A to B
Magazine
UK
Electric Bike & Trike prices
Updated
July 2008
Trends:
Bottom
end -The availability of electric bikes in the £300 -
£600 range has exploded with the arrival of a number of cheap,
and mostly rather ineffective Chinese machines. This means our
listings can go out of date almost before they're posted, and some of
the companies selling these bikes are literally selling out of
containers, so be very wary. However, there are one or two very good
new machines at this price - notably Powacycle Windsor and Ezee Liv,
both offering sophisitcated batteries at a discount price. This page
aims to list every machine on the UK market, but the only bikes we
would definitely recommend are those marked
(1)
meaning that we
have tested the machine and are happy with the performance and UK
back-up.
A second pointer can be found in our Bike Distributor section below.
If we have not had meaningful contact with the distributor, they're
either very new or avoiding an independent test! Finally, we have
decided not to test machines that fail ANY of the following criteria,
except in special circumstances:
1. Must weigh less than 30kg (the legal limit is 40kg and some cheap
machines actually weigh more than this)
2. No lead-acid batteries
3. No single speed machines
4. With multiple gears, top gear must exceed 60-inches
5. No tyres of 305mm or smaller
6. Must have mudguards and lights
7. No scooter-style machine with vestigial pedals
8. No micro-scooters
Prices and
specifications relate only to the British market and may change at
short notice.
Prices are either the recommended retail price or a discounted price
if regularly available.
Electrically-assisted
bicycles can be ridden by anyone aged 14 or over, provided the
bicycle weighs 40kg or less (60kg for a tandem or tricycle), has
pedals, a motor of less than 200 watts continuous output (250 watts
for a tandem or tricycle), and a top speed of less than 15mph.
However, the situation is currently a bit confused - see
Legal
Clarification
for the latest information
Those
marked Pedelec
in the tables are definitely legal. Those marked
Hybrid
are almost certainly fully legal. Those marked
E-Bike
remain slightly in doubt, but no one has yet been prosecut ed for
riding one. Our advice is to buy any machine you wish, but check that
the retailer is willing to make any necessary changes to the
specification should these be required by law within a reasonable
period.
Key: La Lead-acid
battery NiCd Nickel-cadmium
battery NiMH Nickel-metal
Hydride battery Li-ion Lithium-ion
battery Li-pol Lithium-polymer
battery Friction Direct drive
to tyre Front/Rear
Hub Hub
motor Front/Rear
Chain Separate
chain drive Crank Crank-mounted
motor Pedelec Power only
available when you pedal E-Bike Power
independent of pedals - usually a twistgrip
throttle Hybrid Pedelec/E-Bike
switchable New
Product Make/model Battery Electric Wheel
KB24SLAPFPS (8)
(12) Hybrid /
Front Hub La £299 Cambridge 250W
E-Bike /
Front Hub 108wh Li-ion £325 Oriental . Hybrid /
Front Hub 270wh La £350 Zap SX June
99 . June 04 E-Bike /
Friction 216wh La £350 Electro-Drive
(also
known as Currie Drive or ElectroPed)
(1) April
01 E-Bike /
Rear Chain 288wh La £365 Bikit June
01 E-Bike /
Friction 173wh La £399 Cambridge
400W E-Bike /
Front Hub 108wh Li-ion £400 Gemini . E-Bike /
Front Hub 252wh La £415 E-Go 250W
(6)
(8) . E-Bike /
Front Hub 288wh La £475 Schachner
S-Drive June
01 (9)
E-Bike /
Front Hub 162wh NiCd £530 E-Go 500W
(6)
(8)
. E-Bike /
Front Hub 432wh La £550 Team
Hybrid (Ezee Quando
motor)
(1) E-Bike /
Front Hub 324wh NiMH £599 Nano Brompton
(1**)
June
07 . Aug 07 E-Bike /
Front Hub 266wh Li-ion £599 SRAM
Sparc April
02 E-Bike /
Rear Hub 84wh La £600 Sunstar
I-Bike May
08 Pedelec /
Crank 80wh Li-ion £715 Schachner S-Drive
(long range option) June
01 E-Bike /
Front Hub 288wh NiCd POA Heinzmann
E-Bike PowerHub 200W
(1) E-Bike /
Front Hub 180wh NiCd £775 Heinzmann
Pedelec PowerHub 200W
(1) Dec 98
. June 02 Pedelec /
Front Hub 168wh NiCd £845 BionX
(1) Dec
05 Pedelec /
Rear Hub 192wh NiMH £845 Heinzmann
E-Bike PowerHub 200W
(1) E-Bike /
Front Hub 288wh NiMH £890 Heinzmann
Pedelec PowerHub 200W
(1) Pedelec /
Front Hub 288wh NiMH £960 Make/model Powablade La £199 Powacycle Fold-E
F
OLDER La £299 Thompson Euro-Classic
Heavily
discounted! Oct
03 Hybrid /
Rear Hub 5.0p(4) 432wh La £300 C V Leisure Rascal
FOLDER Pedelec /
Rear Hub La £325 Bright Bike Fold-E
FOLDER . Hybrid /
Frame Motor . 288wh La £349(11)
Powacycle Milan
2 NEW
MODEL La £349 Izip XCell Cruiser
& Trailz ST NEW
MODEL (formerly known as Currie) Hybrid /
Rear Chain Drive 288wh La £359 Izip CU24, CU26,
CM26 NEW
MODEL (formerly known as Currie) Hybrid /
Rear Chain Drive 288wh La £350 Meerkat Metro
NEW MODEL
(similar to the Izip) £350 E-Bike
Retro Oct
03 . 5.2p(4) . La £399 Sustain Edison
FOLDER
NEW MODEL Hybrid /
Rear hub 240wh Li-ion £399 Thompson
Euro-City £400 Izip MTB Trailz
NEW
MODEL (formerly known as Currie) £409 Little
Rascal . Hybrid /
Rear Hub . . La £425 C V Leisure
Ranger Rear
Hub La £435 Commutabike
Cruiser . Hybrid /
Rear Hub . . La £449 Thompson
Euro-Tourer Oct
03 Hybrid /
Rear Hub 5.4p(4) 432wh La £400 A S Bikes Electobike
NEW
MODEL FOLDER Hybrid /
Rear hub 204wh NiMH £450 E-Pegasus
Z1 .. Rear
Hub .. 432wh La £450 Sakura Cruiser
S314/S315 1-spd Hybrid /
Rear Hub 252wh La £470 C V Leisure
Romany Rear
Hub La £495 Powacycle Salisbury
& Windsor Oct
06 Hybrid /
Rear hub 4.8p 192wh NiMH £499 E-Bike
Cruiser Oct
03 . 5.6p(4) . La £499 Powacycle Coaster,
Oxford & Cambridge Hybrid /
Rear hub 192wh NiMH £499 Sustain Newton
NEW MODEL
Hybrid /
Rear hub 360wh Li-ion £499 C V Leisure Silver
Star Rear
hub NiMH £525 Powabyke Shopper
1-spd . Hybrid /
Front Hub . 504wh La £539 C V Leisure Cycle
Star Pedelec /
Rear Hub NiMH £545 Koolgachet
FOLDER . Hybrid /
Rear Hub . 432wh La £550 Powabyke Euro
6-spd
(24-inch wheel)
(1) Feb
03 Hybrid /
Front Hub 5.6p 504wh La £595 Powabyke Shopper
6-spd Oct 99
(9)
Hybrid /
Front Hub 5.6p
(9) 504wh La £595 Sakura S300
6-spd
(10) Oct 99
(9)
Hybrid /
Front Hub 5.6p
(9) 504wh La £599 Giant Suede
7-spd (1) Dec
05 Pedelec /
Front Hub .5.4p 324wh NiMH £599 Powacycle Lynx &
Puma FOLDER
Hybrid /
Rear Hub 192wh Li-ion £599 Powacycle Salisbury
& Windsor LPX NEW
MODEL (1) Oct
06 (battery in April 07) Hybrid /
Rear hub 273wh Li-Pol £599 Synergie
Mistral NEW
MODEL Hybrid /
Rear hub 360wh Li-ion £599 Sustain Newton
NEW MODEL
Hybrid /
Rear hub 240wh Li-ion £599 Thompson K2
Hybrid /
Rear hub 180wh NiMH £600 Sakura Cruiser
S305 Hybrid /
FrontHub 504wh La £639 Cambridge Pack-a-Bike
6-spd FOLDER 192wh NiMH £649 Powabyke Euro
6-spd (alloy frame, 26-inch wheel) Pedelec /
FrontHub 432wh La £645 Powabyke City Bike
5-spd Pedelec /
Rear Hub La £645 Powabyke Folding Bike
FOLDER Oct 00
(9)
Hybrid /
Front Hub . 252wh La £695 Greenedgebikes
Blackstar FOLDER
/ NEW MODEL Hybrid /
Rear Hub 360wh Li-ion £699 Bronx Folder
FOLDER
/ NEW MODEL Hybrid /
Front Hub Li-ion £699 Urban
UM44 or UM55 Hybrid /
Rear Hub 192wh NiMH £700 Urban
UM24 FOLDER Hybrid /
Rear Hub 192wh NiMH £730 Bright Bikes GR-8
FOLDER
. Hybrid /
Rear Hub . 312wh NiMH £749 Euro Ebike Enviro
(3) . E-Bike /
Rear Hub . 200wh La £749 Hallfords Carrera
Sparc Pedelec /
Rear Hub 134wh NiMH £750 TGA
Electrobike 212 . Crank . 204wh La £765 Urban
UM36 Hybrid /
Rear Hub 192wh NiMH £770 Ezee
Liv Plus 3-speed (1**)
April
07 Hybrid /
Front Hub 324wh NiMH £775 Greenedgebikes
Silverado FOLDER
/ NEW MODEL Hybrid /
Rear Hub 288wh Li-ion £799 Bronx Ladies or
Gents frames NEW
MODEL Hybrid /
Front Hub Li-ion £799 Powabyke Commuter
24-spd Aug
02 Hybrid /
Front Hub 6.4p 504wh La £845 Urban
UM36 Glider Li-Pol Hybrid /
Rear Hub 312wh Li-ion £829 Wisper Works
905e Hybrid /
Rear Hub 380wh Li-ion £849 Dahon Ciao P5
FOLDER E-bike /
Front Hub 204Wh NiMH £880 TGA
Electrobike 224 . Crank . 432wh La £895 Claude
Butler Urban Electric (similar to the Schwinn Transit
which failed on test) Nov
07 FrontHub 290wh Li-ion £900 SLB-2000MB-D . Rear
hub . 432wh La £925 Dahon Mu P8
FOLDER E-bike /
Front Hub 204Wh NiMH £930 Dahon Impulse
FOLDER E-bike /
Front Hub 204Wh NiMH £980 Ezee Quando
FOLDER June
04 E-Bike /
Rear Hub 11.9p 380wh Li-ion £995 Izip Trailz
Enlightened & Urban Cruiser
(formerly known as Currie) £999 Euro Mini Ebike
(3) .. E-Bike /
Rear Hub . 200wh NiMH £1,049 Schwinn
Continental Nexus 7-spd FrontHub 290wh Li-ion £1,099 Giant
Twist 2.0 Pedelec /
Front Hub NiMH £1,100 Euro
Ebike LE
(3) . E-Bike /
Rear Hub . 200wh La £1,149 Schwinn
Transit Euro Nexus 8-spd
NEW
MODEL Nov
07 Front
Hub Failed on
test 290wh Li-ion £1,150 Ezee
Sprint 7-spd
(1) June
05 E-bike /
FrontHub 10.1p 380wh Li-ion £1,195 Dahon Roo EL (SRAM
Sparc 2 power) April
02 . June 05 Pedelec /
Rear Hub 7.8p 134wh NiMH £1,199 Monark
Eco 3-spd
(1) Sept
08 Pedelec /
Crank motor 260wh Li-ion £1,250 Ezee
Torq 8-spd
(1) Dec
05 E-Bike /
Front Hub 10.1p 380wh Li-ion £1,295 Euro
Ebike SX
(3) . E-Bike /
Rear Hub . 200wh La £1,299 Schwinn
Streamline Nexus 7spd NEW
MODEL FrontHub 260wh Li-ion £1,300 Kalkhoff
Agattu Wave Nexus 7-spd NEW
MODEL (1**) Jan
08 Pedelec /
Crank motor 8.7-10.2p 260wh Li-ion £1,325
(13) Ezee
Forza 8-spd E-Bike /
Front Hub 380wh Li-ion £1,395 Izip Treckiing LI
(formerly
known as Currie) Li-ion £1,399 Giant
Twist 1.0 Feb
07 Pedelec /
Front Hub 12.1p 540wh Li-ion £1,400 Sparta
Ion M-Gear (8)
NEW
IN UK Feb
07 Pedelec /
Crank motor 9.6p 240wh NiMH £1,429 Kalkhoff
Pro-Connect Nexus 8-spd NEW
MODEL (1**) July
08 Pedelec /
Crank motor 9-9.7p 260wh Li-ion £1,450 Kalkhoff
Tasman Nexus 8-spd NEW
MODEL (1**) Pedelec /
Crank motor 260wh Li-ion £1,450 Heinzmann
Estelle
Tour (8)
Hybrid /
Front Hub 8.6p(9)
187wh Li-ion £1,495 Gazelle
Innergy
NEW MODEL (1) 260wh Li-ion £1,500 Flyder
(custom-made
range, including a folder) Pedelec /
Crank motor Li-ionMg from £1,500 Gazelle
Easy Glider 8-spd
Shimano
NEW MODEL Pedelec /
Crank motor 260wh Li-ion £1,600 Heinzmann
Estelle
Comfort (8)
Hybrid /
Front Hub 187wh Li-ion £1,650 Heinzmann
Estelle
Elegance Hybrid /
Front Hub 187wh Li-ion £1,945 Heinzmann
Estelle
Sport Pedelec /
Front Hub 288wh Li-ion £1,795 Heinzmann
Estelle
Speed Hybrid /
Front Hub 346wh Li-ion £1,985 Heinzmann
Estelle
Elegance Speed Hybrid /
Front Hub 346wh Li-ion £2,225 Swizzbee
NEW
MODEL NiMH or
Li-ion £2,225 Optibike
800Li NEW
MODEL E-Bike /
Crank motor 720wh Li-ion £5,875
Power
Kits:
Note:
Some prices include fitting, other do not. Not all kits are legal for
road use in the UK. Always check before purchasing. All prices
include UK Value Added Tax at
17.5%
Size (b)
Complete
Bicycles:
Size (b)
NEW
MODEL
FOLDER
FOLDER
/
NEW
LISTING
Bikes recently removed from the list
(usually out-of-production). If we have made a mistake, please let us
know:
Bliss City, Touring, Extreme &
Townrider
(Aug 2007)
Classic Elebike
(Aug
2007)
City Cruiser 6-spd
(Aug 2007)
Commuter (Aug
2007)
Diavelo
O(ja)velo
(Aug
2007)
Ecobike Tornado and
varients
(June 2007)
ElectroPed Number
One (Aug
2007)
Europed ED-1
(Aug 2007)
Europed THD-3
(Aug 2007)
Infineon Stingray ll
(Aug 2007)
Oxygen Atala Avenue (Aug
2007)
Oxygen Atala Distance (Aug
2007)
Panther
(Aug
2007)
Power Cruiser
6-spd (Aug
2007)
Viking E-bike (Aug
2007)
ElectroPed
Roadstar (Nov
2007)
Eco-Bike
Mistral (Nov
2007)
(a)
Running
costs are an approximate guide per mile, and are based on a number of
assumptions (please note that extras such as insurance are not
included). Note also that the actual energy costs are very much lower
- typically 0.05p
per mile!
Most of the cost of running an electric bike is
depreciation:
(i) Depreciation of purchase price over ten years
(ii) Depreciation of battery, assuming a battery life of 500 charge
cycles (nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal-hydride), or 250 cycles per
guarantee year (lead-acid or lithium-ion)
(iii) Consumables, such as tyres and chains @ 2p per mile (annual
mileage of 2,500 miles)
(iv) Electricity cost @ 8p per Kwh
NOTES: Annual mileage of 2,500 miles. Mileage per full charge is
based on the A to B test performance. All bikes are ridden at maximum
speed. Economy will benefit from more gentle
use!
(b)
This is
the capacity of the battery measured in watt/hours. Please note that
the three main types of battery are graded in slightly different
ways, so capacities are not directly comparable. For example, a
lead-acid battery of 400watt/hours would give similar performance to
a nickel-metal hydride battery of 250watt/hours, or nickel-cadmium
battery of 225 watt/hours.
(1)
Recommended
(1**) Highly Recommended!
(2) No UK distributor at present
(3) The Euro Ebikes are export versions of the USA EV Global
range
(4) Estimated cost based on assumed range and battery
replacement cost
(5) ETC has ceased trading. This reduced price will last until
all remaining units have been sold
(6) Lead-acid battery version of the Heinzmann
(7) Production has ceased, but may still be on sale
(8) Other derivatives are available
(9) Test of a similar model
(10) Very similar to the Powabyke Shopper
(11) Also available for £260 from Jawel on 0121 558 6191
(12) Despite much promise and an exciting website, this company has
yet to come up with any hardware as far as we know
(13) The Medium frame is currently on offer at #1,250 (early
July)
Complete
Tricycles: Make/model Ato
B test Drive Capacity Battery Price Electrike 24"
wheel . Rear belt
drive . 480wh La £650 Izip
Tricruiser Rear
Chain Drive 432wh La £670 Tricruiser 24"
wheel Hybrid /
Rear Chain Drive 432wh La £699 Powatryke 20"
wheel . Front
hub 8.1p 504wh La £839 Powatryke 24"
wheel . Front
Hub .. 504wh La £939 Pashley
Picador . . .. . £930 Euro Etrike
(3) .. Ebike
Chain . 380wh La £999 TGA
Tri-Pacer . Crank . 576wh La £1,395 Ezee Carro 20"
wheel Ebike/front
hub 11.5p 324wh NiMH £1,495 TGA
Tri-Shopper . Crank . 960wh La £1,595 Di Blasi 20" wheel
Folder £1,795 Cycles Maximus
Pedicab/Cargo Dec
03 Front
Hub . 984wh La £4,118 Cycles Maximus
Pedicab/Cargo Dec
03 Crank .. 828wh La £5,869
Electric tricycles are rare. It's
worth mentioning that Parker products produce a tricycle kit that
will convert any bicycle (electric or otherwise) into a tricycle.
Please note that electric donor bicycles must have a front hub or
crank-mounted motor. The cost of the conversion kit is £299 -
full contact details
below:
Costs (a)
Heinzmann
Motor
Lynch
Motor
All back numbers can be ordered by credit card - call 01305 259998 (+44 1305 259998 outside UK)
Manufacturers or
UK distributors:
The
comments relate to our own experience with manufacturers or
distributors. As a general rule, a company that supplies a good
product can afford to be open and helpful with the press, and will
give good service and back-up. The others are something of an unknown
quantity, but if you think we've been unfair, do let us know...