On Sunday 27th May the E-Bikeshop Owners Club visited Bedgebury Forest for an action-packed ride on electric mountain bikes. This trail centre is located in Kent & has some great trails on offer! We all met at the main carpark at 10:30am, after a quick coffee and catch up we set out to ride the trails, which are all marked Red, Blue and Black. We learned a new member of the club - Dale, was a regular around Bedgebury Forest, so he led us up to the first trails off-piste to avoid the rather dull fire roads. It was a really hot day with the temperature scaling 26 degrees, but the forest had suffered a thunderstorm the night before which left the trails nice and sticky, which was great with zero dust! After a couple of the main trails, Dale led us off the site to cover a little more ground including some fun singletrack, bridleways and a little road too. It was nice to extend the route and mix it up a little. We headed back onto the main trails, completing a circuit led us back to the main cafe where we all had a cuppa, snacks and a natter. The group then went for another lap of the circuit in the afternoon. https://www.relive.cc/view/rt10000250742 All in all a great day, with no major mechanicals (apart from James snapping a chain link!). It was really nice weather and a great addition to the bank holiday weekend. Special thanks to Dale for leading this ride and taking us on the excursions. Looking forward to the next ride! The next ride is up and live now on the Owners Club page. So take a look and click âJoinâ to confirm attendance. We will, of course, publish all the photos of this ride on the ebikeshop club page in the next few days, donât forget to tag yourself in them. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased an eBike from us and want to get involved, please find all the details here: E-Bikeshop owners Club.
The new Raleigh 2018 electric bike range consists of 4 key models available in various specifications, colours and sizes. The models include the Motus, Motus Tour, Motus Grand Tour and a Raleigh Centros for 2018. To date the Raleigh, Bosch powered, electric bike range has been very popular, great bikes with a good spec at affordable prices. For 2018 Raleigh expand the range, introducing more models and choice for each rider. Raleigh Motus & Centros Electric Bikes The new 2018 Raleigh Motus eBike range splits into 3 key models, each available in a Crossbar or Low Step variant. Also, a new electric bike is introduced called the Raleigh Centros with an integrated Bosch 'InTube' battery setup. Let's break these Raleigh electric bikes down and take a look at the available options: Raleigh Motus The new Raleigh Motus is available in both 26" and 700c wheel size options on the low step variant and in a 700c wheel on the crossbar variant. The crossbar model comes in one colour and two sizes. The low step comes in two sizes and two colours. Price: ÂŁ1650 | To learn more click â Motus Low Step or Motus Crossbar Crossbar - Colour: Grey | Sizes: 46 & 53cm | Wheel Size: 700c Low Step - Colour: Grey or Green | Sizes: 46 & 50cm | Wheels: 700c or 26" (46cm Only) Raleigh Motus Tour The Raleigh Motus Tour is available in both a Derailleur & Hub Gear option. The Low Step is offered in both 26" & 700c wheel sizes, where-as the Crossbar model is on the 700c wheels. The Crossbar comes in Blue, there are two colour options on the Low Step - Grey & Cream. Price: ÂŁ1850 (Derailleur) / ÂŁ1950 (Hub Gear) | To learn more click â Motus Tour Low Step or Motus Tour Crossbar Crossbar - Colour: Blue | Sizes: 46 & 53cm | Wheel Size: 700c Low Step - Colour: Grey or Cream | Sizes: 46 & 50cm | Wheels: 700c or 26" (46cm Only) Both Available with Hub or Derailleur Gears Raleigh Motus Grand Tour Like the Tour, the Raleigh Motus Grand Tour is available in both a Derailleur & Hub Gear option. The Low Step is offered in both 26" & 700c wheel sizes, where-as the Crossbar model is on the 700c wheels. The Crossbar comes in Black and the Low Step in Grey. Â Price: ÂŁ2150 (Derailleur) / ÂŁ2250 (Hub Gear) | To learn more click â Motus Grand Tour Low Step or Motus Grand Tour Crossbar Crossbar - Colour: Black | Sizes: 46 & 53cm | Wheel Size: 700c Low Step - Colour: Grey or Black | Sizes: 46 & 50cm | Wheels: 700c or 26" (46cm Only) Both Available with Hub or Derailleur Gears Raleigh Centros The new Raleigh Centros is a brand new platform with a built-in Bosch 500Wh 'In Tube' battery system. It's available in both Crossbar and Low step options. The Low step is offered in a 26" and 700c wheel size option with either Hub or Derailleur gears. Price: ÂŁ2750 (Derailleur) / ÂŁ2850 (Hub Gear) Crossbar - Colour: Black | Sizes: 46 & 53cm | Wheel Size: 700c Low Step - Colour: Grey | Sizes: 46 & 50cm | Wheels: 700c or 26" (46cm Only) Low step available with Hub or Derailleur Gears Range Summary We attended the Raleigh 2018 pre-launch event and are really excited about the new Motus range. The subtle colours and wide options available will make them very popular. The complete Raleigh range features the new 2018 Bosch eBike Active Line system. The entry-level Motus is offered with a 300Wh battery, where-as the Motus Tour and Grand Tour will be both offered with a 400Wh Bosch battery. You can view the full range of Raleigh eBikes here â Raleigh Electric Bikes.
Every year Bosch eBike Systems evolves its product line up. For 2019 Bosch offer new features for its eMTB community based on rider feedback. Let's look at the new features. The great thing about the Bosch eBike system is that it's fully updateable. This means the system is totally futureproofed, where current users can have dealer updates to their existing electric bikes. Let's face it, the Bosch Performance Line CX is pretty much one of the best systems on the market for its punchy power, smooth torque curve and new features like the eMTB mode. In fact, Bosch actually won the Design & Innovation Awards 2018 for their new 'Uphill Flow Trail' where they used expert trial builder Diddie Schneider to offer a new trail which actually flows uphill specifically designed for eMTBs & these features. So what can Bosch possibly expand on? Well, based on rider feedback they have made certain improvements to the system itself. We'll delve into a little more details about these: New 2019 Bosch eBike Features Include New Update For Short eMTB Crank Arms Most riders run regular length cranks (170-175mm) but on an eMTB you tend to tackle harder climbs and the electric mountain bike allows you to navigate up rocks/obstacles etc. With full-length cranks, pedal strikes become more apparent. This means many riders have been fitting short Bosch eBike crank arms (165-150mm) which allows more ground clearance for more adventurous riding. The trouble with just swapping the cranks is that it alters the feedback the drive system gets. Which in turn alters the output of the motor assistance feel, torque curve and in particular the characteristics when in eMTB mode. For 2019 Bosch introduces software updates via a Bosch eBike dealer, who can program each bike to suit the preferred crank length. This adapts the progression curve in eMTB mode and also offers increased support in Tour mode, offering maximum power up-hill. New Bosch Kiox LCD Display The new 2019 Bosch Kiox display is neat and compact with a super crisp resolution LCD display screen. It mounts in the centre of the handlebars, unlike the Intuvia or Nyon (which mount on the handlebars themselves) the Bosch Kiox display has it's own mount which bolts to the top of the stem top cap bolt. The Bosch Kiox display offers all the rider credentials in a neat and easy to read user interface. Riders can see important factors like speed, distance and battery range on the screen. The newly designed 2019 control buttons, which sit to the left of the bars allow scrolling of this screen. Other data includes ride summaries, fitness levels and heart rate monitoring (by connecting a Bluetooth BLE heart rate monitor). The control buttons have been redesigned in 2019 for easier use and navigation of the display. The buttons are slightly bigger and easier to use with gloves on for example. They also feel really positive/satisfying to operate. Bosch Kiox is a small and robust unit, which magnetically clips onto the display. It's a very strong magnet and requires a tug to remove it from the display bracket. When clipping back on it quickly glides back into place quite satisfyingly The newly designed screen uses Gorilla Glass on the front which is scratch resistant. New Bosch Fast Battery Charger Bosch already has a Standard Charger and a Compact Charger. For 2019 Bosch eBike introduce a Fast Charger. This new charger is slightly larger and about 200g heavier than the Standard charger but offers a 6Ah charge rate. This brings the charge time down by around 50% compared to the compact charger. Typically a Bosch 500Wh battery will take 7.5hrs to charge on the Compact Charger, 4.5hrs on the Standard Charger and 3hrs on the new fast charger. The new 2019 Bosch Fast Charger is currently the fastest charger on the market of any system provider. Ideal for those more frequently charging their Bosch eBike batteries. Compact Charger Standard Charger Fast Charger Max Charge Current 2A 4A 6A Size Approx 160 x 75 x 45 mm 190 x 86 x 54 mm 200 x 90 x 60 mm Weight Approx 600g 800g 1000g 500Wh Charge Time 7.5hrs 4.5hrs 3hrs The new Bosch Fast Charger is compatible with all Bosch eBike systems to date. You can also use it on the original Classic+ line by using this adaptor. New Faster Walk Assist Operation Yes, eBikes are made for the climbs, but every now and again you want to use the walk-assist when beside the bike for navigating obstacles or manoeuvring the bike up steep slopes. Bosch recently updated the walk-assist button, as it was smaller and more difficult to hold underneath or above the controls. Now you simply press the 'Walk' button and then hold the '+' button within 5 seconds to activate it. It's easier to do with gloves on and more natural to hold this way. We do know that they are extending this 5 second activation time by a few seconds soon to make it easier and for users to navigate the two buttons in tandem. The current walk assist is good, but some riders have said it lacks grunt. New for 2019 Bosch offer a software update to fix all of this. Now with the improved use of the gradient sensor, the walk-assist can adapt to changes terrain in both steepness and obstacles. The walk assist, automatically adapts to the slope it's on offering the rider full support where it's needed most. The new more powerful walk assistance enables sharp increases in walking speed to be mastered more easily with your eMTB. A new application ensures optimum power transmission - even on electric mountain bikes with short cranks. What's Next? It's an exciting time for Bosch as they continue to dominate the market & react to rider feedback. No doubt they'll be a few more updates coming very soon. We also know that up until now the eMTB mode comes as standard as part of the latest bike firmware update. This is not optional, but in July the dealer diagnostics will give the option to turn it on/off. It's important to note, as mentioned above, all of these Bosch eBike updates will come as standard on 2019 Bosch electric bikes, but is also completely update-able onto previous model years using the Bosch Performance CX motor. Find your new Bosch powered eMTB today â Full range of Bosch powered eBikes.
We re-visited the famous Peaslkae (Surrey Hills) with the E-Bikeshop Owners Club for our Spring April ride out. Riding both the trails and off-piste on electric mountain bikes. The plan was to meet at Holmbury village hall, but the car park here was full. Club member Ken kindly put a post up to say to re-locate in the morning to another carpark down the road. This added a little confusion, in all the times we've visited this area we'd never had the car park full. The plan was to split the pack into 'Beginner' and 'Advanced' riders. But half the group had met and gone elsewhere, so the remainder of us who'd grouped up decided to stick with the 'Advanced' trails, kindly led by club members Chris and Ken. We headed out to a couple of famous trails (Yoghurt Pots and Barry Knows Best) first to then follow some ambitious off-piste riding. The beauty of these trails is they offer such varied terrain and different skill sets throughout. It's so nice that Chris and Ken led us out onto these as 90% of the ride you'd never have found if it wasn't for these guys. Ken has been riding the Surrey Hills for 50 years! A couple of hours in following a few adventures (where Ken decided it best everyone take a look first before committing!) we headed over to the Peaslake Village Cafe where we served up one of their famous sausage rolls and a cuppa. From here we headed back out over the hills to check out some more off-piste terrain and a few good step in trails. Luckily the weather held off all day and in total, we covered around 16 miles of off-road riding set over around 5 hours of riding. Special thanks to Chris and Ken for leading such a great ride and being legends all day! Shout out to Rob who joined us from eMTB Forums on a brand new Haibike xDuro AllMtn 6.0 we'd lent him to test for the day. Despite the confusion at the start, it was a great day with great company too. The next ride is up and live now on the Owners Club page. So take a look and click âJoinâ to confirm attendance. We will, of course, publish all the photos of this ride on the ebikeshop club page in the next few days, donât forget to tag yourself in them. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased an eBike from us and want to get involved, please find all the details here: E-Bikeshop owners Club.
We handed the brand new Scott E-Genius 720 2018 electric mountain bike over to our tamed MTB rider Fred, who put the new Shimano E8000 eBike through its paces. Introduction Iâve been looking forward to getting out on a Shimano Steps E8000 system for a little while now, so when Scott dropped by with a Demo E-Genius 720 2018 in my size, I was soon brandishing a shock pump and my favourite winter pedals. A quick play with air pressures, rebound settings, and some wheelies in the carpark (why not), the 2018 E-genius was soon squirrelled away in the back of the car, âclaimedâ for the weekend. Initial Impressions Turning on the Shimano Steps system is as simple as pressing the power button situated on the downtube. After a couple of seconds the display changes from the loading screen to show speed, assistance mode and battery levels, a nice little touch is a power bar showing the input from the motor. The Shimano E8000 display has a nice little clicky button to scroll through display modes, showing speed, trip distance, full distance (ODO), range, trip time, ave speed, max speed, cadence and a clock. I found the display to be clean and uncluttered, making it super easy to read at a glance. Assistance Modes Assistance modes on the Scott E-Genius 720 are controlled via a Shimano Firebolt Shifter on the left-hand side of the bars. This same shifter design is used for Shimano Di2 groupsets and has a light throw with an excellent tactile click, so no guessing if youâve changed modes here. For me having the control triggers slung under the bar is an excellent design choice, making changing assistance on the fly a breeze without having to adjust your grip. Riding The Scott E-Genius The start of my ride on the Scott E-Genius 720 was along some freshly laid tarmac in eco mode, hardly a grueling test for the bike but I found myself exceeding the Shimano motors assistance on the flat easily enough, this was noticeable compared to other systems where you can feel a little resistance through the motor, requiring a bit more effort to get the bike past this. Whilst I could feel the weight of the eBike with the system off compared to my sub 13kg 160mm enduro bike, this electric bike still picked up speed and rolled along just fine. Clicking up into Trail mode for the first steep hill and dropping a few cogs on the rear block to keep my usual preferred cadence, the additional power eased in very smoothly, offering a welcome surge keeping my speed from dropping below 15 mph. Very nice! Moving Off Road My first stretch of off-road was along a local bridal path, whilst a relatively flat route, the recently melted snow added to some amusing puddle skipping, and plenty of claggy mud sections. With one section, in particular, I found my shoes and pedals were being introduced to the detritus, but eco mode continued to push on keeping me from dropping too much speed and having to wade out. A quick hop back onto the roads and I was soon at my next little test section, a rooty singletrack with some off-chamber sections followed by some technical climbing. This particular section is clay giving way to a bed of chalk in certain sections, so I was glad for Scott's sensible tire choice of some Maxxis Minions on the 2018 E-Genius. These shed the mud well when keeping a relatively relaxed speed going and helped to keep me rubber side down. Assistance Modes Whilst Riding I found myself skipping between the 'Trail' & 'Boost' mode through this section, using 'Boost' to get a bit of speed up quickly for a technical feature and dropping down to trail when a bit more traction was needed. The Shimano Firebolt shifter allowed for these snap changes in assistance modes with little thought or planning, allowing me to focus on the important stuff. If I was riding this particular terrain all day, I would likely adjust the 3 assistance levels using the Shimano Steps Etube app to fettle the power given as a couple of occasions I found the boost mode giving too much power and losing traction. As previously mentioned I was able to quickly bail out with the Firebolt shifter and regain some grip, and this is fairly common with most âfull powerâ modes on electric bikes where some finesse is needed on the more technical climbs. To Conclude I found the Shimano E-8000 system to offer smooth power from starting off, and plenty of power when out on the trails and rolling. With the Q factor of the cranks matching that of a standard XT chainset, hopping on this bike for the day felt incredibly natural compared to my usual steed. The motor definitely rewarded use of a higher cadence on the climbs much like an âanalogueâ bike, whilst still offering plenty of usable assistance for those with a slower cadence who prefer to âgrindâ up the hills. With the motor off you could almost believe it was a standard bike, if not for a little-added weight. Combining all this with the option for super clean integration of Di2 shifting, an uncluttered display and ease of use, this system and the Scott E-Genius 720 2018 is a seriously strong contender for anyone's hard earned money. The Etube phone app offers easy customisation for Di2, power modes and also allows for system updates too, another plus in my books. With thanks to Fred for this bike review. To view the full spec click here â Scott E-Genius 720.
When Lapierre showed us the 2018 line-up for the new Shimano integrated electric mountain bikes, we were too excited not to shout about it! We take a closer look at the new Overvolts! Lapierre has been on the eMTB scene for many years now, evolving their eBikes as the industry has grown and now with popularity in it's prime, Lapierre unveils the new OVERVOLT. We've already seen the 2018 Bosch powered Overvolt eMTB models, but Lapierre has created a new range to run alongside in a 160/140mm travel offerings. Influencers have included Nico Voullioz (10 times world MTB champion) and Lapierre's in-house design team to create something special. So What's New? Shimano Steps E8000 Motor This is the first time Lapierre have offered a Shimano powered bike in the range. Shimano hit the market with their new E8000 eMTB specific system recently. Lapierre has taken this to the next level with a custom built frame design and battery setup. More on that shortly. Suspension Travel & Wheel Size This is the first full 160mm travel range, offering a great all-around Enduro / Freeride / Trail Center setup for a one-bike-does-it-all kind of vibe. All models are available as either a 160mm travel 27.5+ wheel setup or a 29" 140mm travel set. We'll mainly be concentrating on the popular 27.5+ setup here in the UK. Frame Design & Geometry A whole new geometry setup has been created for the new 2018 Lapierre Overvolt eBikes. This includes a new shorter back end, the weight has been placed further down offering more agile handling and the bottom bracket has been pushed as far back as possible so the traction is on another level. New 'SnakeTech' Battery Tech Whilst on the frame, the battery has been contained within the down tube offering a stronger, more rigid design. The battery can be inserted via a port on the side meaning the downtube retains its rigidity without needing a long exit for the battery. The battery can be charged on or off the bike, both ways are possible due to the 'SnakeTech' design which allows the battery to bend as you insert it into the channel. A first of it's kind! What does this mean in reality? It's a better handling, looking & more nimble bike! Take a look. New 2018 Overvolt Models Lapierre Overvolt AM 527i / 529i 2018 Shocks: Suntour AION 35/RockShox Deluxe R | Brakes: Shimano Deore | Drivetrain: Deore Price: ÂŁ4,699 | Full spec / learn more here: Lapierre Overvolt AM 527i 2018. Lapierre Overvolt AM 627i / 629i 2018 Shocks: Fox Float 36/Fox Float DPX2 | Brakes: Shimano Deore | Drivetrain: Sram NX Price: ÂŁ5,499 | Full spec / learn more here: Lapierre Overvolt AM 627i 2018. Lapierre Overvolt AM 727i / 729i 2018 Shocks: Fox Float 36/Fox Float DPX2 | Brakes: Sram Guide RE | Drivetrain: Shimano XT Price: ÂŁ5,799 | Full spec / learn more here: Lapierre Overvolt AM 727i 2018. Lapierre Overvolt AM 827i / 829i 2018 Shocks: Fox Float 36/Fox Float DPX2 | Brakes: Sram Guide RE | Drivetrain: Shimano Di2 XT Price: ÂŁ6,299 | Full spec / learn more here: Lapierre Overvolt AM 827i 2018. Lapierre Overvolt AM 927i / 929i 2018 Shocks: Fox 36/Fox DPX2 Factory Series | Brakes: Sram Guide RE | Drivetrain: Shimano Di2 XT Price: ÂŁ6,699 | Full spec / learn more here: Lapierre Overvolt AM 927i 2018. To Conclude The Range All of the 2018 Overvolt models are offered in either 29" 140mm travel or 27.5+ 160mm travel. All models use the same frameset, geometry & a built-in dropper post. The Shimano E8000 eMTB specific motor and the SnakeTech integrated battery come as standard. We are already taking pre-orders on these exciting new models and expect deliveries from May onwards. To find out more, or to make your reservation click â 2018 Lapierre Electric Bikes.
On Sunday 25th March, the E-Bikeshop Owners Club met at WindHill. Located near Longleat to check out the new trail park on electric mountain bikes. We all met in the main car park which was surprisingly almost already full early on a Sunday morning. A short stint across to the trail centre led us straight to the top of the hill. WindHill is a dedicated B1kePark so every run starts at the top of the hill on a roll in. It's a really neat setup with a seating area and small cafe style bar underneath the wooden roll in structure. We started on the Blue runs which then led onto the Red's, loads of flowy berms take you down the hill, with lots of tabletop jumps in between. We did a few runs and then climbed straight back to the top on the eBikes. It was great riding past those pushing and then coming back up again before they'd even made it back to the top! Following a coffee and natter, we headed for some new Red runs we'd not yet done. Then session'ed some of the mid-sized jumps halfway down the run. One of our guys - Dan decided he'd tackle some of the bigger doubles, we all watched in anticipation as he made it over them! The great thing about this bike park is that most runs on the Blue and Red are completely rollable where the jumps are, so it's good for a mix of abilities. All in all a great day out with some new and past faces, the weather was again on our side with not a drop of rain all day! The trails were fast enough to ride whilst not being dusty, perfect! Just a note of reference for anyone deciding to travel to WindHill Bike park near Longleat: Don't follow the sat nav postcode provided as it takes you into the Longleat Safari trail a few miles down the road at Longleat Zoo! Best to come off the roundabout where the main entrance is situated, then drive past the Longleat Zoo main entrance and the WindHill Bike Park car park is a little further up on the right. The next ride is up and live now on the Owners Club page. So take a look and click âJoinâ to confirm attendance. We will, of course, publish all the photos of this ride on the ebikeshop club page in the next few days, donât forget to tag yourself in them. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased an eBike from us and want to get involved, please find all the details here: E-Bikeshop owners Club.
We are delighted to be working with Transport for London to promote the use of eBikes in London. Our collective efforts will help make London a more active, healthy & cleaner city. TfL Electric Bike Forum London Back in January 2017, Transport for London invited us (e-bikeshop.co.uk) up to City Hall to take part in a forum to discuss the use of electric bikes in London. The forum explored the role of eBikes in encouraging more people to cycle, how TfL and the e-bike industry can work together to support the use of electric bikes in London. It was a great day with industry leaders sharing thoughts and ideas around the room in a forum style meeting and presentation. What Next? Following the forum, TfL liaised with the Department for Transport and Greater London Authority to develop a commercial proposition for how the public and private sector might work together to promote e-bikes in London. Moving forward they shared these ideas with Will Norman, the new Walking and Cycling Commissioner; and the Mayor. New Dedicated TfL eBike Website Today TfL launched a new dedicated website to promote the understanding of electric bikes, the wider use and where to get test rides locally for people to try an eBike. We're proud to be a part of this with a dedicated profile and exclusive offers to new London electric bike users. This morning TfL launched the new e-bike campaign with a photo call at Finsbury Park. In attendance were Val Shawcross (the Deputy Mayor for Transport) and Will Norman (the Mayorâs Walking & Cycling Commissioner). Both Val and Will rode e-bikes today. Will also did an interview for London Live TV. eBike Stories The new dedicated TfL website will also feature a number of short 'eBike Stories' featuring riders, finding out why they bought an e-bike. Not forgetting what benefits they think an e-bike can offer and why they love riding electric bikes. We think having TfL behind the push to promote eBikes within London is a great thing and an exciting time for more to come. To find out more, visit the Official TFL site.
Surrey-based E-Bikeshop was awarded ex BBC Dragons Den star Theo Paphitisâ prestigious business award. Setup to reward & promote business entrepreneurs. Back in October 2017, E-Bikeshop wins the SBS national business awards. Out of 329,000 business' nominated, just over 2,000 were selected by Theo Paphitis himself as successors to the SBS club. That's a ratio of not even one percent, in fact, 0.68% to be precise!  Awards Ceremony The awards ceremony took place on 23rd February 2018 at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham, UK. The day kicked off with an introduction from Ryman CEO Kypros Kyprianou followed by a session with Superbrands expert Stephen Cheliotis.  Theo Paphitis Then to meet the man himself - Theo Paphitis. Theo is a retail magnate come entrepreneur, with a net worth of over ÂŁ280 million. He is considered to be one of the UKâs most high profile businessmen. Theo gave advice to fellow entrepreneurs, offering an inspirational talk and then answering any questions SBS members had.  John Roberts After lunch, we all sat down for a hot fire session with Theo and John Roberts (founder of AO.com). Seventeen years ago John's friend bet him ÂŁ1 in a pub that John couldn't sell appliances online. John set up and subsequently floated his company some years later in 2014, valued at ÂŁ1.6 billion. The talk was inspiring to say the least, with John also answering many new business questions from the audience. ďťżďťż Award Winner E-Bikeshop was set up in the UK to promote and grow the use of eBikes. Appealing not just to the experienced cyclists but to get more people out on bikes nationally. E-Bikeshop Director, Martin Brown said:- We are proud to have won this prestigious award. To be recognised by Theo, an experienced and inspirational icon in the business world means a lot to us. I am excited to what opportunities this will open up. Itâs also opened the avenue to be part of an exclusive club who can share ideas and gain inspiration from other entrepreneurial business owners alike. This is a really exciting time for us.  Electric bikes have a lot to offer for different people. Learn more about the benefits of eBikes Âť
We were sent a bag made by XLC bike products to test out the various functions of this new electric bike specific bag. With eBike specific built-in battery holder and back protector. The new E-Ride 23 Rucksack from XLC features some clever additions to separate itself from other bags on the market, it's solely designed around electric bikers! Let's check out some of the features in more detail: Waist & Chest Straps Both sides of the waist straps have open cell padding for ventilation and pockets for smaller items such as keys. Chest strap features an safety whistle for emergencies or irritating everyone nearby with repeated blasts. Bottle Holders Two external bottle holders are present on the E-Ride 23, on either side of the rucksack. An elasticated opening and further clinch down webbing straps keep your bottles secure whilst still being easily accessible on the move. Glasses Pocket A glasses pocket is featured at top of the bag to help avoid potential crushing when fully loaded. Softly lined to avoid damage to lenses. Goggles can also be stashed here if required. Mesh Dividers The outer Compartment of the E-Ride 23 offers mesh pockets with elasticated openings to help keep your snacks/tools/spares/recovery beers organised and static. With ample space to hold larger items such as a waterproof jacket, offering quick access and minimal fuss. Clinch down straps on either side of the compartment help to hold the load close to the pack and the rider. Helmet Holder Featuring its own stash pocket of which it is sewn into, the helmet holder is elasticated with two webbing straps. These cinch down to the outside of the bag, ensuring your helmet is securely held in place. The stash pocket extends up into the outer storage compartment cover, offering plenty of space for additional items. Rain Cover Much like the helmet holder, the rain cover (with internal storage pocket) is stored in its own stash pocket at the base of the pack. It's sewn in to ensure it doesn't go wandering when you need it. The cover has an elasticated edge to allow for easy fitment over the pack, with full coverage regardless of how loaded the E-Ride 23 is. Battery Holder The main compartment of the E-Ride 23 features a dedicated battery holder. Suitable for both Bosch & Yamaha batteries, with a top opening velcro strap to keep the battery secure. The back protector (mentioned below) offers that comfortable support between rider, bag & battery. Something not commonly found with heavy batteries rolling around in your bag! Main Compartment A further large mesh pocket at the top of the bag helps to keep smaller items organised and within easy reach. Ample storage is offered either side of the battery holding compartment. Back Protector The CE approved back protector from german protection company SAS-TEC is made from a Visco-elastic soft foam. Measuring roughly 49.5cm by 26cm. Offering lightweight, flexible and ventilated impact protection. The protector is designed to withstand multiple impacts, so youâll unlikely need to be ordering a new protector anytime soon. Meaning you can wisely spend that time uploading your latest stack on youtube for your friend's amusement. It slides into its own retaining sleeve, offering wide back coverage, helping you to shrug off those moments you accidentally set off the ejector seat. The eBike bag is priced at ÂŁ139.99
Orbea Bikes loaned our chief eBike Technician, Jeremy (aka Roadie Master) an Orbea Gain D10 2018 road electric bike to ride and review. Read on for his full electric road bike review. Where did it start? On Thursday 2nd of November, I had the opportunity to test ride the new Orbea road e-bike. The Gain D10 bike looked great in a bright orange finish, including a Shimano Ultegra groupset, disc brakes & carbon clincher wheels. It was hard to tell at a glance that this was even an eBike. Aside from the Gain D10 electric bike, there is also a base spec road version called the Gain D30 and an 'All Road' version with slightly wider cyclocross tyres called the Gain D20. Setting up the Orbea Gain? I set the Orbea Gain bike up, made sure it was fully charged, put my own pedals on and off I went. It is very easy to use as an ebike with no big obtrusive display on the handlebars. I just used my normal Garmin to record my data for the ride. To change assistance modes and see how much power is left in the battery you just press a button embedded into the top tube. Different colours indicate you what mode you are in: White = Off, Green = Eco and Red = Boost. It then defaults to a colour that shows how much battery life you have left. You can also download an app to your phone in order to see more data. A quick tap reverts to show you what mode you are currently in and a double tap alternates the modes. The Orbea Gain is really easy to use. How's the Orbea to ride? I rode from our HQ over to my local cycling club for the weekly Thursday ride. When I turned up the Orbea Gain certainly got a few reactions from most people not even initially realising it was an ebike and most people just liked the general look of the road bike. On the ride, the Gain D10 felt great, not too heavy at 13.75 Kg compared to other e-bikes that I have tried on the road. It flowed really well with no assistance when riding over 15 mph as this is the legal limit for e-bikes in the UK when the motor stops assisting you. Riding the Gain over a longer period? I covered 61 miles on the Orbea Gain in 3 hours 45 minutes with 4157 ft of climbing. The assistance from the motor really helped on the climbs and you could really feel it powering you forward although you didnât want to push it too hard or you lost the assistance over 15 mph. As the e-bike is only âhelping outâ, so to speak, I still burnt plenty of calories and had a heart rate score of 105 on Strava for a âTough suffer scoreâ. I was still really working on the ride and really pushed hard on the climbs in order to see if I could beat my previous segment times. The motor on the Orbea Gain is developed by a Spanish firm called eBikemotion. It detects your pedalling via a torque sensor in the rear hub. This then relays information to the motor and assists as necessary. The motor is tuned to offer the best performance between 10 â 15 mph. Itâs really quiet even when you are really working it hard on the climbs. Riding in a group of Roadies? As I was riding in a group of 10 other riders (on non-ebikes) we were pushing around 20 mph on the flat and I was easily keeping up without assistance as the Orbea Gain road bike flowed and didnât appear to have any drag from the hub motor. On the downhills, the extra weight meant that the bike was very quick and handled very positively with the aid of the great Shimano disc brakes for slowing you down very quickly. What about battery range? When I finished the ride, after 61 miles, I still had 42% charge left on the Orbea ebike battery. For me this is more than enough for a full days club ride, with a nice buffer left over should I wish to push both myself and the electric road bike further. For longer distances Orbea tells me, there is going to be a plug and play âAdd Onâ battery neatly hidden in a bottle/cage should you wish to use the Orbea Gain electric bike for more long distance touring. Interestingly it also has eyelets for full mudguards and a rack should you wish. Something missing from my current road bike! Overall conclusion? I was really impressed with the ride and handling and some flow of the Orbea Gain ebike. This bike is incredible for the money and itâs definitely the future of fun. I have already got a few of my Clubmates on the list for a test ride. I canât think of a reason not to buy one if you enjoy cycling and enjoy having fun on your bike in the outdoors. Whether you ride alone or in a group, the Orbea Gain electric bike is going to get you out riding more and covering more miles. #grintastic With thanks to Jeremy Ray for this write-up. Want to learn more about this electric road bike? Click - Orbea Gain D10 Road eBike.
Surrey-based company E-Bikeshop wins ex BBC Dragons Den star Theo Paphitis' prestigious #SBS business award. Setup to reward & promote business entrepreneurs.  Theo Paphitis Theo Paphitis is best known for appearing on BBC's Dragons Den as a world-class investor. His proven track record as chairman of many successful companies including; Ryman Stationary, Robert Dyas and Red Letter Days to name just a few. Theo is a retail magnate come entrepreneur, with a net worth of over £280 million, he is considered to be one of the UK's most high profile businessmen.  SBS Awards The #SBS awards were created by Theo Paphitis to reward and promote small business with entrepreneurship. Theo promotes business winners with dedicated business profiles on his website and retweets the business to his >500,000 followers. Also, access is granted to an exclusive #SBS club where like-minded business individuals can network and share ideas. Theo Paphitis says:- I admire people who have passion and energy. If you cannot bore your friends to death about your own small business then something is seriously wrong. All my businesses are privately owned and entrepreneurial in spirit. I know I have been lucky in business and I am keen now to spread goodwill to others, of course not forgetting that very often, you make your own luck by making use of every opportunity. Award Winner E-Bikeshop was set up in the UK to promote and grow the use of eBikes. Appealing not just to the experienced cyclists but to get more people out on their bikes nationally. Electric bikes really do have a lot to offer for many different people. Learn more about the benefits of eBikes  E-Bikeshop Director, Martin Brown said:- We are proud to have won this prestigious award. To be recognised by Theo, an experienced and inspirational icon in the business world means a lot to us. I am excited to what opportunities this will open up. It's also opened the avenue to be part of an exclusive club who can share ideas and gain inspiration from other entrepreneurial business owners alike. This is a really exciting time for us. More news will follow, as E-Bikeshop are invited to the awards ceremony on 23rd February 2018 at the ICC in Birmingham where they'll be handed their award from Theo Paphitis himself.
E-bikeshop is proud to announce that you can buy electric bikes from the UK's specialist eBike retailer via the Cyclescheme. A government-funded cycle to work scheme. Riders can save up to 42% off when buying their electric bike, the Cyclescheme offers not just significant savings off the first ÂŁ1000 but a host of other benefits too. You can reduce your travel costs significantly whilst feeling great and getting fit. Don't forget, there's no commitment to only ride your eBike work, you can use your new electric bike for leisure too. Â Example Savings The below shows an example of the saving on a ÂŁ1000 voucher, with a higher rate taxpayer. eBike Cost ÂŁ3299Accessory Cost ÂŁ299Helmet (Safety Equipment) ÂŁ69Total Cost = ÂŁ3667-ÂŁ1000 Voucher = ÂŁ2667Saving on ÂŁ1000 = ÂŁ418.85Total Overall Cost = ÂŁ3248.15 There are also benefits to the employer too, offering increased productivity whilst maintaining a happy workforce. The savings are not just for the employee as the employer will save too with National Insurance contributions. Â E-Bikeshop & Cyclescheme As the specialist eBike retailer in the UK, e-bikeshop.co.uk is proud to be only 1 of 5 online retailers authorised to process Cyclescheme vouchers directly via our checkout online. E-bikeshop's managing director Martin Brown said:- We have been working closely with Cyclescheme this year to fully integrate the platform into our website & back end systems. With the main focus on usability for our customers. We wanted to simplify the process of redeeming Cyclescheme vouchers online. It's great to be listed alongside the 'big boys' and to be the only specialist retailer focussing solely on electric bikes. Fully automating the process, offering the full package from the initial purchase to full support & long term backup. E-bikeshop's simple 3 step checkout process makes it easy to redeem Cyclescheme vouchers online, learn how here. Their qualified eBike technicians will fully build and set up your new electric bike ahead of carefully delivering it with any accessories you may have added. Â Start saving today Cyclescheme has processed over 649,000 bikes to date via the government-funded ride to work scheme. Start saving on your new electric bike today. Start your journey here Âť
On Sunday the 1st October, the E-Bikeshop Owners Club met at Peaslake in the heart of the Surrey Hills for an off-road adventure on electric mountain bikes. It all started in the main carpark of Holmbury Village Hall. We immediately tackled a harsh climb, it certainly got the blood flowing and thank god we were on eBikes! The trails were the almost perfect conditions, not too dry as dust flies up, but not too wet either. Nice grippy and flowy for the perfect balance of trail riding. Fortunately, the weather held off all day and although some later trails offered some bigger puddles, this all added to the fun. Get stuck in and power through with the eBikes! Local club riders Chris and Ken led this one, so thanks from all the members to both the guys for leading, the whole day offered some fantastic 'off piste' trails that are hidden and we'd have never found these fantastic trails if it wasn't for the guys. We covered some of the famous trails including 'Barry Knows Best', 'Telegraph Poles' & 'Yoghurt Pots' before heading to the cafe for a coffee and bite to eat. This then followed with some more vigorous DH tracks in-between fast flowy singletrack. Certainly, put the electric bikes through their paces and kept all riders gripped for more! All in all a great day out, it just started raining as we got back to the car park, so again we judged the weather perfectly on this one. No mechanicals at all through the day at all, great! We did have one off which involved club member Ben coming to a stop (mainly using his face!) on the famous 'Barry Knows Best'. Fortunately, as a team player, Ben wiped the blood off and got straight back to it. Well done Ben! Again thanks to Chris and Ken for leading the pack, truly great trails with great people, well done. The next ride is up and live now on the Owners Club page. So take a look and click âJoinâ to confirm attendance. We will, of course, publish all the photos of this ride on the ebikeshop club page in the next few days, donât forget to tag yourself in them. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased an eBike from us and want to get involved, please get in touch.