Kalkhoff Pro Connect Review

Kalkhoff Pro Connect Review.

The new Kalkhoff range of electric bikes are described as many as the Rolls Royce of electric bikes.
The bike is described as a pedelec type.
Different from the twist throttle type of e bike, these bikes instead add additional power to the cyclists leg power and aid in their progress forward along on the flat or inclines.
The bike is very modern looking, although it still may look a little odd to the standard bikes that the UK buyers are used too.
Kalkhoff have done well in produce a e bike that satisfies buyers from the UK and USA, though there is still evidence of its central European origins as the handlebars do still have a moustache kink to them, which may still put some buyers off.
The bike is very well kitted out and oozes quality on appearance.
The front light is very bright and powerful, although the rear light can appear quite dim in comparison.
I bought an extra rear light due to this fact.
Both lights are powered from the battery, though in use they show no deterioration to the battery range which is very good.

Please note the lights cannot remain lit independent to the power being turned off.

The ride of the bike is (in my opinion) very hard. The bike focuses the energy of all ridges and bumps in the road, straight through the seat. Hitting any degree of knot in the road can result in distortion of vision to the rider. The seat is very comfy though this does little to help in the soreness you will feel at the end of any medium to long distance ride, due to this issue.
The bike rides very well on its supplied continental contact tyres.
The handlebars are very comfortable compared to straight ones, though they have a tenancy to be very twitchy. Turn your head around to look back on the bike and you may find yourself across the other side of the road.
The brakes are very good and provide superb stopping distance, even in the wet.
The majority of the components on the bike are of very good quality.
The bikes wheels look great and the mudguards and carry rack are very well made and strong to the feel.
Peddling the bike, even without power, is not too bad as the bike is well under geared anyway.
The bikes 8 gears are really inadequate to meet the whole range of conditions you may find yourself if you are going to use this bike in different locations, with different territory.
I live in quite hilly areas though I quickly found that gears 1, 2 were redundant all of the time.
I mostly set off in 4th and quickly got to 7th in a range of conditions.
Building up speed was not a problem, although any increased speed tailed off quickly and then I often found myself free wheeling, until my speed dropped again.
I found that this pattern became tedious and it got in the way of the enjoyable ride.
The bike handles any degree of on-board weight fantastically.
Riding the bike solo and then with lots of weight piled on had very little effect on the ride or performance of the bike, which I felt was very impressive.
On the flat the bike zips along well and shows its full power bike characteristics, then on the inclines it changes into a stream train, chugging up hills in a very swift manner. If you've been up Snowdon on the mountain train then it feels just the same as that.
Its just an amazing hill climber. I've thrown everything at it in Sheffield and it will go up anything that my legs will cope with.
Despite what 50cycles may state, the Battery range is very changeable on the whole.
Ride the bike on the perfect flat and you could get 40 to 60 miles on a full charge.
Add any factors into this and things change quickly.
These factors are....

Weight.
If you are beyond your average body weight and carry lots of weight on the bike you, could see a 15% drop in battery range.

Inclines.
This is the issue that zaps the battery more than any other.
The short steep inclines have little consequence on the battery, though the longer, less steep incline are the ones that will decrease your overall range in my experience. You could see a 30% drop in range due to this issue.
50cycles state that the range could be up to 50 miles, though this should be taken with a large pinch of salt.
People in very long hilly areas, with a bit of weight around their girth and frequently carrying a good amount of weight in panniers may see a 45% drop in battery range and this should be seriously examined before purchase.
This said though, the battery is outstanding with no deterioration in performance from full to 98% empty. You will only feel the performance change until the battery is on its last few drips of power.
I have also found no changes in performance with wide temperature changes from 82 degrees to -4 degrees.
For me personally I get about 27 miles to empty on my battery.
This is my commute with over 2200 feet of long inclines, which includes 2 x 1 in 10's, 2 x 1 in 8's and a 1 in 6.
I am 1 stone overweight and carry 2 x 10lbs panniers.
One day I took a 23 mile ride to the city centre and back. I plotted out the flattest route I could find with hardly any inclines and my battery still had 3 light left. I would have probably got about 57 miles from the battery if I'd have kept going on the flat. I have heard from people who have got 60 miles from a fully charged battery.
I can back this up from this data on the flat.
That’s how much difference these factors will all make. Be warned and do your calculations before purchase.
People in area's like mine with long inclines and who carry weight in what ever form should expect to only have a radius (out and back home) of 12 to 13 miles from home.
Pushing this range may result in a push home.
Riding the bike is at first an unusual experience. The best way to describe it is that it feels like someone is pushing you from behind, as you cycle.

Modifications.
I have had to make a few modifications to the bike since purchase.
Straight away I had to change the rear sprocket from a 22 tooth to a 18 tooth.
This was because of the tedious nature of riding this bike. The Pro Connect now rides much, much better.
I have found that each 2 tooth sprocket drops has lowered the gearing by 2 places.
E.g. 22 tooth to 18 tooth, 3rd gear is now 1st gear.
It has now made to the 1st and 2nd gear very usable on steep inclines. The mid gears 3rd, 4th and 5th now have a better range of use than before on slight inclines and the flat area's.
The 7th and 8th gears are now for cruising speed on the flat. This upgrade has changed this bike into a great commuter's bike.
This has been a positive upgrade, though it has had its downside. It has reduced the batteries range much more than I expected.
My battery now has a range in my commute of 22 miles (previously 27 miles) and its has reduced my range to 10.5 miles.
The bikes range has effectively been reduced by 18.5%.
Another upgrade has been to fit a sprung seat post. This is another must have upgrade. It has now changed the bike from a bone shaker to a smooth, pleasant rider.
Lastly was to change out the tubes and get shraeder valves, rather than the supplied woods valves.
I found it to be expensive and difficult to get pumps for woods valves. Whilst I did this I got Marathon plus tyres fitted for the best puncture protection.
They don’t roll as well, but have better grip on the whole.

Summary.
The Pro Connect is a great e bike on the whole, though it is let down by a few niggles at this current price.
The gearing is inadequate to cover all conditions and this also kills the pleasure of riding the bike.
The inclusion of a wider range of gears could improve the bike.
This issue really needs to be thought through much more by Kalkhoff.
The fitted solid seat post really is a poor choice when saving the weight on this bike because, again it kills the enjoyment of this bike.
“Save weight elsewhere Kalkhoff” !
The fitted woods valves are a joke in the UK. 50cycles should change these out on all there bikes, because this is just an irritation for many owners.
A more straighter handlebar would improve the looks and sell the bike more.
The essential upgrades should not cost you more than £50 to £70 pounds, though after paying £1,400 I felt these upgrades were correcting the Pro Connect, when Kalkhoff should have recognised these issues and resolved them for this price.
I really don’t think this bike is worth the money because to make the Pro Connect a great bike I had to let go of more extra cash

50cycles review of Service.
My relationship with 50cycles has had its up's and down's.
My initial relationship with 50cycles was very very poor indeed.
I ordered my Pro Connect in January 2008.
I was told by 50cycles that my bike would arrive by March 2008.
Between March and June 2008 I asked when my bike may arrive and all I was told a delivery date had not been given my the manufacturer.
This carried on for weeks and weeks.
I even rang the manufacturer in Germany. They assured me production will start next week and you will defiantly get your bike next week.
Guess what! The Pro Connect never came on time.
I formally wrote to 50cycles in the end and they eventually told me that they could give no date now on the delivery of my 53cm Pro Connect and they had no idea when they would be produced.
I had been waiting 23 weeks for a bike with a promised delivery of 8 weeks.
I went down to 50cycles and bought a 49cm Pro Connect instead.
The 53cm Pro Connect eventually arrived late, July 2008.
I must say though that since owning the bike my service has been excellent from 50cycles, mainly via the service department under the care of Lloyd.
He has gone out of his way to help me in anyway he can. Applause to Lloyd from me.

SERVICE HISTORY.
Within a 8 to 10 weeks of use the bike developed a constant creaking noise from the back wheel.
The bike was returned to 50 cycles and the wheel was checked and the spokes were re-tightened.

Another 8 weeks passed and again the same noise returned again.
The bike was returned to 50 cycles and again the rear wheel was re-tightened and the bike was given a full service inspection.

Recently a spoke on the rear wheel sheered off and the whole rear wheel, buckled in.
The bike was returned to 50 cycles and this time I had a new 32 spoke rear wheel fitted.

50cycles maintenance team have gone out of their way to fix these issues for me.

Regards Burncycle.
15/02/2009