# Gear ratio and hill climbing ability folding v fixed?



## ericmark (13 Nov 2020)

The problem is where I live there are hills, my standard bike has a 1 to 1 ratio bottom gear, 28 inch tyre on the wheel, and it is just a little too steep I know why it's called a push bike, my wife has an e-bike same bottom gear ratio with centre motor and I can get up the hill on that, not easy but can make it, I think my 22 stone does not help, 250 watt motor may be OK for some one at 11 stone, but at 22 stone it does not help that much.

Her bike is too heavy for two same weight on bike rack, and being able to take bike on the bus or in the boot would be an advantage, I can take bike on train classed as a dog, but only if no wheel chairs, so looking at folding bike, but folding bike the motor is in hub not the crank, and when I tried one some years back you had to be doing around 3 MPH for assistance to kick in, so once one stops that's it.

So not sure about folding bikes, also find with smaller wheels balance is not as easy so need to travel a little faster to balance, so hills are a problem. So looking for advice on selecting an e-bike for a 22 stone 70 year old who is not very fit.


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## Sharky (13 Nov 2020)

What's the size of your small ring and large sprocket?
You can get gearing less than 1:1 that might help.

Good luck from another 70 yr old.


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## Pale Rider (15 Nov 2020)

Budget?

The Tern Vektron is a Bosch crank drive folding bike, but it's not cheap at £3,600.

Most folding ebikes are heavy, unwieldy lumps, so you need to be sure you can manhandle whatever you buy.

A crank drive may well be better at your weight, although the controllers on hub drive bikes have improved since the one you tried, making them ride much better.

You could consider a Brompton Nano, which has a front hub motor.

It has Brpmpton's unmatched fold, although it's still weightier, and you also have to lug the battery in the bag.

https://www.edinburghbicycle.com/tern-vektron-s10-2020-electric-bike

https://www.nanoelectricbikes.co.uk...JoIdKfCyMJNuUVDIRvgJWbOry0pPiPbQaAiU9EALw_wcB


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