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Member of the Association of Cycle Traders

We have for some time now been of the opinion that what the two wheel market needs is a quality folding Electric Bike that can be used without a licence, Road tax or Insurance on the road. Until it was discontinued we stocked the Dahon Roo EL which sold for over £1,200.00. This was a very good machine but suffered from a few niggling problems at times mainly due to connections. The Sram Sparc system employed on the bike, being an internal 5 speed hub gear and motor combined was probably unnecessarily complicated for it’s own good and at only 16V it was not quite as powerful as many other motors now available, it came complete with a small NiMh battery pack which was very light but had limited capacity.  The whole bike however was probably the lightest quality folding electric bike in the world.

On researching the market, and examining what is currently available we have turned away in mild disgust from the majority of folding electric bikes currently on the market, not primarily because of the electric motors or the associated electronic parts, but because they are such extremely poor bicycles with bottom of the range components, (despite the frequently observed claims in the advertising of such bikes to have ‘top of the range’ components). Let’s be clear about this, it is self evident that you cannot buy an electric bike with top of the range components for even £1000.00 . If you know anything about bicycles at all, you will realise that you have to part with many thousands of pounds to purchase a solely pedal powered bike that could accurately be spoken of as even approaching ‘top of the range’. 

We have fully taken on board in considering the electric folding market, that there must be a balance between being a marvellous showpiece of engineering and prohibitively expensive on the one hand, and on the other, deliberately pitching the price down to a level where the quality suffers seriously.   We have therefore arrived at producing what we consider to be an ideal combination. We present these Dahon Models as ‘mid range’ in terms of the components, which for the average person, represents a good standard of engineering, and are confident that the models we offer can be broadly termed  ‘quality folding electric bikes’

This has involved us in choosing appropriate comfortable and respected Dahon models, namely the Ciao P5 which is well suited to the type of rider that invests in an electric bike, it benefits from a very low step-through frame  (the design was bike of the year in Holland during 2006) and is suitable for both Ladies and Gents to ride, and for the more serious and discerning the Dahon Impulse 24 which is a complete delight to ride, as it employs the Sram hub/derailleur giving you a huge range of gears. Finally, a model which is the lightest of the three, manufactured by Dahon and badged Dawes Ace  We have also sourced some quiet running intelligent brushless motors, battery units etc. that when fitted in our workshop are both pleasing to the eye and unobtrusive. When pedalling with the motor switched off on relatively level ground you would not realize that you are riding an electric bike, since the front wheel hub motor spins so freely.

The  price points  are £1029.99 including delivery and carrying bag on the Ciao, £1129.99 on the Impulse and £1199.99 for the Dawes Ace Electric all including delivery and carrying bag. Also provided with each model are lights, mudguards, stand, Cateye cordless computer, and a special rear carrier that houses and includes the battery pack, but still leaves room for panniers and top bag. The intelligent charger is also included.

The battery packs that we are now using are Lithium Manganese which are now widely accepted as being a very reliable, stable, and safe option out of the various Lithium types available.  We have also noted in our product testing a vaste improvement since the earlier days of Lithium batteries, (when we rejected them and used NiMh batteries instead)  concerning both the range and currently their more predictable behaviour, as they gradually become exhausted and ready for the next charge.  Another bonus is that these batteries have a recharge expectancy of 700 - 1000 cycles, though of course we only have this figure from the manufacturer. We have not ridden a test model for 30,000 miles to find out yet !!

The motor responds progressively as the speed controller is twisted around up to the maximum permitted speed of 15 miles per hour. Both brake levers as a safety feature have switches to cut the motor immediately you brake regardless of the speed controller position. The big advantage of these systems is that when on the level you can ride the bike unassisted with the switch turned off and there is no drag from the motor, in fact far less than a hub dynamo that the Dawes Ace was originally fitted with. The best policy is to inflate the  Schwalbe puncture protected tyres on both models to at least 60 PSI to keep the rolling resistance to a minimum.

It is of course possible to ride without pedalling at all, but this will reduce the milage considerably that the battery has to offer. The really great thing about electric bikes for those of you who need some help, is that it takes all the sweat and struggle out of climbing normal hills, and puts the fun back into cycling.

The Electric motor kits are professionally fitted by ourselves in our workshop. The wires into, and the aluminium control box itself,  are sealed ourselves with silicon cement to prevent ingress of water. The Battery is locked into the carrier by a keyed switch that doubles as an on/off switch as well as the battery lock. The Battery can be removed for charging, or left in situ. if there is a powerpoint suitably positioned.

An intelligent charger is supplied with the bike which takes 4 - 6 hours to recharge the battery if it’s exhausted.

The bikes are sold with the usual warranty of one year on components and 5 years on the frame.

The Battery is excluded from this 1 year parts warranty in common with other manufacturers, and instead has a 3 month warranty as it’s life depends so much on how they are treated. If used correctly the normal expected life of LiMn  batteries is around 700 - 1000 charges.

We do of course have a demonstrator (Dahon Ciao P5)  for those who wish to visit our High Street shop.

For those of you who prefer a more personal service, we are always very happy to discuss the advantages of the various models to help quide you towards a bike that is suitable for your requirements and within your budget.  We have a passion for folding bikes and their place in todays society for both the commuter and leisure cyclist alike. Please ring us if you need help or advice on 01666 822330

All Folding Bikes are thoroughly prepared and checked in the workshop in order to validate the warranties, this involves a thorough setup and adjustment of spokes, bearings, brakes, gears (stops and cable adjustment). The chainset and crank, handlebars and all nuts and bolts are checked for tightness and the pedals fitted. Finally the tyre pressures are set and the folding joints and all quick releases are lubricated and adjusted. After a brief test ride (mainly indoor) they are then carefully packed back into the original boxes using appropriate packaging, this means that the bikes when received and unfolded are ‘ready to ride’ .  All 26” wheel Dahon bikes arrive in the UK in boxes with the frame unfolded but the bike partially dismantled. We have taken the decision that in order to properly achieve our highest aim and that of the responsible manufacturers with whom we liase, that we therefore, properly prepare then fold the completed bike with only the handlebar removed, it is therefore necessary for us to repackage the bike accordingly on account of it’s larger size when assembled.

Clicking on the ‘Buy now’ links is a useful way to check stock position, as out of stock items will normally be indicated. This action in no way commits you to purchasing the item

ITEMS ARE NORMALLY DESPATCHED THE NEXT DAY, UNLESS AT THE WEEKEND, LARGER OBJECTS THEN TAKE 1 or 2 DAYS FOR DELIVERY IN THE UK. SMALL ITEMS ARE DESPATCHED NORMALLY VIA 1st Class Post

©2008 CH White & Son. All prices include Vat and this page was updated 07/11/2008. Online payment using secure server. (you will see the sign at far right when you come to pay)      Most credit and debit cards are accepted.

CH White & Son, 51 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 9AG, United Kingdom
 Tel/Fax. (01666) 822330   e-mail   chwhite@btinternet.com