Which e-bike for me?

[Carlton green]

I'm almost certain the way forward for me is to get the Nexus 5 swapped for an Alfine 8, so I'm now investigating costs of doing just that

I’d have thought that that (investigation) was a good way forward, and much more sensible than buying a new bike. Electric bikes isn’t a subject that I follow but the Shimano hubs seem to be commonly used on them. The five speed hub might be electric bikes specific, to handle higher input torque; maybe it’s possible to fit a bigger sprocket to the rear wheel to help what you have got get up hills better? Or maybe there’s an issue in either the hub, or elsewhere in the drive train, that’s causing them to not perform as well as they should?

[danfoto]

...maybe there’s an issue in either the hub, or elsewhere in the drive train, that’s causing them to not perform as well as they should?

Maybe. I've just had a good go on The Lady Wife's Gazelle e-bike, which is identical to mine apart from the switchgear and the display. What was immediately apparent is that hers seems "nippier" by comparison to mine. Certainly the gearchange is lighter than mine is i.e. a change up needs less torque applied to the twistgrip selector. There is then the fact that when I removed the internals from my hub, I was surprised to see very little if any lubricant, be that grease or oil.

Having now investigated the likely cost and amount of faffing involved with changing the hub, it's looking more like seeing if I can find a new complete set of internals for this hub and carrying on with 5 speeds until the dread day when it's me for a mobility scooter. Until then I'll just go up the steepest hills slower and vex impatient following drivers even more ...

[Carlton green]

Duplicate.

[Carlton green]

I've just had a good go on The Lady Wife's Gazelle e-bike, which is identical to mine apart from the switchgear and the display. What was immediately apparent is that hers seems "nippier" by comparison to mine. Certainly the gearchange is lighter than mine is i.e. a change up needs less torque applied to the twistgrip selector. There is then the fact that when I removed the internals from my hub, I was surprised to see very little if any lubricant, be that grease or oil.

Having now investigated the likely cost and amount of faffing involved with changing the hub, it's looking more like seeing if I can find a new complete set of internals for this hub and carrying on with 5 speeds until the dread day when it's me for a mobility scooter. Until then I'll just go up the steepest hills slower and vex impatient following drivers even more ...

H’mm, we’ll have to see; if you’re able to rebuild and lubricate the hub then that would be a good start point. Better still if you were also able to overhaul the motor and its gearbox too. I wonder whether the batteries have degraded and are giving you less ‘juice’ than they once did? It’s handy that your wife’s bike is identical to yours, good for comparisons, etc.

[danfoto]

Whatever other issues there may be, number one is the rear hub because at present the bike's unrideable.

I have options to look into ...

[stodd]

Certainly the gearchange is lighter than mine is i.e. a change up needs less torque applied to the twistgrip selector.

I expect you've checked the cable run from changer to hub, but if not that could be at least part of the issue. And as Carlton green suggests relubricate the existing hub. At just a year or two old and 3000 miles there shouldn't be any issues with the motor or battery (but then of course after than time/mileage there shouldn't have been any issues with the hub). Battery easily checked by swapping with your wife's; again you've probably already tried.