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Electric Mamachari w/ 2 kid seats.

bloaker

Sincerely A Dick
Nov 14, 2011
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My wife has expressed interest in an electric assisted bike to take out the kiddo. Since we have not ruled out kiddo #2, she wants a bike with 2 kid seats.

Having no experience with electric assisted bikes - I have no reference of price, brands, quality, bike shops etc...

Is anyone familiar with the electric assisted mamacharis and able to give some base info I need to be aware of?

My initial questions would be where would be best to purchase one?
How long can I expect the battery pack to last?
Are there multiple styles available (if so, opinions on the differences)?
 
Bridgestone bicycles do electric assist mamachari well.
Most domestic places carry and deliver. Asahi cycles I've found usually carries a wide selection. They also deliver.

IMO, the Angelino line has a lot of under appreciated features. The child carrier while appearing bulky protects the kid well in a tip over event. Very beefy rear stand. Steering lock when loading and unloading. These bicycles are going to be as heavy as a small 50cc scooter!

Batteries will last about two years of daily use before needing replacement. About 600 recharge cycles.

Getting up inclines still requires a bit of strength. The assist only adds about 100 watts of power and it's a heavy bicycle.
 
@JackTheCommuter - you have been to my place. Megan is not going to make it up the road home without some help, especially with Emily on the bike.
This is what we are trying to solve.
 
Why does she want to use a bicycle? Fitness or convenience? If the later, I would just buy a single passenger model that can carry your child safely and easily. If you have another child then it will be probably another year after that till the littlest one can be carried safely. If the former, a sports styled stroller would work better. YMMV.
 
This is for both convenience and exercise.
We have a baby jogger that we both use, but it is easy to get tired of seeing the same areas over and over.
If we venture out of our neighborhood we have a steep decent waiting for us. Not fun when running, but not bad for walking.

The bicycle is extended range to see and do more outside.
We possibly live in the only place in Japan that does not have a combini located less than 10 blocks of our house. And the closest one is down hill - not so bad until it is time to go home.
The electric assist is the the part that will keep from killing her when she tries to ride a mamchari with a child on it up a 6-8% grade for almost a km.

With the confidence of being able to get up that hill, she could also commute to work on the bicycle.
 
@bloaker - Yeah. Setting expectations that it's not an electric scooter where you can just twist the throttle. It looks like the Angelino series and Hydee both push out 200watts, much better then when I looked at them a few years ago. I would opt for the biggest battery pack as getting up the hill with full assist will use up the charge. I think either would be fine and gives you the flexibility for two kids.

The assist is speed sensitive, with full assist under speeds of 10km/h. Speeds above that, assist tapers off to zero as speeds approach 24km/h. Keep it slow to get full assist and that long snaking climb should be possible.

The recommendation is that kids under certain weight, I think 10kg, should be in the front seat. When she's old enough transfer to the rear and I would opt of OEM child seat.
 
I used a Hydee until recently to carry my son to the hoikuen, to different parks and other events on the weekend up to 10 km away, and for when the yochien had class outings. My ex-wife bought a different type with smaller wheels, like the "petite" ones in Angelino range after it was stolen recently. Comparing the two, the Hydee was much, much easier to ride - more comfortable and with better handling. They were both tanks in terms of weight, but the saddle position and probably the larger wheels made the Hydee much nicer to ride. Range was fine.
 
electric assist bikes have come a very long way in the last couple of years.
Number of charge cycles: about 700-900 times (approximate) these days with a 13.2 Panasonic battery, so the warranty is 3 years

This model has a 250 watt motor and the weight is 33.3kg and 3 power modes
http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/electric/gyutto7/color/minidx.html
some of the features of the bike here:
http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/electric/gyutto7/function/minidx.html#disc05

full line up for electric mamachari is here
http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/electric/

Power mode will get you around 40km on 1 full charged and auto will be around 50km while long mode will be around 63, but the more weight your carrying the less mileage you will get.
The Weight limit with two children that does not include the child seat goes up to 30kg
Panasonic bikes use a torque sensor that measures how hard you push on the pedals. You set a power level—from low assistance to high—and the bike gives you power in proportion to your pedaling, allowing you to ride further, faster, and with greater ease and enjoyment.

My family owns 1 Bridgestone and 2 Panasonic`s, I prefer the Panasonic over the other makers as the motor is a 250 watt over theirs 200 watt one and they are made right here in Japan.
My Panasonic Jetter is rated at 72km in long mode but I am getting around 120km on 1 full charge and around 90 on auto which I hardly use.

Note: Bridgestone and Yamaha are the same ( they use the same parts and motor made by Yamaha ) Panasonic makes their own.

Trust me your wife will thank you for a electric mamachari , it will make her life carrying the kids very easy compared to a standard bike
 
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I have the panasonic. It works well have had no issues. I left it up to my wife which one to get, she researched and came up with the Panasonic being the best.
I use it all the time, and I can say it is great after hammering out a 150km in the morning and I want to go out in the Arvo. I put it on power mode and just cruise around wherever I want with the kids without having to do any work.

The bike is really heavy and not suitable for someone with long legs who thinks they might ride it for their own exercise. Basically it is designed to fit a Japanese lady.

Anyway two kids, groceries, a small hill, and no electric assistance is not really an option for a lot of women.
 
Purchase complete.
Thank you @JackTheCommuter for coming down to Zushi and having lunch and playing interpreter.

10168213_10152959413352808_31940938686962291_n.jpg
 
bloaker, very nice choice, great looking bike :cool:, the same color as my Panasonic EZ
 
It was ballpark 130000 Yen.
I don't recall the exact number, but that is pretty close.
There were some a little less and others a little more.
This was last years, so it was a little cheaper.
 
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