Anybody into E-MTB's?

[B1RMA]

Just wondered if anyone has taken the plunge and bought an electric powered mountain bike.

Last year I bought a Giant Trance E and took it along to the Queen Elizabeth Park for a run, it's a great way of some exercise plus the air is nice and clean.

Having spent my life riding Trials and Moto X bikes I love the idea of freedom you get as you can take it to places motorbikes aren't allowed.

[Spacewagon52]

I can see the appeal of electric bikes. I travelled from Ramsgate to Whitstable and then on to Canterbury on an e-bike, having not ridden for some time. Great to get out in the fresh air but I would hesitate to call it real exercise.

Powered mountain bikes can take you to some exciting places I imagine.  Any videos? Do you have a Go-Pro type camera?

[B1RMA]

1 hour ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I can see the appeal of electric bikes. I travelled from Ramsgate to Whitstable and then on to Canterbury on an e-bike, having not ridden for some time. Great to get out in the fresh air but I would hesitate to call it real exercise.

Powered mountain bikes can take you to some exciting places I imagine.  Any videos? Do you have a Go-Pro type camera?

No I haven’t yet but I’m a keen wildlife photographer so can put the camera in a backpack and head into the wilds. I’ve been learning how to handle the bike properly as I don’t want to hurt myself. In my younger days I rode trials bikes for a few local clubs but these days I value my well being/bones much more to take too many risks but I do plan to start taking snaps soon

[Spacewagon52]

21 minutes ago, B1RMA said:

No I haven’t yet but I’m a keen wildlife photographer so can put the camera in a backpack and head into the wilds. I’ve been learning how to handle the bike properly as I don’t want to hurt myself. In my younger days I rode trials bikes for a few local clubs but these days I value my well being/bones much more to take too many risks but I do plan to start taking snaps soon

I would highly recommend this camera. I film urban foxes with it. I think it is excellent value AND you can film underwater! It can be controlled remotely from a tablet.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DRJLK47/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Kevin Williams]

I have had a couple of Specialized e bikes, and an Orbea Wild FS…

I think buying a Specialized e bike, is expensive, compared to the Orbea, which has similar components…

I only rode them on the roads, and had the green gunge in the tubes, in case of punctures…

I no longer have the Orbea. 

I bought a Gocycle GXi, fitted with mudguards and lights… Which I can fold and put in my car easily…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlC6us6zww

The Gocycle is very good value for money. It’s cheap, compared to many other makes…!

I bought it from the Fully Charged bike shop…

https://www.fullycharged.com/

This is an interesting video… Get a beer, or a coffee, as its 22 minutes long…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvx3hRDnAxA

I read that Spacewagon 52 said… I travelled from Ramsgate to Whitstable and then on to Canterbury on an e-bike, having not ridden for some time.

Having not ridden for some time, that’s 30 miles…!  Would he have done that on a normal bike…!???

[B1RMA]

He is a lot braver than me riding a bike on today's roads. I gave up riding motorbikes a few years ago as I had one or two too many close shaves, I guess with so many driver distractions these days cycling along the roads is a bit risky. In fact two days after I ordered mine at a junction just along the road there was a cyclist looking very much worse for wear and a young lady driver in tears. I thought that's a bad omen.

Anyway these days I put the bike in the back of one of my vans and drive to where I ride.

When I first got the bike I took it around the blue route at the QE, 7 months down the line I do the same route in less than half that time so I guess it has helped with a bit of fitness for me. 

Specialized e-mtb's are very expensive at the top of the range bikes.

[Kevin Williams]

I had a Greeves 250 at 16, and I also had some very close shaves. I don’t tell many people that when I passed my test, I bought a Reliant Robin, instead of a bigger bike…

It helped me pass my car test first time…

I sometimes use the quiet roads where I live, but like yourself, I take my e bike in the car, and cycle somewhere, similar to the Queen Elizabeth Park…

Queen Elizabeth Park looks good, and similar to the Camel Trail near where I live…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqf8j5tLe5U

As we all know, there are several places to go with your bike, that’s traffic free… and enjoyable…

I imagine Spacewagon52 chose the quiet roads to go from Ramsgate to Whitstable, and then on to Canterbury, on his e-bike…

[Spacewagon52]

1 minute ago, Kevin Williams said:

I had a Greeves 250 at 16, and I also had some very close shaves. I don’t tell many people that when I passed my test, I bought a Reliant Robin, instead of a bigger bike…

It helped me pass my car test first time…

I sometimes use the quiet roads where I live, but like yourself, I take my e bike in the car, and cycle somewhere, similar to the Queen Elizabeth Park…

Queen Elizabeth Park looks good, and similar to the Camel Trail near where I live…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqf8j5tLe5U

As we all know, there are several places to go with your bike, that’s traffic free… and enjoyable…

I imagine Spacewagon52 chose the quiet roads to go from Ramsgate to Whitstable, and then on to Canterbury, on his e-bike…

For the majority of the journey it is off-road. Whitstable to Canterbury you go via the old train track now called The Crab and Winkle Way. 

The National Cycle Routes use as much off-road tracks as possible. I believe around the East Kent coast is National Route 1 (?)

[Spacewagon52]

15 hours ago, Kevin Williams said:

I have had a couple of Specialized e bikes, and an Orbea Wild FS…

I think buying a Specialized e bike, is expensive, compared to the Orbea, which has similar components…

I only rode them on the roads, and had the green gunge in the tubes, in case of punctures…

I no longer have the Orbea. 

I bought a Gocycle GXi, fitted with mudguards and lights… Which I can fold and put in my car easily…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlC6us6zww

The Gocycle is very good value for money. It’s cheap, compared to many other makes…!

I bought it from the Fully Charged bike shop…

https://www.fullycharged.com/

This is an interesting video… Get a beer, or a coffee, as its 22 minutes long…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvx3hRDnAxA

I read that Spacewagon 52 said… I travelled from Ramsgate to Whitstable and then on to Canterbury on an e-bike, having not ridden for some time.

Having not ridden for some time, that’s 30 miles…!  Would he have done that on a normal bike…!???

No! That would have killed me! Having not ridden for a while and being able to travel so far without crippling my body was a revelation. As I have said above, very little of the journey is on roads. It is a very safe route along the coast. I would be more than happy to take children on the route. 

 

In another part of the country, Consett to Sunderland, is a fantastic bike journey - all off-road.

[B1RMA]

31 minutes ago, Kevin Williams said:

I had a Greeves 250 at 16, and I also had some very close shaves. I don’t tell many people that when I passed my test, I bought a Reliant Robin, instead of a bigger bike…

It helped me pass my car test first time…

I sometimes use the quiet roads where I live, but like yourself, I take my e bike in the car, and cycle somewhere, similar to the Queen Elizabeth Park…

Queen Elizabeth Park looks good, and similar to the Camel Trail near where I live…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqf8j5tLe5U

As we all know, there are several places to go with your bike, that’s traffic free… and enjoyable…

I imagine Spacewagon52 chose the quiet roads to go from Ramsgate to Whitstable, and then on to Canterbury, on his e-bike…

I had a Greeves 250 too must have been a popular 2 stroke to have. The thing is back in those days we rode our bikes everywhere including the QE Park that was Forestry Commission property at the time. We all believed nobody could catch us anyway (and they couldn't) so really enjoyed the country roads/tracks around our area.

I'm sure it helped to keep us out of trouble too.

I bought the Giant Trance E+1 pro  with the 650 Battery and in all honesty after the latest update it's really like it has an engine. I was subject to budget creep with it though but 3 years interest free credit persuaded me as I couldn't buy it cheaper anywhere else. 

[Spacewagon52]

19 hours ago, Kevin Williams said:

I have had a couple of Specialized e bikes, and an Orbea Wild FS…

I think buying a Specialized e bike, is expensive, compared to the Orbea, which has similar components…

I only rode them on the roads, and had the green gunge in the tubes, in case of punctures…

I no longer have the Orbea. 

I bought a Gocycle GXi, fitted with mudguards and lights… Which I can fold and put in my car easily…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlC6us6zww

The Gocycle is very good value for money. It’s cheap, compared to many other makes…!

I bought it from the Fully Charged bike shop…

https://www.fullycharged.com/

This is an interesting video… Get a beer, or a coffee, as its 22 minutes long…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvx3hRDnAxA

I read that Spacewagon 52 said… I travelled from Ramsgate to Whitstable and then on to Canterbury on an e-bike, having not ridden for some time.

Having not ridden for some time, that’s 30 miles…!  Would he have done that on a normal bike…!???

Very interesting videos. I came across a RAD bike that can carry two people, at what looked a very good price. Unfortunately they do not have any retailers, so back-up service is down to you. Apparently bike shops are not keen on servicing them (?)

[Kevin Williams]

I can remember a couple of incidences, while riding my Greeves 250, that I had been very lucky not to hurt myself, or worse… Even though it was nearly 50 years ago. When I passed my test. I knew if I bought a bigger bike, it was the ‘wrong’ thing to do… 

Yes, some e bikes are surprising how they work, and make it so much easier to be out on a bike… and also more enjoyable… 

I have ordered a new Gocycle G4i, which I am advised will be delivered in late July… 

The new Gocycle G4’s are in demand… I think the Gocycle is good value for its money…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQlOBRsmT-I

One of the guys that works for me, who bought my Orbea, wants to buy my GXi, and will pay what I paid for it… I paid 3,200, and it’s got mudguards and lights fitted…

Mat Watson’s video of the GX is interesting…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wwoMMbwvzc