5 ms·

I’m interested in buying one but have been a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of brands that have seemingly appeared overnight. Can you recommend any specifi

by shevis 3y ago

I’m interested in buying one but have been a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of brands that have seemingly appeared overnight. Can you recommend any specific companies?

Gigachad 3y ago
Look for something with a Bosch or Shimano setup and not some no name ali express brand. Then for the bike side, pick one which has a wide range of non electric bikes too.
- anthomtb 3y ago
  > pick one which has a wide range of non electric bikes too I was going to suggest any long-established bike brand with a broad product line. Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, etc. A non-cyclist might get sticker shock (an avid cyclist will think, "huh, cheap").
cowmoo728 3y ago
I would only buy an e-bike with a premium brand name motor and battery. Bosch, Panasonic, Yamaha, Shimano, Giant. The next thing I would look for is 2 or 4 piston hydraulic disc brakes from SRAM, Shimano, Hope, Magura, Tektro. As long as the bike has those three things sorted it's probably safe. Note that these things don't come cheap, so any e-bike with these parts is likely to start at $3000. For specific bikes I like Priority Current. They're a little vague on the exact parts used because they may swap them out based on availability, but they usually pick real parts instead of cheap replacements.
- chrismartin 3y ago
  You don't think my Radrunner with mechanical brakes is safe?
  - s0rce 3y ago
    Its safe unless you are riding on very steep long hills. People rode heavy bikes touring before disc brakes existed and didn't die.
    - chrismartin 3y ago
      Subjectively, it feels as adequately braked as any of my acoustic bikes (including a mountain bike with dual 4-piston hydraulic brakes).
      - mping 3y ago
        Can we start calling them analog bikes instead? As a guitar player, acoustic sounds very weird.
        teknico 3y ago
        “Acoustic” is just silly, “analog” isn’t much better. I’d call them “mechanical”.
  - cowmoo728 3y ago
    I don't like riding heavy bikes with mechanical brakes because they never stop as reliably as good hydraulics. The ultimate limit is always the tire grip on the road, but it's easier to control properly set up hydraulic disc brakes to hit grip limits and get shorter stopping distances. Particularly down a steep hill.
    - zik 3y ago
      You can get up-rated caliper brakes with very good stopping power, and in fact that's what comes on my Gazelle ebike as standard.
- rahimnathwani 3y ago
  Where do you park a $3k+ ebike in a city? Most places I've lived, a $3k bike parked on the street wouldn't last more than a couple of hours.
  - fhub 3y ago
    I have a $3k+ eBike and lock it in San Francisco. Not all places but many. I lock it with three locks. Main lock is a D/U lock Abus. Second lock is a "LITELOCK" for front wheel. Third one is the builtin cafe Lock. It is actually pretty quick to put them all on/off. Or at least I don't find it a burden compared to parking a car. All hex things have these security by obscurity hex locks in them. I also have a child seat on the back. Perhaps I've been lucky or perhaps the optics of three locks, and a child seat and often a helmet for a 4 year old dangling down turn off thieves.
  - midoridensha 3y ago
    Here in Tokyo, people park these bikes all the time and it's not a problem.
    - rahimnathwani 3y ago
      Yeah I'm at Tokyo Disneyland right now, and I've seen unattended handbags left on tables in the outdoor restaurant seating area. I can't imagine people doing that at a large attraction in any big city where I've lived (London, Beijing, Shanghai), or where I live now (San Francisco). Japan is like a different world. At least to me as a tourist, it feels so organized, safe, culturally rich and stress-free. I wonder what Japanese people think and feel when they visit San Francisco.
      - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
        > I wonder what Japanese people think and feel when they visit San Francisco. Well, what they think of Paris is well documented: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome > Paris syndrome (French: syndrome de Paris; Japanese: パリ症候群, romanized: Pari shōkōgun) is a sense of extreme disappointment exhibited by some individuals when visiting Paris, who feel that the city was not what they had expected. The condition is commonly viewed as a severe form of culture shock. > The syndrome is characterized by a number of psychiatric symptoms such as acute delusional states, hallucinations, feelings of persecution (perceptions of being a victim of prejudice, aggression, hostility from others),[1] derealization, depersonalization, anxiety, as well as psychosomatic manifestations such as dizziness, tachycardia, sweating most notably, but also others, such as vomiting.[2] > While the syndrome has been particularly noted among Japanese tourists, it has also affected other travelers or temporary residents from East and Southeast Asia, such as those from China, South Korea, and Singapore. I’m sure SF is all that and worse, although expectations might not be as high.
- dreamcompiler 3y ago
  I have bikes with mechanical disk brakes and one with Magura hydraulics. I actually like the mechanicals a bit better. Although the Magura brakes have slightly more stopping power, they're also more finicky and require a trip to the bike shop if they leak or develop an air bubble. The mechanicals I can adjust myself. For me the real key is disc brakes (whether mechanical or hydraulic). Rim brakes don't have enough stopping power for an e-bike.
- chupy 3y ago
  Even though bosch engines are amazing their support service is execrable. I had an issue where there was a weird noise after 25km/h and even if there was an warranty they are taking months to fix it. First they said it's normal then send a recording of the sound etc.. Bought a 5k bike with a good engine to not have these kind of issues or if you have them then the repair should be in point.
DANmode 3y ago
Aventon Aventure 2 Get this one for the torque sensor over a cadence sensor, can't go wrong.
- analog31 3y ago
  A friend of mine has two e-bikes, one with torque sensor and the other with cadence sensor. The torque sensor definitely gives a more bike-like ride, with better control over speed.
JKCalhoun 3y ago
The Super73 is a popular model. And then the big bike brands like Trek, Specialized have their own bikes that are worth looking into. The prices compared to the Ali-Express stuff might surprise you. Reddit of course has an e-bike subreddit you can dig through.
- DANmode 3y ago
  Trek ebikes are double or more what a solid entry-level ebike costs, though, for the record.
  - JKCalhoun 3y ago
    Yeah, I think you're paying though for, in addition to the brand name, repair shops all across the country.
    - DANmode 3y ago
      If someone had a cheap ebike, what would they not be able to have maintained on it at a bike shop? Do bike shops just turn them away because of the brand/lack thereof, sight unseen?
martinky24 3y ago
I bought an REI brand one, just for the peace of mind of knowing REI will work on it and support it. And the guaranteed return policy. YMMV, there are other good options. But the number of options is a bit overwhelming.
afavour 3y ago
IMO this is the reason e-bike subsidies would be a gamechanger. Because everyone else replying on this thread is correct: when you know you want to get into the e-bike lifestyle you want great quality components and the start price for those is $3k and up. $4.5k for cargo bikes. If you don’t know it’s going to fit your life that’s a lot of money to throw on a bet. I wasn’t sure so I bought a budget bike, a RadPowerBikes Radwagon. And it’s… fine. The components aren’t great. The gears are janky. The brakes are insufficient given the weight and speed the bike is capable of. But it’s $2k and if it didn’t exist I don’t think I would ever have dropped $4.5k on one of the better specced alternatives.
- dylan604 3y ago
  This is the model I went with as well. There’s an after market hydraulic brake upgrade for about $300 that solves the janky brake issue.
  - afavour 3y ago
    Good tip, thanks. I’m still in the warranty period on mine so won’t fiddle with too much until it’s expired.
    - dylan604 3y ago
      I just had the recalled tires replaced on mine a couple of months back. I was going to do the repair myself, but they were paying for the repair. The local repair contractor in my area makes house calls, so I decided why take money out of their hands and had them come out for the service. They told me about the upgrade. It’s the next thing I’m doing. Also, the upgraded light is worth it. It makes the one it comes with look like a match in the desert
- yrro 3y ago
  OTOH won't this just push the price up for everyone?
  - afavour 3y ago
yabatopia 3y ago
They're a bit expensive, but from personal experience and recommendations from friends: Riese & Müller, Stromer, Koga and Flyer. Be aware of trendy brands like VanMoof or Cowboy. An electric bike is not really high tech, no need for brands that act like they're a tech company or the Tesla of electric bikes. But first of all, look for local dealerships and find out which brands they're selling. You need regular maintenance for your electric bike and many bike shops refuse to work on bikes bought elsewhere, especially cheap bikes bought online, and I can't really blame them. A good electric bike ain't cheap, but lasts a lot longer than a no name/cheap one. A cheap bike with one problem after the other sucks all the joy out of owning one and is the surest way to a dust collecting piece of metal in the back of your garage, nevermind the extra costs. And get electric bike insurance. Budget for it in advance. Getting your brand new expensive ebike stolen is quite traumatic.
- petesergeant 3y ago
  > Be aware of trendy brands like VanMoof or Cowboy By "aware of" do you mean "you should consider" or "you should not consider"? Genuine question...
  - sleepybrett 3y ago
    should not.
chrismartin 3y ago
I bought the base model Radrunner (used from Craiglist) and it's been great. If you're a cyclist, you may balk at the goofy design. But it's great for getting around town. You can zip-tie a milk crate on the back to hold your stuff.
tchvil 3y ago
If you like to tinker, buy a frame from Decathlon. Install a Bafang motor. Get Onirii MT4 brakes. Both are available on AliExpress. Use a 200mm front disc and 180 rear disc. Get a wheelset with a Sturmey-Archer hub, or normal wheels with a robust Shimano 9-speed transmission. And you have a very decent e-bike for around 1600€
aembleton 3y ago
I can recommend Decathlon. My wife has this and uses it for hercommute (10 miles and 200m of ascent each way). Works very well and is reasonably priced at £1300. Wish it had USB charging though - instead you have a large charging brick. If you have Decathlon in your country then you might have it available too - Riverside 500E https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-hybrid-bike-riverside-500e/_/R-p-169143?mc=8608513&c=GREY https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-hybrid-bike-riverside...

by shevis 3y ago

I’m interested in buying one but have been a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of brands that have seemingly appeared overnight. Can you recommend any specific companies?

Gigachad 3y ago

Look for something with a Bosch or Shimano setup and not some no name ali express brand. Then for the bike side, pick one which has a wide range of non electric bikes too.

anthomtb 3y ago
> pick one which has a wide range of non electric bikes too I was going to suggest any long-established bike brand with a broad product line. Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, etc. A non-cyclist might get sticker shock (an avid cyclist will think, "huh, cheap").

cowmoo728 3y ago

I would only buy an e-bike with a premium brand name motor and battery. Bosch, Panasonic, Yamaha, Shimano, Giant. The next thing I would look for is 2 or 4 piston hydraulic disc brakes from SRAM, Shimano, Hope, Magura, Tektro. As long as the bike has those three things sorted it's probably safe. Note that these things don't come cheap, so any e-bike with these parts is likely to start at $3000. For specific bikes I like Priority Current. They're a little vague on the exact parts used because they may swap them out based on availability, but they usually pick real parts instead of cheap replacements.

chrismartin 3y ago
You don't think my Radrunner with mechanical brakes is safe?
- s0rce 3y ago
  Its safe unless you are riding on very steep long hills. People rode heavy bikes touring before disc brakes existed and didn't die.
  - chrismartin 3y ago
    Subjectively, it feels as adequately braked as any of my acoustic bikes (including a mountain bike with dual 4-piston hydraulic brakes).
    - mping 3y ago
      Can we start calling them analog bikes instead? As a guitar player, acoustic sounds very weird.
      - teknico 3y ago
        “Acoustic” is just silly, “analog” isn’t much better. I’d call them “mechanical”.
- cowmoo728 3y ago
  I don't like riding heavy bikes with mechanical brakes because they never stop as reliably as good hydraulics. The ultimate limit is always the tire grip on the road, but it's easier to control properly set up hydraulic disc brakes to hit grip limits and get shorter stopping distances. Particularly down a steep hill.
  - zik 3y ago
    You can get up-rated caliper brakes with very good stopping power, and in fact that's what comes on my Gazelle ebike as standard.
rahimnathwani 3y ago
Where do you park a $3k+ ebike in a city? Most places I've lived, a $3k bike parked on the street wouldn't last more than a couple of hours.
- fhub 3y ago
  I have a $3k+ eBike and lock it in San Francisco. Not all places but many. I lock it with three locks. Main lock is a D/U lock Abus. Second lock is a "LITELOCK" for front wheel. Third one is the builtin cafe Lock. It is actually pretty quick to put them all on/off. Or at least I don't find it a burden compared to parking a car. All hex things have these security by obscurity hex locks in them. I also have a child seat on the back. Perhaps I've been lucky or perhaps the optics of three locks, and a child seat and often a helmet for a 4 year old dangling down turn off thieves.
- midoridensha 3y ago
  Here in Tokyo, people park these bikes all the time and it's not a problem.
  - rahimnathwani 3y ago
    Yeah I'm at Tokyo Disneyland right now, and I've seen unattended handbags left on tables in the outdoor restaurant seating area. I can't imagine people doing that at a large attraction in any big city where I've lived (London, Beijing, Shanghai), or where I live now (San Francisco). Japan is like a different world. At least to me as a tourist, it feels so organized, safe, culturally rich and stress-free. I wonder what Japanese people think and feel when they visit San Francisco.
    - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
      > I wonder what Japanese people think and feel when they visit San Francisco. Well, what they think of Paris is well documented: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome > Paris syndrome (French: syndrome de Paris; Japanese: パリ症候群, romanized: Pari shōkōgun) is a sense of extreme disappointment exhibited by some individuals when visiting Paris, who feel that the city was not what they had expected. The condition is commonly viewed as a severe form of culture shock. > The syndrome is characterized by a number of psychiatric symptoms such as acute delusional states, hallucinations, feelings of persecution (perceptions of being a victim of prejudice, aggression, hostility from others),[1] derealization, depersonalization, anxiety, as well as psychosomatic manifestations such as dizziness, tachycardia, sweating most notably, but also others, such as vomiting.[2] > While the syndrome has been particularly noted among Japanese tourists, it has also affected other travelers or temporary residents from East and Southeast Asia, such as those from China, South Korea, and Singapore. I’m sure SF is all that and worse, although expectations might not be as high.
dreamcompiler 3y ago
I have bikes with mechanical disk brakes and one with Magura hydraulics. I actually like the mechanicals a bit better. Although the Magura brakes have slightly more stopping power, they're also more finicky and require a trip to the bike shop if they leak or develop an air bubble. The mechanicals I can adjust myself. For me the real key is disc brakes (whether mechanical or hydraulic). Rim brakes don't have enough stopping power for an e-bike.
chupy 3y ago
Even though bosch engines are amazing their support service is execrable. I had an issue where there was a weird noise after 25km/h and even if there was an warranty they are taking months to fix it. First they said it's normal then send a recording of the sound etc.. Bought a 5k bike with a good engine to not have these kind of issues or if you have them then the repair should be in point.

DANmode 3y ago

Aventon Aventure 2 Get this one for the torque sensor over a cadence sensor, can't go wrong.

analog31 3y ago
A friend of mine has two e-bikes, one with torque sensor and the other with cadence sensor. The torque sensor definitely gives a more bike-like ride, with better control over speed.

JKCalhoun 3y ago

The Super73 is a popular model. And then the big bike brands like Trek, Specialized have their own bikes that are worth looking into. The prices compared to the Ali-Express stuff might surprise you. Reddit of course has an e-bike subreddit you can dig through.

DANmode 3y ago
Trek ebikes are double or more what a solid entry-level ebike costs, though, for the record.
- JKCalhoun 3y ago
  Yeah, I think you're paying though for, in addition to the brand name, repair shops all across the country.
  - DANmode 3y ago
    If someone had a cheap ebike, what would they not be able to have maintained on it at a bike shop? Do bike shops just turn them away because of the brand/lack thereof, sight unseen?

martinky24 3y ago

I bought an REI brand one, just for the peace of mind of knowing REI will work on it and support it. And the guaranteed return policy. YMMV, there are other good options. But the number of options is a bit overwhelming.

afavour 3y ago

IMO this is the reason e-bike subsidies would be a gamechanger. Because everyone else replying on this thread is correct: when you know you want to get into the e-bike lifestyle you want great quality components and the start price for those is $3k and up. $4.5k for cargo bikes. If you don’t know it’s going to fit your life that’s a lot of money to throw on a bet. I wasn’t sure so I bought a budget bike, a RadPowerBikes Radwagon. And it’s… fine. The components aren’t great. The gears are janky. The brakes are insufficient given the weight and speed the bike is capable of. But it’s $2k and if it didn’t exist I don’t think I would ever have dropped $4.5k on one of the better specced alternatives.

dylan604 3y ago
This is the model I went with as well. There’s an after market hydraulic brake upgrade for about $300 that solves the janky brake issue.
- afavour 3y ago
  Good tip, thanks. I’m still in the warranty period on mine so won’t fiddle with too much until it’s expired.
  - dylan604 3y ago
    I just had the recalled tires replaced on mine a couple of months back. I was going to do the repair myself, but they were paying for the repair. The local repair contractor in my area makes house calls, so I decided why take money out of their hands and had them come out for the service. They told me about the upgrade. It’s the next thing I’m doing. Also, the upgraded light is worth it. It makes the one it comes with look like a match in the desert
yrro 3y ago
OTOH won't this just push the price up for everyone?
- afavour 3y ago

yabatopia 3y ago

They're a bit expensive, but from personal experience and recommendations from friends: Riese & Müller, Stromer, Koga and Flyer. Be aware of trendy brands like VanMoof or Cowboy. An electric bike is not really high tech, no need for brands that act like they're a tech company or the Tesla of electric bikes. But first of all, look for local dealerships and find out which brands they're selling. You need regular maintenance for your electric bike and many bike shops refuse to work on bikes bought elsewhere, especially cheap bikes bought online, and I can't really blame them. A good electric bike ain't cheap, but lasts a lot longer than a no name/cheap one. A cheap bike with one problem after the other sucks all the joy out of owning one and is the surest way to a dust collecting piece of metal in the back of your garage, nevermind the extra costs. And get electric bike insurance. Budget for it in advance. Getting your brand new expensive ebike stolen is quite traumatic.

petesergeant 3y ago
> Be aware of trendy brands like VanMoof or Cowboy By "aware of" do you mean "you should consider" or "you should not consider"? Genuine question...
- sleepybrett 3y ago
  should not.

chrismartin 3y ago

I bought the base model Radrunner (used from Craiglist) and it's been great. If you're a cyclist, you may balk at the goofy design. But it's great for getting around town. You can zip-tie a milk crate on the back to hold your stuff.

tchvil 3y ago

If you like to tinker, buy a frame from Decathlon. Install a Bafang motor. Get Onirii MT4 brakes. Both are available on AliExpress. Use a 200mm front disc and 180 rear disc. Get a wheelset with a Sturmey-Archer hub, or normal wheels with a robust Shimano 9-speed transmission. And you have a very decent e-bike for around 1600€

aembleton 3y ago

I can recommend Decathlon. My wife has this and uses it for hercommute (10 miles and 200m of ascent each way). Works very well and is reasonably priced at £1300. Wish it had USB charging though - instead you have a large charging brick. If you have Decathlon in your country then you might have it available too - Riverside 500E https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-hybrid-bike-riverside-500e/_/R-p-169143?mc=8608513&c=GREY https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-hybrid-bike-riverside...