GoCycle G4i UK Owner’s Review. Part 5: Turning to the Dark Side…
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- Riding the GoCycle G4i in the dark. And when I do, is the inbuilt Daytime Running Light (DRL) good enough to light the way?
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I'm considering buying one of these so thank you for this mini review series. You speak very well and give good details of the bike. Cheers 🇨🇦
Thanks for the feedback. Appreciated. MM
Best review channel i have seen so far. Great videos.
Great review thanks..
Nice review, impressed with the lights , I’m enjoying your views on the bike, I am looking at purchasing an ebike and strangely enough the gocycle and the eovolt are on my list of choices so thanks for the info, cheers
Thanks Tony. There is nothing much to dislike about the EoVolt at all. It is a very solid, fun, compact folding and fully featured e-bike. And half the price of the GoCyle! Which is a huge saving. Does not have any of the exotic materials such as Magnesium alloy and Carbon fibre etc but still does the same job. Will try and do a review soon!
@@markymarkreviews I’m looking forward to seeing that
Love your reviews. About to get one, after nothing but trouble from Brompton Electrics/
Could you do a video running through the gear you will use to facilitate safety in the dark....high vis jackets, rear lights etc
Electrical failure twice in 15 months and lengthy repair period (7 weeks and counting) and horrendously obnoxious people in charge of consumers has driven me to call this a Nocycle. That marketing line of it being maintenance free is of course absolute bullax.
I would spend my hard earned money elsewhere, unless you want an expensive bike to keep in your closet or show off to your friends once a while.
But if you really really want one my advice would be: read long term reviews and try squeezing longer warranty time out of them.
Hi!
Thanks for the Video! :)
You still happy with your G4, or would you buy something else now?
impressive night lighting on the Gocycle
wondering does the G4i have the ability to flash like the G3, from memory you did need to change settings on the bike as flashing wasn't enabled initially
Yes. I think you can set it up in the app for the DRL to flash, if you want. MM
Hi. What do you think of the difference between the G4i vs the G4i+, if you have tried both bikes. Is it a big difference, and if so - is it worth the extra money?
Hi Cem E. The carbon wheeled G4i+ has a minimal weight saving of just 300g! If the weight saving was 1-2kg I would have been sorely tempted but £1k for 300g no way. And no I could not tell the difference. The G4i is agile enough as it is. The range may be a touch better on the G4i+ as lighter and every little helps. Also strong engineering reasons why carbon fibre is not ideal for wheels. If prone to trauma/stresses they can get micro stress fractures and then shatter without warning. That is according to one of the great sports car designers Gordon Murray. No carbon fibre wheels on any of his modern cars!
I'm impressed with that built in light. I don't think you would need to purchase anything else. Another light might ruin the clean lines of the handlebar! Turn signals under the seat might be nice.
Bizarrely that is what I have done. I have just got the mudguards and front & rear light package as the weather is miserable and rainy most days and dark by 4.30pm (December) but at present have not mounted the front light as it looks like a “wart” on the front and soils the lines of the bike and the “DRL” is incredibly bright on Level 2 setting anyway I don’t think I need it. The rear light is essential though. MM
Thanks for the very useful videos. May I ask how you got the G4i already? I asked Fully Charged and they told me it's not yet released, although imminent.
I received a notification from Fully Charged on behalf of GoCycle only recently (2 weeks ago?) warning of parts constraints and that there would be delays to deliveries and asking people that have ordered to be patient. So I suspect they may have been referring to that. I collected my G4i early July and FC told me I was the first to collect one as I had put my order in quite early.
@@markymarkreviews Ah, I see. Perhaps the global chip shortage is also affecting these. FC mentioned possibly October delivery.
The light on your G4i seems like it will be blinding oncoming cars, have you found this to be the case?
No definitely not. I have just purchased the recommended front and rear lights for the GoCycle for the early winter nights, (SuperNova brand) and interestingly when the front light is fitted the DRL remains on together with the front (now spot light) SuperNova when activated. You can’t have one or the other. As a cyclist it is better to be seen than not seen at night. As the DRL is a light bar it is not a concentrated spot of light like a badly aligned normal front light could be, so will not blind anyone. Or at least no complaints so far! MM
I would not be comfortable relying on the DRL and a helmet light for night riding. In particular (as you note) GoCycle state the DRL is insufficient for this purpose. It may seem fine in your back garden or deserted road but on a busy road you will be all but invisible.
I have the GoCycle lights and run them all the time - even on the brightest summer’s day. At night I add a couple of Moon LEDs clipped to my backpack. And I still get SMIDSYed…
I would seriously consider shelling out for some lights. I would suggest two front and rear lights for winter/night riding - in addition to your current setup. And possibly look at getting some ProViz reflective gear - that really catches cars’ lights and blazes.
As we come into autumn, the clocks going back and low sun in the sky you really need to be as visible as possible. Your proposed set up is unsafe. Sorry.
All points taken on board. Don’t plan to cycle in the dark on traffic heavy roads but this exercise was to see if the DRL improved your chances of being seen (It does. It is incredibly bright) and gives a good spread of light. (It does this as well). To kit the bike out with mudguards and the GoCycle light package will be almost another £250. So while I waited thought I would check how this set up would do. Have not purchased any high viz stuff as yet. That will come. First items of clothing I bought were padded shorts AFTER my London ride from FC to home on collection!
@@markymarkreviews I was lucky as when I purchased my bike they offered accessories at a discount so I filled my boots - lights, mudguards and front pannier.
I also ride a Brompton and CX bike and always have LED lights on, whatever the weather. They’re so small and cheap these days and it does seem to make a noticeable difference to the way drivers behave…
What’s the difference like from riding your g4 to the eovolt.. is yours much better
The EoVolt is a solid and fun e-bike. But a touch heavier (4kg+ heavier) and more clunky to use in comparison to the G4. Smooth, automatic or semi automatic gear changes on the G4i. Just nicer to ride the G4i. Better to ride but not “much” better.
@@markymarkreviews thanks for your reply, I’ve gone for the g4 can’t wait. Have you used anything to help with puncture repairs?
No punctures as yet. Keeping the tyres at near maximum pressures for a road bike reduces the chance of a puncture as makes the tyre very tough to penetrate by the odd screw etc. Less rolling resistance also and do better range. Have now done over 200 miles on it.
Hope you have a great user experience with the G4 (or is it the G4i?)
What length is your garden?
Don’t know. Not a big garden but will measure the distance later.
This part of the garden measured from the front of the bike is 840cm or 27.5 feet in length and 530cm wide (17.5 feet). The DRL is not as intense as a purpose built cycle light but still bright and the coverage to the left and right of straight ahead is amazing. Helps that it is a “tube” light and not a “spot” light in this regard.
@@markymarkreviews thank you.
I would be interested to know how it compares to the eovolt that your wife has.
Really hope to do a review of the EoVolt Confort soon. Fully featured & a solid e-bike offering. Half the price of the GoCycle.😀.
@@markymarkreviews It looks very good value. Just tried an E Brompton which is excellent, but is probably too much of a commuter bike for us (and more expensive). Going to try the EoVolt Confiort tomorrow, I hope. Enjoyed your videos on the GoCycle, and pleased that despite the issue you had it was fixed quickly.
@@smurgy99 The EoVolt comes in 16” wheel size like the Brompton or 20” like the GoCycle. We tried the e-Brompton also and although “nice” it is a bit of a mess design wise as the e-part has been tacked on to an old design and although more portable and more compact when folded is still quite heavy with that separate battery bag. Give me some feedback on the Confort. I and my wife have enjoyed riding it.
@@smurgy99 how was the eovolt?
@@antonwillis896 Sadly the ride never happened. They only had the 16inch (City, ie Brompton equivalent) version available. They had a 20inch in a box and showed me that one, and offered to build it if I'd put down a £500 deposit. There is another place I can see one, so I'll go there when I get a chance. The build quality of the 16 seemed very good. Quite honestly for the price I think it would be hard to beat. Thanks for asking.
Broad illumination is desirable .