Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
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brucecoull
Posts: 2
Joined: 10 Aug 2021, 3:26pm

Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by brucecoull »

Hi i am retiring at the end of the year and have decided to go for an electric bike.Will.mainly be for on the road trips into the countryside but would also like the ability to go on trails now and again.Am thinking about a Cube Hybrid pro 625,was also told Focus Jarifa 6.7 Nine was a good option would appreciate any advice.I stay in Angus so have a mixture of hills and flat roads. Thank you Bruce.
stodd
Posts: 709
Joined: 6 Jun 2018, 10:24am

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by stodd »

If you want a slightly more city oriented ebike that is still easily capable of simple trails look at the Raleigh Motus/Captus as well.

There is a lot to be said for rear hub ebikes. Much less transmission wear, simpler and ideal for commuting (which you won't be doing, but your riding will be similar to many commutes). The Bosch driven systems are mostly reliable but very costly if any repair is needed, and very costly for battery replacement. You can get a very enjoyable and much more than adequate bike for much less: something like https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?faro, https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?gran-camino or https://wisperbikes.com/shop/e-bikes/cr ... /905-2019/. Just as reliable and easier to fix if anything does happen.

You are quite likely to have a wait to find an available ebike.

If you've already got a suitable bike a conversion is worth considering. Likely to end up around £700 or a little less.
See https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/forums ... ussion.42/

For more advice: https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/forums ... -i-buy.40/
borisface
Posts: 360
Joined: 19 Feb 2010, 3:48pm

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by borisface »

Either of the bikes you mention would be fine, I'm sure. Cube have a massive range of e-bikes and are well though of. I did look into getting a Focus paralane e bike a few months ago but was put off by reports of quality control issues. The cube has a bigger battery (625 w/h vs 500 w/h) and so will give you a bigger range, you won't have to charge the battery as often, so in theory will last longer. The focus has better componentry and the gear changes might be a bit more slick, but it's probably marginal. I've got a couple of bosch powered ebikes and they are great. Bosch have a handy range calculator so you can work out the difference between the two battery sizes. https://www.bosch-ebike.com/en/service/range-assistant

Woosh get a lot of love on the pedelecs forum but can't comment as never seen/ridden one. They certainly are very good value, the customer service is supposed to be good and having mudguards etc a good idea. I might well be tempted to go down that route if I were in the market again.

However, getting hold of stock could be a real issue and so my level of desperation might sway my decision.
Nigel
Posts: 463
Joined: 25 Feb 2007, 6:29pm

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by Nigel »

brucecoull wrote: 10 Aug 2021, 3:46pm Hi i am retiring at the end of the year and have decided to go for an electric bike.Will.mainly be for on the road trips into the countryside but would also like the ability to go on trails now and again.Am thinking about a Cube Hybrid pro 625,was also told Focus Jarifa 6.7 Nine was a good option would appreciate any advice.I stay in Angus so have a mixture of hills and flat roads. Thank you Bruce.
"stay in Angus" - dig around the Cycling UK website and see if you have a cycling development officer working in the area - they've just appointed several to different rural parts of Scotland.
They might have loan bikes to try out, including electrics. The cycling development person in my area (Scottish Borders) has loan electrics available.


- Nigel
Antbrewer
Posts: 179
Joined: 1 Jul 2016, 9:14am

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by Antbrewer »

I friend of mine has just ordered the Orbea Vibe H30. Very light and reasonably high spec I think. Rear hub motor. Around £2400 approx depending on extras etc
Might be worth a look. In stock in various outlets too.
hemo
Posts: 1438
Joined: 16 Nov 2017, 5:40pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by hemo »

The good people at Woosh bikes (Southend) are suffering from very poor stock levels, containers stuck out at sea or in foreign ports. They are hopeful of restocking by Sept or Octobers end, though they are on the slightly cheaper end of the price scale they aren't a bad buy. The service and repairs from them is very good, they don't do shoddy CS as it is one of there main selling points as a sole importer, bike builder.
brucecoull
Posts: 2
Joined: 10 Aug 2021, 3:26pm

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by brucecoull »

Thank you very much for all the advice,it has given me a lot to think about,very much appreciated.
Bruce
Waterboy
Posts: 3
Joined: 26 Aug 2021, 11:35am

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by Waterboy »

I had a motus (Bosch active line 2nd gen) and was doing about 1000 miles a year before lockdown. Only trouble was that at 76 with copd I couldn't make a sufficient contribution to get up 1 in 5 hills. So I've upgraded to a Coratec Life with a cx625 and a CV hub, which pretends to be a trail/mountain bike.
I've found that this has reinvigorated my cycling. I laugh at hills, and have even started to do the less demanding mbts and search out green roads.
So far (500 miles in 3 months) the motor/gear combination is trouble free (I didn't go looking for the CV gear but the bike arrived with it. I didn't like the saddle and am fitting a sprung seat post but if you have the advantage of trying out whatever bike you're getting you can probably negotiate things like that.
The one really positive thing I have done is to buy a second battery. Even the 625 barely lets me get from Plymouth into Dartmoor - Princetown and back uses a full charge, so do allow for that in your coatings.
PM999
Posts: 102
Joined: 6 Sep 2016, 11:56am

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by PM999 »

And don't forget the Transport Scotland 4 year interest free loan scheme to help with e bike purchases.

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/grants ... bike-loan/
PAB855
Posts: 397
Joined: 26 Apr 2014, 3:07pm

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by PAB855 »

Hello Bruce. I found your posting interesting at a time when I have realised I have made a mistake with my first ebike purchase. In March 2020 I bought a Haibike Sduro Trekking 4.0 for about £2500. I have done only 660 miles on it and it is an impressive piece of kit, but it's not for me.

I have therefor gone for an e kit and just completed a conversion on my old CUBE Trekking hybrid on which, for the last 9 years I have had endless enjoyment taking part in Sportives, including an Adventure Cross in the Lake District, but, now that I am over 80 years old, have found I have had to be less ambitious, hence the purchase of the Haibike last year.

Despite the Haibike's brilliant capability, my capability didn't match it, particularly regarding its weight at 25kg. Lifting on to the car towbar rack (BuzzRack highly recommended) is a challenge and I am not too confident I won't come a cropper and fall over, even at a standstill. There are other issues, which are my problem, not the fault of the bike.

My message to Bruce in Angus, where coincidentally I lived happily until 2010, is, try to get it right first time and look at all the options.

There are many kits to choose from, front, mid or rear wheel drive and if you have an existing bike you enjoy riding, think about the possibility of converting it.

I converted my daughter's lightweight Liv bike earlier this year with a SWYTCH kit and she is delighted with it, recently taking part in a 50 mile sportive and finishing with just one bar of battery charge left!

I have found my Cytronex conversion to be a way of turning the clock back because the old CUBE rides as if I was back in my early 70s. Maybe a sportive coming up soon?
Other advantages are, I can clamp it in my workstand, the handlebars are about 9inches narrower so less of a hazard on narrow cycle paths, I can change the tyres much more easily, I can hang it from the garage roof, no hydraulics, easier battery fitting and removal, no need for propstand ( need for attention to ground slope and wind strength and direction).

The downside is a reduced range and a less exciting performance, but I never used more than half the Haibike battery anyway, and so far I get the performance I need on the lowest setting on the Cytronex. And, it's made in the UK and was delivered in 6 weeks as promised.

Good luck Bruce, you've maybe made your purchase by now, it's horses for courses.

Cheers

John
PAB855
Posts: 397
Joined: 26 Apr 2014, 3:07pm

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by PAB855 »

Sorry, should have said, the Haibike is a mid drive Yamaha motor which, unfortunately makes noises when running at a low speed. The Cytronex is almost silent.

Cheers

John
arnsider
Posts: 449
Joined: 27 Jul 2011, 12:44am
Location: Carnforth, Lancashire

Re: Choosing electric Hybrid bike

Post by arnsider »

I have a two-year-old Whyte Coniston Hybrid that I had fitted with a carrier and mudguards.
In twenty-eight months, I've done 5200 miles and apart from wheel issues, I am well pleased.
I am a big guy around 105 Kg and six feet tall and the bike regularly takes me uphill and down dale in the Western Dales and South Lakes.
I get over 50 miles to a charge.
The bike has the basic 40 Kn torque Steps motor and never fails.
The Whyte is British built and has good weatherproofing features.
It is also good value for money and compares well with other imported makes.
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