Cool e-bike...

[Gaccha]

I'm looking for a cool e-bike (a pedal bike with a motor). My local bike shop--just 25 metres from my door-- has an e-bike; it's bike is the image of e-bikes most people have: a granny bike with a motor.

What I want

I'm a realist. This is Bangkok, not London. I'd prefer something like this:

or this...

...but they will not be found in Bangkok.

So I'd like to make do with this:

Or something a bit quirky like this:

My search so far

A walk around CentralWorld, Big C, Amarin Plaza revealed exactly zero e-bikes of any sort. Has anyone seen any bike shop (ideally near the BTS/MRT etc.) that has a decent collection of e-bikes or has a catalogue to order them. I think Solex or Dahon bikes look good but I'm getting desperate....

I have rules out 'home-made bikes', self-importing, non-lithium battery ones, 'brush' engines. I'd like a price of around 25,000 baht with a top speed of 30 kph.

Any suggestions...?

Thanks!

[The Dancer]

Lazada = http://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=e-bike

[impulse]

I have a 24" 6 speed LA E-Bike and it works fine, but looks like a granny bike in your first pic.

Last time I went to a trade show at BITEC, there was a company showing some better looking bikes, including a nice mountain bike and a couple of folding bikes. I'll try to scrounge up their brochure and post their contact details...

Edit: Interesting that LA Bikes left a few dozen of their e-bikes (same one I have) scattered around the starting line of Bike for Mom yesterday. They all still had the plastic wrap on the batteries and other parts so it was pretty obviously a publicity thing. I don't know if anyone actually rode them, though. I wouldn't have hesitated to ride mine through the rally.

Edited August 17, 2015 by impulse

[Gaccha]

I have a 24" 6 speed LA E-Bike and it works fine, but looks like a granny bike in your first pic.

Last time I went to a trade show at BITEC, there was a company showing some better looking bikes, including a nice mountain bike and a couple of folding bikes. I'll try to scrounge up their brochure and post their contact details...

Edit: Interesting that LA Bikes left a few dozen of their e-bikes (same one I have) scattered around the starting line of Bike for Mom yesterday. They all still had the plastic wrap on the batteries and other parts so it was pretty obviously a publicity thing. I don't know if anyone actually rode them, though. I wouldn't have hesitated to ride mine through the rally.

I knew about LA Bikes but their webpage was down for around 3 weeks so I figured they had gone bust. but it looks like it's working again...

I think I'd call some of their e-bikes 'barely acceptable' (http://www.la-bicycle.com/product-category/products/la-bicycle/e-ride/). But if I have no other choice... then I might get this: Nimble 24.6.

They have a store just off Wongwianyai BTS... so that is something.

Solex used to have a tiny shopfront on Wireless Road... but their facebook page suggests they've closed.

[HooHaa]

given that bangkok is entirely flat, why would you need assistance?

[Gaccha]

given that bangkok is entirely flat, why would you need assistance?

I ask car drivers the same question.

[HooHaa]

oh, i must have misunderstood the OP, i was unaware that you required a long distance ebike with airbags, seat belts, aircond, sound system, storage space and room for passengers.

my bad.

[impulse]

given that bangkok is entirely flat, why would you need assistance?

Because it's 40 degrees and 100% humidity.

Gaccha- I have the LA Ebike 24-6 and it's okay- a great grocery getter.

I'm off to the house soon and I'll see if I can scrounge up that information from the trade show.

Edit: Didn't take long to find it: http://chanainter.orgfree.com/

That's not an endorsement of these guys. I don't know anything else about them since the nice lady in their booth at the trade show spoke no English. But their components were decent quality and their prices were okay. If I were to pick one for general purpose in BKK, it would be their folding 20" with 6 speeds- for ease of getting on the BTS and MRT. Their 26" MTB with 6 speeds looks pretty decent, but I've got that range covered with my LA Bike.

Edited August 17, 2015 by impulse

[Gaccha]

given that bangkok is entirely flat, why would you need assistance?

Because it's 40 degrees and 100% humidity.

Gaccha- I have the LA Ebike 24-6 and it's okay- a great grocery getter.

I'm off to the house soon and I'll see if I can scrounge up that information from the trade show.

Edit: Didn't take long to find it: http://chanainter.orgfree.com/

That's not an endorsement of these guys. I don't know anything else about them since the nice lady in their booth at the trade show spoke no English. But their components were decent quality and their prices were okay. If I were to pick one for general purpose in BKK, it would be their folding 20" with 6 speeds- for ease of getting on the BTS and MRT. Their 26" MTB with 6 speeds looks pretty decent, but I've got that range covered with my LA Bike.

They look good: brushless engine, lithium battery.

I'm baffled why the 26" only does 24 kph; that is awfully slow for that wheel size and bike design.

Can you tell me if you noticed whether they were throttle (i.e. twist the handlebar to accelerate the rate of the engine) or pedelac (i.e. have to pedal before the engine engages) only. I really want throttle but there's a good chance that EU regulations have affected the bike design and made the throttle option vanish.

Also, if they are a small outfit designing the bikes they may be sloppy with safety. Any e-bike with throttle should have a cut-out switch. Did you see a small switch perhaps on the handlebar.

Sorry, if you didn't notice any of this at the trade show.

Thanks.

[impulse]

Sorry. I didn’t really pay much attention to the control system. I’m already overstocked on bicycles (1 E-Bike, 1 very Chinese E-scooter, 2 MTB’s and one beautiful recumbent), so I wasn’t in the market, though it would be handy to get a 20” folding e-bike for convenience on the BTS and MRT. I wish I had seen them earlier in my Bangkok adventure- I'd have skipped the Chinese scooter.

Like you, I just want a twist grip throttle that applies power when I twist it, and stops applying power when I let off. Simple, right? I wish.

In fact, the first 2 e-scooters I had in China were just that. Then they got “sophisticated” to meet the perceived demands from the west. So now, we have wires and sensors all over to tell if you’re pedaling for pedal assist, to knock off the power when brakes are applied (a good feature, BTW), and one or two more for God only knows what. Each of the 5 E-Bikes and scooters I’ve bought is a little less basic than the previous one. And I wish it weren’t so.

Now, my LA EBike has about 5 modes with pedal assist being one of them. I have no clue what the other modes are because the manual is only in Thai. The “throttle” is a button on a display unit- and it is on-off. Still, it gets me around with no pedal effort if I don’t want to pedal…

Anyway, rant over.

Good news is that it’s pretty easy to find a replacement throttle and control module if you don’t like the one that comes with the bike. I’ve got too many projects on my plate already to mess with it, or take the time to haul it in to one of the many places that seem to do stuff like that.

One project that keeps beckoning me is to electrify my recumbent. If it looks like I’ll be in BKK another year, I’ll probably succumb…

As far as buying a bike from a small company, I would look at the build quality, look at the component quality, stand back and see whether I liked the overall design, and hop on it to see if the geometry is funky. If they have good welds, use good components, and it feels good- I’d go for it. Lots of the big guys get their frames and components from the same factories anyway. And frankly, some of them do a horrible job at QA and assembly. They leave it to their dealers to sort out the lack of attention on their factory floor.

Edited August 18, 2015 by impulse

[BobTH]

I have a 700C e-bike called the Falter model 52CM Made by LA e-bike in Thailand. It is a quality made bike and this model is primarily sold in Europe and usually will not be in their Thailand catalogs. I called them and asked to purchase it which they let me do around two years ago. I have rarely used the bike because shortly after the purchase I bought a car and use it instead. I am not home right now or I would post a picture of it. I might be willing to give someone a good deal on mine if you are interested message me. I would estimate the bike has less than 50 km on it total and is in perfect shape. I also had a new fork installed by the company with shock absorbers because hitting the bumps on the Bangkok streets were giving me elbow problems. I looked at all the available models before making this purchase and as I said before it is a quality made bike.

[BobTH]

Duplicate post sorry.

Edited August 20, 2015 by BobTH

[BobTH]