electric bikes (1 Viewer)

dennismartin

Free Member
Jul 26, 2011
135
19
hull
Funster No
17,517
MH
c class
Exp
im a newbie
thinking about getting 2 electric bikes but don't know much about them. will i get decent ones for about £700 each and what can i realistically expect from them (mileage) is there any does and don'ts ?

thanks
 

GIBLA53

Free Member
Jul 26, 2009
267
25
Powys/Spain
Funster No
7,659
MH
Adria Coral Compact
Exp
since 2002
Hi I have had electric bikes for about 4 years now and like most things in life you get what you pay for . £700 will buy new( its a risk to buy 2nd hand) bikes from such people as AS from near Coventry or Woosh from Southend - mailorder is possible .
Advice from me is try as many before you buy , visit dealers, shows, join pedelec forum , its quite an expensive purchase AND if you get it wrong you compound the error. After much research and testing my latest e-bike cost £2000 but is a superb Bosch powered crank drive semi-folding bike. There are huge numbers of choices .........

Alan

ps look through previous threads on this subject also ( use "search")

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Jaws

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2008
23,821
71,977
Thetford Norfolk
Funster No
4,189
MH
C class, Chieftain
Exp
since 2006 ( I think ! )
We have now got five of Peters ( AS Bikes ) bikes in the family... all have done sterling service and our bums always give out LONG before the batteries do !
 

MikeandCarolyn

Free Member
Mar 18, 2008
2,170
1,467
Worle,North Somerset
Funster No
1,860
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2009
We have Giant bikes-Pedal assist, full size,costing around £1,000 each-we love 'em.

Mike.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

CarolynandMike

Free Member
Nov 21, 2009
108
129
South Wales
Funster No
9,409
MH
Liberty
Exp
since 2009
We have Giant bikes-Pedal assist, full size,costing around £1,000 each-we love 'em.

Mike.

We do, but they are quite heavy (weight consideration) and physically getting them on the bike rack is a bit of a struggle but against that, as a once nervous bike rider, I feel secure and confident on my electric bike as it is sturdy and very stable. It is a really pleasurable ride.
 

Carol

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 2, 2007
14,044
111,473
North Wales.
Funster No
519
MH
A class
Exp
18 years s Motorhome (33years caravans)
We do, but they are quite heavy (weight consideration) and physically getting them on the bike rack is a bit of a struggle but against that, as a once nervous bike rider, I feel secure and confident on my electric bike as it is sturdy and very stable. It is a really pleasurable ride.

We also have full size bikes like Carolyn & Mikes, ours are Shwinn but be the Giant Shwinn etc assist they are just like a normal full size bike but with assist so I find it much more comfortable for going any distance 20/30 mile or more in a day, very comfortable and the battery will do 40 odd mile on a charge. the batterys these days are very light and the bikes aluminum so not to heavy.

Eddie can lift then on and off the bike rack on his own with out much trouble and a lot easier if I help.

I would check out the Giant assist bikes just to see the difference between them and the folding bikes, although the cost will be £1000 upwards, but to us worth the difference.
Have to say I have only ever heard good reports about Peter's folding bikes.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 18, 2011
12,091
17,895
derbys
Funster No
17,808
MH
AUTOSLEEPER SYMBOL
Exp
since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
Buy a couple of quality road bikes, they get easier every day and the exercise will do you no end of good. BUSBY.
 

bernardfeay

Free Member
Nov 18, 2009
613
1,191
Bolton
Funster No
9,391
MH
hymer exsis
Exp
10 years
I feel a bit thick asking this question but I'll ask it anyway. How easy is it to charge these bikes when you are in a campervan?
 
OP
OP
D

dennismartin

Free Member
Jul 26, 2011
135
19
hull
Funster No
17,517
MH
c class
Exp
im a newbie
I feel a bit thick asking this question but I'll ask it anyway. How easy is it to charge these bikes when you are in a campervan?

i think youl find you are going to need electricity from somewere

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

pollensabob

Free Member
Jan 30, 2008
227
249
West Sussex
Funster No
1,368
MH
C Class
Exp
7 years
I converted two road bikes 3 years ago using Alien conversion kits. Been brilliant done many miles used all the time local shopping and on holiday. As for charging I connect them to motorhome 230v power supply.

Bob:thumb:
 

Welsh girl

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 7, 2009
3,658
3,036
Funster No
9,222
MH
Globecar
Exp
Since 2004
We have 2 AS folding bikes, and checked the weight for the bike rack and they are well within the range not too heavy but whilst at MARQUIS last week while they were working inside the van with the bikes on the rack they noticed the back wall straining so advised us to leave them off the rack for a while to let the wall come back into shape, breathe back in out if you get my meaning?:roflmto:
Anyway as we also have a car we now keep them in the back of that and we were worried about the distortion of the back wall.
Just an observation !
W do take the batteries out and carry them in the van.
They weigh 22 kilos each and the rack should take 60 kilos.
Ps. Mike at AS bikes is a lovely person, very helpful and they have wonderful after sales, they even sent us free of charge a replacement stand to France that i had broken leaning it against a tree. Great bikes by the way.
 
Last edited:

Jaws

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2008
23,821
71,977
Thetford Norfolk
Funster No
4,189
MH
C class, Chieftain
Exp
since 2006 ( I think ! )
Has Peter taken someone on to help him at last Trish or Tez ?

Charging
The battery(s) simply pop in and out ( they have an 'ignition key' that not only turns the bike on but if turned the other way releases the latching pin which allows the battery to simply slide out )

So with the battery out, plug it in to the supplied charger which in turn is plugged in to a mains outlet socket in the van.. ORRRRRRR

As we do when travelling and off hook up, use a small ( 300w ) inverter to charge from

We have never ever managed to flatten a battery even after a 20 mile round trip, so have no idea how long a battery would take from completely flat to fully charged, but the longest a charge has ever taken is 3 hours give or take.
Usually, top up charges are less than an hour.

The batteries are of the type that do not get a 'memory', so no need to worry about charging from part discharged.. ( I am speaking about the bikes available from AS Bikes )

All in all, very easy to use and keep in good order.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Welsh girl

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 7, 2009
3,658
3,036
Funster No
9,222
MH
Globecar
Exp
Since 2004
Has Peter taken someone on to help him at last Trish or Tez ?

He has his brother Graham to help out also his daughter Annette helps out at times, he does get very busy but never too busy to say hello!!!:Smile:
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,086
9,022
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
I converted two road bikes 3 years ago using Alien conversion kits. Been brilliant done many miles used all the time local shopping and on holiday. As for charging I connect them to motorhome 230v power supply.

Bob:thumb:

Thanks for the tip Bob.. that looks like an excellent bit of kit.. well worth considering if you already own good quality bikes.. :thumb:

http://www.alienbikes.co.uk/page16.htm
 
Aug 18, 2011
12,091
17,895
derbys
Funster No
17,808
MH
AUTOSLEEPER SYMBOL
Exp
since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
Best way to recharge mine is to stop at a bar preferably overlooking The Med and pour two or three pints of cold beer down my throat. That usually sets me up for another fifteen to twenty miles depending on the hills. BUSBY.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
We have 2 AS folding bikes, and checked the weight for the bike rack and they are well within the range not too heavy but whilst at MARQUIS last week while they were working inside the van with the bikes on the rack they noticed the back wall straining so advised us to leave them off the rack for a while to let the wall come back into shape, breathe back in out if you get my meaning?:roflmto:
Anyway as we also have a car we now keep them in the back of that and we were worried about the distortion of the back wall.
Just an observation !
W do take the batteries out and carry them in the van.
They weigh 22 kilos each and the rack should take 60 kilos.
Ps. Mike at AS bikes is a lovely person, very helpful and they have wonderful after sales, they even sent us free of charge a replacement stand to France that i had broken leaning it against a tree. Great bikes by the way.
:Eeek:wall straining, come back into shape :Eeek::cry: why would you think if something has strained it's going to come back ?:Eeek:Your van wall's are not made of elastic :Doh: You need to consult the supplying dealer/fitter :thumb:
Terry
 

Greenacres

Free Member
Jan 10, 2013
82
13
Stoke on Trent
Funster No
24,229
MH
Burstner Travel Van t620
Exp
13 years since retirement and many younger years as a Hippy in a VW conversion, roaming the Greek Is
We have 2 and on the whole they have been great. They are too heavy for a normal MH bike rack so we invested in a Thule rack that fits on the tow bar ball. We have used them all over Europe, charge the batteries on hook up or the inverter. Potter around for miles but no good on slopes.Getting a rear wheel puncture can be problematic with all the gear mechanism and electric hub located there. But we found willing helpers on Aires . They were £550 each when we got ours two and a half years ago.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top