you should check your rim at around the spot where the puncture is. You wouldn’t have happened to have saved the previous tubes to see if they’re leaking at the same spot, did you? Definitely save this one, in case it happens again.
So I checked the rim and wheel real thoroughly, and then the bike shop guy did the same. It survived the night without deflating, so we’ll just have to see if the curse of the slow leak returns one day. If it does, I’ll definitely go into Sherlock Holmes mode.
After 34 years I finally got another bike. The people at the bike shop were very sweet but they were also teasing me. When I left they said “welcome to the 21st-century we’ll see you again in 30 years.”
I test rode a ridiculously fancy e-bike this weekend. Given that I haven’t bought a bike in over 20 years, it was quite an experience. Beside the huge expense, though, boy e-bikes are heavy.
They are heavy. I’m not sure what kind of bike rack on a car works for them. Certainly you wouldn’t want to hoist one overhead to load on top of a car.
It’s not a huge issue for me as I have stairless secure storage at both ends of my commute. But even just manoeuvering the 20+ kilo models while walking is a bit of a chore.
Probably going to try a Gocycle GX next to get a sense for the other end of the spectrum. Seems to be about as light and portable as you can get for a quality e-bike (other than a Brompton, which seems to have some issues as a 1st gen device). But I wasn’t planning on getting a folder.
My folding Thule rack can hold two E-Bikes at 27kg a piece, not that I own any though. I have loaded some on there however and they really are damn heavy. I laughed when the Thule rep included a loading ramp with my rack, but it certainly makes sense, particularly for the typical E-bike demographic. Are you in the States? The Küat racks look really solid and can hold two bikes at 60lbs each.
The Brompton seems really crude compared to what else is out there. Have you considered the Tern Vektron along with the Gocycle? I test rode the Tern last year and came away impressed.
And since you already tested a Riese & Müller recently: their Tinker model is pretty nice but it isn’t a full fledged folding bike (only the handlebar comes down, the frame itself is rigid), so that might be an issue on public transport.
The Gocycle appears to have quite a few proprietary solutions whereas the Tern relies more on common standards for things like rack and handlebar and is probably easier to deal with if you need any accessories or replacement parts.
There are a few more options for folding E-bikes on the continent, but i suspect you will want a manufacturer that has a branch in the UK. Otherwise, Hercules and i:sy have some nice folding electrics as well.
I did look at the Vektron, but it’s just way too heavy to make sense for a foldable. I might as well buy a full-size bike at that point.Similarly, if I’m going to buy a compact, it will have to be foldable, so that rules out the Tinker (and all of the Gocycle models other than the GX, in practice).
I doubt I will be getting a foldable though - 90% of my riding will be on the commute, and I can’t really see myself taking the bike on trips out of town often. But I did want to try one out to see for myself.
I see, makes sense. Just one suggestion if you are looking for a lightish Ebike: Ampler makes some normal looking and fairly light bikes. Not powerful enough for my lengthy and hilly commute, but a pretty nice concept and better looking than Van Moof imo.
Those Amplers do look nice and light. But a non-removable battery is a dealbreaker for me.
Eh, they aren’t all THAT heavy… I mean, my faraday weighs around 40 lbs. It’s certainly no carbon fiber racing bike, but it easily fits on racks and I can carry it up stairs.
Anyone have a new bike to talk about? I’m looking into the gravel genre which is exploding in popularity. Basically they are drop-bar bikes but with bigger tires and other tuning for comfort and grip on light trails and gravel. Here is the giant Revolt that I like (note those of us that think $600 bikes are a lot should not click through to see this mid-range bike).
Still waiting on mine to be built/delivered. Should be a week or two now.
Ok what did you order? For what kind of riding? Looking forward to a pic.
Ended up going for a slightly lighter and cheaper version of the one I mentioned test riding above. Test rode a few others but none had the same combination of features I was looking for. It’s a bit heavier and more expensive than I’d like, but I’m willing to trade that for ease of maintenance and build quality, given my circumstances. My only worry is if I change offices and no longer have secure ground level storage…
Ha! Just got an email from the bike store saying it’s arrived and I can pick it up tomorrow.
Oh, another e-bike!
How do you like it so far? My Faraday was probably one of the best investments i ever made.
I see it has a belt drive… That’s a really awesome feature. It’s basically maintenance free compared to a chain.
Yeah, the belt drive was one of the main reasons I went with the model I did - none of the others makes I was interested in had it as an option. Partly for the maintenance and partly to keep my trousers in good shape - I’m mainly using it for commuting.
Too early to really judge it (it’s a slightly different model to the one I test rode), as I’ve only ridden it home from the shop and then into work. Looking forward to giving it a proper run-out this weekend. But early signs are good. I do wish it were lighter though.