Testing e-bakfiets at The School Run Centre (Pt. 2)
This post follows on from Testing e-bakfiets at The School Run Centre (Pt. 1).
Hugh from The School Run Centre and Martin Lucas-Smith from Cambridge Cycling Campaign
So, after going for a ride on the Azor e-bike version of the bakfiets.nl Cargobike, Hugh gave me the keys to the Electric Transport Shop Sparticle bakfiets.nl Cargobike. It’s available as a new bike or as a conversion kit (motor kit here, additional parts depend on the bike to be converted). The Sparticle kit gives the option of pedelec, e-bke (pure throttle control), or pedelec and e-bike together. Additionally, it has power cut-out brake lever. these would remove the lag/jerkiness of the Azor system under braking, as the moment you touch the brakes, the motor cuts out. For people who want to compare numbers, it’s a 24v system with a 10 amp hour battery and a range of between 17 and 27 miles. The kit was installed on a Cargobike 2.0 short, whereas the Azor system was on a 2.0 long. The installation wasn’t quite as tidy, with the motor controller and battery installed under the bench, and the throttle being where the gear shfter would be, requiring the nexus twister to be flipped over to the left, meaing you twist forward to shift up. I guess the box mounting has pros and cons; I guess if you have a short, you may use the bench more than the long, but for non-child carrying purposes, it’s a con. The upside is that the heavy battery is in a low CoG position, and that for shorter riders, you don’t have the problem of the battery rack system impeding a very low seat position. I didn’t get to see how the battery is removed, so I can’t comment on whether charging is as easy as the Azor system.
So, I hopped aboard and gave it a try. Firstly, you don’t have to pedal in the hybrid setting, so I just used the throttle to pull away. The throttle is very progressive. There’s no jerkiness, it just moves off very smoothly. I tried to make it pull of jerkily, and it just doesn’t. The system can’t be forced to pull away aggressively using the throttle system. I rode around for a bit just using the throttle (so e-bike usage). It’s like riding a gentle moped that is very speed limited (15 mph, supposedly, but it felt slower). I tested it over some steep bridges, and it’s got the grunt to haul you up easily, and on the way down, I could feel the power ease off as gravity did the work. Used in the manner, it doesn’t feel like a bike. It’s a load carrying electric moped. Personally (primarily for waistline and health-benefits), I am not looking for that. However, I can see that there is a market for it in Cambridge, as there are loads of older people zooming about on e-bikes.
I then tried using it like a pedelec bike. As far as I could tell, unlike the Azor system, there isn’t variable assist in pedelec use, and it’s about as jerky on takeoff as the Azor is on level 4. Obviously, the cut-out brakes remove the jerkiness on stopping, and you can use the brakes to manage when you do and don’t want power, as the power cuts out on the lightest of touches. That said, if you want hi-assist pedelec, it’s basicslly the same as the Azor system in on that setting.
Given it didn’t do anything really differently, I tried using the throttle and the pedelec together. Using a mix of the systems, you can get a very smooth takeoff on the throttle, then get some exercise using the pedelec. If smoothness in a high assist setting is what you are after, this is system can do that better. Obviously, you can smooth out the takeoff on the Azor system by cutting assist, but the volume control style controller isn’t nearly as natural to use on the fly as a throttle system.
Overall, I thought the system was more likely to appeal to people who wanted an e-bike rather than a pedelec system. Clearly the brake cutout is an advantage in that mode, but the lack of assist adjustment makes it difficult to feel like you are doing much until you hit the speed that the motor eases off. If you aren’t able or don’t want to put effort in, this system gives that option, and with that option comes the ability to move off smoothly. Lastly, the option to add electric power to an existing bike is opened up with this system. Between dutchbike.co.uk and the electric transport shop, everything needed to add power to a cargobike is worked out; as such it’s potentially availble at a much lower price if (and it’s a big if) you can find a secondhand bakiets.
You are going to have to wait until next time to see the video where Martin, Simon and I discuss which one we’d get (yeah, I know I’ve given my view away)
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:32 am
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