I guess I'm picky

[flynbulldog]

As I read more about electric bikes I'm developing an ever-growing and complex set of desires for an electric bike. First of all this will be used as recreation. I have no commute and dont see myself running errands. The suburban streets where shops are located where I live are too dangerous for a bicycle and the secondary roads are narrow with high speed limits (50mph) and no shoulder. It is not a bicycle friendly environment.

So I'll use the bike for trails and bike paths and would like to do some offroading. My wife used to be an avid cyclist but since moving here she has lost interest. Maybe the ebike will get her interested again? I'm not counting on it.

I dont understand the relationship between the stated wattage of a motor and the power output. Some of the lesser expensive bikes boats a 750 watt hub drive while the expensive bikes all seem to use bosch or yamaha center mounted motors with like 250watts. Why is that? wouldnt the 750 watt motor provide more power and higher speeds? Also some list 250/500 watts what does that mean? can you switch back and forth?

I'm 6'2" so I need a large frame and the "one size" bikes like the radrover are probably going to be too small. I think I'd like full suspension with at leat 130mm travel and 29 inch wheels, hydraulic brakes and paint - you know, paint... I dont know what's with all of the flat and matt black but I refuse to buy a bike with a flat finish - black or otherwise...

I'm not sure why there's so much controversy around the throttle and a majic 20mph speed limit. Scooters have a throttle and they all go over 20 mph and they do not require license or registration. I think I'd like a bike with some power and I think I can handle a bike that will go over 20... so, class 3 with peddle assist is on my radar.

I'm certainly open to all ideas and info and I appreciate any input.
Thanks

 

[Bruce Arnold]

The wattage ratings on ebike motors are like the EPA gas mileage ratings on automobiles: there's some relationship to reality but what that might be is vague.

If I understand correctly, the nominal wattage rating is what someone -- manufacturer? designer? distributor? -- has decided the motor can handle without excessive wear and tear, mile after mile, day in and day out. The main culprit is over-heating.

Some motors may list a peak wattage, which is how much extra power the motor can supply for short bursts without the likelihood of damage. For instance, my CrossCurrent S, with a 650 watt motor, is capable of up to around 1,000 watts but you don't want to ride all day at that level. This is the "get across the intersection before you get clobbered" function, or "oops I didn't downshift for this stoplight", or "I just need to catch my breath for a little bit", so it's not going to overheat in that scenario.

There is no standard measure of any of this, to complicate matters further.

The ratings do give you some rough idea of the motor's capacity. A motor rated for 250 watts is almost certainly not going to provide the same power as a motor rated for 750 watts.

Here's an interesting video of a guy with a 250 watt motor showing us what it can do on various grades. He has a cadence sensor only -- no throttle or torque sensor -- so by moving the pedals without actually putting any pressure on them, you get a pretty good idea of what the motor is doing. His LCD display shows currents watts, which shows up clearly in the vid.

And that's all I'm going to say about motor ratings. There are others on the forum with a lot more knowledge about this. If I've misstated anything, I'll be happy to be corrected by one of them.

The 20 mph thing is regulatory. In Europe, I believe it's 25 kph. No real magic to it. Regulators gotta regulate. As long as my Class 3 ebike is legal, and it is in North Carolina, I'm good with it. I don't often go over 20 but it's nice to have when I need it.

The throttle thing is only half a controversy. People who don't like them will nearly always say so and suggest that you don't need it. The people who do like them, pretty much never say "be darn sure you get a throttle." I don't get it either. Even if I thought I wouldn't use a throttle, I wouldn't reject a bike that I liked in every other respect just because it had one.

I say I ride without using my throttle 95% of the time, but that's a low-ball estimate -- I use it less than that I'm sure. But when I do use it, it's just the ticket. FWIW.

 

[ebikemom]

I think your wife would love an ebike! Go out and do some test riding. For my uncertain family member(a son), I first did test riding by myself so that I would understand what was available and what might be the best fit for him,and then brought him along. It was love at first ride!

Also, since you say you mostly want to do trails, a class one or class two might be the best fit for you. The main benefit of fast speeds on the class three from what I understand is to help long commutes get done in a more timely manner. Maybe those who have them can chime in!

 

[flynbulldog]

Well I spent the last couple of days riding more bikes and it looks like The Haibike fullseven S checks most of my boxes. I has a beautiful finish with high quality components. I didnt like the way the standard bosch system cut off at 19 mph but the S version with its 28 mph speed should not have that sensation even though I doubt I'll be riding that fast very often. The only thing I would miss on the fullseven is a throttle (I know Im a blacksheep here but I dont come from the bicycle world I'm one of those evil motorcycle guys whose main goal in life is to tear up all of the trails and get bikes banned forever!!! )

I struggle between buying a decent low-priced bike from china like a radrover or voltbike, or a high-end bike with all the best components because the tech is changing so fast that its likely that any bike purchased now will be last years news in no time and even with the best bike parts any e bike is going to drop in value within a year or 2. With a low priced bike that hit will hurt a lot less.

BTW I didnt ride the hiabike, I rode a trek, a bulls, and a specialized, all with a flat black finish. Great bikes all of them but I refuse to buy a flat black bike

 

[rich c]

Seems like a lot of folks that buy lower priced bikes add accessories or upgrade components before too long. The Chinese bikes are going up 25% next week. So add the tariff and higher end components, and the prices get pretty close. All you have to do is learn how to shift the Haibike, and you’ll accelerate at the same rate of speed as a throttle bike.

 

[CodyDog]

I struggle between buying a decent low-priced bike from china like a radrover or voltbike, or a high-end bike with all the best components because the tech is changing so fast that its likely that any bike purchased now will be last years news in no time and even with the best bike parts any e bike is going to drop in value within a year or 2. With a low priced bike that hit will hurt a lot less.

I purchased a Rad Rover ($1,499) for me and a Specialized Como 3.0 ($3,300) for my wife. In hindsight, I wish I would have spent more and gotten more bike. I'm spending money upgrading the Rover to make it what I want it to be and I'll probably end up buying a 3K to 4K bike anyway.

The fact you mentioned it, you probably would be better off buying a higher end bike.

 

[ebikemom]

A better bike will ride better, feel better, and be more fun. That said, don't buy more than you can comfortably afford. Do what works best for you and your budget.

And, just because ebike tech--batteries, motors--change doesn't mean that the high quality bike you bought won't still be a great bike. We don't have to have the newest and latest to have a great riding experience.



Happy shopping! Do test rides as much as you can, and that also will help you to make your decision. Getting a bike that's a good physical fit for you is also super important, and test riding will give you a better idea. There are brands that come in a wider range of sizes--they may not be the cheapest bikes, but you may be happier riding a bike that fits you longer than getting something that doesn't. Check out your local bike stores and see what they carry that you can try out in person.

And if the online bikes that interest you aren't available to try, maybe you can find someone who owns one who might let you do a test ride. I'm always offering to let folks try my bike! A lot of us love to share the ebike joy!

 

[Nova Haibike]

I'm certainly open to all ideas and info and I appreciate any input.

How about the XDURO NDURO?

 

[PDoz]

I struggle between buying a decent low-priced bike from china like a radrover or voltbike, or a high-end bike with all the best components because the tech is changing so fast that its likely that any bike purchased now will be last years news in no time and even with the best bike parts any e bike is going to drop in value within a year or 2. With a low priced bike that hit will hurt a lot less.

BTW I didnt ride the hiabike, I rode a trek, a bulls, and a specialized, all with a flat black finish. Great bikes all of them but I refuse to buy a flat black bike

Ok, if it helps with the struggle - when you're down the bottom of heart attack hill and it starts raining, would you rather be aboard a ktm 500 exc or a honda grom? The ktm has horrible resale as you walk out the store, but that riding experience is priceless.

Now, specialised do offer red bikes, or if you want a rainbow effect giant have a strange sense of cosmetic genius...which makes a very good argument for plain black bikes

 

[flynbulldog]

Can anyone tell me the differences between the bosch CX and the bosch speed? Of course I know the differences on paper but in actual use what were your impressions and thoughts?

 

[flynbulldog]

I decided that the Xduro fullseven 9.0S was the right bike for me.

It looks like I'll soon be joining the ebike family Now for an agonizing wait

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