First Time Buyer with Decision Paralysis

[old guy 666]

Hey all

I've been a casual cyclist for a few years and currently reside in the Seattle area. I'm looking to buy my first ebike to use for recreation and errands. For the last few months I've been researching what would be a good buy, but have felt overwhelmed with the huge selection of highly recommended models from all sorts of blogs and youtube channels.

Would love to be able to make ~30mi roundtrips while being able to pedal assist up the hills you'll find in the PNW. I think detachable battery would be preferred, but not a dealbreaker if the battery was internal but the bike was light. Fenders/rack are nice to haves. Also need a small frame size as I'm 5'3.

Some models I've looked at thus far:
- Priority Current (through Costco)
- Aventon Level.2
- Specialized Turbo Vado/Como
- Trek FX/Verve

I have a fairly flexible budget, but because I won't be using it as a mission critical daily commuter I'm hesitant to pull the trigger on the higher end established manufacturer models.

Would love any recommendations and general buying advice. I haven't personally worked on my own bikes much, outside of cleaning/lubing a chain - so being able to service it in a shop would be nice. With that said, I'm open to learning too.

Thanks in advance

I am having good luck with a Motobecane Mulekick ordered from Bikes direct. 35 pounds with a 200 watt/hour battery. I got it after having the non electric version for 5 years and riding 1000 miles a year. My son is a total bike addict and spent a couple years as a mechanic. He said it comes with all the solid components that will last. If you want a bicycle with help for hills & headwinds it is a solid choice. I have done four 40+ mile rides this year on it. I did go into the settings and set it for minimum help/max range.

 

[Catalyzt]

I am having good luck with a Motobecane Mulekick ordered from Bikes direct. 35 pounds with a 200 watt/hour battery. I got it after having the non electric version for 5 years and riding 1000 miles a year. My son is a total bike addict and spent a couple years as a mechanic. He said it comes with all the solid components that will last. If you want a bicycle with help for hills & headwinds it is a solid choice. I have done four 40+ mile rides this year on it. I did go into the settings and set it for minimum help/max range.

I now have a rad new experimental build from Pedaluma, but my Motobecane Ultra e-Adventure (discontinued) has been bomb-proof. It is seriously underpowered, but is also surprisingly light for an FS eMTB -- 49 pounds out of the box, 46 after mods. BD's selection seems a bit more limited these days, and might not be right for the OP's height, but worth a look.

 

[harryS]

Well, it's soon to be October and ap3nw has never come back. With winter coming, although that may not be a factor in the PNW, I guess any ebike will be pushed out til next year.

 

[Cottonwe]

Your quest for the perfect ebike sounds a lot like mine when I was diving into the world of two-wheelers. It's like being a kid in a candy store, except the candy comes with motors and batteries!

I remember being overwhelmed by the endless options, just like you. But here's the thing – sometimes, you've just got to trust your gut. When I was torn between two bikes, I did what any sane person would do – I fired up a coin flip generator. And you know what? It pointed me in the right direction.

So, my advice? Narrow down your choices based on what matters most to you – whether it's range, versatility, or that perfect fit for those PNW hills.

 

[Cybersnow]

We spend a lot of the winter in the Los Angeles area and found an Aventon dealer there. We now own 3 of their bikes. They are the step through version and have enough power to get up and down the hills close to the beach. Whatever you chose make sure there is a dealer or local bike shop nearby to service your bike if anything goes wrong. We have had zero issues with our Aventons but then the bike shop put them together and made sure they were in good working order.

 

[indianajo]

Whatever you chose make sure there is a dealer or local bike shop nearby to service your bike if anything goes wrong.

Original poster left the website 6/10/23. Please wave pointer over username for last post date before giving advice to nobody.

 

[Rome]

Good catch
@Stefan Mikes would call it necro posting.
Good advice otherwise.

 

[Cybersnow]

Good call, just learned something!

 

[mfgrep]

The Vado 4.0 currently on sale is hard to beat on a price vs performance/features ratio. If that bike style suits you (you seem quite flexible) you should grab that deal. I did.