# Recommendations please for ebike?



## lucklesspedestrian (18 Jun 2019)

Hi

I'm seriously considering making the switch from conventional bikes to an ebike but don't really know where to start. I'm 56, overweight but I still hit the turbo trainer almost every day and get the road bike out from time to time so I'm reasonably fit and a pretty experienced cyclist. I live in rural Perthshire however and although it's very pretty, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without encountering a bloody big hill! I reckon that if I had an ebike I would actually go further/stay out longer and enjoy it more.
It would be purely for leisure (no commuting as I was lucky enough to retire at 55) and mainly roads or occasional gravel/sandy trails so no need for heavy suspension. The plan would be that I would only switch the power on for significant hills/headwinds but would want to cycle normally as much as possible. I would also ideally like it to look as much like a 'normal' bike as possible if that makes any sense.

Flexible on budget but I'm inherently tight so might well wait until the sales come round (probably £2.5K tops) Any suggestions would be very gratefully received!


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## ebikeerwidnes (18 Jun 2019)

Halfords seem to be doing a 48 trial on ebikes - so I would assume that other largeish bike shops will probably do something similar as well. I would suggest going to the nearest large bike shop and looking around and asking them what they recommend. Then ask for a test ride.
The main reason for suggesting this is that if you end up buying one it would help if there is a shop nearby that has experience of that specific make and model. I am confident that the little bike shop near me will be able to fix by ebike it I asked them - however it may take them a while because they have no experience of the make and model - they would be better with bikes that they actually sell themselves.

Personally I would suggest not going to Halfords - but then I have had several bad experience of them and just generally dislike large national brands. But I do like their Carrera bikes - I even bought one for my wife.


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## Spiderweb (18 Jun 2019)

Ribble CGR eBikes look good for both road and sandy gravel trails.
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikes/electric-bikes/


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## lucklesspedestrian (18 Jun 2019)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Halfords seem to be doing a 48 trial on ebikes - so I would assume that other largeish bike shops will probably do something similar as well. I would suggest going to the nearest large bike shop and looking around and asking them what they recommend. Then ask for a test ride.
> The main reason for suggesting this is that if you end up buying one it would help if there is a shop nearby that has experience of that specific make and model. I am confident that the little bike shop near me will be able to fix by ebike it I asked them - however it may take them a while because they have no experience of the make and model - they would be better with bikes that they actually sell themselves.
> 
> Personally I would suggest not going to Halfords - but then I have had several bad experience of them and just generally dislike large national brands. But I do like their Carrera bikes - I even bought one for my wife.



Yeah, I've got a Carrera Gryphon which has been a really great bike for just tooling around on over the years. There's a really good local bike shop in Auchterarder that also does terrific coffee and I might pop in there as you're right, whilst I can just about maintain/fix a normal bike, I would really have to rely on a good bike shop to sort an e-bike.


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## lucklesspedestrian (18 Jun 2019)

Spiderweb said:


> View attachment 471411
> 
> 
> Ribble CGR eBikes look good for both road and sandy gravel trails.
> https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikes/electric-bikes/



Now that looks nigh on perfect, thanks.


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## Slick (18 Jun 2019)

I'm not sure it would be wise to buy an ebike without giving this guy a shout first.

https://www.love-ebikes.co.uk/#

I also think that the make is less important than the motor and battery and I can't speak highly enough of the Bosch version. 

Jump the train and come down for a look. He will hire you a bike if you fancy a day on the canal as a try before you buy. Enjoy


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## youngoldbloke (18 Jun 2019)

Orbea Gain D31 https://www.orbea.com/gb-en/ebikes/road/gain-all-road/cat/gain-d31-19
The 'gravel' version of the Gain.


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## kapelmuur (18 Jun 2019)

I’m approaching my 72nd birthday and starting to struggle on climbs, so I’ve been thinking of an electric assist road bike.

Yesterday I had a look at an Orbea Gain and was surprised at how heavy it was. 17 kgs according to the assistant.

According to him for the money an e bike costs I could buy a carbon bike at half the weight and have no problem with climbing!


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## T4tomo (18 Jun 2019)

I thought the Gain was 11kg ish in carbon and 13kg in Ali form, that's the attraction of those semi assist types, if the battery gives up its still very rideable.


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## jowwy (18 Jun 2019)

Cannondale neo ......500wh battery, Bosch active line plus motor, 

But it’s 3k....


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## youngoldbloke (18 Jun 2019)

T4tomo said:


> I thought the Gain was 11kg ish in carbon and 13kg in Ali form, that's the attraction of those semi assist types, if the battery gives up its still very rideable.


- the lightest and most expensive versions. My alloy Gain, Tiagra equipped, so one of the heaviest, weighs in at 14.5 kg including bottle cages, pedals etc, small size frame. So 17 kg sounds a bit wrong to me.


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## kapelmuur (18 Jun 2019)

T4tomo said:


> I thought the Gain was 11kg ish in carbon and 13kg in Ali form, that's the attraction of those semi assist types, if the battery gives up its still very rideable.


The one in the shop looked ali, I couldn't lift it properly because of security and the assistant wasn't for releasing it .

I lifted it as far as I could without setting off the alarm and it seemed heavy compared to my current bike which weighs 13.5kg. No weight info on the Orbea website.


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## BucksCS (18 Jun 2019)

I have the Orbea F40 which shares the frame with the aluminium road bikes and that is approximately 15kg. According to Orbea, the F20 (i.e. 105 spec) is 14.7kg; I would expect the road version to be similar or less. I'm very pleased with the F40 after the first 120 miles, just the right level of assistance and power levels infinitely adjustable using the app. I'm sure the Ribble is similarly good, but the absence of demo bikes from Ribble was a deal breaker for me - Orbea demonstrators are much more widely available.


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## lucklesspedestrian (18 Jun 2019)

Slick said:


> I'm not sure it would be wise to buy an ebike without giving this guy a shout first.
> 
> https://www.love-ebikes.co.uk/#
> 
> ...



Thanks, Glasgow's so easy to access from Perth, I'll definitely call in.


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## lucklesspedestrian (18 Jun 2019)

kapelmuur said:


> I’m approaching my 72nd birthday and starting to struggle on climbs, so I’ve been thinking of an electric assist road bike.
> 
> Yesterday I had a look at an Orbea Gain and was surprised at how heavy it was. 17 kgs according to the assistant.
> 
> According to him for the money an e bike costs I could buy a carbon bike at half the weight and have no problem with climbing!



The problem with me is that the extra Kilograms are not on the bike..........


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## youngoldbloke (18 Jun 2019)

kapelmuur said:


> The one in the shop looked ali, I couldn't lift it properly because of security and the assistant wasn't for releasing it .
> 
> I lifted it as far as I could without setting off the alarm and it seemed heavy compared to my current bike which weighs 13.5kg. No weight info on the Orbea website.



This is a ridiculous state of affairs - the assistant _shoul_d know the weight. I was in Certini in Bristol the other day looking at a rather nice Cube Agree c62 eroad bike. As I started to pick it up to check the weight the assistant hovering nearby leapt in and rather brusquely told me I should ask him if I wanted a bike lifted from it's stand. I asked him how heavy it was and he gave me an 'around' so many kilos - he had no idea. Why won't manufacturers tell us, and why can't dealers weigh the bikes in stock? I'm not going to spend £3.5K without that information. It's also rather naughty to quote the lightest (most expensive) build in your advertising thus giving a false idea of the weight of the more affordable ones in the range.


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## youngoldbloke (18 Jun 2019)

kapelmuur said:


> I’m approaching my 72nd birthday and starting to struggle on climbs, so I’ve been thinking of an electric assist road bike.
> 
> Yesterday I had a look at an Orbea Gain and was surprised at how heavy it was. 17 kgs according to the assistant.
> 
> According to him for the money an e bike costs I could buy a carbon bike at half the weight and have no problem with climbing!


I have a carbon bike _exactly_ half the weight of my Orbea Gain - I still had big problems climbing hills - that's why I bought the Orbea


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## Smudge (18 Jun 2019)

lucklesspedestrian said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm seriously considering making the switch from conventional bikes to an ebike but don't really know where to start. I'm 56, overweight but I still hit the turbo trainer almost every day and get the road bike out from time to time so I'm reasonably fit and a pretty experienced cyclist. I live in rural Perthshire however and although it's very pretty, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without encountering a bloody big hill! I reckon that if I had an ebike I would actually go further/stay out longer and enjoy it more.
> It would be purely for leisure (no commuting as I was lucky enough to retire at 55) and mainly roads or occasional gravel/sandy trails so no need for heavy suspension. The plan would be that I would only switch the power on for significant hills/headwinds but would want to cycle normally as much as possible. I would also ideally like it to look as much like a 'normal' bike as possible if that makes any sense.
> ...



If you encounter a lot of hills, then torque is everything.
Cranks drives use their torque better than hub motors because the power is going through different gears. But CD motors also have varying torque for different models, generally from 50nm to 90nm.
For hub motors, dont bother with anything less than 45nm, and preferably look for something with 50nm +.


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## lucklesspedestrian (18 Jun 2019)

Smudge said:


> If you encounter a lot of hills, then torque is everything.
> Cranks drives use their torque better than hub motors because the power is going through different gears. But CD motors also have varying torque for different models, generally from 50nm to 90nm.
> For hub motors, dont bother with anything less than 45nm, and preferably look for something with 50nm +.



Think I'm going to have to start to look carefully at technical specs, thanks, that is really helpful.


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## Smudge (18 Jun 2019)

lucklesspedestrian said:


> Think I'm going to have to start to look carefully at technical specs, thanks, that is really helpful.



Its easy to find the torque specs for crank drive motors, Yamaha, Bosch and others list all the specs on their sites.
Its not so easy with hub motors, the torque specs are often not revealed and you have to do a lot of online searching sometimes to find these figures.


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## youngoldbloke (19 Jun 2019)

lucklesspedestrian said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm seriously considering making the switch from conventional bikes to an ebike but don't really know where to start. I'm 56, overweight but I still hit the turbo trainer almost every day and get the road bike out from time to time so I'm reasonably fit and a pretty experienced cyclist. I live in rural Perthshire however and although it's very pretty, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without encountering a bloody big hill! I reckon that if I had an ebike I would actually go further/stay out longer and enjoy it more.
> It would be purely for leisure (no commuting as I was lucky enough to retire at 55) and mainly roads or occasional gravel/sandy trails so no need for heavy suspension. *The plan would be that I would only switch the power on for significant hills/headwinds but would want to cycle normally as much as possible. I would also ideally like it to look as much like a 'normal' bike as possible if that makes any sense.*
> ...


*"The plan would be that I would only switch the power on for significant hills/headwinds but would want to cycle normally as much as possible. I would also ideally like it to look as much like a 'normal' bike as possible if that makes any sense".*
IMO - the new generation of sportier drop bar and hybrid eroad/egravel bikes from Orbea and Ribble would appear to meet your needs more than the heavy higher-powered mtb style/town ebikes., most of which are_ very _heavy. So I'd be looking at bikes using the Ebikemotion X35 and (more expensive) Fazua sytems.


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## butomus (19 Jun 2019)

I had the orbea gain d30 and changed to a giant road e+2 pro and what a difference the mid drive is the way to go


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## CXRAndy (20 Jun 2019)

lucklesspedestrian said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm seriously considering making the switch from conventional bikes to an ebike but don't really know where to start. I'm 56, overweight but I still hit the turbo trainer almost every day and get the road bike out from time to time so I'm reasonably fit and a pretty experienced cyclist. I live in rural Perthshire however and although it's very pretty, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without encountering a bloody big hill! I reckon that if I had an ebike I would actually go further/stay out longer and enjoy it more.
> It would be purely for leisure (no commuting as I was lucky enough to retire at 55) and mainly roads or occasional gravel/sandy trails so no need for heavy suspension. The plan would be that I would only switch the power on for significant hills/headwinds but would want to cycle normally as much as possible. I would also ideally like it to look as much like a 'normal' bike as possible if that makes any sense.
> ...



You could retrofit a Bafang or TSDZ2 crank drive if you have the right frame, also brake/ derailleur routing.


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## AussieTed (24 Jun 2019)

lucklesspedestrian said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm seriously considering making the switch from conventional bikes to an ebike but don't really know where to start. I'm 56, overweight but I still hit the turbo trainer almost every day and get the road bike out from time to time so I'm reasonably fit and a pretty experienced cyclist. I live in rural Perthshire however and although it's very pretty, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without encountering a bloody big hill! I reckon that if I had an ebike I would actually go further/stay out longer and enjoy it more.
> It would be purely for leisure (no commuting as I was lucky enough to retire at 55) and mainly roads or occasional gravel/sandy trails so no need for heavy suspension. The plan would be that I would only switch the power on for significant hills/headwinds but would want to cycle normally as much as possible. I would also ideally like it to look as much like a 'normal' bike as possible if that makes any sense.
> ...


I'm also a bit overweight and approaching 72 so this discussion is right up my alley. I have had my Orbea Gain D30 for a month and have never enjoyed riding so much. I ride with a group of 60-70 year olds who are all faster than me (even the 80 year olds). They keep saying it's not a problem but I hate being the one they have to wait for all the time. Since joining the e-bike brigade I am comfortably up the front on hills and head winds. The biggest problem I now have is judging the right speed when taking a turn at the front. So far haven't managed it as I end up 30-50metres ahead and have to slow down. Never been known before this! Looking forward to extending my ride life for at least another five years, maybe ten.


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## Scaleyback (24 Jun 2019)

kapelmuur said:


> I’m approaching my 72nd birthday and starting to struggle on climbs, so I’ve been thinking of an electric assist road bike.
> 
> Yesterday I had a look at an Orbea Gain and was surprised at how heavy it was. 17 kgs according to the assistant.
> 
> According to him for the money an e bike costs I could buy a carbon bike at half the weight and have no problem with climbing!



17 kgs is either wrong or very wrong, depending on the model weighed.

I have a Gain D30 (Shimano 105) with gravel tyres with tubes, 35mm front 38mm rear. Full mudguards. Under seat pack with spare tube/pump/pressure gauge/tyre levers. Garmin 130 + Garmin Varia rear (radar) light. 16 kg on the road. Weighed with a Park Tool DS1 digital scale.
I could probably lose getting on for 2 kg of that 16kg with narrower tyres/tubeless, no mudguards.
Incidentally I am 72 and this bike is great for me.


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## kapelmuur (25 Jun 2019)

Scaleyback said:


> 17 kgs is either wrong or very wrong, depending on the model weighed.
> 
> I have a Gain D30 (Shimano 105) with gravel tyres with tubes, 35mm front 38mm rear. Full mudguards. Under seat pack with spare tube/pump/pressure gauge/tyre levers. Garmin 130 + Garmin Varia rear (radar) light. !6 kg on the road. Weighed with a Park Tool DS1 digital scale.
> I could probably lose getting on for 2 kg of that 16kg with narrower tyres/tubeless, no mudguards.
> Incidentally I am 72 and this bike is great for me.



Thanks for the interesting information, it's a pity that shops make it hard to examine bikes thoroughly - almost as though they don't want to sell anything.


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## CXRAndy (25 Jun 2019)

The Orbea Gain is advertised at 11.3kg for 2019 carbon.


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## youngoldbloke (25 Jun 2019)

CXRAndy said:


> The Orbea Gain is advertised at 11.3kg for 2019 carbon.


Yes, BUT that is the top of the range model with the lightest equipment fitted, much like the top of the range Ribble Endurance SLe, claimed to be the worlds lightest eroad bike at 11kg. The more affordable versions are heavier, of course.


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## kapelmuur (25 Jun 2019)

youngoldbloke said:


> Yes, BUT that is the top of the range model with the lightest equipment fitted, much like the top of the range Ribble Endurance SLe, claimed to be the worlds lightest eroad bike at 11kg. The more affordable versions are heavier, of course.



I have asked Ribble for details of the build and cost of their 11kg bike. No reply!


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## youngoldbloke (25 Jun 2019)

kapelmuur said:


> I have asked Ribble for details of the build and cost of their 11kg bike. No reply!



Fair question - I had assumed it was the £5199 SLe ETAP.
- from their web page: "The SLe ETAP with its wireless SRAM Red ETAP shifting, fully integrated Carbon cockpit and optional Vision Metron 40 Carbon clincher wheels is the ultimate stealth ebike and is the world’s lightest production e-road bike."


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## Scaleyback (25 Jun 2019)

When (most) bike manufactures give a bike weight it is akin to car manufacturers giving mpg figures, i.e pretty meaningless.
The devil is in the detail (as they say)


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## CXRAndy (25 Jun 2019)

My wife's new shopper weighs 13.9kg, ebike conversion battery 4kg, motor 3kg probably another 0.5kg for disply and cabling

~ 21kg. should be capable of 100miles of assist


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## kapelmuur (30 Jun 2019)

Ribble have replied, they say the lightest build of their Endurance Sle with mechanical gears in a medium frame is about 11.5kgs.

No detail about the actual spec except to say that carbon wheels would be required.

I estimate the cost of this build at around £4,200.


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## lucklesspedestrian (16 Jul 2019)

A word of praise here for my local bike shop in Auchterarder Perthshire, Synergy Cycles. They seem to actively enourage you to roadtest ebikes before you even think about buying. They seem to be pushing the Haibikes with the trekking 6.0/7.0 and 9.0 seeming to be the most suitable for my needs. Bloomin' heavy though at around 23 kgs!

I'll need to do more research into all the suggestions and advice given on this thread, thanks again!


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## Southernguns (23 Jul 2019)

lucklesspedestrian said:


> It would be purely for leisure (no commuting as I was lucky enough to retire at 55) and mainly roads or occasional gravel/sandy trails so no need for heavy suspension. The plan would be that I would only switch the power on for significant hills/headwinds but would want to cycle normally as much as possible. I would also ideally like it to look as much like a 'normal' bike as possible if that makes any sense.



Sorry for coming late to the party! I have the Orbea Gain D30. I looked at the Ribble but could not test ride one, nor could I actually get one as they seem to be permanently out of stock. I wanted a bike for gravel and road riding and the Orbea Gain certainly does both with ease (although you could argue it is not really a true gravel bike). It has been over some pretty rough gravel (and fields) and up some 20% incline gravel and road hills over the past 2 months of ownership. I still have to work a bit up the hills, but would never have got up them without the assistance. It is perfect for me as I am not looking for a bike to do all the work for me, rather something to give a bit of assistance, which sounds like what just what you are after.

With regards weight my Orbea Gain D30, with bottle and cage, mobile phone, 33mm all terrain tyres and tubes, garmin cadence sensor and Mio gps weighs in around the 15kg mark. I figure I could lose a few kilo in body weight before even starting to worry about the weight of the bike!

The only annoying thing is that because it is a hub motor I cannot have 2 sets of wheels with different tyres to swap out- 1 for the road and 1 for gravel. Because of this I ride 33mm all terrain tyres as a bit of a compromise. They seem okay on both road and gravel.


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## Zeek48 (4 Sep 2019)

Remember the weights given by any manufacturer will be approximate and not include pedals, saddle bags with tools and tubes. Frankly, withe E-assist you will not notice the difference. Or if the extra weight concerns you, do what I did... Lose 5lbs and then it's all the same as you had.


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