I have a couple of questions, as a bit confused

[Saluki]

Hi.

I have done something really nasty to my back and hip and riding any hills, even little ones, now is/are remorselessly unfunny. I might just be looking to buy an e-bike, roadie or gravel, so that I don’t have to keep putting my bike in the car and driving to somewhere not quite so lumpy until mending happens. I don’t want to stop riding and it’s all a bit heartbreaking at the moment.
I am a bit confused about the motors. I have ridden a bottom bracket motored e-bike, a Moustache, with a Bosch motor, and very nice it is too but it might be a little out of my price range, also the only one that I can find is a 54cm and at 5’6” and a bit, it’s quite possibly a bit big. I know that other BB motored bikes are available but am a bit overwhelmed with it all at the moment. I’ll have to start a spreadsheet at this rate.
Others I have looked at, Trek, Ribble etc have got the rear wheel motors. Is it easy enough to get the wheel off to fix a P, when one arises? Happy to do the slime thing, but I need to know if it’s easy enough to drop the wheel out, do the fix and then replace and crack on with the ride.
I am open to suggestions regarding e-bikes, with drop bars, suitable.
I have read the difference between the types, on the first page, but thinking that things might have changed a tad over the last 3 years or so.
Could anyone provide a bit of advice, hopefully in words of one syllable or less to the terminally dim and uninitiated. My back will love you for it.
Thank you.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The Raleigh Motus is Bosch powered and may be cheaper
I would normally encourage the use of an LBS - but the online shops often had last year's model available cheap!

 

[Jenkins]

Not too sure about how it works with the others, but I've got the Ribble Hybrid Al-e with the rear wheel hub motor and fixing a flat while out and about is a lot more faff than on a normal bike - I've had details from Ribble how to check whether the supplied wheels are set up taped for tubeless next time I have to take the tyre off and may look to go that way . This video is from another bike in their range, but the principal is the same

 

[Dadam]

I can only speak for the Mahle system used by Orbea, Ribble, Lapierre, Bianchi, the Raleigh Trace hybrid and others. The motor cable runs through or under the left chain stay and has a plug that’s easy to disconnect. I understand the later X20 system has an automatic connector that you don’t need to disengage

 

[Dadam]

Fiddling with the cable isn’t a problem, but getting the wheel back on past the derailleur and getting the torque nuts oriented right all at the same time is a right faff as the wheel is heavy

 

[Saluki]

Fiddling with the cable isn’t a problem, but getting the wheel back on past the derailleur and getting the torque nuts oriented right all at the same time is a right faff as the wheel is heavy

That doesn’t sound fun, in the back of beyond and then it starts raining. I have a good LBS but he closes in the winter, until April comes around.
I know how lazy it sounds but I like ease of getting a wheel in and out. I did look at the Ribbles and the Lappierre bikes too.

 

[Saluki]

https://www.velospeed.co.uk/product/moustache-dimanche-28-5/
Bloke has an XL one of these. It’s too big for me, but this could work, depending on the length of the top tube. I know how reliable they are, after his nearly 3 years of ownership. I could stretch the budget (live on beans for a month).

 

[wiggydiggy]

The Raleigh Motus is Bosch powered and may be cheaper
I would normally encourage the use of an LBS - but the online shops often had last year's model available cheap!

I've literally just started riding one of these, done 50 miles so far so maybe not enough for a full recommendation yet. I'm riding a 2021 model bought new in 2021 around £2.2k from an LBS.

There's a thread I've seen today championing the Carrera Subway E as an entry level eBike, should be around half the price of a Motus.

Thread: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-subway-e-and-other-carrera-e-bikes-thread.272237/page-5

 

[Drago]

You called!

I kept my silence on the Subway E as Saluki had mentioned drop bars.

However, it the bars could be negotiable the Subway E is probably the best all round budget option, and what is there is well thought out and of decent quality.

Being hub drive the rear wheel is fiddly to remove, but not a ball breaker. They come with fairly fast rolling puncture resistant boots as standard - the brand eludes me - and I've not punctured one yet in 3 years and 4500 miles of road and light trail riding.

Powered range isn't the biggest, but even with my weight about I can eke it out to 35-40 miles with care, and a more svelte rider will improve upon that.

 

[Saluki]

Thanks @wiggydiggy . It really needs to be a drop bar. I have a bit of a smushed wrist and the drops give me options. Also, riding on non drop bars, with the stiff, weird shaped wrist, means that I have my elbow stuck out and, after a while, pain happens. I have one whole flat bar bike and only ride it when I absolutely have to. Possibly allergic to it, so much do I dislike it.
Now I type that all out, I really can see that I am falling to bits, a little bit at a time.

 

[Saluki]

You called!

I kept my silence on the Subway E as Saluki had mentioned drop bars.

However, it the bars could be negotiable the Subway E is probably the best all round budget option, and what is there is well thought out and of decent quality.

Being hub drive the rear wheel is fiddly to remove, but not a ball breaker. They come with fairly fast rolling puncture resistant boots as standard - the brand eludes me - and I've not punctured one yet in 3 years and 4500 miles of road and light trail riding.

Powered range isn't the biggest, but even with my weight about I can eke it out to 35-40 miles with care, and a more svelte rider will improve upon that.

Glorious to see you back Drago. I saw your post in ‘retirement’ a bit back. The bars are a thing for me. With a flat bar, the wrist whinges louder than I do when It’s my turn to wash up.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Thanks @wiggydiggy . It really needs to be a drop bar. I have a bit of a smushed wrist and the drops give me options. Also, riding on non drop bars, with the stiff, weird shaped wrist, means that I have my elbow stuck out and, after a while, pain happens. I have one whole flat bar bike and only ride it when I absolutely have to. Possibly allergic to it, so much do I dislike it.
Now I type that all out, I really can see that I am falling to bits, a little bit at a time.

I actually changed the swept back bar to a flat, but the motus is quite an upright machine so not sure if it will work with drops.

 

[gzoom]

I've got two crank drive eBike, Boardman hybrid with Fazua motor and Specialized Creo SL. The Creo is/was very expensive but what a bike. At 12.7kg it's not even that heavy, am currently trying very hard to resist NOT buying some lovely carbon aero wheels.......

I can also confirm changing the inner tube at the side of the road is as easy as it is on a normal bike .

 

[Drago]

What about some kind of North Road or Moustache bar? Would they hold your wrists at a better angle for you?

And thanks, I've had a bit of a rough year but I'm out the other side and very glad to be back -x-

 

[roley poley]

For you and those who need to fix a puncture in a wheel surrounded by cables ,chain case,drum brake attachments ,hub gear or motor users... ....Gaadi make a double ended innertube which can be removed from the wheel without any other tools than tyre levers...SJS cycles do a range of sizes ..if I knew how to make a link to their site I would do as it will save much hassle to all such users