Help between Verve+ 4s Gen 2, Electra Vale Go! 9D EQ/EQS, Medio T9

[lisak]

I'm purchasing my first eBike. I am a 62 year-old female wanting to use it to join my husband on his bike rides and for casual exercise. He usually rides 30-35 miles a couple of times a week in city roads and bike paths, so it will be mostly for exercise and recreational riding (although I don't expect I'll be ready for a 30 mile ride for a bit!). I'm in fairly good physical condition but have bad knees which has kept me from riding a regular bike for quite a few years now.

Looking at something that will have me sitting fairly upright and just be comfortable and fun to ride, but I want something that is also reputable and high quality, that I can have serviced at a dealer near me. After stopping by a few places I'm looking at:

- Electra Vale Go! 9D EQ or potentially EQS (it is on close out so prices are around $2500 vs $3500)
- Trek Verve+ 3 Gen3 ($3600) -
- Trek Verve+ 4s Gen2 ($2000) - another one that is on closeout so significantly reduced price
- Gazelle Medio T9 ($2900)

I rode the Gazelle last year and liked it - still need to test ride the others (it's been raining here) so much of this is just based so far on research and what is available in the shops near me. The Vale 9D EQS and Verve+ 4s Gen 2 both go to 28 mph assisted but I guess I'm not even sure if that is something someone like me would ever use, so I don't know if I should look for that or not. My husband says on his regular bike he usually goes only 20-22 mph and if he does go 30 it's on a downhill anyway where you wouldn't need assist, so not sure what the benefit would be?

All of the above have removable batteries (a must for me) and Bosch systems, although it appears some of these systems may vary (at least in terms of the computer on the bike) a bit.

Are all of these really much different? Pros/Cons of any of them from anyone with first hand experience would be much appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

I’ll admit up front to being a bit biased towards Trek, as they do sign my paycheck.

Gazelle is an excellent brand which I once heard described as “ what a bike would look like if Mercedes built a bike”. I have one of their analog bikes simply because they are so well made. My only concern in purchasing a Gazelle e-bike would be serviceability, there are fewer dealers than other big makes like Trek or Giant, so getting parts or service is more difficult.

I was surprised recently when some brought a nice late model Gazelle into our shop with an electrical issue. As a Trek shop we are set up to service Bosch but Gazelle uses a different communication protocol than Trek to interface with the bike for service so we were unable to work on the bike in spite of it being the same Bosch driveline we have on our bikes.

So if you buy a Gazelle you have to take it back to a Gazelle dealer for service. Which begs the question, can you get your Bosch powered Trek serviced at a Gazelle dealer? They never mentioned this when I went to Bosch for training on servicing this stuff.

 

[lisak]

I’ll admit up front to being a bit biased towards Trek, as they do sign my paycheck.

Gazelle is an excellent brand which I once heard described as “ what a bike would look like if Mercedes built a bike”. I have one of their analog bikes simply because they are so well made. My only concern in purchasing a Gazelle e-bike would be serviceability, there are fewer dealers than other big makes like Trek or Giant, so getting parts or service is more difficult.

I was surprised recently when some brought a nice late model Gazelle into our shop with an electrical issue. As a Trek shop we are set up to service Bosch but Gazelle uses a different communication protocol than Trek to interface with the bike for service so we were unable to work on the bike in spite of it being the same Bosch driveline we have on our bikes.

So if you buy a Gazelle you have to take it back to a Gazelle dealer for service. Which begs the question, can you get your Bosch powered Trek serviced at a Gazelle dealer? They never mentioned this when I went to Bosch for training on servicing this stuff.

Yes I had thought about this. There is only one shop near us that carries Gazelle, but several that carry Trek or Electra

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hi Lisa,

• Electra Vale is something you should avoid. It is an old school design (it's not a compliment!) based on cheap components and outdated technologies.
• While Gazelle can make good e-bikes, Medeo T9 is not one of them. It has a small battery, which is mounted as a hump on the main tube. Old design, cheap components
• The weakness of Trek Verve+ 4s Gen2 is the e-bike is outdated (Bosch Gen 2) and has a smallish battery. The design is already outdated by several years.
• Trek Verve+ 3 Gen3 costs that much because it is the latest e-bike with modern components, new e-bike system and a good battery. What is the battery size expressed in Wh on the model you had a look at?

Regarding the 28 mph, please bear in mind no-one guarantees you would ever achieve that speed. Class 3 (28 mph) just means the motor would only cut off at that speed if you ever reached it Usually, be glad if you can ride at 20 mph on a Class 3 e-bike; it is because the air drag will limit your top speed.

Please never promise you would limit yourself to short rides. Your appetite for longer rides would grow. That's why your e-bike should have a large battery (expressed in Wh). One of my riding mates, a 65-yo petite female easily makes 50 mile rides on a Bosch equipped e-bike similar to a Trek Verve. She is always returning on the battery (625 Wh). She wouldn't be able to do it on a smallish battery that any of the three e-bikes except the more expensive Verve has.

As Fritz said, you need a dealer nearby so you can choose the right frame size, do a demo ride, and have a post sales support and service. Of all your choices, the Trek Verve+ 3 Gen3 looks the best. Think of purchasing an e-bike as of a new cell phone. Would you buy an old product with buttons? (Electra). Would you buy a smartphone that is several years old only because the price is right?