Class 3 commuter, 30 miles, fairly flat

[TXCrash]

Looking for a class 3 bike/ conversion kit for my 30 mile (each way) commute. I currently drive it, but was doing a bike/ train combo in the morning, riding the 30 miles home at night. Roads are fairly flat (400 ft elevation gain in the AM, 600 in the PM). My average moving speed was about 15 mph depending on how my legs felt, wind, etc. 10-20 mph winds are fairly common. I plan on charging at work. I’d like to arrive at the office fairly fresh (12-15 mph effort) with a ~20mph average speed, and I’d like to be able to push hard (~18mph effort) and average 25 on the way home. Suspension isn’t required, I understand (and am comfortable with) how a bike feels at 30mph with no suspension.

I’m around 250, 6’3”. I’d prefer a drop bar (or the ability to easily convert to a Jones H bar or the like for multiple hand positions), strongly prefer a pedelec vs throttle type. I’ll be toting the basic tools to do roadside repair, as well as a change of clothes, lunch, and the ever important coffee. This fits in a single pannier or backpack - I’d prefer panniers as they’ll allow me to arrive to work more fresh (no showers at work, but I have a hygiene routine that works for mild sweat).

I have a few bikes that would be decent candidates for conversion, but most conversions I’ve seen are.... ugly. The bike will be in my office and an occasional topic of conversation, so I’d rather it not scream “homebrew ebike”. I want integrated lighting, but it’s not an absolute requirement.

My cadence is fairly high (about 80 is my “cruising” cadence) which I think knocks Yamaha powered bikes out of contention. I’m fairly mechanical, and will do my own maintenance.

I live in TX (DFW) to help guide vendor recommendations. I anticipate putting around 10K miles/ year on the bike. I’ll ride in the rain, in the cold, and in the Texas heat.

Appreciate any reccomendations on:
Full E-bikes
Vendors
Kits
Builds to replicate

I’m also fairly patient, so if there’s an annual sale to wait for that’s coming up fairly soon, please bring it to my attention.

Thanks!

 

[SirJonathan]

I have a CCX and also would recommend it. They are $200 off right now so you can pick one up for $2299. I think the sizes and colors may be limited. My experiences have been favorable with them so far - although if I waited a few weeks I could have save myself $200!

 

[TXCrash]

So that’s 2 votes for the CCX, which was certainly on my list. Unfortunately the $200 off doesn’t apply for some reason on the XL, which I’d need since I’m tall. Any others I should be considering? I love the look of the giant road e+ (but it’s bloody expensive and uses a yammy drive, and has a much smaller battery)

 

[Ebiker01]

Given the rider weight and additional backpack/panniers , you would need a powerfull bike and at least 600wh battery. I ride an amzing Easy motion Nitro city , but for a 250lb rider it would probably drain the battery close to 7-10% and that is not good for it. You could get an additional battery and this brand is prob. Nr. 1 if you factor in dealer presence, lack of issues , cost of batteries( i just purchased a lightly used 600wh battery for 250$, brand new is 750$) .

So with using only 1 battery I’m afraid only a Stromer could get you 30miles M-F with not too many issues or maybe 0 issues. The Juiced bike yes maybe but it will already be close to 3k. Look around for some Stromer St2’s onsale with the 814/983wh battery. I just missed one @ crazylenny bike store , was going for 4.2k from 7k orig.

 

[SirJonathan]

So that’s 2 votes for the CCX, which was certainly on my list. Unfortunately the $200 off doesn’t apply for some reason on the XL, which I’d need since I’m tall. Any others I should be considering? I love the look of the giant road e+ (but it’s bloody expensive and uses a yammy drive, and has a much smaller battery)

I'm 6'2 with a 35 inch inseam. I also thought I needed the XL frame. There's a long thread on here somewhere and many people posted that the L fit them fine and the only difference between the XL and L on the CCX frames were the seat tube length. Reach and everything else was the same.

I have the Large and it fits me perfectly. The CCX for $2300 is a steal. Depending upon your inseam you may indeed want or need the XL though.

 

[Chris Hammond]

So I'll chime in. I have a 30 mile each way commute as well. I own a Juiced CCS with the 52V /21Ah battery. For simplicity, search my posts on this site, I have detailed much on my experience.
I bought my bike in May of last year and put 5000 miles on it before the snow started flying here. Overall, I absolutely love the bike. It has been incredibly reliable and feels as solid now as day one.
I enjoy riding at high speed, I am generally cruising at 28-30 mph while riding. My average speed for the entire ride is ~23 mph on average, due to city riding in traffic/ lights/ etc. My ride time hovers around 80 minutes. I am pedalling hard all the time, and adjust the assist as I want to try to maintain my cruising speed as appropriate for the conditions. I generally use ~550 Wh of energy from the pack each way. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR YOU! Most ebike batteries are 500 Wh or less. This means you would fully deplete a fully charged pack twice a day. You need a big battery for long distance commuting, unless you are willing to ride slow. I charge my battery to 80% nearly all the time in order to maximize battery life. My battery is generally over 40% at the end of my ride. As the voltage of the battery drops while riding the performance falls accordingly. I have detailed this in my other posts. Suffice it to say I can maintain my cruising speed of 28+ mph at 40% voltage unless I am climbing or have a very strong headwind. I have used >650 Wh fighting a strong headwind all the way home.
This will also affect you on your morning ride where you want to contribute a smaller effort. You will use more energy from the pack and travel slower.
Good luck with your search. If you have ?s let me know.

 

[TXCrash]

Chatted with Juiced today (between the sale and a coupon gained by dropping something in my cart and walking away, the CCX was down to $2199), and I don't think I'll like the frame geometry of the bike, since it's basically a "one size fits all" with a longer seat tube, but nothing else changes for each size. I prefer a more aggressive stance on the bike. Seems everything else (other than the stromer) has a relaxed geometry, a yammy middrive (I'd prefer hub drive due to perceived longevity - I'm not sure how overblown that is), or a small battery, so I think I'm back in the "build it" camp.

I have the following potential candidates for conversion in my "stable".
* 2017 Rockhopper comp. Hydraulic brakes, I have a higher spoke count front wheel kicking around, and wire management would be fairly simple due to the preexisting chase that's on the downtube for the hydraulic brakes. Obviously I'd change the tires and bars to something more suited for commuting, and I'd throw on a larger front chainring.

* 2017 Fuji Tread (Drop bar gravel/city bike), carbon fork, fits me wonderfully and I've put about 5K miles on it commuting the same roads under my own power. Mechanical disc brakes. 105 & Tiagra componentry. Geared right for a 28mph cruise with a strong tailwind and fire in my lungs. I feel like it'd be fine for what I want, but I've certainly never maintained 28mph for an extended duration on these roads, and they certainly aren't pristine.

* A couple older steel road bikes. I love the "squish" factor of steel, but they aren't disc ready unless I swap out a fork, so they aren't high on the list.

Too many wants, too many options, a wallet not sized for a $8K ebike... this is why I don't have an E-Bike yet.

 

[Chris Hammond]

Chatted with Juiced today (between the sale and a coupon gained by dropping something in my cart and walking away, the CCX was down to $2199), and I don't think I'll like the frame geometry of the bike, since it's basically a "one size fits all" with a longer seat tube, but nothing else changes for each size. I prefer a more aggressive stance on the bike. Seems everything else (other than the stromer) has a relaxed geometry, a yammy middrive (I'd prefer hub drive due to perceived longevity - I'm not sure how overblown that is), or a small battery, so I think I'm back in the "build it" camp.

I have the following potential candidates for conversion in my "stable".
* 2017 Rockhopper comp. Hydraulic brakes, I have a higher spoke count front wheel kicking around, and wire management would be fairly simple due to the preexisting chase that's on the downtube for the hydraulic brakes. Obviously I'd change the tires and bars to something more suited for commuting, and I'd throw on a larger front chainring.

* 2017 Fuji Tread (Drop bar gravel/city bike), carbon fork, fits me wonderfully and I've put about 5K miles on it commuting the same roads under my own power. Mechanical disc brakes. 105 & Tiagra componentry. Geared right for a 28mph cruise with a strong tailwind and fire in my lungs. I feel like it'd be fine for what I want, but I've certainly never maintained 28mph for an extended duration on these roads, and they certainly aren't pristine.

* A couple older steel road bikes. I love the "squish" factor of steel, but they aren't disc ready unless I swap out a fork, so they aren't high on the list.

Too many wants, too many options, a wallet not sized for a $8K ebike... this is why I don't have an E-Bike yet.

FWIW, I prefer a more aggressive riding position as well.
You can make some simple and cheap adjustments to the CCS to provide a more forward (aero) riding position. I swapped the stem from a road bike that was ~ 20 mm longer, I also flipped it for a negative rise. Then I rotated the bars ~ 180 degrees forward. This put the angle downward and forward. This all served to lengthen the cockpit dramatically.

 

[SirJonathan]

I've found the opposite for my eBike. If I want a more aggressive position I'll hop on my CAAD 10. I'm in the drops all day in that thing. My main purpose of the eBike is to ride more comfortably farther and faster. I really like the CCX position - right out of the box.

Of course, what's comfortable to me may not be comfortable to you.

 

[TXCrash]

FWIW, I prefer a more aggressive riding position as well.
You can make some simple and cheap adjustments to the CCS to provide a more forward (aero) riding position. I swapped the stem from a road bike that was ~ 20 cm longer, I also flipped it for a negative rise. Then I rotated the bars ~ 180 degrees forward. This put the angle downward and forward. This all served to lengthen the cockpit dramatically.

How tall are you, what size you riding, and what’s your inseam? Care to share a pic of your setup? Thanks for your input. Finger hovering over the “buy” button again.

 

[TXCrash]

Eff it.

 

[SirJonathan]

Killer deal on that bike! Congrats!

 

[TXCrash]

Killer deal on that bike! Congrats!

Yeah, building to near that spec brought me to ~1800 and affirm had a 0% for 6 months deal. Customer reviews seem overwhelmingly positive save a select few. I HAVE to get back to bike commuting, and buying this eliminates an excuse. Cost of ownership seems a little higher than the car (I drive a Prius and can’t be car free) but the mental effect of riding vs driving is priceless.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

I was going to make a couple of suggestions, but I'll just say I think you'll be happy with the CCX. Most of us have made some modifications to our bikes - I have the CCS and have swapped out pedals, added folding baskets, put on a stem riser as I prefer a more upright position, and a flashing rear light - and I'm sure you will, too. Photos and a ride review when you've got a bunch of time on it, please!

 

[linklemming]

Eff it.

Congrats, you will love your CCX, its perfect for your intended goals. Be sure to give a ride report and/or opinions.

I was also just a click away from ordering one for many weeks.

I bought a CCX for christmas after converting and old MTB to electric with a TSDZ2 kit. While this bike did work, I feel my money would have been better spent just getting the CCX in the first place.

You can still convert one of your other bikes (you can never have too many ebikes!!, I have 3 and am researching a 4th)

 

[TXCrash]

I was going to make a couple of suggestions, but I'll just say I think you'll be happy with the CCX. Most of us have made some modifications to our bikes - I have the CCS and have swapped out pedals, added folding baskets, put on a stem riser as I prefer a more upright position, and a flashing rear light - and I'm sure you will, too. Photos and a ride review when you've got a bunch of time on it, please!

I’ve got the full kit of bright cygolights for front and rear - I’m akin to a Christmas tree rolling down the road in traffic or in the dark. Pedals will definitely be swapped out, not sure if I’ll clip in or run platforms. I’ll see if the panniers I have fit without heel strike. If not, I’ve got a good cycling backpack.

Congrats, you will love your CCX, its perfect for your intended goals. Be sure to give a ride report and/or opinions.

I was also just a click away from ordering one for many weeks.

I bought a CCX for christmas after converting and old MTB to electric with a TSDZ2 kit. While this bike did work, I feel my money would have been better spent just getting the CCX in the first place.

You can still convert one of your other bikes (you can never have too many ebikes!!, I have 3 and am researching a 4th)

I’ll end up with more than one, I’m sure - the juiced will give me a better real life example of what battery size I actually need. I’d like to build a stealthy road bike up for those times I need no gear. I doubt I’ll want an ebike for recreational purposes, but you never can tell.

I’ll plan on updates with pics at the first 500, 1000 and every 1000 miles afterwards. I’ll need an ebike for ~40-60k miles over the next 4 years (I can move closer, eliminating the need for assistance after then - or at least have less extreme needs) - I’m anticipating not much will make the long haul - that’s a ton of miles for a bicycle. I’m anticipating replacing (or rebuilding) the battery once or twice, the hub motor once or twice, and the entire bicycle drivetrain a few times over these miles. Obviously I’ll replace my share of tubes and tires, too.

I’m excited, and wishing I’d ordered sooner so that I already had the bike.

 

[TXCrash]

And she’s shipped!

Pre-drove my old route home, and there’s a marked amount of construction that’d suck to ride through on the southern half (both on the “fast” route and on the “calm” but slower route), so I’ll have to find a couple detours around those roads.

Also ordered a cycle satiator, and will use the stock charger at work (where I’m awake and can monitor the charge, versus relying on a timer).

 

[Chris Hammond]

And she’s shipped!

Pre-drove my old route home, and there’s a marked amount of construction that’d suck to ride through on the southern half (both on the “fast” route and on the “calm” but slower route), so I’ll have to find a couple detours around those roads.

Also ordered a cycle satiator, and will use the stock charger at work (where I’m awake and can monitor the charge, versus relying on a timer).

Excellent choice on the satiator, it is a great charger. It is very nice to have multiple charging profiles so you can easily adjust to your planned ride.
Great thing about the CCS/X is you won't mind having to go a few miles out of the way to avoid construction. The bike removed so many of my frustrations of commuting on my road bike.

 

[TXCrash]

Excellent choice on the satiator, it is a great charger. It is very nice to have multiple charging profiles so you can easily adjust to your planned ride.
Great thing about the CCS/X is you won't mind having to go a few miles out of the way to avoid construction. The bike removed so many of my frustrations of commuting on my road bike.

Exactly. While I can pedal power the road bike to a bit over 30, I start seeing stars if I hold it for too long... and I’m drenched in sweat. There are a few roads that I avoided because I felt like I was holding up traffic too much/ didn’t feel all that safe on at pedal cycle speeds (I do active control and release of the lane, but that only goes so far with rush hour traffic). Didn’t have the chance to pre drive the detour route (kid issues) today but will shortly.

Hoping that the battery takes a 3 pin xlr connection as indicated by juice on the cycle satiator page and the stock charger page, as well as the “charger” section of the detailed specs pdf, and not the 4 pin as indicated in the same detailed specs page under “battery”. I sent a message to support and haven’t gotten a reply. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow either way lol.

 

[Chris Hammond]

Exactly. While I can pedal power the road bike to a bit over 30, I start seeing stars if I hold it for too long... and I’m drenched in sweat. There are a few roads that I avoided because I felt like I was holding up traffic too much/ didn’t feel all that safe on at pedal cycle speeds (I do active control and release of the lane, but that only goes so far with rush hour traffic). Didn’t have the chance to pre drive the detour route (kid issues) today but will shortly.

Hoping that the battery takes a 3 pin xlr connection as indicated by juice on the cycle satiator page and the stock charger page, as well as the “charger” section of the detailed specs pdf, and not the 4 pin as indicated in the same detailed specs page under “battery”. I sent a message to support and haven’t gotten a reply. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow either way lol.

Juiced uses 3 pin XLR port on 52V batteries, and 4 pin on 48V.