2020 Verve+ 2 As Daily Commuter?

[Bicicleta]

Hi All,
I was hoping you might provide your thoughts on using a 2020 Trek Verve+ 2 as a daily commuter. I am 5’ 11” and weigh 150lbs. I intend to put about 25 miles per day on this bike, with a few significant hills on my route. And I intend to ride it rain or shine. I like the Verve as it seems to have the things important for commuting, but hopefully keeps me from overbuying. Thank you for your input!

 

[e-boy]

Awesome bike if the gentle power curve of the 40 Nm Bosch Active Drive is enough for you .
I found it slightly underpowered , otherwise it was perfect .
Test ride it !

 

[Bicicleta]

Thanks, e-boy! I intend to test ride it, though because the dealer is pretty much in a flat area, I am also hoping there is a decent return policy if it fails me on the hills. I did try a higher-end Specialized Vado and that dealer is located on a steep hill. The Vado was a blast, but I am hoping to save money with which to buy the other necessities for bike commuting.

 

[e-boy]

During my test ride I was able to climb a step hill but the performance was lacking .
I ended up buying the 2020 Giant Explore e +4 for $2200 .

 

[Browneye]

I test rode one too - also bought a Giant Explore - got a steal-deal on the last 2019.

You might see if you have a local dealer that carries the Yamaha bikes - they have a beutiful commuter with their mid-drive motor - they put out twice what the Verve does. Very seamless, very nice to ride.

 

[rich c]

See if the dealer will rent it to you for the day. Then run your commute route.

 

[Marci jo]

Congrats on your search for an ebike! Lots of great feedback on this forum. Based on your needs, the Trek Verve would be a good fit.
I agree with the comments above, maybe try renting it or test other brands.

In my cycling group there are 4 Verves, out of 10-12 riders. They all love their Verves!! It’s been a great selling ebike for Trek, good range and good price. And I believe it’s under 45 lbs, not bad for a hybrid.

I rode one of their Verves and my personal opinion is: “Meh”. But full disclosure, I have a Vado class 3 speed pedelec with 90 nm torque, which acts like a rocket. Also have Trek’s Dual Sport Plus 2019 class 1, discontinued and replaced with the Allant. I like it for it’s fabulous range, easily lifted, and the battery incorporated into the down tube.

Looking forward to a photo of your new ebike!

 

[Marci jo]

And another thought, compare the specs of a 2020 Verve with the specs of a 2019 Verve. Maybe find a deal on a 2019!!
Then you’ll have enough money for the really cool accessories that you’ll need!

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

2020 Trek Verve+ 2 as a daily commuter. I am 5’ 11” and weigh 150lbs. I intend to put about 25 miles per day on this bike

When you are looking for feedback for your purchase, you want good, honest feedback, not just answers that feed confirmation bias!

You may take it as you wish but here is my feedback.

Trek as a brand is fantastic. Great company with solid products. The Verve+ you are looking at is NOT designed for 25 miles everyday, rain or shine kind of usage.
It is a very nice bike for recreational use but when you start doing 25 miles everyday, you quickly realize many of the limitations.


Trek verve+ has the Bosch active line motor with 20mph cutoff. This is the weakest of Bosch's lineup and comes with 400whr powerpack.
You may get 35-40 miles on that battery depending on speed and the terrain but I think you can do better.

Just for $500 more, you can get Gazelle Cityzen T10 with the new Bosch powertube that has 500whr capacity and 28mpg top speed.
It has much better components than the Verve+. This bike's original MSRP was $3999 but it is on sale (model year ending) for $2999.

Gazelle Cityzen T10 HMB Speed

Reach your destination at lightning speed and with minimum effort. The Gazelle Cityzen T10 HMB Speed is our fastest electric bike yet.

www.gazellebikes.com

You can order it thru one of the nearest dealers.

Other option is Raleigh Redux ie : https://www.raleighusa.com/redux-ie-step-over-r142

Raleigh has several dealers and I am sure you can find one in 50-70 mile radius of your home and has very nice components as well. If you wait two more weeks, most shops will have some kind of thanksgiving sale.

Add Kinect Body Float seatpost: https://cirruscycles.com/ and you can easily do 25 mile RT everyday.

Finally, here is your last option:

Ebike Specialists is a shop few hours away from you and they have a very nice Izip peak with the Bosch performance CX motor on sale at $1999.
Add a kinect seatpost, lights and a rear rack... you are still within $2500 and have a much nicer commuter compared to the Verve+

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[e-boy]

Ravi ,
What do you think of running tubeless for this type of daily commuter ?

 

[e-boy]

... these types of daily commuters .

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Ravi ,
What do you think of running tubeless for this type of daily commuter ?

I think it's a great idea.
Many bikes do come with tubeless ready rims.
If your bike has TL ready rims go for it, if not, Marathon + tires with high volume will be a good choice.

 

[Greg Johnson]

Hi All,
I was hoping you might provide your thoughts on using a 2020 Trek Verve+ 2 as a daily commuter. I am 5’ 11” and weigh 150lbs. I intend to put about 25 miles per day on this bike, with a few significant hills on my route. And I intend to ride it rain or shine. I like the Verve as it seems to have the things important for commuting, but hopefully keeps me from overbuying. Thank you for your input!

Definitely take your time and do your research and test ride as many as possible it is a big investment. Find a bike that caters to your specific needs because reading any of these forums can influence you to lean a certain direction based on someone else’s enthusiasm or preferences. I found certain aspects of several bikes that I really liked but I ended up getting the Trek Verve + I wanted the support of a local bike shop and my dealer is fantastic and I got last year‘s model for 2K. The only thing I added was a rear rack and left and right mirrors. One of the biggest selling points for me was the weight at only 45 pounds I rode so many other bikes much heavier than that and I have limitations physically and this is easier to get up onto a rack or in the back of my van. I cruise mainly flat paved trails but often divert to some fairly significant hills and so far the smaller Bosch motor has not been an issue and it is silky smooth and silent. I average about 60 miles per charge if I stay in Eco on the flats, and about 40 miles when using more assist on mixed terrain. The front light built into the stem is incredibly bright and I am able to do night riding for the first time. My only slight complaint is on rough surfaces it can be quite jarring on your wrists without front suspension but I wanted a bike with a very intuitive feel, and a mid drive was a must because I wanted the bike to assist my effort and did not want to be pushed or pulled with more powerful hub motors. Enjoy your search and you’ll find a bike that suits your specific needs very well and an Ebike has been life-changing for me.

 

[nbkutz]

My daily rider is a 2019 Verve + but my commute is only about a 7 mile round trip. Added rack, panniers, and left handlebar mirror. Its a very smooth ride with the active line motor but it does not have much power behind it. While it works for me I still find myself longing for more power and speed on certain segments of my commute. Considering an upgrade to one of the Allant+ models next year once they've been out in the wild for a few months.

 

[e-boy]

... an e-bike is a game changer for sure , and the Trek Verve + 2 is silky smooth and quiet .
But , In a way , its an e-bike equivalent of the Apple iWatch 2 .
Looking forward to the Verve + 4 !

 

[Browneye]

BTW, just found MARIN bikes as well...although seems like they've been around awhile in the mountain bike scene. Perhaps a west-coast flavor. They have a nice commuter/tourer ebike as well - has the shimano drive.

I would encourage you to try all of the platforms and see if one stands out for you - Trek uses Bosch, Specialized (and Marin) Shimano, Giant haibike and Yamaha have the PW/sincdrive mid-drives. And there are plenty around with hub drive, both direct and geared. I just did a hub-drive conversion on the wife's ROLL and it is really slick. You can find a direct-drive hub in the RadCity - they are renting those out around the country to stir interest - maybe there's one close to you.

Also a lot of tourist towns have an ebike rental shop - another good opportunity to try out various bikes and platforms.

Marin DualSport Electric:

 

[Bicicleta]

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful and informative responses! You have given me much to consider and to look into. My thinking in going with the Trek+ Verve 2 was that while it is certainly not the most exhilarating ride, it is reliable (no one here seems to have expressed concerns about that) and the least expensive e-bike entry point into the world of Trek’s lauded customer service. And I have a local Trek dealer. I have just about decided that I will not buy a bike online and I have to think seriously about buying a bike where the nearest dealer is over 30 miles away. (A side note, the nearest competent mechanics for my automobile are over 110 miles away and that has proven a major pain.)



Moving up to a more expensive e-bike might be the natural choice if the Verve seems underpowered for my weight and needs, or if its components seem inadequate. But I also reflect on an earlier bicycle buying experience I had back in college. I bought a $350 Specialized from the local bike shop. Very basic and my only research into the matter was to take it for a spin. It changed my life for the better. I used it to get around campus and said goodbye to the endless circling, looking for a parking space with my $50/semester parking pass. And I used the bike to explore the area and take wonderful night rides. I never thought twice about locking the bike wherever I needed to. A year or so later, I decided that if a $350 bike could bring me such joy and convenience, a pricier bike would make me ecstatic. At that time, mountain biking was all the rage. So I bought a fancy $3,000 mountain bike and a car rack to take it to trails and shoes to clip my feet to the bike. It was a beautiful bike, but I had never ridden a bike in the woods and it turns out I don’t care to. This new bike had an aggressive, bent forward body position that the bike shop owners assured me I would want because it was better for climbing. But it wasn’t comfortable for me, and I couldn’t see the cars around me as easily. Furthermore, I was never comfortable locking that $3,000 bicycle out on a public bicycle rack. Gone, on the new bike, was the simple joy I had experienced on my cheap bike. But enough of my twisted psychology!



Again, thank you all. You have been most helpful. I am looking into the other bikes you mentioned and see plenty that is preferable to the Verve’s specs. Hopefully, I won’t go mad from research before ever making it back in the saddle. Take good care and happy riding!



Gabriel

 

[nbkutz]

I forgot to add in my post above that I'm 6'2" and 205 lbs. So my complaints about the Verve+/Active Line motor feeling weak may not apply to you since you're a good 55lbs lighter than me lol

 

[Browneye]

I liked the Verve+. I thought the motor gave out plenty, it was seamless and smooth, and got you easily up to speed. IMO Trek is one of the best bike brands out there. Where we live there are at least a dozen bike shops within a few miles, and the Trek stores are by far the nicest. It's a successful brand for sure.

After some fifty years of motorcycling, when I found out Yamaha had jumped in the game - I surely wanted to try their product. And it proved out well. I just got a Giant Explore and absolutely love it - was less than $2500 and does everything I want.

Giant is the biggest name using the Yamaha - they call it 'sync-drive' and it is everything the Bosch is plus more. Nearly twice the power, the option for a double front chain ring, and a solid company behind them. Giant is either one of the largest or the largest bike manufacturer for the US - a very good network of dealers. They also offer a couple of really nice models for a commuter- tourer. If you have a dealer nearby they're definitely worth checking out. I haven't seen or heard any detractions for the Yamaha mid-drive.

 

[Greg Johnson]

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful and informative responses! You have given me much to consider and to look into. My thinking in going with the Trek+ Verve 2 was that while it is certainly not the most exhilarating ride, it is reliable (no one here seems to have expressed concerns about that) and the least expensive e-bike entry point into the world of Trek’s lauded customer service. And I have a local Trek dealer. I have just about decided that I will not buy a bike online and I have to think seriously about buying a bike where the nearest dealer is over 30 miles away. (A side note, the nearest competent mechanics for my automobile are over 110 miles away and that has proven a major pain.)



Moving up to a more expensive e-bike might be the natural choice if the Verve seems underpowered for my weight and needs, or if its components seem inadequate. But I also reflect on an earlier bicycle buying experience I had back in college. I bought a $350 Specialized from the local bike shop. Very basic and my only research into the matter was to take it for a spin. It changed my life for the better. I used it to get around campus and said goodbye to the endless circling, looking for a parking space with my $50/semester parking pass. And I used the bike to explore the area and take wonderful night rides. I never thought twice about locking the bike wherever I needed to. A year or so later, I decided that if a $350 bike could bring me such joy and convenience, a pricier bike would make me ecstatic. At that time, mountain biking was all the rage. So I bought a fancy $3,000 mountain bike and a car rack to take it to trails and shoes to clip my feet to the bike. It was a beautiful bike, but I had never ridden a bike in the woods and it turns out I don’t care to. This new bike had an aggressive, bent forward body position that the bike shop owners assured me I would want because it was better for climbing. But it wasn’t comfortable for me, and I couldn’t see the cars around me as easily. Furthermore, I was never comfortable locking that $3,000 bicycle out on a public bicycle rack. Gone, on the new bike, was the simple joy I had experienced on my cheap bike. But enough of my twisted psychology!



Again, thank you all. You have been most helpful. I am looking into the other bikes you mentioned and see plenty that is preferable to the Verve’s specs. Hopefully, I won’t go mad from research before ever making it back in the saddle. Take good care and happy riding!



Gabriel

The beautiful outdoors is waiting you will make the right choice and it will be a fantastic experience!