it's amazing what Westhill have packed into this compact folder.

Yes, it is amazing what they've packed into it.
Lead shot perhaps?

there'll be about 8kg of batteries and motor in there. The batteries will most likely be practically dead inside five years, whether you use them much or not. It will be uneconomic to buy new batteries, and the bike may not be any good as a bike without all the electric gubbins.

Result: A perfect 'consumer durable' i.e. that doesn't really work that well and isn't that durable, i.e. it will soon be landfill.

Scoreline: Planet = 0, Moneygrubbing planet killers = 1

depressing, ain't it...?

cheers

It looks like a Tern knock off,18kg is heavy for a folder

As an E bike convert for quite a few years, I am always surprised how many people, including cyclists think a bike is still the proverbial ten quid (as it was before the war).

Houses, cars, TVs and the like have perceived value over a bike ?

In my opinion, forget the £500 e bikes on the shopping channel. It is just far too little for something well designed, well specified and reliable in the longer term. Remember e bikes attract 20% VAT and tellingly a Nissan Leaf attracts a £5,000 subsidy as I understand it. No doubt about HM Government priorities then ?. The Leaf and others of it's kind
still emit 50% of the particulates of an internal combustion engine car, due to brake and tyre wear.

My usual rule of thumb was start looking from £1,000 upwards. That perhaps is more like £1,200, due to the weaker pound now and increased duties on Chinese made e bikes.

So the Westhill is about the right starting price. Money gives you choice, a Brompton e bike is going to be better made in every way.

If you have limited budget, a good second hand bike, would be my choice over a very cheap new e bike.

Steve Gray

Brucey wrote:there'll be about 8kg of batteries and motor in there. The batteries will most likely be practically dead inside five years, whether you use them much or not. It will be uneconomic to buy new batteries, and the bike may not be any good as a bike without all the electric gubbins.

Result: A perfect 'consumer durable' i.e. that doesn't really work that well and isn't that durable, i.e. it will soon be landfill.

Scoreline: Planet = 0, Moneygrubbing planet killers = 1

depressing, ain't it...?

cheers

One of the reasons I went for a retro fit motor. If the electrics die I still have a reasonable bike which can be restored to prefit state in a couple of hours.

SteveGray wrote:As an E bike convert for quite a few years, I am always surprised how many people, including cyclists think a bike is still the proverbial ten quid (as it was before the war).

If you have limited budget, a good second hand bike, would be my choice over a very cheap new e bike.

Folders themselves are intrinsically expensive (and heavy) so there is already a problem on price. In fact, folders are suspect from the start IMV in terms of longevity because of the proprietorial parts and aluminium weak points - but you do get the fold. If cheap electrics are a problem as well then you have double trouble plus twice the weight. And yet folding ebikes seem to be a must-have (fold + motor): although superficially attractive, they are unfortunate bedfellows. I agree with Oldjohnw that a retro-fit would be much better.

On another thread, we discussed the potential of folders and perhaps how under-utilised they are. But if this is the case, it makes one wonder how necessary a motor is for that quick run down to the shops. Of course, someone might be along in a moment to say how useful/reliable/long-lived their cheap folding ebike was but I reckon a comparison with taxi fares would be in order with the taxi coming out cheaper over the life of the bike.

Looks a bit like this one from Halfords...... Different brakes but with an extra gear (8 speed) and rack.
Probably be on offer sometime but cheaper at list price already.
Just as heavy though........
https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/ ... gJmS_D_BwE

A view on the bottom price point on an ebike from our shops is £1000 - £1200 - less than that and you're buying something that's going to be very heavy and have a poor quality/short-life battery.

The aside about the shopping channel ebike - someone brought one into my shop the other day wanting to trade it in as it was too big for her (bought it, didn't ride it and was out of time to return it) - truly the most awful bike I have ever seen ... ragged welds, hinges/locks didn't interface properly, what looked like plastic brakes and as for the weight . . . [We don't do trade-ins - she's going to try ebay and then come back and buy a proper machine that's the right size and of good quality]

Rob