E bikes.. Thoughts?

[dacapo]

1500 km on my Rad Rover. If you live in a place with hills getting an ebike means you will use it for daily errands. On a legs bike I would not do those hills over and over again.

I have a legs bike for the trails - the Rad is too cumbersome for trail riding.

If I lived in a relatively flat place a legs bike would be fine, but I don't.

I bought a RAD Rover 6 this summer. back and forth to my yacht club (and from club house to the boat yard and back....fuck ya'll, I'm lazy ;-) ) I take it to the deli for lunch, I take it to the local brewery for an after work/sailing beers ....I love this bike

 

[billy backstay]

I got a RAD Mission One single gear bike with discount help from a SA member here. Entry level price, and suits my needs for the most part. If I were to do it again, I would spend a bit more for a bike with more gears. This one has to be pushed up most of the very steep hill coming home.

 

[Bulga Naba]

Shags, was another thread on this topic in 2020....
my post in that thread is still my answer to this question...
I didn't re-read it all the way thru, but there may be add'l info for ya in that one..

linky

Shags - sent you an email from a sailing friend and recent e-assist convert. Sail Fast, ride Assisted when it's time. B-naba

 

[shaggy]

Atta boy tiger!!! shred it!!!

We are at least 20 yrs younger than anyone in the whole damn community. Damn straight I will fucking Shred it

Shags, was another thread on this topic in 2020....
my post in that thread is still my answer to this question...
I didn't re-read it all the way thru, but there may be add'l info for ya in that one..

linky

Thx my friend. Cyber Monday is bringing both within reach. Want a project, but.. well, ya know.. lol

 

[Ventucky Red]

I take it to the deli for lunch, I take it to the local brewery for an after work/sailing beers ....I love this bike

Be carefull my friend... you can still get a DUI with one of those...

 

[oldsurfer]

It folds up for traveling, has headlights, tail-lights, brake lights, turn signals, can go 80 miles and feels kinda like surfing

 

[LeoV]

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0060/3943/7415/products/183248814100_504c5045-0c80-4917-ac69-70c3d6d76d10.jpg?v=1569193563

 

[boomer]

A couple of retired workmate have various E-Bikes. I still have two mountain bikes, one with a longer wheelbase for downhiller, and one with a much shorter wheelbase for climbing. Been contemplating a E-4-wheeler of late, add a rear rack or wood box with rails, to make a mini-hauler.

 

[boomer]

 

[Chris in Santa Cruz CA]

Just wait for the f bikes, they will be better.

 

[fufkin]

The high end of the market is the only stuff that seems interesting(at least to this confirmed pedal power stalwart)... and looking at the prices, looks like pedal power shall remain in my immediate future.

It seems 40lbs or under is the goal for a high performance ‘electric assist’ mountain bike.

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[Bump-n-Grind]

The high end of the market is the only stuff that seems interesting(at least to this confirmed pedal power stalwart)... and looking at the prices, looks like pedal power shall remain in my immediate future.

It seems 40lbs or under is the goal for a high performance ‘electric assist’ mountain bike.

The 4 Best Electric Mountain Bikes of 2023

Are you searching for the best electric mountain bike? We researched the latest and greatest e-MTB models and purchased 7 to test and compare side-by-side...

www.outdoorgearlab.com

5 Lightweight eMTBs You Can Buy Now

Here are five of the lightest high-performance electric mountain bikes you can buy right now.… And one you’ll have to wait for.

www.cyclevolta.com

i get heartburn paying that much for a car

 

[IStream]

In my experience, they're less bicycles and more electric mopeds in the sense that they're so heavy they aren't really usable as bikes without the electric assist. NTTAWWT but if what you're looking for is a bike that'll give you a little boost on the hills, they're not that.

I could see a cargo e-bike in my future, where the weight is less of an issue and the full-time boost is useful for hauling big/heavy stuff at speed but for just riding around, I'll stick with my regular bike.

 

[221J]

I hate the f#*kers...especially when they pass me on the local trail like I am standing still (might be time to get one).

I can handle being passed by an ebike on a climb. I dislike the rider acting like he or she earned the pass. I also dislike them crowding me on a climb.

 

[Bump-n-Grind]

In my experience, they're less bicycles and more electric mopeds in the sense that they're so heavy they aren't really usable as bikes without the electric assist. NTTAWWT but if what you're looking for is a bike that'll give you a little boost on the hills, they're not that.

I could see a cargo e-bike in my future, where the weight is less of an issue and the full-time boost is useful for hauling big/heavy stuff at speed but for just riding around, I'll stick with my regular bike.

having had a big heavy fat tire ebike for a few years now, I can't argue with your assessment. I mostly use mine as a dingy for both RV and boat. But I will add this: this thing is an absolute beast on the beach. There are a couple beaches that I go to for day trips that are miles long and have a single entry point. This bike lets me get a good ways up or down the beach and back.

If I was still in my 30s or 40s and even into my early 50s I'd probably be happy with a pedal power fat tire... but now that i'm closer to 70 than 60 I appreciate the power assist. and I will say that I think the extra weight gives this thing a wee bit more traction in snow. I've used this a lot out west in the winter.

 

[Chris in Santa Cruz CA]

Wife has a Gazelle Medeo with a Bosch crank assist system. Drivetrain and axles/quick release are traditional for ease of flat repair etc. You cant compare these in price to regular bikes though some carbon mountain bikes are twice the price of her bike. The reality is you get what you pay for with how the systems work and overall build quality of the whole unit. Wife's bike will outlive her.

One thing the process of finding a bike brought out was that the 1500 price point was generally not as will thought out from a repair standpoint. The REI one we got with a hub motor could not be repaired easily in the field, rear flat especially.

Bottom line is that like a good musical instrument, you want to get something you look forward to using. I was initially skeptical of the higher price point but then saw how much better it was.

 

[tane]

I question the sense of the "lightweigt" e-mtb.
Friend has an Orbea, 1400m climb maximum, otherwise-empty batt. Motor tuned down to low torque (35Nm?) to economise batt. ~18 or so kg, has to use "boost" for the same climb the Canyon below easily does on "Trail" setting (both Shimano EP8 motors).
Yesterday on a 1140m tour, quite a bit of snow, he was economising every so often by switching motor off (the rest of us were on pedal bikes, so speed...)
Compare this to my wife's 23kg 720Wh batt, 85Nm torque Canyon: 1140m climb on <2/5th of batt capacity (me & pushing it), "trail" setting very powerful, one races up where one has to push the pedal-bike ("boost" would probably require either very light pedaling on moderate slope, or artistic rider on very steep terrain).
Both bikes 150mm travel back & front
The nightmare would be for me: climbs on the way back-& empty batt.
Of course in very technical terrain, tight switchbacks,...the lighter bike would be nicer to handle
A yes: Orbea much more expensive than her 5000€ Canyon

 

[billy backstay]

Wife has a Gazelle Medeo with a Bosch crank assist system. Drivetrain and axles/quick release are traditional for ease of flat repair etc. You cant compare these in price to regular bikes though some carbon mountain bikes are twice the price of her bike. The reality is you get what you pay for with how the systems work and overall build quality of the whole unit. Wife's bike will outlive her.

One thing the process of finding a bike brought out was that the 1500 price point was generally not as will thought out from a repair standpoint. The REI one we got with a hub motor could not be repaired easily in the field, rear flat especially.

Bottom line is that like a good musical instrument, you want to get something you look forward to using. I was initially skeptical of the higher price point but then saw how much better it was.

I believe Gazelle is what my local bike shop carries, maybe others. I tried one out very briefly, and it was a whole nother level than my RAD Mission 1, but more than twice the money. So, you get what you pay for, same as it ever was, and ever shall be!

 

[steele]

I suspect the limiting issue with many ebikes is the battery. There are lots of proprietary shapes and mounts. A friend purchased an early one and the battery failed after a year. The company still exists, but no longer makes that particular battery so he is left with an very heavy bike with no value. He looked into having the battery rebuilt but it was very expensive with no guarantee it would work.

 

[oldsurfer]

Back in the stone age we built the Gila Monster, a 2 person 4 wheel drive quad-cycle. At one point in it's many lives, we put two 12 volt Mercedes air conditioning motors on the front axels, 4 car batts on the back along with the pedals front and rear and won the hybrid class at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. It was snowing at the finish and all cars were being trailered back down. They offered us trailer space, we declined and we were the the only ones they allowed to ride back down. It was like riding on rails.