Kalkhoff Impulse review / 2012 stock news / London showroom moving / UK’s oldest e-bike discovered?

2012 Agattu Impulse review

Kalkhoff’s new e-bike system has won great reviews and impressed both 50cycles and our customers recently.

A to B magazine published the original review of the Kalkhoff Agattu e-bike back in 2008 and they have tested dozens of e-bikes since. Editor David Henshaw says the latest version, the Agattu Impulse has “easily the best mileage figure we’ve seen” and is “one of the most economical bikes we’ve tried”

He also describes the 15Ah battery pack as having “a whacking great capacity, but physically quite small and weighs only 2.9kg. That’s an energy density of 180 watts per kilogram, a figure that breaks new ground against all the Chinese tat. It’s a spectacular advance.”

He concludes that the “the option of riding continuously for at least four hours up hill and down dale will be a terrific bonus” for many electric cyclists.

And if you needed any more convincing, bear in mind that the bike A to B tested used an older version of the Impulse motor software: all our Kalkhoff Impulse bikes come with upgraded software for the UK market that offers superior climbing performance, making them the long-range, hill-busting, must-have electric bikes of 2012 and beyond.

Recent test rides on a 2012 Kalkhoff Agattu C8 HS Impulse (pictured above) up and down the hills of Charnwood Forest near Loughborough, Richmond Park and Brighton have confirmed the system’s startling ability to take on even longer climbs without flinching. Here’s a brief report of the first outing up Nanpantan hill last Friday – what the photograph doesn’t show is the my grin after making such short work of a hill that has always been an unpleasant slog, even on other electric bikes.

Eagerly-awaited Kalkhoff models now in stock

Recent weeks have seen many new Kalkhoff models come into stock in good numbers for the first time, so delivery times on even some of the previously scarce models are now short and test rides are available.

Sahel Pro S11 (pictured above) – limited stock and on display

Pro Connect BS10 – in stock and on display £400 off RRP

Agattu C8 HS Impulse – in stock and on display

Agattu C11 Premium Impulse – on display and a few left in stock after strong early sales

Agattu C8 XXL Impulse – in stock and on display

Sahel Compact – in stock and on display

Agattu C8 Impulse – in stock and on display

Fossilised electric bike discovered in Brighton?

We spotted this beauty during one of our Impulse test rides in Brighton & Hove over the weekend. It appears to be the world’s oldest and most dilapidated electric bike and Looked as though its owner had chained it to the seafront before going off to fight Napoleon.

The close up to the left shows the battery pack which appeared to be made from an empty tin of beans salvaged from a cowboy’s cooking fire. It was strapped loosely to the handlebars and had some very suspect wires poking out of one end, but had long since been ‘made safe’.

We assume it’s a home-made one-off and was probably great fun to ride at one time. Has anyone else spotted this marvellous specimen or know the story behind it?

Oscar’s Party Launched

Electric ride-ons aren’t just for adults! Oscar’s party is run by someone close to 50cycles (it’s named after one of our sons) and specialises in supplying themed kits for baby, toddler and pre-school indoor and outdoor parties. Oscar’s Party mainly operates in the SW London and Surrey area and is taking bookings for really cool kids party kits now. Oscar’s Party Children’s Party Equipment Hire

New London Showroom to open this month

The 50cycles London showroom will be moving from Richmond to a new premises in Hampton Wick this month. Our shop at 82 Hill Rise, with its wooden floors and open fire, certainly has its charms but we need more room to display our bikes properly.

The new premises will be a couple of miles upriver, near the bustling shopping centre of Kingston, and is a larger, brighter, more airy setting for our e-bike range. There are plenty of quiet streets and off-road cycling nearby and free parking for up to an hour within a few yards. Our last day in Richmond will be around this time next week, but don’t worry, we haven’t moved far. More details on our new showroom to follow shortly.

That’s all for now, much more news to follow in later emails and on our website.

The 50cycles Team

Kalkhoff Agattu C8 HS Impulse electric bike after Nanpantan hill climb

I went looking for hills around the 50cycles premises in Loughborough this afternoon. There’d been a break in the weather and no showers forecast for a couple of hours, so I thought it’d be a great time to take a 2012 Kalkhoff Agattu C8 Impulse HS up the steeper streets in Loughborough. I enjoyed the early climbs so much that I decided to take on the longer, steeper climb out of town up Nanpantan Road.

The Agattu I rode today was originally delivered in March and had been updated with the new motor software from Kalkhoff earlier this week. The change from version 1.2 to 1.66 included better power managment on long hill climbs and I certainly found this to be case.

The only slope near the shop is up and over the bridge that carries the road over the Midland Mainline within sight of our warehouse. I managed to do this in 8th gear (ie top gear) with very little effort. That was satisfying. I then rode a couple of miles through the Soar Valley villages before heading back into Loughborough via the Brush works. The next hill worth trying is Beacon Road on the other side of town, so off I went.

Beacon Road is where you’ll find some of the largest, best-appointed properties in town and it’s rare to see anyone cycling up it as it’s a long hill for these parts. I was able to climb the whole hill in 7th easily and with plenty of energy to spare. I needed more hills to put this beautiful bike up against, but only the biggie remained – the road out of Loughborough up to the hills and forests of Charnwood. So, off I went.

Nanpantan Road is a big hill. The only cyclists you’ll see attempting it are either tree-trunk legged tourers riding bikes piled high with panniers who will stop at nothing or athletic road cyclists from the University out for a bit of aerobic exercise. Today though I was armed with the latest in electric bike technology, motivated by curiosity about its hill-climbing power and already well pleased by how it had done on the nursery slopes in the town behind me.

I stopped at the traffic lights at the bottom of the steepest section and set off. My plan was to do the whole ascent in 6th gear, the lowest gear at which system allows you to reach the top assisted speed of 15.5mph on the flat. I also selected the Power mode on the handlebar controls. I then set off and was soon grinning at how easy it was. I’ve climbed that hill a couple of times on Panasonic-powered Kalkhoffs and though much, much easier than a non-powered bike, it could be a bit of a struggle in the last couple of hundred yards. Not today though, the new 36 volt motor and latest software maintained a consistent climb over the entire distance.

I was very, very pleased. 50cycles has staked its reputation on the potential of the Impulse motor technology and today’s triumphant afternoon of hills was a welcome vindication.

So, if you’re in the market for a good-looking, long-range, hill-climbing, all-rounder of an electric bike, there is nothing better than one of the Agattu Impulse range. We have plenty in stock now and all come with Kalkhoff’s latest power management software onboard. Take one up a hill near you at the earliest opportunity, you’ll be impressed and looking for the next hill, and the next one…

However, it seems he’s not ideologically opposed to getting on a bike after all. He spends much of today’s column writing about the joy of riding an electric bike from his house in the Pyrenees down to a local fiesta and back. It was a transformative experience:

“For a 62-year-old boyhood cycling enthusiast such as me, it’s like being 16 again: wings to your pedals as each push on the treads pulses the bike forward… Coming back around midnight through the evergreen oak forest on a warm clear night under a full moon, the night air cooling damp brows and the soft hum beneath the bum reassuring us of continuing electrical assistance, was magic.”

It’s not clear from the following description which electric bikes he and his sister were riding, but he gives a fairly detailed description of their appearance and how they worked:

“[My sister, Belinda] bought four of these bikes from a manufacturer in Barcelona. She hires them out to holidaymakers; but we borrowed two and, as evening fell, set out down the hill to L’Esquirol — ten miles away — to watch the little town’s annual fiesta. Off we whooshed through the dusk on a lonely road on futuristic bikes that look anything but futuristic. Black, solid, old-fashioned-looking, with a wicker pannier on each side of the rear wheel, indistinguishable at first glance from the kind of thing that you might see a rural French nun riding. All’s as expected on a traditional bike, with five gears.

But welded to the frame beneath the saddle is a battery holder containing a plastic-covered rechargeable powerpack the size and shape of two slim bricks, end to end, weighing about ten pounds. Here the electric assistance is switched on or off. A display light indicates how much power remains. And that’s it. There are two levels of electrical assistance, high or low, plus a booster operated by the equivalent of a motorcycle throttle on the handlebar. But here’s the really cool thing: if you don’t pedal yourself, the electrics won’t kick in to help you. You can’t just freewheel. It’s so Tory! I just loved it.

You’re all in this together, you and your bike; and as long as you’re doing your bit you’ll hear the faintest of hums from the fat rear hub as the electrics lend a hand. Stop pedalling, the hum cuts, and you’re on your own.”

But then, oh dear, Parris’s feelings about a certain type of cyclist emerged once more…

“But you know the best thing? Encountering ordinary sports cyclists in their lurid spandex garments and absurd minimalist crash helmets (ours were disguised, one as a solar topee, the other in hunting tweed). These ciclistas, with angry, spittle-flecked mouths, look at you in shock, glance at your battery, then eye you as one might eye a piece of excrement. And you hum and whirr on up the hill, with all the exultation of an unashamed cheat. Ha!”

That’s a glorious feeling many electric cyclists will be familiar with. Good to have you on board, Matthew Parris! Let’s hope his experience on an electric bike turns out to be more than a  holiday fling.

“There are some things one buys that are kind of expensive but then they turn out to be so good you immediately don’t care what it cost and would do it again in a heartbeat. That’s the way it is with my Pro Connect S. Riding the bike has been a transformative experience. Every time I hop on and pedal away I can’t keep a grin off my face. Rides that I used to find reasons to avoid, I now look for excuses to undertake. It has increased my weekly exercise because I enjoy biking more and pushing faster when I want to. If I want to dial back a bit I am still cruising along at a good clip and can arrive at destinations without breaking into a sweat (well, maybe a little one since it is typically 45+ degrees here in the summer).

As for 50cycles, and Tim Snaith, I can’t recommend them highly enough. I live in the Middle East and Tim delivered my bike to Heathrow Terminal 5 on the morning of my flight, parked his van and then spent the next 90 minutes with me furiously helping to cut down the carton and repack the bike so British Airways would accept it as accompanied baggage. Which they did and all went smoothly. Tim also processed my VAT refund the next day. Talk about first rate customer service…”
Will Kochinski, One Extremely Satisfied 50cycles Customer and Grinning Owner of a Pro Connect S

Thank you, Will!

Kalkhoff Distributor of the Year 50cycles was named Kalkhoff Distributor of the Year at an event  in the bicycle maker’s home town of Cloppenburg, Germany last week. The award was made in recognition of strong growth of Kalkhoff e-bike sales here in the UK (in a market that is dominated by large chain stores and sales of children’s bikes), our commitment to after-sales service and our innovative approach to supplying bikes to customers across the UK. The importance of team work was also stressed as a major factor – how we at 50cycles work together and how we work with Kalkhoff’s own team. We’re very proud to pick up this award again (the first time was in 2008, at the end of our first season selling Kalkhoff bikes) but of course, the fact Kalkhoff e-bikes are the best on the market helps and we couldn’t do it without the thousand of discerning customers who have chosen our bikes over the years. It’s been a great month as we’ve also been nominated as a finalist in the prestigious National Business Awards. More to follow in our next email, but in the meantime, wish us luck!
	Why our bikes are selling out so quickly this year Kalkhoff came up with a winning formula for 2011 – great looking, comfortable, powerful bikes with the highest capacity battery on the market. So it’s no surprise that certain models, even the ones we ordered in bulk numbers, are now selling out early in the season. The top-of-the-range Pro Connect DLs are all gone until next year, as is the 55cm (Large) Pro Connect S, Bionx Image B27 45cm (Small) and the Agattu C8 53cm (Large). We do still have small numbers left in other sizes for these models, plus one bike left in each of the remaining Agattu XXL options. However, we are down to a few weeks’ supply of the 50cm and 55cm Pro Connect Disc. If you have your heart set on an Agattu, Pro Connect Sport or Pro Connect Disc with an 18Ah battery, now is the time to commit. Once the gone, they won’t be back until next Spring. We still have plenty of the entry-level Agattu C3 left, so there may be room for a bargain if you catch one of our sales guys in a generous mood! Finally, the two bikes remaining in our Summer Sale, the 2010 Pro Connect S and Pro Connect Alfine are now available to order with 18Ah batteries (as well as the original Panasonic 10Ah) – check online or call 0333 900 5050 for details and prices. Only a few left of each now.
	Our 2011  Owners Survey continues We’ve asked owners to contribute reviews of their electric bikes before but this year we can offer a more structured format for collecting your feedback. We’ve produced a short survey where you can tell us how you rate your bike and what you like best (or least) about owning a Kalkhoff. Testimonials from our customers have encouraged thousands of people to consider an electric bike over the years, so any contributions will be gratefully received.
What’s new in Richmond Our Richmond showroom has now been open for more than a year and we’ve just had our busiest month yet. This weekend sees the London-Surrey Classic cycle race pass by the shop, so if you’re in the area, please come and visit us. If you live in the Richmond area, look out for a new 50cycles flyer landing on your doormat early next week – then bring it into the shop to claim a free accessory when you order your bike. The permanent demonstration fleet now includes the Pro Connect Disc, Pro Connect S, Image B27, Agattu C8, Agattu C3, Oxygen Emate City and the Emotion Folder. We are also testing a Haibike eq Enduro FS full suspension electric mountain bike that features the new Bosch motor.
And finally… An ingenious solution to the problems of housing and urban transport? One man’s dream realised? Or some clever image manipulation? We know a lot of our customers are motorhome owners who need an electric bike to get around once their settled in on-site. Well, here’s another way around that. It could catch on… it’ll probably need some electric assistance though. You can see many more images of the camper bike here

That’s all for now, thank you for reading

The 50cycles Team

August sees the meeting of international distributors for all of Derby Cycle’s main brands at their home in Cloppenburg, Germany. Proceedings are ended with Distributor of the Year awards being handed our by Derby Cycle’s CEO, Matthias Seidler.

We picked up the title this year on the basis that we have made impressive headway with the Kalkhoff brand in a country that is yet to take to electric bikes in the same way as many European countries; where more children’s bikes are sold than anything else; where economic and market conditions are challenging. Despite all this, we’ve seen Kalkhoff electric bike sales grow at a rate close to that enjoyed in Kalkhoff’s main market, Germany.

We’ve worked hard this year, with our work made somewhat easier by Kalkhoff’s fantastic range of electric bikes in 2011, but it was unexpected and very welcome. The trophy will soon take pride of place in our Richmond showroom.

The cycling season is at its height and hundreds of new electric bike owners are out in the fresh air enjoying the thrill of powered cycling. Don’t just take our word for it, read some of the latest   reports from happy customers who love their Kalkhoff electric bikes. Our annual Summer sales promotion begins this week and we also have a new folding ebike from BH EMotion, plus an update on which stock has already sold out or is likely to soon.
	2011 Kalkhoff Owners Survey We had a great response to last month’s call for owner reviews, and we’ve added many new reports to our Agattu, Pro Connect Disc, Pro Connect Sport, Pro Connect Alfine pages. There was even one report from a new Image B27 owner (the BionX-powered one with regenerative braking, 300% assistance and 27 speed gears) who has discovered a hidden alarm/immobiliser feature. If you own and enjoy one of our electric bikes please share your experience using our new online review form – we know many of you are keen to spread the word about the pleasures and benefits of electric cycling. With thousands of people visiting our website every day, you could make a real impression on someone and help make another car or travelcard obsolete. We’re equally keen to hear from our Oxygen, Freego and BH Emotion owners too, of course! Here’s our online review form
	New EMotion folding electric bike While we’re on the subject, we’ve just added a new version of the BH Emotion folder. The new Nexus model comes with Shimano’s tried and tested 3-speed hub gear (which featured in our first bike, the Honda Step Compo), a hub dynamo and matt black finish. It’s the first EMotion ebike with a hub gear set up and all the advantages that brings.
	Kalkhoff models are selling out We have now completely sold out of both the Pro Connect S DL (all sizes) and the 55cm Pro Connect S, with only a few 50cm Pro Connect S remaining. Finally, this year’s really big seller, the Pro Connect Disc, looks set to sell out in July too, with the most popular 50cm size going fast. If you are considering any of these models, we would recommend ordering in the next few days and weeks.
What’s new in Richmond The permanent demonstration fleet now includes the Pro Connect Disc, Pro Connect S, Image B27, Agattu C8, Agattu C3, Connect Lady, Freego Folder and the Emotion Folder. We also have the last remaining Haibike eq Enduro FS featuring Bosch’s new pedal assist motor. It’s quite a bike, particularly its looks, powerful hill-climbing and capable off-road performance. There’s a full set of Casco E.Motion helmets to try and a couple from our new HardNutZ range too. The truly ingenious Tunebug Shake wireless helmet audio device is also on show.

That’s all for now, thank you for reading

The 50cycles Team

It is, however, rare to hear of a whole function that we either missed or was not documented properly. One recent Kalkhoff Image B27 owner has found that that model has a hitherto undiscovered alarm/immobilisation function. That comes at the end of Bob’s comprehensive and informative review, under the heading ‘Easter Egg’. One more reason to consider this, the most powerful and sophisticated of Kalkhoff’s 2011 electric bike range.

Here’s Bob’s review:

Why electric?
I have just got an electric bike after more than 50 years of cycling, the last 30 years of which were on a 5-speed Raleigh Richmond. This was a ‘lightweight sport’ – Reynolds tubing, skinny wheels – that I could easily lift over styles. It is a lovely bike but I have never lifted it over a style and I’m unlikely want to do so in future. The only time I took it off road recently I got a very sore backside.

Having passed 65 I have a little more time to get out. I’m reasonably fit and walk a lot but would like to roam further afield without feeling guilty about the eco-damage from using the car. So I’d like to cycle a bit more. But even in leafy Hertfordshire, in the tail-end of the Chilterns, we are surrounded by surprisingly steep hills. And the road surfaces are abominable – I destroyed a £150 tyre and £300 wheel on my car in a single pothole recently.

And my knees are shot – 3 out of 4 of my cartilages have been hacked about.

And then I heard about electrically assisted bicycles.

My needs
I want something for (very) rough roads and occasional unmetalled country lanes – without having to stand on the pedals to avoid discomfort.

I want to get to the nearby towns and villages, over those hills, without straining my knees and without having to get off.

I do not need a huge range – I am unlikely to want to travel more than 50 miles at a time, and I don’t need assistance for all that time.

Why Kalkhoff?
I looked at the offerings of all the major suppliers of e-bikes in the UK. I excluded anything that didn’t come with mudguards. (Maybe it’s my age, but I just don’t get the appeal of that mudstreak down your back.)

While I found others that met the basic spec., Kalkhoff seems to be among the most up-to-date in the technology it is using and has a reputation for quality. And it was the only one I found that had a BionX model. I had heard less than favourable reports of BionX, but I was intrigued by the technology.

Why the Image B27?
50cycles were very helpful. I drove to Loughborough to try out the Pro Connect Disc (Panasonic) and the Image B27 (BionX). Matt was patient as I dithered.

I was attracted by the long-life battery of the Connect. And having cut my cycling teeth on Sturmey Archer (with one of their early TWO-speed hubs), I liked the 8-speed hub gears of the Connect. But I really did not its long wheel-base.

I had read that the BionX was not so good for hills, which given my needs was a concern. But when I rode it the umph I felt from moderate assistance was at least as good as the Panasonic-Connect. And in the highest assistance mode, it was just remarkable.

Eventually I chose the B27 for the ‘feel’ – a combination, I think, of the shorter wheelbase and that torque. I took my chances with range and hills.

Ordering and Delivery
No problem: 50cycles arranged delivery on the specific day I wanted, and it arrived just fine.

Experience
Early days yet, but I am very pleased with the choice I made.

That umph (even on ‘A2′) is just great for taking off from a standstill.

The B27 has 27 gears which took a bit of getting used to after the Richmond, but even without assistance they enabled me to get further up some of those hills than I’ve managed before. Even so, I began to flag, so tried the assistance – A2 and maybe A3 for a short while – and sailed up hills I’d never managed before. I have not found any problem with the support that it provides for hill-climbing – it has been just great for me.

I’d heard that the generative mode was not a big deal in that it does not add much to your range. But a huge benefit is that when freewheeling downhill you can just select a mode to go down at the speed you want. No gripping onto the brakes for dear life. I realised I was grinning to myself (not a pretty sight) when I first realised this: any regeneration to the battery is a bonus.

And the generative mode is automatically engaged when you apply the brakes. Very nice.

And .. it fits in that shed.

Adjustments (so far)
First off: note that it comes with the rear brake to the right. Bad news for an old geezer set in his ways of grasping the left brake first in an emergency: I could see myself going over the handlebars. So I swapped them over. Note that by loosening a screw you can adjust the angle of the reservoir tanks on the Auriga e-sub brakes which not only enables you to set them vertical again, it also relieves strain on the hydraulic lines. But unless you change the hydraulic lines to the BionX console (which I did not fancy) you have to move the console to the left handlebar. I did that (and you can reprogram the controls on the console between sides to suit, if you want).

Then I found that as the bike was supplied the position of my arms became very uncomfortable after a while. So I turned the handlebars round so that they droop and trail and shortened them by about 4cm each side. I would have liked to have taken another cm. or two off, but that was as far as I could go while still having space for the brakes and gear shifters. Maybe I’ll get some shorter grips and cut them a bit further some time. Another advantage of shortening the bars was that I could now remount the console on the right-hand side, albeit on the wide part of the bars next to the stem.

I’ll probably continue to tinker with saddle and handlebars to get my position even better, but I am enjoying using it now.

Easter Egg
There is a feature that is not mentioned in the manual – an alarm. However …

First find/set your PIN. Press + and – at the same time and you will see a preset PIN. If you want, you can change it to a PIN of our own choosing.

Now press the power button and the + button at the same time: the BionX goes into alarm mode in which it is set to maximum generative mode (so it moves as if through very heavy treacle) and more than a quarter turn of the rear wheel sets the battery box beeping.

To unset it, press any button and enter your PIN.

If it all goes wrong, remove the battery, wait a few moments and put it back again.

I’ve no idea why this is not mentioned in the manual – it is in the manual for the earlier console (albeit in slightly different form).

Summary
Great – love it.

Hello again, this week we have news of solar-charged electric bikes at the Glastonbury Festival, the return of Oxygen electric bikes, new manuals for all Kalkhoff owners, the latest from Richmond and Loughborough and the invention, at long last, of the hoverbike. We’d also like to hear from all owners of 2011 Kalkhoff bikes in our first customer survey.
	2011 Kalkhoff Owners Survey We’ve asked owners to contribute reviews of their electric bikes before but this year we can offer a more structured format for collecting your feedback. We’ve produced a short survey where you can tell us how you rate your bike and what you like best (or least) about owning a Kalkhoff. Testimonials from our customers have encouraged thousands of people to consider an electric bike over the years, so any contributions will be gratefully received.
	Kalkhoff models are selling out We are well into the cycling season now and sales of some models have proceeded at a record rate. This has left us with only one Pro Connect S DL left in stock and very small numbers of Agattu XXLs. Pro Connect S stocks are also now in single figures in some sizes. Finally, this year’s really big seller, the Pro Connect Disc, looks set to sell out in July too, with the most popular 50cm size going fast. If you are considering any of these models, we would recommend ordering in the next few days and weeks.
	50cycles ebikes at Glastonbury Our connection with the Glastonbury Festival began when we hosted the World of Electric Bikes in the Green Fields area back in 2007. It was very wet and  muddy that year, but electric bikes proved to be a great way of getting around. This wasn’t lost on the organisers and we’ve continued to supply electric bikes for use before, during & after the Festival. This year two Kalkhoffs and an Oxygen Emate City (pictured left piloted by Lucy Brooking-Clark, the Festival’s Green Initiatives Coordinator) are already on site, running on electricity harvested from sunshine by the largest solar generation system in the country, a 1500 square metre array fitted to the roof of Worthy Farm’s ‘Mootel’ cow shed. More news to follow…
	Oxygen ebikes return This past week has seen deliveries of the very capable and good-looking Oxygen Emate City and Diva electric bikes, after a couple of months of absence. If you like electric cycling but not necessarily pedalling all the time, these are probably the electric bikes you’ll enjoy most of all. Test rides available now. Freego’s folding electric bike briefly came back into stock before selling out again – more are due to arrive in mid-July and again in August, so now is the time to reserve yours.
	New manuals Kalkhoff have now completely revised and updated their electric bicycle owner manuals, with the very latest edition available to download at any time from their website. The first part of the manual covers general cycle maintenance and guidance, while later chapters contain information on each of their electric bicycle systems. Well worth a look whether you’re a current owner or considering riding a Kalkhoff in future.
What’s new in Richmond Lots of bike traffic at the store this month as new bikes have arrived and left the store with new owners every day. The permanent demonstration fleet now includes the Pro Connect Disc, Pro Connect S, Image B27, Agattu C8, Agattu C3, Oxygen Emate City, Oxygen Diva and the Emotion Folder. We are also testing a Haibike eq Enduro FS that features the new Bosch motor. It’s quite a bike and looks set to help electric bikes crossover into whole new areas of outdoor activity.
What’s new in Loughborough We’re busy putting place new stock control and storage systems and will soon employ a new, dedicated customer care manager. We have most of the bikes from the 2011 Kalkhoff range on display, plus a new Freego folder demonstrator. We saw some delays from some of our accessories suppliers in recent months but these are resolved now, with almost all back-orders fulfilled. We also have a big new sign up, so you can’t miss us!
	2011: the year of the hover bike A lot has happened this year, but we didn’t expect to see this. Australian inventor Chris Malloy has designed and built a twin-rotor, 80 kilowatt, 10,000 foot ceiling hover bike with a top speed of 150 knots. It’s far from electric but looks very exciting. He’s accepting donations and hopes to have a video of the first untethered flight soon. We wish him luck and a safe maiden flight. Learn more at www.hover-bike.com

That’s all for now, thank you for reading

The 50cycles Team

There’s also an LCD console which is your interface with the bike’s motor system and also provides information about power output, speed, distance and remaining battery capacity. Owners of the 2010 incarnation of this bike had to make do with kilometres, but the new 2011 console displays information in English and in miles – a very welcome improvement. Lights are now supplied by Axa and powered by the main battery pack. They provide useful illumination (40 lux for the headlight) in both lit and unlit streets, plus the control console is well back-lit when the lights are switched on.

The battery is the 18Ah version of Kalkhoff’s new power pack and offers a range up to about 37 miles in high power mode (200% assistance), more in normal (100%) and eco mode (70%).

But of course the most important thing is how this bike performs with a rider on it and a street in front of it. Well, it’s amazing… and then you turn the power on and it’s even better. Fast, stable, responsive, fast-shifting gears, silent, positive brakes and plenty of power for tackling any hill you can find (just remember to turn the power up, shift down a few gears and take it easy… you’ll still win). We’ve had several 2009 and 2010 Pro Connect S owners take a test ride and upgrade immediately.