Class 1 or class 2 ebike?

[Christopher Cramer]

I've been trying to make a decision on what kind of ebike I should buy. I am unable to get my drivers licence because of limited left peripheral vision; that is the biggest obstacle that makes me hesitate to buy a CLASS 2 ebike to ride on the city streets in Calgary Alberta. Following the rules of the road, always riding on the right hand side wold mean all other vehicles would come from my left side which is where I have no peripheral vision. It would be safer to ride on the many bike paths that are in Calgary, but According to provincial laws it is illegal to ride class 2 ebikes on bike paths, but if the ebike has both POD and pedal assist then would it be ok to ride it using pedal assist only? Alberta is often snowy, wet or sometimes sunny, the weather is always changing, so what ebike would be most suitable for commuting around the city on both flat and rough Terrain. As you know ebikes are expensive to ship, so I was looking at Daymak's models, but not many are class 1 ebikes. What other brands would you recommend that stay within a budget of 1000 - 2500 CAD starting with the most affordable. I haven't fully committed myself into getting one, but if I do I could also go for something that will last and be worth my money.

 

[J.R.]

Christopher, whatever bike you settle on, there are accessories that will help with your vision. Get yourself a helmet mounted rear/side view mirror like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Race-Icon-Bi...rds=cycling+rear+view+mirror+for+helmet&psc=1

All you need do to get some peripheral vision is to look forward and you'll have that side view that's so critically important while cycling. Basic instructions:

Add to that one, possibly two handlebar-end mirrors:

https://www.amazon.com/Mirrycle-MTB...d=1514524663&sr=8-1&keywords=mirrcycle+mirror

Good luck in your search for the perfect bike!

 

[rich c]

If there is physically a throttle on your bike it's class 2, whether you are using it or not. On anything but a fat bike, I see not need for a throttle. Bump the assist up to max when you roll up to a light if you want to, and it sends about the same amount of current as a wide open throttle. I like to stay to the trails in my city, and fortunately we have some long ones. I ride for pleasure, so I have a choice to stay off the most dangerous streets. I still have to have my head on a swivel, and my vision is good. There are camera systems coming out for bicycles to help with rear vision, you might just need to move the camera to feel comfortable. Your choice of bike will somewhat be based on the quality of pavement. I prefer suspension, maybe just for comfort, maybe because I'm slightly arthritic at the age of 65. It will definitely need fenders. There is no universal tire that is good for snow, street commute, and off road. You're going to need to change them with the season. Sorry can't help with any models that I like in that price range.

 

[Dewey]

Court recommends the Voltbike Enduro for a budget full suspension mountain ebike, comes with a 350w Bafang max pedal assist mid drive motor with a torque sensor and no throttle, 500wh battery that at full power appears to go 20miles, 27.5x2.1 tires but with winter you might want to swap out for studded tires, and ships anywhere in Canada for $49. Watch Court’s video review as he demonstrates how to prepare it out of the box. Here’s a review from a new owner, it sounds like it needs a bit of tuning to set it up so you might pay a local bike shop to help with the assembly.

Or if you don’t want to bother with the fiddly dual suspension consider the Biktrix Juggernaut MX with the same 350w Bafang max motor and fat tires.

Studded tires: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.php

 

[Christopher Cramer]

One question about a torque sensor as opposed to a cadence sensor. if the sensor controls the assist by how much force you put on the pedals and then once it starts to run do you have to shift geers to keep up with the motor in order to reach, and maintain top speed, or does the motor keep accelerating until it reaches 32 km/h and shut off untill you try pedaling bellow 32? And if the motor drives the wheel directly from the pedals would it not give you any control over how fast you need to pedal by shifting gears? shifting gears would only control the torque on the wheel without giving any more comfort on how fast you need to pedal.

 

[JRA]

A torque sensor system only will add as much of a percentage of power to your pedal force that the system is set for. Usually 4 or more modes ranging from eco to turbo. Shifting gears will gain speed given your effort and the motor can overcome the terrain at hand. If you want more speed you will have to go up a mode or two or you can shift down and go slower.

I propose that there be a class 1.5 that allows for a throttle that is used solely as a start up helper until the PAS kicks in on an incline etc. and a helper for pushing the bike uphill to overcome the weight.

 

[harryS]

Hi Chris Cramer. Do you really plan to commute thru Calgary in the winter? It's Dec 30, 2017 and I see that you're at -17F as I type this. Next week, you'll be up to 31-32F . And aside from the temperature, there's the street conditions. As a purely recreational rider, I'll occasionally ride our bike paths in winter, but in areas where we have trees, the ice never melts, and it's slick.

Last winter, I took out my electric fatbike on a lark in the snow, but with the front tire throwing snow in my face and the rear one putting it down my back, I came home soaking wet. I don't need that kind of fun any more.

My wife lost her vision in one eye, but still passes her vision test for a driver's license where we live.

 

[harryS]

Now I'll comment on bicycles. For a hub motor with torque sensor, your cadence has to match the speed, which means the gears have to be shifted. The torque sensor measures how much pedal pressure is applied. If the bike is going too fast (like downhill) for your feet to exert any pedal force, the motor is not going to run. In summary, you usually want to shift gears.

I've only ridden a torque sensor bike on a demo ride, but I could tell that if I just moved the pedals lightly, there was no power. In contrast, a cadence sensor looks for a minimum pedal rotation speed. That by itself would make a cadence sensor very crude/unrideable, but the better ones will only deliver power up to a certain motor speed for a given assist level. If one rides near the top of an assist level, the bike then driven by a combo of both motor and rider, and the result is like a torque sensor system.It also requires shifting, as each assist level is only good for a certain speed, and you want your pedal speed to match the bike speed. At least I do.

All my ebikes have throttles and pedal assist. Some of my bikes are pretty mild mannered (weak), so throttle doesn't do much, but I still like to have one. In general, I think one is better off with a more powerful motor. This will work better with a torque sensor as well as a throttle, so I'd pick a Class 2.

If I come to Calgary to see the Canadian Rockies again, I'll ride my Class 2 bikes on your bike paths. We ride at bike speeds. Our e-bikes look like bikes. I figure ... if I don't bother anyone or act obnoxious, the law will leave me alone. If I were rolling along at the 20 mile limit of a commercial Class 2 ebike on a bike path which has walkers, kids, dogs, etc , I would expect to get scrutinized.

 

[Christopher Cramer]

How much effect does the full suspension on the enduro have on pedaling? Does the back suspension absorb the force you put on the pedals? How well does this bike work for commuting instead of mountain biking?

 

[Dewey]

How much effect does the full suspension on the enduro have on pedaling? Does the back suspension absorb the force you put on the pedals? How well does this bike work for commuting instead of mountain biking?

I haven’t ridden the Voltbike Enduro but Court’s video showed the components are basic and he had some issues setting it up right for him, the seat post the bike comes with is very short and you would want to replace it with a dropper seat post so you could raise it high enough to get comfortable pedalling. The stem appears to be too short and too far forward so Court found the position too forward leaning for comfort. You would need to spend a bit more to get comfortable. Shop around before you commit, Propel bikes in Brooklyn, NY are currently offering $600 off a 2017 Haibike Sduro hard seven 4.0 at $2kUSD, that has a great Yamaha pedelec motor, and decent bicycle components such as puncture resistant Schwalbe Smart Sam tires on Alexrims.

 

[Christopher Cramer]

The lattest version of the enduro comes with a longer seat post, and a quick release in the front rim. Does the enduro also have lockable back suspension?

 

[Christopher Cramer]

how well does the enduro really perform as a commuter bike? I emailed voltbike and asked them the same question, but all they told me were some recommendations of their other bikes that would work better for commuting. However their other models are all class 2 ebikes. What are some down sides to using the enduro to get around town rather than mountain biking. The main flaws that were pointed out in Court's video have been taken care of by voltbike, such as the stem, and the seat post; they also added some other features which will bring the price up by 100$ in one week. I am hesitant to cancel my suspended order of the enduro for a different ebike because it is getting very good reviews, and the price will go back up in a weeks time.Are there some other class 1 ebikes you would recommend more than the enduro that remain with in the same price range of 1000 - 2500 CAD?

 

[Dewey]

how well does the enduro really perform as a commuter bike?...I am hesitant to cancel my suspended order of the enduro for a different ebike...Are there some other class 1 ebikes you would recommend more than the enduro that remain with in the same price range of 1000 - 2500 CAD?

Regarding comfort, for the Enduro there aren't any rack or fender bosses, Court's review suggested a couple of racks that might work, you could rig up some clip on splash guards mounted on the downtube and under a rear rack. As for another Voltbike model, the Elegant has those accessories and a chain guard and uses a rear Bafang hub motor, it has a throttle but it would be very easy to simply unplug and remove it from the handlebar, voila your ebike is now a Class 1 pedelec. There's a Surface 604 dealer in Calgary, the Colt or Rook models also use Bafang rear hub motors, they must remove the throttle because the owner in this video says the ebikes they sell are pedelec only no throttle to comply with Calgary city bylaws. I live in the US and have a Bafang BBS01 mid-drive kit motor that I use as a pedelec, I simply left off the throttle and it came with a plastic blank that covers the connector or you could use duct tape or silicone.

 

[rich c]

How much effect does the full suspension on the enduro have on pedaling? Does the back suspension absorb the force you put on the pedals? How well does this bike work for commuting instead of mountain biking?

As long as it is an air shock on the rear suspension, it's infinitely adjustable. Both for compression and rebound. I'm not sure, but I think some of the shocks can be locked out. I find no yo-yo motion with my full seven riding on the streets. I love riding full suspension on the street. I don't have to keep a special concentration on roughness in the road. BUT, still keep an eye out for potholes at speed! Also hopping a curb is actually fun instead of an effort.

 

[Christopher Cramer]

Thanks for all your responses, I think I will stick with the enduro. I don't mind using a back pack to carry things, and if the full suspension actually pays off as a benefit when riding in the city, then it may actually be quite suitable for urban riding along with the adjustable top speed. I may be spending more than I need to on my first ebike but at this time I am also saving quite a bit, as the price will go up from the original price with in a week.

 

[rich c]

The Thule Pack 'n Pedal Tour bike rack works well for me.