Hiya commuterchick! A moderate bike ride is a
great way to start your day, arriving at work with blood flowing and mind alert - coffee entirely optional! Having now done a little shopping yourself, I'm sure you're aware that huge eBike tech strides have been made since 2012. Motors, batteries, integrated electronics, integral lighting, and *theft protection* have seen major improvements. And more advances are on the way - mostly from Europe - where eBike adoption is a bit further evolved as a valid automotive alternative.
My advice (fwiw): Don't conflate cost with reliability or performance. Make no mistake, you're going to pay for the features you want. But ask around, get others' feedback before laying out a lot of money.
Manufacturer support matters! A good way to see if you'll really use your investments - and what features you really want/need - is to buy and ride a less expensive used bike for a season. I cut my eBike teeth over the past 2+ years on a used 2013 iZip that's been rock solid reliable. It's been fantastic in teaching me what I value in a commuter craft. I've learned that I'm willing to pay for integrated lights, integrated locks, a great pannier or trunk-bag system, and fender/mud guards. I've learned of the Class-1 vs Class-3 distinctions, both dejure and defacto. I know what gear ratios I truly need and how important really great disc brakes are with these heavier machines. I'm still seeking an aftermarket
asset-tracker like the
Haibike eConnect or maybe the
Linka Leo.
My work/office locations all have bike rooms where I can safely store my ride. But running errands on the way home takes a big convenience hit when every stop requires 5+ minutes of locking and unlocking! I'm old enough to remember when cars didn't have integrated alarm systems and your car was never safe. Sadly, that's the "never safe" world of eBikes right now. If you peruse YouTube for any type of bike lock (cable, chain, u-lock, folding) you can witness the 90-second crack for breaking it. Thieves need only the
right tool. The latest local exploits are using liquid nitrogen to simply freeze and shatter any lock. I'm hopeful there will be better solutions soon - beyond just a good insurance policy.
I made the classic consumer mistake of buying my "commuter dream bike" without enough contextual research: Manufacturer support matters! Having laid out $5500+ in Mar2018 for an R&M Nevo GT nuvinci HS, I've put only ~200miles on it. It took *forever* to arrive from Germany. It then took multiple days for my local dealer to assemble. The Nuvinci shift cables nearly immediately pulled from their mountings, leaving me stuck in high "gear" across town. (Don't believe the marketing hype: you *cannot* really shift Nuvinci under load, or without lightly pedaling.) And now it's back in the shop again for unexplained drive train grinding noises.
Only after the fact have I learned that R&M furnish little-to-nothing in way of dealer or end-user support! All parts are shipped from Germany - there's no US-based warehouse. The dealer is left on their own, woefully ill equipped to troubleshoot the complex varied components comprising their machines. Nevo looks great on the web site! It glides gloriously in an orchestrated test ride! The Nyon system (aftermarket in US) is simply amazing! But if you need *anything* more than a tire change, you'd better have a second bike. Nothing gets done quickly with R&M. My iZip is thankfully still serving faithfully in that role. Perhaps I posted it
for sale prematurely.
If you're considering a Giant model, check out
SloHi bikes on 29th in Denver. Adam has among the only eBike RENTAL programs I'm aware of that apply your rental cost toward purchase. And where in all of Colorado are you going to rent a full-suspension PW-X eMTB to take anywhere you want for 24-hours!?! I made lifetime memories with a
Full-E+ at Buffalo Creek trail earlier this summer. What a blast! I am definitely considering this for my future eMTB options. And yes, Giant has a full stock of inventory and parts in North America. Pick the bike you want and it can be delivered in days, not months. Parts? no problem - they're already on the continent, likely in our fair city.
Keep in mind that what's "best" today may well be "obsolete" in 5-years. Obsolete doesn't mean
unusable - but you can look back 5 years and clearly see features that are irrelevant today. We're seeing some really nifty kit emerge from Eurobike this week, like Haibike cleverly integrating head/tail lights and applying the
cranking (120nm) TQ motor. Any who've ridden an eBike know of the "tailwind" effect. But beware also the "headwind" of many eBikes as you approach or exceed 20/28mph. There's a huge difference among different motor designs!
Good luck, happy shopping, have fun, ride safely! Hope to see you on the trails!
