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the time has come to hang up my conventional offroad wheels.
1 too many surgeries has taken it's toll on my body, and more so on my mind. the pain from riding a rigid bike with a fused limb is too much.
so, I am going to invest I a e-bike suitable for a heavy rider.
I owned 2 e-bikes in the past, on being a road/tourer, which was fine, the other was a full sus Haibike, which was rubbish, and in the end snapped.
it was no more than a standard sus bike with the bosch motor/battery added. this is what I want to avoid.
I want a proper tough bike designed to take the motor/battery. I want tough wheels, I want tough forks. I want a robust bike.
anyone ridden anything longterm?
all ideas greatly appreciated.
When you say:
it was no more than a standard sus bike with the bosch motor/battery added. this is what I want to avoid.
I presume you mean you want something burlier than a normal xc/trail bike, as surely any bosch e-bike is designed as an e-bike from the ground up, including the haibike?
The Orange Alpine 6 E makes normal oranges look svelte, but does look like a whole lot of fun at the same time!
surely any bosch e-bike is designed as an e-bike from the ground up, including the haibike?
Every Haibike I've seen was an ebike specific, deigned from the ground up thing. Horrible to ride though.
I'd get one from a decent manufacturer with good backup in the UK, like Scott, Orange, Pivot, erm, Cannondale..
There's more products coming out now to meet EU legislation on the strength of kit fitted to ebikes - hence e-bike specific forks, pedals etc appearing. Almost anything designed as a trail bike will be fine these days I'd have thought provided you get one with the stronger forks etc. fitted.
this is the frame I had in 2012.
the weld half way down the seat tube is where the bike snapped. it don't look very beefed up.
Get yourself a Bafang BBSHD 1000W. It's not legal, but it's a hell of a lot of fun! 😀 Get the biggest battery you can afford!
tbh the BBS02b 750W is more than enough mind you, and lighter and cheaper.
Ton, am I right in thinking that you live SW London way (seem to remember something to do with Moore's Cycles, but may be wrong).
If so there's an e-bike shop in Twickenham next to Waitrose which do a broad selection of models, and a lot of mtb related stuff from big brands. May be worth popping in there if local.
Had a levo for 2 years, faultless. If buying new now, I’d get a kenevo. Burly as a burly thing
I see, I've never taken them apart but the Bosch motors on my parents powerfly's appear to be under the frame, like a big version of a pinion gearbox.
As DezB said, most of the big brands seem to be building e-bike versions of their trail bikes now, WCA in a similar position to you as a Scott E-Genius I think?
Ton,
pop over and see Tony M at Leisure Lakes in Bury. They have a whole floor of ebikes. Bloody loads of different ones that you can try out in the car park.
I'm 9 months in to owning a Specialized Levo turbo
Been great so far, im not easy on bikes and the Levo has taken everything Ive chucked at it and its still going strong
They are based on a Specialized stunt jumper but are made to be an e bike from the ground up
https://www.specialized.com/gb/en/new-arrivals/bikes/turbo-e-bikes/e-mountain-bikes/c/emountain
I know your experience isn't great with the Haibike but they're one of the manufacturers most invested in E-Bikes, so I wouldn't rule them out. My experience watching my friends & my own (I've had one 2 months) is buy from a local bike shop invested into the e-bike scene. These things are warranty heavy (the exact words of one distributer) and sending them back mail order can be a nitemare.I bought mine originally end of November & finally got a different (working) bike in February. Otherwise my friends have had a number of Cube/Giants/Haibike which have all been pretty good, if you ignore the odd foible (motors dying but replaced/fixed under warranty)
Razorraazoo, I'm pretty sure Ton lives t'up North.
^^^
My bad then. Well, if anyone is based SW London then this place may be worth a visit (never been there myself).
Im 20 stone, which I believe is a similar weight to you ton, i have a cube stereo ebike.
Its a bosch one.
ive got to be honest, I can’t fault it, after 1000 miles it’s still on the original chain and cassette, in fact the only things changed have been through personal preference.
mine has been chipped, don’t bother with that, it doesn’t improve the bike at all.
im quite surprised by how spindly that haibike looks tbh, but 2012 was a long time ago in ebike terms, so I wouldn’t let that put me off looking at the newer ones at least.
A Spesh Kenevo is what you want Ton. Bulletproof machine, I spent 2 days on DH trails then a 3rd day looping red routes faster than my Hightower can. I'm still considering buying one but the only thing holding me back is being 23, I don't really have a need.
By the same reckoning a Levo would be a hell of a bike. A carbon 29 Levo would be enough to get me to sell my Hightower...
I have nothing useful to add and just reading this thread out of curiosity, but it strikes me that now is a great time to be buying an e-bike, from all I've seen you should be able to get something great which allows you to do all the riding (and more) you could do on an unpowered bike. Good luck and have fun!
"I am going to invest I a e-bike suitable for a heavy rider."
Not being a **** here - but I had my ankles completely rebuilt after smashing up the ligaments. Had been in pain for years. I weighed 17 stone.
I now weigh 12.5 stone. I'm 6'2". Slap bang in the middle of my BMI. It was dead easy (keto). No pain, anywhere (bad back cleared up). *Everything* is easier.
Regardless of whether you buy an ebike - if you've had one too many surgeries, take the strain off your body everywhere. Lose weight.