Hello from the new kid on the block

[slwvero]

My name is Sherry and I bought an RV for my 70th me to me birthday present. Have had wanderlust all my live and am not getting any younger so felt if I was ever going to go see the USA there was no better time than the present. Arthritis and spinal stenosis have reared their ugly heads so I am slower than I used to be and can't do as much as I once did. I have had some corrective surgery, generally from sports injuries, that have left me with less than perfect balence. I have chosen not to tow, driving my 25 foot Class A baby behemoth is enough of a challenge so I would like to have a bike to run errands, go see places off the beaten path and go from place to place without always walking. Tried numerous two wheelers, when I have come across a bike store carrying ebikes on my travels, but felt no level of comfort. So being realistic, an etrike and a tilting carrier will probably the best solution for me. But where does one start?
Have spent hours watching reviews but am still lost. To make it more difficult, I live in a small town where we have only one store selling electric bicycles and they have nothing to show me. I do not really want to buy without taking a test drive but might have to. SOOOOOO, what should I be looking for? Lithium Ion battery, re-charge time, reverse, battery that can be charged while in place so I do not have to remove it, emergency (parking) brake, carrying capacity, fenders, chain guard- I get the simple stuff. But I would appreciate help on the things that really matter like the type of motor, the power, throttle type (some say variable speed control-twist throttle or pedal assist), braking system etc. Also, what type of carrier would one recommend? I assume something similar to that for a mobility scooter. Any help will be appreciated. Taking off for the wild blue yonder in mid-June and would like to be ready to roll be then. Thanks for the advise.

 

[John from Connecticut]

Hello Sherry,
Welcome, Have you checked out the Trek Electra Townie Go ? The bike is incredibly stable, very well built
and has a Bosch Power system which is top of the line.... Here's Court's review.

John from CT

 

[slwvero]

Thanks, John. Have not seen the Townie Go in the video. Tried the Pedigo Boonerang but it was not for me. Low enough step through but not a good fit. Will keep looking.

 

[Chris Hammond]

Hi Sherry. Good luck in your your quest. The Juiced Ocean Current is a mid step relaxed cruiser style ebike that is very affordable. My recommendation is, regardless of the bike you get, buy the biggest battery you can reasonably afford. Here's a link to the bike.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[J.R.]

Hi Sherry, welcome. Since your looking for a trike, checkout the Liberty eTrike. Ticks most of your boxes.

EBR written review (older model): https://electricbikereview.com/liberty-trike/electric-tricycle/

Liberty site: https://www.libertytrike.com

 

[Nova Haibike]

Arthritis and a

My name is Sherry and I bought an RV for my 70th me to me birthday present.

Happy Birthday.

Arthritis and spinal stenosis have reared their ugly heads so I am slower than I used to be and can't do as much as I once did. I have had some corrective surgery, generally from sports injuries, that have left me with less than perfect balence. So being realistic, an etrike and a tilting carrier will probably the best solution for me. But where does one start?

Tough situation. It does not seem like there are many e-trikes to choose from at all. Of the few I have seen listed on this site, I'd probably recommend the Pedego if only because they have the biggest dealer network to take care of servicing should you need it. Also, Worksman is a well-known manufacturer of bikes and trikes that are often used in industrial settings; they make a more budget friendly e-trike: https://www.worksmancycles.com/pt3cb-hub-eng.html

 

[AlanDB]

Hi Sherry. I am an e-bike newbie too and just joined the forum a few days ago. I just brought home a Gazelle Arroyo step thru. I turn 71 next month and decided to go with a step thru instead of step over frame because of hip problems. I have only ridden about 20 miles (waiting for warmer less windy weather), but so far I love it. If you decide to look at 2 wheelers instead of trikes, take a look:

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Incidentally, my local retailer had a couple of 2017 models at close out prices, so I paid considerably less than the posted MSRP.

 

[John from Connecticut]

Thanks, John. Have not seen the Townie Go in the video. Tried the Pedigo Boonerang but it was not for me. Low enough step through but not a good fit. Will keep looking.

Sherry,

I quickly checked out the Pedigo Bomerang and noticed one difference between it and the Townie Go. The Townie Go
design is such that the crank is forward of the seat down tube, thus when you come to a stop the only place your feet can
go is...to the pavement. The Pedigo Bomerang crank/pedal design is much more 'typical' .

The Townie-Go is ridden in a very upright position ala sitting in a chair which contributes to it's safety. Regarding your tech
question about type of motor battery, controller etc to buy, those questions have all been 'answered' vis the Bosch Power system
standard on the Townie.

As mentioned prior in Bosch Performance line motor and battery and the Intuvia Controller are one of
the best systems, if not the best out there. I have two e-bikes with the exact same power system and they've worked
flawlessly. The motors are powerful and silky smooth. Trek, which owns Townie is fantastic for customer support.I've had several
occasions to take advantage of their service.

You asked about throttle...That is a personal choice, no right or wrong. I'm not a fan of throttles. To me throttles remove the
direct and real tactile connection between the rider and the bike when they are used.

Regarding bike manufacturers there are other quality e-bike companies in addition to Trek, but this is a good place to start. You may want
to check out the review video below of a Gazelle Arroyo. A forum poster listed last week and it is a really nice high quality bike. The price
reflects is, but everything about this bike class...I like this bike.

https://electricbikereview.com/gazelle/arroyo-c8-hm/

John from CT

 

[AlanDB]

I am curious ... If you get a trike, what kind of carrier would you get for your RV to transport it?

 

[J.R.]

I am curious ... If you get a trike, what kind of carrier would you get for your RV to transport it?

There are many options available, from affordable manual to expensive and elaborate motorized. Here's a fairly modest ramp/carrier.

https://www.discountramps.com/wheelchair-lifts-carriers/c/3200/

 

[slwvero]

Thank you all. Great suggestions and food for thought. Will check these ideas out in the morning. Appreciate the help.

 

[MikeDD]

My wife has the Liberty Trike. She has MS and loves the trike. The trike does fold in the middle. The problem with a test ride is they are sold online only. There is an owners facebook page where you can make a connection to ride a trike in your area.

The trike has a throttle and locking brake and pedal brake. You can contact the manufacturer they are very helpful.

 

[slwvero]

Thanks, Mike. It is one of the trikes I have been considering.

 

[slwvero]

Anyone know anything about EWheels 29? There are a couple for sale not too far from here so I could try to see if I felt comfortable riding it.

 

[AlanDB]

Don't know anything about the eWheels, but at 128 pounds, you will probably need a ramp to load it.

My wife had a non-electric Miami Sun trike. It was a nice trike, but she soon learned that peddling a trike was a lot more work than a bicycle. And even with its 3-speed axle, hills were out of the question. She ended up selling it and getting a Blix e-bike which she is much happier with. She probably would have liked the trike much better if it was electric, but I do wonder about how practical it would be for hills and range.

 

[Nova Haibike]

I get the impression from reviews of people who own trikes (and love them) is that they are riding very short distances around the neighborhood, or around the campsite. With a motor, I would think a trike would not be too much worse than a fat tire bike; it really depends on the size of the battery and the power of the motor and how much the rider is adding to the effort.

 

[J.R.]

128 pounds with a 500 watt motor. That's not much power for that weight. I don't know if this will matter to you, but many states limit weight for ebikes. Those that do, it's usually under 100 pounds. That's how it is in PA. Of course that isn't the case for disabled mobility scooters.