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Just curious: when spending that amount of money is it specific materials/features you're looking for that the lower end bikes don't have or the reputation (qua

by blihp 8y ago

Just curious: when spending that amount of money is it specific materials/features you're looking for that the lower end bikes don't have or the reputation (quality/durability/other) that makes it worthwhile to you? I knew a few people into old school (i.e. manual drive) bikes that would pay that much for competition-grade bikes made from state of the art materials to shave every last ounce off the bike's weight. Just trying to understand what it is about the e-bikes that makes this kind of pricing worth it to enthusiasts.

samcheng 8y ago
High-end e-bikes are pretty awesome. The power output is surprising. They can do things you wouldn't expect, like go up a flight of stairs or go 25 mph or pop wheelies. Think of one like a light motorcycle with a high-torque 1HP motor. They are divided into different 'classes' - I don't know which class these GM bikes are: https://electricbikereview.com/forum/threads/what-are-electric-bike-classes-and-why-do-they-matter.22738/ https://electricbikereview.com/forum/threads/what-are-electr...
apsec112 8y ago
The one I have has very smooth pedal-assist (you don't even really notice there's a motor), a big battery for longer trips, and high torque at lower speeds which is critical in SF. I'm out-of-shape and I have no trouble biking ten miles to work every morning, so the utility for me is very high.
mdasen 8y ago
There are a few things that quickly drive up ebike prices. 1) Battery size. Look at JuicedBikes' CrossCurrent S vs CrossCurrent X. While the X does have a slightly different motor, the big difference is the battery going from 614Wh to 998Wh. That 384Wh improvement is $600. Yea, part of that is probably the 750 vs 650 watt motor, but given what battery packs often cost, I'd say most of it is the batteries. We're talking around 63% more range, but it costs you. 2) Components. Low-end (but still reasonable) ebikes tend to use Shimano Altus/Acera components which are what you'd find in a $500 Trek/Specialized/Fuji. Higher-end bikes often upgrade to Alivio/Sora/Deore components. Likewise, hydraulic brakes might be an upgraded component. 3) Mid-Drive vs hub motors. Cheaper ebikes often use hub motors in the rear wheel. They're often a bit easier to do and cheaper than mid-drive models. Mid-drive motors can be nice because the motor can take advantage of the gearing as you shift and seem to be a bit more efficient (better range for the battery size). For example, a RadCity goes for $1,500 while the Yamaha CrossCore is $2,400. The Yamaha has Sora components rather than Altus, hydraulic brakes, a mid-drive motor, better range, better pedal sensing (the RadCity doesn't have a torque sensor), considerably lighter weight (43.5lbs vs 63lbs which is a huge difference). The non-electric part alone might be $300 of the difference. Ultimately, what's the difference between a Honda Civic and an Acura ILX? The Acura is a third more expensive. I don't want it to seem like I'm disparaging the RadCity. There are certainly cheap/crappy ebikes out there and I don't think Rad Power is making cheap/crappy bikes. There are definitely ebikes out there that come with really small batteries and a poor motors and some really low-end parts. Those aren't really worth looking at. However, I think the RadCity is a good example of the best bike at $1,500 and I think the Yamaha is a good example of a great, affordable mid-drive bike. You get better range, significantly lower weight, better pedal sensing, better breaks, better derailleur, better shifters, 3-year vs 1-year warranty, top torque of 70 newton meters vs 40nm from the motor, etc. I think there are certainly upgrades that both cost money and can be worth the money. However, I think there are cheaper bikes that certainly have some good points.

by blihp 8y ago

samcheng 8y ago

High-end e-bikes are pretty awesome. The power output is surprising. They can do things you wouldn't expect, like go up a flight of stairs or go 25 mph or pop wheelies. Think of one like a light motorcycle with a high-torque 1HP motor. They are divided into different 'classes' - I don't know which class these GM bikes are: https://electricbikereview.com/forum/threads/what-are-electric-bike-classes-and-why-do-they-matter.22738/ https://electricbikereview.com/forum/threads/what-are-electr...

apsec112 8y ago

The one I have has very smooth pedal-assist (you don't even really notice there's a motor), a big battery for longer trips, and high torque at lower speeds which is critical in SF. I'm out-of-shape and I have no trouble biking ten miles to work every morning, so the utility for me is very high.

mdasen 8y ago

There are a few things that quickly drive up ebike prices. 1) Battery size. Look at JuicedBikes' CrossCurrent S vs CrossCurrent X. While the X does have a slightly different motor, the big difference is the battery going from 614Wh to 998Wh. That 384Wh improvement is $600. Yea, part of that is probably the 750 vs 650 watt motor, but given what battery packs often cost, I'd say most of it is the batteries. We're talking around 63% more range, but it costs you. 2) Components. Low-end (but still reasonable) ebikes tend to use Shimano Altus/Acera components which are what you'd find in a $500 Trek/Specialized/Fuji. Higher-end bikes often upgrade to Alivio/Sora/Deore components. Likewise, hydraulic brakes might be an upgraded component. 3) Mid-Drive vs hub motors. Cheaper ebikes often use hub motors in the rear wheel. They're often a bit easier to do and cheaper than mid-drive models. Mid-drive motors can be nice because the motor can take advantage of the gearing as you shift and seem to be a bit more efficient (better range for the battery size). For example, a RadCity goes for $1,500 while the Yamaha CrossCore is $2,400. The Yamaha has Sora components rather than Altus, hydraulic brakes, a mid-drive motor, better range, better pedal sensing (the RadCity doesn't have a torque sensor), considerably lighter weight (43.5lbs vs 63lbs which is a huge difference). The non-electric part alone might be $300 of the difference. Ultimately, what's the difference between a Honda Civic and an Acura ILX? The Acura is a third more expensive. I don't want it to seem like I'm disparaging the RadCity. There are certainly cheap/crappy ebikes out there and I don't think Rad Power is making cheap/crappy bikes. There are definitely ebikes out there that come with really small batteries and a poor motors and some really low-end parts. Those aren't really worth looking at. However, I think the RadCity is a good example of the best bike at $1,500 and I think the Yamaha is a good example of a great, affordable mid-drive bike. You get better range, significantly lower weight, better pedal sensing, better breaks, better derailleur, better shifters, 3-year vs 1-year warranty, top torque of 70 newton meters vs 40nm from the motor, etc. I think there are certainly upgrades that both cost money and can be worth the money. However, I think there are cheaper bikes that certainly have some good points.