Jeremy McCreary
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
That's the best advice you've received so far.
First e-bike for a 68 year old - buying help needed
- Thread starter Logwog
- Start date
dariusf2
Member
- Region
- USA
Maybe so, but it is half price and it os Specialized and they stand behind their products. Its our 5th Specialized bike.
dariusf2
Member
- Region
- USA
Good point but any big brand should have dealers in most areas so if you get for example a Trek then any Trek authorized dealer will be able to support it. I would be far more concerned with online only brands. I have a Bikesdirect gravel bike with Bafang M800 and good luck getting that serviced in US. As far as I know the only option is sending it in to the Bafang California offices. I actually have my motor there now due to an issue after 3k miles.
Stefan Mikes
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, Poland
That's right. However, that e-bike generation began in 2017, and now it is 2024. I was lucky to accumulate batteries for my Gen 1 Vado 6.0, replace the display + remote set, and have my e-bike "lifetime frame warranty" repaired but the farther we move into the future the more difficult it would be to maintain the older e-bike. (I agree to the "half of price" argument). I was recommending Vado SL, which is a relatively new design and it does not cost an arm & a leg to buy new.
When it comes to low maintenance can't bet middrive motor with belt drive and internal geared hub (IGH) eg Gazelle 380.
The additional purchase price and extra weight are worth it compared to high maintenance derailleur drivetrain,which is lot more expensive in parts and labour to maintain.
Don't get to hung up on battery size, 500wh is long day in the saddle if you use lower assist levels. Taking charger and topping up at cafe during lunch is one way to increase your range on long rides. Can always buy extra 400wh(cheaper) battery if regularly doing long rides.
The additional purchase price and extra weight are worth it compared to high maintenance derailleur drivetrain,which is lot more expensive in parts and labour to maintain.
Don't get to hung up on battery size, 500wh is long day in the saddle if you use lower assist levels. Taking charger and topping up at cafe during lunch is one way to increase your range on long rides. Can always buy extra 400wh(cheaper) battery if regularly doing long rides.
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I agree you will likely want a step thru and a larger battery. However also consider relative bike weight that you may need to handle. For that reason I dont like heavy fat tire bikes. Lighter bikes are often able to take you farther as long as battery is large enough. Any bike over 60 lbs is too heavy for me. I would be sure to get a bike with reliable shifting, not a single speed. Also agree you should check out what your local bike shop has and try to test ride some bikes. However, with your mentioning knee issues I would think twice about a torque sensing bike. You may be better off with a bike with a cadence sensor and a throttle - less wear and tear on your knees. I have ridden several moderate weight step thru cadence sensor bikes that are reasonable in price including my Espin bike. My brother has a similar Velotric Discover 1 and it works well for him dispute his foot and back issues. Aventon makes bikes in different sizes and several have torque sensors. Ride 1 up does too but the frames on some bikes seem large and service may be an issue. Some bike shops carry Aventon, Velotric and Pedego as well as the more pricey bikes like Trek and Specialized. I know I would not want to spend more than 2K on my first e-bike.
Jeremy McCreary
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
"Bad knees" aren't all alike. Some tolerate loads that others don't. And some riding environments have more vertical and more traffic than others. Test, test, test is the only sure way to know what works for a given rider in given setting.
My bum knees are quite happy with my torque-sensing assist, and I wouldn't trade it for simple cadence-sensing assist under any circumstances. The key to success here is a well-implemented throttle -- specifically, a progressive throttle that adds instant power, up to full power, to whatever's going on, and does so in all non-zero assist levels.
Put that kind of throttle on a torque-sensing ebike, and you have a very versatile power delivery system. Simply layer in throttle whenever your knees encounter loads they don't like -- e.g., on starts or during sudden bursts of speed in traffic.
I usually need the extra help for only a second or two at a time. Then I'm back to pedaling as I was moments before. I may well shift or adjust assist level to maintain a knee-friendly cadence afterward, but often no need to do either.
Between throttle bursts, you have all the advantages of torque-sensing assist. You're in charge. Use the throttle as much or as little as you like. Pedal as strenuously as you like. Pamper your knees as required.
NB: Not all throttles work this way. Test riding is the only sure way to know how the throttle and torque-sensing implementations on a given ebike work together. Official product pages seldom mention these particulars, and LBS personnel may have no clue.
Good luck to the OP.
Readytoride
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Virginia
I have two carbon belt drive Gazelle 380+ (28 mph assist). One is a 2022, and the other is a 2023. I wanted a maintenance free, no fuss, easy to ride bike made by a well known company that produced a quality product, plus I wanted a carbon belt drive so that I didn't have to deal with cleaning/repairing/replacing/ chains that got filthy or fell off, and the delicate derailer that went with them.
There are zillions of bikes out there with chains because chains are cheap. They also require a lot of work to keep them in good shape. Don't settle for them. You'll be sorry in the long run. The carbon belt drive Gazelle ticked all the boxes for me. Spending the money for a bike of this high quality caliber is well worth it for the ease of use and ease of mind in regards to the least amount of maintenance out there for a bike.
PS - I'm 2 years older than you and have 3 carbon belt drive ebikes (two Gazelle380+ and a Giant LaFree), and one chain driven (Specialized). Giant only made the carbon belt drive for 2 years then went back to a chain because it was cheaper. I rarely ride my Sepcialized Vado anymore because things on it are prone to breakage/failure (blown motor and now broken power switch) and I'm not keen on having it break down (again) and leave me stranded (again). The Gazelles have been 100% reliable. The only maintenance needed on them is brake pad replacement when the old pads are worn down.
One suggestion - do have the bike shop add Tannus Armour inserts to your tires to prevent flats. Best option ever!
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Rexlion
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Tulsa metro
I'm going to test ride a Tenways Ago T tomorrow. I hope it rides as nice as it looks.
spokewrench
Active Member
- Region
- USA
Decades ago a malicious young man hit the back of my front wheel with a basketball as I passed ten feet from him. It didn't deflect my steering at all. It was a traditional English three-speed with the seat far enough back that the rider would lean forward enough to put his upper body weight over a triangle between the seat and the hand grips. The handlebars were perhaps ten inches higher than the seat, so I could lean forward without pressing down hard on my hands. The rider's upper body formed a stable tripod that had no trouble absorbing the impact of a basketball.
I, too, find modern frames terribly short. My first ebike was a Radrunner. With the seat raised to pedal, the handgrips weren't far in front of my belt, and that was dangerously unstable. When I lifted my left arm to signal, there was no more tripod. I had to apply torsion to the right grip to try to steer as I used the grip for support. It gave me tennis elbow. Everything was much better when I moved the seat back, maybe ten inches.
gladiataar
Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- California
Would love to hear your impressions -- good or bad. There is very, very little written about the Tenways brand here on EBR.
As previously mentioned, I found it a tad underpowered for a person of my weight (250lbs), but on flatter terrain or for someone 100lbs lighter, it would be worth a test drive. It seemed to ride lighter than its spec'd weight. Motor noise wasn't intrusive either, something I finding myself more sensitive to, as a newcomer to the world of ebikes. Price seemed to be in line with similarly equipped brand/models too.
Rexlion
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Tulsa metro
I didn't buy the Tenways Ago T. Nice looking ebike, though. It didn't have as much hill climbing power as my current ebike, a Ride1Up LMT'D; the Tenways hub's rated torque is about 20% less than my MXUS hub IIRC, and I just read today that the Enviolo has a 14% efficiency loss versus a derailleur. The brakes on the Tenways were adequate but not as good as mine. The Enviolo shift process seemed backward to me, and I often shifted up when I meant to shift down & vice versa. The seat and suspension seatpost were nice, and the ride was smooth and comfortable. I like the upright sit position, and the adjustable-angle front stem is nice to have. For leisurely pedaling around a town where the hills are all less than 7-8% grade, the Tenways would be quite nice. But I was trying this ebike in a neighborhood with some steep streets, probably in the 10-15% range. I weigh 160 btw.
That's a good looking bike, and it satisfies most of your wants. I notice they are cagey about weight, however, which in my suspicious mind means it's quite heavy. Very similar to mine, an Ariel Rider C Class, also a step-thru (and over 70 lbs). The Shimano Nexus 7 is an internally geared hub (IGH), which I have, and like very much.l Don't ever want to go back to a derailleur if I don't have to. Mine was a bit cheaper--about $1800, but I'm doubtful that model is still available, though the company is still around. I have had mine 2+ years, and about 2100 miles, with no issues, not even a flat tire. I am committed to an upright riding posture, as my wrists and hands suffer too much riding in a sportier (more forward and aerodynamic) position. Oh, the C Class has a small battery, and consequently not much range, but that isn't a problem for me.What about something like this...
Vida E+ Low -Step (2022) | bike | Momentum Bikes US
Here’s a smart, stylish new way to ride across town, get to the gym, or hit the corner coffee-shop. The Vida E+ electric comfort bike features our SyncDrive Life motor, which gives you a natural-feeling boost of electr...www.momentum-biking.com
I'm 86 yo, for what it's worth; so if anything I say sounds like gibberish, consider the source.
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Rexlion
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Tulsa metro
I've looked at Momentum ebikes before. I observed taht they never list the weight on the website. Ever. Doesn't matter which model.
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
Same with all Giant, Liv, and Momentum
The Zen Photon (https://zenebikes.com/products/photon-electric-bike) and the Evelo Omega (https://evelo.com/products/omega) are tons of bike for the cost. I personally went with the Zen as it was closer to perfect for me and will review it shortly. Both of these companies appear to have very good customer service as well.
Whatever you choose to do, don't by a Dost: https://forums.electricbikereview.com/threads/dost-is-now-in-receivership.54903/
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