Well I have been doing some research for the last few weeks and can say I'm more confused about picking a EBIKE . I'm 6"2, 240 . The 3 bikes I have been looking at in my price range of $2,400. RADROVER, M2S R750 , and the Juice RIPCURRENT S . Sorta what threw me a little had a post on another forum and one guy said neither of these bikes were any good .
Looking for a EBIKE, need help ?
- Thread starter EBIKE2561
- Start date
indianajo
Well-Known Member
I believe without looking it up that both radrover & juiced have 7 speed kiddie grade shimano sprockets & shifters. Shimano makes premium products but these will not be them. I've found the SRAM derailleur on the bike left to be much more precise than the shimanos on I discount store MTB's I rode previously. I got a 10 cm x 1 cm cyst over my thumb joint from a shimano index shifter. I use twist shifters now, which was a conversion from the SRAM index shifter that came with the bodaboda left. I've also broken a shimano rear axle with my excessive weight of 180 lb. I've also had shimano axles come unscrewed and drop the balls out on a trip, requiring me to push the bike home 4 miles. No locknut installed on cheap shimano axles. You have to buy the locknut specially, in a weird 3/8"x 26 thread, which parts vendor niagarabike.com couldn't ship the correct part.
Also be sure if you ever ride in the rain, to buy a bike with disk brakes. Rim brakes fade badly when rims get wet, which they do running through puddles. I have mechanical Tektro 160 mm disks on the bike left. They got me safely down a 10% 1/2 mile grade in March at 4 mph, with 80 lb cargo. The main disadvantage of mechanical disks IMHO is that when the pad wears and you adjust them in, the force on the handle goes higher. The three disadvantages of hydraulic disk brakes are bleeding them if they leak or you put new pads on, and the cost. Also some brands use exotic fluid available only in $35 bottles from the manufacturer. Read under maintenance thread for details.
Both radrover & juiced IMHO are geared hub drives. I like these because you can ride them 95% of the time unpowered without any drag from the motor. The herd is buying mid-drives because you can get up a hill with a 350 w motor in granny gear. I do fine on 15% hills with 60 lb cargo with my 1000 W hub drives, both DD and geared. The geared hub will wear out the gears in 5000-10000 miles, a $350 tragedy boo hoo. If you wear out a mid drive gear or sprocket, and the manufacturer discontinues the model (like Bosch did some of theirs already, no support available) you get to buy an entire new >$3000 bicycle.
Riding under my own power 95% of the time keeps my heart with "nothing wrong with it" to quote the cardiologist after $5000 tests presurgery. I have electric power only for days when a 20 mph headwind would increase my commute time from 3.5 hours to 5.7 hours. (coming home from my summer camp is inflexibly timed when I am out of food or I have an appointment in town).
Also be sure if you ever ride in the rain, to buy a bike with disk brakes. Rim brakes fade badly when rims get wet, which they do running through puddles. I have mechanical Tektro 160 mm disks on the bike left. They got me safely down a 10% 1/2 mile grade in March at 4 mph, with 80 lb cargo. The main disadvantage of mechanical disks IMHO is that when the pad wears and you adjust them in, the force on the handle goes higher. The three disadvantages of hydraulic disk brakes are bleeding them if they leak or you put new pads on, and the cost. Also some brands use exotic fluid available only in $35 bottles from the manufacturer. Read under maintenance thread for details.
Both radrover & juiced IMHO are geared hub drives. I like these because you can ride them 95% of the time unpowered without any drag from the motor. The herd is buying mid-drives because you can get up a hill with a 350 w motor in granny gear. I do fine on 15% hills with 60 lb cargo with my 1000 W hub drives, both DD and geared. The geared hub will wear out the gears in 5000-10000 miles, a $350 tragedy boo hoo. If you wear out a mid drive gear or sprocket, and the manufacturer discontinues the model (like Bosch did some of theirs already, no support available) you get to buy an entire new >$3000 bicycle.
Riding under my own power 95% of the time keeps my heart with "nothing wrong with it" to quote the cardiologist after $5000 tests presurgery. I have electric power only for days when a 20 mph headwind would increase my commute time from 3.5 hours to 5.7 hours. (coming home from my summer camp is inflexibly timed when I am out of food or I have an appointment in town).
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MechaNut
Active Member
This is from the perspective of a 2018 Ripcurrent S (RCS) owner
Everything "hardware wise" on the RCS is a step up from the Rover.
52V power system (less performance loss when the battery starts getting low on charge), much bigger battery (RCS=998 watt hours vs Rover=672 watt hours) , higher peak motor wattage, Speed pedelec capable, hydraulic brakes, 9 gears instead of 7, 3 frame sizes vs 1 sized fits most, and the RCS comes fully set up for commuting (fenders and rack included). The RCS uses a torque sensor + cadence for power delivery vs. a 12 magnet cadence sensor on the Rover. The RCS comes with a thumb lever throttle. The Rover comes with a twist throttle with a throttle cutoff button.
That said, parts are far more expensive on the RCS. Battery replacements for the RCS cost $1300 vs $550 for the Rad Rover. Unless you are familiar with taking care of hydraulic brakes they are harder to maintain and require some specialized tools to bleed (replace the brake fluid and get air out of the system).
If you have dealt with maintaining a "normal" bicycle moving up to a Rad Rover will be pretty straight forward. If you have dealt with maintaining a mountain bike with hydraulic brakes the RCS will be pretty straight forward.
I'm not that familiar with the M2S so I can't directly comment there.
My RCS has been trouble free since I got it. I've put around 200 miles on it so far (got it late season and didn't ride it during the winter months) and the only thing I need to get done to it is have the brakes bled which is a regular seasonal maintenance thing. I did break the front fender on it but that was due to me being a klutz and no fault of Juiced bikes. The one specific feature I'm a fan of on the RCS is the cruise control feature. It is really useful for long straight stretches of road.
Everything "hardware wise" on the RCS is a step up from the Rover.
52V power system (less performance loss when the battery starts getting low on charge), much bigger battery (RCS=998 watt hours vs Rover=672 watt hours) , higher peak motor wattage, Speed pedelec capable, hydraulic brakes, 9 gears instead of 7, 3 frame sizes vs 1 sized fits most, and the RCS comes fully set up for commuting (fenders and rack included). The RCS uses a torque sensor + cadence for power delivery vs. a 12 magnet cadence sensor on the Rover. The RCS comes with a thumb lever throttle. The Rover comes with a twist throttle with a throttle cutoff button.
That said, parts are far more expensive on the RCS. Battery replacements for the RCS cost $1300 vs $550 for the Rad Rover. Unless you are familiar with taking care of hydraulic brakes they are harder to maintain and require some specialized tools to bleed (replace the brake fluid and get air out of the system).
If you have dealt with maintaining a "normal" bicycle moving up to a Rad Rover will be pretty straight forward. If you have dealt with maintaining a mountain bike with hydraulic brakes the RCS will be pretty straight forward.
I'm not that familiar with the M2S so I can't directly comment there.
My RCS has been trouble free since I got it. I've put around 200 miles on it so far (got it late season and didn't ride it during the winter months) and the only thing I need to get done to it is have the brakes bled which is a regular seasonal maintenance thing. I did break the front fender on it but that was due to me being a klutz and no fault of Juiced bikes. The one specific feature I'm a fan of on the RCS is the cruise control feature. It is really useful for long straight stretches of road.
MechaNut
Active Member
Mechanical disk brakes are very easy to work on and adjust if you are familiar with old school bikes with calipers and don't require specialized tools to service. Hydraulics are much better brakes all around (better braking power, less hand strength required, better at dissipating heat, and so forth) but Hydraulics are more complicated and require specialized tools to service them.
indianajo
Well-Known Member
I've adjusted the rear mechanical disk brake after 13 months & about 2200 miles. I haven't adjusted the front after 16 months and ~2400 miles. I stop at most stop signs and lights. Only if absolutely noone can see me do I roll it. I ride mostly in town.
vincent
Well-Known Member
do not know anything about M2S
but rad power has very good customer service and their bikes are decent for the price
juiced seems to have been lacking in customer service but is supposed to be improving
but the rip current is a better bike component wise, battery AH wise
hope this helps a little
but rad power has very good customer service and their bikes are decent for the price
juiced seems to have been lacking in customer service but is supposed to be improving
but the rip current is a better bike component wise, battery AH wise
hope this helps a little
bonefish101
Member
I'm 6'4 and 215lbs, I have the large frame M2S R750 All Terrain, I love it. Reviews on the M2S page here. Just FYI, the large is a bit of a tight squeeze for me but it should fit you ok, my next frame will be an XL.
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