Wednesday 10 July 2019

KHS Electric Bike



KHS Extended 2.0 Review

 I’ve been interested in the e-assist bicycle genre for some time. Until about a year and a half ago I was riding to work a couple of days a week on one of my normal bicycles, an old touring bike last used for touring in 2003. This worked fairly well most of the year as the start of my commute each day is a half-kilometre climb and the very low gears were ideal for legs which hadn’t yet woken up. The problem with it is was that from June through September it was very difficult to avoid getting sweaty and arriving for work in an office where wet clothing is not really acceptable. 

For 2019, KHS introduced 4 different models of e-assist bicycles, including the Extended 2.0. Here are the specs:

Frame
Alloy 6061 w/Custom Formed TT w/C/S Disc Mount, w/Replaceable Derailleur Hanger
Fork
SR XCE28, 80mm
Headset
Threadless 1-1/8, Zero Stack
Rims
Weinmann XTB26 Alloy, 700c x 36H, Doublewall
Hubs (F/R)
F: Aikema 250 Watt Motor; R: Alloy Disc, QR, Cassette
Tires
Kenda Kwick, 700 x 40c, 30TPI
Spokes
14G Black, 36X36
Derailleur, Front
n/a
Derailleur, Rear
Shimano Altus M2000
Shifter
Shimano Altus M2000 Trigger
Chain
KMC X9
Crankset
Samox Forged, 36T w/Guard
BB
Cartridge Bearing
Cassette
Shimano CS-HG201-9, 11-36, 9-speed
Pedals
Resin ATB Platform w/DU Bearings
Seatpost
Alloy micro-adjust, 27.2x350mm
Saddle
KHS Sport, Dual Density
Handlebar
Alloy, 31.8, 680X30mm
Stem
Alloy 3D Forged, Threadless 4-bolt, 7-degree, 31.8mm
Grips
KHS Sport, Dual Compound
Brake Levers
All Alloy Linear Pull
Brakes
Bengal Cable Disc, MB606, 160mm Rotors Wave12 w/ABS System
Color
Matte Gray
Frame Size
S/15, M/17, L/19
Extras
Battery 36 x 12.8 Ah / 460 Wh, Alloy Rear Carrier, Kickstand, Bell
e-Info


6-Hour Charge Time / 2 Hour Run Time / Up to 40 Mile Range


The electric motor unit on this bike is built into the front hub and offers a maximum output of 250 watts. In practical terms, this provides very real assistance when the rider is actually pedaling, particularly uphill. It is not like some of the other electric bikes commonly seen on Bermuda’s roads which have 500 watt (or more powerful) motors and can carry the rider along without any pedaling input. These bikes are more like electric mopeds to me rather than true e-assist machines. With the KHS, you don’t pedal and you get no help!
The rest of the bike is built and assembled to KHS’s usual standard, i.e. quality 6061 alloy frame, decent suspension fork and basic but tough drivetrain components. The braking is handled by Bengal cable-operated discs controlled with standard linear-pull levers, giving decent stopping power which is better than standard rim brakes. The gears required a slight adjustment after the first ride but have worked faultlessly during the six weeks of testing.
Battery power has been better than I expected. The specs say up to 40 miles between charges and I would say that’s realistic. I ran it for 37½ hilly miles and the indicator still showed some charge left at that point. My daily commutes include a number of hills and vary between 8 and 11 miles usually. I can do three days between charges routinely and have not yet found myself half way to work with a spent battery. For anyone who lives within a dozen miles of Hamilton this is a viable transportation option. If you live in Somerset and work in St George’s you’ll need to charge the battery while you’re at work J
The lowest gear available on this machine is 27 inches, which is not that low in view of the ultra-low ratios available on many modern road and mountain bikes. However, I have yet to use the lowest gear under any conditions due to the motor-assist nature of the bike. Typically, I don’t go lower than the third-lowest and I’m not a super-fit and highly-trained rider. Fitter riders will find they can use the top two or three gears for most of their riding.
A note of caution to would-be racers…..the e-assist function drops off sharply once you reach around 16mph and after that you will find increased resistance created by the non-functioning motor to be a serious deterrent for any high-speed shenanigans. Stay below that speed and your ride will likely see you expending about a third of the output you would use in riding your standard bike at the same speed. That's the difference for me between getting soaked and not getting soaked!
This bike conforms to the legal requirements for e-assist bikes in the UK and most EU countries. I feel sure that this sort of regulation will eventually show up at TCD in Bermuda and this is one machine which should be "TCD-ready".
I will be continuing the testing so check back for long-term updates from time to time. After the first three weeks of testing I switched the stock saddle to my preferred model....saddles are very much an individual taste item and while there was nothing wrong with the one which came with the bike and I'm sure it will suit a lot of people, it might have become a problem for me in the long term 😉