New ebike advice please..

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

New ebike advice.

Post by jags »

Anyone riding the Raleigh motus grand tour ebike,,I'm seriously thinking of buying one in the next few months.cant do the cycling I used to do I have a bad back so I'm hoping the the ebike will solve that problem.
So are they worth the money .thanks

Jags.
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

New ebike advice please..

Post by jags »

Raleigh motus grand tour ebike anyone here riding one would you recommend it.
I'm hoping to get back in the saddle in the next few months after a long lay off because of lower back pain but hopefully the ebike will make cycling a lot easier especially on hills.
I reckon the eco mode is useless so on sports mode and hills what can in miles can I expect to get.

Cheers
Jags
hemo
Posts: 1438
Joined: 16 Nov 2017, 5:40pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by hemo »

Eco is for easy flat terrain, it's use will max out the range for longer rides. Eco will give useful power for this type of riding.
You may well get more answers on pedelec uk forum as there are a few users of the bike there.
stodd
Posts: 705
Joined: 6 Jun 2018, 10:24am

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by stodd »

We've got a 2nd hand Motus (2016 step through hub gear) and find it excellent.
Range depends a lot as said on the kind of terrain and the kind of riding/assist, and of course battery capacity.

https://www.bosch-ebike.com/en/service/range-assistant/ will give a very good idea of what range you can expect in different situations.
Also pretty useful for non-Bosch bikes with a little interpretation.
In particular it is useful to see the difference between 'up to' and 'real' range.
If I put in our usage and local terrain it gives a fairly realistic just over 30 miles on 'tour' setting.
Set it to 'flat' and 'eco', 'good road surface' etc and it leaps to over 90 miles (which is what lots of sellers might advertise as 'up to').

I reckon we get 30-35 miles on 'tour' mode (400wh battery), matching what the assistant suggests.
I think a bit less now that the battery is no longer new, and it's winter.
It would be maybe 25 miles or so on 'sport'.
I often ride on eco even on hills, gives useful boost but leaving need for lots of work/exercise from me.
On hills eco about cancels out the extra weight over a regular lightish hybrid.

p.s. We chose the Motus because it was what was (1) available as (2) step through with (3) hub gears.
If we had had freer choice we would probably have gone for a Cube.
Given what we know now I'd probably go for a bike from the likes of Woosh, Juicy of Wisper.
(Cheaper initial cost, much lower long term cost allowing for battery replacement and possibility of really expensive Bosch repairs)
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by jags »

thanks for replys.
Stodd i never heard of those bikes Woosh juice or whisper.
i did fancy big time the cube but its out of my price range .
my cycling routes are rolling lot flat lot of drags and can come acoss steep hills but never to long.
but i'd like to think i could ride 40 miles no problem,now i've never riden an ebike so am i expecting to much from it on a good day ride.
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by jags »

just had a look at those other bikes very nice but i think ill still go for the raleigh motus at least i have back up from store in ireland .
and with brexit i would be paying hundreds more on dutyif i bought online from the uk. :( :( .

thanks as long as i know the motus is a good quality bike im happy enough.

jags.
freeflow
Posts: 1634
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 1:54pm

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by freeflow »

I think a more pertinent point us getting some understanding of the cause of your bad back and through that clarity on whether bike riding will be helpful or not.
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by jags »

I've been cycling most of my life last tour I done was with my buddy bikepacker but pain was so bad I had to abandon tour.i have lump on bottom of my spine,I'm fine walking and cycling on the flat but the hills kill me.
I have my old Raleigh set up for turbo and I do the odd night ride on it.
But yeah I want to get back to nice day rides 30to40. Miles rides .
bikepacker
Posts: 2273
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:08pm
Location: Worcestershire
Contact:

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by bikepacker »

freeflow wrote:I think a more pertinent point us getting some understanding of the cause of your bad back and through that clarity on whether bike riding will be helpful or not.


Just in case there are any doubters, on our last tour Jags was riding in considerable pain from his back. He was taking a maximum dose of painkillers just to keep going. I was concerned by continuing he may do further damage to his back, we both agreed he should stop riding.

Can't help you with the ebike though Jags, I am still too young for one of those. :wink: :wink:
There is your way. There is my way. But there is no "the way".
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by jags »

hah ha young at heart thats all that matters.
i'm still taking pain killers but look its the hills that kill me hopefully the ebike will flatten them out :D
i live in hope.
saudidave
Posts: 583
Joined: 16 Jan 2009, 12:22am

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by saudidave »

I have a Raleigh Motus Grand Tour bought new at xmas 2019.

It was atrociously assembled and I had many, many issues in the first 500-750 miles and also had to correct badly designed components. If I hadn’t been a competent bike mechanic I’d have given up on it. Mine is the nexus8 hub gear version with a 400 watt battery.

Once I’d sorted it out it became a brilliant machine and I’ve now done some 3000 miles on it. I’d go as far as to say it’s the best £2,000.00 I’ve ever spent. It’s comfortable, has a realistic range of 50-60 miles ridden in a mixture of eco and tour, and is just out and out fun. I’ve added a full set of Rixen and Kaul luggage, swapped the seat for a brooks B17, fitted ergo grips, Shimano double sided pedals flat/clip in, changed the tyres for Schwalbe Marathon plus, and also fitted a Thudbuster ST suspension seat post. I’ve also upped the gear ratios a tad as they were too low and I’ve installed a chain tensioner.

With hindsight I should have gone for a step thru and if the centros with integrated down tube battery had been available at the time I’d have got one of those instead.

How you can claim the eco mode is rubbish if you haven’t got one is beyond my comprehension but I can assure you it’s fine. I ride in it predominantly with maybe 20% use of tour. Sports and turbo I hardly ever use.

Final verdict; yes get one. Raleigh have now modified the mudguard bracket & fitted a chain tensioner which is essential on a hub version to avoid constant wheel adjustment. I do think I was unlucky with the assembly issue and it had obviously not been PDI checked.

Hope this helps, Dave
Last edited by saudidave on 11 Feb 2021, 9:54pm, edited 1 time in total.
richardfm
Posts: 963
Joined: 15 Apr 2018, 3:17pm
Location: Cardiff, Wales

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by richardfm »

bikepacker wrote:
freeflow wrote:I think a more pertinent point us getting some understanding of the cause of your bad back and through that clarity on whether bike riding will be helpful or not.


Just in case there are any doubters, on our last tour Jags was riding in considerable pain from his back. He was taking a maximum dose of painkillers just to keep going. I was concerned by continuing he may do further damage to his back, we both agreed he should stop riding.

Can't help you with the ebike though Jags, I am still too young for one of those. :wink: :wink:

I'm not sure that anyone was doubting that Jags has back pains, just saying that if he doesn't understand the cause of the pain he can't be sure that riding an ebike will alleviate it.
Richard M
Cardiff
Antbrewer
Posts: 179
Joined: 1 Jul 2016, 9:14am

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by Antbrewer »

As Freeflow and richardfm have already suggested the important point here is not to consider which ebike might help but to ascertain the cause of your back ache. It sounds concerning if you are taking a maximum dose of pain killers just to keep going.
Some time ago we had a similar post ( there have been a few) which I recall went on for a long run on the forum on this subject.
Back pain is something that most people suffer from at sometime in their lives. The cause can be simple and quickly solved however there are some causes that need addressing as soon as possible. With this wretched covid situation upsetting all our lives at the moment popping along to the GP isn't as easy as it was before the pandemic came along. If you haven't already Jags, from someone with a wealth of experience medically and also as a patient with a very serious cause of back issues I would urge you to find out the cause of your problem before spending money which might ultimately be a waste of money.
An ebike might seem to help initially (though it probably won't) but will maybe just hide the problem.
Sorry to sound so gloomy but cycling should as we know should be a joy. Having been where you are so to speak I urge you to think carefully.
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by jags »

thanks guys replys much appreciated.
well i was about to press the buy button last week on the grand tour but what do you think its gone up to 2650 euro thank you brexit .
shopped aroung and spotted the cube touring hybrid near enough same bike but 300 cheaper,and guess what cant be got for love nor money,
cube are having major problems waiting list up to 4 months.

i still fancy that raleigh grand tour tho ill wait until april see if everything calms down.

Dave if you spot this what do you reckon on te Raleigh motus tour crossbar.
https://eurocycles.com/raleigh-motus-to ... tric-bike/

its in my price range but if the grand tour is way better maybe its worth the wait.
thanks guys

jags.
btw i can ride on the flat even tho my back is sore but the hills kill me .
saudidave
Posts: 583
Joined: 16 Jan 2009, 12:22am

Re: New ebike advice please..

Post by saudidave »

Hi Jags

That bike is a lower spec than the grand tour, obviously aimed at those with a slightly lower budget. The grand tour now has a 500W battery and that one 400W, so a smaller range and it has the earlier active line motor, the Grand Tour the Active Line Plus

Mine has a 400WH battery as they did two years ago and it's OK with a realistic range of 40-60 miles in a mixture of eco and tour in the undulating terrain of Cheshire and I weigh14 stones. That said when I fully retire and have more time I intend to buy a 500 WH battery to supplement mine, for forays in to the Peak District, which is on my doorstep. Last spring I rode from my home in Poynton, Cheshire to Buxton via Marple and on the return leg I went down in to the Goyt Valley and watched the battery level dropping on the way out as I climbed in a mixture of sport and turbo. I just made it back home with 38 miles on the clock and the control panel showing 2 miles left. With the original 400 watt plus a new 500 watt I should have 80 miles plus available in hilly terrain without incurring range anxiety.

Whist the battery can always be upgraded or augmented the motor can't and whilst the Active Line Plus is slightly heavier then the Active Line it has 50N of torque whilst the basic Active line has only 40N. The Plus has less inherent pedalling resistance too, so a much superior motor.

On balance I'd say wait. There will be better deals out there when we get over the Brexit log jam, from Raleigh, Cube et al.

Edit 17th Feb:
I'm just back from a 14 mile ride around N.E. Cheshire on the Motus Grand Tour. The display said I had a range of 76 miles in eco mode when I set off and when I returned having used approx 20% tour and 80% eco mode, the display was indicating 63miles left in eco when I returned. It's been quite warm today, around 12°C which has helped . The Battery is now 26 months old so I'd expect at least another 5%-10% from a new one.
Last edited by saudidave on 17 Feb 2021, 5:16pm, edited 2 times in total.
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