Exercise/errand bike for the city

[Corsair]

Maximum price: $2000 with all options, add-ones, and equipment (that’s the already pushed my budget limit, I’d love to come in cheaper, so please don’t bother with that $2500 bike, or even $2200). I’m 6 foot, 190 pounds. Not Young, need the exercise. lots of paved bike paths in the city, lots of hills (sunny Santa Clarita, California), not gonna really do off-road, so I don’t perceive the need for fat-tire styles. There is no straight street in the entire city (all major streets are named “valley” or canyon” for a reason). Well, okay, Magic Mountain Way, but hey, “mountain”.

considering:
Aventon Pace: 500. Local dealer! But…he’ll service anything, not just Aventon (Good to know, glad I visited). Preassembled. No front shocks (let me repeat, not young, okay…old). Lightweight in comparison. Lights, racks, fenders extra. Doesn’t seem that enthusiastic about the Level, which is why it isn’t on this list.
KBO Breeze: Orange! God, I hate America’s current love affair with white/black/metallic gray cars. Hate it. Give me some color! But…class two. Kinda would prefer class three. Did I say I like orange? McLaren Orange, no less.
Ride1Up 500 or 700: I replaced front forks on my motorcycle (okay, so, decades ago), so I like to think I can wrench together a bicycle. Seems like the most bang for the buck - hydraulic shocks, brakes on the 700.

Others I should consider? Good or bad about any of these models or reasons to select one over the other? Weird little things a newbie might not consider, like spoke gauge (I think they are all 13 front, 12 rear, so obviously I considered this one, but, well…example!).

 

[indianajo]

Gauge of spokes doesn't matter if you're under 250 lb & don't jump curbs & picnic tables. Whether they are made of steel, or iron/aluminum/lead/tin/copper does matter. Some spoke vendors do QA tests and watch what goes in the melt: some have a better price. Aventon and Ride 1 up have some complaints about loose spokes on the brand forums, but don't take my word, read for yourself. People tend to focus on features, not the quality of steel or aluminum. I've found real steel cables are a whole lot less trouble than the trash metal cables that came on my previous kiddie grade bikes (Pacific, Diamondback, Huffy). Some inexpensive bikes get cracked rims. Also repeated flats due to inadequate debur of the rim, spokes ends, stem hole.
Class 3 keeps you out of a lot trails & parks. Also breaks more bones when you fall. Budget $200 for a helmet with chin guard if you are regularly going to go that fast. I go 8-10 mph mostly, but peak @ 35 down some hills with great pavement & no gravel. I ride a $189 Fox Rampage helmet in Yellow & white. Since I broke my chin @ 25 mph due to gravel on the road.
Sub $2000 bikes, the front shocks are not going to last very long. Better have a replacement plan.
Hub motor bikes, plastic gears are good for bout 4500 miles, but new motors are cheap. DD motor bikes are great at high speed if you don't need to accelerate out of lights very often and don't climb a lot of hills. Mid drive bikes are all the rage, and leave you calling a tow truck if a electrical motor or chain problem occurs. My throttle gets rained out, with geared hub motor I just keep pedaling until I get home, however long it takes. Not the problem in Sou Cal it is here, of course.
I do a lot of shopping off my yuba bodaboda shown left. Mine is the small frame, I'm 68" with short legs. Was $2000 without electricity, with bags, 2 leg stand, front basket, free delivery. Then after a 6 hour 27 mile ordeal into a 25 mph headwind, I added electricity for $840. My yuba was trouble free the first 7000 miles except I wore out a $221 ebikeling motor (gears). No spoke adjustments, no rim straightening, no cable adjustments. Just tire & pad replacment, & a fender I broke with my foot. A similar looking bike to the $3300 yuba combi cargo is the $2000 blix packa. Known problems list is short on blix, but their market share is tiny. Advantage of stretch frame cargo bike, the front wheel doesn't snap sideways on bumps, sticks, pavement separators, and throw me over the handlebar on my chin. Previous 2 mtb's & a huffy cruiser threw me on my chin 5 times in 10 years.

 

[Corsair]

Not really interested in a cargo bike. $200 for a helmet reduces the price I’ll pay for the bike - can’t you get a full face Bell motorcycle helmet for under $200…checking…yes. I suppose you’re paying for the weight on the one. Anyway, thanks for all the general information!

 

[AHicks]

I like your R1U 700 plan if you're able and willing to DIY. It even includes some pretty decent tires. Good ride w/low rolling resistance.

You may find the RAD City works as well. Check out the shipping options....

 

[Corsair]

The Ride1Up 500 and 700 seem pretty much the same beyond upgraded components. The universal recommendation I see in videos is for hydraulic brakes, so that’s the way I’m leaning at the moment. I looked at the RadCity, and it seemed a decent option, but more for the company itself being around a while now - it seemed a step behind on what you actually got. But a neighbor has a RadRunner that he enjoys, so I’m at least giving it a look again, just to be sure.

 

[PatriciaK]

Have you looked at Espin?

Shop Electric Bikes

We ship every bike for free in the lower 48, delivered directly to your door. Espin Guarantee.

www.espinbikes.com

REI will assemble/service.

 

[AHicks]

The Ride1Up 500 and 700 seem pretty much the same beyond upgraded components. The universal recommendation I see in videos is for hydraulic brakes, so that’s the way I’m leaning at the moment. I looked at the RadCity, and it seemed a decent option, but more for the company itself being around a while now - it seemed a step behind on what you actually got. But a neighbor has a RadRunner that he enjoys, so I’m at least giving it a look again, just to be sure.

You've checked out the RAD City recently? They just did an entire revamp on that bike (maybe 4-6 weeks ago?), now including a geared hub motor and hydraulic brakes.

 

[Corsair]

You've checked out the RAD City recently? They just did an entire revamp on that bike (maybe 4-6 weeks ago?), now including a geared hub motor and hydraulic brakes.

Haha! No, I hadn’t. It was like the first bike I checked out, and that was at least a month ago - the RadCity 4 - I remember the regenerative brakes and seemingly low torque motor that I feared was an anemic bill climber. I was literally just looking at the RadCity 5 Plus right this moment. Seems closer to the Ride1Up 700 now, though a little more purpose built for city riding with narrow tires and shorter suspension. Definitely back on the radar for the moment.

 

[indianajo]

The universal recommendation I see in videos is for hydraulic brakes, so that’s the way I’m leaning at the moment.

I carry up to 80 lb supplies, 20 lb tools & water, 160 lb me, 330 lb gross. I cross hills up to 15% grade. I have 160 mm cable pull disk brakes. I have no trouble stopping. The secret is the 5" brake handles that came with the power wheel kit. OEM on this yubabike are 3 1/2" handles. I've had 7 hand brake bikes, this is the first that the handles weren't 5" long. Designed to make you hate them and buy something more profitable for the bike company. Watch some videos about brake bleeding. Not a trivial process. I adjust the front brake pad about every 1000 miles with organic pads. Takes about 4 minutes. Twice a year for me. Pads last me about 5000 miles on the front; have 8000 miles on the back without change.

 

[Corsair]

Have you looked at Espin?

Shop Electric Bikes

We ship every bike for free in the lower 48, delivered directly to your door. Espin Guarantee.

www.espinbikes.com

REI will assemble/service.

Yes. It’s like espin took the Ride1Up 700 as a model and then went cut rate on every single component. Similar stats on the motor, but who actually makes it? No name components, cheap tires (are they puncture resistant? “All of our tires come with the standard level of puncture protection that all tires come with, just not the extra puncture protection that some advertise” was the official response), lesser brands - Samsung battery, though. Now, the brakes are hydraulic, but a while a lesser brand, still seem to be better than mechanical brakes. But for a price of $70 difference, I thought the Ride1Up was a slam dunk over the Espin Sport/Flow.

Then Espin discounted the Sport by $500 for Black Friday. Still a lesser quality bike, but you can replace a lot of parts for the price difference if you feel the need. And KBO discounted the Breeze another $150 down to $1350, and that’s to the point that I can get hyrdraulic brakes and a new controller, which would be my two issues with it. Ride1Up? They’ll announce Black Friday deals this coming Monday, but it’s unknown which bikes will get a discount. So, wait on Ride1Up, or pull the trigger on the others while they are still available. I’d go with the Ride1Up 500 over the Breeze if the prices are the same, or preferably the 700 if it received any kind of discount, but if one of those isn’t discounted, I’m leaning the other way.

 

[AHicks]

I think some of this is how you are approaching this new bike. For what Espin is asking for that Sport right now, a DIY'er looking to build a bike the way he wants it, Espin is pretty much letting you do that for free. Who cares what tires or controller come on it? You're going to toss those in the trash anyway. The motor deal on the Espins seems to be making the rounds. Many of the more popular manfs. are staying mum on their motor source, even RAD.

If you spend 3-400 on an Espin (controller/display, tires, suspension seat post) you're going to be leaving RIU in the dust. The KT controller mod by itself (100. or so) will make a HUGE difference in the rideability. There's nothing else in this price range that can even compare.

Something else to keep in mind is regarding if the bike is in stock or not too....

Bottom line, it's different stokes. People with different priorities can make a good case for going the way they want.

 

[Corsair]

I think some of this is how you are approaching this new bike. For what Espin is asking for that Sport right now, a DIY'er looking to build a bike the way he wants it, Espin is pretty much letting you do that for free. Who cares what tires or controller come on it? You're going to toss those in the trash anyway. The motor deal on the Espins seems to be making the rounds. Many of the more popular manfs. are staying mum on their motor source, even RAD.

If you spend 3-400 on an Espin (controller/display, tires, suspension seat post) you're going to be leaving RIU in the dust. The KT controller mod by itself (100. or so) will make a HUGE difference in the rideability. There's nothing else in this price range that can even compare.

Something else to keep in mind is regarding if the bike is in stock or not too....

Bottom line, it's different stokes. People with different priorities can make a good case for going the way they want.

The price difference is very, very attractive. At $1629, there are better deals both above and below. At $1400, yeah, some cheap stuff you might want to replace, but you should come out okay because the motor and battery both look strong enough. At $1129, you may not even bother riding out the warranty, customizer’s dream of a solid core to build around. Espin was completely off my radar, and now it is front and center.

 

[Corsair]

And…Ride1Up seems to have panicked that everybody else is announcing their Black Friday sales, and one day after they said the announcement would be in a week, they went ahead and made the announcement. So, my final choices are:

Espin Sport: $1129. Lots of no name or cheaper parts (geez, those tires), but hydraulic brakes, strong motor, samsung battery. Cheap enough to swap out the bits I just can’t stand. Nice cobalt blue available. Don’t like that shifter without it noting which gear you are in.
KBO Breeze: $1349. Decent mechanical brakes that maybe I don’t need to swap out, definitely replace the controller, but the rest seems workable, and nice big battery.
Ride1Up 700: $1549. Class 3 (The others are class 2). Seems mostly good - not really going to have to swap anything out. Optional, the 500 at $1349, but I’ve pretty much decided the upgrades on the 700 are worth the price difference as long as I can afford it.

 

[Corsair]

And, applied another coupon for $40 off on the Ride1Up, so with tax savings, about $200 off, which comes in at my original target price of $1500. Quest is at an end.

 

[AHicks]

And, applied another coupon for $40 off on the Ride1Up, so with tax savings, about $200 off, which comes in at my original target price of $1500. Quest is at an end.

If nothing else, and yours comes through with the very difficult to find right now Schwalbe Super Moto X tires, you will love them.....

 

[Corsair]

If nothing else, and yours comes through with the very difficult to find right now Schwalbe Super Moto X tires, you will love them.....

Do want those tires. Generally, if something is unavailable, bike companies tend to upgrade the missing component, but these were part of the reason I wanted the 700 over the 500.

 

[Taylor57]

I have 2 Espin Sports and $1129 is a great price for what you get. Mine came with Kenda tires and they are fine. I prefer my Sport over my Frey CC!!

 

[Corsair]

I have 2 Espin Sports and $1129 is a great price for what you get. Mine came with Kenda tires and they are fine. I prefer my Sport over my Frey CC!!

It’s good to have choices! If I had to come in cheaper, if I had specific components I wanted to upgrade to, or was just happy with what the Sport had on it, it would have been a great choice at that price point. Not so much the list price, though. Did like that Cobalt Blue over the Steel Blue of the Ride1Up.

 

[Marci jo]

Corsair, congrats on your search for an ebike. They’re so much fun!
My recent purchase of an Aventon Pace 500 has proven to be a fabulous decision. It’s perfect for city cycling. On a recent ride I counted 15 stop signs and 8 stop lights. The throttle allows me to safely zip through the intersections, sometimes without even down shifting.
True, it lacks a front suspension fork but I added a suspension seat post and it made a huge difference. And at 49 lbs (22 kg) it’s actually liftable. If you are able to test ride at a dealer it might help in your decision. Oh, and it’s class 3, with a throttle. I have the step through frame for easy on and off mounting.
Please post a pic of whatever you decide.

 

[Corsair]

Corsair, congrats on your search for an ebike. They’re so much fun!
My recent purchase of an Aventon Pace 500 has proven to be a fabulous decision. It’s perfect for city cycling. On a recent ride I counted 15 stop signs and 8 stop lights. The throttle allows me to safely zip through the intersections, sometimes without even down shifting.
True, it lacks a front suspension fork but I added a suspension seat post and it made a huge difference. And at 49 lbs (22 kg) it’s actually liftable. If you are able to test ride at a dealer it might help in your decision. Oh, and it’s class 3, with a throttle. I have the step through frame for easy on and off mounting.
Please post a pic of whatever you decide.

Local dealer just a few miles away carries Aventon. He also services any bike, electric or otherwise. Wasn't really impressed by the Aventons.