Commuter- Surface 604 Colt, EG Bali 500 EX, or...

[soupy]

I'm looking for a bike that can handle my 6'3" flabby frame on a 9 mile commute reasonably well, and give me some excercise on my ride home. So I've been looking mostly at bikes with a combination of torque sensors and throttle, and including fenders, a rack, and lights saves me adding them after.

I've gone through tons of videos and reviews, and these two are my top contenders:
https://electricbikereview.com/surface-604/colt/
https://electricbikereview.com/eg/bali-500-ex/

Both should be equally suitable for the areas I'll be riding, bike paths and easy trails here in the gentle hills in the Maryland suburbs of D.C.

Based on the reviews, the Colt has slightly better fit/finish/components, but the Bali is a speed pedalec. I'd like to think I could actually get up to speed on the Bali.

No dealers for EG anywhere in the region though, but there is a Surface 604 dealer a couple hours away who should have some Colts within a few weeks.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Jed]

I'm looking for a bike that can handle my 6'3" flabby frame on a 9 mile commute reasonably well, and give me some excercise on my ride home. So I've been looking mostly at bikes with a combination of torque sensors and throttle, and including fenders, a rack, and lights saves me adding them after.

I've gone through tons of videos and reviews, and these two are my top contenders:
https://electricbikereview.com/surface-604/colt/
https://electricbikereview.com/eg/bali-500-ex/

Both should be equally suitable for the areas I'll be riding, bike paths and easy trails here in the gentle hills in the Maryland suburbs of D.C.

Based on the reviews, the Colt has slightly better fit/finish/components, but the Bali is a speed pedalec. I'd like to think I could actually get up to speed on the Bali.

No dealers for EG anywhere in the region though, but there is a Surface 604 dealer a couple hours away who should have some Colts within a few weeks.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Not sure about the Bali, but my experience so far with the EG Milan has not been very good. Controller issues and now a wobbly lower bracket / crank set problem causing the chain to come off the front sprocket. I,m almost as flabby as you and probably older. lol Good luck with your purchase.

 

[soupy]

Appreciate the feedback. That's the kind of stuff I was hoping to find out.