Views on this bike for road touring Voodoo Bizango ebike

[Chris9181]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, so would gladly welcome any advice. My wife and I want to get a couple of bikes, hybrid style, flat handle bars etc. We have been used to borrowing my sister's/brother in law's and there's are spot on but can't get them anymore (Giant Fastroad e+). They have 500wh battery and a healthy 80nm torque which is necessary will hold around us.

I stumbled on this bike as I have Voodoo before and very well spec'd bikes for the money. I would need to put road tyres on but would be grateful of any thoughts or any other recommendations please.

Budget is around 4k for both bikes

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/electric ... 89747.html

[stodd]

With any of the bikes with proprietary electrical system be aware of potential high costs if anything goes wrong beyond warranty or you need spares such as battery. That said, our second hand Raleigh Motus with Bosch system has behaved excellently (with a couple of niggles from badly designed battery and display contacts); it is now 9 years old, and we were able to source a battery at not too much of a premium over a quality Chinese generic one that simpler systems would use (battery from Merlin Cycles)

I can't comment on the Voodoo specifically, but Cube have quite a range of ebikes that might suit, and look at Raleigh as well. Also look to see if there is anything suitable from Woosh (https://wooshbikes.co.uk/) or Wisper (https://wisperbikes.com/). Smaller UK firms with excellent customer service, and their bikes tend to use more generic parts that are easier to source and relatively cheap to replace.

Well worth considering conversion if you have non-electric bikes that suit you. Fitting is easier than many routine bike maintenance tasks, and you end up with a system you know well and can maintain without the need for specialist shops. (Woosh again for conversions, not Swytch for various reasons)

Also worth asking at https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/forums ... -i-buy.40/
(Some of my comments above are second-hand from that forum.)

[Chris9181]

Thank you so much, I was very keen on the Cube hybrid but after calling a dealer I'm told that their supply is difficult and it's a case of pre ordering without seeing or sitting on the bike which is a real shame

[pjclinch]

For a general purpose bike the suspension fork might be regarded as a mis-feature (extra weight and being designed for mountain biking bumps rather than road bumps not very efficient), but you can always use the power to get you over that.
Similarly, the gearing is aimed at MTB so you'll end up with gears probably lower than you need for general purpose riding even if you don't use the motor.

These days MTBs are more specialised beasts than used to be the case, so something designed from the ground up for more general use may suit better. Personally I'd go for hub gears on a general purpose hybrid: less maintenance and faff, and you can use a chain guard more easily.

Having said all that, none of the above constitutes deal-breaker, and you can do sillier things off-road if the fancy takes you.

Pete.

[Cugel]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, so would gladly welcome any advice. My wife and I want to get a couple of bikes, hybrid style, flat handle bars etc. We have been used to borrowing my sister's/brother in law's and there's are spot on but can't get them anymore (Giant Fastroad e+). They have 500wh battery and a healthy 80nm torque which is necessary will hold around us.

I stumbled on this bike as I have Voodoo before and very well spec'd bikes for the money. I would need to put road tyres on but would be grateful of any thoughts or any other recommendations please.

Budget is around 4k for both bikes

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/electric ... 89747.html

As others note, if you want an e-bike for use on roads (and good quality tracks) then the Voodoo bike is the wrong kind as its designed for trails and to be one variety of a mountain bike. It'll be lacking in road-riding features.

Before you consider any bike, it's as well to make a mental list on a piece of paper that identifies the usages and the associated features you'll want from a bike. Those for a road bike are very different from those of a mountain bike.

Already you realise you'll want to change the tyres; perhaps the gearing too, as another poster mentions. And you may find the posture on the bike when road riding a mountain bike is far from ideal.

The Giant you mention is perhaps a better model to start with, since you know it from experience. But even that may not have some as yet unrealised features that you want from your road bike. Perhaps some further thought, research and feature-listing would be wise before buying? A hasty purchase can often lead to disappointment - and a lot of needless expense.

[Nearholmer]

Yet another thing to think about ……. ..

Terminology.

I maybe teaching grandmother to suck eggs here, but to keen cyclists “road bike” almost always means lightweight, drop handlebars, fairly narrow tyres, and fast. What we used to call “a racer” when I was a kid.

It may be that you are after “a bike that will mostly be ridden on the road”, but don’t want the “racy”sort, in which case a flat-bar hybrid or what some suppliers calla “trekking bike” might be what you are looking for.

I agree with what Cugel says, in that an MTB-style bike often isnt much fun on the road, because the gearing is too low, the seated position wrong for sustained, steady riding, the tyres knobbly and draggy, and the suspension unnecessarily capable and heavy.

As a BTW, if you do intend riding off-road a bit, hybrids are perfectly suitable until the going gets seriously rough, or madly steep. Things like ex railway trails, towpaths, many bridleways, forestry fire breaks and access tracks etc are very much within the range of what you can happily use them for.

[rareposter]

It may be that you are after “ a bike that will mostly be ridden on the road”, but don’t want the “racy”sort, in which case a flat-bar hybrid or what some suppliers calla “trekking bike” might be what you are looking for.

+1.

That Voodoo is a mountain bike, it'll be a pig to ride on the roads even with roadie tyres. There's no way I'd want to do a tour on it.

You want an e-touring or e-trekking bike.

Canyon do a fantastic range of e-touring bikes. This one for example:
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/electric-b ... /3588.html

Mostly mail order but they have a couple of partner stores (London and Sheffield) plus their customer service and back up is very good.

[Chris9181]

Thank you all so much for responses and help. Apologies for my terminology, when I say road bike I mean flat bar comfortably hybrid.

Any recommendations around the £2k mark would be massively appreciated. I know it w we would want 500wh motor and 75 to 80 NM torque based on hills we would be riding, nothing really off road, just easy cycle paths possibly etc

[Cowsham]

If I was going to tour on an electric bike I'd pick a really good touring type bike with rigid forks and convert it using a kit cos you'll get a better bike so if anything goes wrong with the Electrics it'll be a better thing to ride non powered and the electric parts can be replaced easily and cheaply.


With a 2K budget you could buy this for about £1300

Surly Bridge Club 2024 Bike https://share.google/4muw74R19D9f8VJ28

Edit : or this 2025 Genesis Croix De Fer 10 FB Cues Flat Bar Gravel Bike in Red | 99 Bikes – 99 Bikes UK https://share.google/pgsGCPnZMQEaey8P2

Then spend £400 on a kit -- fit it in a couple of hours

Better bike -- under budget.


Basic things to consider
1. Hydraulic disc brakes
2. Non suspension forks so you have the option of front rack
3. A good group set -- ie the gearing not crap stuff.
4. Not too heavy but strong enough to stand up to a bit of weight ie panniers loaded up. You'd not want super light wheels with not enough spokes -- 32 or 36 spokes preferably ( not sure of actual number )
5. Room for mudguards and wider tyres for comfort.
6. Plenty of lugs for mounting stuff like racks, bottle cages etc
7. Good geometry -- we're all different -- pick the size frame that suits your frame ( build )
8. Consider tubeless tyres -- less problems with punctures.

Saddles handlebars pedals etc can all be changed as needed. Saddles most importantly. Don't buy a big padded one but that's another thread topic.

[Cugel]

If I was going to tour on an electric bike I'd pick a really good touring type bike with rigid forks and convert it using a kit cos you'll get a better bike so if anything goes wrong with the Electrics it'll be a better thing to ride non powered and the electric parts can be replaced easily and cheaply.

What you say is probably true - but perhaps you have several skills and experiences that most don't have, which makes building an e-bike from various parts on to a standard bike easy for you. Mind, there's a lot to be said for using a need for something as a means, prompt or stimulus to learn lots of new skills of the DIY kind.

But skill-learning takes time; and money for needful tools; and money to correct the mistakes. T

he OP seems (I may be wrong) not that familiar with bicycles, let alone all the stuff to do with converting them from non-e to e. Sometimes it's easier or even necessary to buy ready-made. For example, I ain't going to learn to grow and process me own coffee or chocolate beans! (Although I'd like to).

[Cugel]

You want an e-touring or e-trekking bike.

Canyon do a fantastic range of e-touring bikes. This one for example:
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/electric-b ... /3588.html

Even that Canyon may be not quite the hybrid style the OP may find most suitable. Suspension forks seem overkill for a bike used on good surfaces; even if they lock-out they add weight and a potential cost for part renewal as well as time for maintenance. A dropper post also seems unnecessary. And it weights just under 26 kg, which is something of a thing to carry up steps, load on a transporter, etc..

But it may suit the OP anyway ...... .

I'd just use that bike, though, as an example illustrating the need to be careful about every aspect of the specification for the bike truly wanted. Personally I's be looking for a road bike at least 5kg lighter (even lighter, really) and without unnecessary bits like suspension forks and dropper posts.

Another point worth making is that hilly rides don't necessarily need a high torque motor. A lighter weight and more svelte motor is probably going to be fine on the hills if the bike isn't made much, much heavier with panniers full of stuff; or if the rider isn't themselves a very heavy build.

Things like the right tyres for the road, racks if carrying things, mudguards if all-weather riding and so forth are all items that should be on, or not on, the requirements list.

[Chris9181]

Thanks again, yeah I'm definitely buy a complete ebike sort of guy. We are going to be doing a few hour rides and want to finger ourselves for hills, hence 75 to 80NM.

The cubes look really good, just a problem getting them or trying for size

[Cowsham]

Yose ebike kits include any specialist tools you'll need -- if you can change a tyre or tube you can fit the kit. No real skill involved.