Looking for 1st ebike

D

donl1150

New Member
Like many others, I am in the market for bicycle(s) for both my wife & myself. We are both seniors living in northern Minnesota (about 200 miles north of Minneapolis) and have not ridden since our teens. We will be using them strictly on paved trails converted from old railroad beds. I have just begun the search and must say bicycles have come a long ways! And ebikes in particular, I a more than amazed at the number of manufacturers. That said, my research has consisted of reading/viewing on line and a visit to one local shop which carries only the Townie models. There are very few bike shops in our area.

With my limited knowledge, if I were to buy today, I would get the e-Lux Tahoe step through for myself (I am 6'3" & 275 pounds) and the e-Lux Newport step through for my wife. (She is 5'6" & about 200 pounds). I have ridden briefly the Townie Go 8i at our local shop and my wife has not ridden at all since she is recovering from a broken ankle (slipped on the ice) and is in a boot for a few more weeks). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
Consider a Rad City Step through by Rad Power Bikes. A Seattle company known for great value ebikes with incredible service and support. These bikes are a great value and have a huge (5K+ growing, active community of owners on Facebook). Many solid features on the step-through and would be a good fit for each of you. They do go out of stock periodically, but come back and sell quickly. If you buy two, they come out to $1400/each, delivered. You will have so much fun!
 
donl1150 said:
Like many others, I am in the market for bicycle(s) for both my wife & myself. We are both seniors living in northern Minnesota (about 200 miles north of Minneapolis) and have not ridden since our teens. We will be using them strictly on paved trails converted from old railroad beds. I have just begun the search and must say bicycles have come a long ways! And ebikes in particular, I a more than amazed at the number of manufacturers. That said, my research has consisted of reading/viewing on line and a visit to one local shop which carries only the Townie models. There are very few bike shops in our area.

With my limited knowledge, if I were to buy today, I would get the e-Lux Tahoe step through for myself (I am 6'3" & 275 pounds) and the e-Lux Newport step through for my wife. (She is 5'6" & about 200 pounds). I have ridden briefly the Townie Go 8i at our local shop and my wife has not ridden at all since she is recovering from a broken ankle (slipped on the ice) and is in a boot for a few more weeks). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I'd avoid any bike with a rack-mounted battery. Places a lot of weight in the wrong place (tail/top heavy).

I'm a fan of online sellers as price points are better and selection is greater than relying on whatever brands your local bike shops might carry.

I'd also look for a bike with fatter tires and a front suspension for riding comfort. And then adding a good after-market suspension seat post. Court recommends the Surface 604 Rook ($1799) or the Voltbike Elegant ($1299)
 
I agree with @KandK . The Rad City Step-Thru from Rad Power Bikes (RPB) would be a better value in comparing these 2 online dealers. RPB is also offering free shipping within the continental US and $200 off the total purchase price if you buy 2 bikes. You're wife can get the white one and you can get the black one if want different colors. Rad Power Bikes is a reputable company with good post-sale support based on the reviews I've read here.

The Voltbike Elegant and Surface 604 Rook mentioned by @MisterM are good step-thru suggestions as well. Note that neither of these models have the swept back cruiser-style handlebars like the e-lux bikes or the Rad City. You should be able to adjust the angle of the bars to shorten the reach for a more upright riding style. Check Court's reviews on both of the bikes to see his riding position.

Whatever you decide, make sure to check if ebikes are permitted on the trails you're planning on riding. Check behind me, but I think all of the bikes mentioned are Class II ebikes.
 
I heartily recommend making some arrangements to try some other bikes. Doing that greatly increases your chances of making a great choice and being happy with it.
 
Thanks for the input. I have looked over these and now am leaning towards RadCity Step thru. Problem is they are back ordered. That raises red flags for a relatively young company. Are they expanding too fast? Do they have sourcing issues? Do they have manufacturing problems? In China I presume? (Not thrilled with that if true).

Which leads me to wonder.....how many, if any, of the multitude of e-bike companies make their products in North America? Which then gives me pause that I should stick with ones that at least have brick/mortar presence (albeit 200 miles from me) where I can get service. I think I may be back at e-Lux again.
 
Will you ever be putting the bicycles on a car rack or having to lift them at all?
If you will watch the weight on the different bicycles

Rad power is a reputable company and most of the stuff on the bicycles can be handled by any regular bicycle shop

If you are 200 miles from other shop I would definitely consider rad power or one of the others

Maybe check the Facebook page to see if there is anyone near you that get help if you have problems..
 
Most of these online companies like Rad and probably Surface buy their parts etc. from China but assemble the bikes here in North America, at least that’s my understanding
 
If you get hung up on the ebike being made somewhere in Asia then you may as well stop looking. There may be others I'm not aware of, but the only true USA ebike manufacturer I could find online was Optibike and their cheapest model starts at $3500. Other manufacturers may use the "Made in the USA" moniker, but it usually means that they only assembled the parts that came from Asia.

What sets one ebike company apart from another will be the quality level of the frame build, the components selected, assembly and quality control inspection before shipping to the customer, and finally post-sale support. This YouTube video highlights one man's journey to see what it would take to start up his own ebike brand by importing from Taiwan. It definitely corrected my thinking.

If you like the bike offerings from E-Lux then go for it. As for concerns about other companies, consider doing what I've done and Google the heck out of the company name and their board executives. I also check out a company's rating with the Better Business Bureau. Finally, I've scoured through these forums looking to see if real customers were happy with their purchase and what issues I might expect.
 
As far as I know, the only bikes made in USA are custom bicycles from makers such as Waterford, RE Rodriguez, Holland, Independent Fabrication, etc. These are hand-made bicycles and they cost a fortune—but worth every penny! And NONE of them are electric. If you want an affordable ebike, resign yourself to the fact that the world has changed and China is the dominant producer of ebikes. Even my Haibike, while designed in Germany, was probably largely made in China (the frame for sure, and some other components).
 
"Even my Haibike, while designed in Germany, was probably largely made in China (the frame for sure, and some other components). "


Molding and construction
Country of Eastern Europe
 
Nova Haibike said:
There is something to be said for a bike you can get locally. Also, Electra is a Trek company, which is the biggest bike company on the planet. So you can get service and support virtually everywhere. On that note, you might want to look at the Trek Lift+ too.
Click to expand...

I strongly agree with 'Nova Haibike'. Find a local bike shop that you like and trust. I would not buy on line unless you're willing to 'go it alone'
as contrasted with doing business and getting support from a local bike shop. You're Seniors..... I'm a Senior as well that's why I can point that out : ) you don't need a e-bike science project...Maybe you do ? : )

You'd mentioned having ridden the Electra Townie-Go. That is a great choice for two reasons, as mentioned by 'Nova Haibike,'
Trek owns them and secondly the bike has a very unique design. The crank aka peddles are significantly forward of the seat. When you're stopped your feet touch the ground making the bike very safe and stable. While riding you're in a very upright position, a lot like sitting in a chair, again safe and comfortable.

The Townie-Go has the Bosch Power System ( motor and Intuvia Controller ) which I think is the best out there. The system is
fully warranted for two years. Lastly Trek support is tops. No double talk. I have two trek e-bikes and know first hand. The Trek Lift+ also
seems like a good choice. Lastly consider a Body Float seat post. It makes all the difference in the world. http://cirruscycles.com/

Good luck,

John from CT
 
Adams said:
It seems that most or all of the bike parts are made in China or Japan with assembly done in the USA. There may or may not be any difference in quality but rather in the selection of parts and assembly. Customer support is not consistent across points of sale. Do research and decide what will meet your needs.
Click to expand...
Vast majority of ebikes are assembled in China, or places like Vietnam. USA cannot compete with $1/hr labor.
 
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