EBike - Whoosh - a decision was made
Discussion
I know I'll probably be called out for cheating, but 26 years after last being fit enough to mountain bike up the hills of Yorkshire, and having already having a bike in the garage that hasn't been ridden in anger for 20+ years I've pulled the trigger on an ebike from Whoosh.
I had decided on a Whoosh Rio MTB as this looked to be a good option, but I arranged a visit to the showroom in South End on Sea, just to be sure. On arrival the Rio MTB was tiny for my extreme PH stature and wasn't going to suit at all.
Two of the Woosh Range were suggested as options the Woosh Big Bear and the Woosh Rio FB (aka Fat Boy). The front wheel drive Big Bear was very comfortable on the bumps with its front suspension, but after a ride on the Rio FB that seemed to suit me better and the looks of the the rear motor compared to the front hub motor of the Big Bear was the clincher
It's got the largest 17aHr battery and having had a bit of ride local to family, I have been to places I've never even attempted to go to, already.
Having peaked at 365lbs and losing a bit weight slowly, I'm hoping this will get me out a bit more and a bit closer to my 300lbs goal. (with a view to hitting 200lbs in the next couple of years). A Rio Fatboy for a Fat Man.
I had decided on a Whoosh Rio MTB as this looked to be a good option, but I arranged a visit to the showroom in South End on Sea, just to be sure. On arrival the Rio MTB was tiny for my extreme PH stature and wasn't going to suit at all.
Two of the Woosh Range were suggested as options the Woosh Big Bear and the Woosh Rio FB (aka Fat Boy). The front wheel drive Big Bear was very comfortable on the bumps with its front suspension, but after a ride on the Rio FB that seemed to suit me better and the looks of the the rear motor compared to the front hub motor of the Big Bear was the clincher
It's got the largest 17aHr battery and having had a bit of ride local to family, I have been to places I've never even attempted to go to, already.
Having peaked at 365lbs and losing a bit weight slowly, I'm hoping this will get me out a bit more and a bit closer to my 300lbs goal. (with a view to hitting 200lbs in the next couple of years). A Rio Fatboy for a Fat Man.
I'm tempted by one myself, for the daily commute. Currently on a Giant Talon 2 29er which is proving great for the job.
Check out this guys DIY e-bike adventures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn05JnMq4j0
Awesome! Slight question mark over the legality of using it on roads and paths though ...
Check out this guys DIY e-bike adventures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn05JnMq4j0
Awesome! Slight question mark over the legality of using it on roads and paths though ...
GSE said:
I'm tempted by one myself, for the daily commute. Currently on a Giant Talon 2 29er which is proving great for the job.
Check out this guys DIY e-bike adventures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn05JnMq4j0
Awesome! Slight question mark over the legality of using it on roads and paths though ...
If it powers the bike at over 15.5mph or is over 250 watts it's not a question mark, it's illegal. Check out this guys DIY e-bike adventures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn05JnMq4j0
Awesome! Slight question mark over the legality of using it on roads and paths though ...
Stig said:
If it powers the bike at over 15.5mph or is over 250 watts it's not a question mark, it's illegal.
Really that sort of bike (high speeds and little or no pedaling) is no different to a teenage chav riding a motocross bike around. It's all fun and games until you get prosecuted for no insurance/tax/licence...Edited by Gareth79 on Thursday 1st November 18:52
Not that it will stop anyone getting on their favourite hobby horses over legalities on this thread, but My Fatboy is fully compliant with UK regulations and will be during the warranty period.
Had a relatively short ride today as I was dodging the rain, but starting to get a feel for the bike. I'll need to adjust the seat height a good bit higher to get the right leverage when pedalling, it is also fairly easy to ride past the assistance on anything downhill and there doesn't seem to be much drag from the hub motor. I'll not get much past 25mph as I seem to have run out of gears :-).
Contrary to popular belief about ebikes I did get a bit of a sweat on, but the assistance was very welcome.
I'll now have to get a suitable D-lock and work out how to mount it and I think a bit more lighting and panniers wouldn't go amiss either.
Had a relatively short ride today as I was dodging the rain, but starting to get a feel for the bike. I'll need to adjust the seat height a good bit higher to get the right leverage when pedalling, it is also fairly easy to ride past the assistance on anything downhill and there doesn't seem to be much drag from the hub motor. I'll not get much past 25mph as I seem to have run out of gears :-).
Contrary to popular belief about ebikes I did get a bit of a sweat on, but the assistance was very welcome.
I'll now have to get a suitable D-lock and work out how to mount it and I think a bit more lighting and panniers wouldn't go amiss either.
Croutons said:
That looks ace!
Can we know the cost?
£1229 for the 17aHr version of this Rio FB and £20 less if you pick it up yourself. This is a Chinese bike with the known issues ironed out over the years with upgrades to prevent warranty claims. Can we know the cost?
Having originally contemplated a Pulse ZR2 before a bit of research on the pedelec forums to get a bike from Woosh, I'm pretty sure the big battery will be useful and that I've got a fairly responsive company for any issues that may arise.
thepeoplespal said:
Contrary to popular belief about ebikes I did get a bit of a sweat on,
Ive been commuting on my ebike for the last year, and everytime I ride it I get a sweat on and get knackered. But that just means i've put full effort in, just as I would on a normal bike, but I've travelled further or quicker for my effort. Ebikes can still be a great workout if you want them to be. I can't help but ride as fast as I can every time.Cheating? Nah... It's cool 
How much does it weighs?
I want an electric bike myself as well, however the affordable ones are either so damn heavy & still way too expensive to be left locked up in public or have just absolute junk of components.
btw.. I hope you did not get that bike to specially loose weight? Because It's impossible to loose weight with just exercise in long-term, like 99% of the people fail everytime - It's just pointless and you are just hurting yourself.
In reality it has nothing to do with exercise, 99% of it is just what you eat & colories in vs out.
Use the exercise however to keep your mind sharp!
At the moment My daily driver is a 8kg hybrid with tyres that has such a low rolling resistance that you barely have to pedal the bike to keep it going,most of the time when it's flat I just sit on the bike, keep my speed to about 10-15km/h (at those speeds there is no aero drag) and the bike just rolls itself! but what about hills you ask? well I just walk up them!
How much does it weighs?
I want an electric bike myself as well, however the affordable ones are either so damn heavy & still way too expensive to be left locked up in public or have just absolute junk of components.
btw.. I hope you did not get that bike to specially loose weight? Because It's impossible to loose weight with just exercise in long-term, like 99% of the people fail everytime - It's just pointless and you are just hurting yourself.
In reality it has nothing to do with exercise, 99% of it is just what you eat & colories in vs out.
Use the exercise however to keep your mind sharp!
At the moment My daily driver is a 8kg hybrid with tyres that has such a low rolling resistance that you barely have to pedal the bike to keep it going,most of the time when it's flat I just sit on the bike, keep my speed to about 10-15km/h (at those speeds there is no aero drag) and the bike just rolls itself! but what about hills you ask? well I just walk up them!
Edited by bagusbagus on Friday 2nd November 14:33
Not cheating, looks like a good purchase!
You'll want to swap that saddle for something a bit more suited to your arse if you end up riding it a fair amount though.
17ah, assume these are 24v, so 400wh battery - that's nearly 2 hours riding at full assistance, which isn't bad at all.
I bet it'll help with the weight loss!
You'll want to swap that saddle for something a bit more suited to your arse if you end up riding it a fair amount though.
17ah, assume these are 24v, so 400wh battery - that's nearly 2 hours riding at full assistance, which isn't bad at all.
I bet it'll help with the weight loss!
Usget said:
Not cheating, looks like a good purchase!
You'll want to swap that saddle for something a bit more suited to your arse if you end up riding it a fair amount though.
17ah, assume these are 24v, so 400wh battery - that's nearly 2 hours riding at full assistance, which isn't bad at all.
I bet it'll help with the weight loss!
Just thinking, and I know it's illegal and dangerous, but can these e-bikes be tuned or de-restricted? You'll want to swap that saddle for something a bit more suited to your arse if you end up riding it a fair amount though.
17ah, assume these are 24v, so 400wh battery - that's nearly 2 hours riding at full assistance, which isn't bad at all.
I bet it'll help with the weight loss!
Usget said:
Not cheating, looks like a good purchase!
You'll want to swap that saddle for something a bit more suited to your arse if you end up riding it a fair amount though.
17ah, assume these are 24v, so 400wh battery - that's nearly 2 hours riding at full assistance, which isn't bad at all.
I bet it'll help with the weight loss!
Nominally they are 36v, (did read on the pedelec forum this was when half used and it starts out at 42v)You'll want to swap that saddle for something a bit more suited to your arse if you end up riding it a fair amount though.
17ah, assume these are 24v, so 400wh battery - that's nearly 2 hours riding at full assistance, which isn't bad at all.
I bet it'll help with the weight loss!
I've no idea what the watt hours are as I don't understand the conversion between wh vs. ah, but fairly substantial I'd have thought.
There are options for 13ah, 15ah & 17ah on my bike, haven't heard of higher capacities other than home brew batteries.
prand said:
Just thinking, and I know it's illegal and dangerous, but can these e-bikes be tuned or de-restricted?
There are ways and means for pretty much any ebike, but I've decided to stay standard for this thread, as I do get the benefit of some exercise when pushing past the 15.5mph cut off.Just fitted a 1000w conversion kit to a old mountain bike and its brilliant £290 off amazon. I've not bought a proper ebike battery bit steep price wise so just used 3 18v bosch drill batteries wired in series which get me about 5 miles, they are £30 for 2 for none OM batteries and I now have a load of spear batteries for my tools.
Probably will eventually get a proper battery or just put 6 drill batteries for more range.
Probably will eventually get a proper battery or just put 6 drill batteries for more range.
Not-The-Messiah said:
Just fitted a 1000w conversion kit to a old mountain bike and its brilliant £290 off amazon. I've not bought a proper ebike battery bit steep price wise so just used 3 18v bosch drill batteries wired in series which get me about 5 miles, they are £30 for 2 for none OM batteries and I now have a load of spear batteries for my tools.
Probably will eventually get a proper battery or just put 6 drill batteries for more range.
That idea isn’t as daft as I first thoughtProbably will eventually get a proper battery or just put 6 drill batteries for more range.
I have a range of Ryobi battery tools & a few high capacity batteries.. Seems a waste to buy more batteries of a different shape! Off to do some research ..
prand said:
Just thinking, and I know it's illegal and dangerous, but can these e-bikes be tuned or de-restricted?
Yes, but there's also a loop hole that kits dated prior to the EU legislation coming are still legal. So my Dad says anyway and that's basically a cast-iron defence in law. I didn't check the date on his conversion, but it was happy to propel me up Whinlatter Pass at break-neck speed when I tested it out, so I hope it pre-dates the regs.....Anyway, that was a Woosh bikes kit and the controller packed in with me on the wrong side of the hill, but they've been great about getting it sorted.
I'd quite like one of the Bafang mid-drive conversion kits to get my 20 mile Commute down to a useful time. They're great fun!
paulrockliffe said:
Yes, but there's also a loop hole that kits dated prior to the EU legislation coming are still legal. So my Dad says anyway and that's basically a cast-iron defence in law. I didn't check the date on his conversion, but it was happy to propel me up Whinlatter Pass at break-neck speed when I tested it out, so I hope it pre-dates the regs.....
Anyway, that was a Woosh bikes kit and the controller packed in with me on the wrong side of the hill, but they've been great about getting it sorted.
I'd quite like one of the Bafang mid-drive conversion kits to get my 20 mile Commute down to a useful time. They're great fun!
Do you have any info on the loophole? This link is the most formal thing I've found on ebikes, and it's pretty clear that the limit is 250w /15.5mph, otherwise it's classified as moped. Anyway, that was a Woosh bikes kit and the controller packed in with me on the wrong side of the hill, but they've been great about getting it sorted.
I'd quite like one of the Bafang mid-drive conversion kits to get my 20 mile Commute down to a useful time. They're great fun!
https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules
Jimboka said:
Not-The-Messiah said:
Just fitted a 1000w conversion kit to a old mountain bike and its brilliant £290 off amazon. I've not bought a proper ebike battery bit steep price wise so just used 3 18v bosch drill batteries wired in series which get me about 5 miles, they are £30 for 2 for none OM batteries and I now have a load of spear batteries for my tools.
Probably will eventually get a proper battery or just put 6 drill batteries for more range.
That idea isn’t as daft as I first thoughtProbably will eventually get a proper battery or just put 6 drill batteries for more range.
I have a range of Ryobi battery tools & a few high capacity batteries.. Seems a waste to buy more batteries of a different shape! Off to do some research ..
I should have stopped when it started to cut out but continued to blast it as soon as it let me. Lesson of the story I now need a new controller I could possibly fix it, looks like it's just melted a few transistors but £50 for a new one so will just do that. And ordered a proper 48v battery expensive but I've just had to much fun on it.
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