First ebike

[mrapp1313]

Hello Everyone,

This post is going to look very similar to many others that have been posted here recently. I tried looking around to see if advice others were given would also apply to me as well and there were just enough slight variations that I figured it'd be worth posting my own thread.

I'm 5"11, 170lbs and looking to purchase my first ebike. I tested out my dad's Magnum UI6+ and loved the acceleration it had, was pure joy to ride. I'm looking to ride for fun on mostly paved trails, won't be using it for commuting and I don't plan to use it on the roads. Class 1 with the 20mph limit seems like more than enough power for what I'm looking for. Price range would be anywhere from 1500 to 2200. Good news is there seem to be a lot of options, the bad news is there is also a lot of options. My hope is that some knowledgeable folks here would at least be able to point me in the right direction of, these couple of models seem like they could be a good fit and then I could do more research on those to narrow it down. Thanks so much for your help in advance!

Mike

 

[Browneye]

My recommendation is always to visit as many bike shops in your locale, and try out as many bikes that interest you, as you can stand. You'll be in a much better place to understand differences between assist configurations, components, and styles, and much better able to recognize a deal when you see it.

Choosing a competent dealer can be the difference between joy and aggravation in the overall ownership experience. Ebikes are much more complicated than a standard bike. And they're all good when they're running, not so much if they break.

I always recommend the 'big-3' - Trek, Specialized, and Giant. Some people here think that's too limiting, but my experience is that they all make a quality product, have good dealers to back them up, and owners are generally satisfied with their purchase. Of course there are plenty of other options, even many direct-to-consumer bike companies that will mail-order you a bike.

Good luck and let us know what you find out there.

 

[PatriciaK]

My recommendation is always to visit as many bike shops in your locale, and try out as many bikes that interest you, as you can stand. You'll be in a much better place to understand differences between assist configurations, components, and styles, and much better able to recognize a deal when you see it.

Choosing a competent dealer can be the difference between joy and aggravation in the overall ownership experience. Ebikes are much more complicated than a standard bike. And they're all good when they're running, not so much if they break.

I always recommend the 'big-3' - Trek, Specialized, and Giant. Some people here think that's too limiting, but my experience is that they all make a quality product, have good dealers to back them up, and owners are generally satisfied with their purchase. Of course there are plenty of other options, even many direct-to-consumer bike companies that will mail-order you a bike.

Good luck and let us know what you find out there.

Love my Giant (La Free E+2), and my LBS is FABulous! Truly, having a good LBS is crucial if you don't plan on doing all your maintenance and repairs yourself!

 

[byunbee]

My recommendation is always to visit as many bike shops in your locale, and try out as many bikes that interest you, as you can stand. You'll be in a much better place to understand differences between assist configurations, components, and styles, and much better able to recognize a deal when you see it.

Choosing a competent dealer can be the difference between joy and aggravation in the overall ownership experience. Ebikes are much more complicated than a standard bike. And they're all good when they're running, not so much if they break.

I always recommend the 'big-3' - Trek, Specialized, and Giant. Some people here think that's too limiting, but my experience is that they all make a quality product, have good dealers to back them up, and owners are generally satisfied with their purchase. Of course there are plenty of other options, even many direct-to-consumer bike companies that will mail-order you a bike.

Good luck and let us know what you find out there.

Haibike and Yamaha are also great options. There's actually a good deal on Crazy Lenny's on the Yamaha CrossCore. Normally retails $2399 but the in-store demo (never ridden) is on sale for $1780 which is within your price range and great deal for a well-known reliable brand with mid-drive motor.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[FlatSix911]

My recommendation is always to visit as many bike shops in your locale, and try out as many bikes that interest you, as you can stand. You'll be in a much better place to understand differences between assist configurations, components, and styles, and much better able to recognize a deal when you see it. Choosing a competent dealer can be the difference between joy and aggravation in the overall ownership experience. Ebikes are much more complicated than a standard bike. And they're all good when they're running, not so much if they break.

I always recommend the 'big-3' - Trek, Specialized, and Giant. Some people here think that's too limiting, but my experience is that they all make a quality product, have good dealers to back them up, and owners are generally satisfied with their purchase. Of course, there are plenty of other options, even many direct-to-consumer bike companies that will mail-order you a bike. Good luck and let us know what you find out there.

Love my Giant (La Free E+2), and my LBS is FABulous! Truly, having a good LBS is crucial if you don't plan on doing all your maintenance and repairs yourself!

Excellent advice so far... I would add that you may also want to find an LBS that is familiar with one of the big 4 motor brands... Bosch, Brose, Shimano, or Yamaha.

 

[FlatSix911]

Haibike and Yamaha are also great options. There's actually a good deal on Crazy Lenny's on the Yamaha CrossCore.
Normally retails $2399 but the in-store demo (never ridden) is on sale for $1780 which is within your price range and great deal for a well-known reliable brand with mid-drive motor.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Nice find... here is another deal for a cruiser with a Shimano mid-drive for $1,350

Crazy Deal | Crazy Lenny's eBikes

Check out our Crazy Deals for the best prices in ebikes that you'll find.

www.crazylennysebikes.com

 

[PatriciaK]

If you do find something you like from an online seller, be sure to contact your local shops to see if they'll assemble/work on it for you, and how much they charge for those services. You're going to need to build those fees into the costs of owning the bike.

 

[mrapp1313]

Thanks everyone for the information and suggestions so far! I plan on calling some local shops tomorrow to see what options I have for test rides given the current situation. One question I'm curious to hear other opinions on is mid drive vs hub drive. For those that have tested or ridden each, can you tell a difference between the two in terms of acceleration? When I tested the hub drive that was the funnest part was feeling that acceleration. Do you feel that same "kick" with the mid drive as well?

Also, Im not the most handiest guy, so definitely having a good relationship with my local shop is going to be hugely important for future maintenance needs. Thanks again for all the info, definitely helps narrow things down a bit in terms of research. Much appreciated!

 

[PatriciaK]

I have ridden both types and chose the mid-drive specifically because it felt smooth and natural. I did not enjoy the feeling of the kick, at all. Also, I live in a very hilly location, and chose the mid-drive because it's better on the types of hills I generally ride than the hub.

If you like the kick, then you're probably looking at hub drives. You're not going to get that with a mid-drive. It's a personal preference, so go with what you like.

 

[Alex M]

One question I'm curious to hear other opinions on is mid drive vs hub drive. For those that have tested or ridden each, can you tell a difference between the two in terms of acceleration? When I tested the hub drive that was the funnest part was feeling that acceleration. Do you feel that same "kick" with the mid drive as well?

I hope this will not turn into another long discussion of hub vs mid. The "kick" that you felt was due to controller setup (too much power on PAS 1), and cadence sensor (especially on lower-priced bikes). Most hubs have cadence sensor, while most mid drives have torque sensor - more smooth starting.

Also, Im not the most handiest guy

Then it would make sense buying through LBS, rather than some online-only model (aka consumer-direct). Good news is that bikes sold through LBS in $1500-2,000 range will be mostly hubs, not mid, this makes your list shorter. Check Aventon Pace 350 or Pace 500. Also, Electra - not very cheap brand but they have 250W-350W hubs under $2K. And ubiquitous Pedego. Some models allow to reduce max amount of power on PAS, if the "kick" is too much. With your weight 350W hub will do fine on paved trails without steep hills, 500W hub will take care of "most" hills.

 

[mrapp1313]

Thanks Alex! Yeah, I figured hub vs mid can be discussed forever, tried to really focus it on that kick as that's what I was most interested in. Also, good to know on the Electra brand, it's hard for me to know what brands are good and which ones to possibly steer clear of. Appreciate the info!

 

[PatriciaK]

I hope this will not turn into another long discussion of hub vs mid. The "kick" that you felt was due to controller setup (too much power on PAS 1), and cadence sensor (especially on lower-priced bikes). Most hubs have cadence sensor, while most mid drives have torque sensor - more smooth starting.

Then it would make sense buying through LBS, rather than some online-only model (aka consumer-direct). Good news is that bikes sold through LBS in $1500-2,000 range will be mostly hubs, not mid, this makes your list shorter. Check Aventon Pace 350 or Pace 500. Also, Electra - not very cheap brand but they have 250W-350W hubs under $2K. And ubiquitous Pedego. Some models allow to reduce max amount of power on PAS, if the "kick" is too much. With your weight 350W hub will do fine on paved trails without steep hills, 500W hub will take care of "most" hills.

I was going to suggest the Aventon models, but understand there's a backlog of orders. Also, they have some dealers, but their dealer network is a bit thin.

Most folks who have their bikes, love them! Check out the Aventon forum!

 

[Alex M]

Yes, Aventon have fewer shops than other big brands. Though, most states would have a few dealers.

Aventon Pace 500 is at least same loaded with features than Electra Townie Go 7D at the same $1,500, but Electra is Class 1 while Pace is Class 3 (not important for the OP).
Pedego Comfort Cruiser (one of their cheaper models at $2,000) is like a poor man's Electra 7D, basic LED display and other components.

I actually like how Pedego Comfort and Electra 7D look, except that both of them have battery on the rear rack - not the best placement.

All these bikes have been reviewed here by Court and shouldn't be too difficult to find to test-ride. Though most shops have now low inventory due to coronavirus, you may test ride but will wait a month to buy.

 

[Browneye]

*cough, cough*

Not sure why you would cough at the best in the business. Budgets are adjustable, and I think a new ebike rider should see and try everything they can find - sometimes something clicks that they might not have otherwise found. And besides, it's a lot of fun.

So ride as many as you can stand to. That's what lends experience, for it starts when you begin.

 

[mrapp1313]

Everyone was so nice enough to share their thoughts I wanted to give an update as to where I'm at. I went to 3 different bike stores today and got to ride a total of 8 bikes. This was definitely the best advice, being able to feel and experience different bikes really helped me hone in on what I like and didn't like for me personally. Below is the breakdown and order they were tried.

Trek Verve +2 - was underwhelmed with this one. Just didn't have enough acceleration for what I was looking for.
Townie Go 8D - for some crazy reason I felt this had more ummph than the trek. It was okay.
Townie Go 7D - this one had a hub drive which I could feel that push from behind that I liked, but still just okay.
Alliant +8S - I knew this was out of my price range but I asked to ride a mid-drive that he thought would have more power so he put me on a class 3. This was quite amazing. Definitely had that acceleration I was looking for. Still not looking to consistently ride between speeds of 25 and 28mph, but I loved how fast I could get up to 22mph which is a speed I was comfortable riding at.

Specialized Vado 4.0 - Another class 3 bike that I really liked. Acceleration was fantastic.
Specialized Vado 2.0 - I think it was the 2.0, whatever the class 1 version of the Vado is. I liked this as well, had good acceleration but was bummed everytime I'd get 19mph and I could feel the assist turn off. I feel like I just want that extra 2 or 3mph before it turns off and I'd be good.
Specialized Vado SL - not sure on this model, said it was newer, more light weight and nimble, I didn't like this as much as it just didn't have the power of the other Vado's I tried.

Giant Lafree 1 - I did like this, it was smooth, acceleration seemed pretty solid as well. Was forced to test this in a medium sized parking lot so really didn't get to feel it at full speed for more than a second before needing to break.

A lot of these bikes were definitely out of my original price range but I did learn a lot in terms of what I'm looking for. The price range may have to change Right now I'm really thinking about the Vado 4.0. Part of my rationale is even if I wanted a good class 1 bike where I could feel that acceleration, I'm gonna be around 2500. What's another 1k to get something I wouldn't regret in terms of limiting the power. Anyway, still doing a lot of reading and research on the forum. Thanks again to all those have have offered their advice. Will definitely update this again as a decision becomes closer or I actually make it happen

 

[Browneye]

The high end bikes are always the nicest. I guess that's why they're high end. LOL
Now that you understand what the possibilities are, you can quickly size up other bikes you try out.

 

[PatriciaK]

One thing I didn't see mentioned here, since you specifically said you want to ride on mostly paved trails - many, if not most, of those trails do not allow class 3 bikes. Most allow class 1, many allow class 2. You may want to check the laws where you will be riding to be sure your bike is allowed, before you decide to purchase.

 

[Mr Prof]

Hello Everyone,

This post is going to look very similar to many others that have been posted here recently. I tried looking around to see if advice others were given would also apply to me as well and there were just enough slight variations that I figured it'd be worth posting my own thread.

I'm 5"11, 170lbs and looking to purchase my first ebike. I tested out my dad's Magnum UI6+ and loved the acceleration it had, was pure joy to ride. I'm looking to ride for fun on mostly paved trails, won't be using it for commuting and I don't plan to use it on the roads. Class 1 with the 20mph limit seems like more than enough power for what I'm looking for. Price range would be anywhere from 1500 to 2200. Good news is there seem to be a lot of options, the bad news is there is also a lot of options. My hope is that some knowledgeable folks here would at least be able to point me in the right direction of, these couple of models seem like they could be a good fit and then I could do more research on those to narrow it down. Thanks so much for your help in advance!

Mike

Post how you're feeling so far so people can give you more feedback. Knowledge makes the selection process a lot easier. Of course you already hit on the challenge--overwhelming information.

It is currently the wild, wild west of e-bikes. Sellers are salivating at the number of people willing to plunk out the cash for these WONDERFUL machines. I'll be as brief as I can below with my story. Use it to inform your story. It will be YOUR story that counts. Remember that.

Late 2017 -- I test road my friends new e-bike (Rad Power). I did NOT like it. It felt out of control, like I had to learn to ride a motorcycle. I love technology, but I prefer it to be user friendly. I felt surge was an issue. My friend already had a fender support come undone and it was less than a couple months old.

2018-2020 March -- I primarily used this web-site and mostly Court's videos to research many brands and bikes. I was floored at the $7K and above e-bikes. I was impressed with the fat tire bikes. I am an urban, mountain bike rider in the Pacific Northwest, but used to ride in NYC and upstate NY. I had to decide if I would prefer hub motor or mid drive. It took a little while, 6-10 months, but mid drive was what seemed to work best for my needs/desires. Look online for the difference. There are some British guys that even do an uphill test of the two with CHEAPISH bikes. Although I understood why and what I wanted, I resisted the higher price of the mid drive. In order to maybe address this, I began to look at the BAFANG, "direct-to-consumer" models online. Again, Court's (EBR) information is very good. I also began to see the difference in quality of the various brands and their components. Do your research, you will not regret it.

Even as recently as February 2020, I began to feel overwhelmed again. Not to worry because in March when I was ready to pull the trigger, just shopping online, I always had a vast amount of knowledge to know what was good and what was NOT a good buy. Fat tire vs. plus size tire vs. regular tire also had me OVERTHINKING. Like a car, these things depreciate the minute you ride your first 50 miles. I just wanted to make a wise choice.

End of March, 2020 Finally, I did a google SHOPPING search and found the 2018 Fuji Ambient 1.3, reviewed here, for $2K. I immediately bought it. The big three are Giant, Specialized, and Trek, the latter two out of my price sensitivity, BUT prices have just (last 6 months) begun to come down with the latter two also. Next, I went to my local bike shop and what did I see? I saw a $2,400, 2018 Giant Explore 3.0 on sale for $2K. I immediately bought that for my casual path, gravel trail rides and it has been used by a friend to do some fire roads on mountains with NO problems. That's two good quality e-bikes for $4K. And they're mid drives. Hub motors are fine. I was very close to buying the Ride1Up, Juiced, or Aventon models.

I feel so blessed to have gotten what I wanted, mid drive quality, at decent prices. If you can hold off for even the summer and just take your time and do the research, I assure you, you will feel prouder of yourself for making a sound choice in e-bike. Not to worry, it's okay to make quick decisions and get to the joy too. Whatever you do, I am thrilled that you'll soon have that big goofy grin on your face that almost ALL e-bike neophytes describe about their first purchase/ride. Good luck!

 

[FlatSix911]

Post how you're feeling so far so people can give you more feedback. Knowledge makes the selection process a lot easier. Of course you already hit on the challenge--overwhelming information.

It is currently the wild, wild west of e-bikes. Sellers are salivating at the number of people willing to plunk out the cash for these WONDERFUL machines. I'll be as brief as I can below with my story. Use it to inform your story. It will be YOUR story that counts. Remember that.

Late 2017 -- I test road my friends new e-bike (Rad Power). I did NOT like it. It felt out of control, like I had to learn to ride a motorcycle. I love technology, but I prefer it to be user friendly. I felt surge was an issue. My friend already had a fender support come undone and it was less than a couple months old.

2018-2020 March -- I primarily used this web-site and mostly Court's videos to research many brands and bikes. I was floored at the $7K and above e-bikes. I was impressed with the fat tire bikes. I am an urban, mountain bike rider in the Pacific Northwest, but used to ride in NYC and upstate NY. I had to decide if I would prefer hub motor or mid drive. It took a little while, 6-10 months, but mid drive was what seemed to work best for my needs/desires. Look online for the difference. There are some British guys that even do an uphill test of the two with CHEAPISH bikes. Although I understood why and what I wanted, I resisted the higher price of the mid drive. In order to maybe address this, I began to look at the BAFANG, "direct-to-consumer" models online. Again, Court's (EBR) information is very good. I also began to see the difference in quality of the various brands and their components. Do your research, you will not regret it.

Even as recently as February 2020, I began to feel overwhelmed again. Not to worry because in March when I was ready to pull the trigger, just shopping online, I always had a vast amount of knowledge to know what was good and what was NOT a good buy. Fat tire vs. plus size tire vs. regular tire also had me OVERTHINKING. Like a car, these things depreciate the minute you ride your first 50 miles. I just wanted to make a wise choice.

End of March, 2020 Finally, I did a google SHOPPING search and found the 2018 Fuji Ambient 1.3, reviewed here, for $2K. I immediately bought it. The big three are Giant, Specialized, and Trek, the latter two out of my price sensitivity, BUT prices have just (last 6 months) begun to come down with the latter two also. Next, I went to my local bike shop and what did I see? I saw a $2,400, 2018 Giant Explore 3.0 on sale for $2K. I immediately bought that for my casual path, gravel trail rides and it has been used by a friend to do some fire roads on mountains with NO problems. That's two good quality e-bikes for $4K. And they're mid drives. Hub motors are fine. I was very close to buying the Ride1Up, Juiced, or Aventon models.

I feel so blessed to have gotten what I wanted, mid drive quality, at decent prices. If you can hold off for even the summer and just take your time and do the research, I assure you, you will feel prouder of yourself for making a sound choice in e-bike. Not to worry, it's okay to make quick decisions and get to the joy too. Whatever you do, I am thrilled that you'll soon have that big goofy grin on your face that almost ALL e-bike neophytes describe about their first purchase/ride. Good luck!

Congratulations on your new EBikes... you did your homework and ended up with two great mid-drives.

Fuji Ambient 27.5+ 1.3 Review

Price: $3999 | Model Year: 2017 | A hardtail cross country style electric mountain bike with 3" wide plus sized tires and Boost hub spacing for improved wheel strength, adjustable 100 mm suspension fork with remote lockout Available in three frame sizes, relatively lightweight at ~47 lbs...

electricbikereview.com

Explore E+ 3 (2018) | E-bike bike | Giant Bicycles US

<p>The Explore E+ combines urban riding style with versatile performance that can handle rougher roads. The ALUXX aluminum frameset and a SyncDrive Sport motor that’s powered by Yamaha combine for great handling a...

www.giant-bicycles.com

 

[mrapp1313]

Just wanted to post an update that I purchased the Como 4.0 on Monday. I was pretty set on the Vado 4.0 but wanted a more relaxed riding position. My arms aren't long enough to be in a relaxed riding position, not enough reach. It wasn't really bad but enough that I wanted to look at other models. So then I did a test ride of the Como and knew right away that was the bike for me. Has the speed I was looking for, little wider tires so doesn't keep the speed like the Vado does but I'm okay with that.

Had the bike for a couple days now and still really happy with it. I know it wasn't in my initial price range, but I really only wanted to buy one bike so figured I'd get exactly what I wanted right away. Also bought it from a local store and they were great throughout the entire process. I definitely have confidence that if anything goes wrong they'll be there to help out. It's a nice comforting feeling to have. Thanks to everyone here for the help, this is a really solid community with a lot of positive vibes. Next up is accessories, been stalking a lot of other threads where others are posting suggestions which has been really helpful as well. Thanks again, I'll definitely be sticking around!