Hi there, new to Ebikes and new to forums. Need input.

[Stizz19]

Hi there, I am looking at getting an Ebike for the wife and I. I am 6ft, she is 5'4ish. We were looking at a few different models like the:

Biktrix Stunner or Stunner LT
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Voltbike Elegant (for wife)
https://www.voltbike.com/voltbike-elegant.html

Voltbike Bravo (for me)
https://www.voltbike.com/voltbike-elegant.html

Crosscurrent S (52V may be overkill?)
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

We will be commuting from home and there quite a few big hills, especially some big climbs on the way back. Round trip its about 38km. We would also like to do longer trips on the bike on weekends and such so that is why i was leaning towards a bigger capacity battery.

I like the idea of the mid-drive motors for the hill climbs so i was really leaning towards the Stunner. Most of these bikes may be a bit too big for my wife, aside from the step-through versions of course. The more i research the more i actually want to invest more money for a better bike because I am afraid if we go cheap and end up loving it and logging thousands of miles it may be worth it for the extra cash.

Any suggestions on bike size for my wife, i have no problem with anything.

Also to add I ride my Specialized tri-cross as a commuter to and from work so I am very comfortable on bikes, and i have ridden an ebike in the past as well. Wife will be fairly new but with practice she will be up to speed (pun intended) in no time.

 

[indianajo]

In general short people (like me) need a 18" or 19" frame, seat post to steering stem measurement. Standover height can matter too, I have real trouble with 28" (pants leg measurement) legs reaching the ground stopped with my toes with the seat high enough to almost straighten my leg pedaling.
Tall people need 20" or 21" frames and the seat height needs to be a lot higher.
Some e-bikes come in different size frames, some do not. It is almost never that a dealer stocks a premium bike in a shorter frame. Short people have to try out a kid's bike with cheapo shimano 7 speed clusters & shifters and rim brakes for sizing, then order something in the same measurements with disk brakes and SRAM shifters, or belt, or rohloff IGH. I highly recommend disk brakes for riding in the rain, rims brakes deteriorate badly when wet. Mechanical disk brakes are fine on my bike but require more frequent new pads than hydraulic or the force goes up when they are worn.
The advantage of mid drive for hillls comes in the 350-500 w models turned for European limits. I do fine on 15% grades with my 1000 W hub drives, both the DD and the geared hub. 15% grade is 7/8" rise in the length of a 6" level. Where the disadvantage of mid drives comes is if one wants to actually pedal for exercise. Yamaha, Brose and some Shimano mid drive models allow it with a clutch on the motor. Other brands, you are dragging the motor with the power off and dragging a concrete anchor would be about as fun. I ride power off 95% of the time on my hub drives, for heart & knee health, and use the electricity mainly when the wind is >12 mph in my face, or the trip is over 25 miles. You may prefer not to exercise. Shimano & Yamaha allow 2 front sprockets or 14 speeds on some models, most other models there is only one front sprocket. I use 34:32 to get up 15% with 60 lb cargo, and 52:11 to help the motor by pedaling at speeds over 13 mph.
For battery estimate, a rule of thumb is 15 wh per mile, multiply by .625 for KM. WH is battery nominal voltage * battery amp-hours. Usually using no more than 80% of battery extends life, from 90% charge to 10% charge. Battery pictures on the display lie a lot on the units I've owned. After reading a lot of bogus speeds, km ridden, and wattages from the display I bought, I don't see the point of buying a premium LCD display.
If your local pavement is bad or you're off road, at speeds over 10 mph you would enjoy at least a front suspension, and maybe a rear. This adds a lot of cost to the bike. Fat tires are fashionable to some people, this is good for loose beach sand but otherwise they are a fad IMHO. These cost a lot more. I ride 2.1" x 26" tires and am quite comfortable on road on trips of under 5 hours. IGH drives allow one to shift when stopped instead of planning ahead, which may be a convenience to people that haven't ridden a derailleur a lot. More than 7 speeds in the back adds cost, IMHO it is not necessary for electric bikes. On mid drives more than 7 speeds shortens chain life a lot. I get about 2000 miles to a knobby kenda tire, others prefer the piece of mind of a shalbe flat resistant tire. This is particularly important in the west where there are goat heads, not a problem here. Lights and premium seats can be added later, IMHO.
Torque sensing mid drive bikes are more natural feeling than PAS bikes that count 2 magnets past then turn on the motor at a fixed speed. Torque sensing costs a lot more and requires maintance.
Enjoy shopping.

 

[highpockets]

I got the voltbike elegant for my wife. Sadly, I personally cannot recommend it. It came with the front wheel beat all to pieces and I like to never got a replacement. I will say they he finally did make good on it. The main problem I have with my wife's bike is the gearing is too slow, even for her.

I got the ccs 48v for myself and love it. I do wish I would've sprung for the 52v. You might want to look hard at the ccx. As soon as it came out my mouth was watering for it.

I got my son (11) an easy motion Evo Eco. It will fit a wide range of rider heights. I have been satisfied with it but have personally rode it very little.

 

[fr8dogjoe]

My wife is looking into an Amego Infinite Step thru with the upgraded battery. Very reasonable and well equipped. just waiting for her color to come in. I am looking into a Haibike SDURO 9.5 Trekking. A well made bike. Test ride if you can, but at least gather as much info off the internet as you can before you buy. Have fun.

 

[highpockets]

Just wanted to follow up on another post about hills. I have a 42 mile round trip commute in the Appalachian mountains. I think it is around 2500 ft elevation gain each way. The ccs sure makes it easier than my mebike but I am still a committed partner. I do not enjoy the sweatless commute others talk about. The ccs pretty much doubles my speed up the mountains.

 

[highpockets]

One other thought. Juiced used to offer a discount if you purchase two bikes at the same time. In retrospect I wish I would have done that for my wife's bike. Whatever you get, I hope you both enjoy the ride!

 

[Stizz19]

I got the voltbike elegant for my wife. Sadly, I personally cannot recommend it. It came with the front wheel beat all to pieces and I like to never got a replacement. I will say they he finally did make good on it. The main problem I have with my wife's bike is the gearing is too slow, even for her.

I got the ccs 48v for myself and love it. I do wish I would've sprung for the 52v. You might want to look hard at the ccx. As soon as it came out my mouth was watering for it.

I got my son (11) an easy motion Evo Eco. It will fit a wide range of rider heights. I have been satisfied with it but have personally rode it very little.

Yeah the more I read into it the more i want the CCS. Their is a (sort of) local dealer as well that is a short ferry ride away so i can go try it and buy it and service and all that. Why would you prefer the 52V over the 48 (other than the power)? The reason i would prefer the 52 V is it does come with a 21amp battery vs the 48 upgraded to a 19.2 but that may be negligible. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Stizz19]

One other thought. Juiced used to offer a discount if you purchase two bikes at the same time. In retrospect I wish I would have done that for my wife's bike. Whatever you get, I hope you both enjoy the ride!

Yes, I would save $250 CAD if i purchase two bikes. only thing is the CCS might be too big for my wife to ride being 5'4 so may have to get (Link Removed - No Longer Exists) instead as it is a stepthru.

 

[Nova Haibike]

Although I have not ridden one, on paper I would not recommend the Stunner. It has a internally geared Sturmey Archer five speed hub, which is probably not enough for truly hilly country, and the steps between gears is rather large at 25%. Not a fan of the mechanical disc brakes either.

Personally I think it is rather misleading to say the Voltbikes are 41/36% off. Maybe they really do sell them for the retail price somewhere, but anyone who pays that price would be getting ripped off. They are $1600 bikes, not $2500 bikes. As for the bikes themselves, they use 14-28 tooth 7-speed freewheels, which has neither a high enough high gear or a low enough low gear. They also have mechanical disc brakes.

The Juiced bike costs much more, but it is spec'd much better as well, not just in quality, but for its purpose of a high speed commuter. Of the four on your list, it would be the one I would recommend.

I think the iZip E3 Moda (also available in a Step thru version) is worth a look, especially for the price. It wouldn't be as quick as the Juiced bike, but it has even higher quality components.

 

[highpockets]

Yeah the more I read into it the more i want the CCS. Their is a (sort of) local dealer as well that is a short ferry ride away so i can go try it and buy it and service and all that. Why would you prefer the 52V over the 48 (other than the power)? The reason i would prefer the 52 V is it does come with a 21amp battery vs the 48 upgraded to a 19.2 but that may be negligible. Thanks for your reply.

Yes. More power. Someone said in a previous post it was 8% more than the 48v. The 48v 19.2 does my commute well but I still have to charge on both ends. Even if I had the 52v I would still charge on both ends. Part of my goal is to get to work and home as quickly as possible while still getting some exercise along the way.
One thing about my ccs is, for lack of a more technical phrase, is it's lack of oomph. For all it's failings, the voltbike definitely beats my ccs on torque.

 

[Stizz19]

Yes. More power. Someone said in a previous post it was 8% more than the 48v. The 48v 19.2 does my commute well but I still have to charge on both ends. Even if I had the 52v I would still charge on both ends. Part of my goal is to get to work and home as quickly as possible while still getting some exercise along the way.
One thing about my ccs is, for lack of a more technical phrase, is it's lack of oomph. For all it's failings, the voltbike definitely beats my ccs on torque.

Yeah I think I'm out on Voltbike as I really don't trust their customer service. The hydraulic breaks are a must for me as well considering I live in a very rainy part of the world

 

[Stizz19]

Yes. More power. Someone said in a previous post it was 8% more than the 48v. The 48v 19.2 does my commute well but I still have to charge on both ends. Even if I had the 52v I would still charge on both ends. Part of my goal is to get to work and home as quickly as possible while still getting some exercise along the way.
One thing about my ccs is, for lack of a more technical phrase, is it's lack of oomph. For all it's failings, the voltbike definitely beats my ccs on torque.

What size would you reccomend for me? I'm 6'0 but have long legs so I am think the XL frame. Saw on another post someone of similar attributes regretted getting the L frame because they had to buy a longer seatpost

 

[highpockets]

What size would you reccomend for me? I'm 6'0 but have long legs so I am think the XL frame. Saw on another post someone of similar attributes regretted getting the L frame because they had to buy a longer seatpost

I'm 6'2" and the XL is perfect for me. I have the seat raised pretty high and put a stem riser on it. I enjoy the upright riding position.

 

[DDBB]

Be careful with frame sizes.. Haibike frames run VERY large.. .I'm 6'0" and their "medium" frame is almost too big!

 

[fr8dogjoe]

Be careful with frame sizes.. Haibike frames run VERY large.. .I'm 6'0" and their "medium" frame is almost too big!

I am purchasing a Haibike. I am 75" with a 35 inch inseam, and was recommended the XL.

 

[DDBB]

Is there any way you can sit on one or test ride before purchase? The XL frames from Haibike are HUGE. It might very well be the right size for you but at 72" the medium frame fit me best, this was for their trekking model, other models may be different I don't know but the large frame might be better for you than the XL. Everyone is different and the XL might be right. Sadly it's not easy to find a dealer that has all the frame sizes in the model you want to see what fits best. My seat is not raised much but the mtn. bike seats always seem to be higher. I also purchased a 2" riser for the handlebars. I'm not trying to make you paranoid about your purchase but a good fit is pretty important

 

[Stizz19]

Is there any way you can sit on one or test ride before purchase? The XL frames from Haibike are HUGE. It might very well be the right size for you but at 72" the medium frame fit me best, this was for their trekking model, other models may be different I don't know but the large frame might be better for you than the XL. Everyone is different and the XL might be right. Sadly it's not easy to find a dealer that has all the frame sizes in the model you want to see what fits best. My seat is not raised much but the mtn. bike seats always seem to be higher. I also purchased a 2" riser for the handlebars. I'm not trying to make you paranoid about your purchase but a good fit is pretty important

We are heading over to the juiced bikes dealer in Canada here (its close to me) on the weekend to try out the CCS 52V and my wife will be trying medium frame, if that doesnt work they have a step-thru bike called the Galiano ST (by Hill Eater)

 

[DDBB]

I don't know anything about juiced bike frame sizing. My wife tried MANY different e-bikes and only felt comfortable on a step through so we ended up getting her a Gazelle easy flow which she LOVES. That Galiano looks pretty cool!

 

[Dewey]

they have a step-thru bike called the Galiano ST (by Hill Eater)

Please post your impressions after the test ride. I've not heard of this brand, their blog post for the BC bike show indicates the Hill Eater brand is new for 2019, but the spec is thoughtful for ongoing maintenance. Grin Tech carry the ezee motor, charger, sempu torque sensor, and their Grinfineon controller to make the system work, plus the reention battery pack is a standard design. The modular components should make it easy to swap out parts if say the Hill Eater brand or EDS controller company went out of business you could continue to get spares from a longstanding ebike retailer.

 

[Stizz19]

Please post your impressions after the test ride. I've not heard of this brand but the spec is thoughtful for ongoing maintenance. Grin Tech carry the ezee motor, charger, sempu torque sensor, and their Grinfineon controller to make the system work, plus the reention battery pack is a standard design. The modular components should make it easy to swap out parts if say the Hill Eater brand or EDS controller company went out of business you could continue to get spares from a longstanding ebike retailer.

Yeah it is the Canadian brand that sells Juiced ebikes. I would assume it is called the Galiano because where it is located on SaltSpring Island there is another island called Galiano Island, but i'm just assuming that.