Hello, everyone! Currently, I have an Aventon Aventure. It's a cheaper generalist bike ($2k) that taught me how I'm gonna use a bike and what I value in it. Now I think I'm ready for a bike that suits me much better than the Aventure. I'm going to get right into this, because it will probably end up being quite long. I am in the US. THANK YOU very much for helping out 
First of all, what type of rider am I? I live in my van most of the year and use my bike as my daily driver for errands as well as exploration/recreation. I am a big guy at 6'2" (1.88m) and 330lbs (149kg) (365lbs, 166kg possible cargo included) looking for a tougher commuter style ebike that can handle the rougher pavement I encounter in the boonies and smaller towns as well as the occasional dirt/gravel road or path. Would something with more of a mountain bike or touring design be better for me? What about weight limits? I have a hard time believing these diamond frames with thick downtubes can't handle more than 300lbs but that is the highest capacity I have been seeing in my research. I am looking for whatever bike best suits my needs, so my budget is flexible.
I don't like a fully upright position, but I don't want anywhere near the near horizontal positions I see on some bikes. From test riding some ebikes, I'd say my preference is closer to the vertical upright than the horizontal sporty positions. A bit Sportier than the Specialized Turbo Como, not nearly as sporty as the Turbo Vado SL. I'd prefer a belt drive, but I know that limits my choices severely and I don't mind chain maintenance all that much, so not super necessary. Weight of the bike is not very important to me. I know it impacts efficiency, but I'm also very heavy so it's not nearly as impactful.
One very important thing I am looking for is serviceability. I live in my van and travel most of the year, so I need something that can get worked on at most places. I park my van and use my bike as my daily driver so this is extremely important. The Aventure has had some motor/throttle issues and it took forever to get it serviced. A lot of it was part shortages, but it also took forever for Aventon to coordinate with the store on diagnosis and then more time to ship the parts. I am even having this issue with the cheap Zoom fork. I didn't think I'd have much issue with the regular bike parts but alas, here I am. What advice can you give for a customer looking for a serviceable bike. I understand reliability is a big part of this. If it doesn't break, it doesn't need to be serviced!
What motor systems should I be looking for if I am keeping serviceability in mind? I've heard the Specialized Brose and Bosch motor systems are the most popular by far in the US. If I got an ebike with one of those, would I be able to get it serviced most places around the country (USA)? What about the other electrical components?
It seems like my Aventure has a few odd parts to it that makes it harder to service. As far as regular non-electric bike side of things, what should I be looking for? I'm not super knowledgeable so I don't know exactly what parts/brands are common or not.
As far as the motor goes, I have no idea how much torque and wattage I'm needing. It doesn't need to be as much or more as the Aventon. For reference, The Aventure has a 750w rear hub Bafang that can go up to 1120w with 80nm torque if I remember correctly. I have had no issue with speed or climbing with it except for the steepest of hills, which is to be expected at my size. I know mid-drives are more efficient and thus need less power, so it's hard for me to compare. Also, the Aventure doesn't feel like a bike a lot of the times. The assist levels are basically speed levels and however much you add to it is up to you. I believe this is largely due to it having no torque sensor (cadence sensor instead), which the more premium bikes almost ubiquitously have by the looks of it. That'll encourage more input which will help get me in better shape, too.
Definitely want larger battery than most as I am heavier.
Hydraulic brakes are a must at my weight, but most premium bikes come with them anyways.
I'm needing to carry some stuff on the back. Nothing crazy, just my bike stuff and my own groceries or whatever.
I was looking at internally geared hubs, but mostly in the context of belt drives. What are your thoughts about them with a chain?
Thank you for your input! I look forward to chatting with y'all
Edit note: I need a speed pedelec/class 3 ebike. A bike that assists up to 28mph (45.06km/h)
First of all, what type of rider am I? I live in my van most of the year and use my bike as my daily driver for errands as well as exploration/recreation. I am a big guy at 6'2" (1.88m) and 330lbs (149kg) (365lbs, 166kg possible cargo included) looking for a tougher commuter style ebike that can handle the rougher pavement I encounter in the boonies and smaller towns as well as the occasional dirt/gravel road or path. Would something with more of a mountain bike or touring design be better for me? What about weight limits? I have a hard time believing these diamond frames with thick downtubes can't handle more than 300lbs but that is the highest capacity I have been seeing in my research. I am looking for whatever bike best suits my needs, so my budget is flexible.
I don't like a fully upright position, but I don't want anywhere near the near horizontal positions I see on some bikes. From test riding some ebikes, I'd say my preference is closer to the vertical upright than the horizontal sporty positions. A bit Sportier than the Specialized Turbo Como, not nearly as sporty as the Turbo Vado SL. I'd prefer a belt drive, but I know that limits my choices severely and I don't mind chain maintenance all that much, so not super necessary. Weight of the bike is not very important to me. I know it impacts efficiency, but I'm also very heavy so it's not nearly as impactful.
One very important thing I am looking for is serviceability. I live in my van and travel most of the year, so I need something that can get worked on at most places. I park my van and use my bike as my daily driver so this is extremely important. The Aventure has had some motor/throttle issues and it took forever to get it serviced. A lot of it was part shortages, but it also took forever for Aventon to coordinate with the store on diagnosis and then more time to ship the parts. I am even having this issue with the cheap Zoom fork. I didn't think I'd have much issue with the regular bike parts but alas, here I am. What advice can you give for a customer looking for a serviceable bike. I understand reliability is a big part of this. If it doesn't break, it doesn't need to be serviced!
What motor systems should I be looking for if I am keeping serviceability in mind? I've heard the Specialized Brose and Bosch motor systems are the most popular by far in the US. If I got an ebike with one of those, would I be able to get it serviced most places around the country (USA)? What about the other electrical components?
It seems like my Aventure has a few odd parts to it that makes it harder to service. As far as regular non-electric bike side of things, what should I be looking for? I'm not super knowledgeable so I don't know exactly what parts/brands are common or not.
As far as the motor goes, I have no idea how much torque and wattage I'm needing. It doesn't need to be as much or more as the Aventon. For reference, The Aventure has a 750w rear hub Bafang that can go up to 1120w with 80nm torque if I remember correctly. I have had no issue with speed or climbing with it except for the steepest of hills, which is to be expected at my size. I know mid-drives are more efficient and thus need less power, so it's hard for me to compare. Also, the Aventure doesn't feel like a bike a lot of the times. The assist levels are basically speed levels and however much you add to it is up to you. I believe this is largely due to it having no torque sensor (cadence sensor instead), which the more premium bikes almost ubiquitously have by the looks of it. That'll encourage more input which will help get me in better shape, too.
Definitely want larger battery than most as I am heavier.
Hydraulic brakes are a must at my weight, but most premium bikes come with them anyways.
I'm needing to carry some stuff on the back. Nothing crazy, just my bike stuff and my own groceries or whatever.
I was looking at internally geared hubs, but mostly in the context of belt drives. What are your thoughts about them with a chain?
Thank you for your input! I look forward to chatting with y'all
Edit note: I need a speed pedelec/class 3 ebike. A bike that assists up to 28mph (45.06km/h)
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