Commuter ebike below 2k

pveer

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USA
Hi, trying to get a commuter ebike. Ride 2.5 miles a day. Short rider 5'2". Considering r1up 700, radcity 5, radrover 6, r1up lmt'd. Looking for suggestions.
Prefer a hydraulic brake, step-thru, good tires. Thanks in advance!!
 
Hi, trying to get a commuter ebike. Ride 2.5 miles a day. Short rider 5'2". Considering r1up 700, radcity 5, radrover 6, r1up lmt'd. Looking for suggestions.
Prefer a hydraulic brake, step-thru, good tires. Thanks in advance!!
Aventon Pace 500 on sale $600 off. Best bike available for $1000. Small size would be perfect fit for 5’2”.
 

BEST ELECTRIC BIKE FOR A SHORT PERSON​

www.ebikewizard.com

BEST ELECTRIC BIKE FOR A SHORT PERSON​

Which electric bikes are best for short people?

 

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Are you interested in doing your own repairs/setups? Or do you tend to depend on a local bike store?
What kind of terrain are you wanting to ride (this may change once you start)? :)
 
$2000. No stairs. Weight is not a constraint.
Well, you are only riding 2.5 miles so pretty much any ebike or pedal bike will work work for that range. Do you ride in winter snow? If so then get a fat tire ebike. RAD ebikes are on the heavy and tall side. So really it is the bike height that is your main focus. I have had a Rattan 750 and liked it and sold that to my cousin.

BEST ELECTRIC BIKE FOR A SHORT PERSON​

Which electric bikes are best for short people?


 
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Pedego ebikes are popular here for rental ebikes. I don't own one but they seem to be sturdy enough to take abuse that even an inexperienced riders can throw at it.
2k is a good start to get in the action.
Oh right thanks! Will add them to the list.
 
Are you interested in doing your own repairs/setups? Or do you tend to depend on a local bike store?
What kind of terrain are you wanting to ride (this may change once you start)? :)
I depend on a LBS for assembly but do few minor repairs on my own. The terrain is just city roads as of now😅
 
Once again, the responders & experts have limited bikes for short people to those having no teeth. 20" tires are vile through a pothole. It rains or snows sometimes, I can't always miss them.
I see the ancheer on the lists above. The bike that was so bad it didn't even make it through Court's test before the controller blew up. Look at the brand list known problem theads to see which brands have repeated problems requiring a complaint to the internet instead of a visit to the bike store for warrenty work.
I think hydraulic brakes are for those that have a local bike shop that will work on the bike. I don't race down mountains and adjust my pad about every 1000 miles, takes 2 minutes. 5" brake handles even out the force of cable pull if the bike is shipped with 3.5" handles to force you to buy the premium model.
Blix still has one complaint, 4 years in business. I'd look to see if an Aveny Sol or Packa would fit you. Packa is 24" tires. www.blixbikes.com
The birea easy boarding electric looks really fun but check the measurements yourself. $2299 a little over your budget. Biria has zero posts on the known problems thread. https://biria.com/bike/electric-easy-boarding-stock-august-2022
My yuba bodaboda pictured left was special for short people, 26" tires, sadly discontinued in 2020. Superb quality. Look for used ones maybe, the step through frame is for short people. The replacement yuba combi has a steel frame, heavier, and a mid drive, which requires unnecessary IMHO chain maintenance for distance users. WIth a hub drive I've replaced the chain one time in 10000 miles. I've used up 4 motors but swapping out a power wheel is a 45 minute job if the connectors match. Dead geared hub motors ride home fine pedaling without drag. Dead mid drives (except yamaha, brose, most expensive of 4 models bosch) you drag the motor home with your feet if the chain works and call a tow truck if it doesn't.
 
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Do you want to pedal for exercise or just hit the throttle and go? It makes a big difference in choice of bike type. At your height 24" wheels are a good option but not necessary. 20" tires give a torque benefit to a weaker motor, allowing you a broader range of choices. 20" fat tires add a ride cushion.

I would beware of the 'best' list posted above. Its clearly a clickbait article and the links are Amazon for-pay affiliate links so the author earns a commission. Some of those bikes are out-and-out, unequivocal garbage.

This one is a 24" step-thru and right smack on your budget target:

 
Once again, the responders & experts have limited bikes for short people to those having no teeth. 20" tires are vile through a pothole. It rains or snows sometimes, I can't always miss them.
I see the ancheer on the lists above. The bike that was so bad it didn't even make it through Court's test before the controller blew up. Look at the brand list known problem theads to see which brands have repeated problems requiring a complaint to the internet instead of a visit to the bike store for warrenty work.
I think hydraulic brakes are for those that have a local bike shop that will work on the bike. I don't race down mountains and adjust my pad about every 1000 miles, takes 2 minutes. 5" brake handles even out the force of cable pull if the bike is shipped with 3.5" handles to force you to buy the premium model.
Blix still has one complaint, 4 years in business. I'd look to see if an Aveny Sol or Packa would fit you. Packa is 24" tires. www.blixbikes.com
The birea easy boarding electric looks really fun but check the measurements yourself. $2299 a little over your budget. Biria has zero posts on the known problems thread. https://biria.com/bike/electric-easy-boarding-stock-august-2022
My yuba bodaboda pictured left was special for short people, 26" tires, sadly discontinued in 2020. Superb quality. Look for used ones maybe, the step through frame is for short people. The replacement yuba combi has a steel frame, heavier, and a mid drive, which requires unnecessary IMHO chain maintenance for distance users. WIth a hub drive I've replaced the chain one time in 10000 miles. I've used up 4 motors but swapping out a power wheel is a 45 minute job if the connectors match. Dead geared hub motors ride home fine pedaling without drag. Dead mid drives (except yamaha, brose, most expensive of 4 models bosch) you drag the motor home with your feet if the chain works and call a tow truck if it doesn't.
Thanks for the detailed reply and suggestions!! Blix looks like a good option. How hard are 26" tire bikes for short people to ride? I really wish Yuba was still in production.
 
Do you want to pedal for exercise or just hit the throttle and go? It makes a big difference in choice of bike type. At your height 24" wheels are a good option but not necessary. 20" tires give a torque benefit to a weaker motor, allowing you a broader range of choices. 20" fat tires add a ride cushion.
I don't care about exercise. I need a good bike to get to school on. Do you mean 26" is better than 24" tires? Please pardon my lack of knowledge.

I would beware of the 'best' list posted above. Its clearly a clickbait article and the links are Amazon for-pay affiliate links so the author earns a commission. Some of those bikes are out-and-out, unequivocal garbage.
Sure!
This one is a 24" step-thru and right smack on your budget target:

I
How good is the customer service network of EBC and how do these compare to Ride1up?
 
Thanks for the detailed reply and suggestions!! Blix looks like a good option. How hard are 26" tire bikes for short people to ride?
Depends on the minimum reach from seat to lowest pedal position, and how far from the ground the seat is then. My pants inseam is 28", so I ride the bodaboda for 62" height (minimum) people well, although with my long torso my height is 68". I want to be able to touch the ground with my toes with the bike stopped, and still almost straighten my leg when pedaling. My leg is bent a little too far on the pedal at full extension, but that just means I pant more than necessary pedaling unpowered than if the frame totally fit me. My short legs & long torso, the perfect bike is not going to happen. (I'm Appalachian Native American, not normal bones at all).
Another design for short people is the crank forwards style, as Liv (a trek brand for short women). They are not $2000 though.
 
Depends on the minimum reach from seat to lowest pedal position, and how far from the ground the seat is then. My pants inseam is 28", so I ride the bodaboda for 62" height (minimum) people well, although with my long torso my height is 68". I want to be able to touch the ground with my toes with the bike stopped, and still almost straighten my leg when pedaling. My leg is bent a little too far on the pedal at full extension, but that just means I pant more than necessary pedaling unpowered than if the frame totally fit me. My short legs & long torso, the perfect bike is not going to happen. (I'm Appalachian Native American, not normal bones at all).
Another design for short people is the crank forwards style, as Liv (a trek brand for short women). They are not $2000 though.
From what I understand, I’ll need to test ride any if these bikes before buying. I totally get how hard it is to choose a bike. The rad power Rad city 3 step thru or rad rover 6 advertises itself as One for riders at with inseam down to 25”. Do you have any ideas about them?
 
I've never seen a Rad bike.
They have 270 posts on "known problems" thread. This should be divided by a huge market share. Rad was really good about sending a free spoke if one stretched, then another one, then another one as they stretched one at a time. The $75 to get a shop to re-true the wheel each time was the purchasers problem.
It is best to see the dimension chart for a bike and determine the measurements fit you or not. Here is the one for my 2017 bodaboda. No chart availabe, the vendor doesn't care about short tall or oddly shaped people like me. Like Liv, huge market share but you can't even see how much they weigh unless you go to a shop and weigh one. The nearest Liv shop to Louisville is Chicago.
Another crank forwards 26" bike is the elektra townie, a trek brand for women. I sat on one at a dealer at noon today, seemed really close to the ground. https://electra.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/townie
 

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I don't care about exercise. I need a good bike to get to school on. Do you mean 26" is better than 24" tires? Please pardon my lack of knowledge.
Did you mean to say 20" rather than 26"? Since I'm not sure I'll answer that a bit more broadly. You want to look at tire size not just now but also when it comes time to buy more tires.
26"
  • 26" tires are widely available from any number of sellers. So many they are beyond counting, in fact. Expect low prices and a very wide selection of tire choices.
  • The same goes for inner tubes. Expect a wide variety of size choices and you'll always be able to find one somewhere.
  • 26" tires are the tallest of the bunch. This is a non issue if you have a step-thru frame, most likely.
  • 26" tires - because of their circumference - are the slowest tire to get started up, and have the highest top speed, all things being equal if comparing against the other sizes.

24"
  • This is kind of an oddball size that is the least-prevalant in the marketplace of the three. Expect to have to do some hunting to find replacements. they'll be found but availability will be nothing like it is for 26" or 20"
  • The same goes for inner tubes when it comes to availability and options
  • 24" tires are an emerging size on an emerging class of bikes that cater to a wider variety of rider sizes, among other things. Availability may (probably will) improve over time.
  • Because they are smaller than 26", they have a torque advantage. A bike can get up and go from a stop a little faster with only a minor lowering effect on top speed (again, all things being equal in a comparison)

20"
  • 20" tires are widely available from any number of sellers, like 26". Expect low prices and a very wide selection of tire choices.
  • The use of 20" fat tires on ebikes has more or less exploded in the last 5 years or so. The fat tire eliminates ride harshness on a bike that isn't going to be expected to win any performance competitions.
  • 20" tires are small enough (BMX bikes are also 20" but with skinnier tires) that they give a significant torque advantage over 26". The Sondors Fold XS bikes had to have their controllers downgraded to 20a because if they gave them the 25a controllers the 26" XS bikes had, they would wheelie and flip if you nailed the throttle. This torque advantage means a bike with 20" fat tires can be comfortable and also take steeper hills with a hub motor that would otherwise not be strong enough to reliably do the job.
If it were me, given the use case you have described and the minimal needs you have, I'd go with a Lectric XP. Its an $800 bike that lots of people seem to like, its light duty for sure but thats your bag. Don't overthink this. I have ridden with one of them in the bike lane and the little bastard was able to match me up to a certain point and I had to work to get past him (he was all throttle and just cruising). When they say those bikes have a 28 mph top speed they aren't lying. And yes its an oddball frame design not suited to strong pedaling, but you said you don't care about that.

How good is the customer service network of EBC and how do these compare to Ride1up?
Beats the hell out of me. :D. But I've seen complaints here and there about Ride1Up to be sure.
 
Did you mean to say 20" rather than 26"? Since I'm not sure I'll answer that a bit more broadly. You want to look at tire size not just now but also when it comes time to buy more tires.
26"
  • 26" tires are widely available from any number of sellers. So many they are beyond counting, in fact. Expect low prices and a very wide selection of tire choices.
  • The same goes for inner tubes. Expect a wide variety of size choices and you'll always be able to find one somewhere.
  • 26" tires are the tallest of the bunch. This is a non issue if you have a step-thru frame, most likely.
  • 26" tires - because of their circumference - are the slowest tire to get started up, and have the highest top speed, all things being equal if comparing against the other sizes.

24"
  • This is kind of an oddball size that is the least-prevalant in the marketplace of the three. Expect to have to do some hunting to find replacements. they'll be found but availability will be nothing like it is for 26" or 20"
  • The same goes for inner tubes when it comes to availability and options
  • 24" tires are an emerging size on an emerging class of bikes that cater to a wider variety of rider sizes, among other things. Availability may (probably will) improve over time.
  • Because they are smaller than 26", they have a torque advantage. A bike can get up and go from a stop a little faster with only a minor lowering effect on top speed (again, all things being equal in a comparison)

20"
  • 20" tires are widely available from any number of sellers, like 26". Expect low prices and a very wide selection of tire choices.
  • The use of 20" fat tires on ebikes has more or less exploded in the last 5 years or so. The fat tire eliminates ride harshness on a bike that isn't going to be expected to win any performance competitions.
  • 20" tires are small enough (BMX bikes are also 20" but with skinnier tires) that they give a significant torque advantage over 26". The Sondors Fold XS bikes had to have their controllers downgraded to 20a because if they gave them the 25a controllers the 26" XS bikes had, they would wheelie and flip if you nailed the throttle. This torque advantage means a bike with 20" fat tires can be comfortable and also take steeper hills with a hub motor that would otherwise not be strong enough to reliably do the job.
If it were me, given the use case you have described and the minimal needs you have, I'd go with a Lectric XP. Its an $800 bike that lots of people seem to like, its light duty for sure but thats your bag. Don't overthink this. I have ridden with one of them in the bike lane and the little bastard was able to match me up to a certain point and I had to work to get past him (he was all throttle and just cruising). When they say those bikes have a 28 mph top speed they aren't lying. And yes its an oddball frame design not suited to strong pedaling, but you said you don't care about that.


Beats the hell out of me. :D. But I've seen complaints here and there about Ride1Up to be sure.
Thanks a lot. That gives me very good clarity. I’m just wondering why the Lectric has a minimum seat height of 30” despite having a 20” tire. I see that magnum and aventon seem to offer bikes which have a low seat too. Does anyone have any experience with them?
 
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