Greetings from Albuquerque...

[Wiley Coyote]

Hello, I am a complete noob. No bike yet, I am in the market and have been in talks with a local E-Bike Shop. I am hoping to learn of the local regulations governing E-Bike useage in the Metro Area.

 

[mrgold35]

Howdy from the 505!

I've been an ebike rider since 2016 in ABQ (Radrover and Radcity). Unless something has changed recently, Class I & II with 20 mph max speed ebikes have all the same rights and privileges as pedal bikes on the share the road with cars bike lanes, being able to ride your (e)bike on public sidewalks, and sharing non motorized paths with walkers, joggers, horses, or wheelchair users. I think the only restriction are for Class III ebikes that can go up to 28 mph and having to stick to share the road bike lanes with cars (keeping your Class III under 20 mph would get you back on bike only paths). The wife and I ride all the time up/down the paved and dirt paths along the Rio Grande river. We ride our ebikes around neighborhoods, to Balloon Fiesta park for that event, Rail Yard/Farmer's Markets, or 4th of July fireworks. No issues riding my fat tire ebike in the Sandi foothills and a few trips to Santa Fe to ride. We are usually around 12-17 mph on the bike paths; but, still slower than those "Tour de France" looking pedal bike speed riders zipping down the path alone or in packs.

Having an ebike is the way to go if you want to ride all year since the weather is pretty good in winter (usually dry and cold). I found I can ride my ebike on the super windy spring days that would sideline a pedal bike. Riding my ebike at 15-20 mph really helps cool me off way better with less overheating when summer time temp are 95-105 degrees F.

I was about the only ebike rider back in 2016 and started to ebike commute at 50-70 miles per week to work after 2017. The pandemic stopped that; but, I might start to work commute by ebike this summer. I now see around +/- 30% of the bikes riding the Rio Grande paths are ebikes. I also have a mid-drive Himiway Cobra Pro if you have any question about rear hub -vs- mid drive.

 

[JGcycle]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Howdy from the 505!

I've been an ebike rider since 2016 in ABQ (Radrover and Radcity). Unless something has changed recently, Class I & II with 20 mph max speed ebikes have all the same rights and privileges as pedal bikes on the share the road with cars bike lanes, being able to ride your (e)bike on public sidewalks, and sharing non motorized paths with walkers, joggers, horses, or wheelchair users. I think the only restriction are for Class III ebikes that can go up to 28 mph and having to stick to share the road bike lanes with cars (keeping your Class III under 20 mph would get you back on bike only paths). The wife and I ride all the time up/down the paved and dirt paths along the Rio Grande river. We ride our ebikes around neighborhoods, to Balloon Fiesta park for that event, Rail Yard/Farmer's Markets, or 4th of July fireworks. No issues riding my fat tire ebike in the Sandi foothills and a few trips to Santa Fe to ride. We are usually around 12-17 mph on the bike paths; but, still slower than those "Tour de France" looking pedal bike speed riders zipping down the path alone or in packs.

Having an ebike is the way to go if you want to ride all year since the weather is pretty good in winter (usually dry and cold). I found I can ride my ebike on the super windy spring days that would sideline a pedal bike. Riding my ebike at 15-20 mph really helps cool me off way better with less overheating when summer time temp are 95-105 degrees F.

I was about the only ebike rider back in 2016 and started to ebike commute at 50-70 miles per week to work after 2017. The pandemic stopped that; but, I might start to work commute by ebike this summer. I now see around +/- 30% of the bikes riding the Rio Grande paths are ebikes. I also have a mid-drive Himiway Cobra Pro if you have any question about rear hub -vs- mid drive.

Thank you for your generous reply. I had made contact with FreetoRoam Bike Shop here in town, you probably have heard of them? I plan on getting together with them next month when they open up for the riding season. One of the concerns I have is theft. I understand using common sense and a good lock probably goes a long way. Would you happen to have any words of confidence and or experiences you can share? The ride a long the Rio Grande sounds very enticing. I was originally looking at the Aventon Aventure.2 and now the Level.2 Commuter. I understand the Aventure would be a do-all bike, but definitely with some weight concerns. Thank you for sharing the Rules & Regulations as you know them, for ABQ...

 

[mrgold35]

I usually ride from my garage to work when ebike commuting (the building bike rack is just outside the door of front desk armed security). I try to use bike racks in plain view near the front door with cable lock if we do bike-n-lunch or pay the extra money for bike corrals at balloon fiesta or farmer's markets. I wouldn't leave my ebike unattended for hours at any location without several layers of locks and some type of GPS tracker. I used to do the Boomerang GPS tracker that used the Verizon network. I stopped using this service when lockdown started and I switched to working at home.

I used to live on the West side near the APS H.S. Stadium off 98th street to ebike commute to work (7 miles one-way). The biggest pain in the butt was getting flats from sharp road debris in the share the road bike lanes and from the crap load of Goat Head stickers. I would check with the ebike shop for a flat solution with Mr. Tuffy tire liners, Stans/Slim tire goo, upgraded flat resistant tubes/tires, or something like Tannus armour tire inserts. I started out with Mr. Tuffy with two 2 oz bottles of Stans tire sealant in each of my 26X4 fat tires. My flats when from 1-2 per month to 1-2 per year. Decided not to go tubeless because I ride paved road and the single track near the Rio Grande. Both times, I ran over debris that put sometimes a dime size hole in the tire/tube and replacing the tube was the only fix. I now carry a battery inflater and spare tube with tools (I'm usually 2-10 miles from home if I get a flat).

I would also check into how easy it is to modify the ebike for your needs like:
- upgrade seat/saddle
- add a suspension seat post
- adjust handle bars up/down/forward/back
- adding front and/or rear rack
- rack bag with or without panniers
- cell phone holder, (brighter) front light, louder bell, brighter rear light, etc..
- change to more ergonomic handlebar grips (prevent numb hands)
- mirror(s) on handle bars or helmet
- ebike parking at home, work, or away
- transporting ebike by car, SUV, bus, or pick-up with or without a bike rack

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Welcome aboard!

What a place to ride! The Taos to Albuquerque segment of the New Mexico Rockies is absolutely exquisite. Would love to commune with the Rio Grande in this area by riding trails at water level — like I commune with the Pacific by riding local beaches.

Folks who know the Rio Grande only from footage of immigrant crossings have no idea of the beauty and power and rich human and geologic history of the river's upper reaches. Grande indeed.

Good luck with your ebike purchase. You're right to buy from an LBS willing and able to work on that paticular make and model. You won't be able to count on anyone else for even mechanical service, let alone on the proprietary electricals.

As you search the forum, bear in mind that some topics generate more heat than light. These include throttles, step-thrus, and mid- vs. hub-drives. Keep an open mind on these choices and test whenever possible before deciding.

Speaking of testing, ride as many ebikes as you can before buying. Everyone cycles differently, and one member's favorite ebike can turn out to be another's disappointment.

One of the biggest reasons to test: I like the combo of torque-sensing assist with a throttle. That may not be for you, but here's the point: Some torque-sensing implementations are way better than others. Ditto for throttles. Small details that you'll never see on an official product page or in a review can make a big difference in daily riding experience.

Educated testing is the only way to be sure that the power delivery implementations on a particular model are right for you.

For example, the ideal throttle would be progressive, not on-off. It would add instant power, up to full power, in any non-zero assist level whether you're pedaling or not.

This makes the throttle a very handy riding tool with many uses having nothing to do with getting out of pedaling.

But many throttle implementations fall short. Some ebikes even force you to turn off assist in order to use the throttle. If you want a throttle, you certainly don't want that one. Testing is the only sure way to know what you're getting.

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Welcome aboard!

What a place to ride! The Taos to Albuquerque segment of the New Mexico Rockies is absolutely exquisite. Would love to commune with the Rio Grande in this area by riding trails at water level — like I commune with the Pacific by riding local beaches.

Folks who know the Rio Grande only from footage of immigrant crossings have no idea of the beauty and power and rich human and geologic history of the river's upper reaches. Grande indeed.

Good luck with your ebike purchase. You're right to buy from an LBS willing and able to work on that paticular make and model. You won't be able to count on anyone else for even mechanical service, let alone on the proprietary electricals.

As you search the forum, bear in mind that some topics generate more heat than light. These include throttles, step-thrus, and mid- vs. hub-drives. Keep an open mind on these choices and test whenever possible before deciding.

Speaking of testing, ride as many ebikes as you can before buying. Everyone cycles differently, and one member's favorite ebike can turn out to be another's disappointment.

One of the biggest reasons to test: I like the combo of torque-sensing assist with a throttle. That may not be for you, but here's the point: Some torque-sensing implementations are way better than others. Ditto for throttles. Small details that you'll never see on an official product page or in a review can make a big difference in daily riding experience.

Educated testing is the only way to be sure that the power delivery implementations on a particular model are right for you.

For example, the ideal throttle would be progressive, not on-off. It would add instant power, up to full power, in any non-zero assist level whether you're pedaling or not.

This makes the throttle a very handy riding tool with many uses having nothing to do with getting out of pedaling.

But many throttle implementations fall short. Some ebikes even force you to turn off assist in order to use the throttle. If you want a throttle, you certainly don't want that one. Testing is the only sure way to know what you're getting.

Thank you for your reply, this whole e-bike adventure is new to me, as a matter of fact, I have not rode a traditional bike in years. Thanks for all the experienced you shared in your post. You chose an interesting topic, throttles and how they play an important role in your e-bike selection. When the time come to make my selection/purchase, I will take it slow and easy (via store parking lot) until I gain confidence in stopping and starting, given the weight to consider in the Aventure if I go that route.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Thank you for your reply, this whole e-bike adventure is new to me, as a matter of fact, I have not rode a traditional bike in years. Thanks for all the experienced you shared in your post. You chose an interesting topic, throttles and how they play an important role in your e-bike selection. When the time come to make my selection/purchase, I will take it slow and easy (via store parking lot) until I gain confidence in stopping and starting, given the weight to consider in the Aventure if I go that route.

I think the throttle decision is an important one, but throttles aren't for everyone. I mainly brought them up as an example of an ebike feature that's much better implemented in some bikes than others. Same goes for both torque- and cadence-sensing assist.

The only way to know what you're really getting in all these cases is to test for yourself.

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Howdy from the 505!

I've been an ebike rider since 2016 in ABQ (Radrover and Radcity). Unless something has changed recently, Class I & II with 20 mph max speed ebikes have all the same rights and privileges as pedal bikes on the share the road with cars bike lanes, being able to ride your (e)bike on public sidewalks, and sharing non motorized paths with walkers, joggers, horses, or wheelchair users. I think the only restriction are for Class III ebikes that can go up to 28 mph and having to stick to share the road bike lanes with cars (keeping your Class III under 20 mph would get you back on bike only paths). The wife and I ride all the time up/down the paved and dirt paths along the Rio Grande river. We ride our ebikes around neighborhoods, to Balloon Fiesta park for that event, Rail Yard/Farmer's Markets, or 4th of July fireworks. No issues riding my fat tire ebike in the Sandi foothills and a few trips to Santa Fe to ride. We are usually around 12-17 mph on the bike paths; but, still slower than those "Tour de France" looking pedal bike speed riders zipping down the path alone or in packs.

Having an ebike is the way to go if you want to ride all year since the weather is pretty good in winter (usually dry and cold). I found I can ride my ebike on the super windy spring days that would sideline a pedal bike. Riding my ebike at 15-20 mph really helps cool me off way better with less overheating when summer time temp are 95-105 degrees F.

I was about the only ebike rider back in 2016 and started to ebike commute at 50-70 miles per week to work after 2017. The pandemic stopped that; but, I might start to work commute by ebike this summer. I now see around +/- 30% of the bikes riding the Rio Grande paths are ebikes. I also have a mid-drive Himiway Cobra Pro if you have any question about rear hub -vs- mid drive.

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Hello, I have an appt for Monday to talk with a LBS here in town. Question I have for you is, can you get by without a Fat Tire Bike on the Rio Grande Trail? I am leaning towards the Aventon Level -2. Thanks...

 

[mrgold35]

Yes, you can use any size tire for riding the prepared double wide dirt or single track near the Rio Grande. The one advantage with fat tires are the really deep sandy spots in certain areas. The fat tires will do a better job of "floating" on top of the sand compared to digging in with a thinner tire. I can ride down the middle of the sandy spots and I see tire track off the side or off the grassy areas with folks with thinner tires. The really sandy spots are only about 1%-5% of some of the single track runs on certain stretches. Zero sandy spots if you stick with the double wide prepared dirt trails you share with joggers, walkers, and horses.

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Hello, I have an appt for Monday to talk with a LBS here in town. Question I have for you is, can you get by without a Fat Tire Bike on the Rio Grande Trail? I am leaning towards the Aventon Level -2. Thank

Yes, you can use any size tire for riding the prepared double wide dirt or single track near the Rio Grande. The one advantage with fat tires are the really deep sandy spots in certain areas. The fat tires will do a better job of "floating" on top of the sand compared to digging in with a thinner tire. I can ride down the middle of the sandy spots and I see tire track off the side or off the grassy areas with folks with thinner tires. The really sandy spots are only about 1%-5% of some of the single track runs on certain stretches. Zero sandy spots if you stick with the double wide prepared dirt trails you share with joggers, walkers, and horses.

Thanks for your reply. Who knows, I still can change my mind and go with a Fat Tire. I just have to be aware of the gravity factor allowing a larger turning radius and the speed needed to keep the bike upright. Looking forward to meeting with the shop people to talk turkey.

 

[mrgold35]

It can take a little bit of adjustment going from thinner tires to fat tires. I tend to lean to turn like a motorcycle compared to moving my handlebars to point the tire with my 700X40c bike. I would test ride a fat tire bike at different PSI levels. Fat tires will have more traction at lower PSI on sandy/rocky conditions and more rolling efficiency and use less battery power on paved roads if keep the PSI higher. I've noticed my Radrover would start to tq steer and pull in one direction at below 15 psi; but, my Himiway Cobra Pro would tq steer starting at 20 psi.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Hello, I have an appt for Monday to talk with a LBS here in town. Question I have for you is, can you get by without a Fat Tire Bike on the Rio Grande Trail? I am leaning towards the Aventon Level -2. Thanks...

Members with fat-tire experience will hopefully chime in, but keep in mind that mountain bikes have been getting along just fine with tires in the 2.5±0.25 inch range for decades.

Still, there are special fat-tire use cases. If your target trail has lots of loose, dry sand, fat tires would help you ride over them. If it's full of bone-rattling surfaces, fat tires would add cushioning to any suspension you might have. Fat tires might also help you ride this trail in snow but might need spikes to do it safely.

However, those capabilities come with trade-offs you might not want. If you don't need them, another option would be to replace the stock Level.2 tires with hybrids. These are tires with smooth centerline treads for low-resistance riding on pavement and side lugs for looser surfaces. Many top tire manufacturers offer hybrids these days.

My aftermarket hybrids: 2.3 inch Specialized Crossroads Armadillos. Note how the side lugs engaged the loose soil at lower left. My ebike's more a commuter than anything else, but it got a lot more versatile with these hybrids.

My ebike has much in common with my friend's Level.2. I have no interest in hard-core trails, but I don't hesitate to go on trails he won't touch with his stock tires. I also ride local beaches on a regular basis, but only on sufficiently damp sand. They're no good when the sand's loose and dry.

 

[mrgold35]

I haven't looked in awhile; but, fat tire selection is usually 100% urban or 100% trail. Very hard to find an hybrid fat tire and that would be my choice also. I ended up going with Vee8 120tip 26X4 tires after my Kenda Juggernaut wore out after 1000 miles on my Radrover. The Vee8s were the only thing I could find at the time that worked on urban roads and trails without feeling like your are making a sacrifice with either one. I haven't seen Vee8 tires in years.

You will have waaaaay more tire choices with the standard MTB 2.3" tires size if you need a lot of flexibility with urban and trail riding ranges.

Radrover with Vee8 120tpi 26X4 tires.

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Hello, I have an appt for Monday to talk with a LBS here in town. Question I have for you is, can you get by without a Fat Tire Bike on the Rio Grande Trail? I am leaning towards the Aventon Level -2. Thank

Yes, you can use any size tire for riding the prepared double wide dirt or single track near the Rio Grande. The one advantage with fat tires are the really deep sandy spots in certain areas. The fat tires will do a better job of "floating" on top of the sand compared to digging in with a thinner tire. I can ride down the middle of the sandy spots and I see tire track off the side or off the grassy areas with folks with thinner tires. The really sandy spots are only about 1%-5% of some of the single track runs on certain stretches. Zero sandy spots if you stick with the double wide prepared dirt trails you share with joggers, walkers, and horses.

Thanks for your reply. Who knows, I still can change my mind and go with a Fat Tire. I just have to be aware of the gravity factor allowing a larger turning radius and the speed needed to keep the bike upright. Looking forward to meeting with the shop people to talk turkey.

 

[Wiley Coyote]

I haven't looked in awhile; but, fat tire selection is usually 100% urban or 100% trail. Very hard to find an hybrid fat tire and that would be my choice also. I ended up going with Vee8 120tip 26X4 tires after my Kenda Juggernaut wore out after 1000 miles on my Radrover. The Vee8s were the only thing I could find at the time that worked on urban roads and trails without feeling like your are making a sacrifice with either one. I haven't seen Vee8 tires in years.

You will have waaaaay more tire choices with the standard MTB 2.3" tires size if you need a lot of flexibility with urban and trail riding ranges.

Radrover with Vee8 120tpi 26X4 tires.
View attachment 171642T

Thanks for both of your photo's from you and McCreary. Without seeing a photo on Aventon's Website, they do however state this in their technical specs. "
27.5" x 2.1" Hybrid Tires, Reflective Sidewalls". Is this what we're talking about as for a Hybrid Tire you both describe in your pictures? Of course it would be guess work without photos from Aventon. right?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Thanks for both of your photo's from you and McCreary. Without seeing a photo on Aventon's Website, they do however state this in their technical specs. "
27.5" x 2.1" Hybrid Tires, Reflective Sidewalls". Is this what we're talking about as for a Hybrid Tire you both describe in your pictures? Of course it would be guess work without photos from Aventon. right?

Happen to have a photo of my front tire (left) next to the stock tire on my friend's 2023 Level.2:

Not a great photo, but you can see that some so-called "hybrid" tires are less MTB-like than others. When cornering on a loose surface, you depend on the side lugs to keep you from sliding. No side lugs to speak of on the Level.2 tire, so I'd feel less confident on it off-road.

My ebike came with a Panaracer tire with a tread very much like his. I swapped it out for the tire above at the time of purchase because I worried about its grip in sand. All trails here are sandy to some extent, and sand drifts onto roads during wind events. Based on my MTB experience many years ago, I just didn't trust it.

However, that's all speculation. Only field tests on a range of off-road surfaces would say for sure. I do have one limited field test: I talked him into a beach ride under ideal low-tide sand conditions, and his tire did fine on the hard, damp sand we had that day (see first photo).

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Happen to have a photo of my front tire (left) next to the stock tire on my friend's 2023 Level.2:

View attachment 171660
Not a great photo, but you can see that some so-called "hybrid" tires are less MTB-like than others. When cornering on a loose surface, you depend on the side lugs to keep you from sliding. No side lugs to speak of on the Level.2 tire, so I'd feel less confident on it off-road.

View attachment 171659
My ebike came with a Panaracer tire with a tread very much like his. I swapped it out for the tire above at the time of purchase because I worried about its grip in sand. All trails here are sandy to some extent, and sand drifts onto roads during wind events. Based on my MTB experience many years ago, I just didn't trust it.

However, that's all speculation. Only field tests on a range of off-road surfaces would say for sure. I do have one limited field test: I talked him into a beach ride under ideal low-tide sand conditions, and his tire did fine on the hard, damp sand we had that day (see first photo).

Actually, not a bad photo as I was able to zoom in. It appears as you stated, all hybrid tires are not treated equally. I can clearly see the difference between your bike and your friends Aventon. Yours in the photo shows an aggressive lug design whereas the Venton is subtle. Thanks again...

 

[Taylor57]

Happen to have a photo of my front tire (left) next to the stock tire on my friend's 2023 Level.2:

View attachment 171660
Not a great photo, but you can see that some so-called "hybrid" tires are less MTB-like than others. When cornering on a loose surface, you depend on the side lugs to keep you from sliding. No side lugs to speak of on the Level.2 tire, so I'd feel less confident on it off-road.

View attachment 171659
My ebike came with a Panaracer tire with a tread very much like his. I swapped it out for the tire above at the time of purchase because I worried about its grip in sand. All trails here are sandy to some extent, and sand drifts onto roads during wind events. Based on my MTB experience many years ago, I just didn't trust it.

However, that's all speculation. Only field tests on a range of off-road surfaces would say for sure. I do have one limited field test: I talked him into a beach ride under ideal low-tide sand conditions, and his tire did fine on the hard, damp sand we had that day (see first photo).

I noticed your friends Level 2 has Zoom front shocks. I have the same year and color Level and my front shocks are Aventon label. Probably the same would be my guess? (low end shocks)