Month: March 2024

 

The benefits of an electric bike are numerous and they appeal to many – for commuters they offer a fast and effortless way to get to work and for leisure cyclists they open up opportunities to ride further and more often. All major bike brands now offer a comprehensive range of electric bikes in a market which has quickly matured and now provides the consumer with a wide choice of powerful, dependable and efficient e-bikes.

An electric bike or ‘e-bike’ will help to make riding a bicycle more accessible, encouraging you to leave the car at home.

 

So what exactly is an e-bike?

An electric bicycle, or e-bike, looks just like a normal bike but with the addition of a motor and battery; this pedal-assist input helps drive the cranks round so that it enhances your pedaling input. Great for commuters and leisure cyclists, an e-bike offers a fast and effortless way to get to work or explore further afield at the weekends, without the need to get into your car.

Hills don’t need to be hard work with an electric bike! Suddenly you’ll be able to consider riding on more hilly terrain.

 

Cube Reaction Hybrid Pro 625 2024 RRP £2,799

 

How do electric bikes work?

Just like a conventional non-e-bike, an electric bike is propelled forward through the turning of the pedals. Electric motor systems offer varied levels of assistance, which are selected depending on your fitness levels, terrain and style of riding.

All electric bicycles sold in the UK will provide power assistance up to the legally defined speed limit of 15.5mph before the motor cuts out. The majority of e-bike motors are housed centrally around the bottom bracket with the system’s batteries neatly integrated into the frame’s downtube giving an overall appearance that’s very similar to a conventional non-e-bike.

Wheelbase stock the very best e-bike brands available, with these specialist manufacturers constantly innovating to produce increasingly light and agile e-bikes.  Over the past few years we’ve also seen manufacturers developing e-bike specific components such as wheels, tyres, forks and shocks which meet the unique demands and extra forces incurred from a typical e-bike drive system.

Electric bikes are great for travelling around the urban environment too; avoid heavy traffic and congested roads on an e-bike.

 

Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro 750 Easy Entry 2024 RRP £3,699

 

Motor systems

There are several options available when it comes to which motor powers your e-bike – with the Bosch and Shimano brands leading the way. Bosch’s popular Performance Line, Active Line and Cargo Line systems offer the perfect amount of pedal assist for touring, leisure riding and commuting when you’re more likely to be carrying a heavy load. Alternatively the Shimano Steps system features on many of the best e-bikes from the leading brands and features a decoupled motor for a more natural feel.

Each motor system’s power source comes from an internal battery which defines how much assistance goes through the pedals. Batteries vary in wattage from between 250, 500 and 750w, with a higher wattage providing the rider with more power and a greater ride-range. Battery efficiency and riding range will depend on the motor-mode you are riding in, the temperature, terrain and a whole host of factors; typically charging time from empty to full will take up to six hours.

Bosch produce a wide range of e-bike drive systems to suit different demands and are highly regarded within the cycling industry.

 

The Steps system from Japanese component brand Shimano features on many of  the best e-bikes from leading bike brands.

 

Cube Touring Hybrid Pro 625 Easy Entry 2024 RRP £2899

 

Leisure e-Bikes explained

Leisure e-bikes, sometimes referred to as Hybrid e-bikes remain the most common form of e-bike and are ideal for your daily commute, for touring and for general leisure riding with friends and family. Electric leisure bikes are renowned for being practical and comfortable, being able to eat up the miles with minimal effort. Leisure e-bikes such as the Cube Touring Hybrid and Cannondale Tesoro are packed with commuter friendly features like pannier mounts and mudguards, making them ideal for city riding and commuting. RIESE & MULLER produce a range of cutting-edge commuter and cargo e-bikes; these German engineered bikes take commuting and transportation via e-bike to the next level with bikes that are capable of carrying your weekly shop or ferrying the kids to and from school each day.

Specialist German e-bike brand Riese & Muller produce some ingenious cargo bikes capable of carrying all sorts including your kids!

 

Cube Editor Hybrid Pro RRP £2,499

 

Why should you invest in an e-bike?

As well as opening up new avenues for experienced cyclists, electric bikes offer an entry point to two-wheels for those who may have been previously put off from taking up cycling. With assistance from a motor, particularly over hilly terrain, an electric bike can help riders reach new levels of fitness and achieve goals previously considered unattainable. Electric bikes offer all of the freedom and benefits of cycling, but with a bit of extra assistance.

As an alternative to using a car for short journeys an e-bike is better for the planet; by commuting or going anywhere for that matter on an e-bike you’ll produce far lower amounts of Co2 pollution per kilometre than when you use a car or motorcycle.

Take advantage of the UK’s extensive cycle-lane network and leave the car at home.

 

Riese & Muller Charger 4 Mixte GT Vario 2023 NOW £3,859

 

Riese & Muller Transporter 65 Vario 2023 NOW £4,755

 

Another big driver for owning and commuting on an e-bike is affordability. After the initial investment you’ll see a significant cut in your weekly expenses; with fuel prices going up and the general cost of living ever increasing you’ll see your outgoing costs going down.

In the UK the average commute is only around 4 miles, generally the range on a fully charged e-bike is 18-50 miles so charging your e-bike once a week should be sufficient in making the charging costs negligible compared to fueling a petrol or diesel car. Just think of those potential savings next time you’re driving that short commute when you could be riding!

Compared to fueling a petrol or diesel car, charging your e-bike once a week, to cover approximately 18-50 miles, will significantly cut your weekly expenses.

 

 

CUBE Fold Sport Hybrid 500 2024 RRP £2,699

 

 

Eovolt Afternoon 20″ Folding Electric Bike 2023 RRP £2,199

 

Eovolt Afternoon 20″ Folding Electric Bike 2023 NOW £999

Then there’s the health benefits to consider; among many positive outcomes there’s the boost to your immune system, an increase to your metabolism as well as improved cardiovascular health. Beyond the outward-facing health benefits there’s the potential to improve your mental health, with plenty of evidence supporting the theory that regular exercise, less screen time and an immersion into the natural world all help to keep you feeling better on the inside too. e-bikes are a brilliant gateway to getting yourself fitter and being able to enjoy a more active lifestyle without some of the traditional barriers encountered when you consider riding a traditional non-e-bike; the very best part of this e-bike revolution is that it’s helping to make all forms of cycling more accessible and inclusive for everyone.

An electric bike will help you get out into the natural world, to explore further afield in confidence. 

 

 

Happy Easter from all at Wheelbase!

With a long weekend the Easter holidays is always a great opportunity to ride your bike. All our stores are open throughout Easter for everything cycling.

STORE OPENING TIMES

Good Friday: All stores open 10am – 4pm, please note our Stockton-on-Tees store will be open 9am – 6pm

Saturday 30th March: All stores open 9am – 5.30pm

Easter Sunday: All stores open 10am – 4pm, please note our Stockton-on-Tees store will be closed Easter Sunday

Easter Monday: All stores open 10am – 4pm, please note our Stockton-on-Tees store will be open 9am – 6pm

In a world where races are won and lost by milliseconds, marginal gains matter.

Here at Wheelbase, we now offer the full Muc Off Chain Optimisation process. Ready to take your drivetrain to the next level in terms of performance, efficiency and longevity.

Muc Off’s latest innovation brings pro-peloton power to your bike. In our workshop we now have Muc Off’s Ultrasonic Tanks, which are designed to clean and lube your chain, using the same technology and process as the best racers and teams on the planet, producing unbeatable performance gains.

It’s a common misconception that a new chain is going to be faster than a used one. This is rarely the case, especially if that used chain has been optimised.

So how does the process work and what’s to be gained in a Muc Off ‘optimised chain’?

1st STEP – THE MUC OFF HIGH-PERFORMANCE ULTRASONIC CHAIN CLEANER

The best grime killer in the business! The High-Performance Ultrasonic Chain Cleaner is a professional-strength cleaner that gives chains a deeper clean than ever before. It quickly breaks down the stickiest oils, grease and grime, giving your chain a complete refresh. It’s the first step in improving chain efficiency, by leaving a spotless, friction-free surface for your new Muc-Off lube to work its magic on – so your drivetrain works more efficiently, for longer!

 

2nd STEP – BRING THE HEAT

For the lubrication process, you have two choices, The Ludicrous AF or Hydrodynamic lube. Both of which are gently heated to the precise temperature required to create the optimum viscosity for the lube to penetrate deep into all contact points within the chain links. The lubricants themselves contain organic friction modifiers, which with their polarised heads and non-polarised tails, attach themselves to either side of the base oil’s surface to form a low-friction shear plane. It’s this combination of formulation and application which reduces friction, increases the amount of watts making it through your drivetrain, and to your rear wheel. The result? More speed!

LUDICROUS AF Lube

Tested and refined over the last three years by the industry’s leading experts, Ludicrous AF has been pro-peloton-approved for taking chain optimisation to an entirely new level. Thanks to the epic state-of-the-art R&D facility, Muc-Off  have created a true masterpiece – an ultra-low-friction, highly durable lube which allows you to go harder and faster for longer than ever before. The Ludicrous Lube is an ideal option for the road rider looking for that competitive advantage, not quite as durable as the Hydrodynamic Lube, but in dry conditions it offers improved performance.

HYDRODYNAMIC LUBE

The Hydrodynamic lube strikes the perfect balance between speed and durability, so you can go full gas for longer. Hand blended in the UK, it uses a synergistic blend of esters combined with aerospace-quality oil lubrication and ground-breaking extreme pressure additives, to create a high-strength, film-forming lubricant, that prevents metal-to-metal wear at peak performance, no matter how hard you’re pushing! The hydrodynamic lube is slightly more durable than the ludicrous lube, ideal for the wetter conditions we experience in the UK and perfect for the Mountain Biker looking for that edge on the competition.

 

THE RESULTS

Data is king when it comes to drivetrain optimisation. Muc Off worked with an elite triathlete of BMC Pro-Triathlon throughout the R&D process for their Ultrasonic Chain Optimisation, producing a chain that took them to the top step of the podium. They tested various chains within the same drivetrain, swapping out the existing chain for a new and Muc Off optimised one. The Muc Off  process delivered a 50% reduction in power loss, shown in the data below, which produced a 2nd place finish at an IRONMAN event.

The chain was returned to Muc Off for further optimisation (the same initial steps, just repeated). This time the co-efficient of friction was reduced by a further 10%, helping deliver victory their next IRONMAN. They even squeezed a further 5% out of the chain following that event! The compound effect of the optimisation process means the chain simply keeps getting faster each time the process is applied.

SUSTAINABILITY BUILT IN

You may think that the pursuit of speed, comes at the expense of the environment. Not at Muc-Off.

All their products are developed with sustainability built in, so their High-Performance Ultrasonic Chain Cleaner is readily biodegradable, Ludicrous AF is made of 75% plant-based materials, and Hydrodynamic lube is petroleum-free! The Ultrasonic Tanks allow for the safe disposal of any liquids, so you can experience all the speed, without worrying about the environmental impact.

Also, ultrasonically deep cleaning and lubricating your drivetrain means expensive componentry will last longer, minimising waste and further reducing your environmental footprint.

 

PRICING

£25 for the complete Hydrodynamic Lube process

£50 for the complete Ludicrous Lube process

 

 

Buy an Orbea Laufey hardcore hardtail for less! Featuring a long-travel 140mm fork, 29er wheels and a tough alloy frame, the Laufey is built to shred!

Just Landed into stock and ready to hit the trail is the Laufey H-LTD, complete with a Fox Float Performance fork, Shimano XT/SLX groupset and Race Face finishing kit, all for an amazing £1699!

Orbea Laufey H10 Was £2,099 NOW £1,299

 

Orbea Laufey H10 Was £2,099 NOW £1,299

 

Orbea Laufey H30 Was £1,699 NOW £999

 

Orbea Laufey H30 Was £1,699 NOW £999

The eOne-Sixty is a hard-hitting enduro-ready eBike that has wowed the press worldwide! Built around compact Shimano Steps motor, allowing the designers to create very short chainstays which deliver agile and “regular bike” geometry.

To give the eOne Sixty precise steering, stable composure and glue like grip in the roughest terrain Merida have combined a 29er front wheel with a 2.5″ tyre and a 650B rear wheel, equipped with a slightly wider 2.6″ tyre. The perfect combination of precision, playfulness and traction allowing you to feel planted when tackling the most demanding of trails.

 

The eOne-Sixty is built around compact Shimano EP801 motor, powered by an integrated 630Wh integrated battery in the downtube. The Merida engineers have also added vents at the headtube to help keep the battery from overheating!

 

The eOne-Sixty comes equipped with a Kashima coated FOX 38 Factory eMTB+ fork. Featuring 160mm of rock swallowing travel and all the front end stiffness you could need from the 38mm stanchions for deflection free steering in the most technical terrain.

 

With 150mm of travel from the FOX Factory Float X2 rear shock providing plenty of plush travel over the roughest terrain, the rear  can cash all the cheques the front end is writing!

 

This top spec model includes components from Shimano’s premium XTR groupset, including a 12 speed rear derailleur and the powerful Shimano XTR 4-piston hydraulic brakes, keeping you in control on the steepest of descents.

 

While stocks last we have 60% off women’s clothing from leading brands Castelli, Endura and Rab. Here are our top ten picks.

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Hot on the heels of the trail conquering AMS One44 Hybrid, CUBE is now bringing lightweight Bosch SX power to the urban playground with new CUBE Editor Hybrid, blending effortless style, nimble handling and traffic-beating pedal assistance. Meaning arriving effortlessly in style on your usual commute or weekend urban adventure is a revitalising pleasure, no longer a gruelling workout.

With the launch of the Editor Hybrid, CUBE has created a svelte solution when it comes to getting from A to B. With its elegantly sculpted aluminium frame, carbon fork and the lightweight Bosch SX drive system, its understated #simpliCITY that packs some serious traffic devouring capability an incredible price point, starting at £2,299!

The new Cube Editor Hybrid is ultra lightweight with sleek looks. It’s super light aluminium frame features Cube’s signature Smooth Welding and advanced internal cable routing for an uncluttered aesthetic and efficient power transfer, whilst comfort and compliance through the front end is added thanks to a full carbon fork, an amazing spec highlight. It’s adaptable, too, with optional ACID mudguards and ACID rear carrier (standard on some models) and ready to accept the neat, versatile Cube ACID front carrier.

The performance may be heavyweight, but the ride certainly isn’t. Something which you instantly feel as soon as you sling a leg over the top tube, thanks to the Bosch system giving you up to 55Nm of torque, powered by an integrated 400Wh battery and 50% less pedal resistance than other drive units. Built around a super lightweight platform, the Editor is a nimble, efficient and engaging ride.

Read about the Power of the Bosch SX Motor here in our blog:

https://www.wheelbase.co.uk/blog/the-power-of-bosch-sx-hot-new-models-?/

 

We will be stocking two models of the Cube Editor, each representing #simpliCITY, redefined for wherever your urban adventure may take you.

 

CUBE EDITOR HYBRID SLX 400X – £2,699

The Editor Hybrid SLX 400X is practically maintenance-free, equipped with Shimano 8-speed hub gears. Also featuring an integrated Bosch SX drive system, the new Editor Hybrid SLX 400X will always be ready. Whilst the grippy Continental Contact Urban 50mm tyres help take the buzz out of poorly maintained city streets.

SPECIFICATON

• Drive Unit: Bosch Drive Unit Performance SX (55Nm)

• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400

• Frame: Aluminium Superlite

• Fork: CUBE Editor Full Carbon

• Shifters: Shimano Alfine SL-S503

• Brake system: Shimano BR-MT200, Hydr. Disc Brake (180/180)

• Cassette: Shimano Nexus, 18T

• Chain: KMC Z610

• Includes: front light, rear light kickstand and mudguards

• Weight: 19.2 kg

• Colour: sleekgrey‘n‘spectral

 

 

 

 

CUBE EDITOR HYBRID PRO 400X – £2,299

The Editor Hybrid Pro 400X’s understated black ‘n’ spectral paint suits the frame’s stealth silhouette, but it’s also packed with the technology you’d expect from CUBE. It features easy-to-use Shimano 10-speed Cues gears and powerful Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, for light and lively performance.

SPECIFICATION

• Drive Unit: Bosch Drive Unit Performance SX (55Nm)

• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400

• Frame: Aluminium Superlite

• Fork: CUBE Editor Full Carbon

• Rear derailleur: Shimano Cues RD-U600

• Shifters: Shimano Cues SL-U6000, Rapidfire-Plus

• Brake system: Shimano BR-MT200, Hydr. Disc Brake (180/180)

• Cassette: Shimano Cues CS-LG300, 11-39T

• Chain: Shimano CN-LG500

• Weight: 17.2 kg

• Colour: black‘n‘spectral

Every model in the range is an e-bike superhero in disguise: bringing simpliCITY to urban riding. Visit www.cube.eu/simplicity for more information.

World Tour winning technology combined with unrivalled value for money.

The new Merida Reacto and Scultura are the bikes which propelled Team Bahrain Victorious to two World Tour race wins within 30 mins of each other recently. Team Bahrain Victorious rider Phil Bauhaus was the fastest in a bunch sprint that decided stage 3 of Tirreno Adriatico, and shortly after, Santiago Buitrago celebrated an emphatic solo win at the 4th stage of Paris-Nice, both aboard their team Merida Reactos.

For the 2024 season the team will be riding the 2024 Merida Reacto and 2024 Merida Scultura. With an obvious focus on all out performance, the team will be predominantly utilising the Reacto. The Reacto is Merida’s award-winning aero bike, a leader in it’s class, which is praised by the press for being “astonishingly comfortable” (Design & Innovation Award 2018), “fast and responsive… an absolute peach” (Road CC).

When stages are longer and the strategic focus in on minimising fatigue whilst maximising comfort and endurance the team will move to the Scultura platform, featuring the same race-proven geometry as the aero specialist, the Reacto, but equipped with a lightweight, comfort focused CF3 frame which offers impressive climbing performance, razor-sharp handling, aerodynamic efficiency combined with class leading compliance.

 

IN STOCK NOW

MERIDA REACTO 9000 – £7,000

The Reacto 9000 offers top level components paired with the award-winning Reacto frame to make the perfect recipe for this top-level aero bike. Racing is in its blood. But don’t just pigeon hole it as a dedicated racer, it’s just as capable in showing off on extended club rides and fast and furious chain gang sessions.

Outstanding acceleration and power transfer paired with low weight, impressive aerodynamics, perfect cable integration, and remarkable aero bike comfort set the Reacto 9000 apart from the competiton. Racing, long-distance rides or challenging club outings, the Reacto 9000 will take your riding to the next level!

The latest version of the Reacto took the cycling press by storm. A long string of test wins, perfect scores and awards confirm Merida’s  successful combination of their race-proven DNA of the previous model with the latest trends and technologies. Cycling Weekly calls it ‘without doubt one of the most complete bikes available on the market’.

From serious racer to the ambitious road rider, the Reacto is a great bike for many riders. Its outstanding aerodynamic performance, reduced weight, sharp handling and super quick acceleration makes it the perfect bike for criterium racers and sprinters. At the same time, the class-leading comfort gives it the ability to play out its aerodynamic advantage on the rougher tarmac of your favourite training ride.

Reacto 9000 Highlights

• Super-light CF5 carbon aero frame (approx. 950 g – in size M)
• SRAM Force eTap AXS wireless 12-speed groupset
• Merida Team SL 1P one-piece cockpit
• Reynolds BL60 PR carbon wheelset with Continental 5000S TR 25 mm tyres
• Merida S-Flex carbon aero post
• Disc Cooler technology

 

 

IN STOCK NOW

MERIDA REACTO 8000 – £4,850

Sharing the same principles as the 9000, having a focus on unadulterated aero road speed. The 8000 is built around the new Ultegra 12-speed groupset and the impressive Reynolds AR60 DB carbon wheelset, the 8000 is one of the top bikes in the Reacto line-up. It loves to be raced hard but equally enjoys challenging your fellow riders on the ups, the downs and the flats.

It’s cutting edge frame features like our Wire Port cable integration for a clean look and outstanding aerodynamics and our Disc Cooler technology for reliable braking performance even on the longest of descents that give the Reacto 8000 the edge. Combined with the beautifully crafted CF3 carbon frame, the 8000 impresses with remarkable acceleration and power transfer, low weight, impressive aerodynamics, perfect cable integration and outstanding aero bike comfort.

Reacto 8000 Highlights

• Lightweight CF3 carbon aero frame (approx. 1,150 g – in size M)
• Shimano Ultegra 12-speed Di2 groupset
• FSA ACR SMR stem/Merida Expert CW handlebar combination
• Reynolds AR60 DB carbon wheelset with Continental 5000S TR 25 mm tyres
• MERIDA S-FLEX carbon aero post
• Disc Cooler technology

 

IN STOCK NOW

MERIDA SCULTURA 8000 – £4,800

Featuring the same race-proven geometry as Merida’s aero specialist, the REACTO, but equipped with a lightweight, comfort-focused CF3 frame, the SCULTURA 8000 combines impressive climbing performance, razor-sharp handling, aerodynamic efficiency and class-leading compliance. A fantastic spec package from Shimano, FSA, Reynolds and Continental, in conjunction with a newly designed frame, give this bike the edge over the competition.

The fifth generation of this lightweight racer marries outstanding handling with improved comfort and an even more aerodynamic chassis. Thanks to incorporating selected aero details from the Reacto, the Scultura is the most aerodynamic version ever. Yet, it remains true to its lightweight, agility and rider comfort focus; in fact it takes these factors to the next level. The Scultura demonstrates outstanding compliance, providing the rider with class-leading riding comfort that will help to keep the body fresh for that final club ride sprint or last gruelling climb on your favourite sportive. The Scultura’s forte is comfort combined with whippet-like acceleration and unrivalled climbing prowess.

With a full carbon CF3 frame, tapered carbon fork, Reynolds carbon wheels and the latest Ultegra 12-speed Di2 groupset is pretty much the perfect combination when you are looking for in a high performing road bike. Built for racing endless challenging training miles.

Scultura 8000 Highlights

• Lightweight CF3 carbon frame (approx. 997 g – in size M) with race-proven (identical to Reacto) geometry
• Shimano Ulterga 12-speed Di2 groupset
• FSA SMR ACR two piece cockpit
• Merida Expert SL handlebar
• Reynolds carbon wheelset with Continental 5000S TR 28 mm tyres
• MERIDA S-FLEX carbon seat post and Disc Cooler technology

Whether you are a seasoned pro or starting on your MTB journey, a hardtail will provide you with the most ‘bang for your buck’… Keeping your skills sharp and the fun factor to the max!

It really is the most cost effective way to have some serious FAST and FURIOUS fun, especially with up to 38% off our HARDTAIL HOTPICKS. Here are 4 of our favourite hardtail models from a pin sharp XC hooligan to progresive trail shredder that will keep you smiling wherever your riding takes you…

 

Spring is just around the corner and you’re all set for the new season ahead, make sure your bike is too with a Wheelbase Ultimate Service!

Beat the queue ahead of the rush and book your bike in for a full strip down service and start enjoying that felling of a creak free, crisp shifting, fast rolling, freshly serviced ride!