Art Deco
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Selinsgrove Pennsylvania
Hello All. I need some help with bikes for myself and my wife. Our commutes are short, but we live at the top of a serious mile long hill, and like many boomers we both need to lose 20 or 30 pounds. We have pretty good trails here in Pennsylvania for recreational cycling - the famous GAP rail trail is only one of many close by.
We have only ridden 2 ebikes so far, both were rear hub motor bikes in the $1500 range: 500w Voltbike marineers with 20 inch wheels and 250w Electra townies with 26 inch wheels. The Voltbikes folded, but were heavy, uncomfortable on a long ride, and seem overpowered (wheelies), while the townie was comfortable but seemed too weak for any real hills. But, I suspect that most decent ebikes would work so far.
However;
I bought a small camper conversion van for retirement travels. Once the van is set up on blocks, awning extended, and it is hooked up to water and such, it is immobile untill we break camp.
We will need electric assist to get into towns and tourist attractions, with hills and headwinds, and probably to haul groceries back to camp. Space inside the van is tight, but there is a space under the bed/dinette area and a space behind the drivers seat where we might store a couple of folding bikes, as an alternative to leaving expensive full sized ebikes on a hitch rack.
Folding bikes with 26" wheels are rare, and I suspect there may be a reason for that. One dealer compared them to steering a wet noodle. The only full sized folding electric bike I know of is the Sonders step. I know nothing about Sonders, but the LBS hates them. I found 2 companies selling full sized folders online - Montigue trail bikes and Bazooka beach bikes - and am now considering having one of them electrified. Hopefully, someone here has a better idea.
We have only ridden 2 ebikes so far, both were rear hub motor bikes in the $1500 range: 500w Voltbike marineers with 20 inch wheels and 250w Electra townies with 26 inch wheels. The Voltbikes folded, but were heavy, uncomfortable on a long ride, and seem overpowered (wheelies), while the townie was comfortable but seemed too weak for any real hills. But, I suspect that most decent ebikes would work so far.
However;
I bought a small camper conversion van for retirement travels. Once the van is set up on blocks, awning extended, and it is hooked up to water and such, it is immobile untill we break camp.
We will need electric assist to get into towns and tourist attractions, with hills and headwinds, and probably to haul groceries back to camp. Space inside the van is tight, but there is a space under the bed/dinette area and a space behind the drivers seat where we might store a couple of folding bikes, as an alternative to leaving expensive full sized ebikes on a hitch rack.
Folding bikes with 26" wheels are rare, and I suspect there may be a reason for that. One dealer compared them to steering a wet noodle. The only full sized folding electric bike I know of is the Sonders step. I know nothing about Sonders, but the LBS hates them. I found 2 companies selling full sized folders online - Montigue trail bikes and Bazooka beach bikes - and am now considering having one of them electrified. Hopefully, someone here has a better idea.
