Anyone own a Gocycle?

[ChocolateFrog]

With any luck there'll be a short commute in my near future. Saw Matt Watson of Carwow's review of his and aside from a few obvious niggles it looks like a decent proposition, if very expensive, but is it worth it?

Yes you could get something from China for a tenth of the price but that doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't offer value if it's a genuine quality product.

If you don't recommend one, then what would you have?

[595Heaven]

Had a good look at GoCycle kit at last year's Fully Charged Live at Silverstone.

The detailed engineering on them in my view was a level above anyting else I looked at. Some beautiful bits on them. Not cheap, but they felt like good value.

They even do (or used to at least) a £££ full carbon edition.

I'd love one, but have absolutely zero use case for one I'm afraid

[funinhounslow]

ChocolateFrog said:

is it worth it?

Yes.

I bought a Gocycle GS when it first came out and love it. I already had a Specialised Tricross but was intrigued by electric bikes and liked the look of the Gocycle as it seemed to have been designed from the "ground up" as an electric bike.

The GS is now £2000 so a fair bit cheaper than the fast folding GX. You can fold the GS down but this is more for taking it away at the weekend, certainly not for part of the daily commute.

Most of my thoughts about the GS apply to the GX too...

It is supremely comfortable - feels rock solid, nice upright riding position, 20" wheels make it nippy. The pitstop wheels are a wonderful idea - great when you get a puncture - as is the cleandrive for keeping clothes clean. And together they make for a striking looking bike.

And in a way that can be a disadvantage - it does attract attention and I would not be comfortable leaving it for an extended period where I could not keep an eye on it. It's certainly not a bike to be left outside a tube station all day. This would not be an issue with the GX however...

Other things to be aware of - you need to be mindful of the position of the motor (front hub) - so run the tyre at a slightly lower pressure and no hopping off kerbs. And the stock tyres don't have great puncture resistance so get a pair of Big Bens.

But overall it's a wonderful thing to have. People can wince at the price but it paid for itself within a year (vs public transport). And I use it far more than my "normal" bike - don't underestimate the advantages of being able to cycle in "normal" clothes and not get to your destination hot and sweaty...

If you don't need the fast folding abilities of the GX, the GS is a very good option. Here's mine a couple of years ago...

[gangzoom]

I nearly bought one earlier this year, but I struggled to find one to 'test ride' and in the end I went for a 'normal' eBike as I wasn't sure how good the GoCycle would be on the terrain profile I commute on, especially there are some short 6% climbs + on country roads.



If my commute was shorter, I would have no hesitation getting a GoCycle, the asking price is actually very 'reasonable' for an decent spec eBike. Yes you can get cheap conversion kits, but as with most things in life you get what you pay for.

Any eBike though is great for commuting if you don't want to dress up like Bradly Wiggins and stink out the office when you arrive. Really enjoyed my ride into work today, no traffic on the roads, and despite a good 15mph+ headwind arrived feeling fine, just the right amount of getting a work out versus dripping in sweat.

For reference on pricing, my eBike is a Halfords special, essential a £800 standard Halfords hybrid combined with a Fazua motor/battery system - taking the price to £1800.

Am sure anyone would agree the GoCycle S looks far more 'special' for just £200 more and I have no doubt its better engineered as a bike than the Halfords special, it certainly looks miles better. If my commute was shorter/less hilly I would have 100% gone for the GoCycle, infact might still get some at some point anyways .

[ChocolateFrog]

Thanks for the replies, sounds positive.

I love a quality product as you can appreciate the little details every day, rather notice the niggles.

If I get the job I've applied for it would be perfect and would probably pay for itself in 2 or 3 years versus driving.