Help picking new ebike

[Luvmyhusb]

So I have ridden a diamondback vital 2 for years. I do at least 7 miles most days but I weigh 250 and am 55 years old and want a little assist sometimes probably more in the future. I ride for exercise and am thing a rad city step thru 3 because they seem reputable, a good fit for my needs, and parts will be easier to get. But am looking for feedback. I’m having problems paying $1500 for a bike but I think this is a good value but definitely not really looking to spending more. Please enlighten me

 

[ElevenAD]

if 1500 is your limit Rad Power is a great choice! i like Radcitys but at 250lbs i would go with a different more powerful model,one with a geared hub motor not a direct drive hub motor, currently The Radcity is the least powerful bike in the entire Rad lineup and your on the heavier side so i would buy any other Rad, Rover step through/mission/wagon etc!

 

[AHicks]

The 'City is a really popular bike with a lot of riders, but I think these riders may not have much in the way of hills they need to deal with regularly. That being the case (no hills) I would be the first to agree it's a great bike, but otherwise, it's in need of a little (lot?) more power. Direct drive rear hubs, like the one the 'City uses, are now pretty unusual when it comes to new ebikes, with most having been replaced with gear driven rear hubs - a HUGE improvement. Not only are they more efficient at low speeds (say under 15mph), they're much peppier when it comes to accelerating from a stop, or climbing a reasonable hill.

That being the case, Espin may be worth looking into, or maybe Ride One Up (R1U). These are both reasonably priced and use fairly generic parts so they'll be easy to service as they get older....

And last thought, MANY (most?) of us really struggled laying out that 1500 bucks for our first bike. Of those, I think the vast majority will tell you that purchase was a game changer in their lifestyle, and generated a smile that didn't go away for months. I can assure you that once you've made that leap, you're very likely going to find, as I did, it's MUCH easier to lay out even more money for your second bike....
-Al

 

[antboy]

And last thought, MANY (most?) of us really struggled laying out that 1500 bucks for our first bike. Of those, I think the vast majority will tell you that purchase was a game changer in their lifestyle, and generated a smile that didn't go away for months. I can assure you that once you've made that leap, you're very likely going to find, as I did, it's MUCH easier to lay out even more money for your second bike....
-Al

This is almost TOO true.

 

[Luvmyhusb]

The 'City is a really popular bike with a lot of riders, but I think these riders may not have much in the way of hills they need to deal with regularly. That being the case (no hills) I would be the first to agree it's a great bike, but otherwise, it's in need of a little (lot?) more power. Direct drive rear hubs, like the one the 'City uses, are now pretty unusual when it comes to new ebikes, with most having been replaced with gear driven rear hubs - a HUGE improvement. Not only are they more efficient at low speeds (say under 15mph), they're much peppier when it comes to accelerating from a stop, or climbing a reasonable hill.

That being the case, Espin may be worth looking into, or maybe Ride One Up (R1U). These are both reasonably priced and use fairly generic parts so they'll be easy to service as they get older....

And last thought, MANY (most?) of us really struggled laying out that 1500 bucks for our first bike. Of those, I think the vast majority will tell you that purchase was a game changer in their lifestyle, and generated a smile that didn't go away for months. I can assure you that once you've made that leap, you're very likely going to find, as I did, it's MUCH easier to lay out even more money for your second bike....
-Al

Thank you so much - I have gone back and looked at direct drive and

if 1500 is your limit Rad Power is a great choice! i like Radcitys but at 250lbs i would go with a different more powerful model,one with a geared hub motor not a direct drive hub motor, currently The Radcity is the least powerful bike in the entire Rad lineup and your on the heavier side so i would buy any other Rad, Rover step through/mission/wagon etc!

thank you I’m glad I did not order yet - I so appreciate your feed back

 

[Dewey]

Some good suggestions already posted, a few others you might also look at might include:
Electra Townie Go! 7D: this cruiser can be bought and serviced at Trek bike shops or REI, and local shop support is helpful.
Aventon Pace 500: sold online or through Aventon dealers
Propella V4.0: I'd suggest getting the 7-speed over the single-speed, at 35lb this is lightweight for an ebike
Ariel Rider Rideal: this is similar to the RadMission but with the addition of basic 6-speed derailleur gearing

 

[kahuna40]

One of the Rad bikes 750 watt 80 NM of torque motors.

"80 Nm of torque to conquer hills and power through loose terrain like never before. Our custom Rad Power Bikes RST suspension fork has 80 mm of travel, preload adjustment, and lockout. 750W of power on-demand."

RadRover 5 or the StepThru version of it. Not the city. The city has half the power. 80 NM of torque will climb any hill you throw at it. I have a Rize Leisure Step with 80 NM of torque with a 750 watt motor and I can climb any of the steepest hills in Philadelphia and sometimes it is too easy so I turn down the assist for a workout.

 

[Luvmyhusb]

So glad for all the comments it has kept me from making a huge potential error - I see after reviewing everything that the radrover is a way better choice. Thank you
Also I am very handy - never had to do much bike work tho - will I be able to assemble myself or should I use rads service?

 

[Dewey]

While bicycle assembly can be straightforward, components can be damaged in transit, or there can be quality control issues at the factory, I’ve read complaints on this forum from folk who have taken delivery of ebikes with defects. I suggest having your local bike shop do the assembly, they will know what to look for to check everything works and highlight any problems. What cost for peace of mind…

 

[GenXrider]

Riding for exercise, same as me. I wanted granular customization of every PAS level independently to control the amount of assist from the bike vs. how much muscle power I wanted to use, which is why I went with a Ride1Up 700. I'm very satisfied. You can get a 700 for under $1600 net if you take the $40 pledge and use Paypal cashback with Paypal linked to pay with Dicovercard beginning in July, assuming you don't have to pay sales tax. But, to keep under budget, the 500 and Core-5 are good choices also. The displays are different than the 700, so customization isn't quite a straight forward as the 700 and have no power (watts) and battery %/voltage readouts along with the other clear differences between the models shown on the website.

 

[Franco51]

To take this on a different tangent…
This is my very first comment here, and my very first thread.
I am looking at getting my very first ebike and have many of the same questions

We’ll RV, and want Ebikes mostly to putter around National and state parks campgrounds. Some are pretty hilly. Also, compact and foldable is good. We’re in our 70s, me being in much better shape than my wife and looking to be a bit more adventurous.

I see lots of comparisons between Rad step-through and Lectric xp 2.0. Xp seems more raw, less refined, but also $500 less. Any opinions on the XP?

Also, my wife is interested in the Liberty etrike. Any opinions? She’d feel a lot more stable on a trike.
Thanks very much everyone.

 

[AHicks]

Regarding the trike, my first hurdle would be about how I was going to store/transport it. Once past that thought, I'd be fine with it.

 

[Franco51]

Regarding the trike, my first hurdle would be about how I was going to store/transport it. Once past that thought, I'd be fine with it.

It’s narrow—24”—and comes apart into two 25-lb halves. Very easy storage/transport is a large part of our interest.

Do you have experience with this trike?

 

[AHicks]

It’s narrow—24”—and comes apart into two 25-lb halves. Very easy storage/transport is a large part of our interest.

Do you have experience with this trike?

Nope sorry.