Going with the Flow 🤣!

PatriciaK

PatriciaK

Well-Known Member
Region
USA
City
Pacific Northwest and Piedmont Triad
10.64 miles on the Bicentennial Greenway, Greensboro, NC 😊😁😊.

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Trees really starting to leaf out, and "wild life" (they can be pretty dangerous when babies arrive!) near the trail.
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LOVE the suspension fork 😍😍😍! Didn't know what I was missing til the tree root bumps, gravel patches and bridge approaches smoothed right out!

Still figuring out cadence sensing and other aspects of the bike, but all in all, I'm a VERY happy rider 😁

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Love this bike 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️!
 
The included light isn't all that bright... it's more of a "I'm here" light to oncoming traffic.

I recommend finding a USB rechargeable light on Amazon... maybe buying one of the more expensive ones will pave the way for having the included light installed. :)
 
BigNerd said:
The included light isn't all that bright... it's more of a "I'm here" light to oncoming traffic.

I recommend finding a USB rechargeable light on Amazon... maybe buying one of the more expensive ones will pave the way for having the included light installed. :)
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That is a GREAT idea 🤣🤣🤣!
 
Elle said:
You're making my decision harder! Do you still prefer the Lafree?
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Well, this probably won't help, but I'm finding there are some things I definitely prefer about the La Free, and some I'm really liking about the Flow.

The La Free is absolutely more natural feeling to ride, and the assist (at least on auto mode, the way I usually ride) is much more intuitive - meaning it doesn't cut out at a certain speed, like the Flow does. It's hard to explain, but I don't feel like I've figured out with the Flow how to feel like it's me riding the bike, even with PAS on, at least yet. I do a lot of stopping and starting pedaling to control the speed, where on the La Free the assist feels like it's letting ME pedal, and just giving me "bionic legs".

On the other hand, the Flow is quicker off the mark from a dead stop than the La Free (without feeling uncontrollable), which is nice.

I do worry about getting a rear flat some day with the Flow, because I know changing the tire is more complicated with the motor back there. But, that's what my mechanic is for 😉. And, I know the components on the La Free are higher quality (though the Flow components are not "bad").

Honestly, you'll probably be very happy with either bike - just take a few minutes, center yourself, think (briefly - go with whatever comes immediately to mind!) about what's most important to you, listen to your gut, and place your order 😁.

Don't waste riding time agonizing between 2 perfectly fine choices 😉😊😉😊.
 
Patricia, talk to the mechanic about getting some Slime installed for flat prevention. I'm a huge proponent. Not only does it cut the chances of a flat by a huge percentage (in normal use for most of us) it also pretty much eliminates the need for weekly tire pressure checks. They'll stay inflated for months at a time.

And the factory headlight? It worked fine for me on the blackest night with no lights anywhere. Good enough to let me ride comfortably at maybe 10mph anyway.
 
AHicks said:
Patricia, talk to the mechanic about getting some Slime installed for flat prevention. I'm a huge proponent. Not only does it cut the chances of a flat by a huge percentage (in normal use for most of us) it also pretty much eliminates the need for weekly tire pressure checks. They'll stay inflated for months at a time.

And the factory headlight? It worked fine for me on the blackest night with no lights anywhere. Good enough to let me ride comfortably at maybe 10mph anyway.
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I second this. Got a mesquite thorn the first day on my bike. Put in the slime, aired it up, rode it good and hard to spread the slime, never looked back. You don't need a mech to put slime in a tire. Just read the directions. Removing the valve in the stem is like opening a jar only easier. Get the right kind of slime. "Tube Sealant"
 
reed scott said:
I second this. Got a mesquite thorn the first day on my bike. Put in the slime, aired it up, rode it good and hard to spread the slime, never looked back. You don't need a mech to put slime in a tire. Just read the directions. Removing the valve in the stem is like opening a jar only easier. Get the right kind of slime. "Tube Sealant"
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This?
 
Oh, and don't use that whole bottle on one tire. 6oz per tire is plenty! And to save you from learning the hard way, make sure the filler valve is located so the green stuff doesn't come roaring back out when you disconnect the bottle. Somewhere up around 12:00 is a good plan, so the stuff can run downhill inside the tube as you inject it.
 
PatriciaK said:
Well, this probably won't help, but I'm finding there are some things I definitely prefer about the La Free, and some I'm really liking about the Flow.

The La Free is absolutely more natural feeling to ride, and the assist (at least on auto mode, the way I usually ride) is much more intuitive - meaning it doesn't cut out at a certain speed, like the Flow does. It's hard to explain, but I don't feel like I've figured out with the Flow how to feel like it's me riding the bike, even with PAS on, at least yet. I do a lot of stopping and starting pedaling to control the speed, where on the La Free the assist feels like it's letting ME pedal, and just giving me "bionic legs".

On the other hand, the Flow is quicker off the mark from a dead stop than the La Free (without feeling uncontrollable), which is nice.

I do worry about getting a rear flat some day with the Flow, because I know changing the tire is more complicated with the motor back there. But, that's what my mechanic is for 😉. And, I know the components on the La Free are higher quality (though the Flow components are not "bad").

Honestly, you'll probably be very happy with either bike - just take a few minutes, center yourself, think (briefly - go with whatever comes immediately to mind!) about what's most important to you, listen to your gut, and place your order 😁.

Don't waste riding time agonizing between 2 perfectly fine choices 😉😊😉😊.
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Update: my husband/mechanic says the La Free is plenty zippy - just not the way I ride it 😉.
 
PatriciaK said:
He's pretty stubborn - I may have to do it myself 😜!
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You just unscrew where the front fender is screwed to the bike, put that screw right back where it came from with the light in the mix, and then plug it in the only place it can go. (Unhook the middle section of the cord on the light that extends it in case you're morning to a front rack.)

I have faith in you.
 
vita10gy said:
You just unscrew where the front fender is screwed to the bike, put that screw right back where it came from with the light in the mix, and then plug it in the only place it can go. (Unhook the middle section of the cord on the light that extends it in case you're morning to a front rack.)

I have faith in you.
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Finalmente!
I did it myself 😁!

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