Road/gravel ebike

[peterb]

Re use a GOOD existing bike

I don't think that is the sort of bike the OP is looking for. Nowadays 'road/gravel' is the term applied to bikes such as the Cairn and Ribble linked to previously. The OP also specified dropped bars.
.

[Pinhead]

Re use a GOOD existing bike

I don't think that is the sort of bike the OP is looking for. Nowadays 'road/gravel' is the term applied to bikes such as the Cairn and Ribble linked to previously. The OP also specified dropped bars.
.

What is the "type" of bike he wants they have changed so much thanks

[Nicholas]

Re use a GOOD existing bike

Pinhead, I've noticed recently that when people ask for advice about something they wish to buy, you are quick to jump in and dissuade them, instead offering what you own as being the best solution for them.

What works best for you isn't what's best for other people, and it would be appreciated if you could just rein it in a little.

[Pinhead]

Re use a GOOD existing bike

Pinhead, I've noticed recently that when people ask for advice about something they wish to buy, you are quick to jump in and dissuade them, instead offering what you own as being the best solution for them.

What works best for you isn't what's best for other people, and it would be appreciated if you could just rein it in a little.

When I post a question many many here have thank god offered me alternative advice, look at my question about clothing, I receive many diverse comments and appreciate them all, so, am I right, in future I must only reply 100% direct to the actual question and not say "have you considered .... "

Please show me 1 place where I have tried to "dissuade " anyone rather than offer an "opinion"

Many thanks in advance

Please show me 1 place where I have tried to "dissuade " anyone rather than offer an "opinion"

[Nicholas]

Please show me 1 place where I have tried to "dissuade " anyone rather than offer an "opinion"

OK ... the recent thread where the poster was asking about GPS computers as he was getting one for Christmas. I don't have time to read the entire thread but you said something along the lines of "there's no need for people to have a dedicated GPS when they have a phone."

And this current thread ... the poster wants to buy an new e-bike, and you suggested they re-use an existing bike. No, the poster wants to buy a new bike, and that's what they are asking about.

[Jupestar]

Never ridden the ebike version but the Canyon Grail is a great bike, on road and 'gravel' albeit with two different wheel sets.

If the e-Grail follows suit it would be well worth a look.

[borisface]

Pretty chuffed with my Cannondale synapse neo. I picked up the version with tiagra which is all anybody really needs. It has a Bosch active line plus system. The battery is 500w/h which gets me about 60 miles (I live in the mountains so 60 miles would be about 2000m climbing) and would get 70+ on flatter terrain. I did have an issue with the rear rim splitting at the nipple holes. Cannondale offered to replace the rim but this would have meant me sending the wheel back to them, so I declined. I upgraded the wheelset.

It is fairly heavy 15-16kgs. One thing that doesn't get mentioned is that when you ride on the flat you're probably going to be riding at over 25kph and so if the bike is heavy, you're just going to be riding a heavy bike which isn't much fun. So it's a bit of a trade off between range and additional weight or something lighter like a mahle system with less range. For me, as it's generally either up or down with very little flat, a bigger battery was always a priority. If I had opted for a mahle system I doubt I would have got much more than 30 miles between charges.

[gregoryoftours]

Have just seen the keep away from Fazua posts. I'd be interested in the reasons.

warranty issues with multiple bikes using that system, and poor support with long delays in dealing with those issues.

[Jezrant]

Have just seen the keep away from Fazua posts. I'd be interested in the reasons.

warranty issues with multiple bikes using that system, and poor support with long delays in dealing with those issues.

Are those warranty issues on-going or recent? I was led to believe that things had improved since Porsche took over Fazua last year and that Fazua now has a representative in the UK providing better support.

[gregoryoftours]

Have just seen the keep away from Fazua posts. I'd be interested in the reasons.

warranty issues with multiple bikes using that system, and poor support with long delays in dealing with those issues.

Are those warranty issues on-going or recent? I was led to believe that things had improved since Porsche took over Fazua last year and that Fazua now has a representative in the UK providing better support.

The last one we were dealing with warranty issues was this January, and it took weeks to sort out. After that we stopped selling bikes with Fazua as we had a hundred percent return rate from customers with the 7 models we stocked with some drive/electrical problem with all of them. (Granted our sales numbers are not huge but still..) Some of them came back multiple times and were out of action for months at a time as Fazua was painfully slow resolving the issues.

I've not had direct experience with the system or company myself as I am a mechanic in a different part of our organization but I've asked the mechanics who did deal with them.

Apparently the new UK Fazua support guy is very helpful where he can be, but I think that he could only do so much as the volume of warranty issues hadn't been anticipated and adequate infrastructure to deal with them hadn't been put in place.

It may be better now but it's still quite early days. The older ride 50 system is what we had problems with. Many bikes sold today are still fitted with that older system.

Ride 50 has the battery and motor as one piece: the battery therefore gets torqued/twisted in the frame so needs to be a very snug fit in its sleeve not to shift and vibrate about under load. The sleeve wasn't always exactly right so the resulting movement might be why there were numerous connection problems with power cutting in and out. Electrical wiring is also pretty exposed on the 50.

None of the bikes we stocked used the latest ride 60 system which may or may not be more reliable. The motor is no longer one piece with the battery, meaning that the motor stays in the bike when the battery is removed, and as it's permanently fixed in place should be more secure. Fazua website lists the bike models that come with ride 60. Personally I would not buy a bike with Fazua system until the new system was proven to be more reliable, and good warranty support is shown to be in place and fully set up.

I work a lot with e bikes fitted with Bosch system, we do have problems sometimes but within their 2 year warranty period their customer/dealer support is very good, quick and straightforward.

You could consider this Kona as it may be suitable for your needs - the battery is removable but needs a long Allen key with decent leverage (ie p or t Allen tool). This means that the front wheel either needs removing or turning 90° to get the Allen key in place so that's a bit of a faff, but apart from that it seems pretty decent. Electric system is Shimano steps, and can be had much cheaper than RRP listed here.

[ChrisF]

[snip]

You could consider this Kona as it may be suitable for your needs - the battery is removable but needs a long Allen key with decent leverage (ie p or t Allen tool). This means that the front wheel either needs removing or turning 90° to get the Allen key in place so that's a bit of a faff, but apart from that it seems pretty decent. Electric system is Shimano steps, and can be had much cheaper than RRP listed here. IMG_20231116_160808.jpg

That looks interesting - but "can be had much cheaper than RRP listed here" - I have failed to find any for sale ! Can you help?
Thanks

[gregoryoftours]

[snip]

You could consider this Kona as it may be suitable for your needs - the battery is removable but needs a long Allen key with decent leverage (ie p or t Allen tool). This means that the front wheel either needs removing or turning 90° to get the Allen key in place so that's a bit of a faff, but apart from that it seems pretty decent. Electric system is Shimano steps, and can be had much cheaper than RRP listed here. IMG_20231116_160808.jpg

That looks interesting - but "can be had much cheaper than RRP listed here" - I have failed to find any for sale ! Can you help?
Thanks

Actually this is last year's model, but a lower price:

https://winstanleysbikes.co.uk/kona-lib ... ctric-bike

[Cugel]

Have just seen the keep away from Fazua posts. I'd be interested in the reasons.

warranty issues with multiple bikes using that system, and poor support with long delays in dealing with those issues.

Are those warranty issues on-going or recent? I was led to believe that things had improved since Porsche took over Fazua last year and that Fazua now has a representative in the UK providing better support.

There's three Fazua equipped bikes in our household, all of which have worked very well indeed, with one now in use for 5 years. There have been some minor issues, such as loose bolts in the BB gearbox and a cracked battery/motor holder catch. Both of these seem to have been faults of the bike manufacturer's installation of the Fazua system into their frame rather than anything to do with Fazua.

In all cases where I've emailed Fazua in Germany about such minor issues, they've replied quickly with good advice. In the case of the cracked motor/battery catch, they sent me three new catches plus associated spacer thingies for no charge, after learning we have three Fazua bikes. These catch thingies cost about £75 each if bought via a bike shop in the UK that's a Fazua agent.

Brexit didn't help as Fazua parts can't now be bought from the German website direct but instead have to be ordered through a UK bike shop agent. My impression is that problems may have more to do with the bike shops than with Fazua.

[rualexander]

I have two bikes , I 100% agree as I will be going Aberystwyth to Llanelli and because the battery is the same I can carry the spare, giving me 100+ miles, but who needs a range extender normally surely common sense (NOT meaning you, I have to be careful ) these days is big battery at the start, mine is 750 watt

Very few, if any road/gravel ebikes will have batteries anywhere near 750wh (I presume you mean watt hours not watts), most are around the 250wh capacity. The reason is to save weight.

[Cugel]

I have two bikes , I 100% agree as I will be going Aberystwyth to Llanelli and because the battery is the same I can carry the spare, giving me 100+ miles, but who needs a range extender normally surely common sense (NOT meaning you, I have to be careful ) these days is big battery at the start, mine is 750 watt

Very few, if any road/gravel ebikes will have batteries anywhere near 750wh (I presume you mean watt hours not watts), most are around the 250wh capacity. The reason is to save weight.

True - a large battery will weigh more - but not that much more in the grand scheme* of rider + bike + luggage if the bike is used for long journeys, touring and so forth. Many tour across areas in which a recharge would not be easy to find. Even West Wales can see long journeys through The Cambrians in which any habitation at all is sparse, let alone somewhere to recharge an e-bike.

Personally I do only shorter rides these days (100 km the very longest but usually 35 - 65 km). I also prefer a lighter sporty e-bike rather than a heavyweight; and to stay fit by using the motor at a minimum. A 250 wh battery will last me between 150 - 200 km and 4000M climbing per charge, as it's used only on hills that are very long and steep. It's as much a psychological motor as a physical one.

But if I was a fully panniered tourist needing the help of a e-motor to traverse, say, West Wales or the Pennine spine via 150 km a day rides, I'd be looking for a range extender or a different sort of e-bike - with a very large battery.

Horses for courses.

*
https://www.cyclingabout.com/how-much-d ... -you-down/