Hello group , I'm planning on getting my first e bike and I need some advice . I'm 63 years old , 210 lbs and have asthma .I want an e bike that will do most of the work for me . I plan on mostly paved bike trails with minimal hills . I have looked at the rad city that has 500 watts rear brushless drive as Canada will only allow a 500 watt max rating . I have also looked at the Electric bike company model R and the Evelo delta x , and Aries hub drive . Some advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
First electric bike .
- Thread starter Sfrank
- Start date
PatriciaK
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Pacific Northwest and Piedmont Triad
Since you plan on riding mostly paved with minimal hills, many bikes will work for you.
We have a friend who has the Rad City - be aware that it has a direct drive motor which causes drag when not pedaling. Husband rode it last week and did not like it because he said when he wasn't pedaling, it felt like the brakes were on. Not much coasting ability.
Check out the Aventon line, if you happen to have a dealer near you, or a shop that is willing to service it:
www.aventon.com
Since you want the bike to do most of the work, a throttle - which these bikes have, night be of interest to you.
I ride a Giant La Free E+2 - you might take a look at that one, also:
www.giant-bicycles.com
No throttle, but very easy to ride, and as much or as little assist as you want. It's a mid drive motor, and more than adequate for your needs.
Like I said, there are lots of bikes out there that would satisfy your riding requirements! Best to try as many different models/motor styles/etc. as possible, to get a real world feel of what you like best. That's going to be a little difficult right now, as many dealers are out of many models. But, still suggest you try riding whatever you can find, so you can clarify what you like, and what works best for you.
We have a friend who has the Rad City - be aware that it has a direct drive motor which causes drag when not pedaling. Husband rode it last week and did not like it because he said when he wasn't pedaling, it felt like the brakes were on. Not much coasting ability.
Check out the Aventon line, if you happen to have a dealer near you, or a shop that is willing to service it:
Electric Cruiser Bike | Free Shipping
Discover ebike cruisers for leisurely rides. Comfy & versatile, these electric cruiser bikes unite comfort & convenience. ✅ Over 1,800 authorized dealers for service & test rides ✅ 2-year warranty ✅ Fast & free shipping over $100 ✅ Ride more. Be happy.
www.aventon.com
Since you want the bike to do most of the work, a throttle - which these bikes have, night be of interest to you.
I ride a Giant La Free E+2 - you might take a look at that one, also:
LaFree E+ (2019) | Giant Bicycles US
Here’s a totally unique and invigorating new way to ride. This new E-bike lets you ride farther with less effort. Explore neighborhood streets, ride for fitness...
www.giant-bicycles.com
No throttle, but very easy to ride, and as much or as little assist as you want. It's a mid drive motor, and more than adequate for your needs.
Like I said, there are lots of bikes out there that would satisfy your riding requirements! Best to try as many different models/motor styles/etc. as possible, to get a real world feel of what you like best. That's going to be a little difficult right now, as many dealers are out of many models. But, still suggest you try riding whatever you can find, so you can clarify what you like, and what works best for you.
Thanks for your advice , you have some good points .Since you plan on riding mostly paved with minimal hills, many bikes will work for you.
We have a friend who has the Rad City - be aware that it has a direct drive motor which causes drag when not pedaling. Husband rode it last week and did not like it because he said when he wasn't pedaling, it felt like the brakes were on. Not much coasting ability.
Check out the Aventon line, if you happen to have a dealer near you, or a shop that is willing to service it:
Electric Cruiser Bike | Free Shipping
Discover ebike cruisers for leisurely rides. Comfy & versatile, these electric cruiser bikes unite comfort & convenience. ✅ Over 1,800 authorized dealers for service & test rides ✅ 2-year warranty ✅ Fast & free shipping over $100 ✅ Ride more. Be happy.
Since you want the bike to do most of the work, a throttle - which these bikes have, night be of interest to you.
I ride a Giant La Free E+2 - you might take a look at that one, also:
LaFree E+ (2019) | Giant Bicycles US
Here’s a totally unique and invigorating new way to ride. This new E-bike lets you ride farther with less effort. Explore neighborhood streets, ride for fitness...
No throttle, but very easy to ride, and as much or as little assist as you want. It's a mid drive motor, and more than adequate for your needs.
Like I said, there are lots of bikes out there that would satisfy your riding requirements! Best to try as many different models/motor styles/etc. as possible, to get a real world feel of what you like best. That's going to be a little difficult right now, as many dealers are out of many models. But, still suggest you try riding whatever you can find, so you can clarify what you like, and what works best for you.
, a Riese Muller ? Hmm, I gotta count my pennies . I really don't know much about mid drive bikes with belt drives .Now that I have found a shop I Toronto I will be visiting them soon . Amego electric vehicles on Richmond Street.
You might want to get a bike easier to get on and off, like a step through or lower bar. You did not mention your height. You might also think about whether you want a suspension fork . On smooth roads it it not necessary but someone like my husband who has neck, back and wrist issues may want them. Aventon does have various sizes in their models. However, some people think they go fast on assistance (over 10 mph) even in lower levels of assist. See Aventon thread and threads for other brands you mention. Some people like ride1 up bikes because you can change/program each level of assistance. They have a 500/700 models. They are direct to consumer bikes. I have asthma too although mine is well controlled. Getting exercise while riding will likely be a good thing. Agree having a throttle is a good idea if you have an attack while riding.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
Just a quick counterpoint regarding direct drive "drag". It's there, inherant in the design, but most OWNERS suggest it's just barely noticeable, if they even notice it at all. If the bike works for you otherwise, I would not discount it completely for this reason.
PatriciaK
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Pacific Northwest and Piedmont Triad
Yep - only mentioned it because OP stated he wanted the bike to do most of the work for him
.
Sierratim
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Nevada City, CA & Paradise Valley, AZ
Looks like they carry a number of quality brands. Test riding is the way to go, but their web site says they're open for curbside pickup and service drop offs. Do they offer test rides?
Unfortunately no. Only curbside pickups .
vincent
Well-Known Member
i have not ridden the rad city but they tend to be a good online company for service- responsive etc
have owned other rad bikes and been happy with them, they were dependable for me
evelo has a great warranty/good service reputation and that is a nice bike
i dont know anything about the electric bike company but their warranty stuff with $399 charges etc seems a little weird
maybe someone who knows more about their bikes will chime in
i also dont know much about aries
but you seemed to have picked some good bikes for your use case
it is tough when you cant test ride, so maybe if you have go online to get anything evelo really good warranty would move it up the list for me
sometimes you can connect with someone of fb who has the bike you are interested in and test ride....
rad is such a big company you might be able to find someone on their fb page and try one...
have owned other rad bikes and been happy with them, they were dependable for me
evelo has a great warranty/good service reputation and that is a nice bike
i dont know anything about the electric bike company but their warranty stuff with $399 charges etc seems a little weird
maybe someone who knows more about their bikes will chime in
i also dont know much about aries
but you seemed to have picked some good bikes for your use case
it is tough when you cant test ride, so maybe if you have go online to get anything evelo really good warranty would move it up the list for me
sometimes you can connect with someone of fb who has the bike you are interested in and test ride....
rad is such a big company you might be able to find someone on their fb page and try one...
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