Every couple of years we like to move the business forward. Following our expansion and new HQ in 2020, we set a new goal to address the ever changing needs of online E-Bike sales in 2022. What we knew? We all know things have changed in the world over the past couple of years. This couldn't be more true of the bike industry. Following the start of the pandemic in 2020 we saw a huge increase in demand, coupled with supply issues equalling long lead times for bikes and ever more people shopping online when they couldn't visit shops. We knew we had to update our website/branding and we had plans in place for a fresh new design. In the background our systems were still running on something we created 10 years ago. Since then our business has grown significantly along with our stock, customer base, product lines, visitors & of course the internet. We knew it was time for change, but what a mammoth task to re-platform our website entirely, create a new design, implement brand new back end systems and make our website more dynamic for the modern user. What we wanted to do? We went back to basics and asked our self 'What does the customer want?'. We jotted down what the ideal website would/should look like, what functions it should have and how it would best operate. We quickly found that no other website was offering what we wanted to do. We also found that what we were trying to achieve had never been done before and was probably more advanced from an IT point of view than what our suppliers and industry was used to. Here began a two-year project to tackle the task and add a custom back-end solution to achieve it. What we achieved? We launched our new website on 24th March 2022. Along with the new site came a fresh new logo, look and feel. We hope you like it! Our new website is tailored to the home shopper who can learn a lot of the information visiting a store in person, right there on their mobile sat on the sofa with a cuppa. Rather than presenting you, the user, with a huge list of electric bikes for sale, we decided to turn your experience into a learning journey down the right path. Rather than expecting you to already know exactly which bike and style works best for you, we help you find your dream e-Bike; whilst learning along the way. So what's new? Really the list of new features is too long to note (and pretty boring too!). However some notable upgrades/functions include the following:- New user journeys: Which rider are you? (Tracks & Trails, Road, Mountains, Commuter & Town). Improved & more responsive checkout: 10x faster than our old checkout. New eBike type: Which kind of bike would you like? (MTB Full Suspension, MTB HardTail, Trekking & Hybrid, Electric Road Bikes, Folding Electric Bikes). New brand pages: Already know which brand you'd like? (Orbea, Cube, Haibike, Scott, Moustache). Estimated ships from date facility for all bikes on pre-order. Find the correct frame size tool. Live chat function. Live online availability on all parts, accessories and bikes. New Service & Support portal: Instant online bookings and submit warranty request online function. Improved Search function and suggestive results. Brand new Customer Reviews portal. Brand new Wishlist function. New Help & Support: Access all Instruction Manuals online, new guides - Buyers Guide, Setup Guide. V12 Finance: Process your finance application directly via our checkout. Improved UX, Accessibility and Navigation. Opt for 14 Days Free Insurance at the checkout. Cycle to Work Schemes Portal: Dedicated areas for all the schemes we operate with online instructions. Process Cyclescheme vouchers directly via our checkout. Why the new look? We felt that our brand is stronger than ever before and it needed a refresh to reflect this. We kept our distinguishable 'electric blue' colour, but changed the font and style of our logo to reflect our new look and feel. Here's our new (left) and old (right) logo side-by-side: Our eagle-eyed readers may spot the hidden cue within our new logo design, can you tell what it is? New HQ too? That's right, we planned to move our HQ in early 2020 and take things to the next level. However, the demand & disruption that Covid bought to us meant that we had to delay the move by 6-Months. We finally moved into our new premises in October 2020 and really up till now, we've not had time to shout about it! What does the new HQ mean for us? It's allowed us to expand to be where we need to be. Whilst we wanted to expand anyway, Covid accelerated this for us. So to move into a brand new building with a much bigger showroom, new offices, meeting room, handover bay, reception, workshops and warehouse space was imperative in being able to offer the service that we strive to maintain. Keeping things green? It's imperative that we reduce our carbon footprint to complement the eco products that we sell. We took an ECO approach to the design of our new HQ. We've integrated high efficient, low energy LED lighting throughout, with sensors to turn zones on/off as needed so that we are not wasting lighting when it doesn't need to be on. We've also expanded our recycled material for all packaging where we are re-using 95% of bicycle packaging when boxing bikes. Heck, even our coffee machine only fires up hot water when absolutely needed! What's next? As with all things that are new, we are still ironing out issues in the background (bear with us!) to make our own tasks more efficient and manageable. One of the biggest criticisms currently in the bicycle trade is the lead-time on both bikes and parts. We've managed to reflect availability on our website in real-time to the end-user. Customers can now also view their estimated shipping date in the 'My Account' portal for all orders. In our next update we're rolling out automatic email updates should your shipping date move forward or back at all. The key here is communication, the fact is that things can change but it's important we be pro-active here in communication where-as most dealers are very much re-active to customer communications.
With supply issues of the past 18 months beginning to calm and overall stock levels in shops returning to pre-pandemic levels, this newly returned level of choice brings with it far more ease and opportunity to make an eBike part of your daily life. This is far from exhaustive, but we've picked out the best 10 reasons why you should buy an ebike in 2022. It's time to get off the fence and onto an eBike. Here are 10 reasons you should buy an ebike in 2022. Gradually leaving the stigma in their dust and ignoring the uninitiated who scream "heathen" and "cheater" while still at the bottom of the first hill as you break over the crest with barely a bead of sweat in sight, eBike popularity in all aspects of cycling is on the rise and at its greatest ever pace. Regardless of what type of rider you are, there is an eBike for you. It doesn't matter if you're new to cycling or clock up thousands of miles each year. Nor does it matter whether you ride road, MTB, cross country or downhill. It doesn't matter whether you ride for fitness, to commute, or just to nip to the shops. Manufacturers are actively ensuring that every base is covered and that no-one is left behind. If you've been on the fence about joining the ever growing eBike community or making the switch from a conventional bike, here are 10 reasons why 2022 is the year to do it. eBikes are a great way to get back into cycling. Haven’t ridden in years? Worried you’re not as fit as you were? An eBike is a great way to get back in the saddle, rediscover cycling and immediately start improving your fitness without being worried you’re only going to make it around the block. With eBikes ranges as high as 100 miles, you’ll be racking up miles like a pro from day one! If you're struggling to work out what type of bike you need or is best for your intended riding, why not get in touch or Book an Appointment to visit our showroom in Surrey today? eBikes are for everyone. Whatever your goal and whatever you want to conquer, there’s an eBike to help you do it. Want to beat the traffic to work? There’s an eBike for that. Looking to keep up with your mates on those huge mountain climbs? There’s one for that too. Something just to nip to the shops and run errands in the sun rather than use the car? Yup… you guessed it. We've even got one for that! Not only is there a bike for every use case, but manufacturers work hard to ensure they're as easy to use as an ordinary bike and technology to assist this evolves every year. You don't have to be technical whizz-kid to operate them either. Almost all in their most basic form only require one button to switch it on, and an up and down button to change how much assistance it provides. The electrical system aside, they work exactly the same as a normal bike. eBike riders do it more. And it's not cheating - because multiple studies between 2017 and now have disproved that myth. Because of their versatility and range, eBike owners spend much more time in the saddle than regular bike riders. In a study in 2018, the Transport Research Laboratory reported that owners of regular cycles use them on average, less than 25 times per year with only half of those studied only using them around once a week. The study found that in comparison, over 30% of eBike owners use them every day, with over 80% of them making it out at least once a week making eBike owners twice as likely as conventional bike riders to use them! eBikes help you go further, faster and for longer. With readily achievable ranges of over 100 miles on a single charge, eBike technology continues to evolve at an ever faster pace. They've never been more effective at covering ground with minimal effort and they’re only getting better. Although their principle is the same as a conventional bike, with up to 250w of power added to each pedal stroke getting where you’re going will be quicker, easier and much more fun. Regardless of your fitness level or cycling ability, much more is within reach on an eBike. eBikes can often be faster than cars. There’s a good reason that companies like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, multiple Same Day Couriers and Pizza delivery businesses use bikes, even conventional ones, in large cities. While cars get faster, there are also more of them on the road than ever. Did you know, the average daily speed in central London is just 7mph! An eBike on the other hand can reach 15mph in just a few pedal strokes, making them a much better and time efficient way to get around heavily congested towns and cities. Taking off from the line in many cases more quickly than a car, they allow riders to safely stay ahead of the moving traffic. They also don't require Tax, MOT or a license to ride. Nor will it ever need defrosting on a cold morning or trips to dirty fuel stations! eBike riders have a greater chance of increasing fitness. Because eBike riders now spend more time on average in the saddle than conventional bike riders (TRL research mentioned previously), they stand a much greater chance of increasing their fitness than those who own a normal bike, but barely ride it. “Its better to do something than nothing” and that statement is very true of eBikes. Not only do eBike owners use their bikes more frequently, they cover more miles than conventional bike users. Electric bikes don't "do all the work". They require continual rider input and so the longer you spend with an elevated heart rate, the fitter you'll get! You’re still having to pedal, steer and put some effort into balance (which works your core) and so no matter how many times someone says, “its cheating”, its definitely not! eBikes are economical, in every way. We don’t just mean you’re helping to save the planet (you are) - they’re cheap to run. Taking away the initial purchase price (we’ll get to that), the running cost of an eBike is almost the same as a normal one. It costs on average, about 7-10p to fully charge an eBike battery from your home (less if you get permission (or sneak) it on charge under your desk at work!). With up to 100 miles of range, that’s just 0.07p per mile. To put that into perspective, an average family car doing 40mpg around town uses around £15 of fuel to cover the same 100 miles. Over 2000% more! Ongoing service costs are also directly comparable to an ordinary bike. The motor, battery and control systems are sealed, self contained units which dont require servicing. The rest of the bike components are exacly the same as conventional bike components. Wear and tear components like brake pads are around £15 per pair and easily fitted in 2 minutes at home. Tyres are between £15 and £50 (some are more, if you go for really swanky race tyres on your road bike!) and you'll readily see several thousand miles from a set. They too can be changed at home. As you can see, not only are many of the normal service items inexpensive, you can fit them yourself with minimal and tools, and a couple of YouTube videos! An eBike can help you save money. eBikes aren’t “cheap”. There. We said it. But they do help people save money. Forget the initial purchase price for a moment and consider what you can easily do and achieve with it. eBikes don’t require road tax, insurance or a MOT and are exempt from congestion charges. This is where they really start to become more economical, especially for city commuters where the initial purchase cost immediately starts being saved. The average cost of even the cheapest small motorcycle/moped is around £3,000. Insurance due to rising theft rates in London is now around £600 a year. Road tax is around £100 per year, not to mention an up to 2000% higher “fuel bill”. Add in an obligatory helmet and you're already in the region of £4,000 before fuel and servicing costs. The average number of miles covered by UK drivers is around 10,000 per year. At average 40mpg, that’s £1500 in fuel. Can you really afford not to be using eBike for your commute this year?! Even if commuting on a bike is either prohibitively difficult due to distance or time (or perhaps just don't want to!), replacing the car on short journeys to pick up groceries, popping to a friends and other small errands is another easy way to save fuel, help the planet and get fitter all at the same time! eBikes are a much more fun way to get around. Forget walking (does anyone still do that?!). No more getting on the tube, into a train or being stuck in traffic. You can forget standing like a packed sardine hanging off a weathered leather strap in a packed train carriage too. No standing in bus stops wondering whether the bus will be late (or turn up at all!). Electric bicycles are a far more rewarding way to get from place to place quickly, while improving your health. Despite being a “motorised vehicle”, you don’t need a license but can still use all the cycle lanes. Whether its zipping through the city or taking a relaxed weekend ride through local trails and countryside (even the big cities have some brilliantly scenic places to ride on their outer fringes!), an eBike is one of the most economical and stress free ways to enjoy getting around and with the motor providing as much or as little assistance as you decide, you can do it all without breaking too much of a sweat if you don’t want to! eBikes are going to be a big part of the future of personal travel The ban on combustion engines is being bought further forward each year. More towns and cities are going to see restrictions and complete bans on fossil fuel vehicles. In fact, this is already the case in some cities. These bans will leave walking or public transport as your only option. The rest of Europe is already miles ahead of the UK. E-mobility hasn’t suffered the same legal restrictions (and fines!) and the industry has been allowed to flourish naturally. It’s no surprise then, that many of the biggest eBike manufacturers aren’t based in the UK! In London, its estimated that in 2021 just 3% of journeys were undertaken on bicycles. To put this into perspective - in the Netherlands, 43% of the population ride their bike at least once a day. The UK figure is a miserable 4%. This is aided by most European countries having invested more heavily and over a longer period in the infrastructure and enablement of choice to use a bike instead of a vehicle. Only 13% of those in the Netherlands never ride their bike. The UK, has one of the highest rates of non-use. A whopping 69% of the population don't use or own a bike at all. The government has already pledged an extra £5 billion to increase the cycling network and infrastructure, literally paving the way for greater adoption of eBikes. We hope you've enjoyed our "10 reasons you should buy an ebike in 2022". If these "10 reasons you should buy an ebike in 2022" haven't been enough to tempt you down off the fence, pop us an email, give us a call or Book an Appointment to come and see us at our Surrey showroom. We can have a chat over a coffee, get a good understanding of your needs and make sure you have everything to make a fully informed decision on the best investment you can make this year! Convinced already? Take a look at our extensive range of eBikes here.
With bike theft at its highest rate ever, Sold Secure, the most popular testing house for high end bicycle and motorcycle security chains and locks have recently tightened up their approval for categories and introduced a new "Diamond" standard category. How does the new Litelok Core, marketed as their "Ultimate E-Bike Lock" combat rising bike theft? Litelok Core Bicycle Locks - Expensive accessory or necessary against evil? We recently ran an article on the benefits of tracking devices for ebikes and in the process, discovered that more than 285,000 bicycles are stolen in the UK each year. Better quality locks could have thwarted many of these thefts. A simple combination cable lock just isn't enough of a deterrent anymore and not locking it up at all is just an open invite. The first step in securing any bike should be a good quality physical lock. Whether your bike costs £100 or £10,000, the annoyance and inconvenience of a theft can often linger for longer than it takes a clever or entirely brazen thief to make off with your wheels, especially if you rely on it for transport rather than just for leisure. While a tracker is useful tool to recover a stolen bike, making a potential theft as long winded, difficult and noisy as possible is the key to deterring a determined thief from getting away with the bike in the first place. Thieves are more likely to be disturbed in the act if the theft takes longer to carry out. You might be unlucky enough to have a half cut lock, but at least you'll still have your bike! It used to be widely advised to spend "at least 10% of the value of your bike on a locking solution" but with some electric bikes now costing upwards of £10,000, spending £1000 is actually quite difficult and a recent article on cyclist.co.uk suggests that if you can't find a lock worth 10% of the value of your bike, it's "probably too expensive to leave unattended", and we would agree! A very good quality bicycle lock is an absolute must and the very first battle in the fight against theft. What makes the Litelok Core better than other bicycle locks? To begin here, its useful to know that there are four classifications from Sold Secure for bicycle locks. These are Bronze, Silver, Gold, and the new Diamond category which the Litelok Core has attained. These categories each have their own minimum criteria in strength, resilience and construction. These are to meet what insurance companies expect to be used, based on the value of the bike. Its widely expected by bicycle and home insurance companies that for any bike over £1,000, a Sold Secure Rating of Gold is the very minimum standard that should be used, and they will normally ask for proof that you own a lock of this standard. The Litelok Core is one of the very first products to have achieved the new Sold Secure Diamond rating. It achieves this through its construction and innovative use of multiple materials. Its no longer enough to use a simple cable lock, or as in many cases, a D-Lock which can be cut through in just a few seconds with the bikes thieves current favourite weapon. The battery operated angle grinder - portable, but packing a huge amount of rotary cutting power they make many locks a sub 10 second job, cutting through them like cheese. Litelock Core Construction The "Core" of their new locking solution is where lies its strength, and how it achieved its Diamond rating. Each and every component material of the Litelok range is carefully considered for its design property. Working from the inside out, the multi filament inner core of the lock is made from fine steel filaments. This type of construction provides a super strong core but retains a great deal of flexibility. Outside of this is a fine grain steel exoskeleton which absorbs energy from sustained hammer blows. Moving out another layer, the polymeric matrix further enhances the security and protects the integrity of the inner layers while offering the steel internals the weatherproofing and corrosion resistance required to make this a long lasting locking solution. Finally, the braided outer sleeve protects the lock and your bike from abrasion. You don't want your new lock to damage your shiny new frame! The locking mechanism has been overhauled with a hardened steel casing and a weather and shock resistant polymer outer layer. Both sides of this two piece lock are attached to the Core using two drill resistant stainless steel rivets. Inside, the key operated and pick resistant disc retainer locking mechanism is made from stainless steel and protected by a protective sliding key hole cover. Litelok - Versatility at its Core. Bicycle locks can sometimes be a bit of a hassle when it comes to transporting them. Unless you have a frame mounted D-Lock, often they end up loosely wrapped around a frame, clattering and banging with every bump in what can just about be called "roads" in some counties in the UK. The Litelok Core range, as with their previous "Wearable" product, will have multiple transport or stowage options. Lots of commuting riders might use a backpack or pannier bag. If you don't have or want to use either of these, the Core has two of its own options. The first is its "wearable" strap. Rather than providing multiple length locks to suit riders of all sizes, the wearable function is achieved using a width adjustable strap. Placing the lock around your waist, one side is secured to the other with a strap, fastened with Velcro. The second are the stowage straps. Because bikes come in all shapes and sizes, these too are adjustable with Velcro closings. They also feature a rubberised thread band to stop it moving around, and also protects your frame. They've thought of everything! How does the Litelok Core compare to its competitors? The name Litelok points in a key direction. Traditionally, the heaviest locks were the strongest, because they were made out of the strongest materials. Litelok, with their unique choice of materials and clever construction have managed to outperform some of the strongest locks on the market, at a fraction of the weight. Comparing the 100cm Litelok version above to the "Brand C" option, Litelok does everything and more, at half the weight! Its currently hard to compare the Core to competitor products because so few have managed to obtain the Diamond rating. In time, more companies will improve their locks to stay "current", but we're confident Litelok will still be the lightest. At the moment though, the Litelok Core, with its Diamond rating, is still lighter than locks with a lower rating. A real testament to the level of innovation in design and manufacturing process in this proudly British Made product. Litelok in the Press Litelok have been revolutionary in everything they've done, right since their very first Kickstarter. Racking up plenty of attention in related media and publications, they've also picked up a few awards along the way. This year, Litelock received the 2021 Red Dot award for Product Design. A highly sought-after award, it recognises products with with outstanding designs. How much is it? The new Litelok Core comes in two models and three colourways including the new Orange option. The lock itself is available as either a 75cm length at £119.99, or 100cm length at £129.99 and both are available in Boa Green, Crow Black and Blaze Orange. Shop Litelok Core Products Now
Just when we thought the new Orbea Rise range of electric mountain bikes couldn't be any better, mixing ultra-light weight with top shelf components at a price that should have scared many of its competitors back to the drawing board, along come 3 brand new models for 2022! Now with an all alloy frame, the 2022 Orbea Rise Alloy weighs a few pounds more but gets a brand new, larger capacity battery to keep you out enjoying the trails for longer. 2022 Orbea Rise Alloy - Its Roots. A year ago, we proudly introduced the new Orbea Rise model range for the first time, with a great degree of exclusivity. Offered initially to only their top tier dealers of the Wild FS range, not only was the Rise the lightest electric mountain bike on the market at its price and spec level, but it came at a price point that probably made many of its competitors eyes water. £8,999 isn't an inconsiderable sum of money for the top spec M-Ltd model, but with its competitors prices for a comparable ebikes circling the £12,000+ mark, the Rise gained popularity very quickly. This was seen most heavily with the M10 model at £6,999 which for the majority of "every day" mountain bikers, offered the best spec vs value proposition and pre-orders stacked up quickly. The entry level M20 model came in at just £5,599. 2022 Orbea Rise Alloy - Its Heart Like its carbon sibling, the beating heart of the Rise Alloy range is the Shimano EP8 motor with its unique RS firmware packet. Designed to offer "less E, more BIKE", the RS Power software was designed specifically for the EP8 motor and can only be found on the Orbea Rise models. Highly responsive and super efficient, the EP8 motor offers its assistance where you need it most, and when you're at your most powerful. Cadences of 70rpm+ are where it really comes alive on the trails. The 2022 Rise Alloy gets a brand new battery. One of the best features of the Rise range is their efficiency. Despite its comparatively small 360Wh battery, the Carbon model was good for 3-4+ hours of riding with a decent amount of climbing thrown in the mix. The new 2022 Orbea Rise Alloy models now have an even larger 540Wh built in battery. Because the system is so efficient and the bike so light, the 540Wh battery has a capacity equivalent to around 800Wh when compared to the batteries of Bosch, Yamaha and other systems. The previously offered optional Range Extender is also directly compatible. Adding another 252Wh, it bumps the total capacity on the bike to a shade under 800Wh. With an efficiency rate of around 1.5x a normal eBike battery, this equates to circa 1200Wh from an equivalent Bosch system. 2022 Orbea Rise Alloy Models Offered in 3 different models, along with its larger battery the specification of the Alloy range of Rise bikes has been carefully considered with a much wider field of riders in mind. Orbea Rise H10 Topping the model range for 2022, the Orbea Rise H10 gets all of the bells and whistles. A Fox FLOAT DPS Factory rear shock and Fox 34 FLOAT Factory FIT4 140mm front forks with matching Kashima coat keep you firmly stuck to the trail. The gearing is taken care of by a Shimano XT M8100 12 speed group set and the whole party is bought to a halt by a set of Shimano XT M8100 twin piston anchors. Priced at £6,399, its a snip of the price of its competition. More Info - Orbea Rise H10 Orbea Rise H15 The middle weight contender and we expect to be the most popular option from the new Alloy range, the 2022 Orbea Rise H15 gets a Fox FLOAT X Performance EVOL rear shock and Fox 36 FLOAT Performance Grip-3 150mm front forks. Like the H10, the H15 also gets a Shimano XT M8100 derailleur but uses SLX M7100 shifters. Braking is provided by a set of Shimano M6100 hydraulic discs and the whole package will set you back a very reasonable £5,499. More Info - Orbea Rise H15 Orbea Rise H30 Although the entry level model of the range, the 2022 Orbea Rise H30 still offers impeccable value. Priced at £4,899, you'll find it equipped with Marzocchi Bomber Z2 140mm front forks and a Fox FLOAT DPS Performance rear shock. It also gets a Shimano SLX group set and MT410 brakes. As an introduction to super lightweight trail and mountain biking, its doesn't get much better than this! More Info - Orbea Rise H30 Is the new Alloy framed Orbea Rise the best value new bike of the 2022 model year? If its not, its certainly up there. Every year, manufacturers are looking to get more from less. More power. Less Weight. Likewise, owners are also looking for the same. More bike. Less money. Very few bikes tick all of the boxes but for the last 12 months, the carbon versions have been doing just that. Weighing in at sub 20Kg and offering a maximum 60Nm of torque with a battery capacity that'll keep you out on the trails all day is hard enough, but to do it at a price which makes them a lot more accessible is something really special and for that alone, the Rise Alloy models get a big tick from E-Bikeshop this year. Especially from a company still painting and putting everything together by hand!
With bike theft on the rise and lots of requests for electric bike GPS tracking systems from our customers over the years, an email from a company based in France was quite timely. Trackap got in touch offering us an all in one hardware and app solution designed for ease of use from every angle. Naturally, we were interested. Was this the product we had been waiting for? We actually didn't know the true value of the electric bike GPS tracking systems on the market. How many exist? What are the costs? How easy are they to fit? Are there any ongoing costs? What support is there if something goes wrong? What do you actually do if your bike is stolen? Will I get a discount on my insurance? Here, we dig into the rising popularity of technology trickled down from the car market. How good is an electric bike GPS tracking system? We secured a demo unit from Trackap and fitted it to a staff members Haibike AllMtn 3.0. Being a strong mountain biker and a Senior Technician on Bosch and Yamaha systems with a decade of experience exclusively on ebikes, Dan was best placed to give us the feedback we needed on fitting and app integration, as well as attempting to "rough it up a bit". Another thing to consider was that a some of our eBikes leave us with a tuning kit fitted. On the Bosch systems, this is always a Speedbox 3.0. We had to make sure that if we were going to offer a tracking system to our customers, it needs to work flawlessly with and without any optional extras so we fitted one of those too! Dan rode some of the roughest terrain around our local area on his well timed week off. Light forest trails, hard pack, right up to root riddled and rocky climbs and descents and some big jumps and drops thrown in for good measure. The device didn't miss a beat and he was still able to locate it in the back of his van before setting off home, and it was still locatable at home the following day. Clearly it can take some abuse, and continues to work regardless of terrain and while running in series with a tuning kit. While the Bosch eBike system is happy to be ridden through water and the tracking system is splash proof and mounted inside the frame, it can't be fully submerged, so this is something to bare in mind. The true test of a tracker is when the bike is stolen. Thankfully Dan still has his bike, so we can't comment on that part but from a week of solid testing, its clear that the kit has the ability to easily report its location on demand, any time you need it and so we have every confidence that should the worst happen, its location will be easy to get, and the Police should have no trouble recovering it! How do electric bike GPS tracking systems work? The basics are simple. A small "dongle" fitted into the wiring of the bike, along with an accompanying app for you to take a peek at where you left it, or where it is if you discover its now not where you left it. The two talk to eachother, telling you where your bike is in real time. The kit itself looks like this; The little black box is the tracking device. This is located inside the frame of the bike and is attached to the wiring. We've come up with ever more inventive places to fit tuning kits in tight bike frames over the years so you can be assured that it wont be visible and will be difficult to get at when fitted to your bike! The little wires and their plugs are used to integrate it into the bikes main wiring loom, effectively "stealing" the tiny little bit of power it needs to operate. Its such a tiny amount of power that you wont notice any decrease in range of your ebike. In the interest of security, we're not going to show you where/how its fitted to a bike. It'll only offer potential thieves an idea of what they're looking for when stealing their next ebike. You'll know its there. They wont! The GPS tracking system sits silently in the bike, waiting for a "ping" from you and operates on 2G mobile network service and GPS. When using the app, you can request the bikes location any time of day or night and this request is normally routed via the tracking system manufacturers servers. Their server will send the request signal to a satellite which in turns "looks" for your tuning kit. Your tuning kit hears the "call" of the app and offers it a "virtual handshake", confirming its the correct device and then sends it GPS coordinates. This information is sent back via the satellite to the tracking system operators server, then to your device. This entire process normally takes just a couple of seconds. How easy are electric bike GPS tracking systems to fit? We don't like to make things seem more difficult than they are. The kit is designed with certified bike technicians in mind, but fitting or removing a GPS tracking device on an electric bike isn't out of the scope of a competent DIY bike mechanic or anyone who knows their way around an ebike. Despite this, fitting any ebike GPS tracker is going to mean removing wiring plugs to motors/the battery which are covered by a manufacturers warranty and for that reason alone, this product, just as with the Tuning Kits we sell, wont be offered for sale individually and will be an "add to bike" option only, offered only on new bikes purchased from us or as an accessory fitted during routine maintenance/servicing. This is to protect your warranty, not to be annoying or obstructive. We don't honour warranties on bikes where these components have been visibly fiddled with or have had aftermarket components fitted outside of our workshops by well trained hands. Are there any ongoing costs to owning an ebike GPS tracking system? Normally yes, and they vary wildly. Some companies offer kits with a high upfront/installation cost but no ongoing running costs. Often, these are great to start with, but with no further investment in the company producing them from the bike owners, you're relying on others seeing the same benefit and buying the kits to enable the company to continually develop and maintain their service. Trackap from e-Bikeshop costs £199 for the unit and installation which is less than many, and over £100 less than the E-Connect system from Haibike (now discontinued in the UK), and comes with a free 1 year subscription, then costs €36 per year (just over £2 per month, payable directly to the product manufacturer via the app) to maintain the service. Trackap are committed to the continual development of their service both in hardware and the user interface with lots of new features in the pipeline and this aspect of their service really stood out in the week long discussions we had with them over whether this was a product worth bringing to our European customers. (Currently, Trackap is only available in Europe). What support should I expect if something goes wrong with my electric bike GPS tracker? At e-Bikeshop, we're eBike experts and this extends to the products we sell alongside our bikes. With any product we intend stock, we spend time testing it and getting to know it before we offer it to our customers. Not only do we get to know the product inside out, but we also grill the manufacturers on their own ability to support their product in the process. We try to keep as much product support as we can "in-house", positioning ourselves as a one stop shop for any issues with any of the products we sell. Our technicians are some of the best in the business, and our office based Support Technicians are always on hand to help with aftersales enquiries about the products we offer. If you ever experience an issue with a product sold by us, we would always recommend you give us a call or drop us an email first, but Trackap have committed to always be in the background if we need their help. Your £2 per month subscription fee supports their ongoing service backup! We of course do it at no cost, as part of your investment in us when you buy a bike or other product! Will I get a discount on my insurance? On motor vehicles, discounts are commonly offered when you can provide proof that your vehicle is fitted with an insurance approved tracking system like those from Tracker Networks but they're normally only found on fleet or high end vehicles or slightly more commonly on motorbikes since they're more easily stolen. As with any insurance terms, whether or not you get a discount on your insurance and how much it is will vary from provider to provider. We exclusively use Bikmo to offer 2 weeks free insurance on any bike sold by us, which covers the bike for loss, theft, damage and third party liability but they don't currently offer any discount for bike owners with a tracker fitted and this is likely because unlike on motor vehicles, there are no minimum set and industry recognised standards of equipment/reliability of service on ebike systems yet. Because of the lack of industry standard in products, the currently very low rate of uptake in tracking systems on eBikes (likely due to lack of education on benefits and how they work) and therefore a very sparse amount data required by insurance companies to calculate any reduction in "risk" to them, its very hard for an insurance company to provide any meaningful or calculated "reward" for fitting one. Regardless, we think the investment in a tracking device for ebikes is something that should be rewarded, and we'll continue to work with and support our insurance partner in making sure they have everything needed in case this is a future possibility. What should I do if my eBike is stolen? Contact the Police straight away. You can either reach them on 101 (please don't call 999 for a stolen bike unless you're in immediate danger or seriously hurt), or pop into your local station. Its a good idea to take a picture or description of your bike including the brand, model name, size and any distinguishing features (bumps, scrapes, any stickers or accessories fitted etc) along with your frame number if you have it to hand. Your bike may be being stored/hidden with many others and it'll help them get it back to you quicker! Although tempting, its never a good idea to go looking for your bike yourself. It might have been stolen by a mischievous child, or it could have been stolen by one of the many gangs using them to further support other far more serious organised crime and you wont know which until its too late. Trackap has an area of its website specially designed for Police to use and when you report your bike as stolen via the app, it will generate you a special code which they can use to monitor its location while they investigate. Did you know - It's estimated that around 285,000 bikes are stolen in the UK each year (and this figure is rising!) but less than 25% of these thefts are ever reported to the Police, with owners believing that nothing can or will be done. Of the total number reported as stolen, more than half of them are actually recovered by Police, often while investigating other crimes or when multiple bikes are stolen by the same thieves and one bike leads them to a stash of others. Unfortunately, fewer than 5% of stolen bikes end up back with their owners because the Police are unable to locate the owners of the unreported ones! These bikes are normally held for a set time period before being sold at Police auctions, the money going back into the pot to help protect local communities from similar crimes. Electric bike GPS tracking systems go a long way to helping you get your stolen bike recovered! If that isn't a good enough reason to purchase a GPS tracker for your new eBike, we don't know what is!
It's that time again where Bosch reveal what the latest-and-greatest features are of the new Bosch eBike system 2022. Bosch are constantly innovating their electric bike systems to meet the demand of users. Let's learn what's new... There's lots of new hardware and features for Bosch eBike systems in 2022. Let's break down each to keep it simple: New Bosch Kiox 300 Display 2022 New on-board featuresThe brand new on-board computer from Bosch is code named: Kiox 300. This new unit is perfect for the 'sporty' eBike rider where you can determine fitness data and use this to help with your training. New for 2022, the Kiox unit can be updated wirelessly by the rider, so there is now no need to visit the dealer for basic firmware updates. Easier to use smart designThe new Bosch Kiox 300 is smaller in design, but offers more features! It features a unique colour dispaly and can be visible at night due to the back lit LCD screen. The Kiox 300 is splash & dust resistant, it looks cleaner on the bike & is supported by new images and animations. It's designed to be as simple as possible for the user to operate on the fly. Walk Assist - Where you need itAs with all Bosch powered eBikes, the new 2020 Bosch Kiox setup offers the 'Walk assist' feature to the rider which can be really helpful on trickier climbs and stairs alike. It allows the bike to assist if pushing, taking the strain away from the rider, this is all now activated via the new LED remote (more on that below). The new Kiox 300 shows the rider how much range is left on each mode so you can see at a glance how far you can go dependent on the assistance mode selected. New handlebar mountThe new Kiox dispaly holder is mounted centrally on the handlebars, keeping that clean cockpit look as opposed to being over to one side (like it's predecessors). The screen has 'tilt adjustment' so it suits a range of riders, tall or short to get the perfect position for easy visibility whilst riding. New Bosch LED Remote 2022 Simple & clean designThe new LED remote for 2022 is the first of it's kind to feature a functional LED where all important information can be captured. The device has been designed to be easy to read despite sunlight or shady areas. It has a built-in ambient light sensor so it can change it's brightness no matter where you are on the ride. This means it's easier to see, but on the flip side it doesn't dazzle riders by being too bright and distracting. Each ride assist mode is now signified by it's own colour LED lights. This makes it easier for the rider to recognise what ride mode they are using, in the corner of their eye as opposed to navigating a display. Always connectedThe new 2022 Bosch eBike LED remote connects to the eBike Flow App (covered in more detail below). Riders can track all important data and sync it, bringing new connectivity to the rider & controls. As mentioned above, this connectivity allows the option for the rider to update the Bosch eBike firmware themselves, rather than travel to the dealer for simple periodic updates. You can also sync all-important ride data to the app via the LED remote and share it with other fellow riders. This includes the duration of the ride and the distance travelled. Smart Walk AssistThe new smart Walk Assist can help a rider on even the trickiest of terrain. Where riding is not possible the Walk Assist the LED remote comes into it's own. Simply press the Walk Assist button and feel the support as the bike moves. Easy navigationThe new LED remote allows the rider to control the bike within easy reach. The ergonomic design means you can make any essential adjustments whilst on the move; operated perfectly with the thumb - no button is out of reach. The angle of the controls can be rotated on the bars to suit a range of rider profiles. At the ready - AlwaysThanks to the new long life battery, the LED remote can be powered and operated all the time, even when the main battery is turned off or removed from the bike. The internal battery is recharged by the main bike battery whilst in action, however Bosch fans will be pleased to know it can easily be replaced long-term by a specialist dealer if required. New Performance CX Drive Unit 2022 Performance definedThe Bosch Performance CX motor is refined further for electric mountain biking, with its riding behaviour and characteristics offer noticeable agility for navigating through tight turns and wilder trail sections. Offering torque of up to 85Nm allows the motor to be more controlled at lower cadences and particularly efficient at getting off-the-go quickly on standing hill starts. Easier handling - EMTB modeThe EMTB mode gives the rider instant access to all ride modes auto-magically behind the scenes. Select EMTB mode and pedal, the Bosch CX will adapt to it's terrain and rider all without you having to move a finger.. Just pedal and have FUN. Maximum agilityBosch CX motors use their multi-sensor technology which measures multiple sensors many thousand times per second. The Bosch motor can respond on demand offering best-in-class agility on even the most toughest of trails. New Bosch Connect ModuleFor 2022 Bosch is all about being more connected. Both rider and bike will have more unique functions with the introduction of a new piece of hardware code named the: Connect Module. This module will unlock new features, there's more to be announced, but so far we know its focus is around theft protection. It can sound alarms to deter any suspicious behaviour or thieves. We also know there will be a tracker function. If your bike is unfortunately stolen, you'll be able to track your eBike via the new eBike Flow app (more on that below). Great news and reassurance for eBike owners! New Bosch PowerTube 750Wh 2022 Even longer rangeWith the introduction of the new Bosch PowerTube 750 in 2022, more range can be achieved than ever before! Bosch have since trumped the earlier 300 & 400Wh battery packs with the 500 & 625Wh. Now, new heights can be achieved with the PowerTube 750 offering an extra 20% range over the previous 625Wh champion range battery. Integrated designBosch eBikes always maintain a great battery design. The new 750Wh Bosch battery is integrated in the frame, which not only looks great but also protects the battery on the trails. Reliability where you need itAll Bosch batteries are equipped with a BMS (Battery Management Software). This monitors all the cells independently and ensures longevity in the battery pack. It also protects the battery for safety and ensures a long range bike with a long service life. Secure & easy operationThe battery can be charged in the bike or alternatively it can be removed from the frame for charging too. For security the battery is locked in the frame with a key, so no need to worry about the security of your battery when parked up. Most will charge the battery inside the frame in their garage, whilst some may want to remove the battery for charging on the move or in hotels for example on longer tours. New Bosch 4A Battery Charger 2022 For the first time in years, there is a new Bosch eBike battery charger. The Bosch 4A Charger is offered in a new appealing design and charges the new PowerTube 750Wh quickly. Compact & lightweightThe new Bosch 4A charger for 2022 is more compact than ever before, making it ideal for charging on-the-go. It's IPX water resistant and is manufactured in a durable shell. The 4A Bosch charger can charge the new 750Wh battery in just 6 hours from completely flat to 100%. Charging is faster when part-charging, taking just over 2 hours for a 50% battery charge. The new charger uses different battery connectors and thus, for the first time ever, is not backwards compatible with existing Bosch eBike batteries. New Bosch eBike Flow App 2022 The latest innovation from Bosch for 2022 allows the bike & rider to be more connected, offering a hole new experience for the eBike rider. Bosch are releasing the new eBike Flow App on both iOS and Android so all riders have access to it. Updates over-the-airThe new Bosch eBike Flow App allows the user to update their Bosch eBike firmware remotely over the air using your smartphone. This means you can connect to your electric bike and it'll prompt you for any updates, as opposed to existing systems which require a trip to a Bosch eBike dealer to perform these simple updates. Simply your rideThe app is designed to simplify your ride, not interfere with it. This means that whilst riding you only see the essential rider information whilst on the move, causing minimal distractions. The smartphone app will automatically connect to your Bosch eBike via the Smart Connect feature. This means your phone is left in your pocket or rider backpack, whilst pedalling the app is auto-magically tracking your every move. Third party apps and featuresFor the first time ever, Bosch have unlocked their App to 3rd party developers. This means things like Apple Health will now sync with your ride data offering even more possibilities when tracking your important Health data. We expect to see more functions on the horizon as bike manufacturers can also design the app in their own look and feel, further personalising the eBike experience. More connectivity brings more apps, more functions and more fun to the rider. Look after your Bosch eBikeThe Bosch eBike Flow App gives the rider more information than ever before. This offers all-important parameters so you can see your progress and also track the health of your Bosch eBike. For example, riders can see when the next service is due, which components are installed and how many miles have been covered overall. Watch The Latest From Bosch Bosch launched the new 2022 Bosch eBike system on YouTube with a live seminar. Watch below: What Do We Think? The latest generation of Bosch components brings new features to the modern eBike rider. Taking one step closer to rider & eBike connect-ability. At e-bikeshop.co.uk we're ambassadors of the Bosch eBike system, it's been at the heart of our electric bike range since the start. Whilst we are here, let's take a look at some common questions that'll crop up: Is my previous Bosch eBike system compatible?All previous generations of Bosch eBike systems will still be continued. However the new Bosch components are not backwards compatible. This includes all of the hardware mentioned above. What's different about the new 2022 Bosch motor?The current Bosch eBike motor will remain unchanged. Whilst this new motor uses a slightly different shell and hosts new connectors (to allow for the Bosch eBike Smart System), it offers the same performance as the current motor in respect of torque and assistance. The current Bosch motors will continue to run along-side the new Bosch CX. When will the new Bosch 2022 system be available?As usual the new Bosch eBike components will gradually filter onto manufacturers bikes. This will start happening at the back-end of 2021 as the new 2022 model range of bikes is announced. Note: Not all bikes will feature this system. It'll likely be defined by the model spec, price, style and at the discretion of the eBike manufacturer. Will the new Connect Module come on all 2022 Bosch eBikes?Some 2022 models (not all) will come pre-installed with the Connect Module and feature the new Smart System. Select models may be available retrospectively via a Bosch eBike dealer, this will be at the discretion of the eBike manufacturer as to how they spec their bikes. If unsure it's best to check with your suppling dealer first. When can I download the new Bosch eBike Flow App?These new features are only to be revealed today 31st August 2021. We expect the App to be available by the time 2022 eBikes start landing on our doorsteps - So likely around Q4 2021. Further questions? Comment below this article and we'll be more than happy to help. We offer a huge range of Bosch powered eBikes, find the model for you: Bosch Electric Bikes Range
With the door having closed on last years bikes almost as quickly as it opened and the industry dogged by supply chain delays and component shortages, we're very excited to announce the launch of model year 2022 Cube electric hybrid, town and touring bikes with newly revised specifications and colourways. Which 2022 Cube Electric Hybrid, Town or Trekking bike should you buy? Did you know that for model year 2022, Cube are manufacturing 198 different ebikes (yes, we counted!) including a few brand new models? Its a huge number from just one of dozens of manufacturers and a mind-numbing minefield if you don't know what you're looking for in a market already crowded with choice. Each year we carefully consider the specification and price of every bike from each of our manufacturer partners and carefully narrow it down to the very best options based on end user value. Not only does this remove the headache of trying to work out which models are best suited to UK terrain and use cases, but it also means that no matter which option you choose from us, you can be sure that its already been carefully considered by ebike experts with over a decade in the industry to make sure you get the very best specification for your money. Often, this can mean that although a bike is £100 more than the next model down, it might offer £300 more in component value! For 2022, we've chosen 6 models to cover the touring, hybrid, town and leisure riders looking for a robust, German built, Bosch driven ebike with a price tag that makes their competitors eyes water! These are broken down by Cube into two key model variants. The Touring Hybrid, and the Kathmandu Hybrid. 2022 Cube Touring Hybrid models 2022 Cube Touring Hybrid One 500 Offered in two frame styles - Crossbar and Trapeze (often referred to as "Uni"), the 2022 Cube Touring Hybrid One 500 is an the entry level model in the "Touring Hybrid" range, but still offers a huge amount of value. The Cube Touring Hybrid One is the perfect entry into the eBike world. Whether you're looking to nip to the shops, drop the car or public transport from your daily commute or just get out and enjoy the local B roads, cycle trails and forest paths, the Touring Hybrid One is "your bike companion for all occasions". Built in mudguards, side stand, lights and pannier rack are equipped as standard, leaving you nothing but to get out and enjoy the fresh air! Despite being their entry level offering, it still packs a huge amount of features into its modest £2,599 price tag. 100mm travel front suspension, 9 speed Shimano gearing and hydraulic disc brakes roll effortlessly low drag and very comfortable Schwalbe Big Ben tyres. Their extra width and volume make for a super comfortable ride on a bike with a upright "Dutch" geometry. Featuring much of the specification of last years Pro model, its had an upgrade for 2022 and now uses the Generation 3 Performance Line motor with 65Nm of torque rather than the older Active Line model and its 500Wh Bosch battery will keep you moving for up to 140 miles. More Info - Cube Touring Hybrid One 500 2022 2022 Cube Touring Hybrid Pro 500 You would be forgiven for thinking at first glance that this is the same bike. True, its built on the same frame as the above model, but this is the 2022 Cube Touring Hybrid Pro. Designed for the same use case as the Touring Hybrid One, the Pro model offers the same relaxed and upright riding position, but with a few neat extra features for only another £200. Priced at £2,799, the Touring Hybrid Pro has all of the benefits of the One model, but with the addition of further comfort enhancements in the form of a user weight adjustable suspension seat post and adjustable handlebar stem. The rest of the bike sees some specification tweaks too. A drive train upgrade sees it gain an extra two gears from the Shimano Deore groupset, the brakes get a small upgrade but the biggest difference on the bars is the addition of the Bosch Intuvia display. Sitting centrally on the bars and controlled by buttons conveniently placed next to the riders left thumb, its screen is much larger and more easily read on bumpy terrain and can also be unclipped and removed in one easy motion for added security. More Info - Cube Touring Hybrid Pro 500 2022 2022 Cube Touring Hybrid EXC 500 Another £200 for another serious value specification tweak. The 2022 Cube Touring Hybrid EXC 500 sits at the very top end of the Touring Hybrid model line-up, but at only £2,999 it still bats away its competitors in its class and price range in the value stakes. Much of its specification increase is aimed at those looking to go further and do more on the Touring Hybrid frame platform, but dont need the extra power of the Generation 4 motor fitted in the Kathmandu models. The Shimano brakes on the EXC model get an upgrade to twin piston models. If you live in a very hilly area and plan to do your shopping or tow a child or dog trailer on your new eBike, these can be great at pulling up to a halt when heading down hill. Likewise, Shimano XT group set normally found on mountain bikes provides another gear, bringing the total to 12 with a 10-51t rear cassette - This ultra wide gearing is designed to tackle the roughest off-road climbs, so its very well suited to lugging extra weight up hill over long distances. The final upgrade is to the front forks. Switching from a coil fork to an air fork with a lock out further improves the comfort and handling of the bike and isn't something you normally find on this style of bike. Air forks are generally considered a very premium component and more commonly found on mountain bikes. When you consider the component cost of the upgrades to this bike, it really is an absolute stand out model for any ability or type of rider! More Info - Cube Touring Hybrid EXC 500 2022 2022 Cube Nuride Hybrid Performance Allroad 625 The 2022 Cube Nuride Hybrid Performance Allroad is a new model to us for 2022 and was chosen to fill a gap in usage case/demand identified by our showroom staff. Somewhat of a "crossover bike", the 2022 Cube Nuride blends the versatility of a hybrid leisure bike with the Touring Hybrid models, with the geometry of a hard tail mountain bike. A less upright seating position puts riders in the seat in a way that will feel more familiar if coming from mountain bikes, or where a completely upright position isn't required. The wheels are the same as those used on the Touring Hybrid and Kathmandu models, but since this is a bike designed for more use on tarmac and paved roads than off-road, its fitted with fast rolling Schwalbe Land Cruiser tyres. These have a continual band of centre tread to minimum rolling resistance on-road, but the extra width and more aggressive tread pattern on the shoulders will keep you in line if you do need to venture off the beaten track! The Nuride features the same lights, mudguards and side stand from the Touring models, but doesn't come with a pannier rack. If you prefer the mountain bike feel to your every day bike but do want a pannier rack, they exist as a bolt on option, so its not off the table! Based on showroom discussion, we expect the majority of these to be bought by men who don't want a traditional Hybrid style bike, but still want to take advantage of the features they have over using their hard tail mountain bike on the road but as with all bikes, there is no right or wrong, men's or women's. There is only "fit for purpose, comfortable, and on budget". More Info - Cube Nuride Hybrid Performance Allroad 625 20222022 Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Models 2022 Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro 625 As i write, the very first of the 2022 Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro 625 bikes are being offloaded from a lorry in our loading bay and as always, they all already have homes - most of them ordered weeks or months ago. The Kathmandu models are some of the most highly sought after bikes in their category, and we can never buy enough of them. Supply of Cube bikes is always hotly contested between dealers but this is a model on which actually Cube place limits on the number we can order! The Kathmandu Hybrid Pro shares much of the specification you find on the Touring Hybrid EXC at £2,899. The Kathmandu is £3,199, but what you get for this is quite staggering. Again, with a keen eye on comfort over long distances, the 2022 Kathmandu Hybrid Pro 625 is based on the same upright riding position frame as the Touring Hybrid models, but a keen eye will spot that the crank area is different. The first and biggest upgrade over the Touring Hybrid models is the motor. Fitted with the latest and most powerful Bosch Generation 4 Performance CX motor with a whopping 85Nm of torque, this market leading motor is only normally found at home in £4,000+ mountain bikes. This extra power has to come from somewhere, and Cube generally tend to stick to offering the Bosch's largest 625Wh battery when using this motor to get the best from it, with a range of up to 160 miles on a single charge. As a "do it all" bike, the the Kathmandu Hybrid Pro also gets the same set of 100mm travel air forks found on the EXC. Again, trickled down technology from the mountain bike sector offers a premium feel and increased performance for those who need the very best from their bike over longer distances, or when carrying more weight on the bike. The Kathmandu name exists for a reason! More Info - Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro 625 2022 2022 Cube Kathmandu EXC The final model in this product category from Cube for 2022 is the new Kathmandu Hybrid EXC. If you look closely, you'll see that while the Touring Hybrid and the Kathmandu models normally all share the same frame through the model line up with only the specification of brakes, gears and other components changing, this is a totally different frame altogether. The battery door and motor area are brand new and that can only mean one thing... Sadly, we have to sign a rock solid non-disclosure agreement when these things happen and there's absolutely nothing we can tell you about why its changed except that not only is it for the better, but we think that lots of other manufacturers are going to playing catch up with this one for the next 12 months! At £3,599, its £400 more than the Pro model and benefits from a upgraded air fork over the version fitted to the Pro, along with the same upgraded 12 speed Shimano Deore gearing and twin piston brakes. Unfortunately, this is as much as we're allowed to say at this time, but the embargo on remaining info lifts when the currently hidden technology is officially launched to the public on 31st August 2021. UPDATE - With the embargo lifted, we can confirm the new Kathmandu Hybrid EXC comes with the new Bosch Smart System. A revised motor housing to accommodate new connector styles, the bike also features the latest 750Wh battery and new Kiox 300 display. More Info - Cube Kathmandu EXC 750 2022 Cube 2022 Touring eBike Range Conclusion As with every model year, we expect that 2022 Cube Electric Hybrid, Town and Touring Bikes will be our fastest moving products. The "early release" models which launched in July are already selling quickly, as are the remaining bikes they launched on 3rd August. At time of writing, we've sold around 20% of our allocation of bikes from Cube for 2022, meaning the model year could be as short as 5 months in terms of stock availability and leaving customers and dealers alike, scrabbling for what's left to get hold of again. If you're looking for an exceptionally well built German bike with an ultra reliable drive train from a manufacturer who works tirelessly to bring its customer the most advanced and best value bikes year on year, you can find the full 2022 Cube model range here.
Due to be published in the Autumn, new changes to the Highway Code (Published 29th Jan 2022) seek to give cyclists and pedestrians greater priority over vehicles on some parts of the UKs roads, as well as introducing a new "hierarchal" approach to apportioning responsibility for road safety. These Highway Code updates look to place more onus on the largest/most potentially dangerous road users. What changes are being made to the Highway Code for Cyclists? In a bid to enable healthier lifestyles while protecting the most vulnerable road users, the UK Government is proposing updates to the Highway Code - seeking to offer a greater level of protection to cyclists and pedestrians by increasing their "priority" over other road users, while simultaneously making vehicle users more responsible for their safety in a new "hierarchal" system which places pedestrians at the top and the largest of vehicles at the bottom. The number of people returning to walking and cycling both for leisure and commuting dramatically increased during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns and the Department for Transport, keen to get this trend to continue, is actively looking to enable it with a new £338 million funding package for the creation and maintenance of more supporting infrastructure. When will the Highway Code changes come into effect for cyclists? The need to review this section of the Highway Code was announced in October 2018 and the consultation period began on 28th July 2020, closing on 27th October 2020. A summary of the consultation proposals was released to the gov.uk website on 30th July 2021. Full details and Parliamentary approval are expected by Autumn, with the proposed changes coming into effect by Spring 2022. How will the changes to the Highway Code better enable and protect cyclists and pedestrians? Currently, the Highway Code treats all users of the UK road network as having the same level of responsibility. The proposed changes to the Highway Code will seek to address the level of responsibility each user of the road network has for other others and better "even it out" based on the level of potential danger each user poses. Stephen Edwards, interim CEO of charity Living Streets says; "The Highway Code currently treats children walking to school and lorry drivers as if they are equally responsible for their own and other peoples safety. These changes will redress that balance." He goes on to suggest that people walking are the least dangerous road users but are "often left paying the price of other peoples actions" and that "everyone would benefit, as everyone is a pedestrian on some occasions, even if they drive or cycle at other times" The new hierarchal method of placing responsibility for safety will now see the largest vehicles being responsible for the safety of smaller and all being more responsible for cyclists and pedestrians. Similarly, cyclists will now take on more responsibility for the safety of pedestrians. What new rules are expected for cyclists in the proposed Highway Code update? The "Rules for Cyclists" section will be seeing a raft of new updates, to include the following; Inclusion of references to cycle tracks, cycle signals and new junction designsAmendment to the wording on Advanced Stop Lines Clarification of the priority cyclists have over other vehicles when going straight ahead at a junction Provision of advice on cyclist behaviours when riding on a shared use route and giving pedestrians priority Recommendation that cyclists give way to pedestrians waiting to cross the road at a side road or junctions Strengthened advice around the value of cycle training Expansion of the rules on safe riding and crossing busy roads, including recommended procedures for cycling at roundabouts and road positioning Ready to join the cycling boom on a new eBike? You can see our full selection of eBikes here.
There's no denying it. The bike industry is crippled by both demand and the lack of capacity to fulfil it and with 2021 bikes now almost sold out globally the big questions on everyone's lips is - "When will the 2022 eBikes be released"? Information given here is supplementary to the previous post about 2021 eBike delays. TLDR; No one knows everything, but we know some things. When are 2022 eBikes being released? The short answer is - no one knows. Ok, so maybe some people know. Maybe we know things we're sworn to secrecy on right now, but - even the manufacturers are throwing out ambiguous dates towards the 4th quarter and based on what they can and can't get and even then, they're subject to change with little to no notice at all as they have for the last 18 months. What changes will be made on 2022 eBikes? Its likely we'll see little to no development over 2020/2021 bikes from many manufacturers. Having had no notice of a global health pandemic and the issues it would create for the cycle industry with demand vs production/shipping of components, its highly probable that the majority of manufacturers wont have had much time to really innovate this year and so we should expect to see lots of last years bikes popping up wearing new colour schemes and tweaked spec lists based on what's available. That said, we do know that some brand new models are due to launch and exciting technology will be revealed for the first time. Will 2022 eBikes be more expensive? Yes. 2022 eBike prices have and will increase in comparison to 2020/2021 model year prices. Not only has the cost of many raw materials increased during the pandemic (rubber went up 50%!), many component manufacturers are based in the Far East where lockdowns are still happening (Shimano has been shut for most of June, again) and production has been far lower than anticipated/required by the global cycle industry. When the level of component scarcity increases, so too does price. Just look at the price/availability of Shimano 12 speed components right now! Shipping is also having a big knock-on effect. Container prices from the Far East to Europe have risen to astronomical levels. A container with hundreds of thousands of sets of brake pads might only add a few pence to each product but if its only got 200 frames in it, you could be looking at a £50-100 increase per bike and before they even start assembly. Can I pre-order 2022 eBikes now? Not with us. Its too big of a risk at the moment. We've already placed almost all of our 2022 ebike orders and so for the most part, we know how many of each model we have coming, but thats quite literally it. Universally, the manufacturers are not providing final specifications, pricing and in the case of 2022 Cube ebikes, we've not even seen so much as an artists render. On this basis, taking pre-orders right now would only create a whole new list of problems, admin and potential upset for customers while we remain committed to fulfilling the remaining 2021 orders which we are still taking delivery of from almost all manufacturers, many of which have been delayed by up to 9 months. Will 2022 ebikes be delayed as badly as the 2021 models? Almost certainly, 2022 bikes will suffer delays of varying lengths at some point in the model year. R&D aside, there is so much that goes into the production and assembly of ebikes that its impossible to think that the problems we currently face as an industry and market will simply vanish from this model year to the next. Its more likely that unless people suddenly stop buying eBikes, we'll be operating like this for at least the next 2-3 years. One manufacturer "builds" the bike, but there can be as many a several dozen other businesses all supplying often tiny, unseen parts of your bike who are all suffering their own industry issues as a result of Covid-19. Imagine if all of them had just a ONE week delay on something. The result is exactly what we've been dealing with - months of delays on new bikes arriving. When can I pre-order my 2022 eBike and when will it be delivered? As always, we'll being taking pre-orders through the website once we have all of the information we need to build a product page. This includes all of the finalised images of the bikes, the specifications and of course the price. We tend to do this brand by brand as they launch so be assured we'll be rolling them out at the same time as the manufacturer in most cases. Deliveries on pre-orders are carried out on a "first come, first served" basis. With demand not expected to fall this year, the only way you will be able to guarantee yourself a 2022 eBike will be to get in the queue as fast as you can, and be patient. We always offer an ETA based on the information given to us by the manufacturer but these can change and its worth bearing this in mind. If you absolutely must have a bike for your upcoming cycling holiday in August and you're ordering a bike with an ETA of August, prepare for the worst. You might get lucky, but you would be better off looking for a bike which matches your criteria and is already in stock than gearing yourself up for potential disappointment. How will I know when new 2022 eBikes are launched? With no firm information from manufacturers at this stage and dozens of enquiries each day from potential customers who missed out on their dream bike from the 2022 model year, we've set up a page for people to leave their details. Click the button below and when our manufacturers launch their 2022 models, we'll pop you an email to let you know! Keep me updated!
The Orbea brand has been around for a very long time - almost as long as bicycles themselves. Like many businesses who've survived two world wars, a civil war, political overhauls and global economic downturns, bikes also weren't their first product. Orbea ebikes are in fact a very recent addition to the portfolio. Founded in 1840 in Eibar, the Basque region of Spain as a rifle and gun manufacturer, in a turnaround similar to Birmingham Small Arms Company in the UK, they switched to producing bicycles between the two World Wars. Unlike BSA however, they didn't turn back to firearms and have continued to build some of the best, most competitive and arguably aesthetically pleasing bikes the cycling industry has seen. Orbea ebikes didn't start like this. In fact, it took almost 165 years to get anywhere close. As one of the only remaining companies still doing almost everything by hand, including painting and finishing frames, assembly and final inspection, Orbea are set apart from the rest of the cycling industry by their obsessive attention to detail and design concepts. In their formative years in cycling, having switched to producing bikes in 1930, Orbea began to make a name for themselves in the Basque region of Spain. They began competing in the coveted Tour De France races as early as 1934 with already well known Spaniard Mariana Cañardo placing 9th that year on one of their bicycles. He later went on to claim a 5th stage win (and 2nd overall) in the very first Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain) race the following year, again on an Orbea bicycle. Promoted by the cycle manufacturers from the Eibar area where Orbea were originally based, this race is still run each year today. Between 1936 and 1939, Spain was gripped by civil war. Having ridden out the stormy economic fallout, by the end of the war, Orbea employed more than 1000 staff and produced 50,000 new bikes each year Their Eibar factory at the time had the tooling and skills to produce every single component they needed to build their products. A complete, start to finish manufacturing process where absolutely everything was done in-house and under their own control. In 1969, while Brian Adams sung about his personal dilemma in choosing whether to settle down or strive for fame, America landed Apollo 11 on the moon and NATO troops were withdrawn from Vietnam, Spain struggled with a dire economic crisis. Unable to escape the downturn in country-wide fortune despite having survived so much beforehand, Orbea found itself on the now very real brink of bankruptcy. Undeterred and with unwavering faith in the brand, the workers of the Orbea factory took the decision to form a cooperative and purchase the company from the Orbea family, saving it from almost certain collapse. With the wind and previous financial troubles behind them, the newly formed cooperative left Eibar for a brand new site in Mallabia just 10km away, where they built the very first dedicated bicycle factory with more room and accessibility. Through the 1980's, Orbea surged forward with their development of new model lines. As well as returning to road racing in 1984, they also joined the mountain bike market for the first time, at a pivotal point where many of the most recognisable brands today were only just starting out on their journey. The 90's was the decade of mountain bikes - With lots of other European and US brands having only just begun to emerge over the previous 10 years, Orbea took up the challenge of an entirely new model line designed in the US and with frames manufactured in Asia. The Orbea MTB Team was born and the challenge to bring Orbea back to the international stage took a turn off the tarmac and onto the dirt roads. Fast forwarding to 2003, the Orbea Orca is born and provided the the first real predecessor to the Orbea Gain "M" (carbon frame) electric road bike range. "Orca", a combination of "ORbea" and "CArbon", became the name for Orbea's highest quality and most technologically advanced racing bikes still in production today. As well as the Orca, Orbea also launched the Ordu, their first Triathlon specific bike which propelled Craig Alexander to victory in the 2008 and 2009 Ironman Haiwaii races. At the same time, Orbea also launched and expanded the Orca brand of purpose designed helmets and apparel for Triathletes. The arrival of Orbea eBikes Hitting the fast forward button again, this time to 2016, and news is spreading of a revolution. Orbea are launching the Gain at Unibike in Spain. Their first electric bike for the road market, it promises to be everything that is Orbea. Light, manoeuvrable and with a great specification and built to the same quality and design ethos Orbea customers have come to expect. Not only was the initial Gain launch a success, they've continued to develop the model and in 2018, after more than 6000 hours of testing, it won several accolades including a Design and Innovation award from several prestigious cycling magazines. Fielding questions such as "Are you sure its an eBike?", and "It doesn't look like it has a motor"?, it ushered in a wave of new articles about what the future has in store for electric road bikes. Not content with boosting the performance of their road bikes, Orbea started work on their mountain bike offering. The Orbea Wild FS range was born and in 2017, was launched to the world. It seems such a long time ago that this Shimano E8000 driven monster first started making waves. Offered with a choice of wheel size, a fully integrated battery, speed sensor mounted in the rear brake rotor and a reinforced skid plate the Wild FS 10 was already ahead of its time and has continued to be updated to keep it at the very top of its game. Orbea electric bikes in 2021 Orbea ebikes have come a long way in a comparatively very short space of time - a testament to their unwavering commitment to evolution, design and value from their products backed by a Lifetime frame warranty and outstanding dealer support package. Year on year, Orbea continue to innovate and increase the end user experience with the latest technology and components. The Orbea Gain range is still a hugely popular option for those looking for an assisted entry into the world of road cycling, with 13 model variants in Carbon and Alloy frame options. Offered 5 frame sizes, multiple colourways as well as the MyO option for Carbon models from their entry level Gain D50 at just £2,359, right the way up to the flagship Gain M10i at £8,199. Our most popular option is the Orbea Gain. The Gain isn't the only model to have received significant updates since launch. The Wild FS range is now offered in 8 different model/specification variants, 3 sizes, two frame materials, multiple factory colours and a MyO option for Carbon frame models making the Wild FS one of the most customisable electric mountain bikes on the market before it even leaves the factory with tens of thousands of specification combinations. Building on the success of the Wild FS electric mountain bikes, late in 2020 Orbea announced the Orbea Rise. One of the most exciting Orbea ebikes of the year, the Rise pushes right up to the edge of the boundaries on what's achievable with currently available components. Arguably one of the best looking trail bikes on the market (especially if you take advantage of the free MyO custom paint options like the model above), the Rise isn't just a looker. Orbea have, from the very beginning, sought to be at the forefront of development of ebike technology and weighing in at as little as 16.5Kg on the M-Ltd model while still managing to produce 60Nm of torque and more than 4 hours riding from their collaboration with Shimano on motor firmware, this is the bike that has many of its competitors on the back foot in 2021. Having previously held the titles for the lightest bikes, Specialized and Lapierre are likely to be paying very close attention to this model over the next few years, especially given that the Rise undercuts the price by a percentage that makes the Rise stand out as the true champion on value. For this reason, the Rise M10, with its perfect balance of spec against cost is currently our most popular from the Orbea ebikes range. As you can see from this history lesson, with 180 years of experience behind them Orbea are one of the most forward-thinking, design concept led and technically advanced cycle manufacturers in the world and continue apply this knowledge and experience in everything they do.Despite having a slightly longer than average lead time caused by (but more than made up for!) their attention to detail and quality of finish, Orbea continue to turn out industry leading products while remaining competitive on price, which is why they're one of our favourite manufacturers, and they should be yours too! You can see our full range of Orbea ebikes here.
Gocycle have launched their 4th Generation line-up with 3 brand new models - the entry model Gocycle G4, Gocycle G4i and the top of the range Gocycle G4i+. Their biggest feature overhaul and most technologically advanced product since the launch of the Gocycle G2 in 2012, we take a deeper look at the differences between their three exciting new folding electric bikes. Since their initial launch back in 2009, Gocycle have continued to innovate and improve their models with each new generation and the 4th incarnation of one of the worlds most popular folding electric bikes is not only no different, but their biggest technological leap since the Gocycle G2 in 2012. Before we get into the differences between the models, we'll take a look at some brand new features and what's changed across all three new models. New Carbon fibre front fork All three models will be benefiting from a redesigned front end, which loses the traditional rubber fork boot in favour of a much cleaner headset area and new plastic cover. This cover is where the new mudguards and lights will mount and both accessories come with a new plastic cover with mounting points built in, making the swapping out of components much easier. As well as easier maintenance and component compatibility, the new carbon fork also aids in weight reduction while adding a bit of compliance and comfort to the front of the bike. Also neatly integrated into the inside of the fork leg is the purpose designed new home for the bike's main control board, making servicing easier (and therefore cheaper) at the dealer. This small and neatly tucked away waterproof housing for the motor controller no longer requires complete disassembly of the rear CleanDrive section, and can be accessed with the wheel still in place! New Carbon mid-frame section Perhaps one of the most visually obvious updates to the new Gocycle G4 model range is the new carbon fibre mid frame section. As well as the clear weight reduction that using carbon brings, the use of this newly redesigned part in composite offers much better alignment of the two folding main frame parts. It also incorporates a new seat post clamp for better strength and accessibility of the clamp itself and works to offset one main component which got a little fatter during lockdown... New Gocycle G4Drive motor At a glance and certainly from the side, you'd be forgiven for missing this neatly integrated change. The brand new G4Drive motor system in the 4th Generation line-up is arguably the biggest change across all 3 models. The first motor update since the 2012 G2 model, it has a knock-on effect elsewhere on the bike. A much flatter profile, its also slightly larger and therefore heavier but this increased weight is easily offset elsewhere, like the new carbon mid frame section and front fork. With more torque and improved slow speed start-up, its much more responsive - allowing commuters the chance to take off up the road before the cars have made it away from the traffic lights! Because of this new design, several other features of the bike have also had to change. The entire system is now 36 volt in order to generate the extra torque and this brings it in line with most other manufacturers but it also required Gocycle to introduce a degree of "dish" to the wheels to account for the new offset and so the PitStop wheels are a new design for 2021. A USB Charging Port! Probably one of the most overlooked but super useful things on any electric bike, especially one designed for commuters and those in towns and cities is the ability to charge devices on the fly. A feature now offered as standard on all Bosch systems, its great to see this functionality pop up on the Gocycle models and offering its owners an extra bit of added value in their ride. Other updates Along with the above technological changes, lots of other bits have been changed too and although many of them will remain unseen or not be immediately obvious, their effects combined really launch the Gocycle electric bikes one step further into the future. The Gocycle G4, G4i and G4i+ all benefit from higher volume silicone compound tyres for unparalleled grip, new titanium hinge pins at the centre and bar fold and as always, attention has also been paid to servicing. Further simplified wiring and the new location for the motor controller speed service and maintenance and drives down labour costs at the dealer, along with revisions to the CleanDrive for even higher long term reliability and less maintenance. On the user side, as normal, the clever PitStop wheel design and single sided fork and swing arm mounting allows for the changing of tyres and the repair of punctures without having to remove the wheel. Gocycle G4 Despite being the "entry" level model, the Gocycle G4 is already a big step up from its Gocycle GX predecessor. Available in Electric Blue, Matte Black and White, the GoCycle G4 uses the same motor as the rest of the range, with a slightly smaller quick-removable 300Wh battery rated for up to 40 miles (depending on rider input). It has a LED "fuel gauge" on the dashboard to keep the rider aware of current charge status, and a mechanical Microshift 3 speed Shimano Nexus hub gear system. The total weight is just 16.6kg and folded up, its small enough to pop into a boot or under a desk at only 880mm x 390mm x 615mm. The G4 doesn't come with lights, so the Commuter Pack will be a great optional accessory on the G4 for those who ride at night or in low light. Gocycle G4i Sitting in the middle of line-up from Gocycle for 2021 and offered in Gunmetal Grey, Matte Black and White, the Gocycle G4i folding electric bike offers the best value of components vs specification. Including everything on the Gocycle G4, the G4i model benefits from a LightPipe front DRL (Daytime Running Light) with 4 user selectable operation modes. It also has a larger battery, something it shares with the G4i+ and gets an extra 10 miles to a full charge, bringing the total estimated range up to 50 miles. Building on the dashboard on the G4, the G4i has a much larger, more comprehensive dashboard, using an LED matrix to offer information on battery charge state and current gear selection. The G4i is also the first of the top two models which comes with Gocycle's own electronic Predictive shifting. While pedalling, the system will automatically switch gears based on cadence and speed, with a manual override on the handlebars for user selected gear operation. The G4i also gets a slight upgrade to the seat too - it comes fitted with the Velo Ergo Comfort saddle over the Ergo Sport fitted on the entry level model. Gocycle G4i+ Topping off the new 2021 model range, the Gocycle G4i+ is the very top spec model and is being offered in two colourways - Gloss black and Red (pictured above). Including all of the spec from the G4 and G4i models and its unique colourway options, the G4i+ also comes with fully carbon fibre wheels, reducing the overall weight of the bike by a further third of a Kilo. While we expect that the majority of customer will likely go for the G4i because of its value point, the G4i+ saw a bigger than expected surge in early demand on pre-orders, and allows owners to really stand out from the rest! Gocycle Specification Table Model G4i+ G4i G4 Frame Colour Gloss Black/Red Gunmetal Grey/Matte Black/White Electric Blue/Matte Black/White Pitstop Wheel Carbon Fibre Magnesium Magnesium Daytime Running Light Gocycle Lightpipe Gocycle Lightpipe None Range Up to 80km (50 Miles) Up to 80km (50 Miles) Up to 65km (40 Miles) Motor Gocycle G4Drive Hub Gocycle G4Drive Hub Gocycle G4Drive Battery 36V 375Wh 36V 375Wh 36V 300Wh Charging Time 3.5 Hours 3.5 Hours 3.0 Hours Handlebar Display Integrated dashboard display with fuel gauge, speed, gear indication. Integrated dashboard display with fuel gauge, speed, gear indication. LED Fuel Gauge Shifting Gocycle electronic Predictive Shifting Gocycle electronic Predictive Shifting Mechanical Microshift Trans Patented CleanDrive Shimano Nexus 3-Speed Patented CleanDrive Shimano Nexus 3-Speed Patented CleanDrive Shimano Nexus 3-Speed Saddle Velo D2 Comfort Velo D2 Comfort Velo Sport Pedals MKS UX-D, One side detachable pedal MKS UX-D, One side detachable pedal Gocycle Folding Pedal We hope this has provided everything you need to make an informed decision on the differences between the 4 new Gocycle models, which will suit you best and set you on your new folding ebike journey! You can purchase the Gocycle G4 here, the Gocycle G4i here and the Gocycle G4i+ here.
2020 was a testing year for the cycle industry & 2021 is shaping up to be the same. Why is it so hard to buy a bike? What is causing delays on bikes? What are the manufacturers doing about it? Here's an industry inside view at what is & isn't happening in the global cycle industry right now. 2020 started like any normal year for the cycle industry but before the last of the winter rain had fallen news of a global health pandemic was spreading and much like the rest of the world, the entire industry found itself wholly unprepared for what was to come next. Here's How It Started The first lockdown came to the UK on 23rd March and along with it, a list of reasons people could be excused for leaving their homes. One of them was "One form of exercise". Millions of people, many of whom hadn't cycled since they were children, suddenly found that owning a cycle was a great way to enjoy the now quieter world outside. While the western hemisphere watched the news of the spread of Covid-19 from a considered safe distance, the problems had already started. With the bulk of small components like gears, brakes and some motor brands being built in the Far East & their factories closing, the backlogs were starting to build for component manufacturers long before even the first UK lockdown. Let's break down the following months to briefly outline the timeline:- February - April As the UK's biggest independent supplier of exclusively European manufactured eBikes, we've always sought to maintain a very large "in-house" level of stock and initially, this was a great buffer for the rapidly increasing demand we experienced. Our aim is to supply a new bike on the spot for showroom appointments, and for it to ship within 24 hours for the rest of the world. May - July Through May and into the middle of summer, the pressure really mounted. With in house stock dwindling, we relied heavily on our carefully curated manufacturer relationships to pick up the slack. Lead times slipped to a couple of days, but stock was running out quickly around the world. By the end of July, Cube and Orbea had sold the last of the 2020 model year and could deliver us nothing more. Bike Industry Insight - Most manufacturers, factoring in/forecasting from previous year demand, normally only plan to build a set number of each model, each year. When they run out of frames, motors & other components, they're gone. With motor suppliers like Bosch and Yamaha working to a 12 month (or longer!) lead time and the same for component manufacturers like Shimano, they can't simply "make more" when a model runs out. This translates to bike frames 'ready to go' but with no components to match. Ordering for Model Year 2021 In the very final weeks of July, both Cube and Orbea approached us with a model year '21 outline, and the offer to place pre-orders several months earlier than usual. Model year 2020 was over as quickly as it started! Normally, bike shops place pre-orders for the first few months of the model year, along with a forecast of what they expect to sell. This helps manufacturers forecast production, but without commitment. This year, we were all told "either place your order for the entire year or expect that you might get nothing". All manufacturers were seeing a sharp increase in order volumes. We considered, deliberated and ultimately took heed, eventually tripling our 2020 model year order. Going back to Cube just 8 days after their order books opened to consider some models we don't normally take, we were told they had sold their entire production capacity for 2021. Clearly then, they weren't joking! Sadly, this also meant that many smaller retailers who couldn't forecast or offer the cashflow to commit to an annual order have in some cases been completely cut out of the loop. August - October During August, facing a slowdown from almost all manufacturers, Cube began shipping Reaction and Kathmandu models. Being two highly popular models, this was a huge help for us and as we headed into September, more and more of our increased order was arriving each day. Much of them were even arriving ahead of their ETA. September saw a slowdown of deliveries from Cube and lead times slipping. Bikes had gone from 2 weeks early, to on time, to now arriving up to a week late and this trend continued into October. By the end of October, many of the Kathmandu and Reaction models from late September were still outstanding. Along with these delays, Cube's previously steadfast reporting and forecasting of arrivals had gone out of the window and they were now unable to tell us anything about when our customers' pre-ordered bikes were going to arrive. Other manufacturers were still updating, but lead times increased by months. This was the first point where we really started to see the impact of the Far East based factory closures earlier in the year, on end product assembly. November - December With our frustration mounting while leaning heavily on manufacturers who had previously made up a lesser figure in our turnover to ensure we had enough bikes to cover demand. Many of our customers were rightly upset about bikes ordered for Christmas becoming increasingly unlikely to arrive in time - we finally managed to pressure a response with just a few weeks to go. The information from Cube in particular was scant at best. "We are working as fast as we can and these are the new dates for the hundreds of bikes already delayed". Many of them had moved from September/October '20, to as far out as July '21 but were promised a large number of high volume deliveries in the new year. We immediately communicated this to hundreds of affected customers. January to Date January arrived and departed almost in a blink. So quickly in fact, that we barely noticed until reflecting earlier this month that Haibike had been the ones to shine through, shipping more bikes than initially expected and keeping the workshop and warehouse train moving. Being a dealer of "exclusively European manufactured eBikes" is great for reliability of quality and servicing/spares, but the recent changes to the virtual and physical customs border with the EU left the manufacturers logistics for the UK in a state of complete disarray. It was a full 6 weeks into 2021 before they got their ducks in a line and any reasonable number of bikes started to make their way to us. Moving Forward Production - Many manufacturers have added extra production lines to their factories. Not only does this allow for the social distancing measures to be adhered to much more easily, but it also allows them the capacity to build more bikes than ever before. The issue remains of course, that components are still slow to arrive. Shipping - Bikes are now starting to arrive in the UK, and in quite large numbers but things are far from perfect. With the borders issues resolved, bikes leaving the EU are taking a couple of days longer than usual in transit, but are finally making it through to us however the industry continues to be affected by a global shipping crisis. Pricing - The availability of containers from the Far East is far lower than normal and so the costs of these containers is ever increasing - as much at 8x the normal cost, raising the cost of a single container of frames or components from $1,500 to in excess of $20,000! There are also new duty rates on bikes. This has a big knock on effect on the cost of the end bike and all of our manufacturers have increased prices on bikes globally, by anywhere between 5 and 10%. Bicycle Model Year 2022 All of these issues aren't unique to us, any particular manufacturer, nor the UK - they impact the entire industry from top to bottom and we fully expect them to continue throughout the next model year. In discussions with some of the manufacturers, its widely believed that the effects of CV19 on the cycle industry could ripple out as far as model year 2025. As has been the case for model year '20 and '21, it's highly likely that for at least the next few years, dealers like e-Bikeshop will have to continue to place a year's order up front almost entirely blind but with good faith. Customers in turn will need to place a pre-order and wait for the arrival of their new bike in order to have any guarantee in themselves getting one. Is there anything customers can do to help shops? Right now, our biggest time consumer is administration of the huge volume of orders outstanding. Normally, these would be serviced inside 24 hours, but with anywhere up to 1000 customers at any one time waiting on a bike, while we completely understand both the excitement of getting a new bike along with the frustration of delays, repeated requests for updates currently take up a very large part of our working day, cutting into the level of service we can provide to everyone. During the peak period of April to September 2020, our building was staffed for as much as 15 hours a day, 6 days a week just to keep up with paperwork and enquiries! While we can't speak for all bike shops, we provide any updates (good or bad) from manufacturers inside 24 hours, normally taking only some time in due diligence to ensure the information is accurate, and relaying it to those it's relevant to. Unfortunately, time spent responding to customer requests for information in January about the bike on which they placed a pre-order with an ETA of April is time not spent getting bikes out of the door. If you imagine that a member of staff on the phone updating a customer with no new information isn't relaying information on the day's bikes arrived to the workshop - The workshop receives their information later, the bike leaves later, and the next bike in the queue for assembly starts later, which also leaves us later and this will continue to have a knock-on effect down the line. Ultimately, the time it takes to update someone with no new information because they're excited only adds to the delay of their own bike, days, weeks, or months down the line! For much smaller businesses where the person who answers the phone is the same person building bikes, this is even more profound. Here are a few things you can do to help bike shops handle this unprecedented load: Only place an order if you are fully committed to a bike, even if there might be a delay on its arrival. The bike shops have no control of this but refunding cancelled orders costs the bike shop further time and physical money (card processing fees of around 2% of your order for example, are not refunded to the shop if they refund you). If you're in a rush for a bike, you can normally find up to date information on the website, or you can contact the shop directly for an up to the minute availability on stock models. Try and get everything done in one hit. We'll always be happy to discuss accessories / parts / custom options on bikes but chopping and changing orders multiple times while waiting for a bike to arrive can add a lot of admin into the mix with shops already overstretched. Mistakes are often generated here on both sides and we only want you to be nothing but over the moon with your new bike! Trust your bike shop! Bike shops are some of the most friendly retailers you will deal with - something common in businesses where everyone shares a common passion. As mentioned previously, if we have information to provide, we will always provide it - even when it means us all sitting in the office until midnight to send a tailored email to every single affected customer. If, when you placed an order, the lead time was several weeks or months in the future, if there is a delay or if the bike arrives earlier than expect, we will be in touch immediately to let you know. Calling or emailing every few days/weeks will only add to our admin times, ultimately delaying your bike. Rest assured that any radio silence from us, even for weeks is not in any part complacency. We're here for a minimum of 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, to ensure that everyone gets their new bike just as fast as we too, can get our hands on it. To Conclude It's not all doom and gloom; bikes are coming through, just not as fast as originally anticipated. The sun is shining and 2021 is set to be the year that everyone tries to reach a conclusion on the Global Epidemic. It's also an exciting time for eBiker's with innovations year on year. Thinking about buying an eBike in 2021? Here's a link to In Stock 2021 Models.
Could electric bike prices for consumers be due to drop by as much as a third under the UK Government's new plan to shake up and better enable the way people move around in large towns and cities? Is a Government eBike subsidy the answer to bringing the UK in-line with the rest of the EU on cycling adoption rates and transport? If so, how do you apply for a government ebike subsidy or grant? Operation "Gear Change". In July 2020, the Government launched a new plan called "Gear Change", a "Bold Vision for Cycling and Walking". Looking to create a step-change in cycling adoption rates, they announced a new £2bn funding package with a £175m purse for local councils to help make England a great cycling nation by providing safer spaces and networks for those looking to move away from vehicular transport. On top of this, there are also strong hints at plans to offer government eBike subsidies or grants. This is welcome news for everyone because currently, eBikes are the only form of sustainable/electric transport where subsidies/grants aren't already available in the same way they are with electric cars, motorbikes and lorries. When will the Government ebike subsidy scheme begin? The Government's plan is to set up trial schemes in some UK cities and towns "before the end of the fiscal year", which sets the deadline as March 2021 however very little official information exists and the Coronavirus situation will of course have an impact on anything above initial talk and research. Its also worth bearing in mind that similar plans have been touted previously, to little fruition. We do of course still have the normal "Cycle to Work" schemes available, which have proved incredibly popular, especially so over the last 12 months. They allow employees to save as much as 40% on the price of a new bike through sacrificing some of their pre-tax salary. While this time it appears (outwardly at least!) that it really could be a "go-er", as with anything government related it will take time and very little information has given to-date. No confirmation has been made on where or exactly when the trials will start, who will be involved, or the criteria for eligibility for any new Government eBike subsidy. How can I apply for the Government eBike subsidy? Because the scheme isn't live yet, we don't have any answers to many of the most commonly raised questions when new schemes are put in place. Once more information is readily available and verified, we'll set up a dedicated page on the website for it, much like with Cycle to Work E-Bike Schemes. The new cycling revolution began in the first UK Covid-19 Lockdown. During the first of the Coronavirus lockdowns in the UK, the Government commissioned studies into changes in transport behaviour - with people "locked up" in their homes and only 1 form of exercise permitted per day, eBikes were a naturally easy way for those not used to daily exercise to get out and enjoy the weather while improving their fitness at a pace that scales with them. The more you ride, the fitter you get! Below, is the percentage change in estimated cycling trips taken between 1st March and 4th July, when the first restriction was lifted; Despite fewer people travelling overall during this period, the average increase in people cycling was in excess of 100% and at weekends, this was as much as 200%. This was particularly prevalent in large towns and cities and especially among key workers and those who cannot work from home where public transport was simply too big of a risk . Over this time, we saw a sharp rise in the sales of our Hybrid, Town and Trekking eBikes, especially in and around London and other major cities. This increase in cycling activity offers a huge personal benefit, but also a much wider reaching positive impact. Any increase in physical activity is estimated to reduce the risk of dementia, depression, some cancers and "all-cause" mortality by as much as 30%, and can reduce risks associated with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease by as much as 40%. A win personally, but also a load off an already struggling public heath service. Better infrastructure is needed. Cost aside, one of the biggest barriers to eBike (or any cycle) adoption rates is the perceived conflict with or danger to those on two wheels on the UK's roads from vehicle users. Under "Theme 1" in the new plans, the government will no longer fund cycle route schemes for simple "painted lines and symbols" routes, nor those where pedestrians and cycles are forced to occupy the same space. The funding will only be approved for local authorities who treat cyclists as a vehicle class of their own and provide a physical barrier between motor vehicle users, cyclists and pedestrians. This might be raised curb to separate the main carriageway or a small barrier, but it will be a move to finally bring us closer to our European counterparts, where as much as 40% of journeys are made on two wheels. Whilst the possibility of new Government eBike grants ride in the back seat for the moment, they're committing to "find cities and towns across the UK to install at first hundreds, then thousands of miles of main road cycle tracks", citing that cycling increased by 55% after the installation of a protected cycle track on London's Blackfriars Bridge. Moving cycling to the heart of transport, place-making and health policy. With access and sharing of space issues being alleviated, the significant and dedicated spend increase on infrastructure will only help to increase the uptake rate of Government eBike grants. The UK Government pledges to create a special "budget". The delivery of schemes previously have been hampered by the "stop-go" nature of funding avaialbitly. With a new assured pipeline of funding, local authorities will better be able to long term plan changes to infrastructure to enable this new drive for more sustainable inner city transport and movement. Part of this infrastructure change and enablement strategy looks at increasing the ways in which cyclists are able to use existing transport and its links. As well as working closely with transport schemes to ensure that cyclists are both valued and considered as a vehicle in new road network planning, it also seeks to address the ways in which railways and bus operators support cyclists on parts of their journeys. On top of the infrastructure and strategy on the integration of other services providers, provisions are also being made to better enable the movement of goods - specifically "last-mile" (covered under the "Last Mile Review" and Transport Decarbonisation Plan) deliveries via the use of Cargo bikes. Some Cargo eBikes are cable of carrying as much as 250kg and so in extra urban environments, the lower purchase and operating cost of cargo eBikes like the Tern GSD S10 along with the ability to take up less space on the road than a small van make them an incredibly popular options for couriers. How does all of this sit with current supply issues for new eBikes? Its no secret that the cycle industry right across the world has experienced a huge surge in demand, but is currently suffering. Much of it coems down to supply of common parts. Manufacturers of gears and brakes for example, are almost universal across all major brands and with the demand for cycles being as much as 10x the production capacity of manufacturers at the moment, its no surprise that the supply of new eBikes is much slower than normal. We handle thousands of calls and emails each week, and 80-90% of bikes arriving each day are pre-sold prior to arrival - if you don't have a bike already on order its difficult, if not totally impossible to get the bike you want in the size you need during 2021. So has this come at a bad time? There's no bad time for the government to offer ebike grants and subsidies. Anything which increases the adoption rate of eBikes is fantastic news, but the timing could have been better. Its been cited that some dealers have seen a drop off in orders or have met with objections from customers reluctant to order a bike now, and then find they could have got it cheaper had they waited. Unfortunately, with stock so scarce at the moment, not at least placing a pre-order on a bike means you'll be unlikely to get a 2021 model eBike at all, and therefore less so with the backing of a Government ebike grant or subsidy. The other things to consider are; The length of time it will take to implement a scheme like this. You still have the use of Cycle Schemes in the meantime. Eligibility criteria. Whilst not a market we're involved in, trials in preparation for legislation on privately owned and rental e-scooters began in September 2020 and are still ongoing 5 months later. Once complete, there will be months of data gathering before implementing a stringent section in law much as there is with current eBikes. It could be reasonable to assume that it will be at least a year before a verdict reached and announcements made on their permitted use, Covid-19 allowing. With the above in mind and trials of the touted government ebike subsidy scheme not yet even visibly started, we could be well into model year 2023 before it starts to show its benefits to end users, at which point, perhaps, supply will have settled to a sustainable level! There might also be a strict eligibility criteria, so its possible that the scheme could be rolled out to those who need it most initially, before being rolled out to those who could otherwise readily get themselves a bike with no financial assistance. Scotland Electric Bike Loan Scheme For more info on our dedicated Scotland Loan Scheme page. We'll update this page and any information as it becomes available.
The brand new 2021 Orbea Vibe H30 and H30 EQ are the latest electric bikes for the commuter, city and weekend rider from one of our most stylish and forward thinking manufacturers. Effortlessly blending style with safety, minimalism with performance, the new Vibe H30 and Vibe H30 EQ are one of our most exciting and eagerly anticipated 2021 models - available in 4 colours. 2021 Orbea Vibe H30 - A new "Enough Energy" concept for urban lifestyles. Continuing the legacy of the Gain F25 and F30 from 2020, these new flat bar road bikes from Orbea are a brand new concept designed as a sophisticated accessory to complement your own sense of style without overshadowing it. An incredibly nimble, stylish and reliable personal transport tool that can be easily manoeuvred in tight spaces in town, homes or offices - the new Vibe H30 and H30 EQ is the lightweight city eBike designed for riders looking for style, range and freedom in a new, revolutionary, fully integrated and low-fuss platform. With 40Nm of torque, enough battery capacity for your daily city commute plus some added exploring, the Vibe H30 and H30 EQ offer a new way to ride - minimalist, sleek and integrated but without the bulky traditional eBike components - a "sensation that is less 'e' and more 'bike'". Orbea Urban Geometry With feedback from the many thousands of riders who bought the previous generation flat bar road bikes from Orbea, the new Orbea Urban Geometry platform anticipates both how and when riders will use their eBikes in urban and ultra-urban environments. A more upright riding position for better vision and comfort keeps you feeling more secure, extending your enjoyment of the bike to uses you might never have considered. The bike is perfectly balanced, with responsive and predictable steering that doesn't feel too fast, but retains a highly reactive feel. Orbea Lightness Weighing up to 10kg less than traditional city styled eBikes, the Vibe H30 and H30 EQ are both playful in their handling on the road but easily manoeuvrable in the tight spaces of urban homes and office spaces. Designed to complement the inner city "grab and go" lifestyle, they offer riders new and old a totally new, minimalist riding experience. With a single button press, the bike comes to life underneath you and is immediately ready for any commute, explore or leisure ride. Integration with ICR Plus A completely redesigned frame, setting it apart from its predecessor, all remaining external cables have been further integrated to provide a completely sleek frame aesthetic and is optimised for both conventional and electric shifting systems. Its brand new proprietary headset spacers allow smooth airflow with easy adjustment. Integrated Lighting When Orbea say "fully integrated lighting", they really mean it. Many eBikes now feature built in lights, but no manufacturer has achieved it with the same style we've come to expect from this niche Spanish brand on the Vibe H30 and H30 EQ. Built directly into the base of the stem and drawing a tiny amount of power from the eBike battery, this newly designed lighting technology further draws on Orbea's concept to effortlessly integrate both safety and style. As well as the brand new daytime running light design the Vibe H30 EQ also comes with a larger, bar mounted "full beam" lamp. Orbea "EQ" Models EQ or "Equipped" models from Orbea use exactly the same frame and equipment as the standard models, but with the addition of manufacturer supplied accessories. EQ models come with a set of integrated mud guards, a sturdy pannier rack, side stand and a full beam headlight in addition to the stem mounted LED daytime running lamp. Perfect for winter riding, commuting with a laptop and paperwork or just a quick trip to the shops. The Orbea OC Bag is available as an optional accessory and as well as latching on and off the rack in a single movement, and can also be turned into a backpack for convenience! Ebikemotion X35 Plus As with the "Gain" range, the Ebikemotion X35 Plus is the very heart of the "Enough Energy" concept the Vibe models are built on. The rear hub motor is the basis of a highly sophisticated drive system and provides a smooth and dependable amount of assistance in a way that's designed to amplify your own power is an incredibly discrete way. It really doesn't look like an eBike at all and provides almost completely drag free pedalling. Orbea's Torque Simulation Algorithm directly mirrors the rider input to provide maximum power when you need it, but preserves range when you're spinning freely. Batteries are often the most noticeable component of an eBike but are also a bit of an eyesore and detract from the aesthetics of the frame. Being an incredibly light bike with a highly efficient drive system, Orbea have eliminated the need for a bulky, high output battery and have integrated it directly into the downtube, allowing for a more sleek, stylish finish. Range Extender The Vibe H30 and H30 EQ are designed for long days in the saddle, but some days just demand more from you. The optional Range Extender offers more bike. More miles. More hills. This completely unique and patented extension of the built in battery offers an additional 208Wh on top of the internal 248Wh battery, bringing total capacity to 450Wh - a whopping 70% boost in range. Compatible with all Gain F, M, and D models as well as the full 2021 Orbea Vibe model line-up, we hold limited stock of this Orbea OEM product for our own eBike customers and you can find them here. Seen enough? Order your new 2021 Orbea Vibe H30 or Vibe H30 EQ now!