Big Old Boy Ebike Fight Off

[paolocee]

I'm 56, 6'4" and 150kgs (about 340lbs). Been unable to exercise for almost a decade after a serious accident. And the pounds have piled on. Finally got my new knee last month and want to get a bike. My kids and wife go on long, 40 mile rides, (we live in the middle of nowhere in Sweden) and I want to join them. But I know I'm far too unfit to keep up without cheating (and it's very hilly).

I've spent the last week researching bikes and have come up with these two. Which one should I go for?


The Kalkhoff I've found has a Bosch Performance Line motor. The Cube has a Bosch Drive Unit Performance CX Generation 4.

The Kalkhoff has a weight limit of 170kg, the Cube 150kg. They're pretty much identical in price.


(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

or

CUBE Reaction Hybrid HD 500 29 iridium´n´black 2019

 

[6zfshdb]

Most ebike ratings include the weight of the rider, bike and cargo. Keep this in mind If you plan on carrying any gear on your rides.

Exceeding these weight limits by a few percent may not cause any harm in the short term. Being a heavy rider myself, I've discovered that over time, overloading can lead to spoke issues.

 

[ruffruff]

I went with the Biktrix Juggernaut with a 400lb max load.

Mid drive Bafang motor in several wattages.

 

[Dewey]

The first link is broken, is it this model? The specs say the Kalkhoff also uses a Bosch CX motor, but it appears to have also been available with the Impulse Evo motor, and I don't see the model on the Kalkhoff website so it may be a previous model-year bike and it would be best you contact them to be sure.

The two bikes appear to be aimed at different users:
- the Kalkhoff has touring tires, 63mm suspension fork, a standard derailleur, and the larger Intuvia display.
- the Cube has off-road Nobby Nic tires, a 100mm suspension fork, a shadow-plus derailleur that can be locked to prevent chain-drop, the smaller Purion display, a large 203mm front brake rotor, and the motor tilted up into the frame and protected with a bash-guard.

If you intend riding in the Swedish winter either bike would be safer riding with a pair of Finnish Nokian Suomi Hakkapeliitta snow-tires.

 

[ChezCheese:)]

It's not cheating, because you're still pedaling. It's just another advance in technology. If getting e-assist is cheating, then so are any gears, and the only bicyclists who can say you're not playing fair are those riding fixies. And anyway, it's not a race!

That said, I have no practical advice, but only wish to give you encouragement to get an ebike. You will love it!