First ebike

[Stefi]

I’m in Mississauga, Ontario and looking to buy an ebike a city ride to use it when I’m going to play tennis or on the local bike lane, don’t want to spend a fortune ; I found online lots of models but you cannot test drive and have no local after sale support. I found a local small company that was selling a model that I test drove it from China at $1,300 cad, 48 v , 500 watts, but no brand name, I liked the ride, any advice?
This the company website:

urbanebike

www.urbanebike.ca

Thanks

 

[PatriciaK]

I’m in Mississauga, Ontario and looking to buy an ebike a city ride to use it when I’m going to play tennis or on the local bike lane, don’t want to spend a fortune ; I found online lots of models but you cannot test drive and have no local after sale support. I found a local small company that was selling a model that I test drove it from China at $1,300 cad, 48 v , 500 watts, but no brand name, I liked the ride, any advice?
Thanks

Is the local company a bike shop? Can they tell you who manufactured the motor, brakes, derailleur, gears, and other components? That way, you could evaluate the quality of the bike components, even without a brand name.

What kind of service/warranty is offered, and what is the reputation of the company?

Several things you need to nail down before making a decision on this bike...

 

[byunbee]

If you're new to ebikes, I recommend test riding different brands with different components. It's easy to be impressed on any ebike if it's your first ride.

There are countless different ebikes out on the market. Go test ride something with a Bosch, Yamaha, Brose, Bafang mid-drive motors. Giant, Trek, Bulls, Specialized, and Haibike are the top brands in the market. They are more expensive, but it will at least give you an idea about the difference in ride and quality of the build compared to a no named brand ebike that's been imported from China and sold with a markup.

Your bike looks to be a hub drive motor which can meet your needs and may be worth the risk as long as the local company is an established LBS that can service your bike. If it's just a start up distributor, I would look elsewhere.

 

[steve mercier]

I’m in Mississauga, Ontario and looking to buy an ebike a city ride to use it when I’m going to play tennis or on the local bike lane, don’t want to spend a fortune ; I found online lots of models but you cannot test drive and have no local after sale support. I found a local small company that was selling a model that I test drove it from China at $1,300 cad, 48 v , 500 watts, but no brand name, I liked the ride, any advice?
Thanks

maybe buy it and ride the hell out of it and this experience will help you to learn exactly what you do and do not want in your next bike

 

[Stefi]

Is the local company a bike shop? Can they tell you who manufactured the motor, brakes, derailleur, gears, and other components? That way, you could evaluate the quality of the bike components, even without a brand name.

What kind of service/warranty is offered, and what is the reputation of the company?

Several things you need to nail down before making a decision on this bike...

Thanks for advice; this is the company website where they post all the details about bikes, warranties, etc.:

urbanebike

www.urbanebike.ca

Let me know please what you think,
Thanks

 

[BlackHand]

Well, they post their address and phone number and you've test ridden one so it's not a scam...

Otherwise there's almost no actual information on their website

 

[byunbee]

Not sure what this means. "Ride before you buy, as long as you want." Can you just ride it for 5 years and tell them that you decided not to buy?

I don't think the company is a scam. It's really a matter of their long-term viability. It doesn't matter whether they provide good customer support if they are out of business in 6 months.

 

[PatriciaK]

Do they have other models you could ride, so you have something to compare the feel of this to? Any other shops in the area that have bikes you could demo? I really wouldn't buy the first thing I rode without checking out other options.

 

[Stefi]

Do they have other models you could ride, so you have something to compare the feel of this to? Any other shops in the area that have bikes you could demo? I really wouldn't buy the first thing I rode without checking out other options.

I completely agree with you, unfortunately the ebike store selection in my area is very limited for products in this range $1,300-2,500; . I liked the reviews for RAD City 4, but they have no store in my area so basically I have to take it with no test drive.... and no after sales support.... I think that’s a big issue I think, what I can do if there’s a technical problem or need parts?

 

[PatriciaK]

I completely agree with you, unfortunately the ebike store selection in my area is very limited for products in this range $1,300-2,500; . I liked the reviews for RAD City 4, but they have no store in my area so basically I have to take it with no test drive.... and no after sales support.... I think that’s a big issue I think, what I can do if there’s a technical problem or need parts?

You can ride other models whether they are in our out of your price range, just so you know what's out there - no requirement to buy any of them, but you'll get valuable feedback!

 

[harryS]

Bet the shop will be gone in 18 months, Small busineses have a high failure rate,, However, if the electric parts of your bike last thru the summer, or if they break and get replaced, they likely will not need further support. If you like it, buy it. Summer is over in 12 weeks. RIding season goes away in 16 weeks,

I know generic ebikes, but don't know the business, In my opinion, a shop that sells name brand ebikes has a better chance of being around than a shop that sells no name parts. Still a bike is a bike, especially with hub motors. Not much to go wrong, and easy to replace components. Not many shops work on generic bikes now, because the owners don't have knowledgeable techs. That will change.

 

[Stefi]

Is the local company a bike shop? Can they tell you who manufactured the motor, brakes, derailleur, gears, and other components? That way, you could evaluate the quality of the bike components, even without a brand name.

What kind of service/warranty is offered, and what is the reputation of the company?

Several things you need to nail down before making a decision on this bike...

Thanks for your advice; this what I found from the store; 21 speed Shimano gear system; Tektro 160 disk brake;high speed brushless motor, high efficiency more than 80%; low noise less than 60 dB; 27,5 in Kenda tires; 48 v, 10 amp removable hidden battery , no brand name; Lcd backlight waterproof display; lock and unlock front suspension; 22 kg , 1 year warranty for battery and parts; this what you get in this price range $1,300 including putting the bike together for customers; so basically you pay about $700 less than Rad City 4 without including assembling and about $1200 less than Colt Surface my only issue was the fact you cannot adjust the front handlebars. Anyway I tried to contact Amego but never returned my calls or messages, very disappointed about their customer service; Rad City or Colt Surface basically have no local store so I have to order online without test drive the bike; very tough decision at the end of the day, because I cannot test drive other bikes that I like , only the “no name “, not sure if it’s worth it to pay extra money for Rad City or Colt Surface ?

 

[PatriciaK]

Thanks for your advice; this what I found from the store; 21 speed Shimano gear system; Tektro 160 disk brake;high speed brushless motor, high efficiency more than 80%; low noise less than 60 dB; 27,5 in Kenda tires; 48 v, 10 amp removable hidden battery , no brand name; Lcd backlight waterproof display; lock and unlock front suspension; 22 kg , 1 year warranty for battery and parts; this what you get in this price range $1,300 including putting the bike together for customers; so basically you pay about $700 less than Rad City 4 without including assembling and about $1200 less than Colt Surface my only issue was the fact you cannot adjust the front handlebars. Anyway I tried to contact Amego but never returned my calls or messages, very disappointed about their customer service; Rad City or Colt Surface basically have no local store so I have to order online without test drive the bike; very tough decision at the end of the day, because I cannot test drive other bikes that I like , only the “no name “, not sure if it’s worth it to pay extra money for Rad City or Colt Surface ?

Those are decent components for that price range. Disk brakes are a must, so that's good, too.

If you like the way this one felt when you rode it, and there are no options to test out other manufacturers/models, and you want the bike now, go with your gut.

You can second guess yourself to death with a decision like this (I agonised for about 4 months, and ended up choosing one of the bikes I rode my very first day of testing), but at that price point, with those components, having already liked the ride, purchasing this bike isn't a bad decision. As long as the shop stays open for the next year to take care of any issues that arise , even just getting a year out of it will be worth the price if you're out there riding and enjoying yourself . It's going to be ok!

 

[Stefi]

Those are decent components for that price range. Disk brakes are a must, so that's good, too.

If you like the way this one felt when you rode it, and there are no options to test out other manufacturers/models, and you want the bike now, go with your gut.

You can second guess yourself to death with a decision like this (I agonised for about 4 months, and ended up choosing one of the bikes I rode my very first day of testing), but at that price point, with those components, having already liked the ride, purchasing this bike isn't a bad decision. As long as the shop stays open for the next year to take care of any issues that arise , even just getting a year out of it will be worth the price if you're out there riding and enjoying yourself . It's going to be ok!

Appreciate your advice! Anyway I have to decide fast since for the moment they are sold out and are only few preorders available for next shipping due for mid August!
Thanks!

 

[Alex M]

Thanks for your advice; this what I found from the store; 21 speed Shimano gear system; Tektro 160 disk brake;high speed brushless motor, 80%; low noise less than 60 dB; 27,5 in Kenda tires; 48 v, 10 amp removable hidden battery , no brand name; Lcd backlight waterproof display; lock and unlock front suspension; 22 kg , 1 year warranty for battery and parts;

My take on it...
Clearly a Chinese import with a "shop warranty". They come and go. Shop is buying a container of bikes, sells and buys something else - scooters, drons, lawn chairs - whatever sells.
Motor - by whom? Bafang, Shengyi? If there is no name, expect quality inferior to these two.
Waterproof display - yeah, yeah... Until the first heavy rain. You might want to seal it around the seams.
No name on the battery - this is not good, expect lifespan shorter than LG or Samsung.
Hidden battery - you might not find a new one in a few years when you need it. Besides, it will be sitting outdoors in hot and cold all year round, further shortening its lifespan unless you have a heated and airconditioned garage. My preference would be a locking detachable battery.
22kg = 48 lbs - not sure. Possible with battery, also possible without battery.
1 year battery warranty - not sure. I would hate to find out later some fine print where it says that warranty only covers a complete destruction like burned down to ashes or irreversibly lost 90% of capacity.

 

[Stefi]

My take on it...
Clearly a Chinese import with a "shop warranty". They come and go. Shop is buying a container of bikes, sells and buys something else - scooters, drons, lawn chairs - whatever sells.
Motor - by whom? Bafang, Shengyi? If there is no name, expect quality inferior to these two.
Waterproof display - yeah, yeah... Until the first heavy rain. You might want to seal it around the seams.
No name on the battery - this is not good, expect lifespan shorter than LG or Samsung.
Hidden battery - you might not find a new one in a few years when you need it. Besides, it will be sitting outdoors in hot and cold all year round, further shortening its lifespan unless you have a heated and airconditioned garage. My preference would be a locking detachable battery.
22kg = 48 lbs - not sure. Possible with battery, also possible without battery.
1 year battery warranty - not sure. I would hate to find out later some fine print where it says that warranty only covers a complete destruction like burned down to ashes or irreversibly lost 90% of capacity.

Thank you for your valuable advice; I’m considering also the Rad City 4, not sure if that bike is not too small for a 6,3 tall guy like me 150 lbs, too bad that I cannot test drive it since there’s no dealer or store that have that bike; what’s your opinion on that ebike?

 

[Alex M]

Can't say about height, Stefi. Maybe ask people on RAD forum. I believe there is RAD showroom near Ottawa, on the Quebec side of river.

In terms of reliability RAD is a "ok" bike, not the top but at least the battery is by known brand, and derallieur and rims are decent quality. City has Shengyi motor, Shengyi geared hubs are (reportedly) inferior to Bafang but on the City there is a Direct Drive Shengyi, not a geared, those tend to last longer than geared. The trade-off with DD motor is a drag when unpowered. It's a bit heavy machine, 64 lbs, with this weight and with a drag it won't be fun pedaling it unpowered, hopefully you won't have to

 

[Stefi]

Can't say about height, Stefi. Maybe ask people on RAD forum. I believe there is RAD showroom near Ottawa, on the Quebec side of river.

In terms of reliability RAD is a "ok" bike, not the top but at least the battery is by known brand, and derallieur and rims are decent quality. City has Shengyi motor, Shengyi geared hubs are (reportedly) inferior to Bafang but on the City there is a Direct Drive Shengyi, not a geared, those tend to last longer than geared. The the trade-off with DD motor is a drag when unpowered. It's a bit heavy machine, 64 lbs, with this weight and with a drag it won't be fun pedaling it unpowered, hopefully you won't have to

Thanks

 

[BET]

There are several direct to customer seller companies with bikes with similar specs that use name brand parts and sell at that price or less. EG Ride1 up, Espin, Aventon, etc. in addition to Rad. You could read some reviews and check the forum for owner comments.

 

[Bigal1463]

The Aventon Pace 500, a powerful class 3 pedelec with throttle, dependable with strong company support at $1,399.