So here's the scoop. I have an Evelo Luna electric bike I got a couple of years ago. I love the quality of the bike and the wonderful customer service. Although I'm not 100% crazy about the NuVinci shifting I've learned to live with it. Other than that, I LOVE this bike. My husband had a regular bicycle and we would go on bike rides that were on the average 20 miles. By then we were both ready to quit for the day. That is until a few weeks ago when hubby decided he was having trouble managing the hills and he decided to get himself a Radcity electric bike. Now I am the one having trouble keeping up. The problem is his bike is more powerful than mine. Before he got an electric bike he only wanted to go between 9 - 12 mph. Now he thinks that is too slow and he wants to go about 14 - 16 mph. And he does this in a PAS level of 1 or 2. I need to put mine in level 4 or 5 in order to keep up. This means I drain my battery way before he does. And now that he can go faster, we can potentially go for longer rides in less time but I can't manage much more than 24 miles or so in that higher level of assist before I run out of power. And yes, he is stronger than me but when we switch bikes I notice how significantly easier his bike is to pedal. Even he has to keep the Evelo in PAS of 4 or 5 to maintain a speed of about 15 mph.
So what should I do? I've been looking at getting a different bike. Two that I really like are The Blix Aveny and the Electric BikeCompany Model S. I absolutely need a step through model and it must have a throttle that works from a standstill. I like that the Aveny is lighter and not quite as expensive. I also prefer the plastic fenders rather than steel which The Model S has. I'm not crazy about the two step process of turning on the battery and then turning on the motor display. I live in central WI and although I don't think there are any Blix dealers here I think I could find one in MN or IL, another plus. I would probably have to get the higher powered battery to keep up with my husband's Radcity.
The EBC's Model S is a single speed which doesn't really bother me (unless you think it should). It is powerful. I don't like steel fenders so much because I'm one of those type A people who is super fussy and I would be concerned about dents or rust. And I did find one customer review that said their Model S arrived with scratches, which would disappoint me a lot. And with getting a few extras such as fenders, maybe a basket and the cost of shipping we are talking approx. $500 more than the Aveny.
My other option would be to stick with my Evelo and spend $$$800 for an upgraded battery. That is almost half of what some new bikes cost. I paid $2500 for this bike but we certainly can't afford to keep spending that kind of money every couple of years for a bike. Why not just go with a Radcity step through which would match my husband's bike in speed and battery power, you ask? While I haven't completely ruled that out, I just don't feel it has the quality of my Evelo. Maybe I'm wrong. What do you think? I know no one can make a decision for me but with some advice you can surely help me decide what to do.
Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this entire post and can offer some help.
Sandee
So what should I do? I've been looking at getting a different bike. Two that I really like are The Blix Aveny and the Electric BikeCompany Model S. I absolutely need a step through model and it must have a throttle that works from a standstill. I like that the Aveny is lighter and not quite as expensive. I also prefer the plastic fenders rather than steel which The Model S has. I'm not crazy about the two step process of turning on the battery and then turning on the motor display. I live in central WI and although I don't think there are any Blix dealers here I think I could find one in MN or IL, another plus. I would probably have to get the higher powered battery to keep up with my husband's Radcity.
The EBC's Model S is a single speed which doesn't really bother me (unless you think it should). It is powerful. I don't like steel fenders so much because I'm one of those type A people who is super fussy and I would be concerned about dents or rust. And I did find one customer review that said their Model S arrived with scratches, which would disappoint me a lot. And with getting a few extras such as fenders, maybe a basket and the cost of shipping we are talking approx. $500 more than the Aveny.
My other option would be to stick with my Evelo and spend $$$800 for an upgraded battery. That is almost half of what some new bikes cost. I paid $2500 for this bike but we certainly can't afford to keep spending that kind of money every couple of years for a bike. Why not just go with a Radcity step through which would match my husband's bike in speed and battery power, you ask? While I haven't completely ruled that out, I just don't feel it has the quality of my Evelo. Maybe I'm wrong. What do you think? I know no one can make a decision for me but with some advice you can surely help me decide what to do.
Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this entire post and can offer some help.
Sandee
