Ebike reliability

[Katysax]

About 10-12 years ago I got an early exterra. At the time it was very advanced and a big leap up from Currie bikes. It was at a time when I was out of shape; I started using it for a 12.5 mile commute. On the one hand I loved riding it even though it rode like a truck. On the other hand it was utterly unreliable. The company was in reasonable driving distance. My local bike shop, where I bought it, was useless. I got to know the bike’s designer and we started using my bike to try improvements after the original motor/battery/controller/brakes failed several times, we started using my bike to test upgrades.

After a few months of riding the ebike a minimum of 25 miles a day I got so strong that I could do just as well on a push bike. It seemed to me that the complexity and weight of the ebike made it a lot easier just to commute on a purely mechanical bike. I pretty much gave up on the ebike. I did still want it for days over 90 degrees. Eventually after a few years the bike died.

Now I’m out of shape recovering from cancer. Just got a Veego to take on the RV. With the plethora of advances and choices are Ebikes reasonably reliable today.

 

[Justin Fischer]

I bought a CCS in August last year and have put about 2500 miles on it, with 30 miles a day commuting. And while I'm sure I could do it on a normal road bike, (I train indoors with Zwift) the advantages to an ebike are legion. Faster commuting while still getting a workout, thick and wide tires for comfort, stability, and puncture resistance, the ability to go the speed of traffic in towns when necessary, carrying capacity, etc.

On the reliability piece, I've had no problems as long as I keep up a maintenance plan, just like any other bike that goes 100+ miles a week. Clean it, lube it, check out the mechanical components, be mindful of out of places noises that could indicate rubbing, etc. Nothing e-bike specific except making sure the electrical connections are still tight. The biggest problems are usually down the the manufacturer, and their support, as you've said. And while my bike's manufacturer (Juiced) has had problems in the past, I've had nothing but quick and helpful support with my questions. I personally haven't seen any discussions here about the Veego though.

 

[Katysax]

I kept my bike well maintained. It was just fraught with issues.

I’m only using the Veego for leisure so I’m not as concerned about it. Just wondering if the newer bikes have gotten more reliable. I may want something more distance worthy eventually. I’m retired so no regular commute.

 

[indianajo]

I've found cheap batteries to be unreliable. Buy one from luna (US) grin (CA) or Em3EV (HK). Or one that comes with the bike from a major manufacturer that has a reputation to protect.
Electrics- Even the $189 wheel/controller/throttle/PAS kits have got it down. My throttle will short out in an extremely heavy rain, but the rest is okay. A pass with a hairdryer, on the road again. Fancy displays are more rain sensitive, I like not having one on the second kit. I think it is possible to thermally overload a hub motor or controller on a long grade, but there aren't any long ones here.
I have more wear problems with the traditional bike parts. Brake pads 3000 miles, tires 2500 miles, cables about 18 months in the rain. Doing that today, since I am 3000 miles and 18 months from the new bike. Broke a derailleur cable last week and the back brake hasn't worked right for a month. Chains are high wear on mid-drive bikes (4000 mi?) but hub motor bikes the chain is still a 10000 mile component.

 

[Solom01]

Katysax I think a lot of it depends on how many gadgets the ebike has. I've got about 2,000 miles on an eGlide SS without a single problem. But it is a single speed with a mechanical disc brake up front, v-brake in the rear. The bike is about as simple as an eBike can be so there's not much to go wrong. If you get a bike with hydraulic brakes and a lot of integration of the battery, fancy controller and so forth not only do the odds of something breaking go up but even more importantly when it does you're likely to find that the vendor, even if it still exists, no longer sells replacement parts.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

And by the way, congratulations on being on the right side of the cancer story. I’m sure it makes a ride under a blue sky and sunshine that much more valuable.

 

[Katysax]

Fortunately a lot of progress has been made with some cancers. I had early stage breast cancer found with a routine mammogram. During chemo I really pushed to keep active, even if only slow walks. I finished chemo in March. Ebikes can be a great way to get back in shape. So far only 44 miles of riding the veego has been great. The old exterra started breaking down in the first 10 miles and rarely went 40 miles without an issue in a few thousand miles of riding it.

 

[christob]

I’ll hit 5,000 miles on my ebike this week. (Cafe model @ Vintage Electric.) I average about 22 miles per biking day; about 360 avg per month over last 12 mos.
At about 4,500, the torque-sensing BB was apparently wearing out; too much play in it, side to side; derails became more frequent after never having any... replaced that, and other than a rash of broken spokes early on (since resolved/no longer happening), I’ve had no mechanical or reliability issues. The bike feels solidly built and other than wear and tear items I don’t worry much at all that I’ll see “peculiar” ebike-specific issues.
PS— also got mine to get in better shape after years of sedentary life. Lost about 55 pounds in the first year!
PSPS—glad to hear you’re on the winning side with cancer; same for my mom and aunt, thankfully!