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Would anyone here like to recommend (or disrecommend) any e-bike models?

by kibwen 3y ago

s0rce 3y ago
An easy bet is buying from a good existing bike company like Specialized. High end ebikes from Gazelle and Riese and Muller are also good. Avoid low end generic and drop shipped Chinese imports unless you really have no budget but you might have issues and you won't have support for repairs.
Filligree 3y ago
Riese & Mueller are great if you can afford them. You pay through the nose, but they're not really built like bicycles. You should be comparing to mopeds (or cars!), not muscle-powered two-wheelers. Do make sure to get the high-speed model, though; there's not a lot of use for the strengthened components if you're limited to regular bicycling speeds.
- mapmap 3y ago
  Does one need a motorcycle helmet when exceeding bicycle speeds?
  - simmanian 3y ago
    that depends on local laws. depending on where you live, it may be illegal to ride high speed ebikes in the first place.
    - kibwen 3y ago
      Beyond a certain speed, full-face helmets become a practical matter rather than merely a safety or legal matter. Can't hear with the wind rushing in your ears, can't see with the wind in your eyes.
      - david-gpu 3y ago
        > Can't hear with the wind rushing in your ears. Some cyclists use a product called Cat-Ears. It's just some synthetic fur that attaches to the helmet straps akin to having some sick sideburns. It works great.
NegativeLatency 3y ago
Converted my own with a mid drive bafang kit off of amazon, there are plenty of guides out there and while its not the easiest of bike maintenance jobs it’s also not that hard. The other option I considered was buying an urban arrow, yuba, tern or “harry vs larry” bakfiets style bike. If you’re looking for a car replacement the electric Bakfiets style is absolutely amazing for carrying cargo or even a person. (I pick my wife up in it sometimes)
simmanian 3y ago
If you're in US, REI has a 40% sale for their gen 1.1 and 1.2 bikes. Great entry level ebikes with proper range.
- dylan604 3y ago
  a 40% REI discount means it's only 20% higher than other places. I love REI, but they are not known for having cheap prices. Just trying to re-align the expectations of 40%
local_crmdgeon 3y ago
Cheap and cheerful: Priority Current. Longer-term: Specialized Globe Haul. I feel the same way about it as I do my pickup truck - it can go anywhere, do anything, and seems incredibly happy to either cruise around town or eat shit for hours. I absolutely adore it and cannot recommend it enough. It also has a big dealer network, something you don't get with the DTC boys
dylan604 3y ago
I have a Rad Wagon 4, and I love it. It is my only mode of transportation, other than my two feet. It's big and heavy, but I don't care. I've also picked up a couple of their attachments like the basket on the front, and the rack and insulated pack on the back. Even with that rack, I still have room for an old school 2x milk crate in the back. Parking/securing it can be a bit of a challenge as most places around me don't have a bike rike, and the bike itself is a bit larger than most racks are designed. That just means I have to get creative, and it's not really an issue. The amount of stuff I can carry is amazing, and its large motor makes carrying it all a breeze. Edit: also, if you do anything at night, I highly recommend the upgraded headlight. Unfortunately, it's not compatible with the front rack, but I have an idea how to hack something together to be able to have both at the same time.
joshcanhelp 3y ago
We’ve had a Tern GSD for a few years (1500 miles, bought at 400) and absolutely love it.
mbil 3y ago
I have a RadCity 4 with fenders and a basket. It’s much heavier than a regular bike. But it’s quite fun to ride and can hit 25mph. My city is rather flat and has passable bike infrastructure. I haven’t used it all that much simply because I enjoy walking and usually do that. But for certain travel scenarios it’s awesome. I upgraded from a 20 minute car ride across town to a 30 minute e-bike ride.
Glide 3y ago
I would honestly look for Belt Drive versions of most of these recommendations as there is one less maintenance thing to worry about.
MontgomeryPy 3y ago
Anyone know when the new Honda eMTB ebike will be available in US market?
dghlsakjg 3y ago
For the budget end: I have a Rad Runner, and it is great. I've ridden super high end e-mountain bikes, and, yes, they are better but not $5k better. I happily use my Rad bike to run errands covering 20-30 km, no problem. For the price, I'm not sure that you could do better.
bluGill 3y ago
Go to your local bike shop. Buy what they sell. There are other good ebikes, but if you don't already know them you also don't know how to service them and so they won't last long.
davidrhunt 3y ago
In my experience bikes with Bosch/Bafang motors/batteries will be more reliable and easier to find service for. There are many brands/options/price points with that constraint.

Would anyone here like to recommend (or disrecommend) any e-bike models?

by kibwen 3y ago

Would anyone here like to recommend (or disrecommend) any e-bike models?

An easy bet is buying from a good existing bike company like Specialized. High end ebikes from Gazelle and Riese and Muller are also good. Avoid low end generic and drop shipped Chinese imports unless you really have no budget but you might have issues and you won't have support for repairs.

Filligree 3y ago

Riese & Mueller are great if you can afford them. You pay through the nose, but they're not really built like bicycles. You should be comparing to mopeds (or cars!), not muscle-powered two-wheelers. Do make sure to get the high-speed model, though; there's not a lot of use for the strengthened components if you're limited to regular bicycling speeds.

mapmap 3y ago
Does one need a motorcycle helmet when exceeding bicycle speeds?
- simmanian 3y ago
  that depends on local laws. depending on where you live, it may be illegal to ride high speed ebikes in the first place.
  - kibwen 3y ago
    Beyond a certain speed, full-face helmets become a practical matter rather than merely a safety or legal matter. Can't hear with the wind rushing in your ears, can't see with the wind in your eyes.
    - david-gpu 3y ago
      > Can't hear with the wind rushing in your ears. Some cyclists use a product called Cat-Ears. It's just some synthetic fur that attaches to the helmet straps akin to having some sick sideburns. It works great.

NegativeLatency 3y ago

Converted my own with a mid drive bafang kit off of amazon, there are plenty of guides out there and while its not the easiest of bike maintenance jobs it’s also not that hard. The other option I considered was buying an urban arrow, yuba, tern or “harry vs larry” bakfiets style bike. If you’re looking for a car replacement the electric Bakfiets style is absolutely amazing for carrying cargo or even a person. (I pick my wife up in it sometimes)

simmanian 3y ago

If you're in US, REI has a 40% sale for their gen 1.1 and 1.2 bikes. Great entry level ebikes with proper range.

dylan604 3y ago
a 40% REI discount means it's only 20% higher than other places. I love REI, but they are not known for having cheap prices. Just trying to re-align the expectations of 40%

local_crmdgeon 3y ago

Cheap and cheerful: Priority Current. Longer-term: Specialized Globe Haul. I feel the same way about it as I do my pickup truck - it can go anywhere, do anything, and seems incredibly happy to either cruise around town or eat shit for hours. I absolutely adore it and cannot recommend it enough. It also has a big dealer network, something you don't get with the DTC boys

dylan604 3y ago

I have a Rad Wagon 4, and I love it. It is my only mode of transportation, other than my two feet. It's big and heavy, but I don't care. I've also picked up a couple of their attachments like the basket on the front, and the rack and insulated pack on the back. Even with that rack, I still have room for an old school 2x milk crate in the back. Parking/securing it can be a bit of a challenge as most places around me don't have a bike rike, and the bike itself is a bit larger than most racks are designed. That just means I have to get creative, and it's not really an issue. The amount of stuff I can carry is amazing, and its large motor makes carrying it all a breeze. Edit: also, if you do anything at night, I highly recommend the upgraded headlight. Unfortunately, it's not compatible with the front rack, but I have an idea how to hack something together to be able to have both at the same time.

joshcanhelp 3y ago

We’ve had a Tern GSD for a few years (1500 miles, bought at 400) and absolutely love it.

mbil 3y ago

I have a RadCity 4 with fenders and a basket. It’s much heavier than a regular bike. But it’s quite fun to ride and can hit 25mph. My city is rather flat and has passable bike infrastructure. I haven’t used it all that much simply because I enjoy walking and usually do that. But for certain travel scenarios it’s awesome. I upgraded from a 20 minute car ride across town to a 30 minute e-bike ride.

Glide 3y ago

I would honestly look for Belt Drive versions of most of these recommendations as there is one less maintenance thing to worry about.

MontgomeryPy 3y ago

Anyone know when the new Honda eMTB ebike will be available in US market?

dghlsakjg 3y ago

For the budget end: I have a Rad Runner, and it is great. I've ridden super high end e-mountain bikes, and, yes, they are better but not $5k better. I happily use my Rad bike to run errands covering 20-30 km, no problem. For the price, I'm not sure that you could do better.

bluGill 3y ago

Go to your local bike shop. Buy what they sell. There are other good ebikes, but if you don't already know them you also don't know how to service them and so they won't last long.

davidrhunt 3y ago

In my experience bikes with Bosch/Bafang motors/batteries will be more reliable and easier to find service for. There are many brands/options/price points with that constraint.