Leicester Based Noob

[MIckJH56]

Hi.

Mick here, based on the edge of Leicester and just about to dip my toe into the world of EMTB-ing.

Long-story-cut-short: Knocked off my Voodoo MTB by a preoccupied mum on the school run in 2015 lead to a spell in hospital + abdominal surgery. A long slow recovery kept me out of the saddle until summer 2019, at 63 it nearly killed me ... fitness gone completely.

I see an EMTB as the way forward so will be asking lots of questions.

Here's one for starters: What are your thoughts on MTB to EMTB conversions? Around £500 to fit a motorised front wheel & the trimmings. Has anyone gone down this path?

Cheers ??

 

[118]

Where abouts in Leicester are you chap? I originate from there..

Motorised front wheel - no wheelies

 

[MIckJH56]

I'm out in Evington, me duck, half way between The Cedars and The Dove if you know this neck of the woods.

 

[118]

Interesting that you reference pubs - I now think we get the measure of where you are at, hence the demise of your fitness.. Have you considered finding a seat further away from the bar, to improve your fitness situation?

You'll be Spencefield Lane/Downing Drive way then at a guess.. When I lived in Leicester I used to ride round, Beacon Hill, Swithland, a few trails Quorn/Mountsorrel way, which are the opposite side to where you are... If you are looking to start off steady, I guess you could bimble around Watermead, if it's not flooded, if you fancy the uphill slog home through Hamilton/Thurnby Lodge from there Never really rode your side if I'm honest, so I don't know of any trails your side, unfortunately..

 

[MIckJH56]

Yep, you've zeroed-in to within a couple of hundred yards. It was on a run out to Watermead when I crossed paths with the inattentive driver!

The most off-road fun I had locally was at Hick's Lodge near Ashby. I'm thinking Watermead and along the Soar will get me going again. As it's all flat I could probably manage that without a battery

Cheers

 

[118]

Yep, you've zeroed-in to within a couple of hundred yards. It was on a run out to Watermead when I crossed paths with the inattentive driver!

The most off-road fun I had locally was at Hick's Lodge near Ashby. I'm thinking Watermead and along the Soar will get me going again. As it's all flat I could probably manage that without a battery

Cheers

Well if nothing else, it's clarified where to avoid fella..!
Was it a 'phantom flan flinger' who was driving, or a Goscote inbred?

Hick's isn't exactly local chap! @JetSetDemo rides there, however he has a poorly paw at the present, or so he is claiming.. You should have made a purchase by the time he mends

 

[Zimmerframe]

There was this thread on a mid drive conversion. Would probably be more expensive than going the hub route.

Revel Propulsion - EMTB Forums

I had one of these to start with. They had a lot of water issues at the start but I think they've re-hashed things now. (£999). Brakes are crap, but I think you can pay a few quid to get them swapped out for hydraulic shimano's.

15 - Cycling - E-ST500 Electric Mountain Bike, Black - 27.5"

This is novel .. I've come on a thread which has already turned for the worst and tried to make it sensible !!

 

[118]

This is novel .. I've come on a thread which has already turned for the worst and tried to make it sensible !!

Man alive! You'll be buying trousers next..

Think you've been OTB's one too many times chap! A sensible Zim, makes no sense..

 

[steve_sordy]

.............................

Here's one for starters: What are your thoughts on MTB to EMTB conversions? Around £500 to fit a motorised front wheel & the trimmings. Has anyone gone down this path?

.................

Sorry to hear of your dreadful accident. I hope that you are fully mended now. Getting back on the bike is the right thing to do, so the best of luck with that.

I am not one to be picky, but an MTB with " motorised front wheel & the trimmings" is no longer an MTB, even if it has an "e". It is merely an ebike, suitable for commuting and going to the shops. But if it gets you out and about, getting fitter and regaining your strength, then I'm all for it!
I really wouldn't try any mtb trails on it, tow paths maybe , but that's about the limit

 

[JetSetDemo]

@MIckJH56 I do have a fracture to my little finger at the moment as @118 correctly comments, I will be off the bars until mid Dec, have a follow up appointment at the hospital end of November.

I also ride hicks lodge (or was riding) at least once a week, I actually have 2 Levo's a 2017 & 2019 both expert's, if you are still undecided and fancy a coupe of hours pissing around at Hick's I would be more than happy to let you try them out. The 17 is a size M and the 19 a size L. The new one is much improved over the old model, however its still a cracking bike. If you wanted to up the game a little we could hit Cannock. I have leant my bike out to a couple of forum members so as long as you can deal with the woman's specific saddle and grips without having a gender identity crises I am more than happy to oblige.

 

[Zimmerframe]

You'll be buying trousers next..

You don't know what I plan to do with them though ?

 

[118]

@MIckJH56 as long as you can deal with the woman's specific saddle and grips without having a gender identity crises

@JetSetDemo - I'd have kept that little snippet, quiet, until you had decided if Mick rode like a girl or not.. now he has every excuse to do so

You don't know what I plan to do with them though ?

Whatever it is, they will be soiled, for sure..

 

[steve_sordy]

...............
Whatever it is, they will be soiled, for sure..

Inside or outside?

 

[118]

Inside or outside?

Steve, I think you've missed, "both", off of your question..

 

[Zimmerframe]

woman's specific grips

You've replaced your grips with rubber dicks ? That's so COOL ?

 

[118]

You've replaced your grips with rubber dicks ? That's so COOL ?

Are they black? To match the crank arms, obviously... once you go black..

 

[JetSetDemo]

its the 'saddle' you need to worry about

 

[MIckJH56]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

You make a good point about the e-bike, @steve_sordy. It's very early days yet so I'm just beginning to look into the alternatives and I'm not sure that having £500 worth of bits fitted to an existing bike that's worth less than that and could leave me unsatisfied in the longer term is the way to go.

@JetSetDemo and @118 I think it'll be a little while before I'm in any condition (EMTB enhanced or otherwise) to tackle the tougher trail at Hicks Lodge although the family friendly one might be doable. Your offer is VERY kind and I may take you up on it.

@Zimmerframe thanks for those pointers.

On a general point, I see I have my work cut out to get up to speed with the humour let alone the biking!

Cheers

 

[Zimmerframe]

On a general point, I see I have my work cut out to get up to speed with the humour let alone the biking!

It's pretty safe to say you ended up in the deep end on your first go !

 

[MIckJH56]

I must say this thing looks decent. Pretty much like an 'E' version of my MTB.

 

[118]

Is it specifically a hardtail that you are after Mick? What frame size are you?

 

[MIckJH56]

I prefer hardtail bikes, I also like the 29" wheel size, I found smaller wheel sizes a bit 'twitchy' - if that makes sense. I'm 5' 10", so I guess a medium size frame suits in this case. I might nip round to Halford's later & try the 2020 version for size but I can't see where the new model is an improvement on the previous version.

Cheers

 

[Zimmerframe]

I must say this thing looks decent. Pretty much like an 'E' version of my MTB.

I might nip round to Halford's later & try the 2020 version for size but I can't see where the new model is an improvement on the previous version.

I'm being dumb ... which bike are you talking about Mick ?

 

[MIckJH56]

I'm being dumb ... which bike are you talking about Mick ?

Sorry mate, I had the link embedded under the text "this thing".

Try here: Voodoo Bizango Electric Mountain Bike - 17", 19", 21" Frames

 

[118]

Have you considered a FS bike? Without wishing to offend, given your stated medical history, maybe FS could suit you better?

I guess it all depends on what kind of terrain, you wish to ride across. I've got a HT analogue and a FS eBike currently. I enjoy both, as they both ride differently.

Again, without wishing to pry, would you be able to purchase outright, or need finance? If you can pay outright, there's plenty of deals to be had, against using finance. Lots of LBS are looking to out their old '19 models, to make way for the 2020's. We also have Christmas not too far away, to entice you further.

My advice, would be to get the best that you can afford, as you'll be potentially, outriding, dare I say, a 'lower' end bike. As you get fitter, stronger, more confident, your 'inner chimp' will have you convinced you can ride faster, steeper, rougher trails. Ride as many brands as you can before you buy, to find out which frame size suits you best, and which motor suits your riding needs. All are very different. Also battery size needs to be considered depending on how far you wish to ride. I went along to Rutland Cycles, and rode everything electric, that was available. I'll grant you, I didn't go too far on each, but it gave me an idea of how each bike felt, and an idea of what I thought I needed. Both JetSet & I ride a Levo - we are roughly the same size (height wise), he rides a L, I ride a M.

Could you not get yourself along to this?
28th November Cannock Demo Ride - EMTB Forums

 

[Zimmerframe]

Sorry mate, I had the link embedded under the text "this thing".

Try here: Voodoo Bizango Electric Mountain Bike - 17", 19", 21" Frames

Thanks for that .. I was being dumb .. second time for the day as I almost burnt the house down, so my mind wasn't really with it reading your post (and I'm colour blind, so sub links don't really stand out).. even my bike smells of smoke and that's in the garage :-(

If you thought yesterday was difficult ... if you're now into thinking of a new bike, that's like the deep end with a mix of sharks and piranhas ...

I've had two hard tail's this year on my "ride" to Electric bikeness .. the first being hub driven. The second being an e8000 shimano bike. I rode the e8000 for a few weeks with a fractured pelvis and really wished I had a Full suspension bike .. Every stone, hole - anything - pain ..

I now have an FS bike and love it.. In a way I wish I'd just done that at the start, but I learnt a lot along the way.

I also never liked specialized bikes as I thought they were just over priced and lacked value for money. Then I bought one .. If you are going for a hard tail - for what you're looking at there, you could get a levo hard tail :

Specialized Levo HT 2019 Electric Mountain Bike | ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKES | Evans Cycles

Don't be swayed by us plonkers though, everyone likes whatever e-bike they have - they're all good.

Edit : forgot that one :

Specialized 2019 Men's Turbo Levo Hardtail 29

 

[MIckJH56]

Thanks lads.
Sound advice to get over to Rutland at Fosse Park & be a PITA I'd be buying cash but the budget isn't enormous, £2k or maybe a bit more is about as far as I feel comfortable going. I'll see what's what over there. And a trip to Cannock sounds interesting.

@Zimmerframe Sounds a bit nasty I hope everything's OK or at least recoverable! I'd pretty much discounted decent full suspension as being outside my budget for a decent set up. The bike shop might change my mind.

 

[118]

Zim knows all about being a PITA, as when he rides, he usually ends up on his, for the majority..

Get yourself along to Cannock fella - likeminded people and deals to be had. Dave91 has already made those sort of promises, if you cross his palms with beer I believe. What do you have to lose chap?
Have you seen the PM I sent ref Rutland?

 

[MIckJH56]

Have you seen the PM I sent ref Rutland?

Yep, ta.

 

[Zimmerframe]

its the 'saddle' you need to worry about

I'm always interested when someone comes up with an alternative solution to a problem, however, in this case, I'm thinking that clipless pedals would probably secure you more to the bike than an a sticky up rubber invasive saddle device in an orifice.

I'm only making a suggestion, don't feel the need to submit a review or give more detailed information on your solution.