Below are a sample of the many great testimonials we recieve from our valued customers.
David From Glenorie NSW - Sherpa MK3 Li
For some time now I have been considering whether or not to invest in a folding electric pedal-assisted bicycle. Certainly, in principle it seemed like a good idea because it would mesh well with our family caravanning activities. But I had only read about pedal assisted bicycles and had no hands-on experience of them. So it was hard to judge just how effective and useful one would be in practice. The written endorsements were encouraging but they really didn’t give me what I particularly wanted to know which was how they really performed on the road and what one could realistically expect of them.In the event, after a quick trial, I recently took the plunge and bought a PowerPed Sherpa Mark III. By now I have clocked up about 200 km on it and I believe that I can safely say that I am pretty well acquainted with its features and performance. Perhaps you are also considering buying a pedal-assisted bicycle and would value learning of my experience with the Sherpa Mark III (hereafter referred to as “the bike”).
The first thing that I should say is that the bike is extremely well made. Everything about it bespeaks sturdy quality engineering. Certainly it is not particularly light weight coming in at about 20kg all up but it is built like a tank and looks set to last a lifetime. There is no hint of flexure in the frame even though folding it up is a breeze.
The tyres are nice and fat (well at least chubby). One reason why I have so seldom used my old road bike is that its 26” wheel tyres are very narrow and they do not cope well with loose gravel and raggedy edges to the road tarmac. The Sherpa’s tyres make very light work of those conditions.
The Shimano gear-shift works extremely well with an instant response from the left handlebar twist grip and smooth changes of gears. The twist-grip throttle on the right handlebar lies comfortably in the gap between your right thumb and forefinger. And the red motor on/off switch lies conveniently close by your right thumb. The brake levers are well placed and give a satisfyingly positive response when pulled. All of which means that you have total control of the motor, gears and brakes by using the barest minimum movements of your hands. Indeed your hands hardly change position on the handlebar grips when activating these controls.
The combination of the bike’s 20” wheels and the Shimano gearing means that you are never going to beat the land-speed record. On the other hand the pace in top gear is acceptably fast and more than enough for usual recreational purposes. In fact by avoiding the high gearing usually associated with 26” wheels the combination is quite kind to the leg muscles when not using the electric motor and top gear is the one most frequently used.
One quickly learns that the twist-grip throttle is really only of use in getting a welcome boost from the electric motor when moving off from a standing start. Apart from that, the throttle has little further purpose.
With the motor switched on it is quite realistic to start off in top (i.e. 6th) gear. In fact when using the motor top gear is easily maintained on the flat and even when going up gentle hills. Of course there are five lower gears available to cope with steeper gradients and the bike will easily cope with most hills. Understandably, it cannot climb up the proverbial side of a barn door and there is one severe bend on a particularly steep hill near where I live that it cannot manage.
An interesting quirk of the bike is that it is counter-productive to leave the motor switched on when coasting down hill. The motor actually has a braking effect in such circumstances and markedly slows the bike’s free-wheeling. But this is not really a problem since it is a moment’s work to switch the motor off by pressing the red on/off button with your right thumb.
How and when you want to use a pedal-assisted bicycle is of course up to you. With the Sherpa Mark III I prefer to activate the electric motor only when travelling up hill. Because I value the exercise that the bike can offer, when travelling on the flat and downhill I am generally quite comfortable using top gear without the motor. And even on modest up-hill gradients I prefer to use muscle power with the lower gears rather than switch the motor on. However, it is always comforting to get the significant boost from the electric motor on the steeper up-hill gradients. Also there are some other occasions when using the electric motor provides a definite safety feature. For example, when coming to a bend in a very narrow roadway on a slight up-hill gradient it is a good idea to engage the motor. That way you can pass through the bend easily without wobbling and weaving into the path of passing cars. The advertised distance that one charge of the battery will go is “up to 30km”. However, by mostly using the electric motor only on the steeper hills I find that I can easily extend my pedal-assisted journeys to well beyond that distance and still have quite a lot of battery power left in reserve when I finish. This means that I don’t have to worry about running out of puff before getting back home.
In conclusion, I would say that the bike has been a good buy. Importantly I can see it being used frequently because not only does it work well and provide a very convenient form of exercise but it is also great fun to ride. Should it be relevant to the above comments, I might add that I was 70 last birthday.
David Lloyd-Jones
Glenorie
Alan from Melbounre Bike: EVo3 kit fitted to a Shogun Metro Hybrid
Steve and Daryl (EVS),You wanted to hear how I fare riding 34 km to work. I've also included technical info I found useful when choosing an ebike. Before starting the work trip, I did (17) 2km laps around my local park to test my capacity to ecycle, and survived on a single charge without mishap. In the past 2 weeks, I've ridden my ebike from Wyndhamvale (Werribee) to work in Melb CBD on 7 work days straight. My best time was 1'11" for the 34.2km trip, and with a head-wind it goes to about 1'25". A door to door equivalent train journey is cited as 1 hr by a workmate, and $50 a week. The 25km Federation bike trail (all paved, opened circa 2007) is great, with not much traffic, country views, horses, bunny rabbits, foxes, and birds; and wind from various quarters and varying strengths. There's also a good cycle track around Docklands. I've found the service lanes on Old Geelong Road (Footscray) keep me out of the heavy traffic for much of the 3-4 km I traverse there, and Sommerville Rd in Yarraville has a shared bike lane. I'm happy to wear an orange reflective vest to ensure being seen by drivers.
I'm 56 years old and weight 86kg. My previous exercise regime was a desk job, supplemented with daily dog walk around the block, and twice weekly 1 km swim. In 1972-73, I rode a 5 speed racer 4,000 km from London to Morocco, a bit in Italy and Greece; 2,000 km from Kabul to Calcutta, and 500 km in Japan over 14 months (7,500 km tot). The locals could always relate to someone on a bicycle. Bikes served me well during my student years, too.
I bought your Shogun Hybrid BC 21 spd with 200w 36v front hub motor, with a 3 gear planetary driving the hub at 9:1 for $2,070 (with lights, speedo and fenders). I just weighed it at 24.6kg including: motor, battery, front/rear lights, speed/odometer, bell, bungy strap, battery soft case, rack, fenders and toe clips. I believe the motor is 3kg, and the Li Ion 10A 37v battery (4.3kg) sits on the rack (lead acid is about 10kg). I appreciated your giving me the second charger for $100. I keep 2 chargers (240v 0.9-1.5A into 36V 3A output) at work and home, although not too heavy to carry if one wanted. It's about $0.30 a charge, which is done at both trip ends in 3 hours (auto 'off'). I've heard that a Li Ion battery will give constant output until just before discharge, whereas lead acid performance tapers off as soon as you start using it. With front hub motor working, I'm free to select gears as I wish at the rear wheel.
Two nights ago I got home (34.2 km) with the handlebar charge indicator (full/half/empty) still showing 'full' and the same again on the morning trip to work, probably with some tail wind. I thought perhaps with 7 days work, the battery had begun cycling its charge more effectively. Last night with a 15 kn headwind the battery went from full to half 10 km (or earlier) from home, and when I arrived home the red 'empty' light was on. Anyway, on a cold winters evening with 15 kn SW'ly I still managed to power into my street and make a decent trip time (can't tell exactly, as I shopped and carried 12 kg groceries home).
I'm generally riding at 28.5 to 31.0 kmh. A 15 kn headwind can hold me down to 25.0-26.5 kmh, and take more muscle power to arrive. I managed 40 kmh racing a traffic light in the city on flat ground with a tail wind 2 days ago. The shop mechanic told me to expect 32 kmh pedal assisted, and 50-60 km range on a charge; with about 1/3 rider and 2/3 motor input. I can pretty well validate the range, but may need 2 more weeks to attain a 32kmh average speed. It's jolly amazing that I've successfully ridden 280 km in 4 days to/from work, and quite satisfying.
I cable tied (thru drilled holes) a 3 AAA battery head lamp to my helmet (the track is not lit), and also fitted it with a rear-view mirror assemply. I look like I've just escaped an encounter with insurgents in Iraq. I had front and rear lights, fender and speedo fitted when I bought it for a reasonable $75 extra (parts and labour).
The front forks, sprung seat post, comfortable seat and mildly largish tyres (now 75 psi) are good for giving a pretty decent ride. A chap at work says smaller tyres would be quicker, but I reckon a larger tyre will resist bumps and holes better with extra comfort. The larger tyre also gives some grip when stopping abruptly, above what a racing tyre might provide. The brakes are great, being pivoted off the forks (not above the tyre), and slow me down fast with no chatter. This blog below had a great debate on the inefficiencies introduced through suspension and tyre choices. I'm happy with my bike's middle path approach balancing efficiency and comfort. My back has held up well with a 45 deg rider forward lean, whereas a 90 deg (leg/back) racing rider configuration might have given lower back grief. Two pivot points in the handle bar cross piece (connect to stem head) allowed me to raise the bars 1.5" after raising the seat 2".
Here's a great UK blog on electric bikes: http://www.pedelecs.co.uk. You need to join to read content, but it's free and takes about 24hrs to clear. They also have an objective bike test for every make of ebike sold in UK. It is not a paid sponsor site. Battery technology, suspension, and hub vs drive through chain (gear efficiency) are topics debated. It's worth Googling 'ebike', and looking at some of the YouTube videos that come up! EVS's website was useful for providing specifications of bikes offered. Parameters to consider include: cost, weight, motor voltage, battery type, suspension, range, speed, hub motor vs drive through chain, derailleur & brake type, tyre type, part and build quality.
I read that China built 19 mil ebikes in 2006, and anticipated 30% growth in 2007. They use near-10kg lead acid batteries. The London market price for lead rose 136% in 2006. Some 97% of China's ebike production was using lead acid batteries, and perhaps 3% NiMh or Li Ion; with exotic batteries seen as an export niche. A Chinese rider association said only about 3% of their ebike production got exported in 2006. Holland sold 1.3 mil bikes in 2007, and 100,000 ebikes. Good on the Chinese and Dutch for being healthy and efficient!
Around 2 years ago, NiMh battery and 24v motor were possibly standard at the top end. Now 36v Li Ion is better, and can provide 35% more power than NiMh for the same weight. I read that several Chinese cities took issue with 72v ebikes doing 60 kmh in bike lanes, earning the title 'silent death' (never heard it coming). Portable power tools have been evolving to higher voltages to deliver more power, and ebikes mirror this trend. Ebikes have been developing well since about 1990 in California, when battery technology began lifting. My Li Ion battery is $500, and will last about 1 year if I ride to work every day. The price should drop, as more production facilities develop with a new technology.
The 200w power limit in Victoria (no license or registration) compares with 250w in UK, 450w in Canada and 750w in USA. It'd be great if the Victorian govt liberalised this 200w limit to a higher figure, as the technology could be much quicker without this artifical ceiling. An ebike rider may use just 1% of the purchased energy needed to move someone in a car. The govt consider that 200w is equal to what a human can generate, although I saw that Lance Armstrong can pedal 800w! I hope this helps EVS and clients come together, in a time of rising petrol prices and diminishing oil reserves. My ebike does what's required of it: get me to work and home on a daily basis, and it's interesting to use one's body again. After 7 days ebiking, I'm confident my rig will do 34/68 km daily, so those with shorter trips take heart. Mates that have had a ride generally say 'wow' or 'awesome'. Solar panels for the house next?
Cheers,
Alan Page
Wyndhamvale, Vic
14/6/08
Dr Cook from QLD - Bike EMTB Li
I work in Long Pocket (Indooroopilly) and the distance to work is 13 km. I had started to ride again as travel by car had increased to 50 mins in the morning and I also wanted to reduce my ecological footprint. The 26 km a day with the hills and my age (56) even though I am reasonably fit, it was difficult if I want to work on writing or reviewing manuscripts at night. This partially because of lugging my laptop and papers to and from home with me.
I bought the EVO EMTB bike and am more than happy with it. I can now get to or from work in 30 minutes and still get a good work out but without the exhaustion caused by the hills and load. The EMTB is a solidly designed bike, so has no problems with the panniers and is a very stable bike. I have had no problems with it and can thoroughly recommend it.
With the pedal assist I don’t seem to be using that much of the battery charge and topping it up each night takes less than 1 hour of charging. The environmental cost is one so much lower. I do not understand why these bikes are not being subsidised as a way to reduce the traffic problems in most major cities in Australian. This would certainly be cheaper than tunnels!
So, if you are thinking of an electric bike try one of these they are great.
Dr Freeman Cook
Senior Principal Research Scientist.
Eric and Richard on thier EVO Kits
Hi.
I enjoyed riding bikes all my life. Yet at the age of 74 I felt that the hills seem to get steeper and the headwinds stronger. About 12 month ago I decided to invest in an electric motor, also called “pedal assist” a very fitting name. Since than the two of us, the motor and me handled the last 1800km with the greatest of ease and for me the rides become more and more enjoyable. I believe this motor will add at least 10 years to my riding days, a sincere thank you to Scott and his team.
From Eric
Denis - from Malvern EVS EVO Kit and Dodsun Backtrack Lithium
Below is a testimonial from an EVS customer who recently purchased a new Power Ped EVO Kit to replace his Power Ped EMTB which he has had for 3.5 years. Denis rides his electric bike everyday from the eastern suburbs to Abbotsford. He has clocked up an incredible 9900 km on his previous Powerped bike. Denis has just recieved his new Powerped Evo Kit Equiped Dodsun EMTB.
Robert from Adelaide
Hello
Also wish to put in my 2 cents worth to say how great the EVO pack is.
Purchased the Lithium Pack and a separate Apollo Hybrid 700CC bike from Cumberland Cycles in Adelaide. Perfect combination of bike and EVO kit.
Big thanks to Mike and Neville at Cumberland Cycles for the assembly and backup. Been very helpful.
Can also backup Dave's claims (from Adelaide) as to the kits performance. Still blows me away.
Easily does 35kpm with no pedalling and 38-39kpm with pedalling. Strong headwinds - easy 30-35kph with pedalling. Definately comes in handy when cycling against the strong afternoon seabreeze. Did a test on how long I could go on the Lithium battery without pedalling at all - and reached a very satisfactory 32km. Even though the batter has only been used a few weeks.
Have done heaps of cycling in the Adelaide hills and mountain tracks in Flinders ranges. The bike was fantastic in the outback and was great on dirt and gravel and loose surface.
For those living in Adelaide - heres a route I took with the bike through the hills....
From Majestic Drive near linear park - rode to North East road which was a steep climb. Along North East road heading toward Houghton. Onto Paracombe road, down to Inglewood. Left turn on dirt track up Fidlers Hill road (steep). Onto Upper Herimatage rd (very steep at top). Onto dirt track Airstrip road (very steep). Onto Chain of Ponds and onto the Cudlee Creek Turn off. Up Gorge rd. Back to Linear park pathway to Majestic drive. Did 64km and battery was flat at the very end after some heavy use on the hills.
Very impressed.
Everyone who had rode my bike have been astounded and are looking foward to upgrade.
For those looking at other kits - dont. The throttle contol lets you regulate power at all times, unlike other kits that only start once you reach 7kmph. This is not good if you have to start up a steep hill.
Other companies say that brushless geared make too much noise. The lithium kit is barely audible and not noticable to others.
Have to say worth every penny. Hope to buy a second bike and kit and do a full upgrade with packs and panniers for long touring. Lets hope
Thanks
Robert from Adelaide
Steve from Ferny Creek Mt Dandenong
In 2001 I purchased a 1998 Marin Alpine Trail dual suspension Mountain Bike and discovered a new world of fun and excitement off the beaten track. The bike had many incarnations since then for various applications including cycling Vietnam. The latest rebirth is as a go anywhere MTB/Commuter with 200Watt EVS electric motor power assist. The criterion was to have a bike that could be ridden anywhere without having to use the motor but get me to and from dirt rides with energy for the start and a quick ride, back to Ferny Creek at the top of Mt Dandenong afterwards.
To my delight I find the bike is still light enough for me to keep up with my riding mates without using the motor and almost halves my time climbing back up the mountain. On my 10kg Trek Road Bike I can get up the Mountain Hwy in about 21 minutes but can do the same ride in 15:30s on the Marin. A round trip of 40k from Ferny Creek down the mountain Hwy to Croydon and back up the tourist Road from Montrose averaged 30 Kph, not bad!
One of my regular rides is from Upper Ferntree Gully up the tourist road and around the ‘Devils Elbow’, this is a short climb to of about 2.5k to Churchill Rd and a good rider will do this averaging around 12 Kph, on the Electric Marin I average 22kph and take 7:30s for that stretch.
Specification:
Bike - Marin Alpine Trail
Battery – 36 V Lithium Ion
Motor – 200 watt EVO 3
Weight – 22.5 kg
Control system – Twist Grip and Pedal Assist.
John from Richmond - Product - EVS EVO Kit
EVS Electric Vehicles,
Hi Guys,
I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know the outcome of fitting the electric power pack to my existing mountain bike. I purchased this bike 12 months ago and it has sat idle for last 11 months, 3 weeks and 5 days.
I booked the Giant mountain bike in for the electric power conversion on the Saturday and the bike was ready to ride in the early afternoon. Nothing seemed to be a problem for your staff.
They solved the problem with the disc brakes on the spot.
After taking my bike for its maiden voyage the tyres did not seem suitable for the road condition as the tyres that are fitted on the bike standard are only suited for off road conditions.
Based on a recommendation the boys changed them over to a set of tyres that suited my needs on the spot.
From once looking at the bike every day and saying to myself I must go for a ride I am now using my power pack bike most days.
I live and work in Richmond and this unit has been fantastic to get around the city and doing all my short trips with no parking hassles.
On Sunday I wanted to head down to St Kilda and catch up for a drink with some friends so I donned on the helmet, shorts and T shirt and headed off on my ride.
At the first set of lights who pulls up next to me some serious bike rider with all the gear including the waxed legs (was not staring just notice this from the corner of my eye).
Did the friendly node and then the lights changed to green it was on.
I started to peddle like a man posed but he was pulling away so I then hit the power, in cuts the motor and with out a sound went streaming buy this guy, you should have seen the look on his face as this young 50 year old went flashing by.
This power unit makes any average rider into a demon rider from hell and the best part is that you have to look closely at the bike to tell that it has the power pack conversion fitted.
So to finish off I just wanted to say thanks to all the guys at EVS Electric Vehicles for the service and making it so much fun to ride a bike again with the least amount of effort.
If any of your new customers want a run down or feel hesitant on the electric power conversion feel free to give out my phone number as I am a big rap for this unit.
Take care,
John Padley 0419363396
Liegh From Brisbane
Hi Scott,
don't know if you'll remember me - I'm one of Michael Solomon's customers in Brisbane. You may recall that I purchased a Mantis at the end of last year, realised that I'd made the wrong choice and then swapped it for a Power Ped/Dodsun Lithium pack. (What a nuisance eh?)
I wanted to take the opportunity to let you know how much I love my new bike. It's been absolutely fantastic. I love the fact that I can ride it with or without the motor working. This was so important when it was new, and I felt a bit uncertain. I could just peddle along and engage the throttle whenever I felt comfortable or a bit lazy. Of course if I need to get somewhere in a hurry now, it's just zoom-zoom the whole way. I now ride to work most days - it's only a few kms, but there's a bridge/bottleneck between me and where I work, and the 3.3 kms could unravel to a 35 minute drive! Not good for finding your inner peace. Now I just ride past them all and over the dedicated pedestrian/cycle bridge that they built beside the road bridge and I'm there in a jiffy. That really gives me a happy start to the working day.
Best of all, this is all achieved in full work dress, jewellery and make-up. The last part of my ride is up a couple of mean hills and I just gently peddle up - no resistance and most importantly, no sweat. All make-up remains on the face!
So, this is to say thankyou for great customer service and a great product. Every one I talk to (and I do talk a lot) is really interested in my new transport, so hopefully that might result in some extra sales for you.
cheers
Leigh Wagner
David from Adelaide
Hi Scott and Trevor,
I've been using one of your Powerped EVO kits with a lithium battery for about two months now and thought you may appreciate some feedback. Hopefully this might add something to your knowledge of the product or be useful as a testimonial (happy to send a signed letter or allow you to edit if that would assist).
My partner and I sold one of our two cars and I have since used a hybrid bike fitted with the Powerped EVO kit as my main form of transport. I genuinely prefer riding my E-bike to driving a car because it:
Gets me to my destination almost as quickly, if not more quickly
Leaves me feeling relaxed and alert - it is far more pleasant than driving a car in rush hour
Is so much cheaper to purchase, use, park, maintain and operate than a car
Allows me to do some gentle exercise while commuting if I feel like it, or none at all if I don't, without making much difference to the travel time or range
Makes a serious contribution towards reducing personal CO2 emissions and urban pollution
The bike lives up to the promises - it averages 35kph with no pedalling and provides me around 50km of range (I weigh just over 80kgs). A bit of gentle pedalling on reasonably flat terrain ensures that it easily stays between 35 and 40kph. A strong headwind might slow it down slightly so that it sits between 30 and 35kph - but this is nothing like the change in speed a normal cyclist might experience in strong winds. I've tested it on a fairly extreme hill (about 3km of 7% incline - the sort of hill that people think a cyclist is insane to ride up) and was blown away that it sat at around 25kph with some fairly easy pedalling, although adding extreme conditions like this to the ride can reduce the range to more like 35km.
My 10km daily commute to work takes about 17 minutes on the E-bike compared to 15 minutes in a car! I have found it faster than a car situations where there is heavy traffic congestion, the need to find a carpark or wait for a taxi. I cannot stress enough that it is a serious and viable option for regular commuting - despite being extremely fun to ride, this is not a toy! I recommend it to anybody who:
Makes regular trips up to 30 or 40km return, especially in heavy traffic
Doesn't need to carry too much (a few bits and pieces is fine) or a passenger
Doesn't travel on very hilly terrain (or is reasonably fit if travelling in hills a lot)
Possesses or is willing to buy wind & waterproof clothing to deal with cold / wet weather
Is sensible regarding the risk of riding in traffic - cycling experience or being informed about safe cycling is essential
I highly recommend the option of purchasing a bike tailored to the size of the rider (I got an Avanti Blade hybrid for around $600) and fitting the kit to the bike. The installation is quick and easy and it means that the bike is as easy as possible to ride in case the battery goes flat. The extra weight of the motor and kit does make cycling without the motor a bit sluggish, and somebody who is very unfit will work up a sweat, but it's there as a viable 'emergency' option. The lithium battery is also well worth the extra expense because it takes the worry out of following a strict regime of charging and doesn't seem to lose any power until its almost entirely flat.
Everybody that has tried riding my E-bike has come back with a big grin - I wish you the best of luck with selling many more of them.
Regards,
David
Mantis In Alice Springs
Milton from Alice Springs is the Town Crier and uses his Mantis to perform is Town Crier duties. So far as at Sept 06 he has riden over 2500km on his Mantis. In fact as you can see he also takes his Spanial dog Hiedi with him. He rides 30 km return to the Alice Springs Airport on his Mantis often in zub zero winter morning temperatures. Milton is a great example of the wide variety of customers realising the benifits on Electric Power Assisted bicycles. Well done Milton.
Mantis in Alice Spricgs
John from Sydney Sherpa MK3
Scott,
I recently purchased a Sherpa Electric Bicycle from EVehicle just before Christmas. I would like to let you know how impressed I was with the product, its performance and the delivery logistics. The bicycle was well packed into the carton with all key components protected from transport damage. The delivery was easily tracked by consignment number and arrived promptly. The carton was easy to unpack and the bicycle could be assembled with the enclosed instructions.
Initial charging of the battery took about 3 hours. The experience of the electric brushless hub motor was fantastic offering great acceleration but very impressive sustained speed if lightly aided by pedalling. After a short familiarisation of about 10 minutes we took the bicycle for a test run of about 10km on lightly undulating bicycle track in Western Sydney. The whole experience well exceeded our expectations.
So what positive comments can I offer? Some items that might be of value include:
• performance is clearly improved by keeping the tyres inflated near to specification.
• the operating handbook, although adequate for a technical person, could be enhanced with more diagrams or pictures. I was going to create a introductory video for viewing on CD/DVD.
• the charger output lead could be a little longer (suggest + 200cm). This would permit greater flexibility in recharge location of bicycle and charger
• the seat clamp needs to be very tight to stop the seat shaft from dropping down when pedalling the bicycle.
• for train transport a cleverly designed carry bag with mini skateboard wheels would be advantageous.
So were we impressed? Yes I think you have the best EVehicle product available in Australia
John Kearney
SPAM Pty Ltd
02 9254 4918 Phone
02 9254 4990 Fax
0409 07 3096 Mobile <------ best number
Bicycle Australia Show 2006
