I’ve Been doing my research to purchase an e bike and expect to ride mostly on paths and some trails…..nothing too crazy to start as I haven’t been on a bike in a long time and never on an ebike. i’m retired now so commuting to work and driving in the city on a regular basis is not in the plan. It’s my hope to convince my husband to at least consider trying an ebike as well. I’ve been considering the Wallke H-6 as I think it has everything I’m looking for with regards to specs, power, price and it’s foldable (an absolute requirement). Unfortunately trying out the bike for sizing and riding is not an option and I expect if I buy it, it will have to be online as it’s not for sale anywhere near me. Does anyone have any advice/experience/opinions with this model and company For service. Thanks in advance for your help….much appreciated!
Ebike Newbie Looking For Your Thoughts
- Thread starter Boss
- Start date
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
If you buy online, make sure there is a local bike shop that will do warranty/service work on the bike. E-bikes are more complicated than conventional models and often require more maintenance.
As you point out, test riding isn't always an option but IMO, it is essential for a proper "fit". Travel if necessary to find a dealer or even a friend who has a bike to test!
Many online retailers have a return policy but keep in mind, you may have to pay the shipping. Returning a lithium battery can be difficult & expensive.
As you point out, test riding isn't always an option but IMO, it is essential for a proper "fit". Travel if necessary to find a dealer or even a friend who has a bike to test!
Many online retailers have a return policy but keep in mind, you may have to pay the shipping. Returning a lithium battery can be difficult & expensive.
Yes I will post something to the Wallke forum….ooops….didn’t see the forum till after I posted.You could post it on Wallke Forum
Why do you want a foldable bike?
I'm asking because a lot of people try to fold their bike and walk upstairs in their apartment, or fold it and put it in their car trunk.
If that's the case, the Wallke H6 weighs 90 lbs, it's not a light bike.
You can take battery out and make it lighter, but still not light, though the H6 has 48V 35Ah total battery capacity, which is a bonus if you want a long range.
What's your criteria?
regarding criteria….foldable bike is a primary requirement for me…. I do expect to transport it in the trunk of my car to get to some Of the paths and trails I mentioned and driving on the highway is definitely not in my plans. Weight is certainly a concern however lugging it up stairs on a regular basis is a non-issue for me..
Agreed! the bike from all accounts is heavy and from what I’ve read batteries can weigh as much as 22lbs and that alone may be the reason I may have to rethink things. However, the battery as you say provides a long range which is definitely something that attracted me to the bike and though it may be overkill now (as I am new to all this), the bike will certainly satisfy all my needs in the now and in the future.
Yes servicing the bike above all else is my biggest concern with this purchase. Getting the proper fit will likely be my next agenda item and test a few e-bikes. There are no dealers nearby selling Wallke or servicing them and the closet e-bike dealers are (1 hour) away. You make a good point regarding the shipping issue as shipping from Canada to the US and visa versa US to Canada can be extremely expensive.
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
Most likely if you have not ridden in a while, you are not into repairing electric bikes. Nail down the service part first, then like a rock climber, pivot from that point to find a bike. A 45 pound bike would probably be much better. Note: most bike shops will not work on fat folders or on any bikes that they do not sell. That is the starting point.
keithj69
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Central Florida
What is the terrain like where you ride? (hilly/flat/mixed)
What is your budget?
Is there someone in your circle that can work on a bike in case you buy online?
What is your expectation of getting an ebike and the actual distance you think you may want to ride? (getting an ebike will actually expand that distance)
What is your budget?
Is there someone in your circle that can work on a bike in case you buy online?
What is your expectation of getting an ebike and the actual distance you think you may want to ride? (getting an ebike will actually expand that distance)
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
Who wants to sit on a bike saddle longer than a full length feature film? Butt time. What's yours? This bike goes for 2.5 hours; yes, it is electric. This is what decent eBikes look like at 40-pounds. The more weight the less miles, more specifically with cheap batteries coupled with hub drives.
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harryS
Well-Known Member
The Walke H-6 is a tank of a bike, with two batteries. I think that's overkill with two batteries, and if you haven't ridden a bike in a long time, a tank is really different. You can find folding bikes with skinny tires that are in the 40-45 pound range. Easy to pack in a hatchback, without folding the frame, if you swing the seat and handlebars down,
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Here's a review of one, done by the owner of this website..
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Here's a review of one, done by the owner of this website..
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BlackHand
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Western WA
I can see getting this up into a pickup bed or the back of a SUV, but how many car trunks will fit this thing?
- Folded: 39” L x 27” W x 31”H /100cm L x 70cm W x 80cm H
Initially I considered that but it was more expense X 2 cars ….,it’s all starting to add up.
True… on all accounts, most dealers only want to service their own product.
The way I see though, I will have that issue with any ebike I buy especially online, not sure if there is a way around it.
I am lucky in that I live in a country setting close to a bike trail it’s quite long, though I have not travelled the whole way. It’s fairly flat and unpaved. I also plan to travel to my daughter’s home in the city and bike on some great paved bike paths there.
Unfortunately no one I know owns an ebike so if I have an issue it will need to be serviced by someone qualified.
I still have a mountain bike and though I have enjoyed it in the past biking on the paved paths in the city when I lived there….as I’m getting older I find I do not have the endurance of an all day ride. It was my hope that an ebike would allow me to enjoy the ride much more. I also hope that it will entice me to go riding in the winter….another reason for the heavy duty bike
Isn’t it better to have too much than too little when it comes to battery life. And though the bike has the capacity for 2 batteries it can be purchased with one and a 2nd one added later.
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
It is definitely a good practice to have more battery capacity than you think you need. Batteries tend to loose capacity with age & use. Having a "buffer" can extend it's useful life.
If you think you will need a second battery in the future, my advice is to buy it now. A manufacturer can discontinue production at any time and aftermarket batteries that fit the bike can be difficult to find.
If you think you will need a second battery in the future, my advice is to buy it now. A manufacturer can discontinue production at any time and aftermarket batteries that fit the bike can be difficult to find.
Update on my E bike Odyssey: Sometimes the universe speaks to us, it can come in many forms and fashions including in an E bike forum, we just have to be listening. I want to thank those of you who responded by imparting your sage advice and wisdom to me. I knew I came to the right place. Some of the many themes included: good aftercare service and support for the bike, the beast of a bike itself and my novice ability as a rider, and of course want vs need. Well folks as The Rolling Stones say “you can’t always get what you want but you get what you need” and again I must give a nod to the cosmos for providing the breadcrumbs that lead me down the path I will now share with you.
After I posted on the forum and despite all my research thinking that the Wallke H6 was ‘the one’ I just knew that the purchase didn’t have the right fit for me especially the fact that I had no means of servicing the bike. A little bummed to say the least But that’s when fate stepped in. A few days later my husband and I were out shopping and just happened to go into a new store that we had never been in before and there it was, the bike I‘D had hoped to buy. It was not the Wallke H6 but had a similar look to it so I wandered over to It. It obviously belonged to someone and in a flash he appeared.
The E bike owner had been going through the checkout when he saw me looking over his bike and after he was assured I was not trying to make off with it we had a nice long conversation regarding it. He was a seasoned rider with a wealth of information that he shared with me about riding in general, not riding in the winter, the E bike laws in our province (I’m in Canada), and he made mention that the bike (Teslica) is made in Canada. He even went so far as letting me lift the bike to test the weight….it too was a beast! Turns out that he bought his bike not far from where we were, this was interesting because for reasons unknown, that company had not shown up in my list of dealers when I was initially searching for a bike. As we parted ways he reached into his wallet and gave me the business card for the company. Was this a Coincidence? Or were the planets coming into alignment!
When I got home I checked out the website and called them. I spoke with a lovely lady who answered the many questions I had and invited me to come to the shop check them out and tryout the bikes, (which I did) my first time on an E bike. Never under estimate the value of seeing something with your own eyes and feeling it with your own hands or in this case feeling it with my rear end! I soon found an E bike that had all the elements I was looking for….it was lighter in weight, fat tires, foldable and after being properly fitted i decided on a step through model which as it turns out was more suited to my frame. And if that wasn’t enough it was on sale, in stock, they were providing an additional battery for free and extending the warranty starting April 2023 for next years riding season And it was Canadian made and serviced by them At the local shop. Sign me up!
I think you know where this is going…….that’s right…..it’s a happy ending. I bought the bike and have been buying some accessories for it which they have agreed to put on for me. Pictures will be provided once it’s decked out…..thanks again for all the help and just so you know….. sometimes you do get what you want and what you need. Happy Trails
After I posted on the forum and despite all my research thinking that the Wallke H6 was ‘the one’ I just knew that the purchase didn’t have the right fit for me especially the fact that I had no means of servicing the bike. A little bummed to say the least But that’s when fate stepped in. A few days later my husband and I were out shopping and just happened to go into a new store that we had never been in before and there it was, the bike I‘D had hoped to buy. It was not the Wallke H6 but had a similar look to it so I wandered over to It. It obviously belonged to someone and in a flash he appeared.
The E bike owner had been going through the checkout when he saw me looking over his bike and after he was assured I was not trying to make off with it we had a nice long conversation regarding it. He was a seasoned rider with a wealth of information that he shared with me about riding in general, not riding in the winter, the E bike laws in our province (I’m in Canada), and he made mention that the bike (Teslica) is made in Canada. He even went so far as letting me lift the bike to test the weight….it too was a beast! Turns out that he bought his bike not far from where we were, this was interesting because for reasons unknown, that company had not shown up in my list of dealers when I was initially searching for a bike. As we parted ways he reached into his wallet and gave me the business card for the company. Was this a Coincidence? Or were the planets coming into alignment!
When I got home I checked out the website and called them. I spoke with a lovely lady who answered the many questions I had and invited me to come to the shop check them out and tryout the bikes, (which I did) my first time on an E bike. Never under estimate the value of seeing something with your own eyes and feeling it with your own hands or in this case feeling it with my rear end! I soon found an E bike that had all the elements I was looking for….it was lighter in weight, fat tires, foldable and after being properly fitted i decided on a step through model which as it turns out was more suited to my frame. And if that wasn’t enough it was on sale, in stock, they were providing an additional battery for free and extending the warranty starting April 2023 for next years riding season And it was Canadian made and serviced by them At the local shop. Sign me up!
I think you know where this is going…….that’s right…..it’s a happy ending. I bought the bike and have been buying some accessories for it which they have agreed to put on for me. Pictures will be provided once it’s decked out…..thanks again for all the help and just so you know….. sometimes you do get what you want and what you need. Happy Trails
PatriciaK
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Pacific Northwest and Piedmont Triad
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