WalkinTarget
Active Member
After waiting ... and waiting ... aaaaandd WAITING .... for a Rip Current S for months, I had decided it was time to broaden the horizon and maybe consider something a little different than a fatty for my fist ebike, so I posted this thread and got some great advice from Ravi. I purchased the bike and received it the first week of June, and quickly started adding components to make it more comfy and practical to ride anytime, anywhere. First item to address is always the seat, so a Serfas Dual Density was purchased:
Ugghh, photobombed by my Boxer, Mugsy !! He doesn't share my enthusiasm for Dad's new toy, he just likes to be the center of attention. OK, where was I ?? Ohh, next was a water bottle holder to provide some very important liquid refreshment for a ride. If there is anything to ding Haibike for, it's the lack of any bosses to mount either a bottle, lock, air pump .. numerous accessories that you will NEED to carry, but you need to be creative if you buy a Haibike. I chose a Bushwhacker Shasta for its smaller size and it is ideal for location, right at your stem for easy access.
Next on the list was a cheap stem bag from Target, which provides a place to store tools, patch kit, keys and all those miscellaneous items that are needed at some point if you ride enough.
I had the opportunity to do a moonlight ride in June, and of course did not have a light, so what I wanted from a light was the ability to plug it into the micro USB port on the Yamaha's controller so that the main battery would charge the light. This one was a 700w x 2 setup, and it did a very good hob lighting up the trail without being obnoxious - just remember to point it down maybe 20 feet ahead of you on the trail, rather than level and shining a hundred feet ahead and blinding riders coming at you.
Last item on my list was the Ergo G5 grips, which I debated over for a while. I wasn't sure I would like them, but I found the more I rode, the more my wrists and fingertips would bother me, so going to a better grip that allows three different hand positions was an overall good option to have. This is a lousy view of the grips and doesn't show how the bend upwards, but after using them for a month, I can recommend them.
So in conclusion, over 2 months into owning it with almost 300 miles on it, and I am very pleased with its performance. I did not mention performance until now, but I got quickly annoyed with the Yamaha cuting out at 20mph, so I added the Bikespeed RS to power through the long straight stretches of rail trail that I ride, and while it just KILLS the battery, it does what I want it to and allows me to maintain a pace of around 22-23mph which is just faster enough to justify its purchase.
I already mentioned the cons for the bike - the lack of bottle bosses and the 20mph cutout, but those can both be addressed. Looking back, I'm kinda glad I did not purchase the Rip Current S - while it would definitely draw a crowd and start plenty of conversation, it just wasn't the best tool for the job, and the 29" ride on the Haibike just excels at eating up the miles with not much effort - it really is a nice offroad cruiser that provides a comfortable ride and I look forward to riding it as much as I can.
Ugghh, photobombed by my Boxer, Mugsy !! He doesn't share my enthusiasm for Dad's new toy, he just likes to be the center of attention. OK, where was I ?? Ohh, next was a water bottle holder to provide some very important liquid refreshment for a ride. If there is anything to ding Haibike for, it's the lack of any bosses to mount either a bottle, lock, air pump .. numerous accessories that you will NEED to carry, but you need to be creative if you buy a Haibike. I chose a Bushwhacker Shasta for its smaller size and it is ideal for location, right at your stem for easy access.
Next on the list was a cheap stem bag from Target, which provides a place to store tools, patch kit, keys and all those miscellaneous items that are needed at some point if you ride enough.
I had the opportunity to do a moonlight ride in June, and of course did not have a light, so what I wanted from a light was the ability to plug it into the micro USB port on the Yamaha's controller so that the main battery would charge the light. This one was a 700w x 2 setup, and it did a very good hob lighting up the trail without being obnoxious - just remember to point it down maybe 20 feet ahead of you on the trail, rather than level and shining a hundred feet ahead and blinding riders coming at you.
Last item on my list was the Ergo G5 grips, which I debated over for a while. I wasn't sure I would like them, but I found the more I rode, the more my wrists and fingertips would bother me, so going to a better grip that allows three different hand positions was an overall good option to have. This is a lousy view of the grips and doesn't show how the bend upwards, but after using them for a month, I can recommend them.
So in conclusion, over 2 months into owning it with almost 300 miles on it, and I am very pleased with its performance. I did not mention performance until now, but I got quickly annoyed with the Yamaha cuting out at 20mph, so I added the Bikespeed RS to power through the long straight stretches of rail trail that I ride, and while it just KILLS the battery, it does what I want it to and allows me to maintain a pace of around 22-23mph which is just faster enough to justify its purchase.
I already mentioned the cons for the bike - the lack of bottle bosses and the 20mph cutout, but those can both be addressed. Looking back, I'm kinda glad I did not purchase the Rip Current S - while it would definitely draw a crowd and start plenty of conversation, it just wasn't the best tool for the job, and the 29" ride on the Haibike just excels at eating up the miles with not much effort - it really is a nice offroad cruiser that provides a comfortable ride and I look forward to riding it as much as I can.
