Tips for buying an e-bike

[ScratchyItchy]

I have decided to take the plunge and buy an e-bike to be able to do short journeys that I would otherwise walk or drive, and to be able to go out with my DC. I have no idea how to pick one! I would prefer an upright riding position, which I think they mostly are, and to be able to have a basket to carry my bag. I’m 5’5”, slightly overweight but reasonably fit, will buy through the cycle2work scheme and have a budget of up to £2000, ideally £1500. What can you advise me to look for when choosing one? Any suggestions gratefully received!

I'd recommend going along to your local bike shop and speaking to them. If you can share the general area you are in you may get responses of recommended shops.

Thank you @TheOneWithUnagi
Im in SE Cornwall- so lots of hills!
I think there is a Specialized shop in Saltash but I’m hoping to see other brands of bikes too.

I'm not a pro cyclist by any means but i loved the Gazelle Paris when I was looking for one. It has a Bosch battery so good for those hills.
In the end I decided I wanted a folding bike so I could put in the boot of car without worrying about bike racks etc. I got the Volt folding one - it's chunkier / heavier than other folding ones but I adore it. I'd look at Volt's other styles if I was to get another bike.
Happy cycling!

If you are reasonably fit why do you need an e-bike for short journeys? They are rather heavy and a standard bike will be less attractive to thieves and generally easier to get in and out of storage.

Make sure you get one with decent brakes. We bought a cheap-ish one from go outdoors and the brakes are in no way sufficient for the weight of the bike. Quite dangerous really.

https://wisperbikes.com/shop/e-bikes/step-through-ebikes/wisper-705-26/ I bought one of these last year when I sold my car and I love it, so easy to ride but you still need to put a bit of effort in on big hills. There is a local independent shop that stocks them and I was able to test ride a couple of different bikes before buying.

Penryn Ebikes shop - I've got a turquoise wisper love it - good after sales service and in your price range

Thank you all.
@BuckFadger I live at the top of a hill and it kills me cycling up it just with pedals, plus when it’s dry I could (possibly) cycle to work and not get there all hot & sweaty. I used to cycle to work but hated being sticky or having to go super slow to avoid the sweat.
@Notaflippinclue @NannyR @milski @You4coffee thank you for the recs & advice
The ones I think I want to try are one of the Volt ones, the Wisper and the Electra Townie 🤞

There's quite a lot to consider when it comes to buying an ebike. Obviously there is everything you need to think about when you buy a regular bike - style and material of frame, quality of components, and probably most importantly, fit - plus all the e bike specific things like range, type of motor, amount of torque, number of assistance levels and so on.
I think it was Colin Chapman who said something like "Cheap, good, light. Pick any two." He was talking about sports cars but that saying is definitely applicable to ebikes too! Prices have come down a lot in the last few years and there are plenty of very capable ebikes on the market around the price point you are looking at now. But they are generally heavy and some are very heavy.* *Obviously the weight matters less than for a regular bike because the electrical assistance will compensate for it, but it is still, in my opinion, worth going for a lighter bike if you can. Aside from the fact that once you exceed 25kph the assistance stops and you will really notice the weight then, most of us do have to lift our bikes at some point, whether that's into the car, onto a bike carrier, maybe up a few steps into wherever you store it or whatever. When I was looking for mine there were some that whilst I could ride them fine, there is absolutely no way on earth I could have lifted into my car. Obviously your lifestyle will dictate how important that factor is, but don't overlook it.
The other thing to consider is where you will charge it, as this may influence whether you opt for a bike with a removable battery or not. I keep all my bikes in the house anyway so charging isn't an issue but if you can't, or don't want to bring your bike indoors a removable battery might be best.
If you are going to be doing hilly journeys and you don't want to get sweaty then I would opt for a motor with plenty of torque. Generally mid drive motors are higher torque than hub motors. The downside is that they tend to drain the battery quicker so you either get a lower range or have to have a bike with a bigger battery which of course adds significant weight. But if you only plan on doing fairly short trips then you don't need a bike with a huge range so personally I would sacrifice range in favour of keeping the weight down.
Hope you find something that suits you.

I think it was Colin Chapman who said something like "Cheap, good, light. Pick any two." He was talking about sports cars but that saying is definitely applicable to ebikes too

That's a great quote and yes it's perfect for e-bikes.

My tip would be to look at weight. I love my e-bike but it's too heavy which makes it hard to put in my car and makes the ride feel heavy. It's got a brilliant range but I think I'd have preferred a lighter bike with a shorter range.
If I was buying again I would buy a lighter one that I could fold up then I could pop it in the back of my car and drive to places then have a cycle.

You really need to test ride them though. My normal bike has a lovely wide range of gears but my ebike doesn't and I find that a bit annoying.

Having said that the way the battery kicks in is brilliant, it feels smooth and it's a comfortable ride.

It's a Raleigh motus with hub gears and a women's frame.

One problem with weight is that you can have a light bike but if you need a lock you will need a ginormous heavy lock. Mine weighs a tonne.

Thank you so much for your fab advice @MrsAvocet and @WhatDaPoint .
I’ve seen that some bikes have a removable battery which I think is preferable as the bike will stay outside. Am I right in thinking that if I take the battery with me once I’ve reached my destination, then I don’t need such a huge bike lock? Apologies if this is a stupid question, I’m trying to get my head around it all!

Weight is a definite factor that I want to consider as taking kids out will probably involve transporting bikes to various locations. My reading around suggests that lighter weight = higher price so I might need to adjust my expectations!

I got a Giant Roam GTS e-bike on c2w scheme, cost about £2k - absolutely love it. Definitely got to a local bike shop and try some out for size

Yes, unfortunately lightweight does mean more costly. My e bike weighs 11kg of which 1.5kg is the battery. It was just about the lightest that was on the market at the time I bought it, though I think there might be some a bit lighter available now. But it cost a lot more than you are planning to spend because it has a carbon fibre frame and fairly high end, hence light components, and it's quoted range is only 70km (though I have had slightly more out of it) as it has a relatively small battery. By way of contrast my DH's e bike has a much greater range but a battery that weighs 3.7kg. Unfortunately you always have to compromise on something!
I guess removing the battery on arrival would probably make the bike less likely to be stolen, but it would depend on where you were I would think. Arriving at say home or work and then carrying the battery a short distance to a secure storage place would be one thing, but you're not going to want to carry 2 or 3 kg of lithium ion battery in your handbag all day - they are pretty bulky things and I'm not sure if it would be safe or not.
I have to confess I don't often carry a lock as I rarely leave my bike unattended but I have a gold rated chain lock that can be worn as a belt that I take if I have to leave my bike. It's really heavy and not massively comfortable but not as bad as having it in a backpack or something. You can also get locks you can fasten to the frame, which obviously add to the weight of the bike but many people find more comfortable.

Definitely get one from a store that is near you as they tend to need more servicing than a normal bike that you will need help with.

I would try a number of bikes before deciding and work out what is comfortable for you. I have a liv and absolutely love it.

Won't do your bike any good leaving it outside

Thank you all. I had meant to go looking this week but after the bank holiday work has been too busy 🙄
@Notaflippinclue i had read that they need to be treated like a puppy and the battery doesn’t cope well with cold & rain!

I thought I ought to give an update…bike still not purchased but I have tried a few now. The one I initially fell in love with the look of was the Townie Go, but I hated the riding position on it- I felt like I was on one of those Chopper bikes from the 80s! The Specialized Como rode like a dream but was so so heavy. The Specialized Turbo Vado was much lighter but also didn’t feel as sturdy. The one I think I’m going back for is the Trek Verve+ 1 or 2, I’m off for another test ride tonight but I’m pretty sold on the removable battery for charging plus in Turbo mode I felt like I was flying uphill!

I've been riding e-bikes for 9 years now, I've ridden "normal" bikes, 3 wheeled recumbent, folders and semi-recumbent tandem(!). Definitely get a removable battery. It lightens the bike for putting on a bike carrier, it means that the battery can be replaced if necessary (we often carry a spare battery when out in the Peak District where we regularly encounter gradients of 20% and above which chew through the battery in very short order).