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local dealerships sell the following eHybrids:
- Trek - FX+ or Dual sport+. Yet to try. Seems a Trek proprietary system and maybe 35 mile range. Apparently the FX looks ok but dualsport+ is gopping ...
- Orbea. Tried a Gain today, but would prefer a Vibe. Liked the Mahle motor. More range and extender available. More expensive than other options. Shop isn't convinced that the flat bar bike will be available. The colours are nice.
- Merida eSpeedster - looks like a good option, cheaper, the Mahle motor but cheaper drivetrain. Good range again. The black colour wasn't popular...
All apparently getting 2024 update/BNG in the next few weeks.
Budget £2-3k, ideally cycle to work or finance.
Any experiences of these bikes?
*Has* to fit 5' rider, so a proper XS or tiny small.
Not the bikes you’ve listed but the Specialised Vado are coming in just under 3k. Given my in laws experience of their creo bikes, I’d recommend Specialized.
How small a frame needed? 15" or smaller?
Id be tempted to get a bike that fits and add a tongsheng motor
FYI, as same issue here
And there is a kids levo hardtail 24” wheels
Thanks Towzer, but it has to be lighter. That Lappiere is 25kg compared to today's Orbea at 14kg.
Specialized I've no local dealer, and I'm not buying an eBike without dealer support.
Tongsheng - I've looked at a few things to retrofit. I'm worried about technical support and how good they are. Today showed how smooth and simple to use the Mahle is, I'm pretty sold on it...
I have a Merida espeedster that I use to commute to work.
I can’t fault it. Does exactly what it says on the tin. Lights, mudguards, panniers…. It’s ideal.
it has started to drop a chain on the odd occasion, but I think that’s due to a worn chainring. And the brakes on mine seem to be a little lack lustre, but then I am comparing them to 4 pots on 200mm discs.
the Mahle motor comes in smoothly. And provides good range. My commute is flat, so can get 4-6 13 mile commutes before it needs a charge.
it’s not as powerful as a crank based motor, but if you don’t need all those megawatts, it’s great to take the edge off getting up to speed or take the sting out of a head wind.
it’s my only experience of any sort of ebike, so I don’t have much to go on, but ultimately, I’m pleased with it!
Yeah, weight is a major no for the mrs, so I’m now looking at kids bikes, interested in the mahle as it’s light but don’t know about it’s reliability/ maintainability and spares etc buyability.
I've got three local shops who sell Mahle equipped bikes and all are service centres for them.
I’ve looked at these before - low crossbar a deffo plus for 4ft 10, but no front susp tho, but 13.8kg is light
https://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/adult-electric-bike-ejimi
Will have to sussout mahle a bit more (*ex shimano owner)
I agree with the eJimi - mrs_oab is reluctant over a drop cross bar though. #pride
I had an eBike with a hub motor for commuting years ago (BH motion). Only downside was fixing roadside punctures as the wheel was tricky to remove with the electrics going in to the hub plus the wheel was more securely bolted on than most. Was also more prone to punctures with the additional hub weight. What should be a quick 5 min tube replacement would turn in to a 30 min battle 🙂
Ah, that's one thing in hadn't thought through.
Wait for the mahle x20, (more powerful than the x35) and seems to have a motor connection block to make wheel change easier and has a torque sensing bottom bracket,
In fact it looks great (you can even buy bits or kits so it seems) according to the internet
BUT
- bb is push fit only
- motor not for qr wheels
- I don’t think you can just have - extender water bottle battery, bb, hub motor, power controls as it seems to need the main in frame battery and power switch as well so I don’t think it’s aimed at diy builders
A friend of mine who is only 5ft has just popped round to visit on her Halford Carrara ebike that she loves. down to 14" frames. Might be worth a look?
Just wanted to chip in about the mahle motor. I have a Ribble cgr gravel ebike with a mahle hub motor that I was using for a 50ish mile round commute. Tbh I was pretty disappointed in the motor because of the drag it exerts on the rear hub when not powering it, e.g. if you're coasting or exceeding 15.5mph. Real negative impact on the quality of the ride imo.
Tbh I was pretty disappointed in the motor because of the drag it exerts on the rear hub when not powering it, e.g. if you’re coasting or exceeding 15.5mph. Real negative impact on the quality of the ride imo.
According to the shop if you switch it to power level 0, there's no drag at any speeds? Around the carpark there wasn't any, and honestly mrs_oab won't be at that speed through leg power...
According to the shop if you switch it to power level 0, there’s no drag at any speeds? Around the carpark there wasn’t any, and honestly mrs_oab won’t be at that speed through leg power…
I don't think what the shop have said is correct, although from what you've said it sounds like it'll be less of an issue for you than it is for me. I asked Ribble about it and flagged it when it went back to them briefly because of an unrelated electrical fault. They basically said, yeah it does drag, sorry about that. You can definitely appreciate the drag by how rapidly the wheel slows down if you just spin it freely e.g. with the bike up on maintenance stand.
Edit: the bike is now about 3 years old so maybe this is an issue they've managed to fix. Not sure.
Has* to fit 5′ rider, so a proper XS or tiny small.
My Dad has a small Orbea Gain which he’s had 4 about 4 yrs. he likes it a lot.
To say it’s a small it’s decidedly big ! I’d say at least medium in any other manufacturer. Orbea do appear to be big bikes whichever you go for. The they do xxs ?
I've had a Vibe for about a year. Ridden nearly 1000km on it. It's quite hilly here and I was worried it might not have the grunt for some of the steeper climbs. But it's fine, it does still need quite a bit of human effort on some stuff, but I customised the power to 45%, 65% and 100% for the three settings. I mostly use the first 2 and it's gets me out of the car 9 times out of 10. (we live up a 150m hill from town some 10km away).
I turn off the motor on the flat and really don't notice a lot of drag. Had a puncture in front wheel but not rear. The prospect of that does give me the fear! Even getting the big bolts off is hard enough and the way I have the (extra) Lupine light mounted, hard to turn upside down. Keep meaning to have a go converting to tubeless.
It's a really pleasant way to get around. I'm 5ft11/short legs and have the L. We looked at the S for my better half (5ft5) and she could have gone S or M. Local dealer is 2 miles away and they've been fab.
So we are down to the Merida eSpeeder (likely 400) or what our Trek dealer can show us on Friday.
The Orbea is too big and not available in flat bar or cheaper version - shop was offering road with AXS model....
Anyone got a Trek - what is that proprietary system like? They will be cheaper than the Merida, but I would rather pay a bit more and get the 'right' bike...
Last bump - anyone any experience of the Trek motor and bikes?
Down to haggling on price with the Merida shop as it is a *lot* over what we had hoped to spend and the Trek's are £800 less....
My brother has a hub motored Trek. He got it for commuting into London about 12 miles each way. When testing them he found it to be one of the lightest and that the motor cut out at top speed was a lot less abrupt than hub motoered ones and that it was easier to pedal above max motor speed. He's been using it for a couple of months and I think it just works.
He got a Trek as his LBS sells Trek and is apparently v. helpful but is in East London so a bit far from you.
Thanks slowol.
We went to LBS on Saturday to try a Trek with the system on - even though a totally different bike. It seems great and very smooth, if more eager to help than the Mahle system.
What we cannot get around is the fact that Trek do not have a small Dual Sport listed at present as available (despite website saying it should be in small), and therefore it is the FX+ or nothing which is not *quote* the bike we wanted, and is still a couple of KG's heavier than the Merida. Also, the FX+ sizing is rather big even in small. 🙁