Caterham Electric Bicycle

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CoolCruiser

New Member
Jun 15, 2012
173
0
0
Massachusetts
They look great but I can't find prices anywhere but I'm sure they cost more than I'd ever spend on any bicycle. I'm guess the carbon fiber version cost as much as a car. Things are moving quickly in the e bike field and while these high end electric bikes are state of the art now, they won't be for long.
 

16v4nrbrgr

Active Member
Mar 17, 2012
1,728
4
38
North Bay
They look state-of-the-art, but have meager power and are meant for the wow factor mostly, very beautifully styled bikes for sure, but their specs aren't any better than some kits you can put on your own bike of choice for around $500-800. I think Caterham is having trouble selling Lotus 7 replicas with the economy fizzled, so they are making a new CSR/LMPC sports racer and have the separate F1 team which relies on investor capital.
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,440
4,877
113
British Columbia Canada
They wanted to have the 250w and you have to pedal to make it move, called Pedlac, here in Canada but fortunately wiser heads prevailed and they made it 500W and no pedlac.
The 250W limit is all through Europe and the British Isles as well as New Zealand and Australia. Were they afraid someone might actually use and electric bike?

Steve.
 

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
2,830
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Hauraki District, New Zealand
Here in NZ provided you're sensible you can fit larger wattage motors and nobody seems to mind. In all the time I've been riding my trike around none of the local police have ever asked me what wattage motor I was using, but if I was to be seen travelling at too blistering a pace I think they might start asking questions.
 

snellemin

New Member
Feb 4, 2014
220
1
0
Spring TX
250W in a middrive is not the same as a 250W hub motor setup. If the gear ratios is done properly, the torque would be around the same as what you would get out of a 500-750W hub motor in the same diameter wheel. Now how long the 250W unit would last is a whole different story.
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
I find the look pleasing, but 250w is bogus. No matter how many gears you have once in top gear all you've got is 250w. That's an 18 mph bicycle if you're lucky.
 

snellemin

New Member
Feb 4, 2014
220
1
0
Spring TX
18mph is about right, which is plenty on mtb trails. 750W would be more like it if they plan to hit the US market, like everybody else is doing. For me, fun on a mid drives starts at 1500W.