On Sunday 2nd August we travelled south for another E-Bikeshop owners club ride. This time seeing what the south coast has to offer around Friston Forest! We met mid morning at a small village called Alfriston, here a convenient car park located just a short ride down some country lanes and we were straight onto some tracks. While a couple of Owners Club regulars missed this one, we did see some more new faces on this ride, every ride seems to show new people and the club is growing in popularity. We rode out of Alfriston and up a steep climb then headed out onto the road to see a fantastic sight - The Wilmington Giant. We then climbed further up the side of Windover Hill for quite a while until we hit the peak at the top, where some more fantastic views could be taken in. Fortunately all the climbing at the start of the ride was not diminished as of course we were all on eBikes and could enjoy the up hills! We then rode down and along into the top of Friston forest, this ride was led by fellow member Gary. This is his local riding spot so he knew exactly where to take us to get the best views, terrain and singletrack. Friston forest is full of bomb holes following the war. Fortunately for us, these bomb holes made for great riding in between the tight woodland singletrack. The first ones we rode are called Doris and Bert. We then went on to ride 'The Wall of Death Bomb Hole'. All the tricker parts were avoidable for the less experienced in the group. Whilst some got carried away and hit them multiple times, getting more and more confident with each run! We then went on to ride the 'Fairy Trail' with lots of tight twists, turns, roots and the odd jump to keep things exciting. Gary got us all trying the bomb hole challenge, where you have to enter one side and leave the other side without pedalling. The temptation to stick the anchors on or add in a little pedal to get back the other side was agonising. But a couple managed to do it after multiple attempts. Entering with enough speed to get back out meant that a little airtime was required as you entered the bomb hole. Good fun indeed! Lovely trails and the fact that you could ride around most bits if you were not confident was again great for the newer members. Although by the end of the ride most of them were getting air on the tabletop jumps! From the bottom of Friston forest we climbed back up and Gary showed us the Snow Trail. What appeared to be fairly hidden, I am glad we had him on board as so many of these excellent trails could easily be missed if you didn't know where they were. The bonus of having a local in the club I suppose! We have found this with previous rides too, it's so nice to follow and not have to know where you are going. Each ride we tend to have a leader that knows the area well. This works perfectly and not only do you get to ride with like minded eBikers, but you learn new places to ride too. Double win! Conclusion To conclude the ride we headed out of Friston and rode down through Westdean to Cuckmere Haven. This hotspot was really busy on the Sunday with tourists and locals alike enjoying the beach and a quick paddle in the sea. It was a great opportunity to stop, unwind and cool off. Forgot to add at the start of the report that once again the weather was amazing! A short ride back up through Litlington and over to Alfriston left us back at the car park where we met. With high spirits & smiles all round. The big question is when is the next ride out? Well it's live now, so to all of our fellow owners, login and make sure you get the date aside! This next one's going to be popular as we revisit a favourite from earlier in the year. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased a eBike from us and want to get involved, please get in touch.
On Sunday 12th July 2015 our E-bike Shop Owners Club hit the hills again for another great day riding electric bikes at Leith Hill! While our chief man was doing his E-Bike thing is Germany checking out the new range, that meant that the other E-Bike Shop Members took lead in making sure our team were geared up and ready for a super fun ride. While we have the same great faces that come to our action packed meet's that we now class as friends, it was great to see the new faces of the two Mark’s and Neil that joined us on the day and are now very much sucked into the E-bike vibe. We soon set off where Chris and Ken lead the way to show us all kinds of different terrains, some of which we had not yet come across such as sand. It’s great that we can get different rides with each meet we have, no ride is ever the same, which always makes it that more exciting. After much climbing and a lot of pedal work we were rewarded with these breath taking views (quite literally after getting up there), a full 360 degree view of nothing but fields. We all thanked ourselves for getting up early to appreciate such views. Which is the lovely thing about this club is that it’s not just about the fitness, yes it gets you out the house, it gets you meeting new people with the same interest, but we get to see views that not everyone is able to see, which always gives you the real feeling of achievement together as a team. On our journeys, of course we are always going to come up against people and have not seen these bikes before and always have a few questions, of course naturally we always just hand them the bike and say try it for yourself, as there sometimes is just no other way to explain or describe such a fantastic invention. Ken being the talkative one, he tends to stop and chat to everyone interested, but like Ken we are all equally passionate about these great bikes. There is always time for a quick selfie just to show how happy we are, even with a few minor stumbles along the way. The team are always supportive, so motivational to keep you going when at times, even when you feel you may be struggling. But we always do it as a team, and we never split off and always wait for one another. But we always make it flexible so we can go at our own pace. There were some easy parts of our ride but also some extra tricky parts which involved pushing yourself that little bit further. We love a good challenge to keep it interesting and to test ourselves but to get that feeling of accomplishment. To finish off what was another great ride, at this point we started getting quite heavy rain, while before it was a nice light misty rain which kept us feeling fresh and cool with the British muggy weather, we began to get quite soaked through. To which we thought a great opportunity to have a hot beverage before heading back. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased a eBike from us and want to get involved, please get in touch.
Last week we visited Haibike in Germany. Aside from riding the very latest Haibike eBike tech, we were invited on a factory tour at Haibike HQ at Winora in Schweinfurt. Certainly an offer we couldn't turn down! Haibike pride themselves in producing high quality eBikes. The complete innovation, design and production comes from the heart of their electric bike factory in Germany. We were met by Tina Puello in the Winora reception Haibike are part of Winora Group). Both Winora & Haibike are a family business, originating with Tina's great grandfather opening a small shop in the industrial town of Schweinfurt back in the early 19th century. The cycle shop was closed after the war and Tina's grandfather decided to re-open it and start producing bikes. The business today is a global company offering 1000's of bikes, parts and accessories. Today, Tina's mother Susanne Puello is CEO of Winora group and Tina's father Felix Puello is Winora groups Haibike brand manager. They still hold a stone embedded in the wall at Haibike which originated from the small shop many years ago. Winora Bike Parts Let's start off by saying this place is massive! So we have grouped together some of the interesting things we found inside. First off, lets see where the parts are stored. This side of the warehouse holds 1000's of the larger parts, it works in darkness and is un-manned, the whole system runs completely by robots. The warehouse holds around 8.9 million euros of parts at any one time, this means that parts can be held efficiently in a refined space. When parts are required, a person in the other side of the building can ask the computer for these and the machines will go and get them. Neat huh? Smaller parts are contained by 100's of picking rows split across multiple floors. Every 3 rows is manned by one person and as orders come in the boxes automatically stop by each corridor where parts are required. Winora has almost 3 km of automated tracks, where parts can travel to their designated areas. Parts that are going out to dealers all arrived here, the packing station. Once every box is full and checked for the parts required. The boxes proceed from here into the manned cardboard packer machine, which fills any remaining space in the box to make sure they don't move around. All packaging at Winora is recycled and 100% recyclable after use. Wheel Building This area of the factory is devoted to wheel building. 100's of rims, different sized spokes and hubs come together here by dedicated wheel building technicians. Machines check each and every wheel for tension, rigidity, and trueness. 100% of the wheels Winora use are handbuilt in house, this hidden secret is not often shouted about & we think it should be shown more. They say that they will not outsource wheels and building in house is always produces the very best quality. Haibike Assembly Line Now onto the most anticipated part, the Haibike electric bike assembly line! Where all the magic happens. As you can imagine, it's Haibike heaven for us. Here the Haibike xDuro HardSeven getting ready for assembly: First up the completely bare frames are arranged into lines ready for specific parts to be added. Notice each frame already has it's frame number stamped and a tag related to it is attached. At each stage of production the parts and bike are tagged by use of the barcode attached. Above is the highly rated Haibike xDuro FatSix being produced. Parts are lined up ready to be fitted onto each electric bike. To run efficiently, some parts are already pre bolted together. Above for example the stem is attached to the handlebars, then the handlebar controls, brake & gear levers are attached prior to going on each bike. The standard bike components are then fitted to the bike. Headset, forks, stem, handlebars, brakes & gears are fitted by an cycle technician. Each tech has their own workstation & tools. At every stage the bikes are hand built by a technician, some specialising in certain parts, the bikes then get spun upside down and held by their seat tubes & transported onto the next stage. Bosch Electric Motor Installation This stage, Haibike refer to as 'The Marriage'. Where the motor is married to the Haibike. The electrical components and the bike combine to become one - The eBike! Once the motor and Bosch components are fitted, each Bosch system is flashed to the eBike. So the technician enter factors like manufacture date, wheel size, gear ratios and frame number to programme to that Bosch electric bike's software. We now see the complete bike with all its components installed. The finishing touches and they wheels go on after this stage to test the bike is working properly before completion. Packing & Quality Control At this point, once the eBike has passed Haibike's quality control, a technician carefully wraps up the bike to keep it protected during transit. Every Haibike has to be in perfect condition for it's proud owner waiting on the other end. Last but not least the bike is part dis-assembled and packed down into a cardboard box container ready for shipping to the dealer. At this point we (Haibike dealer) have to re-install the parts, fine tune the bike, update software, carry out our own pre delivery inspection, spec the bike to it's country of sale and get the bike prepped for the customer. Summary All in all, the Haibike factory is a lively buzzing place with lot's going on. It's currently huge and Winora inform us they have pretty much bought every available unit in this estate to allow for their ongoing expansion! It's clear that although this is a huge company, they are clearly focussed on what they do, have built it up from the bottom to the top & in turn by doing it properly and building great bikes they are the market leaders of eBikes today! Finally, we could resist adding in this picture of Guido Tschugg's brand new Haibike lorry parked outside the front of Haibike, this will follow him to all the major bike festival / races. As the UK's largest Haibike suppliers, we hold the largest eBike range - check it out here.
We are proud to be live at the Haibike xDuro³ launch for 2016 electric bikes. Bringing you eagerly anticipated exclusive news and first look of the eBike range for 2016... Here goes! This afternoon (Sunday 12th July 2015) we attended the xDuro³ presentation in Haibike's home-town of Schweinfurt, Germany. The presentation kicked off with the introduction of the 2016 sDuro range with Yamaha drives, we'll cover that in another article. This article is all about the Bosch xDuro³! Haibike were the first ever manufacturer to make a Bosch powered electric mountain bike & have been at the forefront of innovation ever since. Staying ahead, Haibike bring a whole host of new features for 2016. Here's a run down of what's new: New Bosch CX Motor We have another article that covers the new Bosch Performance CX 2016 motor in more detail on - Bosch Electric Bikes 2016. The main advantages of the motor is reduced size & weight, more assistance, improved torque & smoother power curve. But Haibike take the integration to a whole new level with the xDuro³ with a new interface and complete stealth approach. Step-In-Battery System Haibike have developed a new Step In Battery system for the Bosch battery on the xDuro³. This unique design means the battery slots straight into the locking mechanism and holder within the frame. Giving a closer fit and further integration, the battery seems more a part of the frame than an add-on. New Decal Designs Where's a new model without new graphics? The Haibike xDuro³ takes it to a whole new level for 2016 with vibrant colours and new offerings in terms of colours. New Interface With the integration of a completely different motor, the 2016 Bosch Performance CX drive has to be mounted in a new way. Haibike have developed a whole new interface for the xDuro³ to reduce weight and optimize fit, this way the Bosch CX drive uses no adaptor plates and sits perfectly in place with minimal flex. On the Full Carbon Ultimate they have also created a 100% carbon interface for the new Bosch CX drive to make it the world's lightest full carbon Bosch powered eMTB! New SkidPlate Haibike have always offered some sort of Bosch motor protection. For 2016 Haibike have created a whole new skid plate on the xDuro³ to match the new Bosch CX drive and the new interface mounting. Overall you can see the xDuro³ range has had quite a drastic makeover with new features and rider focussed innovations. We think Haibike are so far ahead with what they are doing in the electric bike world, that unless they actually put their tools and riding aside for a year or so, no other manufacturer will be able to catch up! We also see a whole host of new models, which we will be touching base on in more detail soon. Expect a full suspension fat bike, new carbon eBikes, 200mm down hill bikes & plus sized tyre models. When can you get your hands on it? We have actually already started taking 2016 eBike orders. All can be ordered now on a first come first served basis with pre-ordered bikes starting to arrive around October 2015. View the full Haibike 2016 range here. Pay in full or reserve today with a £199 deposit. What's next? We will be riding samples of the xDuro³ tomorrow round the single track of Schweinfurt, so expect full xDuro³ reviews, range overviews & plenty more details to follow. Watch this space.
I started looking at the idea of electrically assisted bikes a few years ago, and the thing that always put me off was they were too road-centric. What I wanted? I really wanted to start riding the trails and downhills I did when I was younger. I used to compete, back in the days hard-tails were the only option and front suspension forks were new to the market. Life moved on and now older and wiser, I wanted to come back to the sport. Fortunately technology has moved on too! Time constraints and old age meant I was not as fit as I wanted to be. I thought that having the option of some assistance to help me up the steeper hills meant I could have more time enjoying the sport, and less time cursing the hills. Where next? After doing lots of research I looked at all the manufacturers out there and decided that Haibike seemed to me to be the truest/purest bike. I looked at all the shops and online options and decided to start speaking to the e-bike shop. I sent an initial enquiry to Martin, which was answered promptly, and fully in plain English. Many more questions over many months followed, each answered with the same verve and enthusiasm, with never any pressure on trying to “close the deal”. It was clear that this was more than a job but a real passion. What bike did I choose? Having settled on a bike (the xDuro AllMtn Pro), the difficult bit came with parting with so much money. The Bike arrived the next day, and suffice to say I have not been disappointed in either the bike or the post sales support, any query I have had since delivery has been answered straight away, sometimes when I am on the trail and I have had to pick up the phone. So how's the bike? In terms of the bike itself, it is a revelation, the flexibility for different types of riding from bombing downhill to technical trail sections all seem to be dealt with easily. The Fox suspension is phenomenal, I have ridden it hard and I have never had to adjust it off of the trail setting. I am sure this is partially due to the expert set up of Martin and his team. Unclimbable hills are know no harder than a flat stretch of tarmac. The level of assistance is easy to change, and it is rare I need to rack it up to Turbo. I come back from my rides exhilarated but not exhausted. The Nyon head unit displays all I need at any moment and again it is easy to switch screens. As The tuning dongle, was the only addition to the standard bike I made, as the majority of my riding is off public highways I tend to leave this on and adjust the assistance levels. To me the dongle is a great piece of kit, it stops the assistance cutting out when the fun is about to begin. I have not yet explored the customisable assistance levels, as the standard ones work thus far. So to conclude? This sport should not just be about fitness (although since owning the bike this has improved drastically), it should be about technical skills and enjoyment, and not dread. I could write more superlatives but the bike is calling to me now.. time to hit the trails once more! I look forward to reporting back on future adventures with this bike as I explore further afield. With thanks to Jamie for this excellent review of our Haibike All Mountain PRO.
We are proud to reveal details of the new 2016 Lapierre Overvolt electric mountain bikes. The Overvolt Bosch eBike range has been a strong contender for us in 2015 and the range continues to grow & impress for 2016. With some all new eMTB models including both Bosch & Yamaha! Lapierre is one of the biggest names in mountain bikes, with popular models like the Zesty and Spicy, pretty much smashing every group test and also being awarded bike of the year at one stage. Lapierre are clearly taking eBikes very seriously for 2016, Nico Vouilloz (10 times MTB world champion) has been deployed to put the eBikes through their paces. Nico is fully on board with the eMTB craze and has himself been at many eBike races throughout the season. It's so nice to see big-name-real-riders catching the eBike bug! So what's new? The range grows from the current 2 suspension models to 6 models for 2016. With a whole new line up. We see a bigger range in respect of suspension travel too. The 2016 Lapierre eBike range will offer 120, 140 & 170mm of travel options too, which now means Lapierre offer a eMTB for every riding style. Some of the biggest news for Lapierre in 2016 is the introduction of the Yamaha crank drive system to complement the already popular Bosch Performance drive. It appears that the Yamaha system will be exclusively reserved for Lapiere & Haibike in Europe for 2016. Both the 2016 Bosch & Yamaha powered Overvolts will feature totally revolutionary integration methods. The motors are completely tucked away within the frame and offer full protection by use of built in belly plates. You can see above the Bosch CX Performance drive offers more clearance and better suspension integration by use of Lapierre's new OST+ design. Both the compact Bosch and Yamaha drives are perfectly mounted, which allows a short rear end, optimised geometry and zero chain slack by a special swing arm design and built in chain guide. Sneaky Peak? Ok so enough rambling about new tech and design, let's take a quick glance over a few of the fresh new models on offer from Lapierre for 2016: First up the Yamaha Powered eBikes Lapierre Overvolt SX 800 2016 The new Overvolt SX 800 is the daddy of all mountain bikes. With 170mm of travel front and rear, this bike can really be put through it's paces. Ready to attack the trails at every angle. Spec: Yamaha Motor, 400Wh Battery, 170mm Travel FOX 36 Fit Forks & DPS Rear Shock, Sram Guide Brakes, Sram GX 11 Speed Drivetrain, Mavic 27.5" Wheels & Internal Dropper Post. Click to view spec, more pictures & pricing - Lapierre Overvolt SX 800 2016 Lapierre Overvolt FS 500 2016 The new Overvolt FS 500 is more trail inclined. With 140mm of rear travel & 150mm up front, it's more focused on your everyday singletrack rider, tighter geometry and more gearing. Spec: Yamaha Motor, 400Wh Battery, 140/150mm Travel FOX 32 Fit Forks & DPS RearShock, Shimano Brakes, 2 x 10 Speed SLX Drivetrain & Mavic 27.5" Wheels. Click to view spec, more pictures & pricing - Lapierre Overvolt FS 500 2016 Lapierre Overvolt FS 400 2016 The Overvolt FS 400 is the same chassis as above but offering a budget friendly selection of components with a price that's easier on the pocket. It's the entry level Yamaha powered eBike. Spec: Yamaha Motor, 400Wh Battery, 140/150mm Travel RockShox Sektor Forks & Monarch Rear Shock, Shimano Brakes, 2 x 10 Speed Deore Drivetrain & Mach1 27.5" Wheels. Click to view spec, more pictures & pricing - Lapierre Overvolt FS 400 2016 Now onto the Bosch Powered eBikes Lapierre Overvolt FS 900 2016 The new Bosch powered Overvolt FS 900 is again more trail inclined. With 140/150mm of rear travel & the latest Bosch CX drive with uprated 500Wh battery capacity for a full day's ride. Spec: Bosch CX Motor, 500Wh Battery, 150mm RockShox Pike RC, 140mm Monarch RT Shock, Sram Guide Brakes, GX 11 Speed Drivetrain, Race Face 27.5" Wheels & Dropper Post. Click to view spec, more pictures & pricing - Lapierre Overvolt FS 900 2016 Lapierre Overvolt FS 700 2016 Same chassis as it's bigger brother but with mid range components. Still fitted with Bosch CX drive and 500Wh pack. Rock Shox and Full XT is packed into this mid range model. Spec: Bosch CX Motor, 500Wh Battery, 150mm RockShox Pike RC, 140mm Monarch RT Shock, Shimano XT Brakes, XT 11 Speed Drivetrain & Mavic / Formula 27.5" Wheels. Click to view spec, more pictures & pricing - Lapierre Overvolt FS 700 2016 Lapierre Overvolt FS 600 2016 The entry level Bosch eBike within the new 2016 Overvolt range. The FS 600 is built for trail, all mountain and park use. Its Fox front and rear and a good spec of components. Spec: Bosch CX Motor, 400Wh Battery, 150mm Fox 34, 140mm Fox Float DPS Shock, Shimano Brakes, SLX / XT 10 Speed Drivetrain & Mavic / Formula 27.5" Wheels. Click to view spec, more pictures & pricing - Lapierre Overvolt FS 600 2016 When are they available? As the model year suggests - 2016. Realistically we'll probably see the whole range officially announced later this year at EuroBike. With pre orders starting shortly after & expected delivery dates just before the year end. Bearing in mind these bikes are hand built in Dijon, dates tend to be fairly reliable. As usual, we will update with the latest news, so keep an eye on here for reviews, range previews and confirmed spec and pricing to come. Until then, ride safe & happy eMTB'ing. UPDATE: Models available to pre-order today, with the FS 600 now in stock in limited numbers! First look at all of our Lapierre range of Bosch & Yamaha bikes by clicking here - Lapierre 2016.
Just a quick update of our electric bike long distance world record. Our guys left our HQ in Surrey UK 10 weeks ago now. To date they have now travelled over 4000km, which is a big chunk towards the 20,000km+ target to create a new eBike world record. So far the journey has taken our Bosch powered Haibike Trekking RX eBikes across the UK, France, Switzerland and now into Germany. Here are just a few videos captured along the way: Electric Bike Touring in the UK Electric Biking in Devon to Roscoff Cycling along Canal Nantes Biking along the Loire River Highlights half way across France Day in Chalon Sur Saone End of EuroVelo 6 nearing Switzerland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V0feFUYeQg Along the Rhine to Lake Constance Cycling the Alsace Wine Route France eBiking along Rhine & Mosel Germany So far so good, with plenty of cycling and some absolutely fantastic views along the way. See a some amazing photos captured on our facebook page here. To follow the blogs in more detail. Please visit the E-Bike Cycle Tourists blog here.
When looking to buy one of these Haibikes I found that there was a real lack of detailed information that would help me choose what to buy. The reviews I read of the Haibike electric mountain bikes were positive but lacked detail; which is why I have tried to provide a more detailed review of the bike. My Requirements I have to add before I start that I am a large man, 6'4" and a heavyweight (fatty!). This means the bike was put under greater strain than a smaller, lighter individual! I have a 25 mile round commute and after having issues with my lower back, I lost a lot of fitness and struggled with the distance on my usual bikes. I have been into bikes for years and went from a carbon frame Specialized road bike and Alu Orange 29er to the e-bike hoping it could fulfil both roles. I purchased the Haibike sDuro HardSeven SL 2015 Yamaha at the end of February. Why did I go for this model? I have a background in engineering and I ran my own garage for 11 years before changing career. I have to admit I have taken to disliking Bosch products, having seen so many issues with their electric components in the past. The Bosch system may well be fantastic but having had experience of Yamaha engined road cars (Toyota MR2/Ford Puma) I thought it was likely to be a reliable choice. For those of you unaware, Yamaha is a branch of the Toyota car company; known for reliability. The wheel choice I was less sure of - 27.5" (more commonly known as 650b) is a new wheel size which is meant to bridge the gap between the traditional 26" rims and 29". Because of this there are fewer tyres/spare wheels available at the moment, but still a good few 26" in my opinion is just too small now, I had a 29er and loved it BUT it was clear that off-road it was a little sluggish in the turns, in comparison. There was also the front chain ring, I did not want the added complexity of a front dérailleur and I have certainly not regretted that decision. The last issue was, the 27.5 was in stock but the 29 was not! I called and spoke to Martin at the E-bike shop, bombarding him with questions before leaving a deposit on the bike. I was impressed by Martin's knowledge. He asked questions about where I live and my size/weight and gave me realistic range figure, which has been incredibly accurate. Hows the bike? My experience of the bike since then is probably best summarized into categories below, bearing mind that in my eyes it is a great bike but has not been trouble-free. I have now covered around 800 miles or so on the bike so feel I can give a reasonable account of it. Yamaha crank assist: The system is frankly amazing. It provides incredible torque. In Eco mode this massively heavy bike speeds along in a manner closer to a carbon road bike, even with the Rapid Rob tyres. In Normal or High the assistance is incredible and hills are dispatched with ease; believe me there is simply no need for more than the 9 gears available. The only issue that I have encountered with the system is that the battery shakes around a bit in the housing, this is just annoying rather than an actual fault. Range is exactly as Martin stated. For me I get around 25 miles in normal/high with the dongle fitted and can get a bit more if I am having a real lazy day. In Eco you can definitely stretch it further although I am yet to try a full battery discharge in Eco mode as I enjoy the speed too much! Having the dongle engaged does reduce battery life a good bit though, although it still is not enough to make me remove it all of the time. Riding it: I have ridden it a lot on road and off-road. First of all, if you ride on road a lot the Rapid Rob's are not going to be up to the job. I find that unless they are above 50psi on the back the bike actually feels unstable. Above that pressure its fine however and is great off-road. I have a set of 650x38 Schwalbe marathon plus tyres (and a spare set of wheels, but I'll come to that later) which are superb road tyres and incredibly resistant to punctures. The rapid Rob's have been punctured twice now while the marathon plus tyres look unlikely to ever puncture. The bike is incredible on road and has better performance and range (this is really noticeable too) with the road tyres fitted. The fork (and I was sceptical of a Suntour fork) is superb and the remote lock out is one of those things you wonder how you ever did without before you got it. The bike is stable and has great handling. Off road it is even better. The fork works really well and has the best performance of any bike I have owned over rough ground. The fact you can cruise over a trail this fast, really makes for an incredibly thrilling experience requiring concentration. Tree roots and small drops are easily handled by the stock tyres and fork. This is probably the most fun you can have legally on two wheels in the forest (I live in the New Forest). The seating position is incredibly comfortable and far more upright than my previous bikes which makes it just lovely to ride. I have improved this further by fitting Easton handlebars with a riser to give a more upright riding position. The saddle is decent but the seat post is DIRE and I had to replace it with a better quality unit. No matter what I did I could not adjust it to a different position, it would always move itself back mid ride which was a real annoyance. I also ditched the saddle for a Specialized 155mm Avatar PRO Gel which is technically for road bikes but has some extra give and therefore comfort over the standard Selle saddle (which is pretty good to be fair). Weak points? Unfortunately there is one real weakness with the bike in terms of rider feel which is certainly exacerbated by the weight of the bike and rider. The standard brake rotors are appalling. They are 180mm Tektro items and have thin spokes connecting the centre to the outer part of the disc. These flex when braking hard giving a horrible feeling under braking. I replaced these with Shimano SLX discs which are much stronger and do not give the same problem. The Mechanics Along with the issues mentioned above, I haven't had a trouble-free time with the bike. The frame, fork and Yamaha system are fantastic but in my opinion it's well worth budgeting to replace some of the componentry which is average at best. Again you must bear in mind I am a heavy rider so have put this bike to the test. On my first ride I had gear slipping as the derailleur was not perfectly indexed. Because of the huge torque this absolutely annihilated the cassette, which was luckily not expensive to replace. It took me a while to identify this issue and this was all the more awkward as I live around 90 mins drive away from the E-bike shop or I would have simply taken it back to be fixed. They were reasonable and realistic with this however so I have no complaints about service. When I was tracking down the fault, I decided to replace the rear dérailleur. Know the Deore unit is meant to be good, lots of people have told me that is the case but it has a medium cage length which is not required for a single front chain ring. I ordered a Shimano XT short cage dérailleur and once set up the gear change performance is absolutely incredible. I now keep a spare cassette however just in case and make sure to make regular checks to the gear indexing. If you can't do this, I strongly recommend learning how. It's not hard but takes some patience and practice and will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Issues? The most annoying issue I have had has been an issue with the back wheel. However, after a few weeks riding the spokes starting getting ridiculously loose. I tightened them a bit by hand but ended up completely wrecking the back wheel in the process. A decent wheel should not come loose like this however. I bought a pair of spare wheels, Shimano MT35 (28 spoke only on the rear!) and I have not had the same issue at all but as an experiment I bought a 36 spoke wheel Raleigh wheel and within one ride I had the same problem as the original wheel, this was swiftly returned. I have since had a wheel built with Mavic rim, Shimano XT hub and DT Swiss double butted spokes, again 36 spoke. I hope this is up to the job and allows me to have a set of wheels with road tyres fitted and a set with the mountain bike tyres for easy swapping. I suspect the extra weight, lack of sidewall flex and high pressure of the marathon plus tyres did not help either. The front wheel does seem fine though but this is helped by the fork absorbing much of the bumps. The frame is a thing of beauty. It has nice chip resistant paint and is designed in a way that you would not know it was an e-bike without paying close attention. You are paying for the frame, fork and Yamaha system in reality and the fact that these are all fantastic is what really counts. Summary Plus Points: + Incredible Yamaha performance + On and off-road performance, easily replaces a road bike and mountain bike + Beautiful frame, very scratch resistant + Superb Suntour fork with remote lockout + 27.5" wheels give great handling properties + Rapid precise gear shift Negative Points: - Some poor quality components, namely; wheels, brake rotors and seat post. - Gears need regular finessing to avoid cassette destruction - Lack of choice for tyres/replacement wheels in 27.5" size (improving all of the time). To Conclude This is a fantastic bike. I wouldn't say it was cheap but I feel that it is fairly priced considering the riding experience. Budget a few hundred quid more to make upgrades as I have (or better) and you will have an absolute monster of a bike fit for all conditions. With thanks to Anthony for this incredibly in depth review of our Haibike HardSeven SL.
Sunday 21st June 2015 saw another amazing E-Bikeshop Owners Club outing, this time in Blackdown, Surrey UK. The action packed ride passed through the top of the South Downs as we blasted across the singletrack and trails of Haslemere on our electric bikes. After a quick head count and intro, we gulped a cup of tea, introduced new riders to the club & set off pretty promptly. Fortunately this ride was planned from a country house in the heart of Blackdown, so we literally crossed one tarmac road and we were straight out on the trails. We had a mix of terrain from bridleways, single track and faster downhill sections all off road of course, with some stunning views along the way. Thanks to Sam for plotting out a fantastic route & keeping the ride flowing. Some of the climbs this time were particularly steep, but that's where 'Turbo' mode came in handy, as we proceeded up some really tough climbs, that's when you really feel the benefit of the eBikes, arriving at the top ready and pumping for more! We had one quick mechanical stop, due to one owner who had converted to tubeless just before the outing, his tyre went flat as it was 'settling in' so a short stop and some quick hand pumping and we were back ready again. Unfortunately didn't get too many action shots this time as we were all enjoying the ride too much, but some good descents to follow the climbs made it really satisfying as we blasted down some faster sections crossing small streams and gulleys. Some jaw dropping views along the way, looking out as far as Hampshire across the downs, you could see for miles! This gave a good excuse to stop and catch your breath. This ride saw a short stop at a country pub for a quick tipple and a top up of vitals. We then headed back up a gruelling climb, fortunately the electric mountain bikes took the zing out of it and we were back to the top in no time. To conclude the ride, we ended up back up at a fellow owners club member's house for a dip in the pool, nibbles, drinks and a BBQ. What a great day, with amazing weather, a great bunch of people, fantastic riding and lovely food. It's going to take a lot to top that all on the next outing! We rode approx 16 miles, which doesn't sound a huge ride, but we covered lots of tough climbs too. The ride was approx 3 hours followed by another 2-3 hours or so chilling by the pool until the sun fell behind the trees. To sum it up? Judging by the smiles on the day, and the feedback following on the Owner's Club page, everyone had a great time. Big thanks to Sam and Jenny for their fantastic hospitality following the ride. Owners - We are already busy planning the next ride: Keep your eyes peeled! Ride Safe. The complete photo album will be uploaded to our Facebook Page in the next few days. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased a eBike from us and want to get involved, please get in touch.
There has been much speculation of what is expected for 2016, so as the UK's leading supplier for Bosch electric bikes. Here's a brief rundown of what we expect to see on the latest generation of Bosch eBike systems for 2016. Let's start by saying that Bosch only just saw the flow of Performance drive unit's onto production bikes early last year. This was the biggest advancement from the first generation Classic+ motor. For that reason, we don't expect huge changes for 2016. But we do expect some refinements to the existing system. The beauty of Bosch electric bike systems is that they are capable of being updated. So 2014 / 2015 Bosch eBike owners should see some of the new features on existing systems. There will however be some new hardware on offer: New 2016 Bosch 500Wh Battery One of the most talked about components - The PowerPack. New for 2016, Bosch will offer a higher capacity 500Wh battery alongside the current 400Wh, a step forward for owners with current 400Wh batteries to extend their range. It will be about the same size as the current pack, and from the outside looks much the same. It should fit into the existing frame mounts, so an option for current users to upgrade is essential to extend ranges, particularly for more serious MTB's. It's expected to weigh a little more and obviously sit at a higher price. For this reason, we don't expect all Manufacturers to adopt this into production bikes as it will increase the RRP's and weight slightly on the bike. As the current 400Wh pack gives a decent ride time, we expect it's the longer distance bikes that will adopt this larger capacity battery. This larger battery, with higher density cells will of course take a little longer to charge too. We are seeing figures of approximately 4.5 hours from fully flat to fully charged. Of course as with the 400Wh pack, it can be recharged in situ on the bike or removed from the frame. It will also be available in both Frame and Rack mounted options. We expect to see ranges extended by approx 25% using this larger capacity 500Wh Bosch battery in 2016. As always with Bosch eBike systems they give the most overall lifespan of any eBike systems, being able to cover 60,000 miles or 1000 full charge cycles before capacity loss. UPDATE: Now available for purchase separately here Bosch 500Wh Power Pack. Summary: +Backward Compatible +Increased Range +Neat Design +Long Life Bosch integrates e:Shifting for 2016 Although not totally new, there are certainly some new updates to the Bosch integration of electronic shifting. Used across the board by manufacturers like Nuvinci, Shimano & now Sram too. Electronic gear changes are the latest thing to both mountain biking and trekking alike. Why electronic shifting? Well, there are some positives, like concentrating on the ride ahead more than what gear you should be in. It's also more efficient as the computer can determine the correct gear, instead of the rider selecting, so can also increase range too. It's also simple enough for the non-gear friendly people out there - Leaving the technology to do the work. It also incorporates an automatic downshifting, for example when you stop at junctions, it automatically changes into a lighter gear, so you are already in the correct gear when setting off. We tried this on the Shimano Steps system late last year and it works tremendously well. We expect this to be more widely used on touring / trekking bikes at present, although it will likely cross over to MTB's at some point with electronic derailleur shifting as internal hub gears are not the preferred choice for off road riding. The shifting is cadence based and is optimized for maximum rider efficiency, most systems also allow the rider to enter a manual gear change mode too, should it be preferred. But we think this just defeats the point! Summary: +Improved Shifting +More Efficient +Fully Integrated +More OEM Compatibility New 2016 Bosch CX Drive Unit With improved integration, smaller housing and tweaked output levels, the new 2016 Bosch Performance CX Line motor will support the rider with increased 50 - 300% assistance levels. It also has updated dynamic power control, that smoothes the - now increased 75Nm of torque, into a smoother more, powerful and efficient ride. The direct flow power curve increases assistance across the RPM range, it's also easier going on the drivetrain. The torque is longer lasting and more powerful at higher speeds too. It's also better setup for larger gear ranges including Sram's 10-42 & Shimano's 11-42 gearing. Using a new style 14t front sprocket should also give faster acceleration on a eMTB over the more commonly used 16t. The 2016 CX drive unit itself is essentially a slightly slimmed down version of the current Bosch Performance motor. It should offer better integration and is slightly lighter (approx 200g) due to its compact design and by losing the plastic motor casing we are all used to. Instead the motor is bare - back to the metal - housing, with a high quality black powder coating. This coating is robust, with it's protective lacquer that's safe from corrosion, knocks and is scratch / weather resistant. The cable connections are covered by a smaller plastic protection plate. Depending on how the 2016 CX drive unit is mounted by manufacturers, it could also give a better Q-Factor and slightly higher ground clearance too. It's likely to be easier for full susser's too, as the rear chainstay pivot point can be mounted more direct, giving a shorter back end. Something Haibike for example have already addressed on the current 2015 line up. As the 2016 Bosch CX motor uses the same components as the current system. We expect lots of the above performance improvements to be available for current Performance line motors later in the year through a software tweak. Summary: +More Assistance +Improved Torque +Smoother Power Curve +Lighter Weight Updated 2016 Bosch Nyon Features The Bosch Nyon head unit actually came out on eBikes this year. However for 2016 there will be some software improvements and all new features. This little device currently gives features like satellite navigation, fitness training, ride logging & custom ride modes to name a few (You can read more on that here New Bosch Nyon Display). But new for 2016 comes refinements to Nyon itself, the Bosch eBike Connect Portal (PC based) and the smart phone apps. These extras are mainly on the mapping side of things. We see the ability to be able to plot up to 10 waypoints when route planning and you can see them on the map too when riding. New updates for mountain bike riders in particular include new optimised off road routing. You can also now save routes whilst navigating. So for example you come across a new track, you can start a new recording, then come back to your original route. That's a nice touch & will certainly come in handy! New Places of Interest also appear on maps, so you can navigate quicker and more easily. We (e-bikeshop) will also feature on this as a Bosch Expert Dealer in the UK! Also manufactures will now also be able to set service routines into the Nyon itself. So the user can keep on top of maintenance and servicing should it be required. For 2016 we will see an update to the Topo range, where the user can see the altitude of riding and plan exact routes based on the hills & battery capacity. This should give accurate mileage and make route planning in real time on real gradients a doddle. Probably the biggest update here, and certainly one we get asked about a lot - Finally the user will be able upload GPX format routes via the portal. This really opens up the mapping to everyone and doesn't just restrict to using the Bosch portal to plan routes, many riders already have GPX files from other navigation devices. So this will be a real bonus! Although we are listing this for 2016, it's likely these updates will be available in a few months for current bikes using Nyon. Just to be clear all of the above are software tweaks and use the same current Nyon hardware. It's also worth noting that with these updates, will come a smoother & easier to use front end, it seems to be getting better and more usable with every update! On top of this we predict that the smartphone functions will become more integral, with a music player control and text messages on screen functions will likely be part of the next substantial update too. Current users can update as soon as available by connecting your Nyon device to Wifi and selecting 'Update' within the Settings menu. Summary: +Upload GPX files +Improved Off Road Tracks +Topo Range +Plan Waypoints When can we expect all of this? It's likely that not all manufacturers will adopt these changes instantly. Particularly with tooling costs and the implementation of the Performance CX drive unit. We will likely see some manufacturers using this on the 2016 electric bikes, whilst some may be for 2017. We will expect to see 2016 bikes in around March / April time as usual. Also to note, that the Performance CX motor will probably only initially be on high end eMTB's, it probably won't be too practical for town / road / commuter bikes. This is where the eShifting will come into play. The Current Active line motor will likely follow through on most trekking / town bikes and as suggested above so will the Performance line for some 2016 mountain / road electric bikes. Remember the Nyon updates will likely be available late 2015 and all current bikes can be updated. From previous experience it will probably be possible to flash on a new software update to the current motor systems for some / if not all of the enhancements. What else is on the horizon for 2016? We believe some of the leading Bosch eBike manufacturers like Haibike, Lapierre & Scott to name a few, will adopt various new customised methods of mounting the current components for 2016. For example head unit & battery integration & possible customised / colour coded motor housings, for a more stealthy approach. We also believe that Bosch will unveil a few more ideas, most likely at Eurobike later this year. Considering the manufacturing process, anything further released will likely see its way through in 2017 given the traditional timescales. It's clear that Bosch is at the forefront as the leading eBike system and they show no signs of letting anyone else catch up. What could this be?.. We think a cheaper alternative system will emerge out at some point from Bosch, to compete more with other slightly cheaper systems like Shimano's Steps and Yamaha. Likely for use on lower spec models to offer a more price friendly option to the consumer, again probably looking at 2017 for this. Is it worth the wait? Considering the Bosch Performance drive was only really established late last year and most of the above mentioned will filter its way back down by way of software updates. We think it'll be the more serious / avid riders playing the waiting game for the latest kit.. That said, those guys probably already have current eBikes, so it means they are out riding this summer and already enjoying the great outdoors! Make sure to check back for regular updates. We are heading to go out to Germany in a few weeks time & are hoping to ride the new systems / models. We will further report back then. You can see our current full range of Electric Bike Models. UPDATE: E-Bikeshop first to Receive new Bosch CX powered eBikes in the UK. Click to view the latest electric bikes with Bosch CX on offer. UPDATE: New article for 2017 updates available to read here:- First Look: What’s New For Bosch eBike Components in 2017? Some of the views expressed above are our predictions, they are by no way backed by the manufacturers or suppliers & therefore should be treated as rumours rather than fact. Then again; we tend to be pretty good at this eBike lark - As the UK's largest eBike supplier. Enjoy!
Here we see a lovely article from one of our customers explaining the use of electric mountain bikes, how it has benefitted him & his long term impressions using an eBike. Forget everything you think you know! Firstly - A little about me, who am I? Well I am a 38yr old ex Merchant Navy officer who spent my days on his feet walking miles and miles in hot climates, and seeing that there is little to do on ships once my shift had finished I used to work out in the ship's gym, so its fair to say I was fit, well many years ago; that was the case. These days I work in the IT industry, so I spend many long days sat at my desk hunched over a keyboard tapping away, with the occasional short walk through to the rest area to make a cup of coffee and have a few biscuits or possibly a nice chocolate muffin. Now I am sure you can see where the problems started…. Too many cakes and not enough exercise. This is a story that I am sure many people know any sympathise with and unfortunately it seems to be the same story for a great many people. Now I was never what you might call a cyclist, I have had motor bikes for years and I have always owned a mountain bike but again like a great many people it sat in the garage gathering dust and occasionally would be used for a short ride with the occasional bit off road. What made me think about an eBike? Firstly I should say that over the years all the biscuits and muffins had added a significant measurement to my waistline so losing weight was what I was interested in, knowing that losing weight and wanting to get fit again could be accomplished at the same time, the hunt started on how I was going to accomplish this not so insignificant feat. It seemed logical to me that two wheels could be the simple answer I was looking for, but I also wanted to ease into it and not kill my body while it was catching up with the lifestyle change so I kind of ruled out my traditional Mountain bike that was still dusty and still sat in the garage… I did give it a try…. I had seen e-bikes in the past, and many years ago I had used one while doing a ship dry dock in China to get around the city during my time off and really enjoyed it. Naturally I am like most people so first stop was to Google “eBike”. Here started the long process of research, over the next 2 months I tried to learn everything there was to know about eBikes and bikes in general, I watched YouTube videos (like the below) , read online articles, posted to some forums and generally came to one conclusion…. I WANT ONE !!!! When did I decide to take the plunge? So about a year ago now, I contacted Martin at e-Bike shop, and as luck would have it he was running a Demo day in a few weeks, so I signed up there and then. Now over the that last few months my beautiful wife had seen me pouring over all the eBike websites and videos and also had to put up with me talking about it in great detail… so now I had to explain to my beautiful wife that I was finally getting up off the sofa and driving to the other end of the country to take one out on a test ride and possibly part with a substantial sum of money. That day came! So the Demo day arrived and I woke at the crack of dawn to start the drive down South, its fair to say I was excited about the day ahead, in retrospect I really should have not drunk quite as much as I did the night before… we live and learn. I arrived a little early and was greeted by Martin who immediately took one look at me and handed me a large cup of coffee. He knew I was interested in the Haibike AMT RX 27.5 so over the next 20 minutes he talked me through the bike end to end, his knowledge about eBikes was immediately apparent and that put my mind at ease, my initial impressions regards the bike was one of general happiness. It's fine looking at websites and watching YouTube videos but it’s not until you see one of these machines in the flesh do you realise how well made they are, for instance I am a pretty good welder, been doing it since I was a kid on and off, but the weld joints on the frames are a thing of beauty, you can see the pride of workmanship, the same can be said for the rest of the machine as well. My initial Impressions? So the time had arrived to take the bull by the horns and hit the trails on the Haibike Demo Day. After getting suited and booted we had a quick safety briefing and walk through then we were off, on the day we were accompanied by Martin and his very experienced staff. Now I don't know what I was expecting, but in my heart I knew it was going to impress and within less than 100 yards it all started to make sense, at this point you could not have wiped the smile off my face with a hammer. We ambled along a few roads and headed out further into the countryside, it really was amazing to me how these machines managed to pull my substantial weight along with ease, within 10 minutes we had arrived at an area that had been chosen to demonstrate the off road capabilities of these wonderful machines. The next hour was a brutal assault on my senses, we rode up hills that would have given me a heart attack on a normal mountain bike, we ploughed through thick mud, that would have sapped the legs of all but the fittest but we just kept on going, at this point my heart was pumping and my hangover got the better of me…. After a few minutes break and sit down to stop myself passing out we got back on the bikes and continued on the trails. It was clear to see that everyone was having a blast, I already knew at this point that today was going to be an expensive day. What did I like about the riding / bike? So what did I really like about the bike and what was it that sealed the decision to part with what can only be described as A LOT of cash, well that is simple… I liked everything, the Bosch motor is smooth yet substantially powerful, the brakes, suspension are all very high quality and certainly better than anything I had ever ridden outside of off road motorbikes. I knew that this bike was going to be the catalyst to me getting fit and losing weight, and as it turns out I was right, but we will come to that later. So after completing our demo we headed back to base, it was without doubt the best day out I had ever had on a bike and I was hooked, no fancy sales pitch required the proof was in the pudding these machines do all the talking. At this point comes the bit we all dread, handing over the cash, in the past I had bought many motorbikes that didn't cost as much as one of these bikes but I knew I was doing the right thing, after a few hours out I felt like a champion I was able to fly up hills like a pro, I was able to smash the trails and a few quid was all I needed to spend to do it all over again. Delivery day came! What's it like? So cut forward in time, to the day of delivery. I could not wait to leave work knowing that it was waiting for me when I got home, longest drive of my life. Martin had kindly charged the battery for me, so after a few minutes of set up I was out the house and on the road, for my first ride I decided to head towards a place I knew had some nice roads and some trails, total round trip distance around 15 miles. It was a beautiful day so I decided to ease into it and give the electric mountain bike a good shakedown, after about 6 miles of going at it hard, my heart was pounding again and my lungs were tight so I decided to take break, after a few minutes I continued on my journey and sitting here now typing this I can still remember every detail of that ride. My longer term impressions? Now as the days passed and my enthusiasm eased off I started to notice that I was not hitting that wall at 6 miles, but my overall journey time was getting less and less, could it be I was getting fitter? Now I should mention that the day I took delivery of my new trusty steed I also started my diet, part of the agreement with my wonderful wife about buying the eMTB in the first place. The days passed with me out on the bike pretty much every other day, giving my body time to recover in between rides and sure enough I was getting faster and fitter, I could actually feel the difference in myself, and this bike was helping get to where I wanted to be. Now I have had my eMTB around a year now and I still ride at least 3 times each week with two training rides of around 20 miles mostly on the road and at the weekends I travel the length and breadth of the country looking for the best trails. I also have used my bike for commuting as well, which was actually saving me 1 hour every day of sitting in my car stuck in slow moving Birmingham city traffic, not to mention the fact that I was saving around £50 a week in fuel. Unfortunately a recent change of jobs has forced me back into the car, but I will be starting to cycle in again shortly. The best bit.. The advantages to me! Since I bought my electric mountain bike I have now lost a total of 52lbs in weight, I am the same weight now as when I left the Merchant Navy, I am fitter, stronger and even better looking if that’s possible, well that what my wife tells me. All this and I am saving money and the planet, it really doesn't get any better. There really is no better feeling that going out and just seeing where you end up, and with an eBike it really could be anywhere, with a battery that will get me at least 30 miles up hill and down dale on Turbo mode and close to double that in eco mode the world really is your oyster. Is there any disadvantages? Now it is not all rosy, as a result of owning one of these fabulous machines, I have had to buy an entire new wardrobe as none of my clothes fitted me anymore, so that has cost me a few quid. Also like any hobby it’s the little things that you don’t think about, so I spend at least an hour each week washing and cleaning my bike, in fact I have just come back in from doing this exact thing, so that can add up with all the cleaning chemicals and such like. I am also always looking for where to go on the weekends and that can take up time in your valuable day, and I am still watching the YouTube videos and hitting the websites and now I have started buying bike magazines, who would have thought. It’s a wonder I have time to actually ride anywhere…. But rest assured I still do, and I still love every minute of it. Has this changed me as a person? Well for one I go out more, I see the world around me, I am able to take in the beauty while out on the bike, this is something you just don't get in a car or even on a motorbike, its life at a slower pace, and by that I mean still faster than a good club road cyclist…lol And when you are out on the trails away from mankind and out in the wilderness there is no words to describe how it makes me feel, owning one of these eBikes has fundamentally changed me at my core, and I am OK with that. What's the verdict? So in conclusion, are they expensive?… Yes and no, but that is the wrong question, are they worth it? Is a better question and the answer is YES YES YES, I am so glad I bought my eMTB. Would I recommend it others? Yes without a doubt, since I have owned my bike I have tried to let as many people have a go as possible and every time I see the same thing, that same look on their face the one where it all makes sense and a smile 10 miles wide. Yes I have been called a cheater while out on the trails blasting up the steep hills, but those same people are also keen to give it a go at the top and once they do they “get it”. There are no hills in my world there are flats and downhill sections only and that’s not a bad world to live in if you ask me. Where to now? So what does the future hold, well things have come on a long way in the last year, there is now an eBikeshop owners club, which is fantastic, we all meet up once a month and spend a day out on the trails, this has now become a real thing that I look forward to every month, a chance to catch up with my new eBike friends which I now have many. I am also lucky enough to have a few eBike owners in my local vicinity so we meet up here and there and have a blast. I would like to do a big trip around the Scottish highlands, and this is going to happen within the next few months fingers crossed, keep your eyes open on the owners club for pictures. I plan to keep my eBike until the wheels fall off and judging by the way these electric mountain bikes are made that may well be some time. I hope you enjoyed my little story and I hope to see you out on the trails!.. Bernie With thanks to Bernie, from all of us here at e-bikeshop for expressing his fantastic journey into the electric bike world. Are you ready to follow this path?
We are proud to see our Gocycle G2 electric bike featured in this months (July 2015) T3 Magazine. Not only shown on the front cover; but also in the 'Tech For Everything' pages as the perfect tool for commuting and work! T3's words: Gocycle G2 - Folding into a neat package, the bike is easy to store when not in use. Pedal it to burn some calories, or hit the magic red button to let the motor kick in. With speeds of up to 15mph, this'll make your commute more fun. T3 also featured the Gocycle in the 'Man vs Tech' pages. Where they test electronic devices to travel from London to Bath across varied terrain. T3's words: Gocycle G2 - It was invented by a former F1 designer and it folds up inside the Tesla's front bonnet. The frame is made from injection-moulded magnesium alloy, so it's light enough to pick up; there's a lithium-ion battery inside that powers an electric motor in the front hub; and it shifts gears automatically. And all this is wrapped in simple styling that would lead some people to think it's just a normal bicycle. Indeed, you can ride it like a traditional bike, with pedal power alone. Or, if you're feeling lazy, it'll whisk you along purely under its own steam. Today I've tweaked the settings via a smartphone app, going for a mixture of manpower and electric for a boost up hills, of which there are many in Bath. With up to 40miles of battery range depending on how hard you push it, plus infinitely more under pedal power, it'll take me into town and back to the car tonight. It's quite conceivable that you could use it for a substantial commute every single day, instead of taking the Tube or train or bus/ The electric assistance is so generous that you'll arrive with dry armpits, having justified the purchase price by saving thousands of pounds on petrol or rail fares. Thanks to T3 gadget magazine for such a fantastic feature of the Gocycle G2 portable eBike. So nice to see gadget mags taking to electric vehicles in a positive way. Finally we have a practical commuter bike, that meets the modern day users. Find out how a Gocycle can benefit you today - The Gocycle G2 Electric Bike Features
We have been working alongside Moustache bikes in the UK for a couple of years now. Many people ask about the brand and what they are about. So this article explains a little about them and what happens in their electric bike factory in Golbey, France. Design stage The process begins with design, inspired from young and creative riders. The design team set to work with some very different and edgy creations. Moustache pride themselves in being different, be it from frame designs, to their in house components. They work a lot of the design around actual riding and practicalities. Before anything is manufactured for testing, the team come up with the best innovations on paper, before refining and then eventually into production. You can see on the left a designer, pen to paper, plotting out the various suggestions. CAD Drawings These drawings can then be put to the computer technicians, they can be drawn up on CAD systems to put forward for manufacturing and then for testing. It must be a real delight seeing something go from a piece of paper into 3D design and then onto being made in the flesh. Above you can see the technicians plotting out the frame design. Moustache uses a really unique system on their electric mountain bikes. They offer a 29" front wheel with a 27.5" rear wheel, totally different to any other manufacturer. This means that the design must be a perfect match to work in harmony with a rider out on the trail. They actually won the Eurobike awards last year for this very design. Assembly Stage Moustache are very unique in that their bikes are all hand assembled in-house. Their qualified bicycle assembly and Bosch technicians carefully mount each individual component to the new bike. This delicate process is something Moustache are very proud of and we can back them on the fact that all of their bikes that arrive here are very well assembled to the highest of standards. Each process is logged so they can determine exactly who has been working on the bike. Thus in turn means that the bikes are extremely well built. Or someone might not get a lunch break tomorrow! Below you can see part of the drivetrain being assembled before it moves onto the next part of the assembly process. Each component has to be fitted in a certain order. Starting with the internal cable routing for the Bosch eBike system. Moustache actually only manufacturer Bosch eBikes, so they are experts in this field. From start to finish Moustache have very strict quality control standard. It has to be right, that is their policy! You can see in the picture below, many different models being assembled at the same time across multiple stations. Production The Moustache factory is a buzzing workplace, with components to hand and professional tooling. It means that they can be efficient without missing the main component - build quality! True to their heart Moustache, started by Greg Sand & Emmanuel Antonot still works from its roots in Golbey, France. Despite upping production numbers, it is key to keep the passion, ideas and dreams where it all started. As the company expands, so do the beliefs. There are still, to date, no more than 30 staff on site. Not only do Moustache want you to try their bikes, but they want that vision to shine through to you - the rider. Why not tour our range of Moustache bikes here.
We saw another of the great E-Bikeshop Owners Club rides take place on Sunday 17th May 2015. This time our chosen destination - Peaslake. For an action packed day of electric mountain biking through the Surrey Hills. Everyone turned up on time, which meant shortly after a quick brief we were hitting the trails in no time. A few climbs on some fire roads and we headed straight into some nice tight trails. Fortunately we were really lucky with the weather, it was raining the day before and also the day after. On Sunday we enjoyed glorious sun for the most of the day - Fantastic! We were lucky to have fellow members Chris and Ken guide us around their local riding spot, so we got straight to the good bits! With plenty of nice flowing single track, Peaslake really had a lot to offer. Slightly more technical terrain in places, but that all adds to the fun. We had the usuals along with a few newbies this time, including one who had just collected here new Haibike just the afternoon before from e-bikeshop! Men and women of all ages & abilities, such a great bunch of friendly guys. Tony joined us for the day, from The Electric Bike Magazine, test piloting one of our new Haibike FullSeven RC's. What better way to test out an electric mountain bike! We did stop to admire the view at one of the highest points in Surrey. You could see for miles as it was such a clear day. The first famous trail we hit was called Yoghurt Pots. Really nice sweeping trails through a gulley meant you were almost bouncing off the sides as you pumped speed up. Approx half way round we did unfortunately have a quick puncture spot, it appears Slime tubes can't seem to handle the Surrey Hills thorns, but a new tube in and we were back on our way in no time after a well deserved pit stop. We then headed onto the next well known trail - Telegraph Poles. This really nice singletrack headed off down hill sweeping between poles and natural tracks made between shrubbery. The tight turns and occasional drops kept you on your toes. See a snippet in the video below. One of the last trails we hit was called - Barry Knows Best. It was by far the best trail of the day, with lots of tight twisty turns, jumps and offshoots, it means you could wind your way down the side of the hill, taking different paths either side of the trees. The best thing was as we were all on eBikes, any of the trails we really liked we could nip back up to the top and do them again. This meant we were able to ride back up and hit our 3 most fun trails all over again. Win win! As usual we had a lot of interest from passers by and fellow mountain bikers alike, intrigued to try the bikes and see what it's all about. Everyone was really impressed as always. In total we were out for approx 4 hours and covered lots of ground, we covered this route: To sum it up? With such a great ride out previously at Swinley forest, Peaslake had a lot to live up to! Fortunately it did just that, with brilliant mountain biking, great weather and as usual a real nice bunch of people enjoying what we do best - eBiking.. Thats what it’s all about! The complete photo album from has been uploaded to our Facebook Page. Click here for the photo gallery. The E-Bikeshop Owners Club is a closed group of riders, if you have purchased a eBike from us and want to get involved, please get in touch.