E-bikes?

agree with WTG, a lot depends on how much and how far the bike will be riden...

if you just want a pint of milk down the local shop, then you dont need to spend '£2-3k on an Ebike, however, if this is to become your alternative transport to the MH, then you might be doing some miles on it....

and the more miles you do, the more emphasis will be placed on things like comfort (wheel size), range, performance, durability, reliability, back up service etc....

i used to buy, sell, and repair electric golf trolleys (for fun when i first retired) these are similar to ebikes in the components and i can tell you...cheaper trolleys (bikes) means cheaper components, thin wires, poor protection from elements etc....much harder to fix...

so, price (and a decent brand reputation) can be a big pointer to (real) quality....batteries from cheap bikes will be 'cheap' and wont last as long.

as I said upthread, OH and i have done close to 25,000 km on ours, both on original batteries (Panasonic and Bosch respectively) so a pretty good measure of 'quality'....battery range is increasing all the time, with the latest Kalkhoffs giving over 200km on a single charge, hreat if you are off grid and cant recharge....(althpugh we do ours with an inverter when off grid)

and then theres the residual value...im confident i could get £500 for my wifes bike and more than double that for mine.....as they both have many more trips left in them.

good luck to the OP...

Thanks folk, oh dear, so much to consider, deliberate and cogitate over. Just as I think I've nearly got my head round it another aspect to take into account is being raised. My initial thoughts were tied in with a wish for 2018/19 to downsize the van but that too is making my head spin. Now I need a darkened room!

Seriously though, it's good to research such things and take on board the helpful advice of those who've made such 'journeys' and are willing to share their experiences.

There's plenty of great advice on CT. I agree it can be mind boggling, make your head spin, require a darkened room and plenty of brooding time. Far but than acting on impulse 😉.  You may choose to ignore all the helpful advice and plough your own furrow but you will be informed.  😉😉.

Just in case you do decide to look at bikes micky, possibly not too far from you, but take a look at JE James website with a view to trying some bikes out. Big selection, very helpful advice, knowledgeable staff. You can ride around on models.

https://www.jejamescycles.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0dKkyJiR2AIVLJPtCh1DIQ0lEAAYASAAEgKukPD_BwE

Sorry, can't make link live! Bloody website.......

 https://www.jejamescycles.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyNjRBRCpARIsAPDBnn0b2WoLH-1RtMfgSSDs_Omuk1DmzVefrEzgixJATq3jBAUP3eUq8fcaAszaEALw_wcB

Thank you ET, much appreciated. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, might be because I use an iPad, who knows!