I have a couple of questions, as a bit confused

[Dogtrousers]

No advice cos I know nothing, but wishing you the best with getting your back mended @Saluki

 

[Dadam]

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.

To be fair, I have very little experience with changing wheels even on regular bikes and would probably have had a bit of a faff with a normal wheel. I’ve only done it once, when I swapped out the tyres, and it would get easier with practice. Some recommend putting the bike upside down and I could see that might make it easier.

But a mid drive would remove this as an issue for you.

 

[13 rider]

Tagging in @Aravis and @kapelmuur who I know ride e bikes

 

[Saluki]

To be fair, I have very little experience with changing wheels even on regular bikes and would probably have had a bit of a faff with a normal wheel. I’ve only done it once, when I swapped out the tyres, and it would get easier with practice. Some recommend putting the bike upside down and I could see that might make it easier.

But a mid drive would remove this as an issue for you.

On my bikes, I can change a tube out and reinflate, in 5 mins flat. My Dad taught me when I was about 8. I always turn upside down much to the annoyance of some, but I find it easier for me.
Definitely decided on a mid drive now
Thank you

 

[Salad Dodger]

I had a Powabike bike with a rear hub motor, and when I got a rear tyre P******* it was a major pain to sort out, as the wiring to the motor had no visible way of disconnecting it.

A while ago, I looked at possibly buying a Juicy Bikes "roller" which has a rear hub motor. That had a plug connection on the rear chain stay, so you could unplug from the rest of the bike before removing the rear wheel. That seems like a MUCH more sensible idea. I am not sure if the company employs the same idea on all their bikes. I hope so.

In the end, I splashed out on a bike with a crank motor, so wheel removal is less awkward.

I hope you find a suitable bike very soon, and that it allows you to get back to lots of lovely riding.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I have an Orbea Gain and a Ribble SLe, both drop bar and Mahle X35 hub drive. I've had rear wheel punctures 'on the road' - the wheel is heavier than a standard rear, disconnecting the cable is easy, but replacing the wheel can be a bit more fiddly than usual, but practice makes perfect. I'm 75 and not as strong as I used to be - hence the e-road bike, but it's manageable, if not my favourite activity. Practice removing and replacing the wheel at home.

edit - I'm using standard, relatively light road-tyres on the bikes - Michelin Pro 4 Endurance on the Orbea, and Continental GP 4 Seasons on the Ribble. Both 28mm. Chunkier tyres can add a tremendous amount of weight.

 

[Espresso vecchio]

Why not look on Gumtree for what you want? There are many good makes, though of course they cost more than bike-shaped objects from a big warehouse-type of store whose staff know nothing about bikes.

My wife bought a new Motus (here in S Norfolk..), and I bought myself one on Gumtree as I liked hers so much. We both have Shimano hub gears rather than derailleur. Mine was 18 months old at purchase, had done less than 1000 miles and was less than half price. Genuine seller.

The Motus is lovely: very smooth ride indeed, beautifully made (in Europe) with decent components, and fitted with Gaadi tubes as standard to make puncture repair easy on bikes with rear hubs (no need to remove rear wheel). On derailleur bikes the rear wheel can be taken out very easily like any other bike.

Looking on Gumtree just now, there are plenty of Motuses to choose from all over the country. Here is the link for Motus ones. Prices generally sensible but one or two mad. I am sure the same is true for other decent makes. Most are step through-frames, which is maybe better for someone of 5'6", and Mrs EV's Motus is step-through for that reason.

 

[Alba Zeus]

I have an Orbea gain with the mahle system. Great bike and the hills are much easier in the highest setting.

Tyre removal is straight forward. Unclip the cable under the chain stay, remove through axle (not quick release), remove the 2 magnetic bolts and wheel comes out like any other. Yes a bit heavier but again no big deal.

Just be sure to put the 2 magnetic bolts back on otherwise the motor won't work.

Practice practice practice at home just like you would have with a "standard" wheel back in the day.

 

[Gwylan]

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.

Might blow your budget, no it will blow you budget.

But it may well turn out to be better for you.
Look at an ebike with in hub gears and belt drive makes life quite simple.
Several second hand Raleigh models on eBay. Also claim good range. Choice of tyres and tubes encourages the puncture fairy to look elsewhere.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Many posters are recommending flat bar bikes, the OP stated "It really needs to be a drop bar". Converting flat bar to drops can be quite involved and very expensive. There is a much more limited choice of drop bar e-bikes, hub or mid-drive.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I used to have a Powacycle that had hub drive. As it was quite old - I got it in 2011 and it was atleast 14 months old then it was rather unsophisticated and disconnecting the wiring to the hib motor appeared to require the sacrifice of several chickens and had to be performed in the presence of a Unicorn being ridden by a virgin
As it was North Wales I was rather short of one ingredient!!!
Anyway - after a bit of practise I found it was quite simple to turn the bike upside down / loosen the hub nuts then deflate the tyre
Then operate from the far side of the bike from the wiring loom
After that the tyre itself could be removed and pushed onto the wiring side of the wheel
The innertube could then be removed and left hanging around the hub - then lifting teh hub clear on that side allows the tube to be removed
another - or the fixed one - can them go back on with the reverse procedure

I have had 2 other hub motor bike since them but both were more modern and had decent pug to disconnect the wiring

but if I was in a hurry I would still do it the way above as it is quicker

 

[Drago]

Many posters are recommending flat bar bikes, the OP stated "It really needs to be a drop bar". Converting flat bar to drops can be quite involved and very expensive. There is a much more limited choice of drop bar e-bikes, hub or mid-drive.

That's why I asked about North Road or Moustache bars, which potentially can be relatively simple and inexpensive to convert to, allowing as they do the potential to retain original shifters, levers and even grips.

 

[gzoom]

There is a much more limited choice of drop bar e-bikes, hub or mid-drive.

Not cheap but very lovely....am tempted (again ).

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/pinarello-nytro-2023/

 

[youngoldbloke]

Not cheap but very lovely....am tempted (again ).

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/pinarello-nytro-2023/

I'm afraid I find the Pinarello frame a little ugly - the kink in the top tube. Looks as if it's been ridden into a wall at full speed. However, If I were given one I'd grin and bear it! If I had that kind of money I'd prefer the Scott Solace eRide 10, much prettier. My 105 Ribble SLe is only a couple of hundred grams heavier, admittedly hub drive.

 

[Saluki]

I found this, on Ebay, well a friend did. I got in touch with them and test riding it tomorrow and they’ve taken it off sale for me. The only downside is that they can’t deliver the thing until 5th April - it could have been 4th, but I am working all day that day. The motor guy is on his hols. The are charging the eBay price of £4199, not the £5k+ one. I thought I would add that.
https://spokeandmotor.co.uk/collect...oustache-dimanche-28-7?variant=35563262378133

I have also seen https://www.velospeed.co.uk/product/moustache-dimanche-29-3-gravel/
Which I like a lot but it would need swapping out of tires, for slightly thinner ones and it only has a single front ring. However, my reading up on things, once decided on the mid motor, I am not sure that’s quite as important with an ebike. It’s quite lumpy here. Not Yorkshire lumpy, but North Norfolk lumpy.
My plan is test ride the road Dimanche then drive down and test ride the gravel Dimanche. They are both a size medium.
Bloke has a road Dimanche, bright reddy orange colour and I know it’s nice to ride, even though it’s an XL so huge.
Any thoughts at all? I am really interested in people’s opinions.