The SBB has rental E-Bikes at some stations

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...nt-a-bike.html

http://www.sbb.ch/content/sbb/en/des...r.download.pdf

http://www.veloland.ch/de/kundengruppe.cfm?groupid=3

I read recently that the Flyer company encourage users to rent before buying, so it should be easy to try one out for a day or so.

In Luzern is a new E-Bike project, http://www.postauto.ch/en/pag-starts...tteilungen.htm

Flyer has the following rental stations for one day or longer, some are SBB, some are TCS camping sites,
http://www.flyer.ch/tagesausfluege.html

This is the ebike of my GF, based on my (limited ) technical insight this has the best motor available today (not the cheapest though). It's and IBEX Clever & Smart Easy Day with a Bosch crank motor (mitte motor). It is not an aftermarket motor, the frame needs to be suitable for this motor.
We bought it at Velo-Zurich, I can highly recommend this shop as they provide excellent service.

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Would you give the manufacturer please? Is it constructed from an add on kit?

see updated post

and the cost was?? somewhere about 3k i guess?

I think they go from about 3.4 k to 4 k dependent on the type of gears (alivio 8 speed derailleur, nexus 8 or alfine 11 hub)

Having spent half my e-bike budget on a holiday, I was chuffed to get my shiny, cool new ebike from http://www.velomaerkte.ch/Velo_basel.php today with a significant discount, and so within budget. Something of an impulse buy in the end, but I knew if I tested more I'd only want a 4 kCHF one. I liked the look of the Stromer better, but tbh I think this'll do what I need: Staiger San Diego I got it for 1995 CHF. Panasonic motor, same as flyer, nice handling, St Alban Tal was a breeze ;-).

I didn't like the look of these "granny bike" shaped ones, but up close it's much nicer than it looks on the site.

Chaps in the shop v helpful.

I test drove a Stromer yesterday at Stromer's new shop in Lausanne. Very nice machine, solid build, very powerful, cool looks. On the other hand it was very heavy and cost over CHF 4,000. I never put the thing on high assistance - I just kept in on eco. Not sure how much cardiovascular benefit there would be on the flat. It eats hills.

Great bike at a great price, plantali.

The nice thing about the step-through frame is that you can massively load up the rack and still not lose balance getting on and off. I hugely recommend these panniers from Athleticum: http://www.athleticum.ch/shop/produc...t/2236247.html. They look like normal size ones flattened empty on the bike, but you can fold out the tops to make a sort of vertical tube, and carry home things like baguettes and cucumbers. I can get half a trolley of shopping in my two, and the leccy bike makes riding home with that weight easy. They're waterproof, too (but not with the tops open, obviously.

I have a small cable lock threaded through them and just leave them on all the time due to the waterproofing, which is handy for unexpected shopping, library visits or picking up a 'sod it' takeaway on the way home.

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'Chance favours only the prepared mind.'

That is a brilliant recommendation kodokan, thank you!! I was wondering about panniers - so helpful to know how you use yours too, as I've never used them before. Cheers

And thanks too for endorsing my buy, good to know!

I've been using my panniers for about 18 months, and this is how good I think they are: we're moving to the US in a month, and I went to Athleticum the other day to get a back-up set for when these ones wear out. I'm so pleased with them, and I'm sure I'll never find anything of this quality for a moderately reasonable price in the US.

Mine is a totally functional bike set up - I don't have a work commute, but as I don't own a car I use it all the time for shopping for a family of 4, recycling, etc. These panniers, along with my trailer, are a key component.

They have big sturdy bulldog clips on the back, so can clip on and off the rack in seconds, but I mostly leave mine locked on like I said. I got my lock from Athleticum too, a little skinny retractable cable lock with a combination for about 12 CHFs. I know it's not hyper-secure and could be cut through with even basic tools, but it deters the opportunist.

And yes, lovely bike, on the basis that it's quite like mine - step through frame, Panasonic system, etc (see page 2 of this thread).

Hope you're really enjoying it - electric bikes are so grin-worthy.

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'Chance favours only the prepared mind.'

You're not wrong . Commuted to work the last couple of days - arrived fresh as a daisy and the nasty hill on the way home is a breeze. I've left my old one there a number of times because I couldn't face the uphill home after a long crappy day, so I am definitely going to be out on it more, like someone said early on in the thread, and it still takes some effort so miles better health-wise than being on a sweaty bus.

First trip out was 26k into France and back on Sunday, which is nothing for the serious cyclists here, but for me it's the furthest I did training for the 60m Manchester-Blackpool bike ride *ahem* years ago, felt very pleased with myself. Not having a car, this'll get me out of town more often, which is a good thing.

Got the panniers, they're cracking aren't they?

Yes, I accept all accusations of being smug, smug, smug, especially whizzing past fitter, younger people on "normal" bikes, ha ha! If anyone out there is in any doubt, e-bike is totally worth it!

I've had this one from Migros SportXX for a couple of weeks now - and I love it!

The good thing was, that there was (and still is - until 30.9.2011) a Cumulus offer and I got CHF 600.00 off the price. CHF 2'100.- instead of CHF 2'700.-.

Here's the link to the Cumulus offer - even if you don't want an e-bike. (CHF 150.00 for every CHF 649.00 paid).

Yes, you probably do get what you pay for. There is no comparison with the Stromer. However, for my purposes it's perfect and one of the few models upon which you can mount a kiddy seat.

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OH and I just bought a pair of Scott e-venture 20 - they are so much fun!

OH has been investigating them for a while, wanted one for his commute, ca. 20 km each way, and uphill on the way home. We rented a pair of Flyers while on vacation this summer and I was sold! We almost bought them at a shop near Konstanz, but luckily found a local shop that had these available at 20% off (last year models).

Yesterday we went on a tour around us - starting on our hill, down to Rapperswil, back along the lake and then headed up to Rüti ZH before finishing at our house, about 38 km.

I have to say, I am sold on the technology and feel of the Bosch motor over the Panasonic (that's what the Flyer has). A very nice ride!

I hope to get many fun trips in plus a few to grab the groceries while the weather still allows.

Speaking of which, now that we are out a few chuffs, time to look up those threads on what to cook in CH when on a budget, maybe I can "save" some of what we spent

Ps-I think the 2013 model of our bike is called the e-sportster

Ah, the old e-bike thread.

I picked up a Stromer ST1 about six weeks ago, and I've ridden about 500km with it since. I ride it primarily because it makes me happy. I have no other reason for getting it. Getting to work or home quicker and with no stress is a nice bonus.

I have had one conversation where somebody found out I've got an electric bike and instantly announced to me that they would never buy such a thing. Pffft, was my reply. But your cheating came the riposte. Go frig yourself I countered, you don't have kids to worry about yet you drive an SUV almost daily. But what's that got to do with it? I haven't owned a car in over a decade, should I call you a cheat? Silence. To relieve tension I repeated the whole go frig yourself thing.

While I do play sport, and I'm probably slightly fitter for my age than average, I have the aches and pains which come from accelerating decrepitude (and from the sport) and the pleasure of riding a bicycle had declined over the years to the point where I was catching myself looking for excuses not to do something I had found fun and invigorating for all of my previous existence. The e-bike has brought me back to when I was superkid. Hence, it makes me happy.

Wife, who considers any movement an opportunity to train, is also happy. Win win I say.

As with everything (Except petrol and taxes) the e-bikes are cheaper in Germany. The German car owners' club ADAC tested e-bicycles: the frame on the Flyer broke, so it was marked down, otherwise it had good marks and was the most expensive, Flyer C5R de luxe € 2'690

http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests...3/default.aspx

You can also buy or rent second hand e-bikes from the SBB rental company Rent-a-bike http://www.rentabike.ch/dynasite.cfm?dsmid=113099 they told me they have good prices at the end of the summer.

Two years on from this post of mine on this thread and a bit over 4000 km later, I am still very happy with my Raleigh. I get well over 80 kms out of my akku when the route is flat ( St.Margrethen to Stein am Rhein last week by no means used it all). I'm still glad that my model is lighter than a Flyer when I want to get it into a train although I've been happy enough with heavier models when hiring one for a trip starting further from home.

Of course the motor takes some of the work out of cycling, but I think quite a few e-bike owners, like me, get more fun out of trips this way, so perhaps go further and more often. And the motor allows me to go further without constantly thinking of having to get up the last hill to our flat at the end of a run - which is really a relief.

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Longbyt

For Price I bought the Jumbo 990FR. (well, two of them, the second for the 500FR. second battery and charger plus all those great spares like brakes and tyres.) The rear internal 7-speed hub gearbox is pure magic to use. You can change gear without moving, unlike most the other types of gear changers. So at lights or a sudden stop, going into first gear is easy. The frame geometry is also very good. Like a Chinese (I think it is) or a bike from Holland. Good seat height to handlebar and pedal ratio. A nice triangle is made, the bars higher than the seat post and forward short crank set of wide pedals. Buying a bike is a bit like buying a suit or dress outfit, it needs to fit the body and be comfortable. I love high swept back Dutch handlebars. Girls look classic on them.

on the french swiss TV there was recently a benchmark done by a consumer magazine on e-bikes. Worth looking at it to select your bike (language is french): A bon entendeur.

For many years I was looking at all the new electric bikes. For economy, my first was a 2nd hand single gear Italian design with a very solid frame. The limiter was a bit kind and 32Kph was easy, and you only needed to rock the pedals up and down and not do a full circle, for the local shops 4 Km away it was perfect, but then the lakeside hills...ouch...
So I researched the Flyer and Stormer and Raleigh and some very powerful American bikes that would do 60Kph. Then I got ill. I lost both hips and was fitted with Titanium replacements.
So my priorities changed, from a super cool bike to look at, to comfort and everyday use. I am no longer physically able to do down-hill and so on, where the nice bikes are good. I also need a low U frame.
So when I got to Jumbo and sat on the 990Fr. e-bike, it felt just the same shape as my static Physio machine at home, which I need to use daily to keep my muscle legs from locking up and going solid. So I bought TWO. The batteries alone cost 500Fr.