Electric Bikes for Beginners | Fully Charged
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- čas přidán 14. 05. 2020
- During lockdown Maddie and Greg were sent two e-bikes for review the 2020 Raleigh Array and the Flit-16. Both are unique e-bikes both for differing purposes, but Maddie and Greg wanted to put them through their paces and see the pros and cons of these e-bikes whilst on a beautiful ride into a near deserted Cambridge City centre.
Raleigh Array, kindly supplied by:
www.electricbikesales.co.uk/
www.raleigh.co.uk/bikes/elect...
FLIT
flit.bike
Music:
The Bridge by Ziv Moran
Anthem of a Quirky Hipster by Rex Banner
A Look Out by Assaf Ayalon
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We couldn't keep making the show without our supporters, thank you all!
If you enjoy our videos and you'd like to help us to make more episodes of Fully Charged, please take a look at our Patreon page:
/ fullychargedshow
If you like this episode, you'll love our fancy website, which includes the 'A-Z of Everything'....
fullycharged.show
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Presented by Maddie Moate @maddie Moate and Greg Foot @gregfoot
Shot by Maddie and Greg
Edited by Benjamin Bruton-Cox @brutoncox - Věda a technologie
I got my first ebike 4 years ago, at the time I was over weight and seriously unfit.
I now run half marathons. (Wish I could say marathons, but had to pull out of my first with a foot injury.)
My daily commute to work on the bike is 13 minutes, on public transport is 1 hour 30, at best!
Ebikes really can be life changing.
Am I reading this right? 13m vs 1h30m? Can I ask where do you live?
@@bluceree7312 I live in Malta.
The problem with the public transport (bus) system here is that it relies on a central hub, the capital Valletta. So unless you're on a direct line, you have to take a bus to the hub and then another bus out to your destination. On one of the worlds most densely populated islands. Oh, had a large proportion of other traffic has to go the same way as well.
I got the ebike after discovering that it was quicker to walk the 11km to my first home here than to take a bus home in the evening. It's a hilly island, and I was in no way fit enough to manage those hills at the time on a normally aspirated bike.
Since then, both I and the company I work for have moved, I'm now only 5.6km away. So taking the best / safest route on the bike is 13 minutes in / 16 minutes out.
There is a quicker bus route, but its timing is massively unreliable in the morning. Standing in the baking sun with no shade for up to 30 minutes every morning isn't a good option. (And I can now run to work in that time.)
Fun note, getting home from work via the central hub. I've never done that in less than 2 hours.
I will now always sing the praises of ebikes. I didn't need to be fit to start using it for my daily commute, it covered me for that. But using it got me to a fitness level I've not been able to achieve in almost 30 years since an RTA near destroyed my knee's.
@@mattmcc72 Wow. you are the perfect case study for an ebike advert :)
I live in Brisbane Australia, and while not quite so pronounced my experience is similar. My current work is almost directly next to the bus stop, but I have to walk 10mins from home to get that bus. So it's at least 30min to get the bus, because they stop to pick up others. My old job was in Fortitude Valley, just past the city and the bus had to go through the city to get there so it was about 50min. That assumes that traffic is not unusually bad.
I used to race triathlon, so I'm fairly handy on a bike, and on my race bike I can do my current work door to door in under 25min, and my old one in 30min. We have bike paths which help (and I see lots of ebikes about in the mornings), but to use them I actually have to ride further than the bus travels. The advantage is no lights, and I can average close to 40km/h because it's fairly flat.
So I ride further in less time.
Until I moved I was in the same position. The buses here tend to rely on a central hub, the city of Wakefield in the UK and the majority of services travel to and from the city centre. This means you can have two smaller towns or villages just 15-20 minutes apart by car but an hour and a half to two hours by bus. Like you I bought an e bike to get me to and from work and it was a godsend, the only downside being the fact that despite what our local authority says cycling isn't that safe round here. Country roads that are unlit, boy racers that pass way too close, trucks on the busier roads, large roundabouts. Our local authority's idea of bike lanes is to paint a white line down a bit of the road that abruptly ends at a large junction and the cycle lanes are full of parked cars. The council doesn't tend to enforce the rules when it comes to parking on bike lanes either. I've recently had to move into a first floor flat too, with a narrow entrance staircase so the bike now sits in a storage cupboard simply because at 24Kg it's a heavy beast to lug up and down the stairs, especially after a 10 hour shift. Not to mention I am now living on a direct bus route to and from work. I do have a lockable secure storage cupboard at the bottom of the stairs but it's too small for the current bike, hopefully once lockdown ends I can sell it and replace it with a folding e-bike instead that can be stored in that outside cupboard.
Maddie's cheerful attitude is really enjoyable. Her sincere approach is really good for people who are thinking about an e-bike, like me :) Thank you, you're welcome, I'll keep watching!!
Totally agree and her other half ditto. They are a very cute couple.
Need more of her attitude nowadays! Keep up the good work Maddie!
I hate the cheery primary school teacher delivery.
@@julianshepherd2038 Thought it was just me.
got myself a 750€ E-bike from amazon to avoid public transport when going to work. turns out im 5minutes faster door to door than with public transport. lol
im so glad i did this.
Cool - welcome to the reliability of cycling.
Bus to work takes about 40 minutes including walks to and from the bus stop. Driving, just over 30 minutes in rush traffic. eBike - 17 minutes, if I don't mind a shower after, or 25 minutes with no sweat 8)
Which model did you get?
reliability is big question, isn't it??
@@MKamTech no, tech is much more reliable now and getting better all the time, especially batteries
Yay, nice to see e-bikes getting some attention in the UK (they are totally normal in many parts of Europe). When not in "lock down" I would cycle 30-40km per day on mine, barely slower than the train (in terms of door-to-door time).
My recommendation for beginners is (a) always test ride the bikes over a couple of km including a hill or two (b) consider choices like "chain vs belt" or "center vs wheel motor" carefully (there's a bunch of trade-offs there as regards maintenance and ease of use). Since e-bikes are a bit of an investment, don't make a quick decision and make sure you get what works for you.
When riding on roads, also be very aware that pedestrians and other road users will not expect a bicycle to be going at that speed (up to 30mph for my bike), so be extra careful of things like people waiting to cross, or cars waiting to pull out from junctions.
My bike is currently a Kalkhoff Integrale (no idea if that's available in the UK). It's a belt drive with hub gearing (so no oil or chain maintenance) and a centered motor at the pedals (so I get the benefit of gearing for hills, and a more balanced weight distribution). It has a range of 110km (70 miles) which means no range anxiety. However it doesn't do regenerative braking, which is a minor negative on super long, hilly rides. Not cheap, but since I've never owned a car, it's great for mid-distance riding.
What are the pros and cons of a belt drive?
We have a 15mph max assist in the UK. That has to be pedal assist as well, no pedalling = no assistance. Obviously it will go faster, but then it’s down to thigh power.
No one cares what you think.
@@jep1912 you cared enough to reply.
@@bumblebee9337 I chose a belt drive for ease of maintenance. It doesn't stretch or wear out like a chain and sprockets, and won't need much cleaning (a wash with water and a small amount of PTFE spray once in a while). I normally do about 5000km a year and barely have to think about it. It does mean you need to have enclosed gearing though, which while also easy to maintain is more expensive, and you won't get as many gears (but on an e-bike that's not so important). It's also super quiet, which can actually be a problem if pedestrians don't hear you. I think the trade off is worth it, but you should try both and see which you prefer.
I'd like to thank all of the team on fully charged for their time and dedication during lockdown please keep up the good work, keep safe & best wishes.
Very much appreciated Daz, at times it’s been tough. Ben - Director of Production
The odd and interesting thing about e-bikes is that, although they're electrically powered, they are actually getting more people interested in bicycling in general, which is getting more people to actually exercise! That's a good thing!
It's a gateway drug :-)
The other interesting thing is that you need a BMW i3 - a car designed with sustainability in mind - carrying 3 passengers at every trip, charged only with renewables, to beat a normal carbon fibre bike charged with food from a lifecycle emissions standpoint.
yup! killin 2 birds with 1 stone hih
@@Wookey. That assumes they 'move' on to a normal bike but that is not what is happening (at least in the netherlands) most put it on full power and just go quicker, faster, further and use it more. It flattens the road, kills the difference between wind conditions and just makes sense.... Its a gateway drug in using it more not as a gateway to a normal bike at least that is how i see it looking around me.
@@scb2scb2 even so it still means there are less cars on the road, win win
My first electric vehicle was upgrading my regular bike with an electric kit. Absolutely fantastic!! I rode to and from work for most of the summer, Ive done over 1000KM on it now. I have released the lease on my park at work, and going to use that money saved to upgrade to a purpose built bike later in the year. Then the kids can join me on rides too. Just before the lockdown here in NZ, I went on my first EVER long range bike ride, over 60KM in about three hours including a break for a quick lunch. I have NEVER ridden a bike so far. It was awesome.
the conversion kits are booming right now...more and more people decide to go that road
Maddie and Greg are a great addition to the fully charge team.
yes
Yes
Agreed
What a great dynamic duo.
yep
I bought an e-bike (Cyclotricity) for £800 in 2017 to commute the 13 miles(one way) between home and work, as I calculated it would cost me £1200 a year to to just fuel my car for a years commute to work. So the bike already paid for itself within a year. The cost in electricity to charge it at home for a year probably amounted to about £30 a year. This year the frame broke(hit by a van the previous year) and I couldn't get a replacement frame as they had discontinued it. As I felt my fitness had increased and I knew I could cope I bought a normal bike(£350), which is 10 kg lighter than my e-bike(22 kg) was. So as they mentioned an e-bike is a "gateway" bike to starting or getting back into cycling. The benefits to your wallet and health will increase with that purchase.
Same here after 1.5 year paid back. Now every journey is "kling" money in my pocket.
what was the 'normal' bike that was 12kg that you bought? and where did you buy from?
Probably depends on where you live, it's fu#%ing hilly where I live.
I got into bike racing, and to justify the cost I ride it to work. I work in the city, so fuel is expensive and I have to pay for parking.
Just fuel and parking would easily clear $5k a year, and public transport was about $2k a year at the time for the commute.
My bike was faster than both door to door, and cost me $4.5k. So paid for within a year vs driving, and 2-ish vs the bus, but saved me time vs both (who needs a gym membership when you ride a couple hundred km a week?)
That was nearly 5 years ago.
its quite worrying to see that you continued to use the ebike AFTER it got hit by a van. Its really important to have any bike checked over thoroughly after any accident, as a faulty or weakened frame can collapse at any time. The friction from the road produces vibration and harmonics that can twist a frame. Ive had bikes that shook uncontrollably when i went over certain speeds just because they werent ballanced properly. This is an important safety issue thats even more of a hazard with electric bikes. Please be careful.
This video made my day. I have to say that I am thoroughly happy at how much of a leap forward the channel has made. It has always been good but a new level has been reached recently. Good luck in all future endeavors and looking forward to the next video whenever it is posted.
A big plus for commuting is that you can avoid arriving at work sweaty by turning the assistance up, but then turn the assistance down, or off, if you want more of a work-out on the way home.
I purchased an Ebike just over a year ago, having a double hernia and seriously bad lower back, along with being very unfit in my mid-fifties meant a normal pushbike traveled a mind blowing 167km over 4 years prior. In the last year I have ridden 2500km on my ebike with all my injuries, only just this week I've ridden over 150km and will be out tomorrow doing a further 55km ride. Ebike's are the best thing ever for people like me. Oh and today the bike travels 25 to 50% of the time completely from my own output. I can hardly believe how much fitter I'm becoming and how enthusiastic and wonderful riding makes me feel.
ebikes are the future for all of us. even better than a tesla
My human-powered bike goes for zero to fully charged in under 30 seconds by plugging my face directly into a sausage roll.
And for super charging you just need amphetamine or cocaine, take your pick!
Ludicrous mode is pre warming before a ride with several espressos and a mars bar 😂
😆😆
The sausage roll is both more expensive and has a higher carbon footprint than charging up an e-bike battery. And I say that as someone who owns both a regular bike and an e-bike.
oh dear!! I can picture that, can others too?
Ignore the advice to "not get one unless you need one" just get one anyway and find ways to use it, this will help to prevent needless car use and give exercise to all. E-bikes are BRILLIANT I have one, my wife has one and my son has one I cannot recommend them enough and I am a lycra clad 64 year old with 3 un-powered road bikes. Get an e-bike it will change the way you travel!
I am trying to find an application for an e-bike as I find them amazing and want to justify the expense. Speed limits of 25 km/h seems a bit of a deterrent as a fit person such as yourself can maintain that speed for hours without power ? I can see them for people who are not exactly fit tough which is great. Maybe a cargo bike for hauling groceries (or kids)? Another application: e-mountain bikes, where you can haul a seriously fast nd therefore heavy downhill bike up a mountain with ease?
@@ToniMiller12 It's a good question, and we think that there are a couple of often overlooked answers:
Ebikes can be "quicker" without being "faster". Despite a restrictive top speed for fit cyclists, ebikes have very good acceleration. On a journey with lots of start-stop traffic (eg. busy city centre) this can mean that you'll have a shorter journey, even for some fit cyclists. Many riders also say that this also makes them feel safer as they can quickly pull away at lights, reducing the risk of being hooked by a turning vehicle.
Ebikes flatten "Dutch mountains". Ebikes get a lot of press for what they do to hills, but it's a lot harder to show on video what they do to headwinds. In flatter places like Cambridge where the headwinds can be brutal, this can be the difference between someone cycling every day and not.
You can ebike in (almost) any temperature. Everyone talks about how unpleasant cycling is in winter, but many people can also be put off by high summer temperatures, particularly if they don't have the luxury of shower and changing facilities at work. This is also why ebikes are so popular in holiday destinations.
Cargo ebikes and eMTBs are also great suggestions, but different use cases - luckily there are now different types of ebike for pretty much any day-to-day job you could want to do, from overcoming an injury to hauling 500kg loads to a construction site.
We would never advocate that someone already happy with their cycle commute should switch to an ebike, but they are great for broadening participation.
haha great advice
Matthias Amrein What was not clear on the video is that e-bikes give power assistance - you still need to pedal - and it is this assistance that is limited to 25 km/h. You can go faster so long as you do all the work yourself (on a bike that it heavier than a standard pedal-bike).
@@FlitBike As a dutch person i fully agree its not the topspeed but remember as a kid (well in our country) using a bike was never bad unless it was windy and going up 'dutch mountains' (mostly bridges and overpasses).... And as our prime-minister stated a few days ago (when talking about covid) the bikes are helping up but remember when you leave home to go to work you will have a headwind... but don't worry when going back in the afternoon you will probably have a headwind too :) ... We have lots of tesla's and electric cars in our country but the real revolution is putting electric motors on anything else with 2 or 3 wheels from normal bikes, handicap bikes, delivery bikes, foodbikes, postal and package bikes....
Really enjoy Maddie and Greg, such great attitudes and presentation. Breaking down the info in applicable stages makes it easier to digest, as well as, very relevant. Thank you!
As I got older, I found that although I still enjoyed cycling, I wasn't going more than around 15 miles per ride. Decided to, get myself an e-bike, so that I could go further without getting completely knackered. Love it ! (Using moderate assistance, the battery will give me around 50-60 miles of range)
good for you!
I’ve had ebikes since a friend of my mother’s gave me his old one when he got a Segway. This was 18yrs ago. This was a conversion kit with sealed lead acid batteries. After a couple more kits added to existing frames I ordered an original SONDORS on Indiegogo. Loved it! Got a FOLD -X next loved it but wanted full suspension...also more power. So I ordered an Onyx on Indiegogo. It was taking quite a while to be delivered, was admiring a SurRon on CZcams and my wife said “get one if you like it so much “! I don’t think she realized I had the Onyx on order. Anyway, the Saturday the SurRon arrived I received a phone call asking where I wanted the Onyx delivered. I now exercise my 10# Pekingese with my SurRon. I’m currently trying to decide which more conventional(one with pedals and power assist. I want/need the exercise and like fat tires) ebike I want. After writing this I just decided on the SONDORS XS. One kilowatt, front suspension, sprung seat post, fat tires and an aluminum frame. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to write this. I’m 77 and trying to enjoy my life and the electric vehicle revolution fits my lifestyle. I have a Cybertruck on order and can hardly wait!
77 and having a cybertruck on order ... good on you sir... Hope you get one of the first models i am sure you will turn some heads when you lower the window at the traffic lights.
I'm on to my second ebike. I've been riding them for almost 10 years. The battery on the first one was really heavy, but the technology is getting smaller and lighter. The one I have now is half the size and the new ones are half the size again. I live in hilly West Yorkshire and I wouldn't be cycling today if I didn't have assisted cycling. I go out every day on it. Absolutely love them.
Yet again, wonderful presentation from Maddie and Greg. Love this video!
As a 60 yo who has been commuting since I was 12, I think e-Bikes are a tremendous idea. I don't want one at the moment but one day… maybe! But at work we have a few people, overweight, hilly commute and distant who are riding e-Bike to great success. As an alternative or entry to riding, these are a game changer.
e bike sare the future of alll public transport i think
First time on an e-bike was like what I remember from first learning to bike when I was a kid - the pure joy. Since then I’ve used to to transport me, the boy and all our camping supplies into the forest for an overnight (using a small trailer) or to the shops. Can’t recommend it enough, has reduced the use of my Diesel estate by at least 60%.
When they accelerated away from the traffic lights, their faces reminded me of people in a Tesla when it launches. Great fun to watch these two enjoying reviewing great products. And an honest opinion at the end. Great work Fully Charged.
I have a full suspension mountain bike I built in 03. I'm looking at getting a mid drive kit. Love fully charged. I recommend you folks to all my friends who are intrested in what's possible in the ev/renewable/ sustainable world we are moving towards. The information you provide gives hope to what's possible. Thanks!!
A great video as you are always both so happy and great presenters so the video is a joy to watch. Keep making the videos, a great addition to fully charged 👌
Production value is excellent on this video. Keep it up!
I changed to commuting by ebike in june last year and never looked back. I do an 8 mile commute (so 16 miles a day) to Antwerp. We have the luxery of having a 'Bike Highway' so I don't have to mix too much in car traffic. I don't even mind getting having a rainy commute. If on a rainy day I take the car it takes me longer to reach work. On a normal day it's only a bit faster with the bike, but also a lot less stressful. I'm absolutely not very sporty, so I was supprised I liked it so much.
ciclying in the netherlands is heaven. you people truly live in the future.
I got a $600 while from Wal-Mart and $200 imotor front wheel (conversion) from eBay. Now I have an all wheel commuter ebike. I even used it during ice and sleet when even 4wd cars would skid off the road , my bike worked fine. Has been my commuter for over a year now.
E-bikes should change the world.
I made mine 5 years ago from a 20 year old mountain bike, a £400 1.5kW hub motor and 2kWh battery made from 224 harvested laptop cells (14S16P) for free.
Changed my life forever, and I scrapped a Nissan 300ZX and a Pajero because I didn't need them anymore.
and the will. in 10-20 years tops
Love watching Maddie and Greg do reviews.. please do more.. looking forward to the next report.
They make a good presenting duo, these two.
Some friends have had e-bikes for a couple of years now, and they’re putting in high mileages because of them...full day trips sometimes. They’d not previously cycled as a recreation, or for work etc, and appreciate the reduced wear on their ‘over 55 yr’ joints.
I love the boundless enthusiasm you both bring to the channel, your endless smile makes your reviews so much enjoyable, Thank you both 👏👏👏.
Superb little film, bright, bubbly and brilliant for anyone and everyone to enjoy and learn from.
I LOVE my e-bike. As an older person, it makes my commuting by bike so much more pleasant and less sweaty. I frequently ride to the supermarket to do a small amount of grocery shopping and bring my shopping home in my front and rear baskets. Highly recommend e-bikes.
my Commute is 5 miles, I have a motorbike and a car but when the weather is good I always use my e-bike. It makes the ride to work accessible and means you're not sweaty and tired when you get in! its also good exercise!
best investment of your life. just gotta make sure you have where to store it safely.
I think it's worth noting that part of the problem in cycling to work (for hilly places like Devon) is needing a shower when you get to work. By using high assistance going to work, you avoid overheating and the need for the shower. And you can always turn the assistance down for exercise on the way home.
First time I tried one I was nearly emotional - hadn't had that level of desire for something for a long time. Prices appear to have come down in the last 3 years
Whaaat??? A new series!!! Made my day!!!
Lovely video, great to see e bike videos in the channel too
love the videos by Maddie and Greg!
We tryed the uber power assisted bikes in London in Feb and loved them.
We were addicted to them by the time we got to Paris...coated and berets on we buzzed around all day ..it ended up costing a bit but what a wow of a time.
A great way to see the sights! Hope you are all well in the uk. Xfe
Quick guide for anyone that wants to do this. Do not worry about the 15.5 mph limit. You only really need the extra power uphill. If you buy a mid-drive it does hammer the chain and sprockets, which will need you to maintain it. I've done 2500 miles on mine in 18 months and gone from 120kg to 95kg in weight. I have gone from a hater in to a lover. I live in Sheffield which is built on seven hills. My ebike is in the dealers for a gearbox repair and my acoustic bike exhausts me. Getting my ebike back tomorrow and I cant wait.
I suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome and really missed jumping on my bike. Invested in an ebike last year and while I can only go s short distance the freedom it gives me is huge!
I live in Bristol, with family in Cambridge. What are these Cambridge hills of which you speak?
bloody flat landers, it was a mole hill
Similar to the Dutch Alps.
I don't own an ebike but have some experience of them, and the key thing that impressed me on one occasion was cycling it in the rain (and some wind). I had full waterproof coat and trousers on, but cycled five miles and arrived non-sweaty! A bike which can deal with both rain and headwinds has to be the perfect bike, surely?
The one I really want, but can't quite find an excuse to buy, is the Tern GSD...
Might do it myself, even though I could ride in the Lake District. I probably just add rear wheel drive to my own bike.
Thanks for the upbeat review.
what happened to the e niro ?
Bravissimi!! Well done! Thanks for the super video, the short commute comment will hopefully convince a few people that using a car to move a few miles is crazy in our congested cities. You are both simply fantastic. Love and support from northern Italy
this has happened to me million times. took the car for a 5km ride and back and the people i saw on the red light with their small e-scooters are coming back home before me cause of all the traffic. hate it. prefer a bike nowdays
I love e-bikes. I leave my car at home much more often than when I was riding a regular bike. It gives you that extra oomph you need to use it instead of driving. :-)
Maddie & Greg do E-bikes. About time Fully Charged goes bicycle. Great video.
For anyone who doesn't know of Cambridge, it's not quite as flat as The Netherlands, but it's borderline close. Most frequent cyclists wouldn't need the boost unless it was a hot day and they wanted an easier journey.
I really see e-bikes making urban commutes in hillier areas go from "yes but I would never be able to pedal up that hill" to "I just use the boost on the harder parts". More office blocks in Birmingham are installing showers and cycle storage, so I hope we see a trend of cycling increasing in our cities.
ebikes should be endorsed by the gouvernments around the world and make them part of public transportation everywhere
Great video guys 😃
Entertaining video with some good info. Thanks Maddie & Greg
Fantastic episode more maddie on the channel!
I am the sort of old man Maddie refers to; and I am on my second e-bike now. The first was a folding one - nowhere near as nice as the one shown in this video - and a fair bit of it is now worn out as I used it so much. The company that sold it are quite poor for support.
The second is a mountain bike, and has the motor integrated into the driving chainwheel. It is miles faster, longer ranged and more comfortable (and expensive) - I ended up putting a rack on the car for those times when I want to visit distant places with it. By preference, this will include taking it on holidays from now on.
For me, the bike is my preferred way to go shopping. Around here it is not much slower to ride than drive. For me, having the extra push just encourages me to push the bike a bit harder; so I still get a very good work-out on it. As is also commented on, as yet I cannot afford an electric car; in Australia they are ridiculously expensive with no governmental support at all and precious little charging infrastructure.
Maddie - What happened to your kia e-niro from maddie goes electric?
Thanks, i am looking for one now and you have just helped me make the decision to go ahead. Now i have to figure out if i want vintage style or regular.. the fact i am a shortie... the vintage may be the go!!
I'm using an Orbea Gain electric road bike for my 62 mile round-trip cycle commute from Woking into central London (or at least I would be, if it wasn't for lock down). Although I can manage the commute on a regular road bike, an eBike enables me to do it more often, without getting fatigued.
I do wish the speed limit was 18 mph, as in the US, as the 16 mph limit feels quite slow.
Hiya Guys!
Great to see you both on Fully Charged once again.
Loved the eBike review, and I’m sure there are other models out there as well that you could have tested.
Interesting ‘teaser’ about your car situation!
Stay safe and well. 😊👍🏻
This is all good. Do you think ebikes might drive up the prices of normal push bikes or make them less available as a novelty item in say, 15-20 years time?
How heavy is “too heavy” for an e-bike? I was looking at the radmini 4 folding bike but I believe it’s about 64 pounds. Would that be too heavy to lug around? (say upstairs or into the office)
My home town too.
I wrote to Cambridge Council with an idea I called "City Link" which is a form of multi-model transport, combining two forms of transport to complete one journey. Put simply combining bikes/e-bikes and bus transport, to allow people to use bikes/e-bikes to travel greater distances, similar to car journeys.
By adding special quick loading bike trailers to busses and creating special point to point bus (link) routes for them, commuters could cycle 2-3 miles to a city-link station from home, then 2-3 miles to work after getting off the city-link bus. This would allow most people in Cambridgshire to commute directly, point to point without using a car but as quickly as a car, quicker at rush hour. Plus it's more social, would bring people thought the city(+pubs), as opposed to sitting in traffic jams on the A14. I work at lots of places where almost everyone drives to work, but after asking around, everyone agreed a City-Link scheme sounded fantastic and they would use one to commute if they could. The only people who didn't like the idea (in a big way)was Cambridge City Council, given up trying now.
Soon Cambridge will be one long river of polluting cars again. I'm fed up of pulling out onto Shelford Road in my Ampera in EV mode and crawling along inbetween rangerovers and Porsche cayennes, just because people can't cycle the last 2 miles of their journey. I always cycle from home into Cambridge it's not hard.
e-bikes should be a part of public transportation all around the globe
I love my ebike. Had it for 6 years and it enables me to keep cycling (I have Fibromyalgia).
Nice, you two, pleasant way of presenting and informing
What happened to the Niro? And why?
I love the honesty! It's great, this is not a pure commercial :)
Another good piece of entertainment. Thank you FULLY CHARGED!
love that you've branched out into eBikes, sure I'm not the first to point out the Raleigh does not have hydraulic brakes, they're cable operated disc brakes. Keep up the good work.
Loved Maddie's series on ev cars and hope she does more on bikes particularly on velomobiles as automobile replacements with electric motor assist.
I went to Cambridge last summer for a few days, purely to cycle around and it was awesome.
I love my ebike, and I love my regular bike. I’ll always have both for different purposes. I can take the ebike on adventures on and off road, and I can ride my Brompton to the station and then around wherever I take the train to. Or presumably pretty soon I could take it with me on a RoboTaxi ride.
i love my ebike, ive used it every day for work over the last 6 years and it makes life so much easier when carrying large loads of tools and spares, all in inc the bike i carry about 40kg before that had a raleigh ebike from 1998 24v nicad battery but it was great to, for hilly places and carrying weight they are brilliant, makes you cycle far more , even here in hilly scotland
wow you are transporting 40kg of tools on your back?
@@avantech6120 my profile pic shows you, back and front rack with panniers , also quite often a Tesco bag on handlebars with other parts for that day overspill , look at my profile pic , it's a 36v 10a folding ebike from prorider been very reliable , on second battery now , first lasted about 20,000 miles
How about a follow up where, for those who perhaps don't have a four figure sum to spend, you check out converting a standard bike to an e-bike using off the shelf kits from people like Swytch?
Yep, definitely up for reviewing Swytch.
Great review...it give an excellent overview.
Is there acceleration straps for us old people who can not do the rat trap Watusi?
Years ago there was a programme called Kickstart which used trials bikes. There was both junior and adult competitions. I had a motocross bike at the time, which of course was very noisy, now I would have absolutely loved to have had an electric bike ! Now it would be great to have an electric trials bike !
A nice thing about many ebikes is you can pedal if you want, or use the throttle if you don't. A great way to enjoy being outside and off the couch and cell phone.
I should like one, being disabled it would make getting around much easier I should think. Thank you Greg and Maddie!
You have to pedal as well all the new legal bikes so you want a pre 2016 one or do as I did and build your own.😉
The Raleigh Array looks like a very nice bike with the Suntour batter. Could you tell me what battery charger you have for the Raleigh? Is it the 3 pin charger? Thanks.
Totally agree with the comment below. If you have a bicycle you like consider converting it. I did this nearly a decade ago and have not looked back. (Apart from when turning right!). I did not find the conversion very difficult and I would say if you feel competent to repair your trusty cycle you can convert it. The E-kit helped me get back on a bicycle after a cancer operation and chemo when I was not fit enough to cycle any worthwhile distance. It let me build up my stamina and I would honestly recommend to anyone who wants to extend the reach of their cycling. Think of cycling with no hills as when you see a hill the assist kicks in and you cycle almost as if you were on the flat...
conversion kits are more and more popular this days. me personally i think more companies are investing in that than in a bike itself nowdays vs few years back
I commute on an almost daily basis with a speed-pedelec (e-bike capable of 45 km/h). I do 106 km a day on my bike. Takes me 3 hours a day instead of 2 hours/day with the car and 3h45/day with my race bike. It's a perfect training for me (hartbeat typically in between 125-145 for 3 hours a day).
Fullycharged, please feature Maddie in more videos. I find her to be absolutely captivating. I actually looked away from the game I was playing on my phone to pay attention to the video. I have indeed been watching. 😃👌
Great video!
Happy to see Maddie again
From 1:20 would giving my push bike an up grade to electric ....A resounding YES . I converted my first bike to electric DIY . The cost was less than £300 . Well worth it . The ear to ear smile you had on your face said it all you enjoyed every minute of the ride . Great show a most enjoyable watch .
What happened to the e-Niro?
Nice introduction. Question: Wife under 40, quite fit. Daughter is 4 y old. They need one to go parks couppe of miles away. That means needs a way to attach a baby seat at the back or so. Can a foldable one that comes with a rear rack be used like that or any recommendations anyone experienced have? I can go as far as £1300 or so. Cheers.
I live in NYS (New York State) and we have 21 Waterfalls with 20 US Miles from me!
Plus in Tesla the folding e-Bike would be good getting places from Tesla Chargers!
Are you going to do a video about SparkCharge any time?
Really enjoyed this video.
I am thinking of buying a front wheel conversion kit to turn my bicycle into an Ebike. Would be interesting to see if you could convert Maddie's bike to see how that works out.
a bit of info on UK law regarding e-bikes, we are covered by 2 laws; the UK one which states max power of 200W and max speed of 15mph pedal assist or twist grip throttle.
and the EU one which states max power 250W max speed 15mph and pedal assist only.
most manufacturers go for the EU law as it allows more power but it is possible to get a twist grip throttle if you chose to abide by the UK law. daft I know.
PS. previous posters advised awareness of e-bike theft. my e-bike was stolen, so yes it does happen, get a 'sold secure' lock if you have to leave it outside.
great info man!
Maddie's smile is just so,...contagious.
Ordered an electric bike yesterday (not arrived yet) and were wondering what were going to expect. After this video, we suddenly feel very excited.
you should be! ebikes are awesome
At 64 just got an ebike. Got a great deal on a sale bike from my local shop and looking forward to start getting fitter this summer.
Good video (as ever!). It would be interesting to see if Maddie would use something cheaper, such as an ebike upgrade to her existing push bike?
No mention of the motor wattage or voltage rating on either bike?
how about e motor bike / a motor scooter you can buy for around a grand what are the rules for insurance etc for them
since they are the next step up from ebikes eg no pedalling ..
E-motorbikes exist. I've seen one on EV Opinion's CZcams channel.
I’m in the over 55 crowd here in the US. I have a Pedego electric trike that is excellent and I highly recommend it. It’s made in California. Makes it much easier for me with my stupid knees to get up hills.
I really enjoy her posts.
Good review guys
Cycling around Cambridge just after the lockdown (as my 1 hour exercise) has been just extrordinary in terms of how stress free the roads are now - there just aren't any cars! Cycling through Trumpington Street every day in rush hour used to be heaving with cars swapping lanes everywhere, and now it's an empty 4 lane cycle path. I'll be sad when the cars return to invade the quiet.
P.S. I can sympathise with Maddie trying to find a hill to prove e-bikes' usefulness! I cycled over that railway bridge this morning and I have to say 'steep' is a word only us fenmen would use... maybe try them on castle hill next time :)
sadly they already started. life had some positives in that quarantine for sure.
Loved your positive energy, was no nice to watch!
Fun aren't they? Living in Sheffield and having lived in Cambridge when a student I can tell you there are NO hills in Cambridge! My electric bike flies up our local hill used as one of the climbs in the 2014 Tour de France.