Hi Hamant & Team
Jo and I would like to thank you for the long distance assistance and later repair to Jo’s bike, purchased from you 4 years or so ago. You went further than anyone could expect in order to help save our holiday in June on the Baltic coast of Germany.
I will repaint the situation in the hope that you can post this onto your website/Facebook page. Having set off with both our Powered Bicycles on the back of our motor home, we discovered somewhere in Schleswig Holstein that Jo’s bike just refused to work, showing an error on the panel and then switching itself off, i.e. no possibility of using it with power assistance.
Jo with her ebike, had been given an opportunity to cycle longer distances for the first time. We had enjoyed holidays in the UK, France, Holland and Germany and hills were no longer an impossible challenge for her asthma. Without the confidence of power assistance, bike rides on this holiday were not able to be considered.
A call to you Hamant was the only possible salvation. After a longish chat on the phone, you agreed to get a replacement panel off to us, to be picked up from a customer of mine who agreed to accept a parcel on my behalf. (A visit to local bike shops was a possibility, but a swapping of a panel with another make had lots of potential problems, associated expense and no promise of a repair).
The parcel duly arrived after 3 days and a quick swap of the panel, after checking associated connections, gave a sort of ‘fix’. The power assistance just wasn’t there, however the panel didn’t switch itself off and the ‘throttle” did work. This gave Jo the power when she needed it and the confidence to tackle days out on the bike.
Although not a total repair, you did help to save our holiday. A big ‘Thank You” for that.
On return to the U.K. we dropped the bike in and you have made a repair. More than that, you have now brought her bike up to date with a later control system, one that we are confident can even be diagnosed on the phone, if any problems happen in the future.
Currently we are away for a week in Norfolk and have been putting both our bikes to good use around the quiet country lanes here.Thank you again Hamant for the excellent level of customer assistance.
Kind regards,
Chris & Jo
Stoke on Trent
City eTrike
When I purchased my Power Trike, I never knew quite how much it would impact on my life. It is just simply great.
I have macular eye problems and a really bad back, so latterly, driving was denied to me. My Trike has given me so much independence back. I purchased with it, a special saddle for my back and can now cover a reasonable distance. I am the envy of many over here in Spain.
It has the bonus of a huge basket on the back too, which is not only great for shopping, but I have now adapted it for my miniature poodle dog! He adores my Trike too! People frequently request to be allowed to take photos of the Trike and I have had two offers to buy it!!! The power assistance it gives is so easy to apply, but in my case it is on all the time.
This allows me to enjoy myself and yet still get my circulation going as my legs are working without stress! It is also extremely easy to get on and off. I love my Trike and I would recommend it to anyone who wants that little bit of help or just a relaxing ride!!
Thank you Hamant for going the extra mile to get the Trike to Spain for me.
Margarita Brett
City Rambler
I have had a poweredbicycles City Rambler with the torque motor for two and a half years now in that time the only problem i have had is broken spokes in the back wheel. I have been informed that this can happen now and again. Last week i arranged to have this looked at and also the chain and cassette. They have replaced the spokes, straightened the back wheel and serviced the bike back into good health quicker than i thought they could.
Whilst i was there i was asked to try one of new types of bosch motor system on a new bike they got in their shop. i did so but was not overly impressed with it in all honesty. the new system seems to jerk you along so the ride is not as smooth as i am used to. Also the gears seemed to cluck as you went through them. I think i will be staying with the poweredbicycles system that i have already got when it comes to renewing my bike.
Hoping this helps other users of powered bicycles because i fully recommened their bicycles compared to others.
Roberts Davies
City Rambler
I’ve had bicycles and motorcycles but I always wanted an electric bicycle.To do what? Go to the shops on a daily basis. Go out for mini-tours of the local district. Go along canal towpaths and around the parks. The electric bike can do all of these. It’s a vehicle that’s easy to ride and free to park. It’s also unobtrusive and quiet.Ten minutes in Powered Bicycles, Long Eaton and just 5 minutes on a test ride and I was hooked. I wanted the CITY RAMBLER!
After three months, here are my opinions about my Rambler:-The cycling performance is good – with or without motor power. It’s easy to ride either way. I like the attractive, conventional design. Twice now I’ve been asked “Is that really an electric bike? Where’s the battery, then”? It looks so “normal”. The steering is sharp and precise. The handlebars have a great range of adjustment up/down and fore/aft thanks to the design of an amazing bracket assembly. This means you can easily choose the posture that suits you best.The brakes are alloy V-type. So,they are very powerful and yet sensitive to use. Just touch the brakes and the power is off at once and the braking force is felt immediately.It has 700C wheels. These are large-size wheels that perform well on uneven surfaces. They are coupled with effective front fork suspension and seat suspension to produce a comfortable bicycle ride.
The bike has 5 levels of Pedal Assist. This is affected by the speed of pedalling AND the pedalling effort being applied. Assist level 1 does me much of the time with 2, or maybe 3, occasionally used on hills. The result is a completely natural riding feel except a giant is pedalling as well. It really puts a smile on my face as I zoom up those inclines that were so tiring previously.On Assist level 6 there is a real throttle control. Feels great travelling at up to 15 mph and not pedalling. I live on a road with a gentle, but “out of breath”, gradient for about a 1/4 mile. Brings me and the shopping up there with no problem at all. The neighbours are impressed!
The riding management control is via an LCD display, with three control buttons, mounted on the handlebars. It shows road speed, battery level, Assist level, etc. The buttons are used to change the Assist levels and to switch everything on and off. The display is clear to see and the buttons are easy to use.A bonus is that there is a “walking” mode feature. You press a button as you are walking alongside the bike and it helps you along. It’s really useful if you have to push the bike up an incline – and it takes all the effort out of it.The bike has 21 gears.
With Pedal Assist I find I just use large front cog and positions 3,4,5,6,7 at the rear. That’s all I need around here – using Pedal Assist at levels 1, 2 or occasionally 3. The battery seems to last “forever” like this!The bike has just had its first (and free) service thanks to Hamant and Paul at Powered Cycles.Thanks Hamant for the “electric bike” I always wanted. Now off to sell the Harley! :(Tom Robinson
Tom from Nottingham, July 2015
Caio City bike
I first encountered Poweredbicycles at the Peterborough Motorhome Show. I had been looking at folding electric bikes for a few years and tried riding various ones but never found one which appealed to me. When I passed their stand I saw the Caio City bike and I immediately liked the look of it. I liked the battery positioned under the carrier rather than behind the seat post. Hamant encouraged me to take it off for a trial run, and I was immediately hooked.It was so sweet to handle, the hub gears a dream and the electric assist just magic. The price took a bit of getting used to though, I’m an Aberdonian!
For years I have been trying to persuade my wife to have an electric bike, but she wouldn’t even try one, so I decided to order this bike for myself and then perhaps when I got it home, she would try it. I explained how to operate the controls and she tentatively set off only using the pedals at first. Then she tried the motor on first setting. Well it only took a couple of minutes before she was hooked. She wanted to go straight home and order one for herself.
We have each had different folding bikes before but the design and quality of these bikes is superb by comparison. The folding mechanisms are so sweet and simple compared to our old bikes. I recon that they are worth the money after all.
Ordered one day and delivered the next. Great service.It has been a pleasure dealing with Hamant and I’m sure that if we ever have any problems, he will very helpful.
Chas from Kirkcaldy
Mantra City
I bought a Mantra City from Power Bicycles in June 2011 and now in the fourth year of use I feel justified in writing an appraisal of the service I’ve received and of the bicycle itself. I have been a keen cyclist since a boy and following a heart attack in 2010 I became interested in electric bikes as I wished to continue cycling, but with a little help up the hills. I tried a few models locally, but was singularly unimpressed as the shop staff were uninformed and the models themselves were poorly finished and performed sluggishly on trials.
I then took a trip up to Long Eaton having studied their website which I found most interesting and informative. I gave Hamant an idea of what I was looking for: a machine that looked and rode like a traditional bike and had a bit of oomph in the power department. He intelligently gave me a choice of only two (just as well as there was an array of dozens all over the shop) – it’s like Aladdin’s Cave in there! I tried the first one which I found to be pretty good. The second one to try was the Mantra City which rode well, had plenty of power up the hill to the supermarket thanks to its 36v motor and was considerably cheaper than the other one.
I ordered one there and then from a new batch which was expected to arrive in the following two weeks and it was duly delivered to my door on time. I started riding along the country roads where I live near Peterborough and straight away had that wonderful feeling of elation I’d had as a boy of twelve when I was given my first real new bike; the open air, the smell of the country, the independence, the pride of ownership. It’s difficult to explain, but any cyclist reading this will know what I mean.
During the following fortnight I put the bike through its paces on the country roads, parks, tracks and fields and used it on power as much as necessary. I found the endurance of the battery to be about 30 miles. This increased to 50 miles of intermittent use after a few weeks of the charge/discharge process. After the first two weeks, I brought the bike back to Long Eaton for its free service. I left it with them while I had lunch having explained that the only problem I’d had was an intermittent electrical fault causing the motor to cut out. They traced it to a faulty connector which they replaced.
Over the years I’ve continued to enjoy my cycling and have had no further trouble. I manage to service the bike myself and the only spares I’ve needed are a couple of pairs of brake blocks and a replacement inner tube. Anyone looking to buy a powered bicycle needs look no further than this highly professional organization.
Brian R
On 17th April my friend and I went to Powered Bicycles on a hunt for an electric bike. My friend has a small fold away bike along with myself which we use when we go away in a small VW van. However recently she has been unable to do long rides due to a knee problem and when we have gone away with friends she hasn’t able to enjoy the rides and has often been left at the back or left walking with the bike.
We were expecting to visit several shops in the East Milands on the day to look for the one for her. However as soon as we stepped inside the shop Hamant looked to find out the circumstances for which we wanted a bike and how he could find the right bike for us. He let us try out several bikes from the cheapest to the most expensive and let us make our own mind up about which would work best for us.
We knew we needed the bike to work independently (so a good powerful battery) and have a battery that wasn’t too obvious and bulky. He showed us how the battery worked, talked about how long it would last for and whether it would get up the hills if we needed it to. My friend was convinced this was the place and that we needed to go no further.
The only problem would be the delivery time. We were going away for the bank holiday and thought we wouldn’t be able to get the bike in time to enjoy it straight away. But again Hamant worked round his schedule and told us we come back for it the following day. We also discussed different saddles which would provide extra comfort on longer journeys. He arranged to swap the original saddle for an ergonomic one and added extra suspension. We also agreed to special tyres that would avoid punctures.
The following weekend we met up with friends and we all went biking at Rutland water. The whole route was about 25 miles but despite the electric bike being absolutely perfect for the job it was the other bikes which let us down – one puncture on the way out which was mended and then one of the party was ill and couldn’t complete the route. I am convinced that with the extra peddling round the route my friend could have easily finished the 25 miles.
My only reservation now is the security of the bike when my friend uses it for other things.
Cath Jones
Dear Powered bicycles,
I bought my first electric bicycle (a galileo obtuse) from yourselves several months ago after a lot of searching. After getting rather frustrated about the lack of electric hybrid bicycles available for my size and being told “the best thing is to try it”………which I agree would be ideal, but isn’t really practical when the shop is hours of travelling away, I was delighted by the level of service Hamant provided.
On Hamant’s suggestion I sent measurements and photos of my me and my regular bike, and on his advice that the bike would be perfect for me I purchased it. After wondering whether it was a lot of money to spend on something that might end up sitting in the garage I can only say WHY DIDN’T I GET ONE SOONER!!!
I smashed my ankle badly in an accident and now have joint pain, and my cycling had become confined to flat areas with good going, which is very limiting in Yorkshire!I wasn’t enjoying my standard bike. With an electric bike I LOVE cycling again it has opened up a whole expanse of places I can get to including places I wouldn’t have gone before, hills are FUN!!
I have become much more adventurous off road because I know I can power through, and I can now ride with my husband at whatever speed he wants. The electric bike is perfect because I can use it as a normal bike until I need the extra assistance so I still feel I’m getting a workout.
I would definitely recommend one and Poweredbicycles took time to ensure I got one that fit.
Diane Hinchiffe
Galileo Big Eye
I bought a Galileo Big Eye 36v back in July (online; you were surprised) and have finally found a moment to send some feedback, as promised. I have been very happy with my purchase and want to thank you for building me such a great toy. I’m thinking that detail in feedback is good, so find below some thoughts about my experience.
In terms of the positives: The bike is simply amazing. It has now covered well over 1,000 km in all kinds of weather and on varied terrain. Nothing has phased it so far and the battery life / range is actually much better than advertised. I am averaging over 104 km on a single charge, which is significantly more than I expected. I am a relatively slight female, don’t ‘cheat” a lot, and my regular journey only involves a few hills plus a kilometre or so over a (currently very muddy) heath. Still, I think your advertising somewhat understated the potential range.The bike has clearly been well put together and the components are all of good quality.
Nothing has gone wrong, needed tightening / adjusting, or given me any problems of any kind (so far!). To contrast this, my last bike had been back to its store of origin for various reasons 3 times before it had covered the same distance.Thinking back to the original purchase, I found the process simple and the bike arrived well packaged, with all the features I was expecting from the information on your website and indeed a little bit more. I recall being resigned to going out to find some mudguards based on what the web page said, then very pleasantly surprised on finding them in the box. It was very easy to do the last bit of assembly and reassuring that I didn’t have to do anything too technical and could therefore trust that nothing was going to fall off on my first ride 🙂
So that you can consider possible future improvements, there are a couple of things that would have been helpful for the benefit of online customers like myself: The bike appears to do everything that was advertised, though it doesn’t quite seem to do everything that the attached instructions refer to, which is somewhat confusing. For instance, the display instructions refer to showing motor running temperature, yet this doesn’t appear on the appropriate display for me. I assume that the instructions give the display functions but the motor isn’t entirely compatible? If this is the case – rather than something not working properly on my bike – it might be helpful to consider developing a more tailored manual based on the manufacturer’s standard one.
More detailed general user instructions would have been helpful too, particularly for those who haven’t had an e-bike before, in relation to using the gears together with the various assist modes. The first ride felt a little like taming a wild horse and it took a good few kilometres with various degrees of up and downhill inclines before I worked out what combinations I and the bike felt happy with. I am still not convinced that what I am choosing allows me to maximise each charge, so if you have any tips about this, I’d be very grateful to receive them.It would also be helpful to include a more detailed maintenance guide.
Understandably, the most detailed aspect was about charging and battery / charger storage. There were some other clues about the electric components and motor (avoiding water logging, not disassembling and such) but no detailed other information such as how often to de-grease or lubricate which parts, or recommendations about what to use / avoid. There was also no information included about optimal tyre pressure. I appreciate that these are fairly standard bike maintenance points, but for someone like me reading them in a detailed user guide would give reassurance that I am caring for my expensive toy properly.In terms of the warranty, there was reference made to proper maintenance and authorised people making any repairs, but no indication as to who these might be, other than yourselves.
As much as I would love to, I can’t get to you for routine servicing. I am down in Kent and the bike is my only mode of transport. Could you please advise if the local Halfords is acceptable? I suspect that at the current rate of progress my tyres are not going to last as long as the warranty and I don’t want to risk invalidating it by getting Halfords to change them for me which will obviously involve some disassembly… Given the distance the bike has already covered, I’d also like to get them to do a proper service (eg check my brake cables), over and above my standard TLC.As you can see, all my suggestions for improvement are about user instructions. My experience overall has been extremely positive and I am very glad to have found your website. It is clear that the reputation you refer to is well deserved. Thank you again!Kind regards
Oli Setikovska
We’re a couple with a 3 1/2 year old who have decided to sell up and have an adventure before our son has to start school. We sold our property in September, bought a motorhome and two powered bikes and headed to Spain in mid October. We will be educating our son while we travel, already making new friends from New Zealand and local Spanish citizens, our son has already learned that there is more to life out there than just England.
Our powered bikes have already proved themselves, are used everyday and even for sightseeing tours up into the mountains. I love speeding passed the professional looking cyclists with my basket on the front of my bike! We wouldn’t be without our bikes, simply the best decision we’ve made!!
Lindsey
Hi Hamant can you remember back in 2011 you sold me a mantra city bike (Neil Duffy) from farnsfield?
Well the bike has now been fully tested 3 years later with a staggering 28080 on the clock it has been to my place of work 5 days a week for the last 3 years though all weathers snow ,wind, rain. It still got the original battery and motor which I have managed to replace the bearings.
The bike has saved me approx. £50 a week in petrol the service I got from Hamant was outstanding I know its took a long time for this review but I do test things to destruction but the bike has survived and is still going strong.
Neil Duffy
I recently bought a powered bicycle from Scattergoods Motor Parts (PoweredBicycles) in Long Eaton. Since then I have been riding to work about 8 miles each way. It’s been great, I beat all the traffic including the buses and have knocked off between 15-25 minutes on the journey in. 8 miles in 35 minutes in rush hour traffic!
I bought a powered cycle as I thought it would keep me on my bike daily. I am fairly fit but didn’t want to arrive at work sweaty and exhausted. With my new bike I pedal and use both manual gears to increase the speed in combination with the electric gears. It sounds complicated but its not, what it means is I can get as much or as little exercise as I want and have options. I absolutely love not having to wait in traffic.
I definitely recommend this product if distance is a barrier for you getting into work on a bike.
PS. the staff are really helpful
Sue
City Rambler
Well, what a superb purchase! I am so pleased with the performance of my City Rambler. I tow our 34kg black Labrador behind me in a Doggy Hut trailer so I need a bike that offers me power & stability. Previous electric bikes have either been underpowered or so heavy I have tipped over & sustained some sort of injury!
We have just been cycling for 5 weeks along the rivers and canals in mid- France & I haven’t over balanced once! The bike is so well geared I can generally cycle without needing the assist & just flick it on to go up an incline – or catch up with my husband! The throttle facility has got us out of trouble at busy junctions or roundabouts many times & I think that is probably it’s best feature.
The battery life is pretty phenomenal too enabling us to travel further distances knowing we could flick into assist to get home fast without any effort! So thank you Powered Bicycles!
I am happy to recommend your bikes at any time to anyone who wants further info either by email or telephone.
Caroline Frost
I hate my wife’s bike, it is one of those from that guy Hamant at Powered Bicycles in Long Eaton. He advised her to get one of those bikes that look like they came off the Polder in the Netherlands. It is almost sit-up-and beg with a soft chunky seat and a basket at the front, which would be ideal for carrying the knitting but since she does not knit, she carries my beer for me. It has a Sturmey Archer 3 gear thingy, which I said was totally inadequate for the mountains round here in Whitby but I was over-ridden, so to speak, and Hamant got his way with her and she took his advice and went for this three speed jobbie. I did my own thing and went for one that has more gears than our cat has fleas.
Anyway, we go out for a ride and she zooms off into the distance whilst I bring up the rear. She stops and sits on a seat until I catch up with her and then as soon as I sit down to get my breath and regain my composure she hops back on her velocipede and beggars off again. My pride is battered and she can see this so she lets me ride in front so that we don’t get parted and it gives me the opportunity to restore myself to my rightful position (in front) with an air of masculine dominance.
One day we were out on the old railway track and decided to sit a while on a seat overlooking the sea and soon a lurid lycra-clad came haring up the hill on his carbon fibre speed machine and a he sped past she whispered to me ‘Do you think we will catch him up” – ‘Don’t be daft” I said – I mean after all I am sixty eight and whilst she is a mere slip of a thing, she nevertheless is not twenty one! After a while we got back on our chargers and hit the hot button.
To our astonishment there was lycra-clad, just around the next corner, making heavy going up to the summit and my wife went for it. She passed him like a bat out hell and as she did so, lycra-clad nearly fell of his steed with stunned, amazement and sheer fright at the sight of my missus disappearing over the horizon with her legs splayed out, hanging on to her hat and with my beer bottles rattling with applause in the wee basket, whilst he waivered in her slip-steam. I did not disgrace myself either because just as lycra-clad had almost composed himself (and cleaned himself up), I flew by and gave him a cheeky wink (it’s that lycra you know) and he gave me a menacing glare that told me he was like Armstrong – he did not like being beaten at his own game!
One day we came out of Whitby and up towards the abbey on the steep Green Lane incline – it is so steep that the cows up there have surgical boots to enable then to walk round the hillside. We were making good going and soon caught up with an old lady trudging slowly up the rise and as we zoomed by she nearly had a heart attack poor soul and all she say was ‘CRIKEY” Yes they are that good – we have yet to find a hill round here that we cannot ride up.
People say we are lazy beggars but I disagree, we still pedal along as you would on a normal bike but since the bikes go up hill without having to dismount, we feel that we are getting more exercise but without the intense heart busting effort.
We say – Go for it, just like our seventy two year old mate did, who was so taken with our bikes that he bought one too and now he can go to the pub along the cycle track and have a couple of beers without having to worry about drinking and driving. So far he has not fallen off!
Steven Beasley
“MAKE EXERCISE A BREEZE”, the words my partner now uses to explain the benefits and enjoyment of these terrific inventions. It’s been over two years since we purchased our first electric bikes from Poweredbicycles, which were our first electric bikes.
The decision to buy from PoweredBicycles was taken after a fair bit of research, travelling around and testing of the electric bikes available at the time. We didn’t have to use any real scientific evaluation to make the decision it was almost obvious to us when we had met Hamant and the team at their slightly confusing but thoroughly endearing, well stocked and welcoming shop in Long Eaton.
Hamant’s passion, knowledge and desire for his product was infectious, it left all the other retailers we had visited looking dull, uninviting and uninteresting. We had planned to spend an hour or so at the shop that first day, having arrived at 10:00am, travelling from North Yorkshire. We left seven hours later at 5:00pm! Throughout the time, we never once felt pressured that we had to make a purchase, we were just given a step-by-step understanding of the technologies used in the production of the bikes, the history of the business and the choices available us. We made endless, but vital trips to the ‘testing ground’, across the road with different styles of bicycles, not realising that we were being assessed by Hamant as to what we were really after, and what would be best for us. Indeed, my partner, Sarah, was initially more concerned with the look of the bike. Her aspiration was that it had some real street cred, e.g a mountain bike look alike.
All the time Hamant was getting to know her, and knew exactly what bike was best for her. How right he was, Sarah is so passionate about her bike, she rides most days and calls it “Lady Penelope”. She wouldn’t change it for anything. I didn’t really know what I wanted, but once I’d ridden the Mantra City, I was smitten, and I remain smitten to this day. It’s a wonderful bike, both on road and even some bridleways etc. We always take the bikes with us on our motorhome holidays, which we thoroughly enjoy. Everything that we told by Hamant about the bikes, their capabilities has proven to be totally correct.
After many years of heavy use, I feel we are in a worthy position to comment on this. I have been down to see Hamant several times over the past few years, and have always been made to feel very welcome.
I have no concerns about recommending Poweredbicycles to anyone. My brother and his wife have recently also bought bikes from them, they too are totally happy with their bikes.
Neil and Sarah
To all the staff at POWEREDBICYCLES
We were very thankful for all the help and advice that you gave to us on the purchase of my Electric Tricycle.
We recently spent a week in Belgium which is very Bike friendly. It was very much admired, and we were asked many questions about it ,how far it will go how fast and how long will the battery lasts etc.
Thanks again for all your trouble.
John Wilcox
City Runner
Thanks again for servicing the bikes at the Shepton Mallet show. It was really helpful. We hope your presence resulted in a good few sales from the show, making up for earlier disappointments because of the weather.
As promised (and apologies for the delay!) here is a brief paragraph you can add to your reviews on the website. Please let us know the result of the battery charger testing and what if any action is needed by us now.
We have had two City Runner bikes for 3 years. The build quality is impressive and they still look relatively new. We have used them in France, Spain, England and Wales, up hills, through vineyards, down valleys, etc. etc. and they are great.
When we go away on holiday, they stack neatly on our motor caravan bike rack, snug under their waterproof covers, and the power and range of the batteries is impressive, especially when using the throttle up steep hills! We are often asked about them when on our travels.
The after sales service provided by Hamant is excellent and nothing is too much trouble. We are very pleased with the build quality and the reliability and would completely recommend them.