Help me get on the road! Giant Momentum Transend E+ or Co-op Cycles CTY e2.2

[gloRide]

Hi there wonderful people!

Help me decide? Which one would you buy?

Here's what I need:

• A solid dependable commuter for going car-free for exactly a year (my current car is costing more to keep on the road than it's worth and I need to finish grad school before a serious job search gets underway).
• Help on the hills. I live in hilly Southern Indiana (hilly to me) and I'm just not a strong enough rider to not feel drained and slow on my road bike.
• An affordable (I'm calling affordable under 3k) choice.
• Enough battery power? I'm looking at a commute that is about 18 miles round trip, but remember, hills. But, I have a dog that I may need to come back home for for mid-day break which would take us up to 30ish miles for the day if I need to make an in between trip. Unfortunately, I have never used Strava to account for the climbing on this ride since it will be a new-to-me commute so I can't be more accurate.
• I want a mid-drive. I've test driven an Aventon and I just don't like the rear hub motor. I don't like the jerkiness. I think I'd appreciate that it can get me uphills since it feels like more power, but It was not fun to ride.

The Bikes:

2020 Momentum Transend E+ by Giant ($2,600)

• What I like: I've test driven this bike and I love the geometry. It fits me. I've never ridden an internal geared hub but the sales person told me they are easier to maintain and more dependable and require less maintenance. This makes me desire this kind of internal mechanics. I also hate chin slippage, my road bike was driving me nuts on this. I know, I think it was something I was doing wrong on my road bike and just not shifting at the right time, but I also thought it was adjusted wrong and my local LBS just couldn't help me figure it out (enough about that, just why I'd like to try something different).
• It has a Giant SyncDrive Life, automatic support, 5-mode, 300% tunable support, 60Nm motor powered by YAMAHA.
• What I don't like: the 375wH battery. The range of this terrifies me. But, I lack the experience to know any better. Here's the thing, the 2021 model has a 500wH batter pack and I would love that, but I just can't have it ordered. I've tried. I've been warned its oversold and won't be back until next year. I can get a 2021 model if I get it in the wrong color (I want blue and found a black one), if I go on a 4hr drive to another bike shop, but I fell in love with the blue. I think if it was the blue one, I'd already be on the road. What would you do?
• I do like the internal/covered battery since I have led myself to believe that it makes it less attractive to thieves (but really, who knows).
• https://www.momentum-biking.com/us/transend-eplus

Co-op Cycles CTY e2.2 by REI ($2,400)

• I haven't test driven this one and I won't be able to but I the specs make me wonder if this is a better alternative with one caveat, it's a Class 1 instead of a Class 3 so I don't get 28mph. I'm limited to the 20mph. I'm not sure how I feel about this, yet. Really, it's an upgrade since I average 13mph on my road bike and less on hilly days (something like 10mph).
• It has a Shimano E6100 250W with Shimano E8010 504Wh battery (36v) battery and a max torque output 60Nm. So I suspect that torque and power wise it should drive similar to the Momentum? Maybe?
• I like that this one comes with an integrated rack that I'll need and fenders that I've never added to a bike but really the rain tells me I need them so I won't have to spend extra. After wanting the internal geared hub, this seems like a step backwards, but really, I've never owned an internal one so I won't really know the difference, I'll just have to deal with a slipping chain, again?
• I like that it will have a 500wH battery.
• This bike feels like a solid bargain and much better bang for my buck since I am an REI member, but what am I missing?
• https://www.rei.com/product/172496/co-op-cycles-cty-e22-electric-bike

Thoughts? Suggestions? What am I not considering? I appreciate your expertise!

 

[Dewey]

Another bike to consider, the Kona Dew-e, same motor and battery as the REI bike (so it’s a class 1) but weighs several pounds lighter. Some feedback on the REI bike suggested the fenders are a bit short so you might fit mudflaps if you go for that bike. The Dew-e has a rigid fork but you could fit a suspension stem if you want to take the edge off the bumps.

 

[Coolbob]

You know I'm going to recommend the black 2021 Transend.
1) You've ridden one and liked it.
2) 4-hours is a long drive, but you know what they say about a 'bird in the hand'.
3) I got the Blue Transend because I thought the color looked so cool in the website, and it looks great in person. Then my friend bought a Black Transend so our bikes wouldn't be the same. The Black looks kinda 'blah' on the website, but is amazing in person, lots of metallic in the paint and I love how all the black components and trim match the frame. If I had it to do over again, I'd get the black!

Seriously, put down a deposit on the Black Transend so it doesn't get sold while your on your way to the bike store and make the trip. Once you see it in person, I'm betting you'll like it.