Hello From Indiana

[Sojourn7ers]

Hello!

My name is Tim and I am from the central Indiana area. Recently decided to start commuting via eBike. I haven't pulled the trigger on a model yet, but am doing my due diligence researching and trying to narrow down what is the best option for me.

My commute is 18 miles one way (so 36 miles round trip) and will take me from my home in the "country" to my place of employment in downtown Indianapolis. My route will combine a mix of country roads with no shoulders or bike lanes, surface streets with designated bike lanes, and actual pedestrian and bike trails. Due to the distance and mix of riding conditions, I am looking seriously at the Juiced RipCurrent S for the increased speed and battery capacity. I also like the idea of the fat tires for traveling more confidently in rain/snow conditions or the unfortunate possibility of having to ride off road on narrower country roads to avoid the occasional obstacle or distracted driver. For physical reference, I am 34 years old, 6 feet tall and weigh around 175 pounds, work out regularly and have no medical issues to speak of.

I have really appreciated the wealth of knowledge I have found on the forum and look forward to continuing to learn and hopefully contribute! Any thoughts or opinions on things I may have missed or not thought of are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Solom01]

Hi Tim, sounds like a good plan but will you be able to charge the battery at work? I know they claim a minimum of 40 miles, but most range estimates tend to be very optimistic, and riding at fast speeds in cold weather with stops and starts tends to really reduce range, as will age of the battery as it degrades, headwinds, and so forth. Again, sounds like a good plan, but just don't be too surprised if the range is a bit less than you expect - a bike that's this heavy is not going to be fun to ride if your battery runs out.

 

[Sojourn7ers]

Yeah, I forgot to mention that yes, I will be able to charge at work. Also plan to pick up the Grin Satiator charger for battery optimization and faster charge times.

 

[Marci jo]

Hello!

My name is Tim and I am from the central Indiana area. Recently decided to start commuting via eBike. I haven't pulled the trigger on a model yet, but am doing my due diligence researching and trying to narrow down what is the best option for me.

My commute is 18 miles one way (so 36 miles round trip) and will take me from my home in the "country" to my place of employment in downtown Indianapolis. My route will combine a mix of country roads with no shoulders or bike lanes, surface streets with designated bike lanes, and actual pedestrian and bike trails. Due to the distance and mix of riding conditions, I am looking seriously at the Juiced RipCurrent S for the increased speed and battery capacity. I also like the idea of the fat tires for traveling more confidently in rain/snow conditions or the unfortunate possibility of having to ride off road on narrower country roads to avoid the occasional obstacle or distracted driver. For physical reference, I am 34 years old, 6 feet tall and weigh around 175 pounds, work out regularly and have no medical issues to speak of.

I have really appreciated the wealth of knowledge I have found on the forum and look forward to continuing to learn and hopefully contribute! Any thoughts or opinions on things I may have missed or not thought of are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Congrats Sojourn7ers on your search for an ebike.
That’s a fabulous commute with a lot of variety. I’m not familiar with all the Juiced Bike models but you came to a good place here.
Maybe mention a price range that you are considering.

My first thought for you is to be seen by drivers, especially since there’s still so many texters out there!
So be sure your bike has BRIGHT LIGHTS.

Looking forward to a photo of your new ebike!

 

[Sojourn7ers]

Thanks Marci jo!

Yes, I have been looking at lots of lighting options and plan on investing heavily in safety gear to try and tilt the odds in my favor as much as possible.

As far as a budget goes, I really would like to keep my initial investment in the bike at around $3,000 as I expect to invest several hundred dollars in other gear such as safety, clothing for weather conditions, etc.

 

[Captain Slow]

Sounds like Tim is in good physical shape and I suspect he will get more range out of the battery than most on these forums.

I have a Juiced CCS and my commute is 11 miles each way. I normally use Eco and generally when I get home I have 60% to 70% of the battery remaining. He will likely be ok for range, but Tim if you're concerned about range you can always get one of the bigger batteries or as Solom suggests just charge at work. I gain about 125 metres of elevation each way.

I recently got a Specialized Creo and although the battery is small, the bike is so much more efficient that my range is even higher on the Creo. The nice thing about the Creo is that it has clearance for up to 42 mm tires, so probably could do your commute. One thing I notice about the CCS is that the position is very upright and if you want to travel at 35 km/hr. or faster it eats the battery very quickly. The Creo has a much more road oriented aero position and going that fast does not have the same dramatic battery drain.

I would suggest that if you think you want to cruise faster then a road ebike with clearance for wider tires is a better choice. If you got the Trek Domane +HP, it comes with a 500 wh battery and has provision for a 2nd one. With 1,000 wh of battery and a bike that could do 28 mph, you could literally be flying back and forth to work. The only downside is that set up would be very expensive. But it would be a really fast set up if that's what you need. An 18 mile commute is pretty far, if it were me I'd be prioritizing speed.

 

[Captain Slow]

While I was typing I see there were some other replies. With a $3k budget, then neither of my suggestions work. A Juiced CCX has a big battery, maybe consider that.

 

[TMH]

Tim,

Welcome to the EBR Forums from another new member.

After not having purchased any new ebikes since we bought our Pedegos back in 2011, I am amazed at the build quality and functionality of current bikes, including my recently purchased RipCurrent S. Sorry I don't have any real range info for you on my personal bike, but I just haven't had it long enough and anyway, I am riding in weather which is almost tropical compared to yours!

I had not originally seen the RCS as a commuter type bike - but when thinking about it, why not? It rides great over a variety of surfaces, should have the range you need, comes with lights/fenders/rack and is very stable and comfortable. The OEM headlight is powerful enough to both see and be seen, while the tail light is adequate (but I wish it was powered off the bike's main battery). I would probably get an additional relatively inexpensive small tail light to have in my backpack in case the batteries died in the main tail light, just because popping it on would be easier than changing batteries.

Great that you can charge at work, and since you have already chosen to get a Cycle Satiator, now you can leave your OEM charger at the office. That should give you all the range you need for your daily commute.

And BTW - after a non ebiking friend recently rode several of my new bikes, he is now looking to buy one for himself. And the one he has chosen out of the lot is the RipCurrent.

 

[Sojourn7ers]

Thanks Captain Slow! I appreciate the feedback. Part of the reason for keeping the budget where I am in that I want to make sure this is indeed a long term commuting solution for me. I want to spend enough to get a dependable, "quality" eBike (following the "you get what you pay for" mindset) but not so much that, if it doesn't work out, I've sunk more money into it than I would have liked to. Even with the option of trying to resell, there doesn't seem to be a HUGE market in my area for eBikes (yet) so I worry I wouldn't get much back out of it.

I have looked at the CCX as well, but worry about the thinner tires if I find myself either needing to get off the road in a hurry or potentially traveling through snowy/slushy roads.

 

[dodahman]

Your budget is great. There are so many good bikes out there within that price. Good luck.
My $.02: I would get something with a front shock.