E-bikes for new townhouse/personal - advice

[Ryan J]

Hi folks,

Looking for some info and advice, as I’d like to purchase an e-bike for personal/work use, and likely two to six more bikes for a townhouse I’m building. I’m a small land developer in Victoria (lapishomes.com) and have a company philosophy of giving people options to get them out of their cars as much as possible. E-bikes, especially in this city, present a good solution for many of my future clients but the price point and the relative newness factor likely keeps people from thinking about them as an option. So I want to outfit my development with at least a couple so that folks can use these bikes for fun, as well as to test them and find out if they want to purchase their own for their commute (which is short at 5 kms, but still a commute that can work up a sweat on a traditional bike).

I also don’t want to make a mistake and buy something that becomes a headache for the strata, either because it breaks down regularly or looks a little odd so nobody uses them… I want something that really sells this as a good commuting option and encourages people to use them every day.

So here’s what I’m wondering:

• Any recommendations for e-bikes in the $1500-2200 range ($2000-$2700 Canadian) that will likely be low maintenance and are attractive for the average car driver and will nudge people towards making a switch?
• I’m thinking city commuter style (short trips/weekend rides along the water), like Juice’s CCS or Rad Power Bikes’ Radcity. (Perhaps Cube’s cross hybrid 1 400, but that’s getting a little pricey).
• Something that either comes with a rear rack for storage or can be outfitted with one.
• For myself, I’d like to purchase the same bike and use it as my primary mode of transportation. I work from home and go about 5-15kms each way to a meeting or two a day… so not too far but I’d also like storage and not to arrive to my meetings too sweaty. I’ll purchase this one first, so it’s a bit of a tester for me on whether it’ll work to meet the above goals.

Related to the “what bike q” above, and if you have some experience with this company,

• I’ve come across this Ottawa-based e-bike manufacturer called Pedal Easy (http://www.pedaleasy.ca/shop/). They seem to be using some interesting technologies to make their bikes lighter, but I can’t seem to find much info, as it’s a really small operation. Any insight from the specs they’ve posted whether the bikes will perform well enough for the generic person I’m looking to attract and get out of their car? They basically have two models and an FAQ/article page that has some more details on what they use and how they build.

Ultimately and in the future, I’d like to regularly outfit my townhouses with these bikes but want to make sure I get something that is used…

Happy to provide more information… and whatever info you can provide helps (I’ll keep scanning the forum).

Thank you!

Ryan

 

[Dewey]

Victoria, BC? VoltBike, Surface 604 & Grin Tech are ebike businesses all operating out of Vancouver, there are others. Grin cater for the DIY market but I’m sure they’d be happy to discuss partnering with a Victoria bike shop to supply motors and battery kits to convert a small fleet of hybrid bicycles, and they would know the relevant provincial regulations regarding throttles, Power, etc.

 

[Ryan J]

Yes, Victoria, B.C. Thanks, Dewey. I'll look at those companies too. I like the idea of a product designed locally.

 

[Dewey]

Also there’s a retailer on Salt Spring Island, BC, who is the Canadian distributor for Juiced Bikes but has just started to sell his own branded ebikes (Link Removed - No Longer Exists), the spec is good, similar to the sort of thing Grin Tech could do for you, and while the msrp is a bit above your budget but as he’s a new brand and you're talking about buying 6-7 bikes maybe you can negotiate a group discount? Here is his blog post introducing his bikes at the BC bike show in January https://hilleater.ca/blog/vancouver-bike-show-new-hilleater-bikes-new-products/.

 

[Ryan J]

I'm heading over to Salt Spring in a couple months and was planning to reach out to them on the Juice bikes... maybe test their bikes out too. It's a great island for electric bikes as it has a ton of hills, so I'd certainly get a sense of performance.

Appreciate you having the B.C. local knowledge!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I'm heading over to Salt Spring in a couple months and was planning to reach out to them on the Juice bikes... maybe test their bikes out too. It's a great island for electric bikes as it has a ton of hills, so I'd certainly get a sense of performance.

Appreciate you having the B.C. local knowledge!

Really Salt Spring is made for an e-bike.

I always like how each ferry landing on Salt Spring has a cyclist sign with recommended routes.

 

[ebikemom]

"low maintenance" would mean hub drive, but also it's important to keep an eye out to how easy it is to get parts and repairs. So, getting something locally would be a smart move, methinks!

 

[Ryan J]

Thank you, ebikemom. I’ll do a bit of reading on hub drive. Seem to be some good options close by.

 

[christob]

Hi; so, does this mean you want to purchase these bikes, so that each person who buys one of your town houses (or rents one from you) has a dedicated bike in their townhome? ( are the town houses for purchase or for rent? And in either case, do the bikes become the property of the townhouse occupant, or are they remaining your property? If they remain your property, will you be obligated for repairs and maintenance, etc.?)
Or, are you considering this a pool of shared e bikes, for the residents, in total? If the latter, where are you envisioning keeping them all, securely? And who would be responsible for charging them?
Just curious how you envision this plan; I like it but I’m struggling with those details.

 

[Dewey]

"low maintenance" would mean hub drive, but also it's important to keep an eye out to how easy it is to get parts and repairs. So, getting something locally would be a smart move, methinks!

A low maintenance hub motor would be direct drive, the Hill Eater uses an eZee geared hub motor which is better designed for hill climbing, unlike a dd motor a geared hub motor has moving parts internally but it weighs less than 2/3 the weight of an equivalent dd motor. Justin stocks these motors in his Vancouver store.

 

[6zfshdb]

What sort of ebike storage do you plan to use for your townhouse development? If you plan to use an outdoor rack with security locks, you'll need to provide key access for residents. Make sure the rack you choose is ebike friendly. Also consider the security of the ebike components. Parts like seats, wheels, etc. are easily removed unless secured individually. Indoor storage would be best, perhaps a common area to which all residents have keys.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

The Dutch solved this problem over sixty years ago.

 

[Ryan J]

I’m debating a few options, but more likely for this one I’ll buy a couple and make them common, owned and maintained by the strata (units will be all sold). I suspect a few of the future owners might be cyclists already and perhaps wouldn’t use an e-bike.

We’ve designed the building with a large, secure common bike storage space in the centre on the first floor accessible by ramp. It’ll have racks and a couple of plugs. Owners will each have keys, so secure and covered.

This’ll likely be one of the strategies I’ll be using to get people out of their cars... one that really intrigues me as it can be an all year solution for people who might be on the fence about regularly cycling because of the climate here.

I’m quite excited about it, just want to make sure I get a bike that makes sense and is attractive for folks that may not be considering e-bike commutes off the top of their heads.

 

[christob]

I’m debating a few options, but more likely for this one I’ll buy a couple and make them common, owned and maintained by the strata (units will be all sold).
We’ve designed the building with a large, secure common bike storage space in the centre on the first floor accessible by ramp. It’ll have racks and a couple of plugs. Owners will each have keys, so secure and covered.
I’m quite excited about it, just want to make sure I get a bike that makes sense and is attractive for folks that may not be considering e-bike commutes off the top of their heads.

Sounds like a great idea!
You've probably thought of this - but since the strata (I assume that is a term for something like a Homeowner's Association?) will own the bikes -- you may want to ensure that all occupants must sign a release before being granted access to a bike, to protect the Association / strata from say, an owner who later crashes (injuring themselves, or others, or damaging other property, etc.) while on a strata bike and then wants to sue the strata (or the other injured party seeks to sue)... At least here in America, that is all too easy to imagine happening!

 

[Ryan J]

You folks are fantastic. Thanks for the additional options... it's amazing how many brands there are (and many with so similar specs). Thanks, Timpo, for the extra suggestions. The spark seems similar to some of the other bikes I've seen but at a lower price point. I'll look at these more closely.

On the waiver question, definitely something I'll discuss with my lawyer as well as how to do this. We're generally not too sue-happy (Might be because our health care is paid for anyway!), but it happens from time to time. And yes, I believe a strata is like a homeowner's association. It's basically the small body of townhouse owners that make all the decisions on the shared property and maintenance.

 

[Ryan J]

Thanks, again, Timpo. Those Stark bikes are priced pretty amazingly, but seems like lots of issues with quality and customer service. I don’t think I’ll go with them because of the ongoing maintenance thing and wanting the folks in the townhouses to have a really good first impression with these bikes.

Glad to see a company trying to bring in a lower cost option though.

 

[ebikemom]

I would recommend a comfort style step through bike that will be easy for people with a range of physical abilities to ride. You might also consider getting a couple of sizes so that people of shorter stature can also have access to this community benefit.

 

[Ryan J]

If you're willing to pay for quality, I'd highly suggest looking into Amego. Spark doesn't even have hydraulic brakes..

I think I've now shortlisted (which is longer than my original list!) to these, which are similarly spriced:

Amego (possibly any of their four bikes) https://www.amegoev.com/electric-bike-brands/amego/
Surface 604 Colt (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Voltbike Enduro https://www.voltbike.com/enduro.html
Juice CCS (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

I may even consider the Hilleater line if I get over there to test them out, but price point is a little too high: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

I've also just come across the Ariel M and W class of bikes, which seem very value-priced (and super popular as they're never in stock).

I'm going to dig in more to these (Other than the Hilleater, they've all been reviewed by Court), but anyone have any insight on riding these bikes?

@ebikemom, most of the above bikes are a bit of a crossover between a high bar and step through. I'm going to try and test a couple of options out over the next few months. My market is likely going to be 30 to 50-somethings but the small townhouses could attract some retiree-aged down sizers. I'm open to step-throughs, but there aren't a lot of them in Victoria, so not sure how they'd "fit in." Although, I'm not speaking to any real experience, just what I see. That's also a good point on sizing. I may wait until the owners are in and put it to them on what they would use during the first townhouse council meeting. The drawback to that is that many people like to see what they're getting before they buy, and having something sitting all shiny and new in the lock-up area (available for a quick spin) for prospective buyers could be really cool for marketing.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I think this is going to come down to a business decision as much as the relative technical merits of any given e-bike.

Basically you are purchasing a small fleet of bikes and you should at a minimum work with a manufacturer or dealer for some kind of discount and also for support keeping this small fleet running and running smoothly.

There are lots of great e-bikes that would work fine in this space and you should focus on who could give you the very best deal.

 

[Ryan J]

I think this is going to come down to a business decision as much as the relative technical merits of any given e-bike.

Basically you are purchasing a small fleet of bikes and you should at a minimum work with a manufacturer or dealer for some kind of discount and also for support keeping this small fleet running and running smoothly.

There are lots of great e-bikes that would work fine in this space and you should focus on who could give you the very best deal.

Completely agree. I'd also like e-bikes to regularly be part of my future developments, so I'll also be looking for more of a long-term relationship with a quality provider.