Demo Problem

[rojagrande]

So, eager to demo a couple of suggestions, I headed to two of the bike dealers closest to me in San Jose/ Peninsula area.
ELV - nice guy, tiny space, not much choice, definitely nothing my size(x large) said he could order pretty much anything I was interested in.
Motostrano- nice enough fella though quite discouraging about anything other than mid drive Bosch motors which confused the hell out of me after some of the things I've read right here.
He basically told me to save my money and forget about anything else ( including Stromer!)
I enquired about a demo . He said that they didn't typically do demos as people tended to trash the bikes, understandable I guess. He then said he could "arrange a demo" once I zeroed in on something I wanted.
My choices would have been a Neo Cross or large frame Dash- once again nothing in stock or able to demo. I'd have to order first - very confusing. Is a general lack of inventory common?

If I'm to spend 3k on a bike I'd like to at least try something out before I buy! Other than fly to Wisconsin. What do I do? Trust the guys on the forum and buy unseen and untried? I'm left feeling quite discouraged about the whole scene.

If it helps, I've never even sat on an ebike, I'm 6'3" 215lb, 50 yr old ( this is starting to sound like a dating site lol!) looking for a sturdy mtb hybrid type bike that can get me around my local sales calls and have some fun on trails on the weekends.

Best RG

 

[Shea N Encinitas]

Other than fly to Wisconsin. What do I do?

Hitchhike? Bummer RG, we have an abundance of shops here, and traffic, and cost of living,.. Maybe fly to NY instead, Long Island? Then the problem of getting it home, hazardous battery et all. Good luck! -S

 

[DashRiprock]

There are a lot of lists on where to start but I think that we're all in the same boat...we have no idea how this technology will hold up...it will most likely be obsolete very soon...and we're paying waaay too much for what we're receiving when we don't do our homework. My best advice is to search some of Ravi's posts from April of this year...and you just may find that you're already half way to answering your own question.

 

[Brian(J)]

Well, you could call REI and see if they have a Dash or a Peak in stock:

400 El Paseo de Saratoga
San Jose, CA
(408) 871-8765

4309 Sayoko Cir
San Jose, CA
(408) 264-3198

And REI is a no-hassle return if you don't like it.

You are getting bad information from Motostrano. Avoid.

 

[ChrisD_]

I've had good experiences with Motostrano, where I bought my E3 Dash, while shopping, negotiating price and afterwards with service. As to test rides... the sales guy hovered over me for the first one or two I took out but after that I just went down the row and took each out and went down to the T-intersection at the end of Broadway and came back. If they're convenient to you, I'd say call beforehand to set an appt and then set some expectations. I think they can do better.

 

[Vern]

You could drive into SF and try New Wheel? I know it is a bit of a hike though.

 

[Deleted member 803]

I've been to Motostrano about 3 times and they let me test ride anything I wanted.....very strange. New Wheel will let you test anything you want as well. Was at
REI on Saratoga and they have no e-bikes on the floor. I've gotta brand new Neo Carbon with upgrades for sale at a great price if interested.........and you can test ride it to your hearts content....

 

[Chicagoland Ebikes]

Rojagrande,

Total bummer that they wouldn't let you try the ebikes…that's crazy. Next season we are going to events all over Chicagoland and offering test rides…to help educate people about ebikes….most people here in the midwest have never even heard of electric bikes…and even fewer have actually risen on one.

Both the bikes you are considering are VERY solid. I like the bikes and the companies behind them. You won't be disappointed with either…but at the same time I wish you could get on them locally and see which one you feel more at home with. There are shops like ours that offer in-store exchange credit if you change your mind about a bike. We do this for online purchases too, but there is a penalty with those purchase because of the expensive shipping back & forth…so better to buy local if you can.

Let us know how that works out.



Chicagoland Electric Bikes

 

[Deleted member 803]

No need to buy long distance. Plenty of e-bike dealers in the bay area.........................

 

[rojagrande]

Just to clarify.
I want to try the bikes I'm interested in that are my size and price range. If Motostrano is a good representation of the whole ebike buying experience then I'm underwhelmed.
I will definitely make a trip to SF New wheel though they apparently don't carry Ezip? They do carry Easy Motion Bikes. The 2015 models look awesome. I wonder when we get to see them here.

Some conclusions I've arrived at in my short experience with ebikes:

It's still a movement that's in it's infancy both in technology and concept. What I mean by this is that if these things were so good we'd have crowded bicycle lanes and a miniwar on our hands with traditional cyclists and regulators. It's almost an elitist movement at the moment because of the price I guess.

If you're in the market to buy and you don't fall into standard categories then demoing can be difficult - which leads me to:

You decide on a bike but because of your choices you may have to travel further afield or even buy online. In that case you'd better have a good local service shop close by that isn't pissed off you didn't buy from them.

One apparently positive aspect of the scene is this very website and forum community. I've used the word "movement" a lot - that's what it feels like. A burgeoning support group helping each other through growing pains of something special. Even the potential sellers are supportive of each other.

BTW. I'm off to S. Lake Tahoe next weekend. There are a couple of ebike renters there. Me and the missus are going to try them out!

Best.
RG.

 

[Vern]

Just to clarify.
I want to try the bikes I'm interested in that are my size and price range. If Motostrano is a good representation of the whole ebike buying experience then I'm underwhelmed.
I will definitely make a trip to SF New wheel though they apparently don't carry Ezip? They do carry Easy Motion Bikes. The 2015 models look awesome. I wonder when we get to see them here.

Some conclusions I've arrived at in my short experience with ebikes:

It's still a movement that's in it's infancy both in technology and concept. What I mean by this is that if these things were so good we'd have crowded bicycle lanes and a miniwar on our hands with traditional cyclists and regulators. It's almost an elitist movement at the moment because of the price I guess.

If you're in the market to buy and you don't fall into standard categories then demoing can be difficult - which leads me to:

You decide on a bike but because of your choices you may have to travel further afield or even buy online. In that case you'd better have a good local service shop close by that isn't pissed off you didn't buy from them.

One apparently positive aspect of the scene is this very website and forum community. I've used the word "movement" a lot - that's what it feels like. A burgeoning support group helping each other through growing pains of something special. Even the potential sellers are supportive of each other.

BTW. I'm off to S. Lake Tahoe next weekend. There are a couple of ebike renters there. Me and the missus are going to try them out!

Best.
RG.

Just came back from Lake Tahoe. I love it up there. Very close to the state line in South Lake Tahoe there is a Pedego dealer. They are not my style, but they are good bikes and you can rent them. It would be fun to get your e-bike feet wet on them and cruise the paved trails around the lake. I'm not sure if there are other e-bike dealers around there, but it would be great if you could rent/demo something more trail worthy and maybe hit some of the non-paved trails too. I LOVE how bike friendly the Tahoe is. There are cyclists and trails everywhere. Have fun!!

 

[Deleted member 803]

One of the ongoing problems with e-bike distribution at the IBD level is that the North American sales revenue has been flat for about a decade or more. The bike industry is not growing. Average IBD is a very small business and purchasing inventory that costs 3X the average pedal bike for a small market opportunity is a risky business decision. Most don't have the resources, education, or experience to create demand and, since over 80% of bike purchase motivation in North America is recreational and 65% of all e-bike purchase motivation is to replace an automobile for short range commuting, you have a chasm between the primary driver of e-bikes and the primary driver of purchase. Anyone who purchases an e-bike today is a bleeding edge purchaser. Those who do purchase probably have an understanding that the road to the future is a bumpy one....albeit a sometimes fast and fun one. LOL

 

[Deleted member 803]

Just to clarify.
I want to try the bikes I'm interested in that are my size and price range. If Motostrano is a good representation of the whole ebike buying experience then I'm underwhelmed.
I will definitely make a trip to SF New wheel though they apparently don't carry Ezip? They do carry Easy Motion Bikes. The 2015 models look awesome. I wonder when we get to see them here.

Some conclusions I've arrived at in my short experience with ebikes:

It's still a movement that's in it's infancy both in technology and concept. What I mean by this is that if these things were so good we'd have crowded bicycle lanes and a miniwar on our hands with traditional cyclists and regulators. It's almost an elitist movement at the moment because of the price I guess.

If you're in the market to buy and you don't fall into standard categories then demoing can be difficult - which leads me to:

You decide on a bike but because of your choices you may have to travel further afield or even buy online. In that case you'd better have a good local service shop close by that isn't pissed off you didn't buy from them.

One apparently positive aspect of the scene is this very website and forum community. I've used the word "movement" a lot - that's what it feels like. A burgeoning support group helping each other through growing pains of something special. Even the potential sellers are supportive of each other.

BTW. I'm off to S. Lake Tahoe next weekend. There are a couple of ebike renters there. Me and the missus are going to try them out!

Best.
RG.

Forgot to mention that Motostrano has an SF location run by a fellow named John. He is a BIG guy and very helpful and friendly. Might want to call him first to understand inventory and set up some demo rides.

 

[rojagrande]

Just came back from Lake Tahoe. I love it up there. Very close to the state line in South Lake Tahoe there is a Pedego dealer. They are not my style, but they are good bikes and you can rent them. It would be fun to get your e-bike feet wet on them and cruise the paved trails around the lake. I'm not sure if there are other e-bike dealers around there, but it would be great if you could rent/demo something more trail worthy and maybe hit some of the non-paved trails too. I LOVE how bike friendly the Tahoe is. There are cyclists and trails everywhere. Have fun!!

My thoughts exactly. thanks Vern. I've often wondered why there isn't a connected path around the lake itself. At least now I'll have some help getting up that monstrous Ski run Blvd to get to the trails

 

[calvin]

I took the plunge (without a test ride) after carefully and repeatedly watching Court ride the Motiv Shadow. He gave it a pretty good review and was my height, so I purchased one and had it delivered to a local shop that assembled it for me. I had to make some modifications. I added a stem riser and swapped out the seat. It worked out for me. Yeah, its a bit scary doing that but now I don't buy gas much and my car has gotten used to being neglected.

 

[Shea N Encinitas]

Looks like a nice platform, almost open source with the controller and battery voltage & amp hour options. Which battery did you order? The 36 volt 15 amp hour would be my choice for distance, 48 volt if it is a grocery getter.

Hopefully those logos on the rims are stickers. Would be interested to get your take on the bike, that fork design, top speed, etc as you break her in. Congrates. -S

 

[calvin]

Looks like a nice platform, almost open source with the controller and battery voltage & amp hour options. Which battery did you order? The 36 volt 15 amp hour would be my choice for distance, 48 volt if it is a grocery getter.

Hopefully those logos on the rims are stickers. Would be interested to get your take on the bike, that fork design, top speed, etc as you break her in. Congrates. -S

I now have over 700 miles on the bike. I went for the 36v 15 amp hour option since I wanted to be able to get extra distance ( I like longer rides). If you look at the pics of my bike you will notice that the bike is all black with the decals only on the frame and these are black also and not generally visible. The fork has only a single suspension but it actually works. Top speed is 22-23 mph with throttle, and 24 mph in pedelec mode. This assumes that you weigh about 160 lbs, and you are riding the bike with a fully charged battery. As you discharge the battery, the drop off of the top speed is about 1 to 2 mph. The distance you can ride is inversely related to the speed you want to maintain. Higher speed equals less distance because of air drag and battery fatigue. The modifications I have done are a 4.5 inch stem riser, swapped out the seat for a cushy one, and replaced the OEM stock tires with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires that are supposed to be "flatless". Inside the tires I have kevlar strips, and the inner tubes have been slimed. That seems extreme however, I live in the Arizona desert with thorns of various types everywhere. No more flats for me! I have rode this bike in traffic, in bike lanes, on paved and unpaved trails and can recommend this bike to anyone that wants a city commuter style bike. Be aware that the tires are a bit narrow for off road use. Also I think that I would have gone for the 48v system instead, just to be able to accelerate as fast as a car. I would have purchased an extra battery. A full review is in the works.

 

[Shea N Encinitas]

A full review is in the works.

Kewl, appreciate your thoughts on the rig. -S

 

[rojagrande]

So we went to S Lake Tahoe for the weekend and rented a couple of Pedegos from the very cooperative and helpful dealer at Stateline. Here's some observations if anyone's interested.
I ended up with the City Commuter and my wife fell in love the Ford Cruiser and we swapped rides for a while. First of all, nothing but smiles and laughter all day. Our first experience on ebikes was everything I hoped it would be.
We rode a very long way. From Stateline, around a large portion of the Lake on nice connected bike paths and then up to the waterfalls at Fallen Leaf Lake. The last section is a long bumpy broken Tarmac climb. Even though both bikes weren't exactly built for this they handled it superbly using intermittent throttle and pedal assist. A total of around 4 hours riding with some small breaks.
The bikes- the city commuter was very adequate though a little underpowered compared to the V 12 like Ford Cruiser!
A must for me would be a suspension seat post when I eventually buy - the absolute battering my backside got coming down the rough road convinced me of that.
Bottom line is that I now know that I'll be buying an ebike soon, little did I know my wife would catch the bug too! It was hard to stop her from buying it on the spot before trying anything else.
I'm heading to New Wheel soon to try out the Neo Cross with an eye on the new Evo Cross 29er when it comes out.
Best everyone!

 

[JoePah]

So, eager to demo a couple of suggestions, I headed to two of the bike dealers closest to me in San Jose/ Peninsula area.
ELV - nice guy, tiny space, not much choice, definitely nothing my size(x large) said he could order pretty much anything I was interested in.
Motostrano- nice enough fella though quite discouraging about anything other than mid drive Bosch motors which confused the hell out of me after some of the things I've read right here.
He basically told me to save my money and forget about anything else ( including Stromer!)
I enquired about a demo . He said that they didn't typically do demos as people tended to trash the bikes, understandable I guess. He then said he could "arrange a demo" once I zeroed in on something I wanted.
My choices would have been a Neo Cross or large frame Dash- once again nothing in stock or able to demo. I'd have to order first - very confusing. Is a general lack of inventory common?

If I'm to spend 3k on a bike I'd like to at least try something out before I buy! Other than fly to Wisconsin. What do I do? Trust the guys on the forum and buy unseen and untried? I'm left feeling quite discouraged about the whole scene.

If it helps, I've never even sat on an ebike, I'm 6'3" 215lb, 50 yr old ( this is starting to sound like a dating site lol!) looking for a sturdy mtb hybrid type bike that can get me around my local sales calls and have some fun on trails on the weekends.

Best RG

If you're ever in South Florida, check out the Electric Bicycle Store in Ft Lauderdale.. They have a huge inventory and they let me take any bike for demo in the very nice neighborhood.. Took a A2B metro out for an hour once and they were cool with it.