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I’ve ridden a Van Moof extensively and it’s a very nice bike. Unfortunately, in San Francisco I have yet to find an elegant “normal looking” e-bike that can boo

I’ve ridden a Van Moof extensively and it’s a very nice bike. Unfortunately, in San Francisco I have yet to find an elegant “normal looking” e-bike that can boost you up the hills without a significant struggle. Yes they help compared to foot power alone, but you still need to be pretty fit. I understand the fitness requirement is also a feature, depending on your perspective. But for a lot of folks who are older or have health limitations, a nice-looking, easy to ride e-bike that could truly “flatten” San Francisco would be game changing. We’re inching closer to that, and I’m excited to see it when it gets here.

spdy 7y ago
Maybe take a look at this one http://desiknio.com/ http://desiknio.com/ But don`t know if you can get them in the US.
clairity 7y ago
how big of a problem is this for most residents though? when i lived in SF, i rode my (non-electric) bike everywhere. my experience was that there were only a handful of hills that were truly problematic and most of them had nearby flatter bypasses. worst case would be walking the bike up the steepest hundred feet or so. none of the (tops of) hills themselves were common destinations, unless you could afford to live there, but then you likely could also afford the expense of a high-end bike with a more powerful motor and bigger battery.
fnord77 7y ago
Have you tried a Stromer? They're beasts. I took one up Clipper street hill without too much effort (or I should say it took me up). Though even the Lyft rental ebikes aren't bad. I had one take my 190lb bulk up the steep hill from Aquatic Park Pier to Black Point (by Fort Mason) without much effort. I think at least a 500W hub motor is required for SF
zachkatz 7y ago
This is a fantastic e-bike (made by Gazelle, a century-old Dutch company) that will probably do the trick. It gets me up the hills here, piece of cake: https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-us/gazelle-arroyo-c8-hmb-elite https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-us/gazelle-arroyo-c8-hmb-eli...
basch 7y ago
What do you think of Bulls? The Lacuba Evo Lite looks pretty normal and has a ton of power. https://www.bullsbikesusa.com/lacuba-evo-lite-diamond.html https://www.bullsbikesusa.com/lacuba-evo-lite-diamond.html https://electricbikereview.com/bulls/lacuba-evo-lite/ https://electricbikereview.com/bulls/lacuba-evo-lite/

spdy 7y ago

Maybe take a look at this one http://desiknio.com/ http://desiknio.com/ But don`t know if you can get them in the US.

clairity 7y ago

how big of a problem is this for most residents though? when i lived in SF, i rode my (non-electric) bike everywhere. my experience was that there were only a handful of hills that were truly problematic and most of them had nearby flatter bypasses. worst case would be walking the bike up the steepest hundred feet or so. none of the (tops of) hills themselves were common destinations, unless you could afford to live there, but then you likely could also afford the expense of a high-end bike with a more powerful motor and bigger battery.

fnord77 7y ago

Have you tried a Stromer? They're beasts. I took one up Clipper street hill without too much effort (or I should say it took me up). Though even the Lyft rental ebikes aren't bad. I had one take my 190lb bulk up the steep hill from Aquatic Park Pier to Black Point (by Fort Mason) without much effort. I think at least a 500W hub motor is required for SF

zachkatz 7y ago

This is a fantastic e-bike (made by Gazelle, a century-old Dutch company) that will probably do the trick. It gets me up the hills here, piece of cake: https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-us/gazelle-arroyo-c8-hmb-elite https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-us/gazelle-arroyo-c8-hmb-eli...

basch 7y ago

What do you think of Bulls? The Lacuba Evo Lite looks pretty normal and has a ton of power. https://www.bullsbikesusa.com/lacuba-evo-lite-diamond.html https://www.bullsbikesusa.com/lacuba-evo-lite-diamond.html https://electricbikereview.com/bulls/lacuba-evo-lite/ https://electricbikereview.com/bulls/lacuba-evo-lite/