Excited to get my first electric bike

[bdcycle1]

Greetings! I've been riding a road bike off and on for the last 20+ years. I have ridden a Cannondale and a Specialized with drop bars until last year when I got a newer Specialized flat bar bike with some advanced features. Now that I've hit my 50's, put on weight and have some back issues I've all but given up riding (and recently moved into a more urban area of town making it harder to just jump on and take off). I miss riding and am looking to buy an electric bike and get back out there. I like that Specialized has "women's" bikes that feel as though they fit me better than some historically. A more upright design would be better on my back and probably a flat bar would be better on my neck but I don't want to be too upright. Not looking for a cruiser like feel, for sure. I need the exercise and I know having the motorized assist will make my rides more enjoyable. I miss riding out in (past would be more accurate.) the corfields as I used to before moving into town. I will probably need to transport my bike to more rural areas some times so I have concerns about replacing my bike rack with one that can carry the extra weight of an electric bike. So far I've test ridden a few bikes at my local shop but am honestly overwhelmed by all of the options out there. In addition, the current shortage of bikes on hand means I will likely have to wait a while before I can get one of the more popular models. Any guidance is appreciated!!

 

[indianajo]

Welcome to the site and reentering the bike hobby.
As my Mother popped a neck disk when forced to sit in a bad position at work, I've been suspicious of exagurated neck angles of drop-bars bikes since age 20. I look just like her, except being male. I couldn't afford a 10 speed drop bar bike age 16, so I bought an "english 3 speed" which was more upright with turned back bars. To replace my stolen 2 speed cruiser. Not quite beach cruiser upright. Then I went to mountain bikes with flat bars age 36 because the 3 speed didn't have enough speeds to get up the hills in southern Indiana. Starting age 55 the flat bars were making my hands go to sleep, so went to the turned back bars cargo bike left age 68. More like my english 3 speed but 24 speeds instead of 3.
Realize if you are sitting more upright, you'll need a wider & softer seat than the road bikers ride. At least I do.
Under parts & accessories there are threads about different bike racks for motor vehicles, including some with a roll on ramp if you don't want to lift the bike. Also various threads about aftermarket seats. Even the $1500 bike left didn't come with a comfortable seat.
Realize fit of frame to your body is still important, even though most electric bike shopping is about electric features. After 3 months I ditched the fancy display, which fogged up in the rain, so don't IMHO base your purchase on that. Be sure to check the "known problems" thread in the brand forums below to check out any brand you enjoy riding in the shop.
Batteries go bad after ~1000 charges, so if you are serious about the hobby, try for a model with a generic battery available aftermarket. Brand specific batteries are pricey.
The bigger the wheel the more comfortably it rides through a pothole. I'm short so I ride 26" wheels with 2.1" tires @ 45 psi. If one is going to ride 15-25 mph a lot spending $1000 on a suspension is worth it, but I ride average 8-9 mph so I'm fine with 26" and no springs. Tall people are even happier with 700 mm or 29" tires.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What advice do you actually seek @bdcycle1?

 

[pmcdonald]

Greetings! I've been riding a road bike off and on for the last 20+ years. I have ridden a Cannondale and a Specialized with drop bars until last year when I got a newer Specialized flat bar bike with some advanced features. Now that I've hit my 50's, put on weight and have some back issues I've all but given up riding (and recently moved into a more urban area of town making it harder to just jump on and take off). I miss riding and am looking to buy an electric bike and get back out there. I like that Specialized has "women's" bikes that feel as though they fit me better than some historically. A more upright design would be better on my back and probably a flat bar would be better on my neck but I don't want to be too upright. Not looking for a cruiser like feel, for sure. I need the exercise and I know having the motorized assist will make my rides more enjoyable. I miss riding out in (past would be more accurate.) the corfields as I used to before moving into town. I will probably need to transport my bike to more rural areas some times so I have concerns about replacing my bike rack with one that can carry the extra weight of an electric bike. So far I've test ridden a few bikes at my local shop but am honestly overwhelmed by all of the options out there. In addition, the current shortage of bikes on hand means I will likely have to wait a while before I can get one of the more popular models. Any guidance is appreciated!!

Welcome! What have you ridden, and what's on your short-list?