Issue Six - Spring 2013 - Electric Bike Magazine

£3.95 where sold 

Issue 6 www.electricbikemag.co.uki 

Feature: 

electric 

MTBsl 

Eight e-bikesl 

reviewed!l 

Buyingl 

advicel 

ON TEST: Grace MX Falco Core e120 Juicy Classicl Beatbike 

lHase Klimax trike Volt Alpine Sunstar iBike kit A2B Hybrid 24l

e for easily. 

Easily the most economic power assisted type of transport there is. 

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easily the best finance arrangements. 

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Fast4ward 

Cyclotricity 

Batribike 

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Conv-e Conversion Kits 

Jame Bikes 

Gepida 

Powacycle 

Viking 

3E 

Kudos 

Byocycle 

Oxygen Bikes 

“AVE –Bosch Powered” 

. 

The largest range of tricycles in the UK 

and more coming this year... 

To find out more about our fantastic range and unprecedented 

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Tel: 01580830959 www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk or www.tricyclesales.co.uk. 

Head office & showroom - Unit 6. Midicy Oast. Bodiam Business Park. 

Bodiam. E. Sussex TN32 5UP. 

New London showroom - E-bikesdirect London, 14 Ingate Place, 

Battersea London, SW8 3NS. 

It is advisable to contact us beforehand for a demonstration. 

TM

Contents 

4 News: 

All the latest from the electric bike 

world, including a 2013 events diary. 

8 Electric off road: 

Introducing electric mountain bikes 

From the editor 

Welcome to Issue 6 of Electric Bike magazine! 

We’ve been braving the cold for this issue’s 

crop of electric bike reviews, pedalling on 

and off road to try out no fewer than eight 

different models. We’ve also squeezed in 

basic buying advice, news from the electric 

bike industry and a calendar for the electric 

bike events coming up this year. 

As the final flurries of snow melt away 

and spring peeks around the corner, it’s 

the perfect time to plan a visit to one or 

more of these gatherings. My experience of 

such events is that they’re very welcoming; 

suppliers who have often travelled some way 

to be there are delighted to explain their 

bikes to interested people. One of the most 

rewarding aspects of the job is, I’m often 

told, sending a newcomer to electric bikes 

off for their first test ride and seeing them 

come back with a huge grin! 

Don’t worry about facing a ‘hard sell’ at an 

electric bike show, by the way. One of the 

reasons I so like the bike trade in general, 

and electric bikes in particular, is that 

the people who sell the bikes are typically 

enthusiasts themselves, and they’d much 

rather let the quality of their bikes, and of 

their advice, do the convincing. 

I hope I’ll meet many of you out in the 

sunshine at a show! 

Peter Eland 

8 

8 

20 

26 

10 

10 Review: 

Grace MX mountain bike 

14 Review: 

Falco Core e120 mountain bike 

16 Review: 

Volt Alpine mountain bike 

18 Electric off road: 

Round-up and closing thoughts 

20 Review: 

Beatbike 

26 Review: 

Hero Eco A2B Hybrid 24 

30 Review: 

Hase Klimax weatherproof trike 

32 First look: 

Sunstar iBike SO3 kit 

33 First look: 

Juicy Bikes Classic 

34 Electric bike basics: 

How to go about buying an e-bike 

40 Letters: 

Your comments and queries 

42 Dealer map: 

Find dealer and electric bike hire locations 

ELECTRIC BIKE 

Electric Bike magazine 

is published by 

Velo Vision Ltd. 

ISSN: 2045-3183 (Print) 

ISSN: 2045-3191 (Online) 

Velo Vision Ltd 

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Tel/Fax 01904 692800 

info@electricbikemag.co.uk 

www.electricbikemag.co.uk 

Editor/Publisher: 

Peter Eland 

Art Director: 

Brian Holt 

Web Programmer: 

Simon Ward 

Photo Assistant: 

Debz Wright 

Printer: 

Stephens & George 

Magazines Ltd 

Cover photo: Peter Eland 

30 

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Issue 6 Electric Bike 3

+NEWS 

Week on wheels 

E-bikes took centre stage at the 

launch of the national English 

Tourism Week initiative in 

March, against the backdrop of the 

Hutton in the Forest stately home in 

Eden, Cumbria. 

Bikes provided by the Penrith 

Electric Cycle Centre, in association 

with Southampton-based electric 

bike suppliers Lifecycle, were used by 

the launch party for a guided tour of 

the surrounding lanes. Personages in 

attendance included Rory Stewart MP, 

who spoke warmly of the potential 

for e-bikes to encourage tourists to 

explore the Eden countryside. 

The tourism potential of electric 

bikes is clear, so starting with this 

issue, we’ve added an ‘Electric cycle 

tours, hire and holidays’ section to 

our dealer listings on page 42, to 

further highlight this growing sector. 

Eden is on the edge of the Lake 

District in Cumbria, and you’ll 

find a list of its many attractions 

at www.visiteden.co.uk. For 

cycle hire in Penrith, see www. 

electriccyclecentrepenrith.co.uk 

Reaction take on Flyer, Gepida 

Reaction Electric of Taunton, Somerset, have announced 

that they’re now the UK distributors for two well 

established European brands: Gepida from Hungary and 

Flyer from Switzerland. 

Police get Juicy 

Following successful testing by police 

forces in Bristol and Northallerton, 

Derbyshire officers have become the 

latest to trial Juicy electric bikes. A 

Juicy Sport was handed over to officer 

Lee Baker from Glossop Police station 

in March for a long-term trial. 

As previous tests have proven, for 

officers (or paramedics, etc.) who are 

on the bike all day, often with heavy 

equipment to carry, electric bikes can 

be a great help to reduce fatigue and 

improve performance. 

There are benefits for the supplier, 

too. Juicy Bike director Bob Wales 

explained that having professional 

users trialling the bikes offers great 

feedback for product development, 

and a very worthwhile return on the 

investment involved in providing the 

bikes for loan. 

www.juicybike.com 

Reaction’s 2013 Gepida bikes are mainly powered by 

Bosch crank drive motors, while the Flyer range mostly 

uses Panasonic crank 

drive systems. Both are 

high quality ranges; 

we’ve reviewed a few 

Gepida bikes already (the 

Reptila 1000 in Issue 1 

and the Rodanus tandem 

in Issue 5). Flyer too 

have an excellent reputation: they’re a brand which has 

been around since the earliest days of electric bikes in 

Europe. We’ll have a review in due course! 

www.reactionelectric.co.uk 

4 Electric Bike Issue 6

NEWSI 

Mission and 

Conv-E team 

up a trike 

WAW Associates, best known for 

their Conv-E conversion kit, and 

Mission Cycles, a well known supplier 

of trikes and other specialist mobility 

cycles, have teamed up to create a 

new range of electric tricycles. The 

low step-through frame on the ‘E-Solo’ 

trike makes it particularly easy 

Batribike boost 

batteries 

Batribike have announced that new 

bike buyers can now register to get 

two years’ battery warranty instead of 

one – if they sign to say they’ve read 

the battery care instructions! This 

initiative reflects two factors. First is 

the general improvement in battery 

technology at all price points, meaning 

that two year warranties are now 

more widely offered (and an attractive 

selling point for customers). Second 

is the need to make customers aware 

of the maintenance requirements, to 

avoid premature failure and warranty 

claims. Keeping batteries topped 

up when not in use is perhaps the 

most commonly neglected measure 

customers can take. 

for the less agile to get on and off, 

while the ‘E-Trilogy’ models use more 

conventional frames. 20" and 24" 

wheeled versions will be available. 

The trikes will be available through 

Mission Cycles dealers from April, 

each priced at around £1400. 

www.missioncycles.co.uk 

Cytronex 

UK manufacturer Cytronex are known 

for fitting minimalist and silent 

electric assist systems to lightweight 

racing bikes from the likes of 

Cannondale, Trek and GT. Now they’ve 

also teamed up with German brand 

Merida, fitting front wheel motors 

and waterbottle battery systems to 

create a fast, 16.5 kg commuter e-bike. 

Cytronex are still working on a kit 

version of their system, and this is 

expected to be launched in the near 

future – watch this space! 

www.cytronex.com 

Atmosphere Electric win 

enterprise award 

Congratulations to retailer Atmosphere Electric Bikes 

in Bristol, who have won £10,000-worth of advertising 

in the regional press as winners of a ‘Local Business 

Accelerators’ award. 

www.electricbikes.org.uk 

Kalkhoff 

update 

Several developments 

have been afoot at 

50Cycles, the UK’s 

importer for Kalkhoff 

electric bikes. First, 

they report that since 

our review last issue, 

the firmware for the 

Agattu C11 has had a significant update, which provides 

torque from the motor much more quickly as you start 

pedalling – the ‘soft start’ was indeed one of the aspects 

we didn’t like so much. The new software has also much 

improved hillclimbing performance, they say. 

They also now have stocks of the Schwalbe Energiser 

tyre, specially made for e-bikes, and are recommending 

it as an upgrade to customers. 

Finally, they’ve taken on the Focus brand, also from 

Germany. The Jarifa mountain bike shown here uses 

Kalkhoff’s new Xion drive, a torque sensing direct drive 

rear hub motor. 

www.50cycles.com 

Momentum 

Set up by experienced e-bike experts from Germany, 

London’s Momentum Electric have launched a compact 

range of two bikes: diamond frame and step-through. 

With recommended retail prices starting at £1095 

they’re quite possibly the lowest priced torque-sensing 

bike in the UK, and they combine their own crank drive 

system with a SRAM two-speed automatic hub gear to 

provide gear-changing without cables. 

See: www.momentumelectric.com 


+NEWS 

Electric Bike news 

GoPedelec handbooks 

are here! 

Stocks have now 

arrived (in English) 

of this EU-funded 

introduction to 

electric bikes, aimed 

both at end users and 

municipal decision 

makers. It’s part of the 

promotional initiative 

which I mentioned 

briefly in the ‘Europe 

Calling’ article in 

Issue 5. This EUfunded 

project aims to 

encourage e-bike use 

and is brand-neutral (so no reviews). 

Subjects covered include: e-bikes market analysis, 

e-bike guide (glossary, motor positions, systems, 

controls, batteries and their potential hazards, range 

and charging), marketing, product groups, testing 

and the image of pedelecs. Political views on e-bikes. 

Ecological aspects. Safety, standards, EU directives, CE 

and GS marking, BATSO battery safety, and suggestions 

for policy makers at local and national levels. 

The Handbook is A4 in size and runs to 84 pages in 

colour. 

I should also mention that the handbook can 

be downloaded for free in a variety of languages, 

including English, at www.gopedelec.eu/handbook – 

where you can also enter a competition to win an 

electric folding bike. 

But if you’d like a paper copy, we can send you one 

for just £4.50 including UK postage. Please just send 

a cheque to the address on page 3, call us, or visit the 

website to order securely online! 

Digital and mobile editions 

Did you know you can also read this magazine free 

online, and on your mobile devices? 

Just visit www.electricbikemag.co.uk to find a full 

digital edition which you can read from any web browser, 

including all of the back issues. You can also download 

free, high quality PDF files of each issue to read offline. 

If you use a mobile device you can download the 

PDFs and use your favourite PDF viewer app to read the 

magazine on the go. And please do feel free to share 

the PDFs with friends who might be interested! 

Events 2013 

Electric bike events are springing 

up all the time – here’s a few for 

the year ahead. They’re a great 

way to try out several bikes in one 

visit, and to talk to suppliers in 

person. Most are free to attend, and 

beginners are especially welcome! 

April 

7th (afternoon): Redbridge Test and 

E-bike Day, Redbridge Cycling Circuit, 

IG6 3HP. Organised by Kudos Cycles. 

Exhibitors so far include Woosh, 

Tonaros, Cyclezee, BH Emotion, 

Green Zebra, Raleigh, Haibike, Kudos, 

Cyclecharge. Venue details at 

www.redbridgecyclingcentre.co.uk 

12th-14th: Hay Bike Fest, Hay Castle, 

Hay-on-Wye. Batribike are attending 

in support of their local dealer, Drover 

Cycles. Details at www.haycycling.org 

13th (afternoon): Kudos Cycles demo at 

the Manifold Trail, Peak District, based 

at the Wetton Mill Tea Rooms, DE6 2AF. 

Details: www.kudoscycles.com 

20th (afternoon): Kudos Cycles demo 

at the Hambleton Peninsula, Rutland 

Water, based at the Finch’s Arms Pub, 

LE15 8TL 

20th-24th: Electric Bike Exhibition, 

Eden Project, Cornwall PL24 2SG. 

Exhibitors so far include Batribike, 

Wisper, Grace, Hero Eco, FastForward, 

A to B, Kudos, Juicy bike, Byocycles, 

Inspired Cycle Engineering. Details on 

www.edenproject.co.uk 

25th-26th: CycleCity Birmingham. 

Exhibitors so far include: Storck, 

Wisper, Grace, Hero Eco, Metro, 

Fast Forward, EBCO, Solex, Mobiky, 

AVE. Details at: www.landor.co.uk/ 

cyclecityexpo 

May 

4th-5th: ByoCycles demo days, Electric 

Cycle Centre, Penrith. 

www.byocycles.com 

limited. Three Haibike off-road models 

will be on hand. www.e-bikeshop.co.uk 

June 

8th-9th The London Electric Bike Event 

(sponsored by BEBA) at The Green 

Fair, Regent’s Park, London. Exhibitors 

include Wisper, Grace, Storck Raddar, 

Hero Eco, FastForward, A to B, EBCO, 

Ave, Solex, Mobiky, Batribike. Details: 

www.londongreenfair.org 

15th East of England Electric Bike Rally 

co-organised by Transport Electric in 

Great Yarmouth and Electrifying Cycles 

of Cromer along with Great Yarmouth 

Tourism. Exhibitors so far include 

Batribike, Byocycles, Wisper, Claud 

Butler, Electric Bike magazine – and 

there will be many more! 

Details: www.transportelectricuk.com 

23rd Electric Bike World Championships, 

Bristol, organised by Atmosphere 

Electric Bikes. Exhibitors already 

announced include: Atmosphere, Wisper, 

Grace, Hero Eco, FastForward, A to B, 

Batribike, Raleigh Electric, Kudos, Juicy 

bikes, BH Easy Motion, Oxygen, Haibike, 

Cyclecharge, Byocycles. 

See www.electricbikes.org.uk 

July 

12th-14th: Kudos Cycles demo at Kent 

County Show, Detling, Maidstone. 

August 

(TBC) Ride along the seafront, based 

at the Kudos Cycles warehouse, 

Swalecliffe CT5 2QJ. 

September 

20th-22nd Batribike are offering test 

rides at the Motorhome Show – Lincoln 

County Showground 

26th-29th NEC Cycle Show, Birmingham. 

Exhibitors already announced include 

E4 Electric bike solutions (Electric Hub 

sponsors), Kudos Cycles, Batribike, 

Electric Bike magazine (media partner) 

and there will be many more! 

www.cycleshow.co.uk 

18th Big Electric Bike Ride: electric offroad 

test day organised by Crank Cycles, 

Alton, Hampshire. Three groups take 

approx 1 hour rides. Book early, spaces 

October 

15th-20th: Batribike are offering test 

rides at the Motorhome Show – NEC 

Birmingham. 


+ELECTRIC MTBS 

Mountains 

to molehills 

Electric mountain bikes can take out the hard work 

of off-road riding, turning mountains into molehills 

and enhancing the pleasure of scenic, traffic-free 

cycling even if you’re not an athletic rider. 

We check out the pros and cons, investigate the 

legal aspects, and go on to review some of the latest 

electric mountain bikes on the UK market. 

ff-road’ can cover a huge range 

‘Oof different types of terrain 

and riding styles, from trundling 

gently along farm tracks to tackling 

technical downhills at speed, with 

non-competitive leisure riding in 

challenging terrain somewhere in the 

middle. While most bikes, electric 

or not, can tackle the easiest of offroading, 

there’s really no substitute 

for a purpose built machine when the 

terrain gets more serious. 

Proper mountain bikes have 

fat, knobbly tyres for traction and 

impact resistance. Handlebars are 

wide for plenty of leverage and 

control. ‘Hardtails’ have suspension 

forks but no suspension for the 

rear wheel, while ‘duallies’ or full 

suspension bikes provide suspension 

on both wheels. Adding (good) 

rear suspension does typically add 

noticeably to cost, weight and 

maintenance, so many off-roaders 

stick to the lighter hardtail designs, 

which are often also more responsive 

uphill (because rear suspension can 

often bounce as you pedal, soaking 

up some of your energy). 

But full suspension comes into its 

own on the downhills – perhaps the 

most enjoyable aspect of mountain 

biking. As well as greater comfort it 

also offers, more importantly perhaps, 

greater control. 

It’s the flip side, the uphill grind, 

where electric assist can really make a 

huge difference. Instead of dragging 

yourself up in low gear, the motor power 

lets you keep up a decent speed and 

without huge athletic effort. It’s also 

great where you might otherwise ‘bog 

down’ – in heavy mud, gravel or snow. 

Electric mountain biking opens up 

the countryside for a huge cohort of 

riders who for whatever reason find 

the fitness demands of unassisted 

MTB riding a barrier. With the most 


INTRODUCTIONI 

The Law 

The legal situation for electric MTBs is clear: 

when used on the public highway they need 

to comply with the same limitations as other 

e-bikes if they are to be treated as bicycles not 

mopeds (250W rated motor, 15 mph cut-off, rider 

over 14 years old). This covers all public rights 

of way: roads, bridleways, byways and footpaths 

where cycling is permitted. Other areas such as 

Forestry Commission land and canal towpaths 

often allow off-road cycling on waymarked 

routes by permission of the landowner, and 

typically these will work on the same definition 

of a ‘bicycle’ as for public highways. 

There are a number of electric MTBs on the 

market with ‘off road modes’, available either 

instantly via a pushbutton or switch (now 

illegal on new UK bikes) or via some sort of 

set-up or configuration. This mode will provide 

extra power, extra speed or usually both. High 

power kits are also available, as are ‘mods’ to 

de-restrict otherwise compliant drive systems. 

As I understand it, such bikes can not be used 

legally in higher power mode except on private 

land with permission of the landowner, or 

unless they are registered as a moped and then 

used only where moped riding is legal. 

Even when used on-road in ‘legal’ mode, 

the presence of any extra power or speed 

mode could prove a complication for insurance 

purposes in the event of an accident. 

There’s also considerable potential for 

a backlash against all off-road electric 

bikes if users of ‘boosted’ electric MTBs are 

inconsiderate, unfortunate enough to cause an 

accident, or even just too conspicuous. 

I can’t deny such machines can be great fun 

in an appropriate setting, but generally I’d 

advise against their use to keep on the right 

side of the law. 

All off-road cyclists, powered or not, should of 

course ride responsibly and carefully, respecting 

other countryside users and giving way to 

pedestrians and horse riders in particular. 

PHOTO: Grace Bikes 

physically demanding aspects taken 

care of by the motor, the pleasures of 

being out in the wild, the joy of free 

movement and the social aspect of 

keeping up with fitter companions 

can all be enjoyed to the full. 

And the downside? Well, it’s all 

about the weight. With a lightweight 

MTB, one of the pleasures is its easy 

manoeuvrability. Add motor and 

batteries, and the extra inertia of 

the bike makes it less easy to move 

around underneath you, or to hop it 

over obstacles. 

How much of an issue this is 

depends on your riding style. Fast, 

skilled riders who are used to lighter 

bikes will, I’d venture to guess, find 

it more of a concern than leisure 

MTBers who will simply adapt their 

riding to keep within their bike 

handling comfort zone. 

So is electric mountain biking 

for you? There are now a number of 

places offering electric MTB bike 

hire, so you can try for yourself. See 

page 42, or a web search for “electric 

mountain bike hire UK” will find 

them, often at tourism hotspots. 

Dealers for brands with MTB models 

in their ranges can also offer test 

rides – but check with them first 

before getting the bike too muddy! 

Off-roading can certainly add a new 

dimension to your cycling, taking 

you into some of the UK’s most 

beautiful scenery. And with electric 

assist MTBs, it’s accessible to more 

people than ever before. 

On the following pages you’ll find 

reviews of electric MTBs across the 

price spectrum, followed by a roundup 

of other models available, and 

some closing thoughts. I hope it’ll 

inspire you to take your riding off 

the beaten track! 

Peter Eland 

PHOTO: Haibike 


+ON TEST 

Grace 

MX 

German brand Grace has come to the UK with two 

high-end bikes: the on-road, BionX-powered ‘Easy’ 

and this off-road beast, the Bosch-powered ‘MX’. 

We take it cross country… 


ON TEST: Ezee Grace Torq MX 

Grace is a German bike 

maker, and UK availability 

was announced only last 

year, with Wisper Bikes 

handling the import, distribution and 

servicing. The bikes are now available 

through a range of specialist dealers: 

see the website or contact them for 

details. 

There are two frame sizes for the MX, 

Medium and Large, but that’s about it 

as far as factory options go. Of course 

at this sort of price level, dealers will 

be happy to add accessories or change 

particular components as you wish, 

within reason! 

As tested, the Grace MX has a 

recommended retail price of £2995. 

But the 2013 production model, which 

should be available in late April, will 

cost £3295, using the larger capacity 

11 Ah Bosch battery and complete 

with integrated B&M LED lighting 

system and side stand. 

» ON THE BIKE 

The MX is an imposing bit of kit, 

there’s no doubt about that! In 

stealth black throughout, the angular 

contours of its frame and the bulk of 

the downtube all give it an almost 

military look. 

There’s a certain logic to the layout. 

The Bosch motor is tilted upwards so 

most of its bulk lies along the line 

of the downtube, ensuring there’s 

plenty of ground clearance. Then the 

battery extends along this same line, 

protected by the ‘shell’ of the split 

tube. This keeps the wheelbase short 

compared to bikes with the battery 

behind the seat tube: this is generally 

a good thing for manoeuvrability 

and grip when climbing off-road, as 

more weight is on the back wheel. The 

downside is a weight bias somewhat 

towards the front of the bike. This is 

noticeable mainly when carrying or 

lifting it, and it also makes lifting the 

front wheel deliberately a little harder. 

Anyway, the battery is certainly 

well secured within the downtube: it 

slots in from below and locks in place. 

There’s a substantial hinged alloy plate 

which backs up the battery lock, and 

this latches using spring-loaded alloy 

blocks which engage bolt heads on 

the downtube sides. I found it a tad 

awkward to close, but very secure once 

in place. 

At 36 V, 8 Ah (288 Wh) the standard 

Bosch battery isn’t huge even for a 

crank drive bike, but it does charge 

Specification 

Weight overall (inc batteries): 

25.0 kg 

Battery weight: 2.51 kg 

Bike only weight: 22.49 kg 

Charger weight: 1.05 kg 

(inc. mains cable). 

Battery type: Li-Ion. 

Battery capacity: 288 Watt 

hours (8 Ah 36 V). 

Gearing: Belt drive: 50T ring, 

26T sprocket. NuVinci N360 

CVT hub. Ratios 25-91". 

Brakes: Avid Elixir 5 

hydraulic disks, front 180 mm, 

rear 200 mm. 

Lighting: Dynamo (updated 

version for 2013). 

Other accessories fitted: bell. 

Price as tested: £2995 

quickly (they say it’ll charge to 100% 

in 2.5 hours, or to 80% in an hour and 

a half) so half-way charging may well 

be possible on long trips. The charger, 

incidentally, is nicely styled with 

the typical macho Bosch look and 

essentially silent in operation. 

Because off-road riding is so varied, 

Grace quote a range figure of 15-40 

miles per charge: I’d guess it’ll be 

towards the lower end of that for 

ABOVE: The Bosch charger 

continues the tough 

styling theme. 

RIGHT: The battery pack 

is well protected within 

the split downtube. It’s 

held in both by a key lock 

and by the spring loaded 

alloy catches visible here 

towards the top of the 

pack. 

more technical, hilly riding. Bosch 

have announced an 11 Ah version of 

their battery for 2013, in the same 

casing, so users who do need extra 

range could upgrade to this or buy 

one as a spare: in the UK the 11 Ah 

packs are £545 each. Spares for the 8 

Ah version cost around £415. 

The Bosch drive itself is pretty 

much concealed within the frame. 

More visible is the control unit, which 


+ON TEST 

clicks neatly into its socket on the 

handlebars, and offers four power 

modes with three levels of assist in 

each – overly complex perhaps, but if 

you’re like me you’ll leave it on full 

blast mostly, anyway. The display is 

good and clear, with the usual speed, 

battery status and distance displays. 

The Bosch drive is fitted with a 

pulley for the Gates belt drive system, 

which runs without oil or grease 

lubrication back to the rear hub. It’s 

almost unaffected by mud, and won’t 

go rusty like a chain which gets wet, 

so it’s a promising choice for an MTB. 

The belt is also lighter than a chain, 

and Gates claim excellent durability. 

It’s especially good for a crank drive 

e-bike, as these can be hard on chains. 

The hub which it drives is the 

NuVinci N360. NuVinci are the 

only manufacturer of continuously 

variable drives for bikes – unlike 

conventional gear systems, there are 

no steps between ratios. Instead, you 

can vary the ratio continuously, by 

twisting the handlebar grip, over a 

range of 3.6:1. This is about the same 

range as a single-chainring derailleur 

system. The clever display on the 

handlebar control shows instantly 

which gear you’re in via a line that 

goes flat (for high gears) or hillshaped 

(for low ones). 

The technology is now well proven, 

and after several years of production 

these hubs have a reputation for 

toughness, even on cargo bikes and 

other heavy duty applications. Good 

for off-road use, then. The only 

question mark about the NuVinci is 

efficiency: reliable numbers are hard 

to come by but it’s generally thought 

to concede only a little to a clean 

derailleur drive. 

The hub is mounted in heavy duty 

adjustable dropouts (for setting belt 

tension) which, like the rest of the 

frame, look solidly made to withstand 

some off-road abuse. One rather minor 

criticism is that there are no bottle 

cage mounts provided. 

The rest of the equipment on the 

MX is high quality stuff. There are 

SRAM Elixir hydraulic disk brakes, a 

good set of suspension forks (Rock 

LEFT: The Bosch drive 

system is neatly built into 

the frame, and is fitted 

here with a pulley for the 

belt drive rather than a 

conventional chainring. 

BELOW LEFT: The 

belt drive needs no 

lubrication and is almost 

maintenance free. Note 

the sliding dropout 

system, clamped with two 

bolts, which allows you to 

adjust belt tension. 

BELOW: The control unit 

clicks into place with a 

quick twist, and provides 

a clear readout. 

Shox Sektor RL), and wheels shod 

with grippy 2.4"-wide Continental 

MountainKing tyres. 

One jarring detail was the dynamo 

lighting system, a quirk of the 

German road traffic regulations, 

which make such things compulsory 

for bikes over a certain weight. This 

is clearly something of a token 

gesture here, with a basic bottle 

dynamo. 2013 bikes will have a neater 

system fitted, anyway. 

The dynamo system may also 

account for some of the difference 

between the weight quoted (23 kg) 

and what we measured: 25.0 kg, both 

including the battery. It’s rated for 

an impressive 140 kg maximum rider 

weight. 

» OFF THE ROAD 

If, like me, you’ve not ridden off 

road for a while, the first ride on 

the MX will be quite an eye-opener. 

Setting off up a rough, muddy track 

it was quite remarkable how those 

fat, knobbly tyres both grip through 

the muck and cushion the ride. The 

wide handlebars provide the leverage 

to hold the bike on course even as 

the front wheel is slipping around 

over ridges and tree roots, with the 

suspension forks smoothing the worst 

of its impacts. 

With all this going on, I’d almost 

forgotten the Bosch power assist: it 

was adding to my leg power smoothly 

and unobtrusively. As a ‘torque sensor’ 

type drive it measures your effort and 

adds to it, so it feels like your legs 

are supercharged, without any sense 

that it’s taking over. So you retain 

the ‘feel’ and ability to finesse the 

power delivery to manoeuvre the bike 

around obstacles. 

What it does remove is the pain and 

effort, leaving you to concentrate 

rather more on your technique (in 

my case, staying upright!). Obviously 

this is the case on hills, but also for 

those short bursts of power which you 

need to restore your momentum or 

regain balance. 

The drive does have a slight buzz 

to it, especially if you spin the pedals, 

but it’s not enough to disrupt the 

off-road experience. Nor did I find the 

bike’s extra weight much of an issue 

when descending – as a fairly cautious 

off-road novice I wasn’t exactly 

pushing the boundaries, of course, but 

it seemed to hold its line well down 

singletrack trails, with the suspension 


ON TEST: Ezee Grace Torq MX 

fork and wide bars doing most of the 

work. Trying to hop the bike sideways 

was more of a task – doable, but lighter 

riders might find it harder. 

The belt drive just worked: I 

couldn’t detect any lack of directness 

(through stretch) and it didn’t seem 

to mind at all getting muddy. The 

LEFT: A basic bottle 

dynamo powers the LED 

front light and a rear LED 

cluster tucked below the 

saddle. 

HIGH POINTS: 

Bosch assist, belt drive 

and NuVinci hub are 

a uniquely effective 

combination for off-road 

Top quality parts 

Great styling and build 

quality 

LOW POINTS: 

High price (but you 

get lots of technology 

for it) 

Heavy for a mountain 

bike (but not for an 

electric one) 

GOOD FOR: 

Well-heeled MTBers 

Quality minded buyers 

Off-roaders looking 

for a low maintenance 

assisted bike 

Available from: 

Grace UK & Ireland 

and their dealers: Tel 

01590 681553 or see 

www.gracebikes.co.uk 

for details. 

‘gearless’ hub felt a little strange at 

first without distinct steps, but it’s 

easy to get used to and being able to 

shift without moving the pedals is a 

bonus if you get caught in the wrong 

ratio. The range was well chosen: low 

enough to get you up almost anything, 

high enough to pedal faster than the 

electric assist cut-off speed of 15 mph. 

Riding to and from trails on tarmac, 

the bike buzzed along (on those 

knobbly tyres) well enough. There’s 

a lockout for the front suspension if 

you have a long way to go on the flat, 

but for short trips it was more fun to 

aim for the potholes instead! 

» SUMMARY 

The Grace MX is a serious bit of kit, 

and felt like a serious contender 

off-road, too. It’ll power you through 

and up routes which otherwise 

require out-of-the saddle heaving 

and a helping of good technique. The 

NuVinci drive and crank drive assist 

were a really effective combination, 

making it easy to shift down when 

you’re almost stopped and then, with 

the electric assist running through 

that nice low ratio, to use the 

resulting low-speed torque to pull you 

out if trouble. 

There’s much to like aside from 

the electric assist, too. The brakes 

are superb and the suspension is top 

notch. And the whole bike has a huge 

visual appeal. 

Downsides? Well, the price must 

be a consideration, but you do get 

a lot for your money in terms of 

technology, and Bosch bikes don’t 

tend to be cheap to start with. The 

weight, which although reasonable 

for an electric bike with long-travel 

suspension forks, may shock those 

used to non-assisted MTBs weighing 

around half the MX’s figure. This does 

affect the ‘chuckability’ of the bike, 

but the MX has other virtues which, 

for most riders contemplating such a 

machine, will more than compensate. 

It’s a mountain bike which 

combines new technology (electric, 

belt drive, NuVinci hub) with highend 

components to produce a very 

effective, and to date unique, package. 

Peter Eland 

conv-ed d 

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+ON TEST 

The Falco’s distributors, Team 

Hybrid, are initially offering the 

kit as a rear wheel motor, wireless 

handlebar display and a 2 kg, 8.8 Ah, 

36 V battery in either bottle cage or 

rear rack-mounted format. The kit will 

be sold principally through dealers 

and manufacturers, but private 

buyers can also contact Team Hybrid, 

as they now offer a ‘build it into your 

bike’ service (just a very few bikes 

may not be compatible, they note). 

Prices for kits vary depending 

on configuration, but around £1250 

would be an approximate starting 

point. Warranty is two years. 

Bob from Team Hybrid visited us in 

York with the first in their range of 

complete bikes with the Falco system 

already fitted. The £1995 Genesis 

Core e120 is a hardtail MTB, as is the 

£1750 Core e100 (with slightly lower 

specification on the bike parts). The 

e120 is a 250 W/15mph fully ‘bicycle’ 

legal machine. There are also a number 

of higher powered versions available. 

Our review bike was a ‘launch 

special’, which for £2235 came 

complete with handlebar-mounted 

GoPro Hero 3 video camera. Currently 

the bike starts at £1995, while the 

GoPro, complete with SD card and 

handlebar mount, can be added to 

any Falco-equipped bike for £245 (it’s 

usually £315). These cameras are very 

robust and are popular for sharing 

ride footage online. 

So how did it go? The light wasn’t 

promising on the day of Bob’s visit, 

but I took him to a local woods, 

where we managed to mess around 

and get both bikes and electrics 

extremely muddy. 

The new kit is certainly vastly 

more polished and finished than the 

prototype version we tried before, 

and the full torque sensing control 

(matching your efforts and adding 

to them) worked just as it should, 

giving a very lively ‘cycling’ feel. 

The display/control unit has been 

somewhat simplified, with fewer 

power and regenerative braking levels 

to scroll through, and with a separate 

button pad next to your hand to 

adjust the assist level. All easy to use. 

Overall I was very pleased with 

the new Falco system: it was silent, 

smooth and responded as well as any 

torque sensing system I’ve tried. It had 

been neatly fitted to the bike, too, and 

didn’t falter even caked in wet gloop. 

We didn’t have time to reach any 

Falco e-motor kit: 

Genesis 

Core e120 

Last issue we rode a pre-production version 

of the Falco e-motor. It’s now good to offer an 

early update: the system is in production, has 

full torque-sensing drive mode, and is available 

on complete bikes as well as in kit form for 

existing bikes. So how did it perform in the 

£2,395 Genesis Core e120 mountain bike? 


ON TEST: Falco e-motor kit: ON Genesis TEST: Core Ezee e120 Torq 

ABOVE: The exact kit 

contents vary according 

to specification. Team 

Hybrid now offer a ‘fit 

it to your existing bike’ 

service, so they can take 

care of the technical 

details. 

LEFT: The GoPro 

camera on the bars is 

fully waterproof and 

shockproof, ready to 

record your most extreme 

off-road exploits! 

serious hills, sadly, but in claggy mud 

the electric assist was a godsend for 

keeping the speed up: only when 

excessively timid did I bog down 

and get a foot muddy too. Without 

the electric I’d certainly have really 

struggled on some of the consistently 

boggy trails through the wood, or 

on the sharp rises over banks and 

ditches. Younger and fitter Bob did 

go in for wheelies and jumps, which 

the bike handled without complaint. 

I felt it was a well balanced bike for 

manhandling, with the extra weight 

distributed evenly between the front 

battery and rear motor. 

I didn’t get a chance to weigh 

the bike, but Falco say the motor 

adds around 4.5 kg to an unassisted 

machine, plus the battery of course. 

The Falco system is competing 

(when it comes to fully equipped 

bikes) with the likes of the BH 

Emotion Neo range, Storck Raddar 

bikes, and machines equipped with 

the BionX system. But as a silent 

torque sensing hub drive kit which 

dealers or Team Hybrid can fit to your 

existing machine, it’s pretty much 

unique on the current UK market; its 

(more expensive) competitor BionX is 

between distributors currently, and 

the Sunstar crank drive, while torque 

sensing, is a very different bit of kit. 

As an MTB, the Core e120 is a strong 

performer, with the quality of frame 

and components well up to scratch 

for the price, giving a lightweight 

and responsive ride. I was pleasantly 

surprised how well modern derailleur 

gearing handled being covered in 

mud, incidentally – and Bob was left 

with the task of cleaning and oiling! 

One other aspect to strike me was 

how well a silent motor matches 

getting out into the woods. While 

mountain biking is rarely silent 

(there’s the squelch or crunch of 

knobbly tyres for a start) it was ever 

so pleasant to ride without mechanical 

buzz intruding, and that’s something 

that only a direct drive motor like the 

Falco can currently deliver. 

Peter Eland 

Team Hybrid: Tel 01329 832 068 or see 

www.teamhybridebikes.com 

Falco 

e-motors 

250W-1500W MOTORS 

REVOLUTIONARY MULTI PHASE, MULTI-POLE, 

BRUSHLESS, GEARLESS MOTOR TECHNOLOGY. 

 

 

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Telephone: +44 (0)1329 832068 

E-mail: info@teamhybrid.co.uk 

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MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE 

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Mayles Lane, Knowle 

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+ON TEST 

Volt 

Alpine 

The Alpine is one of a new generation of bikes 

from London-based Volt Bikes. With its pedalling 

sensor and thumb throttle controls, how does it 

perform off-road? 

For 2013 the Volt Bikes range, 

including city, hybrid, folding 

and mountain bike models, has been 

equipped with a new, updated version 

of their assist system. As before 

there’s a Bafang motor in the rear 

wheel, and the battery behind the 

seatpost sitting over a box containing 

the control electronics. Similar 

systems are available on bikes from a 

myriad of suppliers and at all sorts of 

quality levels, but there can be a deal 

of difference in the details. 

The quality looks really good here, 

and Volt also claim an exclusive 

on the motor controller. The new 

model is claimed to provide smoother 

waveforms to the motor, giving lower 

noise throughout the speed range, 

without any noisy resonance bands. 

The handlebar display is also more 

sophisticated in the latest version, 

and it can be programmed (by Volt 

or their dealers) to set all sorts of 

parameters for the drive, such as 

how much of a pedal turn you need 

to make before the motor cuts in 

automatically, or the target speeds for 

the different power levels. 

The bike now also features fully 

unpluggable and colour-coded wiring 

for the handlebars (display, thumb 

throttle and two brake cut-outs) for 

easy replacement if necessary. 

Our bike was fitted with a 16 Ah 

(36 V) battery pack, a £200 optional 

extra which replaces the standard 10 

Ah model. Spares cost £240 (10 Ah) or 

£390 (16 Ah). There’s a standard two 

year warranty including the batteries. 

So how does it go? I took it for some 

relatively mild (but inevitably muddy) 


ON ON TEST: Volt Ezee Alpine Torq 

off-roading. One reason for not going 

too crazy was that the Alpine was 

fitted with ‘hybrid’ tyres – with some 

tread, but basically fairly smooth for 

on-road use, and so not as grippy as 

properly knobbly ones on mud. 

First impressions of the bike 

aspects were good: the grips are 

super comfortable and the hydraulic 

brakes are powerful and positive. 

The forks certainly took the edge off 

impacts, too. 

Our bike was set up so that the 

motor would kick in after half a pedal 

stroke or so, unless you pre-empt it 

via the thumb throttle. When it does 

there’s a strong push and a light buzz – 

I think it probably is somewhat quieter 

than most Bafang systems, and such 

noise as remains is fairly low pitched. 

It was interesting to watch the 

Watts readout on the display: it 

would often go well above 400W 

as I accelerated or climbed steeply, 

falling back below the expected 250W 

‘continuous rated’ limit for more 

steady riding. Perfectly legal to have 

higher peaks, and I’m sure it’s the 

same on many other bikes, too. It’s 

just that not many have a Watt-meter 

on their display! 

And that power did make for an 

exhilarating experience on more open 

stretches – across rough grassland, 

for instance, the assist compensated 

superbly for the gradient and soft 

ground, meaning I could make really 

good progress and concentrate on 

finding the best line, rather than on 

the exertion. For this type of riding 

(or bridleways, forest tracks etc) the 

rotation sensor control works really 

well – as long as you keep pedalling 

there’s no need to hold the throttle. 

But it does mean taking some care 

for slower, more awkward stretches 

where you need to keep the bike 

balanced and just dab it forward with 

TOP: All of the handlebar 

wiring has colour coded 

plus for easy fault finding 

and replacement. 

ABOVE: The battery pack 

has an impressive 16 Ah, 

36 V capacity. 

LEFT: The Watts readout 

on the display is a nice 

touch. Note also the 

thumb throttle to the left 

of the display. 

little touches of pedalling. It’s best to 

keep one of the brake levers ‘feathered’ 

to activate the cut-out, so that the 

motor doesn’t give you an unexpected 

push. From very low speeds or from 

a standstill the motor can only do so 

much, so you’ll also need to use the 

gears to best advantage. 

On-road, the Alpine was a rather 

lively performer; the motor assist 

pushing you up to speed quickly and 

smoothly. Using it for commuting 

was fun, too – the wide bars and 

suspension really do make you feel 

you can just bounce over potholes if 

you have to. 

I’d favour a torque sensor bike for 

really technical MTBing, I think, but 

for general off-road or rough road use 

the Alpine would be a fine choice. 

Peter Eland 

Available from 

Volt Bikes and their dealers: see 

www.voltbikes.co.uk 

Review bike provided by Electric Bike 

Store: Tel 020 7378 4728 or see 

www.electric-bike-store.co.uk 

Designed in Derbyshire, 

built for the Peaks... 


juicy bike 

electric bikes 

FROM 

£849 


To find your nearest retailer, visit the website 

or call us on 

01663 308 409 Tues to Sat 10.00 - 4.00, or on 01298 214 040 10.00 - 5.00 


+ELECTRIC MTBS 

Electric mountain 

biking: round-up 

Alongside the models we’ve reviewed on the 

preceding pages there are many other notable electric 

MTBs available. Here’s just a brief selection… 

» Haibike 

Haibike from Germany, now 

distributed by Raleigh UK and with 

several dealers, produce a number 

of MTB models intended for serious 

off-road use. We tested one, supplied 

by Justebikes, in Electric Bike Issue 3. 

All are powered by Bosch crank drive 

systems. The 2013 range includes one 

‘29er’ hardtail, the £2750 Xduro RC29 

(29ers have larger wheels than most 

MTBs, which many say helps them 

roll easier over bumps) and two full 

suspension models, the Xduro FS SL 

(also £2750) and a top end model, 

the Xduro All Mountain at £4150, 

weighing just over 20 kg all in. 

www.haibike.de 

» BH Emotion 

Spanish manufacturer BH have a good 

network of dealers in the UK, and 

they offer a full-suspension MTB in 

their ‘Neo’ range, the Jumper. Like 

the Neo Cross which we reviewed in 

Issue 4, it uses their silent, torque 

sensing hub motor system and a 

battery which slots ‘invisibly’ into the 

downtube. Looks like a good choice 

if you want to be very discreet about 

your off road electric assist. Prices are 

at the higher end of the scale. 

www.bh-emotion.co.uk 

» Kudos Bikes 

The Kudos range of relatively 

affordable machines has several 

new arrivals for 2013, including four 

hardtail MTB models. This includes 

a torque sensing model, the Arriba, 

with hub motor, as well as the crank 

drive (with rotation-sensor control) 

Ibex, both for £1295. They also note 

that their £1095 Tornado has its BPM- 

Bafang motor optimised for torque at 

low speeds, ideal for hill climbing and 

off-roading. Pictured here is the Ibex, 

which also features Tektro hydraulic 

disk brakes front and rear. 

www.kudoscycles.com 

» Electric Goat Bikes 

Steve Punchard of Electric Mountain 

Bikes is something of an electric 

mountain bike pioneer, and he’s been 

supplying electric MTBs since 2007. 

Now moved to Somerset after several 

years in North Yorkshire, he can add 

electrics to existing MTBs or offer one 

of his ‘Electric Goat’ range. These use 

motors from Heinzmann or Gruber 

Assist – the latter concealed within 

the bike’s seatpost and driving the 

cranks through bevel gears. 

www.electricgoatbikes.com 


IROUND-UPI 

Electric mountain biking: lessons learned 

» KTM eRace P650 

This bike is new for 2013 and just 

missed a proper review this issue: 

it’s among the first to use the new 

Panasonic 250 W rear motor drive 

system, which operates at an 

unusually high 47 V (most bikes use 

36 V). 

It also uses the 650B tyre size, 

somewhat larger than the usual 26" 

(559) MTB wheels. First reports from 

dealers are very promising indeed, 

and we’ll hope to get one in for a full 

review soon. 

www.ktm-bikes.at 

So what have we learned from riding these 

electric MTBs? Here’s a few brief thoughts… 

I may be biased by my own lack of skill 

and fitness, but I think electric MTBs will 

probably have limited appeal to the young 

and fit who love the jumps, stunts and 

general more radical aspects of mountain 

biking. Too expensive, too heavy. 

They’ll appeal much more to those looking 

to mountain biking for access to trafficfree 

trails, scenery, nature and the fun of 

descending – but without wrecking the bike, 

the trail or the rider! 

I think crank drive does have the edge 

for more technical riding: in low gear it 

gives you huge torque to pull yourself out 

of trouble. Good hub drives come close, but 

can’t quite match this. 

Completely silent hub drives are a 

particular pleasure out in the silence of 

nature. 

Torque sensing drives makes low-speed 

mountain biking much easier, simply because 

of the more intuitive control they give. 

But if you can keep speeds up to 

reasonable levels, then torque sensing 

doesn’t make much difference, and a simple 

rotation sensor motor control will still take 

the hard work out of climbs and claggy 

surfaces. 

Aside from electric assist, the bike 

bits matter. Choice of tyre makes a huge 

difference. Good brakes are a necessity. 

Mountain biking is fantastic but your bike 

doesn’t half get dirty! Factor in somewhere to 

clean it, and time for maintenance. 

Overall, I’m convinced that electric 

MTBs have a big future. As I said in the 

introduction, a visit to an electric mountain 

bike hire location, or to a dealer equipped 

with a demo fleet, would be well worth it 

before investing in a bike yourself! 

Peter Eland 

Autumn 2010 Electric Bike 3

+ON TEST 

Beatbikes 

Beatbike 

We review the spectacularly 

lightweight and affordable 

£499 Beatbike. It certainly looks a bit 

different – but can its performance 

transcend its tiny wheel size? 


ON TEST: Beatbikes ON TEST: Ezee BeatBike Torq 

T 

he Beatbike is imported by 

Beatbikes of Newcastle upon 

Tyne, and it’s their first 

product in the electric bikes 

field. There’s a single model, with a 

rider weight limit of 95 kg and a one 

year warranty, for £499. Carry case 

and strap, tool kit and charger are all 

included. Currently it’s available only 

from Beatbikes direct by mail order. 

It’s described on the packaging as 

a ‘recreational electric bike’. This set 

a good tone for me: it’s not making 

unrealistic claims. My experience of 

other very small-wheeled bikes has 

been a mixed bag: all definitely have 

limitations, but many have been 

surprisingly enjoyable and useful. 

Let’s see where the Beatbike fits in! 


Our Beatbike arrived boxed, as it would 

for many customers. Assembly was 

straightforward: there’s very little to do 

except unfold it, pump up the tyres and 

put it on charge. In case anything else 

does need tweaking or tightening it 

comes with a basic mini toolkit. 

The folding alloy frame is finished 

in a tidy sparkly silver. The welding 

and general finish isn’t stellar, but it’s 

hard to complain for the price and it 

all looks solid and competent. 

A key feature of the Beatbike is 

its very small wheels. The 12½" x 

2¼" (203 x 57) size is unusual for an 

adult bike, but tyre spares are easily 

available as it’s a standard fitting. 

There isn’t much space between the 

spokes, though, so the inner tubes 

have bent valve stems for easier 

access with a pump. It’s still easiest to 

use an adaptor tube, or even a shock 

pump, to inflate. 

Up front, the wheel hosts both a disk 

brake and the 180 W electric motor. I’m 

not a huge fan of the ‘squash the tube 

flat and drill a hole’ school of forming 

front dropouts (where the axle bolts 

into the forks), but it’ll do the job. 

Certainly better than a super-cheap 

suspension fork, anyway! 

At the back, there’s just a single 

speed sprocket on one side and an 

enclosed band brake on the other. At 

this price point I was happy to see no 

complicated gears: best keep it simple. 

The handlebars have comfortable 

ergonomic grips to offer palm support 

(hooray – many more expensive bikes 

could learn from this!). They also 

house a fairly standard electric assist 

control with off/on, three power 

Specification 


14 kg 

Battery weight: No data – not 

easily removed. 

Bike only weight: n/a 



Charge time from empty: 

3 hours. 

Battery type: Li-Ion. 


hours (6 Ah 24 V). 

Gearing: Single speed. 52T ring, 

12T sprocket. Ratio around 40". 

Brakes: V-brakes. 

Lighting: None. 

Other accessories fitted: 

mudguards, stand. 

Price as tested: £499. 


+ON TEST 

ABOVE: The folding process is 

simple enough, and it’s made 

easier by the way the bike stays 

upright throughout, supported 

by its kickstand and then by the 

metal bracket below the cranks. 

LEFT: The carry bag (with extra 

shoulder strap not shown here) is 

included as standard. When not in 

use it converts to a backpack so 

you could carry it with you. 

levels and a battery charge display. 

There are electrical cut-out contacts 

on both brake levers. 

The cables from the handlebar are 

neatly braided, though it looks as if 

the ends are closed with electrical 

tape rather than the more traditional 

and possibly more durable heatshrink. 

The 24 V, 6 Ah battery is concealed 

within the rear section of the frame. 

There’s a charging point on the side of 

the frame tube, protected by a rubber 

cap. The cable exiting at the top of the 

frame doesn’t look very well sealed by 

its grommet: I hope there’s internal 

waterproofing too, and a drain hole or 

vent, as the frame tube slopes down so 

any water that does get in will trickle 

to the back. None was obvious. 

Weight as tested was very close to 

the manufacturer’s figure of 14 kg. 

» THE FOLD 

There are several stages to the 

Beatbike’s fold, but it’s easy enough to 

do. First you fold the support behind 

the saddle: the pin pulls out against 

spring pressure to release the hinge. 

This lets you fold the saddle down 

backwards. 

Next, undo the quick release at the 

centre of the bike, and guide it so 

it slides down the slots in the side 

plates, bringing the handlebars down 

and back as you go. Now you can 

undo the handlebar quick-release and 

pull out each handlebar end, and fold 

them down. The finishing touch is to 

fold the pedals. 

If you’re transporting the bike 

any distance it might be worth using 

the supplied carry case – both for 

protection and to keep other luggage 

clean. It’s good to see this included 

as standard, and it’s a neat design, 

converting into a backpack when 

not in use. Zips are chunky, and it 

feels well made. I did find it a bit of a 

struggle to get the Beatbike in at first, 

but once you manage it’s a compact, 

snug fit. A shoulder strap is also 

provided for easier carrying. 

» THE RIDE 

The BeatBike is very much a ‘pull 

you along’ sort of machine, with the 

pedals for emergencies or help on 

hills – and starting off, because the 

electric assist doesn’t kick in for a 

pedal turn or so. Then there’s a buzz 

as it pulls you up to speed, and you 

need to keep turning the pedals 

(without necessarily exerting any 

effort) to keep it running. If you 

stop pedalling it cuts out – but not 

especially quickly, unless you also 

pull a brake lever a little to activate 

the cut-out. Otherwise it’ll propel you 

on for a good fraction of a second, 

which can be disconcerting at times. 

Top speed is claimed to be 12 mph, 

a little slower than most UK e-bikes 

(15 mph is more common) but it feels 

fast enough on the Beatbike: bear 

in mind this is a short hop machine 

anyway. The range is ‘up to 25 km’ or 

15 miles per charge. I did get rather 

less than this typically, but it’s been 

cold weather for testing (all batteries 

have lower capacity in the cold) and 

I’m at the top of the allowable (95 kg) 

weight range. The lighter you are the 

better for this bike – with small, wide 

tyres, the efficiency drops right off 

when they’re squashed down, and a 

lighter rider should get much better 

range. 

One question in every rider’s mind 

was ‘how do the small wheels cope 

with potholes?’. Surprisingly well 

is the answer. You obviously take 

some care to avoid the worst of them 

as you ride, but the sort of typical, 

unavoidable bumps and broken 

surfaces we encountered didn’t prove a 

problem. The Beatbike just rolled over 

it all, with the fat tyres soaking up a 

lot of vibration, and cushioning any 

larger impacts on edges. 

Unfortunately all of this comfort 

has the downside that if you turn the 

electric assist off, riding the Beatbike 

unassisted isn’t particularly efficient 

or fast. Even for our 5' 6" model, let 

alone for me at 6' 2", the saddle at 

its maximum extension was way too 

low, meaning pedalling risked aching 

knees. So the lesson is to stick to 

motor assisted riding, and don’t run 

out of battery! 

Talking of battery life, it really is 

quite restricted; the price you pay 

for the light weight and its in-frame 

location. It did take me to work (5 flat 

miles away) but didn’t make it back 

home before expiring. Then again I’m 

heavy and it was cold, so maybe the 

maker’s claim of ‘up to 12 miles’ isn’t 

out of order. If I’d taken the charger 

with me, of course, using it for a five 

mile commute becomes more possible, 

from a charge point of view at least. 

Uphill the BeatBike goes fairly well, 

though on steeper hills you’ll need to 

add significant pedal input if you’re not 

to bog down and stall, and again the 


ON TEST: Beatbikes ON TEST: Ezee BeatBike Torq 

saddle height makes that problematic 

over any significant distance. The 

saddle, incidentally, doesn’t look very 

wide but I found it comfortable to sit on 

without pedalling. 

Going back down the hills, we found 

the brakes surprisingly capable, and 

the front disk brake especially had 

some welcome bite. The handling was 

secure enough to feel comfortable 

if you don’t build up truly excessive 

speed – which the soft tyres don’t 

really permit anyway most of the time. 

Our model found the Beatbike a 

real joy to carry and manoeuvre, in 

comparison to many electric bikes we’ve 

tried. It’s super easy to lift up steps, into 

car boots, cupboards or the like! 

» CONCLUSION 

As electric bikes go, the BeatBike is 

both remarkably affordable (£499) 

and remarkably light (just under 

14 kg). Of course, achieving each 

of those figures has entailed some 

compromise. For the price, you get 

finish and components which are 

rather basic in places, if functional, 

and you only have a single speed (no 

gears). For the weight, look to the 

small wheels and smallish 24 V, 6 Ah 

battery (concealed within the frame). 

But Beatbike have managed, to a 

large degree, to turn these limitations 

into virtues by combining them with 

a folding frame. It all hangs together 

well: the small wheels enable a small 

folded package, which will fit easily 

into a car boot or across the back 

seats . In most cars, two or even three 

BeatBikes would be no problem. The 

HIGH POINTS: 

Folds to compact 

package: get several in 

a car boot 

Easily lifted even by 

less strong riders 

Copes surprisingly well 

with rough roads 

Carry bag 

LOW POINTS: 

Short range 

Power slow to cut out 

after you stop pedalling 

Limited pedal only 

performance 

Modest build and 

component quality 

Not silent 

GOOD FOR: 

Budget buyers who 

need a folder they 

can lift 

Non-pedalling riders 

Short trip users 


Beatbikes: see 

www.beatbikes.com or 

phone 0191 491 4175 

light weight means it’s easily lifted in 

or out of said car (or boat, or camper 

van etc). The small battery goes with 

the small wheels and limited gearing: 

given the second two factors, this 

isn’t a bike you’ll be making great long 

journeys on anyway. So limited battery 

range isn’t a problem, and the lack of 

saddle height for a ‘proper’ pedalling 

position may not be a major issue. 

I see the Beatbike primarily as an 

add-on to other forms of transport; 

it’s certainly not a replacement for a 

full-sized e-bike for longer trips, but 

it fits the bill for short hops when you 

want to go faster and with less effort 

than walking. You definitely don’t 

want to be too ambitious on your 

journey length and run out of power. 

So who is it for? Caravanners 

looking for easily stowed transport for 

trips to a village shop, perhaps? Urban 

commuters needing to cover the last 

few miles from a train station? Parkand-riders 

looking to get some exercise 

for the last leg of their commute? All 

are possible Beatbikers! 

Peter Eland 


+ON TEST 

Hero Eco 

A2B 

Hybrid 24 

With its distinctive frame and sophisticated 

electronics, the £1999 A2B Hybrid 24 from Hero Eco 

stakes a claim at the high end of commuter electric 

bikes. Can its performance live up to its looks? 


ON TEST: Hero ON Eco TEST: A2B Hybrid Ezee Torq 24 

Hero Eco is part of the 

world’s biggest cycle 

makers, Hero Cycles of 

India. They acquired 

established electric bike makers 

Ultramotor in early 2012, and now 

promote the electric bikes under two 

distinct sub-brands: Fast4ward (mostly 

using Panasonic crank drives) and A2B 

(using direct drive hub motors). 

Alongside the £1999 Hybrid 24 

reviewed here, A2B offer the Metro 

with 20" wheels (£2499). This has 

a similarly chunky frame and tyres, 

and both benefit from a two year 

standard warranty which includes the 

batteries. 

Spare battery packs (36 V, 9,5 Ah) 

cost £499. Custom side panniers to fit 

the rear rack are also available as an 

optional accessory (from £49) with a 

rack base which also allows you to use 

many other panniers. 

Hero Eco have a network of over 50 

dealers covering all but the far north 

BELOW: The display 

console is neatly and 

solidly mounted to 

continue the lines of the 

angle-adjustable stem. 

RIGHT: The connector 

for the battery is a good 

quality type with a 

threaded collar to lock it 

into place securely. 

of England: see their website to locate 

your closest. They have distributors 

in many other countries, too. 


With its sculpted aluminium frame, 

wide tyres, suspension forks and the 

almost fuel-tank like battery pack 

there’s definitely a hint of motorbike 

design cues about the Hybrid. But 

it is of course still a bicycle, and I 

rather liked the look: it has strong 

futuristic lines, and the detail is 

good too. See, for example, those 

tidy mudguard supports, or how well 

the display console is integrated 

with the stem. All of the cables run 

internally, protected from damage and 

contributing to the clean visual effect. 

The battery pack slides neatly and 

firmly onto the back of the frame, 

rattle-free and locking into place 

with a positive click. There’s a high 

quality screw-locking connector at 

the back of it, under the frame, and 

you can in theory plug this to charge 

the pack on the bike. I found this 

tricky, as there’s little ‘slack’ in the 

cable to allow the plug to move far 

enough to come free from the socket. 

Easier to unlock the battery pack and 

slide it backwards a little – or remove 

it altogether and charge it off the 

bike. The charger supplied gives a 

fairly fast charge: A2B say up to 80% 

in two hours, and 100% in five. 

There’s a small tubular rack over 

the battery, but I’m not really sure 

how much use this really is. It's only 

rated to 10 kg, and you could maybe 

mount a rack pack on top. But if you 

want to fit normal panniers, generally 

the best way to carry luggage by 

bike, you'll need the optional adaptor. 

Specification 


28.5 kg 

Battery weight: 4.05 kg 

Bike only weight: 24.45 kg 



Battery type: Sanyo Li-Ion. 


hours (36 V 9.5 Ah). 

Gearing: 8-speed Shimano 

Alivio derailleur gears. 44T 

ring, 12-32T sprockets. Ratios 

36-95". 

Brakes: Avid BB5 mechanical 

disk brakes. 

Lighting: front LED, rear LED. 

Other accessories fitted: 

mudguards, carrier rack, 

stand, bell. 

Price as tested: £1999. 


+ON TEST 

This would make the bike rather 

more useful for utility riding such as 

shopping, though that weight limit is 

still very low. 

Right below the battery pack is 

the back wheel, housing the fairly 

large motor system. This is of the 

direct drive gearless type, in which 

the moving part is driven directly by 

magnetic coils in the hub shell. Such 

systems tend to be completely silent 

in operation, and this one is too. It 

can also operate ‘in reverse’ to provide 

regenerative braking, recharging the 

battery as it slows you down. This 

is a fairly gentle effect, triggered 

when you half squeeze the brakes. It 

slowed the bike smoothly, but not very 

powerfully. 

The pedal drive is via a mid-range 

Shimano Alivio derailleur transmission, 

with a single chainring, complete with 

chain protectors each side to keep 

your trousers clean. The top run of 

the chain is also well shielded by the 

frame and a guard sheet. 

The rack mounted battery and 

rear motor give a definite weight 

bias towards the rear of the bike, but 

this is noticeable more when you’re 

wheeling the bike than when you 

ride it. It’s not the easiest bike to 

lift; not just because of the weight 

(we measured 28 kg) but also because 

there’s no particularly easy place to 

grip the frame around the balance 

point. However A2B have designed 

in a very useful handle at the rear of 

ABOVE: There are some 

long weld seams on the 

frame, but the result 

is a rigid bike to ride. 

The chain is also well 

protected so your trousers 

stay clean. 

BELOW: The display 

console turns on at the 

touch of the key fob, and 

the blue backlit display is 

visible even at night. The 

‘click knob’ control on the 

left makes a nice change 

from the usual buttons. 

the battery pack so it’s easy to lift 

the back of the bike. They’ve also 

fitted a strong kickstand to a purpose 

designed mounting plate at the rear 

wheel, and the bike stands up well 

on this. 

Looking up to the front of the 

machine, it’s the handlebar set-up 

which grabs the attention. The angleadjustable 

stem is smoothly contoured 

and it leads neatly up to the control 

console, which sits perfectly centred 

above the bars. 

This console is a clever box of tricks. 

It eschews the usual set of buttons 

in favour of a little knob on one 

side, which you click round to scroll 

through the power modes and other 

options. It takes a few rides to get 

used to, but then I came to like its 

minimally cluttered interface. 

First, though, you need to turn 

the thing on. Here the Hybrid has 

a rather unique trick. Instead of a 

key, there’s a little fob which you 

just touch against the display to turn 

it on or off. Then the display lights 

up with its clear blue backlighting. 

Battery status and which (if any) of 

the three power modes is engaged are 

always shown, while the large central 

display can be scrolled through speed, 

trip distance and the like. The power 

modes control the torque sensor type 

drive, setting by how much your 

pedalling effort is amplified. There’s 

no throttle, so you do have to pedal 

and put in some effort! 

The bars also host the trigger shifter 

for the gearing, and brake levers (with 

motor cut-off contacts) which operate 

the mechanical disk brakes. These 

are Avid BB5s, not a bad brake but it 

would have been good to see the next 

model up, the BB7, used instead on a 

£1999 bike. Much easier to adjust and 

generally better regarded. 

Finally, LED lights are fitted 

front and rear. These are controlled 

automatically via a light sensor to 

operate whenever it dark, and they’re 

powered off the main battery. 

» ON THE ROAD 

My first impression of the Hybrid 24 

was that it felt superbly solid on the 

road: it proceeds without any rattles 

or drama, even over the potholes and 

rough tarmac of winter roads. Those 

fat tyres and the front suspension 

really soak up the bumps, while the 

frame feels completely solid beneath 

you. That bulky stem keeps the 


ON TEST: Hero ON Eco TEST: A2B Hybrid Ezee Torq 24 

handlebars rigid, too, so it feels like a 

reassuringly flex free ride all round. 

Add power to the pedals and the 

motor joins in smoothly, boosting you 

up to speed easily. It felt like a really 

powerful assist, negating the weight 

of the bike and making for an easy 

ride. On hills it was also impressive: 

in bottom gear and with a bit of pedal 

effort it would tackle all I could find. 

And it did so in total silence: I really 

couldn’t hear any motor noise at all, 

just the tyres and gears. 

The battery will be more than 

sufficient for any sane person’s 

commute; only really serious hills 

might challenge it. Because of the 

torque sensing drive you’re always 

contributing anyway, so the motor 

never has to do all of the work. After 

a few ten-mile commutes to my office 

and back (fairly flat, heavy rider) the 

battery was still over half full, and 

that’s in the cold of winter, when 

batteries always perform less well. 

The console is really nicely placed 

over the bars, and while you do 

have to lift a hand to change modes 

by twiddling the knob, it’s not 

I really couldn't hear any motor noise 

at all, just the tyres and gears. 

HIGH POINTS: 

Smooth, silent ride 

Good lively assist 

Neat design, clever 

console 

Fast charge 

LOW POINTS: 

Bit on the heavy side 

Charge point a bit 

awkward to get to 

Won’t take standard 

panniers 

GOOD FOR: 

Stylish commuters 

Design connoisseurs 

Those who want to pedal 

but with assistance. 


A2B dealers: Tel 01242 

807 420 or see 

www.heroeco.com for 

details of your closest. 

something you need to do often. It’s 

also no problem even with gloves 

on. The backlight keeps the display 

visible at night, too. 

Apart from an occasional squeak I 

couldn’t really fault the brakes: they 

stopped the Hybrid with good power 

and feel. The gears too worked as 

they should, and the range was about 

right: low enough for the hills and 

high enough to get well above the 15 

mph power assist limit. 

All in all the Hybrid delivered an 

enjoyable ride. Some of the other 

people who tried it – especially 

perhaps the shorter and lighter ones 

– were a little more concerned about 

the size and weight of it. But once on 

the bike, few had any complaints. 

» SUMMARY 

The Hybrid 24 is an impressive beast. 

Fit and finish is really excellent and 

while the looks may not appeal much 

to cycling traditionalists, I find 

them striking and contemporary. It’s 

smooth, sophisticated and rolls along 

with real composure. The bike is 

perhaps a little on the heavy side, but 

so long as you don’t have to lift it it’s 

not really that obvious. 

The bike’s technology was polished 

and well integrated, with only a very 

slight whiff of overkill in the ‘touch 

key’ on/off, which didn’t strike me 

as an especially useful advance. You 

could just as well have a key on your 

keyring as the touch fob. But it’s clever 

and it worked. The little twist knob to 

control the power modes and menus 

was also an interesting innovation; 

good to see a manufacturer breaking 

away from the crowd. 

If you’re after a solid, smooth 

and silent e-bike, the Hybrid 24 

would be worth a close look. It’s not 

a conventional bike in a number 

of ways, but don’t let that put you 

off. Life would be boring if all bikes 

were the same, and the innovations 

employed here do all work to produce 

an enjoyable ride. Give it a go! 

Peter Eland 

Mission trike fitted with 

Sunstar crank drive kit 

Specialized Sirrus fitted with 

Oxygen kit 

For electrical conversion of 

bikes, trikes, tandems, folding 

bikes & recumbents 

OFFicial agents FOr: 

• Batribike 

• Powabyke 

• Mission Cycles 

• Conv-e kits 

• Sunstar crank drive kits 

• Oxygen kits 

tel: 015395 35786 

www.bespoke-ebikes.co.uk 

Moulton bicycle fitted with 

Conv-E kit 

Kentex trike fitted with 

Conv-E kit 

Parent cOmPany: Ashleigh Engineering 

Services Ltd, Unit 20, Airfield Approach Business 

Park, Moor Lane, Flookburgh, Grange-over- 

Sands, Cumbria LA11 7NG. Tel 015395 59195 

www.ashleighengineeringservices.co.uk 

Windcheetah recumbent 

trike fitted with bespoke, 

custom engineered electric 

assist system 


+ON TEST 

Klimax 

Hase Bikes 

What, you might well ask, is that? The answer 

might just be the most futuristic electric bike 

we’ve ever featured. Can the Hase Klimax define 

a new category of weatherproof, comfortable 

commuter vehicles? We tried it to find out… 

Hase Bikes in Germany are a well 

established supplier of all sorts 

of unusual cycles, and also of a rather 

excellent set of cycle adaptations for 

people with disabilities. With their 

Klimax 2K, which complies with all 

of the usual electric bike legislation 

(250 W, 15 mph) they’re ambitiously 

aiming to create a new class of 

vehicle with more weatherproofing, 

comfort and performance than a bike, 

but still staying orders of magnitude 

lighter and less ecologically damaging 

than a car. 

Sadly, it isn’t cheaper than a car, as 

the UK recommended retail price is 

£4945. Ours was also supplied with the 

additional ‘Poncho’ (an extra £150). 

Hase have several UK dealers, and a 

Klimax could be ordered through any 

of them. As we go to press, however, 

the only demonstrator machine in the 

country is at London Recumbents in 

Dulwich Park. 

The machine is based around 

one of Hase’s trikes, which offers a 

comfortable mesh seat, drive to both 

back wheels via a differential, and 

twin disk brakes. To this has been 

added a Protanium front wheel motor, 

with a 10 Ah, 26 V battery pack 

tucked in a holder below the seat, and 

a basic handlebar display attached 

to one handlebar end. Spare battery 

packs cost an astonishing £610. 

So far, it’s a conventional enough 

electric-assisted trike. The unique 

addition for the Klimax is the folding 

fairing. The idea is that if the weather 

is favourable you can simply ride the 

trike bare, with no fairing to obstruct 

your view, or to get in the way as you 

get on or off. Then, if rain threatens, 

you can unzip that rear bag and attach 

the fairing in seconds. This keeps 

most of the weather off your body and 

legs, and will be fine for showers. For 

heavier rain you can add the poncho, 

which attaches on to the rear edge of 

the fairing and covers your body, with 

a hole for your head. There’s a fabric 

splashguard to prevent water reaching 

you from below, too. 

It all adds up to an impressively 

ABOVE: The battery is 

neatly mounted low down 

on one side. 

BELOW: Either edge of the 

fairing quickly detaches 

for getting in and out. 

weatherproof package, and you stay 

remarkably dry and warm within 

the fabric ‘cocoon’. Even without the 

poncho the fairing keeps the cold wind 

off you. I was happy riding in moderate 

rain wearing just a fleece, and 

generally it frees you from needed to 

wear ‘special clothes’. And the fairing 

is superbly designed and made: it clicks 

together in instants and collapses back 

down into its bag in seconds. One ‘edge’ 

can simply be clicked off to allow you 

to get in and out. 

On the road, once you’ve dodged 

the questions from bystanders, the 

Klimax will be a revelation in comfort 

for those who haven’t tried this format 

of trike before. Sitting in the seat your 

neck and wrists are relaxed, and the 

steering is very light and easy. 

The electric assist is of the rotation 

sensor type, so it only kicks in after 

half a pedal stroke or so. After that 

it’ll carry on putting in whichever 

level of power you’ve selected on the 

control console so long as you keep 

moving your legs – there’s no need to 


ON TEST: ON Hase TEST: Bikes Ezee Klimax Torq 

put in any effort. The motor was quiet 

but not silent. It pulled smoothly, but 

even at top power it seemed a little 

lacking in ‘grunt’, and pedal assistance 

was needed on significant hills. 

So does it all add up to the urban 

transport revolution Hase are hoping 

for? For me it didn’t really hit the 

spot. The main reason was nothing 

to do with the trike itself – it was 

more that I didn’t dare leave it parked 

unattended around town, ruling it 

out for most of my journeys. I also 

preferred to be anonymous on a 

more ‘normal’ bike. And perhaps it 

just seemed like overkill: for shorter 

urban trips the comfort aspect is less 

relevant, and it doesn’t rain so much 

here in York that occasionally wearing 

waterproofs is a problem. 

But I can easily imagine other 

circumstances when it would be 

just the ticket as a car replacement. 

Plenty of bike-friendly places in 

mainland Europe spring to mind. It 

could also work well in rural areas, 

perhaps for people going car-free 

who have longer distances to cover, 

and all weathers to cope with – and 

who have stopping places where 

casual vandalism is less likely. Or on 

tour, when getting wet can be more 

than an inconvenience, it could be a 

welcome shelter as well as a vehicle. 

It might also be very attractive for 

some more elderly riders. The seat is 

easy to get yourself onto and off even if 

you’re not so agile, and the protection 

of the fairing might be welcome for old 

bones which feel the cold. 

There are some criticisms to be made, 

though. With its small battery, basic 

control and moderate power delivery 

the electric assist system seems 

outdated, especially given the price 

of the Klimax. In other respects you 

BELOW LEFT: There’s 

a basic control for 

the electrics on one 

handlebar end. 

BELOW: The fairing keeps 

the weather off your legs 

and front. When not in 

use it tucks away into 

the bag between the 

rear wheels. Also note 

that lights, mirror and 

mudguards are all fitted. 

do get a lot of bike for your money: 

the trike chassis, and the fairing, are 

all beautifully engineered. But at 

£4945, the Klimax 2K is a significant 

investment in anyone’s book. This 

price pits it against a whole slew of 

transport competitors: from rail season 

tickets to small cars and motorbikes. 

Hase have won many design awards 

with the Klimax, and deservedly so. 

It’s extending electric bikes into new 

territory – it may not be for everyone, 

but it might just be a uniquely useful 

solution for some. 

Peter Eland 

» AVAILABILITY 

Manufacturer: Hase Bikes, Germany. 

Tel 0049 23 09 93770 or see 

www.hasebikes.com 

Hase have many dealers in the UK and 

beyond: see their website for details. 

Our test trike was kindly supplied by JD 

Tandems, Gargrave. Tel 01756 748400 or 

see www.tandems.co.uk. 

A demo bike is available at London 

Recumbents: Tel 020 8299 6636 or see 

www.londonrecumbents.com 


+FIRST LOOK 

The Sunstar electric 

bike conversion kit is 

unusually versatile, 

fitting at the cranks and 

offering a lively torque 

sensor-controlled ride. 

We tried it pre-fitted to a 

Dahon Briza folding bike. 

Sunstar iBike SO3 

The kit comes in three main parts: 

First is the 3.2 kg motor unit, which 

comes with a choice of chainrings (39, 

42, 48 or 52T) and fixing hardware. 

Then there are three battery options, 

using cells from Sony or Panasonic: 

2.5 Ah (seatpost mount), 9 Ah (bottle 

style) and 16 Ah (rack mounted), all at 

24 V and including mounting racks and 

hardware. An 11 Ah bottle style pack 

is ‘coming soon’. Finally, the handlebar 

control is a simple one with just on/ 

off, battery level LEDs and power mode 

buttons. It would be nice to have a 

more informative display as an option. 

The crank fitting means that the 

Sunstar can be used on bikes where 

hub wheel conversion kits might not 

work so well. This includes various 

tricycles and cargo bikes, and any 

machine where the wheels are already 

‘occupied’, perhaps with hub gears or 

hub dynamos. 

For this first look, we tried a well 

used Sunstar demonstrator: a Dahon 

folding bike fitted with the system by 

the distributor, and using the large 

16 Ah battery in its purpose made 

rack. This didn’t affect the bike’s 

folding action, though it made the 

folded package somewhat larger. The 

motor also prevented the seatpost 

fully extending down through the 

frame, as it could on the unmodified 

bike. This was not a problem for me as 

a taller rider, but it also adds to the 

folded size. But sometimes you just 

have to accept minor disadvantages 

to get major benefits… 

And the Sunstar did deliver! With 

a gentle buzz it amplified my efforts 

smoothly and responsively, working 

just as a good torque sensor drive 

should to make the rider’s legs feel 

supercharged. It still feels like normal 

cycling, but without such an effort. 

The bike’s three speed hub gear 

didn’t offer a huge range of ratios, 

but with electric assist to help it was 

more than adequate for the modest 

hills at my disposal around York: I 

BELOW: The Sunstar kit fits neatly below the 

bottom bracket on the Dahon frame. 

still had to do a bit of work, but the 

strain was taken out. At the other 

end of the speed spectrum the limited 

gear range meant I was spinning 

the pedals rather to exceed 15 mph 

when the assist fades away. As 

your pedalling speeds up, the noise 

increases in pitch, but that’s the case 

with any crank drive I’ve tried. 

We’ll look forward to a longer test 

in due course, but first impressions 

are very positive. It all seemed well 

made, and I liked how the battery 

charger connector clicks into place 

magnetically – a nice touch. 

Prices vary according to 

configuration but as a basic example, 

the motor with 9 Ah bottle battery 

would be around £1150. That’s a fair 

bit more than for non torque sensing 

hub motor kits (which have their own 

merits of course) and it’s close to the 

cost of some complete crank drive/ 

torque sensor bikes. Then again, might 

it not be more rewarding to fit the 

Sunstar to a valued existing machine 

and extend its – and your – cycling? 

Peter Eland 

Manufacturer: www.sunstaribike.com 

UK distributor: Sparticle: Tel 01223 

926111 or see www.sparticlebikes.com. 

Dealers able to fit the system include 

The Electric Transport Shop, Bespoke 

eBikes and others. 


Sunstar iBike SO3 & Juicy ON Bikes TEST: Classic Ezee 2013 Torq 

Juicy Bikes 

Classic 2013 

We reviewed the 2011 Sport 

model from Derbyshire-based 

Juicy Bikes back in Issue 2, and the 

company’s emphasis on delivering 

affordable bikes with good quality 

and good backup seems to be working 

well. The bikes have evolved too, and 

Juicy were keen for me to try one of 

their latest machines which would, 

they promised, address all of the 

minor niggles I had two years ago. 

The main ones were the mediocre disk 

brakes, a rattling battery mount, and 

uncomfortable handlebars. 

Happily all three are now very 

much fixed. We tried a Juicy Classic, 

resplendent in a rather lustrous deep 

blue. Prices for these start at just 

£885, but ours was equipped with 

the optional ‘twist and go’ throttle 

for an extra £29. This has a little 

red switch below the throttle grip 

which activates or disables the 

throttle, handy to prevent accidental 

operation. 

The standard 10 Ah 36 V battery 

was fitted, but buyers can specify 

12, 14 or 16 Ah packs instead, adding 

around £100 for each 2 Ah step. 

The disk brakes are now a new 

model (and hydraulic disks are 

available as an upgrade too) and 

these are far better, biting well from 

the start and no rubbing. The levers 

very neatly incorporate cut-out 

BELOW: The 36 V battery 

fitted was the 10 Ah 

model but versions up to 

16 Ah are also available. 

ABOVE: The Classic gives a 

comfortable upright ride. 

sensors for the motor, so that when 

you pull a lever to start braking, the 

motor immediately stops. 

I certainly can’t quibble about 

handlebar comfort here, either. The 

wide swept-back bars put your wrists 

into a lovely relaxed position, and 

the synthetic leather grips are soft 

to the touch. There’s even a ‘tool 

free’ adjustable stem so you can set 

the angle as you prefer. It allows you 

to set the bike up for a comfortably 

upright riding position, with most of 

your weight on the saddle and with 

arms and back relaxed. 

On the road the motor kicks in 

automatically about half a rotation 

after you start pedalling, with the 

level set on the simple handlebar 

control. It cuts out pretty quick when 

you stop, too, or immediately with a 

half squeeze of the lever. 

There’s plenty of power from the 

Bafang motor to whisk you up to 

speed. It’ll need some pedal help on 

the steepest of hills, but most it’ll 

just power up. There’s a buzz to it 

when the motor’s going, but nothing 

you’ll hear over traffic. Oh, and the 

battery didn’t rattle once! 

Complete with lights, rack, 

mudguards and even a very effective 

two-legged kickstand, the Classic 

could be just the job for anyone 

looking for affordable electric 

transport with a touch of elegance. A 

few years of evolution have seen Juicy 

come up with a really rather refined 

vehicle, with an attention to detail 

which I really like. Look at the colour 

matching, the tidy cable runs, the 

understated graphics. It’s all good! 

Peter Eland 

Juicy Bikes: Tel 01663 308409 or see 

www.juicybike.co.uk. Dealers are listed 

on the website. 


+E-BIKE BASICS 

ELECTRIC BIKE BEGINNER GUIDEI 

Electric Bike 

beginner guide 

If you’re new to electric bikes, the sheer range on offer can be mindboggling. 

So how should you go about choosing the right bike for you? 

Over the following pages we’ll aim to guide you through the maze. 

We’ll add to this guide each issue with regular updates. 

How to buy an electric bike 

Once you’re all fired up about the idea of electric bikes, perhaps from 

reading this magazine, what’s the next step? Read on... 

First 

Before all else, seek out your closest 

specialist dealer, by which I mean a 

dealer who stocks a good selection of 

electric bike brands. To do this check 

our map on page 42: you may have to 

travel, but it’ll be worth it. Definitely 

ring first to ensure that they’ll be 

ready to devote some time to you, and 

have bikes ready to try. 

When you do buy, the backup of a 

reasonably local dealer is invaluable, 

especially in the event of anything 

going wrong. They’ll also be able 

to carry out any modifications or 

servicing you can’t do yourself. 

Alternatively, attend one of the 

events listed on page 6. These are also 

excellent opportunities to try several 

different electric bikes at one visit, 

and to talk to experienced electric 

bike dealers and users. Most of these 

events are free to attend and include a 

test track where you can try the bikes. 

Beginners are especially welcome. 

Another option is electric bike 

hire – a chance to ride for several 

hours, usually on car-free trails in 

the countryside. Again see our map 

on page 42, or search online for ‘UK 

electric bike hire’. 

The reason for suggesting test rides 

as the very first step is simple: no 

amount of research can substitute for 

first hand experience riding several 

different bikes. Your preferences may 

not be the same as mine, or another 

reviewer, and only you can decide 

what works for you. And the way to 

find out is to try. 

ABOVE: Specialist dealers 

will have a good range of 

bikes for you to try. Here 

Onbike in Kidderminster 

show some of their bikes. 

PHOTO: Velo Solex via EBC 


-bikes 

e-bikes with style. 

Cobra 

£835 

SPARE BATTERY £198 

Cobra is the entry level bike of the Kudos Performance range. Considering the low 

price point, the style and quality of components is still at a high level. A true value 

for money bike. 

Shimano 21 speed gears 

Jak mechanical disc brakes front & rear 

Bafang 250 watt motor 

Lightweight Samsung 10.4Ah ‘Bottle style’ LiMnO4 battery 

Thumb throttle 

Tornado 

£1095 

Tornado is the most economical way to experience the power of the BPM motor in 

a lightweight frame, A bike most suited to undulating terrain with the occasional 

very steep hill. Nicknamed the ‘Bad Boy Bike’ at Kudos, very powerful! 

Shimano Acera 24 speed gears 

Shimano mechanical disc brakes front & rear 

Powerful BPM Bafang motor 




Arriba 

£1295 


Arriba is the most intuitive of any e-bike I have ridden. The German engineered 

‘Thun-RT’ pedal torque sensor faithfully reproduces a sports and very smooth riding 

style plus additional power, a rider’s bike. 

Shimano Alivio 27 speed gears 

German ‘Thun’ RT pedal torque sensor 

Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes, front & rear 

Powerful BPM-CST Bafang motor 



Ibex 

£1295 

Ibex is the bike selection if all your riding is in a hilly area. The crank drive combines 

motor and leg power efficiently through the bike’s gear system to ride with maximum 

torque up the steep hills. The bike is the first of a new range of Kudos crank drive 

bicycles. It has a very compact motor package and the highest quality level of 

equipment. 

Shimano Alivio 9-speed gears 

Centre motor - 250w (crank drive), 60nm 

Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes front & rear 



All prices include 20% VAT 

Kudos 

CYCLES 

Unit 4, St. Augustine’s Business Park, Estuary Way, Swalecliffe, Kent CT5 2QJ, UK 

Tel. 0044 (0) 1227 792792 Fax. 0044 (0) 1227 794888 www.kudoscycles.com



More types: motors 

As well as the main distinction 

between torque sensing and 

rotation sensing, it’s also 

useful to know about the two 

main motor types. 

Second 

You really should test ride the two 

basic types of electric bike: 

A bike with ‘torque sensing’ 

control. This means that rather like 

power steering on a car, the electric 

assistance amplifies any effort you 

put into the pedals, making you feel 

like you have superhuman legs. This 

type feels just like a normal bike, but 

with a tailwind. You do need to be 

putting some effort (which generates 

torque, which the sensor measures) 

through the pedals, though, before 

you’ll get any assistance from the 

motor. So you can’t just sit there and 

let the motor pull you along: instead 

you’re definitely going to be getting 

some exercise, but without the strain. 

Often favoured by people who have 

done a fair bit of unassisted cycling, 

or those looking for fitness benefits 

from their electric ride. Prices start 

around the £1000 mark, however. 

A bike with ‘rotation sensor’ 

control. This means that the motor, 

when it kicks in, does so at a set 

level, and it continues until you stop 

pedalling or squeeze the brakes. It’s 

the rotation of the pedals which 

controls when the motor operates. 

You don’t have to be actually putting 

an effort into pedalling, you can just 

be waving them round. Many of these 

bikes also have a throttle, so you can 

just sit there and be pulled along, 

ideal as a ‘get me home’ mode if you 

run out of puff. You can pedal too, 

of course, and get quite a workout, 

especially if the motor assist is set at 

a low level – but this can take a little 

discipline! This type of machine is 

available at all price points. 

This is the key distinction in how 

bikes operate, and the ride sensation 

is so different between the two that 

I really would recommend trying 

both. If not, and you don’t try the 

type which grabs you, you’ll be really 

missing out. 

It’s always puzzled me, incidentally, 

why no manufacturer has a model 

which offers both modes, so the user 

could switch between them. Maybe 

next year? 

PHOTO: Batribike 

Geared motors are used in 

most hub motors and all (I’m 

fairly sure) crank drives. A 

fast-spinning motor (usually the 

‘brushless DC’ type) is geared 

down within the hub or drive unit 

so that the output matches the 

speed of the wheels or cranks. 

This helps the motor operate at 

an efficient speed, and the motor 

can be smaller, too. 

The downside is that there’s 

inevitably some noise from 

the meshing of the gear teeth. 

Hubs are usually more noisy 

than crank drives, but in recent 

models the noise level is really 

pretty low for both. 

Gears can, of course, wear 

out, but this doesn’t seem to 

be much of an issue in modern 

drives. Good ones are well sealed 

and the gears run in internal oil 

baths or long lasting grease. 

Direct drive motors don’t 

have any gears involved at all. 

There’s a ring of magnets inside 

the hub shell, and a ring of 

coils attached to the axle, with 

just a small air gap between 

them. As the coils are energised 

they pull the magnets round. 

There’s no physical contact 

and so these drives tend to be 

completely silent. 

One possible drawback is that 

at very low speeds they can have 

limited power, although modern 

control systems are getting 

ever better in this respect. They 

also tend to require large hubs, 

which can be problematic when 

building small wheels, and have 

typically been a little heavier 

than geared hubs (but again 

development is reducing the 

weight). Finally, they tend to be 

at the higher end of prices. 

Examples include systems from 

BionX, Falco, Storck-Raddar, BH 

Emotion ‘Neo’ and others. 


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Third 

There may not be a third. If you’ve 

tried out the two main types, and 

been directed by a dealer you trust 

towards a bike that’s within your 

budget which you like, buy it! 

If however you’ve taken test rides 

at the dealers close to you and still 

don’t think you’ve tried the right 

bike, it might be time to cast the net 

wider. After some test-rides you’ll 

probably now have a better idea of 

what you want from the bike, so 

you can draw up your own short-list. 

Then, you can either seek out dealers 

who stock those specific bikes – 

more travelling – or contact the 

manufacturer or UK distributor. They 

may well be able to suggest either a 

dealer or some other opportunity to 

test ride. 

Alternatives 

If for whatever reason you’ve not been 

able to go and test ride bikes, buying 

by mail order remains an option. Most 

suppliers now send their bikes almost 

fully assembled in large boxes, so all 

you need to do is add the pedals and 

secure the handlebars. One tip: don’t 

try to lift the bike out of the top of 

the box. Instead, cut away one end 

and roll it out. Much easier! Some 

even deliver in person instead. 

Buying at a distance does mean 

you’re relying on your supplier 

for good backup. Choose a well 

established company and check 

them out online if you can for other 

customers’ reviews. 

Second-hand 

Buying electric bike second-hand can 

be a good way to test the waters at 

an affordable price, but I’d hesitate 

to go down this route unless you 

have some experience with bikes or a 

knowledgeable friend who can help. 

With enough research you may well 

be able to pin down the approximate 

age of a bike from just a picture. 

Much over two years old and you’re 

likely to have to factor in the cost 

of a new battery before long, as the 

original may well have lost a good 

part of its ability to hold charge. 

Check that compatible replacements 

are available before you buy! 

Bikes with the Panasonic drive 

system are especially safe bets in this 

respect – there are many suppliers who 

can get spares. For this reason they 

hold their value well, though, which 

is great for sellers, not so much for 

buyers! In general do try to stick to 

well known and still trading brands. 

Conversion kits 

If you have a valued existing bike, it 

may be a good idea to add an electric 

assist kit to it, rather than buy a 

whole new bike. This is especially the 

case if the bike is unusual in some 

way or modified, so a direct electric 

replacement may not be available. 

Kits are available at all price levels, 

with both torque sensing and rotation 

sensor controls, and as either crank 

drives or hub motors. We’ve reviewed 

several in the magazine. Again, please 

do test ride both types first – then 

choose which you want in kit form. 

Most of the electric kit suppliers 

now prefer to work through dealers, 

who supply the kits and fit them 

– and then provide service and 

warranty support. Very few bikes 

can’t be successfully converted. 

If you’re technically minded and 

confident you can of course fit kits 

yourself, too. 

But whatever you do please, please 

don’t buy a cheap conversion kit from 

Ebay. The motors may be OK (or not) 

but I’ve heard far too many horror 

stories about batteries or controllers 

which fail in short order. Then the 

seller is unobtainable. For very little 

more you can get a basic kit with 

a reliable one year warranty from 

established UK suppliers. 

PHOTO: Ave Bikes via EBC 


THE 

FAST4WARD 

RANGE 

HIGH PERFORMANCE 

ELECTRIC TWO-WHEELERS 

WWW.HEROECO.COM

+LETTERS 

From Simon Lord 

I was diagnosed with Multiple 

Sclerosis (MS) in 1986, and the 

increasing effects of the condition 

dramatically reduced my ability to 

carry on my sporting activities – 

until I discovered e-bikes! I first 

bought an Urban Mover Glider and 

then a Wisper Sport. These bikes 

made such a difference to my life 

that in April 2012 I took my e-bikes 

to the MS conference in Manchester, 

and introduced fellow suffers to the 

benefits of the bikes: independence, 

well being and increased health. 

I then completed two charity 

rides, the Over Edge Charity Cycle 

of 29 miles in the Pennines, and the 

Greater Manchester City Cycle, two 

13 mile laps through the city. 

A new challenge was needed and 

I found out that the MS Society of 

America hold their annual cycle ride 

around Manhattan Island, New York 

on a 30 mile route on closed roads. 

With entry through the British MS 

Society and minimum sponsorship 

required, I decided that this ride 

could be possible. 

Thanks to support from friends 

and family, later that year my wife 

Kim and I arrived in New York and 

after some logistical challenges 

finally I joined 5,000 other cyclists 

for an incredible ride around the 

whole perimeter of Manhattan on 

such a beautiful day. 

I was riding my Wisper Sport with 

14 Ah battery. At around 14 miles 

my legs were becoming tired but 

with some energy drink and food I 

managed to reach the rest area at 

20 miles. After 15 minutes of rest I 

continued and met up with Kim who 

was filming the event. After a short 

chat I continued the remaining nine 

and a half miles back to the finish 

at Pier 94. Kim was there to film 

me crossing the finishing line in a 

time of two and half hours. The only 

problem I had was a very painful 

neck and shoulder. 

I felt that I could have ridden 

an even greater distance but it was 

still a fantastic opportunity to take 

part in such a worthwhile cause and 

to prove that with determination 

challenges like this can happen. I’m 

now intending to do more rides back 

in the UK and to get more involved 

with organisations promoting 

cycling for people with disabilities. 

I would urge anyone with MS or 

similar conditions to try an e-bike – 

it’ll change your life! 

If you’d like to support Simon in 

his fundraising please contact us 

and we’ll pass on your details to 

him. 

From Adam Drever, Isle of Skye 

I’m looking to buy an electric bike 

and live in a remote rural area. 

Miles per charge is therefore a most 

important consideration. I have 

sleuthed about six or so models 

which claim 65 miles/charge. I say 

‘claim’ as these are figures coming 

from dealers and/or manufacturers. 

But I am looking for independent 

assessments and I am struggling! 

Can you advise? 

And two other questions if I may: 

One of the bikes on my shortlist 

comes only in a cross-bar style frame. 

Step-through would be my preference 

for ease of getting off and on, 

especially if I need to get off fast. 

But are cross bar frames more stable 

in your view? I have heard they are 

and am in a pretty windy location! 

I see from past reviews that you’re 

especially keen on Magura hydraulic 

rim brakes. Would you recommend 

avoiding V-brakes? 

Range isn’t just a figure you can 

quote and expect to be accurate. 

Into a Skye headwind and up a 

hill, it will be maybe a quarter of 

the range or even less than you’d 

get on the flat with no wind. And 

rider input also varies at least as 

much, as does rider weight. So it’s 

impossible to say for sure how far 

you’ll go on one charge without all 

of the specifics, and even then it 

would be a guess. 

Battery capacity is the best 

ballpark guide. Bigger (more 

Watt-hours) means longer range; 

simple as that. Or, just get the bike 

you most enjoy riding and if you 

find range is too short, buy a spare 

battery and carry it with you. 

Cross-bar frames are structurally 

more rigid, but modern aluminium 

low-step frames are good too 

nowadays: manufacturers often 

hydroform the tubes to provide 

strength and rigidity in the right 

places. I wouldn’t worry too much 

either way performance-wise. It 

might be more of an issue when 

riding hard unassisted uphill 

(when you might feel the frame 

flex) but that’s less of an issue 

with electric bikes. If ease of on/ 

off matters, then go for a stepthrough 

bike. 

Magura brakes have a lovely feel 

to their action and can be lower in 

maintenance long term compared to 

cable brakes, especially perhaps in 

sea air. But V-brakes are absolutely 

fine too, and every bike shop will 

be familiar with them. This is not 

necessarily the case with Maguras! 

From Adil Zayani, by email 

I notice some bikes sport 26" 

wheels, while others use 28". What’s 

the significance of wheel size? 

It’s no big deal. 28" (also called 

700c) is traditional road bike 

size, while 26" is the traditional 

mountain bike size. But you can 

get MTB tyres for 700c, and road 

tyres for 26", so either size can be 

used fine both on or off road. 

26" wheels are marginally 

stronger in theory, but the quality 

of wheelbuilding is probably a 

more decisive factor than size. 

If you’re very tall, 28" wheels 

might look in better proportion; 

similarly 26" wheels usually look 

better on small frame sizes. Using 

26" wheels also makes the bike a 

touch shorter overall too, which 

might be handy if you’re carrying 

it across the back of a small car. 

Thank you for your letters! 

If you have a query or a comment, 

please do send it along. You can 

e-mail to peter@electricbikemag. 

co.uk, send messages by post to 

the editorial address (see page 2) 

or by fax to 01904 692800. If you 

can include a picture, please do! 


www.beba-online.co.uk 

BEBA certies only the best 

and most reliable suppliers in 

the UK and is continuously 

active in promoting the use 

of electric bicycles. 

British Electric 

Bicycle Association 

Member 

For further information 

please visit our web site or contact 

membership@beba-online.co.uk 

for a membership pack. 

{ 

Certified members offer 

1st class after sales support 

Comprehensive spare parts inventory 

Bikes that meet European legal requirements 

Manuals for all bikes 

Resolution procedure through BEBA 

Technically competent staff 

Full maintenance and servicing 

Pre delivery inspection on all electric bikes 

Buy with confidence buy BEBA

HIRE 

5 

7 

HIRE 

6 

24 

35 

1 

2 

32 

31 

9 

5 

36 

8 

6 

24 

9 

28 

34 

33 

7 

HIRE 

29 

16 

35 

30 

1 

2 

32 

31 

27 

3 

14 

8 

17 

34 

12 

13 

33 

28 

18 

29 

16 

27 

4 

20 

30 

to 23 

19 

3 

14 

17 

12 

13 

18 

4 

20 to 23 

19 

15 

25 

15 

25 

26 

Electric 

Bike’s 

dealer 

locator 

26 

Welcome to this issue’s 

dealer locator! 

Specialist dealers are 

simply the best way for 

most people to buy bikes: not only 

can they provide expert advice 

and test rides to help you choose, 

they’ll also be there to provide 

regular servicing and warranty 

backup to keep your bike on the 

road. 

To make it easier to locate 

a local shop we’ve sorted the 

listings by county. 

This isn’t a comprehensive 

list: the shops listed are featured 

because their participation helps 

support this magazine. As readers, 

please support them too, and do 

mention Electric Bike if you call. 

Finally, if you’re an electric 

bike dealer and would like to be 

listed or featured in next issue, 

please do get in touch! 

Map outlines courtesy of www.comersis.com 

England: 

01 Avon Atmosphere Electric Bikes (Bristol) 

137 St Georges Road Bristol BS1 5UW 0117 

9087153 www.electricbikes.org.uk 

Long established e-bike centres with a stunning 

range of brands, workshop, demo area at superb 

prices. 

02 Avon The Electric Transport Shop 

St Gabriel’s Bus. Park St Gabriel’s Rd Bristol BS5 

0RT 0117 955 2271 

www.electricbikesales.co.uk 

10+ major brands stocked, conversions, custom 

builds, repairs. Ask about 10 year battery 

warranty, e-bike hire, more. 

03 Berkshire Velospeed 

The Old School House, Ambury Road, Aldworth 

Reading RG8 9TQ 01635 579304 

www.velospeed.co.uk 

Bikes from Daum, Batribike and Velospeed. Try 

out our bikes in the quiet Berkshire countryside. 

04 Cambridgeshire The Electric Transport Shop 

Hope Street Yard Hope Street Cambridge CB1 3NA 

01223 247410 


Ten+ major brands stocked, conversions, custom 

builds, repairs. Ask about 10 year battery 

warranty, e-bike hire, more. 

05 Cornwall Axcess-Electric-Bikes 

at P C Tonkin & Son, 77 Fore St, Bugle, St Austell, 

PL26 8PD. Tel 01726 850241 

www.axcess-electric-bikes.co.uk 

Electric bike specialists with bikes from Axcess, 

Freego, LifeCycle, Batribike, 3e, Byocycles and 

more. 

06 Cumbria Bespoke E-Bikes 

Unit 20 Airfield Approach Bus. Pk. Moor Lane 

Flookburgh LA11 7NG 015395 59195/35786 

www.bespoke-ebikes.co.uk 

Electrical conversions, engineering projects, 

repairs and more. Agents for Batribike, 

Powabyke, Conv-E, Oxygen. 

07 Cumbria Electric Cycle Centre Penrith 

Auction Mart Lane, Penrith CA11 7JD 

01768 864775, 07593249065 

www.electriccyclecentrepenrith.co.uk 

Sales, repair and hire of electric cycles. Dealers 

in:BH Emotion, Lifecycle Byocycle ,Kudos, 

Tonaro and Freego bikes.Close to M6 Jnc 40 and 

train station. 

08 Derbyshire Juicy Bike 

5 The Colonnade Buxton SK17 6AL 

01298 21 40 40 www.juicybike.co.uk 

Best kept secret: style, quality and excellent 

value. Great range available, all under £1000. 

09 Devon Axcess-Electric-Bikes 

Unit F, Reme Drive, Heathpark Industrial Estate, 

Honiton EX14 1SE 01404 41692 



Freego, LifeCycle, Batribike, 3e, Byocycles and 

more. 

10 East Sussex E-BikesDirect 

c/o MTF Enterprises Ltd, Unit 6, Midicy Oast 

Bodiam Business Park Bodiam TN32 5UP 01580 

830959 www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk 

Quality bikes, low prices, assembled delivery, 

finance, test facilities, London showroom now 

open. 

11 Hampshire Team Hybrid 

Unit F3, Knowle Village Business Park, Mayles 

Lane Knowle PO17 5DY 

01329 832068 www.teamhybrid.co.uk 

UK distributor for Falco E-Motors. Dealers for 

Raleigh, Ultra Motor, Wisper E-Bikes. 

12 Hampshire E-Bikeshop Alton 

Crank Cycles 84 High Street, Alton GU34 1EN 

01420 544999 www.e-bikeshop.co.uk 

Crank drive specialists, bikes include Raleigh and 

Haibike, years of experience. See dealer feature. 


D E A L E R S 

13 Hampshire E-Bikeshop Petersfield 

Bike Shack, R/O 40 Dragon Street, Petersfield 

GU31 4JJ 01730 266644 www.e-bikeshop.co.uk 

Crank drive specialists, bikes include Raleigh and 

Haibike, years of experience. See dealer feature. 

14 Isle of Wight Axcess-Electric-Bikes 

Unit 6, Lake Industrial Way, Newport Road, 

Sandown PO36 9PL 01983 407049 



Freego, LifeCycle, Batribike, 3e, Byocycles 

and more. 

15 Kent Lean Machines 

36 Kirbys Lane Canterbury CT2 8AG 

01227 811 717 www.leanmachines-kent.co.uk 

We offer quality electric 2 wheelers: innovation 

and attention assured! Come and see us! 

16 Leicestershire 50cycles (Loughborough) 

Unit 21, Gordon Road Loughborough LE11 1JP 

0800 0288 116 www.50cycles.com 

New 50cycles showroom, headquarters and 

workshop. Test ride bikes from our entire range. 

17 Lincolnshire Batribike 

Kellaway House, Marton Road Sturton-by-Stow 

Lincoln, LN1 2AH 01427 787774 

www.batribike.com 

Main showroom, workshop and campsite. Try out 

our bikes in the quiet Lincolnshire countryside. 

Camping available on site April-October. 

18 Lincolnshire Elecgo Electric Bikes 

Greenacres, Marsh Lane, Barnetby DN38 6JW 

01652 680643 www.elecgoelectricbikes.co.uk 

Specialist electric bike dealer. Try our bikes on 

quiet rural lanes. 

19 London 50cycles (London) 

82 Hill Rise, Richmond upon Thames TW10 6UB 

London 0800 0288 116 www.50cycles.com 

Test ride electric bikes from Kalkhoff, Oxygen, 

Freego and Gocycle in nearby Richmond Park. 

20 London Cycling Made Easy 

18 Chipstead Valley Road Coulsdon London CR5 

2RA 02086 608823 

www.cyclingmadeeasy.co.uk 

21 London E-bikesdirect (London) 

14 Ingate Place Battersea 

SW8 3NS www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk 

Quality bikes, low prices, assembled delivery, 

finance, test facilities, London showroom now 

open. 

22 London Electric Bike Store 

Axe and Bottle Court, 70 Newcomen Street 

Southwark SE1 1YT 0207 378 4728 

www.electric-bike-store.co.uk 

Try the UK designed Volt range with full 2 year 

guarantee at the ACT Bike Shop of the Month 

2012! Full service and quality accessories. 

23 London The Electric Transport Shop 

183 York Way London N7 9LN 0207 4822892 


Ten+ major brands stocked, conversions, 

custom builds, repairs. Ask about 10 year 

battery warranty, e-bike hire, more. 

24 Merseyside Wirral Electric Bike Shop 

N&C Jetski Ltd, The Workshop, Virginia Rd, New 

Brighton Wallasey CH45 2LH 0151 691 006 

www.ncjetski.co.uk 

Demonstration bikes available: Batribike, Freego, 

Solex, Ave. 

25 Norfolk Electrifying Cycles 

2 Church St Cromer NR27 9ER 01263 513 631 

www.electrifyingcycles.co.uk 

Large range of quality electric bikes for sale or 

hire: brands include Solex, EBCO, 3E and Freego. 

26 Norfolk Transport Electric 

16 Longs Industrial Estate, England Lane 

Gorleston NR31 6NE 01493 603388 

www.transportelectricuk.com 

27 North Yorkshire Cycle Heaven 

2 Bishopthorpe Road York YO23 1JJ 01904 

636578/651870 www.cycle-heaven.co.uk 

Your classic all round bike shop, but well known 

for utility roadsters, folders and electric bikes. 

28 N. Yorkshire North Yorkshire Electric Bikes 

Knaresborough, near Harrogate. Tel 07946 

702266 www.ny-bikes.co.uk 

Wide range of quality electric bikes. Personal 

service and escorted test rides in safe locations. 

29 Nottinghamshire Powered Bicycles 

50-52 Main Street Long Eaton 

NG10 1GN 0115 9727201 

www.poweredbicycles.co.uk 

Unique range developed by us combining torque 

and rotation sensors in one bike! 

30 Oxfordshire The Electric Transport Shop 

125 Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RJ 

01865 243937 www.electricbikesales.co.uk 

Ten+ major brands stocked, conversions, 

custom builds, repairs. Ask about 10 year 

battery warranty, e-bike hire, more. 

31 Somerset Reaction Electric 

84 Priory Bridge Road Taunton TA1 1QA 01823 

274444 www.reactionelectric.co.uk 

Latest models from Raleigh, Wisper, Peugeot, 

Ultramotor, Storck, Fast4ward, EBCO and more, 

plus great bikes from Gepida and Flyer. 

32 Somerset Electric Mountain Bikes 

Glastonbury 01458 550304 

www.electricmountainbikes.com 

Very powerful custom-built e-bikes & 

conversion kits. MTB/Hybrid, commuting, 

folding, tandems. Electric Goat, Heinzmann, 

Gruber, BionX. 

33 Tyne & Wear The Electric Bike Shed 

307-309 Tedco Business Works, Henry Robson Way 

South Shields NE33 1RF 0191 4274739 

www.theelectricbikeshed.co.uk 

trish@sportsrecycler.co.uk 

Suppliers of Oxygen, Dawes and Freego electric 

cycles. Contact us to book your Saturday test ride! 

34 West Midlands Atmosphere Electric Bikes 

18 Chequer St, Bulkington Coventry CV12 9NH 

02476 490339 www.electricbikes.org.uk 

Long established e-bike centres with a 

stunning range of brands, workshop, demo area 

at superb prices. 

35 Worcestershire Onbike (Kidderminster) 

Unit 330, Hartlebury Industrial Estate 

Kidderminster DY10 4JB 01299 25 15 14 

www.onbike.co.uk 

Electric bike superstore with over 20 

demonstration bikes. Unbiased expert advice 

on all the major brands. 

Scotland: 

36 Fife The Scottish E-Bike Centre 

1-9 Plantation Street Lochgelly KY5 9LP 01592 

780528 www.ebikescotland.com 

Full range of Synergie & Alien road legal and off 

road bikes and conversion kits. 

Dealer Feature 

CYCle HIre aND HOlIDaYS 

E-bikeshop, Hampshire 

Crank Cycles, 84 High Street, Alton 

GU34 1EN (Tel 01420 544999) and 

Bike Shack, Rear of 40 Dragon St, 

Petersfield GU31 4JJ (Tel 01730 266644) 

www.e-bikeshop.co.uk 

At e-bikeshop we specialise in crank 

driven electric bikes. 

Having sold electric bikes for several 

years now, we have dealt with a 

multitude of different makes and 

models. 

Experience has taught us that the 

Raleigh and Haibike eBike ranges are 

the best of the bunch; the German build 

quality and excellent reliability proving 

that they are worth the extra money 

over cheaper hub-drive alternatives. The 

specifications and efficiency of them 

truly is second to none. 

Come down to see us for a coffee and 

a natter, and have a go yourself: you’re 

guaranteed to be inspired! 

PHOTO: Nick Haslam, courtesy of Marshwood Trails, West Dorset. www.marshwoodtrails.co.uk 

HIRE GoEco Electric Bike Holidays 

Eyon Cappamore Co Limerick Ireland 

00353 61 381427 

www.goeco.ie 

Ireland’s electric bike specialists with 

over six years’ experience, trained 

technicians & world leading brands 

to facilitate the electric bike holiday 

experience. 

HIRE Cumbria Electric Bikes Appleby 

c/o Midland Hotel, by Appleby Station, 

Appleby CA16 6TS 

www.appleby-cumbria.co.uk 

We have two electric bikes for hire at The 

Midland Hotel by Appleby railway station: 

www.themidlandhotelappleby.co.uk. The 

line connects with Carlisle in the north and 

Leeds in the south. Explore our quiet county 

lanes in the beautiful Eden Valley. 

Book at www.appleby-cumbria.co.uk 

Hire an e-bike! 

There’s no better way to 

get the feel of electric 

cycling than to go out 

for a proper long ride, 

and hiring electric bikes 

in the countryside’s most 

beautiful landscapes is the 

perfect opportunity! Why 

not give it a try? 

We hope to expand this 

listing for future issues: if 

you run a hire or holiday 

company, please just 

contact us for details! 


Issue 2 www.electricbikemag.co.uk 

01 Cover2.indd 1 11/03/2011 11:46 

01 Cover3.indd 3 12/06/2011 10:22 

Subscribe to Electric 

Bike magazine 

If you’d like future copies of 

electric Bike delivered to your 

door, why not subscribe? It costs 

just £10 (including UK postage) 

for three issues. Back issues are 

also available while stocks last. 

TO ORDER: 

Reviews: four e-bikes 

Basics: reality check 

Report: Eurobike 

ON TEST: Wisper 906 Alpino Gazelle Orange Pure Innergy 

lJuicy Bike Sport 2011 Kalkhoff Pro Connect Disc 

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Order securely online: www.electricbikemag.co.uk 

Send a cheque (to ‘Velo Vision Ltd’) to Velo 

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Readers beyond the UK should order via the website. 

We can send Electric Bike to anywhere in the world! 

Introducing Velo Vision 

– Electric Bike’s sister 

publication 

The eclectic cycling magazine ISSUE 41 JUNE 2011 £6 

REVIEWS: 

ROTOVELO VELOMOBILE 

DAHON IOS XL FOLDER 

The publishers behind Electric 

JANGO FLIK FOLDER 

PAPER BICYCLE 

Bike have for the last ten years 

published Velo Vision, a premium 

subscription cycling magazine 

VISITS: 

REPORT: 

covering bikes for transport 

BURROWS, ICE 

SPEZI 2011 

and touring, with a particular 

emphasis on innovative and 

specialist designs. It’s an international forum for 

transport cycling culture and bicycle design. You can 

read much more (and there’s a free sample issue to 

download) on the Velo Vision website: 

www.velovision.com 

Want to try a sample copy? Simply add £1 to any 

subscription order and we’ll include a recent Velo 

Vision issue. Or send £3 for a sample copy by itself. 

r 

ELECTRIC BICYCLES 

ELECTRIC 

BICYCLES 

Buyers’ Guide - Technology - History 

The Complete Guide 

David Henshaw & Richard Peace 

Out Out mid now! December 

Everything you always wanted to know 

about electric bikes, with expert opinion 

on: 

* The different technologies 

* The latest models 

* Using and maintaining electric bikes 

* Their green credentials and their pros 

and cons 

And lots more... 

£12.95 - 256 pages - 170 photos, 

diagrams, graphs and tables 

ISBN: 978-1901464245 

Available online via 

www.electricbicyclesbook.com 

or through all good bookshops and 

selected bike shops 

Foreword by Dick Strawbridge

UM30 Elite Lite 

Urban Mover are proud to 

present the all new UM10- 

UM20 & UM30 for 2013 with an 

altogether different character. 

The most exciting Urban Mover’s 

in a decade. Sophisticated 

and bold designs. With smart 

technology that’s intuitive, 

innovative and always relevant. 

No other e- bike range looks like 

them, feels like them or rides 

like them. This new range is a 

quantum leap in the evolution 

of the Urban Mover brand. 

UM10 Elite Hybrid 

UM20 Elite City 

ELITE specification is the ultimate in Urban Mover sophistication and style. Offering 6 

power modes, torque sensor, efficient Japanese motor, battery analysis and onboard 

diagnostics with IP65 waterproof connectors. Pure indulgence. 

Exclusively distributed by 

Claud Butler 

P.O.Box 3, Bridge Street, Brigg, 

Nth Lincolnshire. DN20 8PB 

www.claudbutler.co.uk 

A division of Tandem Group Cycles Ltd. 

@claudbutleruk 

http://www.facebook.com/claudbutleruk 

www.claudbutler.co.uk 

w

B I K E S 

The KLIMAX of all-weather mobility! 

Ride to work in morning rain with the Foldable 

Fairing, and back home in the afternoon sun 

“with the top down”. With powerful electric assist, 

you can master even hilly stretches sweat-free. 

And always nice and dry: 

The KLIMAX 2K makes it possible. 

www.hasebikes.com 

yourspokes 

CYCLING MADE EASY WITH ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSISTANCE 

Built for the UK & Europe 

Electric Trikes also Available 

Stockists around the UK 

Dealer enquiries Welcome 

www.batribike.com 

British Electric 

Bicycle Association 

Building wheels with large electric hub motors often requires 

custom length spokes, especially if the wheel is a smaller 

size. I specialise in custom spoke cutting (using a Phil 

Woods machine) and wheel building as well as hub gear 

servicing. I am delighted to take on ‘tricky’ wheel builds for 

electric bikes! 

Dylan Thomas, yourspokes 

www.yourspokes.co.uk 

Unit 1 Franklins Yard, 28a Fossgate, York YO1 9T 

Phone: (0044) 07917 698749 Email: yourspokes@hotmail.co.uk 

Award Winning 

Electric Bikes 

An experience 

worth waiting for 

2 Church Street Cromer Norfolk NR27 9ER 

01263 513631 www.electrifyingcycles.co.uk

Most Exciting New Product 

Ranges to be Launched in 2013 

Powered by 

New 2013 Range 

Nationwide 

Delivery 

SWISS 

MADE 

Powered by 

AMAZING 

PRICES 

National Importer and Distributors 

01823 274444 ride@reactionelectric.co.uk 

For All Trade Enquiries Please Tel. 07581 888670 

‘ 

www.reactionelectric.co.uk

Amazing 

Electric Bikes 

Classic Electric 

Bikes from Wisper 

Something 

for the City? 

905Classic 

Grace Easy 

705Classic 

Something for 

the weekend? 

806Classic 

Grace MX 

Made in Germany, 

now available in the UK 

Designed in UK, 

now made in Germany 

Call Douglas on 01590 681553 

www.WisperBikes.com

Issue Six - Spring 2013 - Electric Bike Magazine

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