Another recomendation

fourday

New Member
Hello I have been lurking, researching E bikes for the last 6 months or so, since I realized I will not be able to ride as I used to, due to a recent medical issue. I have been riding bikes all my life, since retiring, wife and I would load bikes on motor home and go. I am 68 years old, and my wife is 69. Retired from the fire service after 35 years, and was recently diagnosed with cancer, which has affected my endurance but not my will to get out and ride. wife was a nurse for 40 years, and knees are not as strong. E bikes seem to be the answer for us. some must have's include throttle and assist . looking at the 3 to 4 k range, but must admit i rode a classic ebike scrambler and loved it, but 7 k is too much especially when i am looking for 2 bikes. I have been looking specifically at the Evelo galaxy, for my wife and the delta for myself. We have also been looking at the Luna brand. my wife likes the Evelo due to the ease of mounting,and the Nuvinci N380 transmission. some riding includes dirt roads bike trails, no extreme mountain biking any more. especially looking for quality and good service. thanks Bob
 
Sorry about the cancer. Enjoy yourself while you heal or plan.
Body size, leg legnth, back length, arm length, weight matter. Proposed posture matters, forward for efficiency, straight up for comfort. There are bike frame sizing programs on line, use one to pick a frame size, and rise. Some frames come only in one size, that size may not fit you. Top speed matters, length of trips between charges, roughness of pavement or softness of beach sand determine your desired wheel and tire size. Maximum grade matters, mine is 15%, pretty radical. I draw 750 W on the display up those if I start too slow, but 400 W if I hit 15% at >5 mph. Type of mount on the motorhome matters. There are ramp up devices, there are cable lifts from the ladder, there is lift it yourself. Choose now.
For example, I'm 67, needed a e-ride home 30 miles from summer camp if injured (no phone, no car). Plus occasional festival rides of 80 miles round trip without charge. I'm miniature, with short legs, so I was able to take a ninety's kid's 10 speed cruiser and convert it with a powr wheel for $600 (for the 80 mile range battery). 26"x1.9" tires are fine on our roads. Bigger people have to pony up for a bigger frame which will not be at the charity resale shop. Higher speeds than my typical 10 mph indicate suspension built into the frame. My frame is rigid. Snow or sand indicates big tires, 3 or 4". Ultra smooth pavement allows tiny wheels, 16"x 1.5". I wanted pedal assist plus throttle only, since if injured (pulled muscle or tendon) I don't want to pedal. On festival excursions, I can extend range by pedalling. Whatever NYC/California are requiring don't matter to me. If I break a leg the police tell me my $8/mo cell phone will call an ambulance, otherwise Verison service is $70 a month. Park riding in CA or MA or other "civilized" states may dictate no throttle. Stealth batteries and no visible motor may cut number of encounters with park rangers.
Nuvinci 380 is reported to have trouble with higher power motors, it was designed in the leg powered era. Some oil leaks reported under maintenance. I like the idea of 380; the detent shifting of Shimano 7 speed derailleur has given me a big cyst above my thumb tendon. I tried Sturmey-Archer S80 IGH, it has a reliability problem with the shifter cable mount. But the twist grip SA shifter is making my cyst go down. Nivinci is twist grip shifting.
Have fun shopping.
 
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Hello Bob. Most ebikes will fit your requirements, and almost all Pedegos will, except for the IGH, and that didn’t sound like it was a deal breaker.

It sounds to me like you’re on the right track. Test riding can really help you choose the right bike. Since you’re posting here, I assume you’re not 100% sold on the Evelo. Can you rent them? Sometimes that can help. Most Pedego dealers rent, and I know some other ebike stores do.
 
Plenty of 2017 Haibikes being discounted very heavily before the 2018s come out. I have 2016 Trekking and a Full Suspension mtb. You can pick up a 20mph Haibike Trekking now for less than $3000 and it has plenty of high end components along with the Bosch mid drive. They sell a low step over model as well. Are you concerned about any balance issues with your treatments? Electric trikes are available to get you through the battle days. Fresh air and excercise is a wonderful medicine. And for the bad days, you just keep bumping up the assist to get home. Best of luck to you.
 
No recommendations on a bike, but best of luck to you for keeping your health. Buy a pair of bikes and enjoy them!
 
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Pay the price fora known supported brand. READ WARRANTY.
 
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