Help with bike choice

[joc6812]

Looking for some guidance from experienced riders here. I'm new to e bikes. I'm 68, 6'2", 230 lbs. What I'm looking for:

-comfortable, mostly upright riding position
-lots of hill climbing power, good range
-low step frame
-mostly paved road riding, some light gravel/dirt
-Class 1 or 3

I want to purchase from a local shop. Brands available to me nearby are Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, Raleigh. Budget is flexible for higher end models.
I have visited the shops and test rode some models, they all have good feedback on service. Anything I want would need to be ordered as local inventory is sparse. I have pretty much liked most of what I tested:

-Trek Verve 3, perfect riding position for me, didn't feel enough oomph on hills. Allant 7, good, not quite as comfy as the Verve
-Specialized Como, like
-Cannondale Tesoro Neo X1 remixte, like
-Giant and Raleigh, no available models to test

Any thought/opinions?

 

[Dallant]

Not as comfy? In what way? You can adjust these bikes to fit you better. Love my Allant +7 and I put a Serfas E-Gel seat. Bosch doing a free update to the CX motor (already as good as any climber available) with an additional 10 Nm to a total of 85Nm. Plus you can specify EMTB mode (great for climbing) vs Sport.

 

[Steph]

I went from testing out the Verve+3 and then the Allant+7S, and ended up buying the Allant+8S.... they all ride differently but the 8S won me over. like any bike i think you have to adjust everything to your likes. Change the seat post, Saddle, Pedals Etc.

 

[ElevenAD]

Bikes sold at a LBS probably won't have the best climbing power imo,i would try and find something with an Ultra motor.

 

[PatriciaK]

I live on a hilly island, and my Class 1Giant La Free E+2 has handled everything I've ridden -paved trails, roads, packed dirt and gravel.

It has all the things you say you're looking for, including quality components (motor, gears, hydraulic disk brakes, etc.), For $1999.00

If you can find one to test ride, it would be worth considering, IMO.

LaFree E+ (2019) | Giant Bicycles US

Here’s a totally unique and invigorating new way to ride. This new E-bike lets you ride farther with less effort. Explore neighborhood streets, ride for fitness...

www.giant-bicycles.com

 

[joc6812]

I live on a hilly island, and my Class 1Giant La Free E+2 has handled everything I've ridden -paved trails, roads, packed dirt and gravel.

It has all the things you say you're looking for, including quality components (motor, gears, hydraulic disk brakes, etc.), For $1999.00

If you can find one to test ride, it would be worth considering, IMO.

LaFree E+ (2019) | Giant Bicycles US

Here’s a totally unique and invigorating new way to ride. This new E-bike lets you ride farther with less effort. Explore neighborhood streets, ride for fitness...

www.giant-bicycles.com

PatriciaK: Thanks. One of my local shops has one of these to test. If I may, I'm 230 lbs., are you anywhere near that? It's pretty important for hills. I think the nm on that bike is around 60 (?). Not a lot compared to other options.

 

[Sierratim]

Looking for some guidance from experienced riders here. I'm new to e bikes. I'm 68, 6'2", 230 lbs. What I'm looking for:

-comfortable, mostly upright riding position
-lots of hill climbing power, good range
-low step frame
-mostly paved road riding, some light gravel/dirt
-Class 1 or 3

I want to purchase from a local shop. Brands available to me nearby are Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, Raleigh. Budget is flexible for higher end models.
I have visited the shops and test rode some models, they all have good feedback on service. Anything I want would need to be ordered as local inventory is sparse. I have pretty much liked most of what I tested:

-Trek Verve 3, perfect riding position for me, didn't feel enough oomph on hills. Allant 7, good, not quite as comfy as the Verve
-Specialized Como, like
-Cannondale Tesoro Neo X1 remixte, like
-Giant and Raleigh, no available models to test

Any thought/opinions?

I know I've mentioned this in other threads, but it bears repeating; Federal law defines any electrically powered bicycle with under 746 watts/1 hp as a bicycle. Anything higher is not legally considered a bicycle and is restricted to off road riding unless licensed for street use like a moped or motorcycle. Some ride unliscened high powered, ie over 746 watts, ebikes on public trails and streets but they are putting the entire category at risk for more restrictive controls that shouldn't be necessary.

With that said there are electric bicycles (under 746 watts) that can climb very steep hills. The best climbers will generally be mid-drive Class 1 mountain bikes with high torque motors (90Nm range) and be geared for climbing. The major brands you've mentioned all offer bikes like this, and they are all legal as bicycles.

How steep are your rides? I ride in California's Sierra foothills with plenty of climbing. My Vado 5 will climb hills that the local roadies won't attempt. Their como model has similar options available.

I'd suggest multiple test rides of different models on your hills, make a short list and ride 'em again.

Feel free to ask lots of questions.

 

[joc6812]

Glad I asked the question, lots of good info, thanks.
My simplistic understanding: Nm rating indicates torque, torque capability is the most essential spec relating to hill climbing performance (in my case, moving a 230 lb. human up a suburban hill at a moderate, non strained, cadence). Watt rating relates more to range capability, how long the system can deliver its rated specs. I know it's more complicated than that and many factors effect things, but is that that generically the right way to think about it? I noticed the difference on the same hill, for example, when testing bikes with lower nm rating (50) versus a higher one (75).

 

[PatriciaK]

PatriciaK: Thanks. One of my local shops has one of these to test. If I may, I'm 230 lbs., are you anywhere near that? It's pretty important for hills. I think the nm on that bike is around 60 (?). Not a lot compared to other options.

Unfortunately, at the moment I'm pretty close to the 200 mark, but hoping continued riding will help with the downward trajectory .

 

[ElevenAD]

The Nm for Bafang Ultra is 160Nm.

I think the Ultra would be one of the best choice for hillclimbing.

Agree 100%

 

[John from Connecticut]

Looking for some guidance from experienced riders here. I'm new to e bikes. I'm 68, 6'2", 230 lbs. What I'm looking for:

-comfortable, mostly upright riding position
-lots of hill climbing power, good range
-low step frame
-mostly paved road riding, some light gravel/dirt
-Class 1 or 3

I want to purchase from a local shop. Brands available to me nearby are Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, Raleigh. Budget is flexible for higher end models.
I have visited the shops and test rode some models, they all have good feedback on service. Anything I want would need to be ordered as local inventory is sparse. I have pretty much liked most of what I tested:

-Trek Verve 3, perfect riding position for me, didn't feel enough oomph on hills. Allant 7, good, not quite as comfy as the Verve
-Specialized Como, like
-Cannondale Tesoro Neo X1 remixte, like
-Giant and Raleigh, no available models to test

Any thought/opinions?

Hello, Welcome to e-biking and the Forum. You're looking at some very nice e-bikes. I own two Treks e-bikes, an XM 700 Commuter and Power Fly 7 Mtn.
I've been very satisfied, 7200 trouble free miles between them. As for going up hills my PF7 has the CX motor and it will climb 'a brick wall' : )

I really like what 'Dallant' posted about the Bosch motor upgrade. Trek support and service has been great through my LBS were I purchased my bikes.
Good luck.

 

[Sierratim]

I think you're getting W rating and Wh rating mixed up.

From what I understand, torque isn't eventhing. Horsepower (W rating in ebikes' case) is a big factor too.
This is exactly why motorcycles have much less torque than ebikes, yet capable of climbing hills at 100+mph despite weighing 400+ lbs.

Batteries are commonly rated in Wh (watt-hours) rather then W (watts), but they are often interchanged in posts.

As several earlier posts have discussed power, torque and motor rpm are ineterelated; power = torque x rpm. Ebikes are not high power nor high rpm relative to motorcycles thus at the same or even higher torque than a motorcycle the motorcycle wins with power and rpm. None the less, when comparing apples to apples , i.e. when looking at just ebikes the motpr rpm, torque and power should be considered. RPM is limited by rider capability so torque and power are the important specs. For Euro complaint mid-drive motors you'll often see 250W power ratings. This is not to say they are 'weak' motors. Some of these motors have torques as high as 90Nm, some of the highest for street legal ebikes. Frankly, based on regulatory compliance issues with motor power ratings, I go with torque as the most important comparison spec.