Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
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DaveE128
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Joined: 26 Jun 2018, 4:09pm

Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by DaveE128 »

I'm looking into getting an e-bike for my commute.

The best route (12.5 miles each way) has some off-road sections (to avoid lengthy and hilly road detours - 16.5 miles total) that are body-batteringly rough on my current gravel-ish commuter bike and could get muddy. I need to carry up to about 6kg of stuff with me. I don't want to arrive totally plastered in mud if I can avoid it, and I'd prefer panniers to a rucksack for comfort.

The only bike I've found that seems to tick all the boxes for me is the Riese und Muller Delite:
https://www.r-m.de/en-gb/models/delite/

However I don't know whether it's available for a test ride anywhere in the UK, I'm not sure I need a second battery and it certainly isn't cheap.

Anyone got a good suggestion for mudguards and carrying luggage on a Haibike Sduro full seven 3.0?
https://www.haibike.co.uk/gb/en/ebikes/ ... 4540150940

I wondered about a seatpost-mounted rack? (eg https://www.tredz.co.uk/.RFR-Seatpost-C ... 212796.htm ) I figured with full suspension and well under 10kg load, a rack like this should be able to deal with the shocks ok and my stuff should get a smooth enough ride. I don't know how much wheel travel the Haibike has, so whether clearance would be ok. I can't figure out how to do mudguards though... Most MTB mudguards approaching full length that I can find are for 26" wheels.

Thanks for any suggestions!
reohn2
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Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by reohn2 »

In your position I'd be tempted by the R&M Cruiser:- https://www.r-m.de/en-gb/models/cruiser/ with a decent mudflap on the front and a better suspension seatpost such as the CaneCreek ST it seems quite a capable machine for the job.The Delite is overkill unless the off road bits of your commute are really heavy MTBish tracks.
The Cruiser is half price of the Delite too.
Last edited by reohn2 on 14 Mar 2019, 4:16pm, edited 1 time in total.
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loafer
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Joined: 16 Jan 2007, 12:04pm
Location: newton aycliffe county durham

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by loafer »

hi dave
how far away from York are you ..I test rode my r+M charger at https://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/yorkstore they had one of those in as a demo bike almost went for that model but was a little overkill for the cycling I will be doing ...lol they haave other branches alsp Bristol- Cambridge- Oxford- london
Mark R
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Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 7:41pm

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by Mark R »

Maybe a Moulton TSR would fit the bill?

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velorog
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Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 8:50pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by velorog »

Mark. That is a very neat TSR conversion that you have. I have an APB that I have considered converting. Could you give us some further details of the set-up, maybe on a different thread. Did you convert it yourself, which motor, battery etc. Thanks.
DaveE128
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Joined: 26 Jun 2018, 4:09pm

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by DaveE128 »

Interesting suggestion. I have a non electric Birdy so have some experience of suspended small wheels. The handling of the birdy off road isn't great, or I'd consider converting that! I think it's the downside of the anti dive folding fork.

Not near York, might be worth a trip to one of their other locations - thanks for the tip!
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Mick F
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Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by Mick F »

Mark R wrote:Maybe a Moulton TSR would fit the bill?
Nice conversion. Looks great! :D

I see that the front mudguard hasn't broken yet.
They need a second pair of stays. Do it, before it breaks. Wish I'd known about the poor design before mine broke, and I understand it's a common problem.
Mick F. Cornwall
Mark R
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Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 7:41pm

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by Mark R »

Ha - I wish! I'ts a lovely looking bike but its not mine.
Mark R
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Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 7:41pm

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by Mark R »

I think if I was converting a Moulton i'd go for a crank drive set up. That way all the extra weight would be sprung.
ShaunD
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Joined: 23 Sep 2017, 10:38am

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by ShaunD »

Hi, did you purchase the RM? There is a Cube Allroad in various guises which would appear to satisfy all your needs from scratch?
DaveE128
Posts: 25
Joined: 26 Jun 2018, 4:09pm

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by DaveE128 »

No, still looking for a good ebike. My fitness has improved but I'm still finding the ride home is taking a lot out of me - there are two off road ~15% hills that are slightly rough and a reasonable length. I'll look into the Cube all-road, it looks like it could be an option. One thing I'm concerned about is the laptop getting battered around in the pannier. It's survived so far... I'm loathed to use a backpack if I can avoid it. I wondered about plus tyres but suspect they will bounce a lot unless the pressures are as high as normal tyres, negating the benefit :(
loafer
Posts: 545
Joined: 16 Jan 2007, 12:04pm
Location: newton aycliffe county durham

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by loafer »

hi dave

The only bike I've found that seems to tick all the boxes for me is the Riese und Muller Delite:
https://www.r-m.de/en-gb/models/delite/

However I don't know whether it's available for a test ride anywhere in the UK, I'm not sure I need a second battery and it certainly isn't cheap.


if your close to York they have one for test rides almost got the same but went with the supercharger instead (I not need full suss)

https://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/yorkstore they may have one at their other stores give them a call I found john very helpful :D
DaveE128
Posts: 25
Joined: 26 Jun 2018, 4:09pm

Re: Commuting e-bike - suspension, panniers and proper mud guards?!

Post by DaveE128 »

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions on this, the Riese und Muller Delite would have been great but just couldn't justify the cost, so settled on a hard tail in the end. The Trek Powerfly Sport comes with mudguards and rack and has been excellent apart from a dodgy back hub bearing design that caused me to replace the wheel eventually, and rubbish damping on the suspension fork which spikes terribly on high speed compression.
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