$2,500 for a Lightweight, Class 3 eBike With Manual Gear Shifting: Am I Dreaming?

[EMGX]

IMGX, Cool. Thank you. Next I need to drill all the way through the frame of a Big Dummy from Surley. I will be reinforcing the area. On your wife's bike try also disconnecting the throttle if any, and the brake levers. Having a throttle plugged in automatically limits speed and feel even with PAS. I created a new thread but cannot see it. 2021 Specialized 35lbs Failure. I had to use one zip tie and did not want any.

You do nice work, it seems you do a lot of these and probably get a lot of word of mouth referrals.
My wife didn't want a throttle so I didn't install it and since I didn't install the throttle I didn't bother with the motor inhibitor brake levers either. When I had the TS on my Dahon Jack for testing I was easily able to run ~22mph on flats to mild inclines for long distances, climb long serious grades (at much lower speed in lower gears). My wife only needs low speed assist, the more the better pedaling from a stop.

 

[PedalUma]

It will launch better from a stop when you unplug the sensor. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Coolbob]

For an extra $200 the Transend has over 20% less battery capacity, less gearing choices, the motor is Yamaha but less powerful at 60nm rated rather than 70nm of the Cross Core, Giant won't list weight so that is unknown.
FWIW the Yamaha PW-SE on my BH gravel bike doesn't drop assist completely at 20mph, it assists up to about 22 as far as I can tell and the speedometer is accurate according to "your speed" type signs on the road. Looks are subjective but the Cross Core looks a lot better to me and the easily removable battery can be an advantage for lifting/loading the bike or if you want to ride without the battery which I have done on my bike.

@EMGX You make a few good points: battery on transcend is a little smaller and the motor is 10% less powerful. But Transend is Class 3, has wider tires, hydraulic brakes, internal hub (which many prefer) and the battery is better integrated into the frame and can be charged on the bike, or removed and charged indoors. It's a great time to be an eBike enthusiast, there's a perfect bike out there for everyone's taste.

 

[cryptacle]

Yesterday, I took out my old school iZip Skyline to reacclimate myself with e-bikes and help continue to narrow down my list of wants.

I'll be checking out the Yamaha Cross Core later today--it checks ALL of the boxes--with the exception of a throttle--which might have to be the sacrifice I make.

Can anyone recommend a bike similar to the Cross Core or iGO Aspire Camillien that also adds a throttle?

After lots of reading, I'm scared away from FLX, Juiced and Ride1Up.

Also, spoke w/ someone from Crazy Lenny's yesterday and they were incredibly helpful.

 

[EMGX]

I looked at the '14 iZip Skyline review on EBR. Several years ago, to get my wife back into biking on the hilly paths here, I bought a iZip Trailz AL with the same type side saddle mounted 24v motor except it was rated 450w instead of 250w per the EBR review - maybe just the controller is different. It cost <$300 from Walmart. Had an aluminum frame but was weighed down by the 24v lead acid battery pack. It did a good job pulling the hills here. After a couple years I sold it because my wife didn't want or need assist, but now she does. If I would have kept that bike I wouldn't have had to put the Tongsheng mid drive on her Dahon. I would have overvolted it with a 36v lithium battery, mostly for lighter weight - it was reported that the controller could handle 36v (or replace the controller and go with 48v). All of the components of that bike would have been considered low end but everything worked flawlessly and the rim brakes were excellent, at least as good, or better than the mechanical discs on my gravel bike. It sounds like you want a new bike but upgrading your old school iZip with a 36v (or 48v battery with a new controller) and ditch the suspension fork along with using some thinner high pressure tires might give you the performance you want for just a few hundred.

 

[EmotionLynx6Pro]

Check out BikesDirect.com

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It is much less than your desired weight and under your desired price. I don't know about the throttle, but it has a Bafang and they usually have a throttle.

 

[PedalUma]

Opinions welcome. Do others have experiences with BikesDirect.com? I read the spec sheet on one of their 29ers, it looked good and pulled the trigger. The bike was junk. It was like a 7th generation photo copy of a bike. A copy of a copy of a copy. The wheel dropouts were wrong. I had to file them out to get the wheels on. The matt black paint was flaking off showing yellow under it. The tires were smelly and waxy. I could slice the tires with my thumb nail. The wheels weighed a ton. I ended up giving away the frame to a disabled person who built a throttle bike with it. And I used the other components for charity projects to help the homeless.

 

[EMGX]

Opinions welcome. Do others have experiences with BikesDirect.com? I read the spec sheet on one of their 29ers, it looked good and pulled the trigger. The bike was junk. It was like a 7th generation photo copy of a bike. A copy of a copy of a copy. The wheel dropouts were wrong. I had to file them out to get the wheels on. The matt black paint was flaking off showing yellow under it. The tires were smelly and waxy. I could slice the tires with my thumb nail. The wheels weighed a ton. I ended up giving away the frame to a disabled person who built a throttle bike with it. And I used the other components for charity projects to help the homeless.

How long ago was that? I bought a "Motobecane Fantom Trail" bike for my son from bikes direct, must have been over 10 years ago now. It is a great bike. Unfortunately he doesn't have any interest in bicycles (or cars or motorcycles for that matter) so I have ridden it the most. Light weight with good components. I've ridden it in Moab and several places in the PNW with the original Panaracer (Fire?) knobby tires as well as street tires. Sorry to hear about your bad experience but based on my N=1 I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again.