Do you regret buying (or not buying) Step-thru vs. Step-over frame?

[tomjasz]

Nice product placement for your "extra strong" TP. I hear that it's the brand preferred by Rambo and Terminator type men.

Sadly she @Cowlitz has taken a powder… missed but no longer active.

Last seen Nov 24, 2022

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Are they related to Torker or did they just "borrow" their design?

Memories from my BMX days.... (not my bike, I rode an even more obscure brand, Webco)

Guess you don't need a bell when the whole bike goes bling.

 

[Latitude]

I have put over 12,000 km on my Trek step-through and have absolutely no regrets. I don’t think it looks like a woman’s bike… after all the alterations I’ve made to allow me to comfortably use it on some pretty rough trails, many self-respecting ladies probably wouldn’t prefer to be seen on it anyway! I’m in my late 60’s, very short and with a useful pack on the back rack. Swinging my leg over isn’t an option I want. I have just taken delivery of a second step-through folding e-bike for my wife to ride, but the GoCycle is really meant for cruising on our boat, so it can also stow below-decks.

 

[newts]

I don't think these days it is "women's" bike stigma for men to ride a step thru any more. I might have got the step thru when I got my Gazelle but 1) only the step over had room for a second battery if i want to add that later and 2) my LBS only had the step over in my size.

 

[Tbill]

I only regret not buying a woman's bike when my pants don't stretch enough for me to get my leg over the bar.

 

[Kayakguy]

We have both a mid-step through and a high-step Gazelle ebike. I don't regret getting the high step due to the extra strength and rigidity it provides (I am 6'6" and 275lbs - big guy). My wife is also tall but wanted the low-step but it was not available, so she got the mid-step. I like both, and if I was lot smaller and didn't need the strength of a diamond frame, I would have opted for the mid-step through or possibly the low-step through. I'm 67 and don't have any issues getting a leg over the top rail now, but in 3-5yrs, who knows. Which leads me to another issue. Too often, when starting out, I struggle a bit to get my other foot solidly planted on the left pedal. This can feel a bit twitchy in the middle of an intersection. But I'm not sure how to deal with that, except get used to it.

Also, note that there are different ways to mount a high-step bike that you might find easier.
- I like to place my left foot on the left pedal, push off with my right foot, and then swing my right leg over the bike. Starting from pedal height vs from the ground is a lot easier for me. This also overcomes most issues I might have had with items on the back of the bike, as one is much higher when swinging their leg over when standing on the pedals. I started doing this when I was a kid riding my older brother's bike, so it is natural for me.
- You could also lay the bike over (toward you) and swing your leg over. This works well as long as you don't have much weight in a trunk bag that sits high on the back rack, which can cause the front wheel to come off the ground at times. Mostly not an issue, but I have had this happen a couple of times when I had some heavy items in the trunk bag.

Hope that's helpful.

Pre-ebike, I used to launch that way, and it works well, up to a point. But since I have the step-thru now, I don't do that any more. I sit on the saddle, put my right foot on the right pedal (after making sure it is at the 10 o'clock position), and launch with a strong push on the pedal. Somewhere recently (maybe in this forum) I read that I shouldn't do that, but I don't know why. I don't usually fall off the bike doing this, although it feels dicey starting on an uphill--but so does every other way in that situation.

 

[John from Connecticut]

I'm close to pulling the trigger to buy two torque-sensor ebikes (either Aventon Level.2 or Ride1Up LMT'D, but that doesn't really matter for this question). I'm hesitant to buy step-thru frames because they don't look like "normal" bikes to me, and there are fewer options for transporting on a hitch-receiver bike rack.

Does anybody out there regret NOT buying a step-thru frame? Thanks!

Howdy,
I'm 76 and have had two diamond frame e-bikes for 6 years. One bike is a 29er mountain (for rail trails ) and the other
in large e-commuter. I have to tip both bikes significantly towards me to mount. It's all I've ever known, but I'm fine with it.
You brought up an excellent point about options for transporting on a receiver bike rack.

If you haven't done so and it's sounds like you have check on the bike rack you might like.
I have a Saris two bike rack that I love.

https://saris.com/collections/racks#

I bought my rack from etrailer.com Excellent American Company, great support !

Good luck,
John

 

[AHicks]

Pre-ebike, I used to launch that way, and it works well, up to a point. But since I have the step-thru now, I don't do that any more. I sit on the saddle, put my right foot on the right pedal (after making sure it is at the 10 o'clock position), and launch with a strong push on the pedal. Somewhere recently (maybe in this forum) I read that I shouldn't do that, but I don't know why. I don't usually fall off the bike doing this, although it feels dicey starting on an uphill--but so does every other way in that situation.

That dicey feeling is exactly why I insist on throttle equipped bikes (one of the reasons anyway, the one I use most frequently). You use the throttle to get the bike moving those first few feet while collecting your balance. Up hill, level, down hill, makes no difference, the launch is the same. You don't need to use any more throttle than necessary, or keep it on any longer than necessary. The throttle is able to pretty much eliminate that dicey feeling while getting the bike moving....

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

That dicey feeling is exactly why I insist on throttle equipped bikes (one of the reasons anyway, the one I use most frequently). You use the throttle to get the bike moving those first few feet while collecting your balance. Up hill, level, down hill, makes no difference, the launch is the same. You don't need to use any more throttle than necessary, or keep it on any longer than necessary. The throttle is able to pretty much eliminate that dicey feeling while getting the bike moving....

Agree with all of that. I always launch with a second of throttle. Feels steadier and saves my knees for the pedaling to come — usually at PAS 1/9. Between stops, the throttle earns its keep by getting me through dicey traffic situations as quickly as possible.

Certainly not for everyone, but works great for me.

After a 25-year cycling hiatus, my low-speed balance isn't what it used to be. It also takes longer to accelerate a 65-pound ebike and 190-pound rider from 0 to 3 mph at low assist. Since my knees hate this initial high-torque, low-cadence regime anyway, the throttle's a no-brainer at this stage in my return to cycling. Starting off at high assist without throttle is a poor substitute.

In my avid (unmotorized) cycling years, had much less rider+bike weight to accelerate and knees that were happy to do the job. Never thought about launches then. Very grateful to have an ebike that removes such barriers to cycling now.

 

[Kayakguy]

That dicey feeling is exactly why I insist on throttle equipped bikes (one of the reasons anyway, the one I use most frequently). You use the throttle to get the bike moving those first few feet while collecting your balance. Up hill, level, down hill, makes no difference, the launch is the same. You don't need to use any more throttle than necessary, or keep it on any longer than necessary. The throttle is able to pretty much eliminate that dicey feeling while getting the bike moving....

Unfortunately, my bike's throttle won't engage unless I turn off pedal assist altogether, so it doesn't help me in that way. I would probably use it as you do if it did.

 

[PCeBiker]

That dicey feeling is exactly why I insist on throttle equipped bikes (one of the reasons anyway, the one I use most frequently). You use the throttle to get the bike moving those first few feet while collecting your balance. Up hill, level, down hill, makes no difference, the launch is the same.

If I tried that on my Et.Cycle T1000, I'd launch the damn bike into my neighbors backyard, but thanks to your help with getting a new KT controller installed on my ebike, I can launch that way with complete "control".

Thanks again @AHicks

 

[AHicks]

Unfortunately, my bike's throttle won't engage unless I turn off pedal assist altogether, so it doesn't help me in that way. I would probably use it as you do if it did.

That's kind of an unusual set up I think. Never heard of one set up that way. Is there any possibility there is a setting that could be changed to allow a full time throttle with your PAS?

 

[PCeBiker]

Unfortunately, my bike's throttle won't engage unless I turn off pedal assist altogether, so it doesn't help me in that way. I would probably use it as you do if it did.

Can you get going first then turn on PAS?

 

[Kayakguy]

That's kind of an unusual set up I think. Never heard of one set up that way. Is there any possibility there is a setting that could be changed to allow a full time throttle with your PAS?

Yes, it seems strange, but that's the way Ariel Rider set it up on this model. They call it a class 2, however. I haven't even tried it with throttle only. Guess I'll try that soon.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Yes, it seems strange, but that's the way Ariel Rider set it up on this model. They call it a class 2, however. I haven't even tried it with throttle only. Guess I'll try that soon.

My throttle's disabled at PAS 0/9 (assist disabled) but instantaneous at all other PAS levels. For me, throttle's all about short bursts of speed at a moment's notice. This interface is a good way to enable that.

Hard to understand why they'd pass on that interface.

 

[JethroXP]

No regrets buying my Step-Thru Hub Drive bike. I've been very active in my life but an injury a few years ago really limited my mobility, so I very much appreciate the ease of access that the step-thru provides. I've also recently purchased a step-over full suspension eBike. The bar is fairly low, but I basically had to learn a strategy for tipping the bike over on it's side to be able to mount and dismount. It's a bit awkward, but doable. If there were a step-thru full-suspension bike I'd probably have gotten that instead.

 

[leehop71]

I'm close to pulling the trigger to buy two torque-sensor ebikes (either Aventon Level.2 or Ride1Up LMT'D, but that doesn't really matter for this question). I'm hesitant to buy step-thru frames because they don't look like "normal" bikes to me, and there are fewer options for transporting on a hitch-receiver bike rack.

Does anybody out there regret NOT buying a step-thru frame? Thanks!

For me it’s a no brainer!

I’ll be 70 in October, and even though the right leg hike to get on still isn’t an issue, if I live long enough it WILL become an issue so my upgrade to an e-bike automatically included a step thru choice!

I’d rather have something and not need it, as opposed to needing something and not have it!

 

[AvalancheRun]

C380 only comes in step-through (in the US) so that’s what I went for.

I preferred step-over because it’s a stronger design, but the Gazelle is actually super stiff. It hasn’t been a problem at all. Even loaded up and riding off-road, or at top speed, it’s been great.

In the city the step-through has been super convenient. Makes hopping on and off the bike a cinch.

 

[smorgasbord]

100 posts and not one mention of the alternative of using a dropper post?

 

[leehop71]

100 posts and not one mention of the alternative of using a dropper post?

Enlighten us sb!!