The E-Bikeshop Owners Club revisited Swinley Forest in September 2015 for another amazing day riding electric mountain bikes across the various trails and singletrack. We actually already visited Swinley Forest AKA The Lookout in Bracknell earlier in the year & everyone had a great day. So we decided to do it again for our September outing, this time with lots more riders and some new faces as always. To mix things up fellow club member Clive offered to lead a few 'off piste' sections which were optional as he lives local and knows some of the hidden trails off the main track. We all met in the carpark first thing for a quick briefing and welcome, mainly for the newer members. We don't have rules as such, but a quick overview of where we were going and some trail etiquette saw us off out the car park and hitting the trails in no time. We had a mixed group of riders this time, some only just got their new eBikes and some were more hardened members. A couple of ladies joined us and we had a mix of abilities, fortunately we never push the limits too much, so it's a enjoyable experience for everyone. There are certain places where the 'wilder' riders can have a bit of fun too! We started on the Blue section, which is tight and twisty with lots of man made berms and bumps through the trees, this leads onto the Red section which is slightly harsher trails, but still tame enough to be able to gently roll over the whole trail if needs be. Some sections we had to make sure if we were stopping in between to regroup for a few seconds, that we actually didn't block the trail. This was quite apparent with everyone grouping over to one side to let other people past on the crossing sections. The first part of the red section was actually closed last time we visited which was a real shame, but fortunately all the felling was complete and it was back open this time for us tall to enjoy. The famous 'Tank Traps' lead you up and down each side of a small valley, was really fun keeping your momentum up each side to come back down again. A quick pit stop a short way in was just enough to catch the breath, also a good time to natter 'eBike talk' and of course chat with 'Analogue Bikers' to educate on what they will be upgrading to in the near future! About half way round we took a detour over the 'Jump Gully', this was great to have a little play over the jumps and also a good rest stop for others. Some were getting a little bit ambitious (Derek mainly) which turned into dropping off small ledges into the gulley! Everyone had a few runs down here. It was great as you can take it at your own pace, all the jumps are tabletops, so they are flat on top, which means you can simply roll over them until you build up confidence and speed. As the confidence grew, some club members found themselves catch air as they got faster and faster over the jumps. Fortunately everyone stayed upright, although Derek did have a little wobble after dropping off ledge and nearly coming off sideways, fortunately he held on and rolled out safely without hurting his pride. The next section of Red trails were absolutely awesome, probably a good point to say the weather was fantastic with blue summer skies and the sun really warming the trails up. As most of this was singletrack through the trees the shelter got the temperature just right. With such a high number of riders, we pretty much ruled the trails yesterday, it was nice to be in a decent sized group as it added lots of different positions within the group to ride in and close with other Bikers. Conclusion There were a couple of tumbles throughout the day, but everyone made it back in safely in one piece with smiles all round. Most of all we all had fun! This ride ended with a monster tea and coffee order in the cafe next to the car park, another good time to catch up and natter about the day's events. What is the most noticeable when riding in the club, it's not just the enthusiasm shared across the eBikes, it's the great people who make the club what it is. Such a good bunch of guys (and girls), it's actually as much about catching up with everyone as it is riding the bikes. Don't worry club members, the next ride will be posted in the group shortly. Keep your eyes peeled! There are over 100 photos from the day will be uploaded shortly to the members area. Feel free to tag and share as you like. Lots of good new profile pictures in there. 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.
E-Bikeshop are live in Germany this week at EuroBike 2015. We bring you up to date information about the most interesting electric bikes on show in the 2016 eBike ranges. One thing that was apparent this year was the increase in electric bikes across the board. EuroBike is the biggest cycle show in Europe with every manufacturer showing off what they have to offer for 2016 in both normal bikes, eBikes, parts and accessories. Last year we visited and eBikes were on the increase, however this year it's quite clear that the eBikes are dominating the space with almost half of it devoted to electric assisted bikes. With over 600,000 eBikes sold in Germany last year alone, it's no wonder every manufacturer now has an eBike to offer. Some early adopters are taking the eBike scheme very seriously, manufacturers like Haibike now have over 50 different models within the range, lots with more eBike on offer than normal bikes. The show is split between far east hub drive suppliers and the crank drive suppliers. The dominance of European bikes adopting the latest crank drive systems. It's clear Bosch has the biggest piece of the pie here, but others are following. In particular Yamaha, Shimano and smaller manufacturers like Panasonic, Brose and Continental are entering the crank drive market. All adding to the competition, in our eyes is a good thing because it means we get to see bigger advancements year on year. With so much on offer this year, we haven't even been able to take it all in. So here below are the more interesting electric bikes we spotted in our travels around the Euro Bike show from over 1000 exhibitors from 54 different countries.. Enjoy! The new 2016 Scott 27.5+ Bosch powered eBike certainly caught our eye. This electric bike supplier offering manufacturers a stealthy approach with the battery inside the frame. Coffee anyone? This Bosch powered Nicolai is fully kitted up for hot beverages on the go! New beautiful looking Moustache larger travel Bosch eBike for 2016. This Sinus eBike tucks away the Bosch motor and mounts the battery in line with the seat tube. Mean looking Lapierre Overvolt with Bosch CX motor for 2016. Taking a look what goes on inside the new Shimano Steps crank drive motor. The new 2016 Haibike xDuro Downhill bike, the only eBike we spotted with triple clamps, winner! Cobi smart phone system that will connect to most eBikes including, Bosch, Yamaha, Brose and Trans-X. Not an eBike, but had to picture this bike hand crafted out of bamboo! THE best bike of the show? The 2016 Haibike Full Carbon ULTIMATE. Wondered what it looks like in the new Bosch Performance CX drive unit?.. Here it is. Little shopper bike by Lambardo, mounts the Bosch battery in the basket, that's different! Gocycle had a specially wrapped bike for Levis jeans, looked really smart. How will you customise your Gocycle? New 180mm travel Lapierre Yamaha powered electric mountain bike, WOW! Not quite sure what this is, but it's electric and super light weight with a plastic frame. Not sure if we love it or hate it? The new Spitzing electric mountain bike. Specialized enter the market with a new crank drive electric mountain bike for 2016. For the sly eBiker's out there, this system pops down the seat tube for a minimalistic look, not sure how well it will work under pressure. A Reese and Muller Cargo Bosch powered bike, it's different! Could get a weekly shop in the front. The new Heisenberg Bosch powered eBike, this it just came off the set of the new terminator movie? It's nuts! Brand new Haibike sDuro 2016 NDURO Yamaha powered enduro bikes. Not sure what this thing is, but some crazy European guys have been hard at work creating this piece of electric assisted machinery. FIRST EVER 24" kids electric bike from Haibike, powered with a unique Yamaha system to assist kids further. This electric mountain bike is a bit strange, the massive crank drive motor is powered by a battery pack in your rucksack. Not sure if this works? Last but not least we have a Brose powered electric fat bike. This one taking its inspiration from honey bee comb design.All in all it's been a great first day at Euro Bike 2015. Not even scraped the surface but lots of interesting electric bikes to look at. One thing is clear - It's certainly a big year for eBikes in 2016! You can view many of the up and coming 2016 electric bikes in our shop by clicking here.
New Haibike 2016 sDuro range of Yamaha powered eBikes coming to UK shores soon. Here we give an overview of the growing sDuro electric bikes set for 2016. Last year we saw a whole new range come to Europe from Haibike as they collaborated with Yamaha to bring a totally new range of electric bikes to the continent. The Yamaha system proved to be hugely popular, most models sold out shortly after announcing the new range. What's new? The 2016 range continues to grow, now with lots of new additions to complement the popular existing models. We see a new things like a kids 24" eBike, new ladies specific hardtail, enduro, cross, 27.5+ wheel eBike and even a full suspension fat bike! This tops the range to a staggering 15 models over last year's 6 model line up! Wow! Yamaha 2016 eBike system There have been some small improvements to the Yamaha eBike system situated on all the 2016 model across the range. The biggest addition are a new Eco+ mode of assistance. Before we had just 3 modes - Eco, Medium & High. Now with the addition of the Eco+ mode ranges can be extended with this more conservative mode of assistance. Haibike have told us that the Yamaha 400Wh battery can now extend to 30% more than previous. Tests have shown Eco+ mode to offer powered assistance up to 170km (105 miles). Also the control buttons see a revamp, now with more stealthy buttons which will last the rigours of mountain biking without fading the what was previously white symbols. The control also now features a micro USB for 2016 so the user can recharge phones, mp3 players etc whilst out on the ride, directly off the Yamaha eBike battery. Neat Eh? Now the new features are out of the way, let's talk about some of the new 2016 models! Every bike is listed below with a brief description, you can click the link on each to learn more including the full overview, specification & prices. Please Note: All of the images below are artists impressions and some of the specification in the pictures is not 100% accurate. Please refer to the full specification on each bike page. Haibike sDuro HardFour RX 2016 The smallest of the 2016 sDuro eBikes, a kids 24" wheeled electric bike! Now they won't get worn out half way through the day. Let the family go on a proper full day ride out! Price: £1,749 Wheel Size: 24″ Sizes: One Size Haibike sDuro HardFour RX 2016 Haibike sDuro HardSeven SL 2016 The entry level Haibike sDuro for 2016. The HardSeven is your everyday hardtail eBike built on 27.5" wheels and budget components. Now with 10 speed, even better than last year! Price: £1,894 Wheel Size: 27.5″ (650B) Sizes: 35, 40, 45, 50 & 55cm Frames Haibike sDuro HardSeven SL 2016 Haibike sDuro HardLife SL 2016 Same spec and price as the HardSeven above, but now in a new ladies specific variant for 2016. With narrower bars, revised geometry and new colour scheme, it looks good. Price: £1,894 Wheel Size: 27.5″ (650B) Sizes: 35, 40, 45 & 50 Frames Haibike sDuro HardLife SL 2016 Haibike sDuro HardNine SL 2016 The Hard Nine is the same specification and price as the two models above. But this time in a 29" wheel variant. Now for the first time ever we have both option of wheels on the SL. Price: £1,894 Wheel Size: 29″ Sizes: 35, 40, 45 & 50 Frames Haibike sDuro HardNine SL 2016 Haibike sDuro Cross SL 2016 The first ever Haibike sDuro hybrid bike. The Cross SL is capable of light off road riding and road, this versatile bike comes in at a wallet friendly price point with good components. Price: £1,949 Wheel Size: 700c Sizes: Unisex 44, 48 &52cm Mens 48, 52, & 56cm Frames Haibike sDuro Cross SL 2016 Haibike sDuro Trekking RC 2016 Similar to the Cross model, but more orad inclined. The 2016 Trekking RC is fully equipped with all the necessaries, it can be used on roads, bridle paths and light off road paths. Price: £2,349 Wheel Size: 700c Sizes: Unisex 44, 48 &52cm Mens 48, 52, & 56cm Frames Haibike sDuro Trekking RC 2016 Haibike sDuro FullNine SL 2016 The new FullNine SL is the entry level full suspension model within the Haibike range. Built with 100mm of travel and a 29'er wheel for a fast rolling XC mountain bike. Price: £2,499 Wheel Size: 29″ Sizes: 40, 45, 50 & 55cm Frames Haibike sDuro FullNine SL 2016 Haibike sDuro AllMtn SL 2016 The entry level eBike within the Haibike all mountain range, built on 27.5" wheels & 150mm travel, the spec on this bike brings us a new all mountain bike in at sub £3k! Price: £2,699 Wheel Size: 27.5″ (650B) Sizes: 40, 44, 48 & 52cm Frames Haibike sDuro AllMtn SL 2016 Haibike sDuro AllMtn RC 2016 The next one up from the SL, the AllMtn RC. Based on the same frame but offers a better spec base. This Yamaha AllMtn model was a popular one for us last year. Price: £3,099 Wheel Size: 27.5″ (650B) Sizes: 40, 44, 48 & 52cm Frames Haibike sDuro AllMtn RC 2016 Haibike sDuro AllMtn RX 2016 Let's go up again within the AllMtn range. The RX offers a supreme level of components, this difference on this one is the electronic suspension! Read the spec to find out more. Price: £3,699 Wheel Size: 27.5″ (650B) Sizes: 40, 44, 48 & 52cm Frames Haibike sDuro AllMtn RX 2016 Haibike sDuro AllMtn PRO 2016 The top spec model features the Ei Electronic Suspension as the RX above, but now with the full XT, Mavic wheels and more burly components you can really put through its paces. Price: £4,299 Wheel Size: 27.5″ (650B) Sizes: 40, 44, 48 & 52cm Frames Haibike sDuro AllMtn PRO 2016 Haibike sDuro AllMtn Plus 2016 The new tyre size to hit the UK by storm - 27.5+ What is it? It utilises a 27.5" wheel on 3" tyres to bridge the gap between standard trail bikes and fat bikes. More grip = More Fun! Price: £3,499 Wheel Size: 27.5″+ (650B) Sizes: 40, 44, 48 & 52cm Frames Haibike sDuro AllMtn Plus 2016 Haibike sDuro NDURO RX 2016 Part of the new enduro range within the Haibike sDuro's - The NDURO RX, fully equipped with 650B wheels and 180mm of travel to take whatever you throw at it. Amazing machine. Price: £3,599 Wheel Size: 27.5″ Sizes: 43, 45, 47 & 49cm Frames Haibike sDuro NDURO RX 2016 Haibike sDuro NDURO PRO 2016 Built on the same frame as the RX above. The PRO version takes the specification to a whole new level. Say hello to the new breed of enduro electric mountain bikes. Beautiful. Price: £4,399 Wheel Size: 27.5″ Sizes: 43, 45, 47 & 49cm Frames Haibike sDuro NDURO PRO 2016 Haibike sDuro Full FatSix 2016 What can we say about this one?.. It's absolutely awesome, a full suss fat bike! This is plain crazy OR makes perfect sense. We can't decide, but would love to take it on the trails! Price: £3,499 Wheel Size: 26″ Sizes: 42, 46, & 50cm Frames Haibike sDuro Full FatSix 2016 What do we think? The new range of sDuro bikes for 2016 looks set to be pretty mega! Some of the new models are a warm welcome and actually finish off the range of bikes quite nicely. We think the 24" kids bike will be popular as this market has never really been properly catered for before. The Yamaha system is revised on this model to make it safer for kids, you can read more by clicking the link above. The new NDURO bikes are highly anticipated, now riders have the option of either Bosch or Yamaha on these bikes. It also means that you can hit the trails on a 180mm travel enduro bike without breaking the bank. The Full FatSix is growing on us, at first it was a little bit of a shock, but then that's precisely what its all about. It does make sense to have the added grip and comfort together. We like the new 27.5"+ model too for anyone pondering over getting a fat bike, this will be the perfect inbetweener. Haibike have clearly been very busy putting this new 2016 sDuro range together! When can I get one? We have decided to release details of the 2016 range early so anyone who missed the boat, can get in quickly and reserve a Haibike sDuro model for 2016. We have actually already started taking 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. Please Note: All of the 2016 model images above are artists impressions.
So here goes, let's present the 2016 range of Bosch powered xDuro³ electric bikes! From electric mountain, trekking & road with a brief overview of what each has to offer for 2016. What's new? First off you may want to know what the major significant changes are for 2016. On many models we have the integration of the new Bosch Performance CX drive. Now with more assistance and torque levels, it's also a smoother more compact quieter ride. We also see brand new frame integrations, where the motor is tucked right up within and the battery actually mounts directly into the frame itself. Along with many other things like geometries, graphics, new models ranges etc. Learn more in the full article of 2016 Haibike xDuro features here. Hopefully you have now scrolled through the article above, so lets move swiftly onto the complete range of bikes. Every bike is listed below with a brief description, you can click the link on each to learn more including the full overview, specification & prices. Please Note: All of the images below are artists impressions and some of the specification in the pictures is not 100% accurate. Please refer to the full specification on each bike page. Haibike xDuro HardSeven RC 2016 The entry level xDuro mountain hardtail electric bike, with 27.5" wheels & 100mm travel front suspension for your everyday mountain biking. Price: £2,599 Wheel Size: 27.5″ (650B) Sizes: 40, 45, 50 & 55cm Frames Haibike xDuro HardSeven RC 2016 Haibike xDuro Cross RC 2016 The cross does exactly as the name suggests, it's suitable for both on and off road, a hybrid if you like. With clutter free components and a larger faster rolling wheel. Price: £2,499 Wheel Size: 700c Sizes: Unisex 44, 48 &52cm Mens 48, 52, & 56cm Frames Haibike xDuro Cross RC 2016 Haibike xDuro Trekking RX 2016 Your all round trekking bike with 700c wheel mainly catered for the road, but can touch bridle, canal & towpaths. full equipped bike with mudguards, rack, lights, side stand etc. Price: £2,999 Wheel Size: 700c Sizes: Unisex 44, 48 &52cm Mens 48, 52, & 56cm Frames Haibike xDuro Trekking RX 2016 Haibike xDuro HardNine RC 2016 The entry level xDuro mountain hardtail electric bike, with 29" wheels & 100mm travel front suspension for your everyday cyclist. Good for both on road and offroad. Price: £2,599 Wheel Size: 29" Sizes: 40, 45, 50 & 55cm Frames Haibike xDuro HardNine RC 2016 Haibike xDuro Urban RC 2016 Built as a fast tarmac bike, popular with both commuters, leisure and roadie riders alike. This fast rolling bike is one of the lightest in the range, built for speed and agility on roads. Price: £3,199 Wheel Size: 700c Sizes: 50, 53, 56cm & 60cm Frames Haibike xDuro Urban RC 2016 Haibike xDuro FullSeven RC 2016 The entry level xDuro full suspension mountain bike, with 120mm travel. For your everyday cyclist after a full suss'er for general trail riding, cross country & trail centers. Price: £3,299 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 40, 45, 50 & 55cm Frames Haibike xDuro FullSeven RC 2016 Haibike xDuro FullSeven Carbon RX 2016 The entry level xDuro full suspension carbon mountain bike, with 120mm travel. Featuring a lightweight carbon chassis suitable for general trail riding, cross country & trail centers. Price: £5,599 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 40, 45 & 50cm Frames Haibike xDuro FullSeven Carbon RX 2016 Haibike xDuro FullSeven Carbon PRO 2016 Your mid range xDuro full suspension carbon mountain bike, with 120mm travel and better spec components. Suitable for general trail riding, cross country & trail centers. Price: £8,599 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 40, 45 & 50cm Frames Haibike xDuro FullSeven Carbon Pro 2016 Haibike xDuro FullSeven Carbon ULTIMATE 2016 Pretty much what it implies in the name, THE best bike money can buy, also the lightest Bosch full suspension eBike on the planet! Check out the full spec on this one. Price: £12,999 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 40, 45 & 50cm Frames Haibike xDuro FullSeven Carbon Ultimate 2016 Haibike xDuro AllMtn RC 2016 The entry level spec Haibike All Mountain bike. With 150mm travel & a good component base and affordable price tag. Suitable for trail centers and all mountain riding. Price: £3,799 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 42, 46, 50 & 54cm Frames Haibike xDuro AllMtn RC 2016 Haibike xDuro AllMtn RX 2016 The mid range Haibike All Mountain bike. With 150mm RockShox / Fox suspension & the new Shimano XT 11 speed gear system. Suitable for trail centers and all mountain riding. Price: £4,299 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 42, 46, 50 & 54cm Frames Haibike xDuro AllMtn RX 2016 Haibike xDuro AllMtn PRO 2016 The top spec xDuro all mountain bike within the Haibike range. Full Sram 11 speed, Bosch Nyon and latest Fox suspension. Suitable for trail centers and all mountain riding. Price: £5,899 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 42, 46, 50 & 54cm Frames Haibike xDuro AllMtn PRO 2016 Haibike xDuro NDURO RX 2016 The entry level Enduro bike, built with 180mm travel for tougher hits and maximum adjustability. This bike is suitable for enduro, light downhill & trail center use. Price: £4,299 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 43, 45, 47 & 49cm Frames Haibike xDuro NDURO RX 2016 Haibike xDuro NDURO PRO 2016 The top spec Enduro bike, built with 180mm travel for tougher hits and maximum adjustability. This bike is suitable for enduro, light downhill & trail center use. Price: £5,999 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 43, 45, 47 & 49cm Frames Haibike xDuro NDURO PRO 2016 Haibike xDuro Downhill PRO 2016 The world's first Bosch full suspension downhill bike. Set to take the UK by storm, no longer wait around for uplifts, take this bike to the extreme - A fully specced DH eBike! Price: £6,899 Wheel Size: 27.5" Sizes: 42, 43, 44 & 45cm Frames Haibike xDuro Downhill PRO 2016 Haibike xDuro FatSix RC 2016 Again set to be popular the entry level Haibike fat bike. This grizzler will take on mixed terrain from snow, sand, mud and pretty much anything you throw in its path. Price: £3,299 Wheel Size: 26" Sizes: 40, 45 & 50cm Frames Haibike xDuro FatSix RC 2016 Haibike xDuro FatSix RX 2016 The higher spec fat bike within the Haibike range, this one built with the latest Shimano XT 11 speed, RockShox Bluto forks and higher grade components. Proper job! Price: £3,999 Wheel Size: 26" Sizes: 40, 45 & 50cm Frames Haibike xDuro FatSix RX 2016 Please click the links above to view full specifications of the new 2016 models above. What do we think? Here at E-Bikeshop HQ we think new range for 2016 looks great. With lots of new models that pretty much covers all bases for anyone looking for an electric bike. We particularly like the new xDuro Down Hill bike and also the hybrid Cross bikes. These plug 2 gaps in the market that have previously been un-catered for. Pleased to see the spec of the new Haibike FatSix RX too with the new revised geometry and 11 speed gearing. Not to forget the Carbon Ultimate, looks absolutely awesome, can't wait to see these through! When we rode the new Bosch CX Performance drive in Germany, the extra torque and assistance was very noticeable, especially in both Sport and Turbo modes. There is also more low down torque and the whole bike is quieter. Expect a full review on this soon! As always these bikes are in high demand and we expect the popular models to sell out pretty quickly. We think Haibike like the fact that demand is greater than build capacity! When can I order one? Here's a sneaky shot when we visited Haibike to show production is already in full swing: We have actually already started taking 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. Please Note: All of the 2016 model images above are artists impressions.
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!