Foldable electric bike

[roa312]

I am looking for foldable electric bikes for the boat with a decent range, low weight and at a cheap price . Maybe some of you have already been through the process of buying and can recommend certain brands or highlight what to look out for etc.?

Many thanks!

 

[ashtead]

What would you consider cheap though as the prices range considerably. Maybe Decatholon might be a starting point for prices?

 

[Bouba]

In all my research weight and cost are diametrically opposed.
Cheap e-bikes are very heavy. But there are other forms of transport that fit very snuggly in the lazaret, e-scooters for example.
An e-bike that came in two parts (rather than just folding) would be handy not just for weight but also for storage and man handling on and off the boat. But I’ve not come across one of those

 

[Hurricane]

Make your own.
Thats what I've done.



I first look for a non-electric bike that I like.
In this case, I like the old Sturnley Archer style gears because they are less likely to get damaged when we store the bikes in the crews quarters.
And not too expensive.
Some bikes are a bit like "designer clothes" - completely disproportionately expensive.
Then I buy the bits to make them electric.
In this case, I used front wheel drive so as not to affect the rear wheel's gear system.
Battery is a removable pack that slides under the rear pannier.
I don't bother with the handlebar controller - just a twist grip and a switch to isolate the motor.
Brakes have electric interlocks though.

We have been using electric bikes for years - one of the best things that we have bought.
Ours have a "street cred" of zero but they carry loads.
When we go to the supermarket, we can empty a full shopping trolley into two bikes.
Then the bikes go right down to the boat - no offloading in the car park - they take the shopping right up to the boat.

Most of the time, we keep them assembled and ready to go in our Paniol (Spanish for on site lockup/shed).
We have a total of 4 electric bikes in the shed.
When we go away cruising, the bikes go with us - great for getting around and shopping whilst away.

One trip away was the Valencia F1 where some on this forum will remember that we berthed the boat right next to the F1 race track.
After shopping (IIRC topping up the beers), my son and I couldn't resist riding the electric bikes back to the boat around the F1 circuit!!
I don't think I won!!

 

[sarabande1]

I have a couple of folding Bromptons on board which in themselves are excellent folding bikes and I'm considering fitting a Swytch electric conversion kit to them Brompton Electric Bike Conversion Kit | Swytch Bike

 

[LiftyK]

Here’s a great place to advise you on bike choice. Plenty of folding bikes reviewed. U.K. reviews.
Electric bike reviews

 

[Hurricane]

There is one balance to strike with any bike that you buy for a boat.
And that is the wheel size.
Small wheels are much harder to cycle than larger wheels.
Mine have always been 20" wheels which are probably too big for most boats but we can (just) fit ours into the crews quarters.

 

[Bouba]

You could store full sized bikes on the fly bridge if you have a crane and someone who can sew a protective cover for them

 

[IDAMAY]

We have Biocycles folding electric bikes. They are Chinese made and at the "cheap" end of the price spectrum. They have 20" wheels and I quite agree with the comments above. They are on the weighty side but we can lift them over the aft deck rails of the Trader 54.

Despite the relatively low price they are now coming up to six years old and still going strong. The only real problem we have had required the replacement of the handlebar controllers on both bikes.

We are thinking of going full size electric to add to comfort and extend cycling range.

 

[roa312]

Thank you very much for the responses everyone! We will have a look at all of the suggestions.

 

[ashtead]

In case of interest the Lite and Lite+ seem suited to boats at 15 and 18 kg respectively -maybe other forumites have some experience of these ?

 

[Bouba]

In case of interest the Lite and Lite+ seem suited to boats at 15 and 18 kg respectively -maybe other forumites have some experience of these ?

Just looked it up, very light but expensive. A pair of bikes in your lazaret with a few necessary extras will set you back three thousand pounds

 

[Sianna]

Shame electric scooters aren't legal, they would be ideal. We are still considering a couple

 

[Bouba]

Shame electric scooters aren't legal, they would be ideal. We are still considering a couple

Scooters are the perfect lazaret transport. A hook on the front means you can carry two shopping bags plus a backpack.
In France, scooters are now legal but the law has emasculated them almost to the point of uselessness (think man walking in front of car carrying a red flag)

 

[ashtead]

Yes I think the makers of the lite also do scooters - if looking for legal scooters i see there has been an outbreak of scooters on the Isle of Wight recently -popping up everywhere.

 

[freddyuk]

I am just looking at going the basic bike with electric retro fit kit. There are Aluminium folding 20" bikes for under 300 euro + tax/shipping. I assume they will not rot and be lighter than cheap steel. Made in Germany. The electric option is 1000 euro so lots of leeway for a kit.