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Slick looking ebikes. Had one on my wish list before realizing probably can't get service outside of official depots. Bullet dodged. Any dumb ebikes with compar

Slick looking ebikes. Had one on my wish list before realizing probably can't get service outside of official depots. Bullet dodged. Any dumb ebikes with comparable design out there that can be serviced at local bike shop and doesn't look like steampunking components together?

piva00 3y ago
I believe all Canyon e-bikes are using broader industry parts (Bosch motors, common components like Shimano or Enviolo gears, etc.) without looking steampunked together. The design is not as sleek as the VanMoof ones but I do like the ones I saw in person so far.
- dirtyid 3y ago
  Yeah city ebike looked pretty aggressive. Vanmoof also has pretty clean internal hub / belt drive options. It's just a very sleek package that no one else seems to be replicating.
deepakg 3y ago
People I know swear by: https://cowboy.com https://cowboy.com They send the service technician to you. Saw it first hand - the service person came in a van that had all the tools and replacement parts. Not sure if it is better cost wise for them than having a workshop. Also not sure how well it'll scale. I've also seen local shops help with minor repair (like seat change), but I doubt they'll be able to help with something more extensive with the drivetrain or battery. I never got a Vanmoof because the version I test rode (an older model from a couple of years ago) jerked/made a distinct noise when it'd switch gears. Also, don't have room to plug the whole bike somewhere. Detachable battery was a must have for me. Currently browsing more established bike brands here like Batavus and Gazelle. They are not as sleek, but are trying. I wonder if Vanmoof might have poisoned the well for smaller startups in this space. I'd definitely be wary of giving this kind of money to a non-established brand.
hellweaver666 3y ago
I drive an ebike by a German Company called Reise and Muller (https://www.r-m.de/en-en/bikes/ https://www.r-m.de/en-en/bikes/). For the electrics, it uses off the shelf parts from Bosch which means you can buy spares (batteries, motors, controller etc) online and install them yourself with relatively little fuss. The motor also has a bunch of unused power that you can unlock if you're ok with getting your hands dirty ;)
deanc 3y ago
Canyon, Trek, Specialized. As long as you’re not on a remote island you’ll have plenty of bike shops selling these or even acting as a dealership.

piva00 3y ago

I believe all Canyon e-bikes are using broader industry parts (Bosch motors, common components like Shimano or Enviolo gears, etc.) without looking steampunked together. The design is not as sleek as the VanMoof ones but I do like the ones I saw in person so far.

dirtyid 3y ago
Yeah city ebike looked pretty aggressive. Vanmoof also has pretty clean internal hub / belt drive options. It's just a very sleek package that no one else seems to be replicating.

deepakg 3y ago

People I know swear by: https://cowboy.com https://cowboy.com They send the service technician to you. Saw it first hand - the service person came in a van that had all the tools and replacement parts. Not sure if it is better cost wise for them than having a workshop. Also not sure how well it'll scale. I've also seen local shops help with minor repair (like seat change), but I doubt they'll be able to help with something more extensive with the drivetrain or battery. I never got a Vanmoof because the version I test rode (an older model from a couple of years ago) jerked/made a distinct noise when it'd switch gears. Also, don't have room to plug the whole bike somewhere. Detachable battery was a must have for me. Currently browsing more established bike brands here like Batavus and Gazelle. They are not as sleek, but are trying. I wonder if Vanmoof might have poisoned the well for smaller startups in this space. I'd definitely be wary of giving this kind of money to a non-established brand.

hellweaver666 3y ago

I drive an ebike by a German Company called Reise and Muller (https://www.r-m.de/en-en/bikes/ https://www.r-m.de/en-en/bikes/). For the electrics, it uses off the shelf parts from Bosch which means you can buy spares (batteries, motors, controller etc) online and install them yourself with relatively little fuss. The motor also has a bunch of unused power that you can unlock if you're ok with getting your hands dirty ;)

deanc 3y ago

Canyon, Trek, Specialized. As long as you’re not on a remote island you’ll have plenty of bike shops selling these or even acting as a dealership.