Looking for help

[Greg and Jackie]

Hello all ,
My wife and I are looking for an E bike primarily for comfort and range (upright position and 25+ mi throttle only). Our main likes at the moment are Pedego and Evelo. Pedego has range and comfort but is spendy with options. Evelo has unique design and full of options but some models don't offer disc brakes or larger motors that I just don't understand. I rode an Evelo and really enjoyed it but an advertised 20 mph never materialized. (I only saw 16)
What other models am I missing out there ?
Thanks for the help.
Greg ,

 

[George S.]

Definitely try to work your way through the review section of this website. There are dozens of bikes.

 

[Berry78]

If you go to the review section, you can select cruiser style, and sort according to price. That should help you narrow it down.

But, more important than "what's out there", is what brands can you have repaired locally?

I love the sound of the Bulls bike ( for me) ..but there aren't any dealers within 700 miles. It would be foolish to even think of that brand ( for me).

Make a list of bikes that catch your eye on reviews, then find out which are close by. You might find your list shrinks a lot. Prices tend to be somewhat negotiable if you are willing to get used ( or last year's model). May not hurt to look a smidgen above your price point for your brand list.

The main thing is to get out there, ride the bikes, and find your repair shop. The choice will come to you

 

[Saratoga Dave]

We are walking the same path. My wife and I tried Pedego City Commuters, 26" and 28", which we liked very much, but they're a little expensive (you get what you pay for though, I am sure). Looked at eVelo but I just have a bug up my butt about a rear hub as opposed to the eVelo's mid, and I don't like the look of the motor just hanging off the thing like a soda can. Nice bike for sure, strong, but I can't get past the appearance.

Ran into a woman on a bike path riding something I'd never heard of, an e-Joe. Hers was an Anggun model and when I asked if I could chat with her about it, she was very enthusiastic about the thing. She had bought it at a nearby dealer, which I liked as well. I drove over there the next day and am now the owner of an e-Joe Koda, which is very comparable in my mind to the Pedego, but at a far lower price. I have been out on it every day so far, did 30 miles this morning. Very sporty feeling bike for something so heavy. Nicely stealthy as far as the ebike aspect of it, very well designed.

My wife tried an Anggun yesterday and will probably go with that when she gets over the fact that she thinks the thing pulls a bit too strongly when you kick on the assist. She was trying it in a smallish parking lot, and going very slow like that, it does get your attention.

You do sit up nice and straight on that Anggun as well.

Obviously there are a million great choices out there, and people FAR more educated on all this than me, but when I read your post I felt like I'd written it myself a week ago. I am super satisfied with the Koda as a drive all over the place, almost always pavement bike. We'll see what Vicky ends up with and I'll report back on how all that goes.

This whole ebike thing is a wonderful world indeed. Lots of nice people out there riding these things, it turns out.

 

[Ann M.]

Besides just cruiser style, there are a lot of upright city style bikes with throttles. Prodeco Tech is one brand that is primarily throttle only and are a little less pricey than Pedego ebikes and almost all models have disc brakes. To start your general search, go to the Electricbikereview.com home page and try out Court's Search options, select 'show all filters' to see options for style of bike, type of throttle (he calls it 'drive') and look over some good pics and videos with info on pricing.

Better yet, is try out some ebikes at your local shops, that relationship will be important for the long term care of your new wheels!

 

[Greg and Jackie]

We are walking the same path. My wife and I tried Pedego City Commuters, 26" and 28", which we liked very much, but they're a little expensive (you get what you pay for though, I am sure). Looked at eVelo but I just have a bug up my butt about a rear hub as opposed to the eVelo's mid, and I don't like the look of the motor just hanging off the thing like a soda can. Nice bike for sure, strong, but I can't get past the appearance.

Ran into a woman on a bike path riding something I'd never heard of, an e-Joe. Hers was an Anggun model and when I asked if I could chat with her about it, she was very enthusiastic about the thing. She had bought it at a nearby dealer, which I liked as well. I drove over there the next day and am now the owner of an e-Joe Koda, which is very comparable in my mind to the Pedego, but at a far lower price. I have been out on it every day so far, did 30 miles this morning. Very sporty feeling bike for something so heavy. Nicely stealthy as far as the ebike aspect of it, very well designed.

My wife tried an Anggun yesterday and will probably go with that when she gets over the fact that she thinks the thing pulls a bit too strongly when you kick on the assist. She was trying it in a smallish parking lot, and going very slow like that, it does get your attention.

You do sit up nice and straight on that Anggun as well.

Obviously there are a million great choices out there, and people FAR more educated on all this than me, but when I read your post I felt like I'd written it myself a week ago. I am super satisfied with the Koda as a drive all over the place, almost always pavement bike. We'll see what Vicky ends up with and I'll report back on how all that goes.

This whole ebike thing is a wonderful world indeed. Lots of nice people out there riding these things, it turns out.

Thanks everyone for the help ,
"Saratoga Dave" , I loved your reply.
I have allot of work to do !!!
Greg and Jackie ,

 

[Ann M.]

This is FUN Work

 

[Greg and Jackie]

Hello all ,
My wife and I are looking for an E bike primarily for comfort and range (upright position and 25+ mi throttle only). Our main likes at the moment are Pedego and Evelo. Pedego has range and comfort but is spendy with options. Evelo has unique design and full of options but some models don't offer disc brakes or larger motors that I just don't understand. I rode an Evelo and really enjoyed it but an advertised 20 mph never materialized. (I only saw 16)
What other models am I missing out there ?
Thanks for the help.
Greg ,

I have decided to purchase a His and Hers Elux Newport. Not sure why so much cheaper than a Pedego , but they seem to have what we are looking for.
Any opinions out there on these bikes ?
Thanks All ,

 

[Ann M.]

I've read posts by several Elux owners and they are a very enthusiastic bunch. There are a number of reasons that other brands of similar looking bikes might cost more but the telling point is what you think and feel when you ride the Elux. Does it fit right and handle right for you; do you have people at a shop to help you maintain the bike or fix it if something needs work? All of this can matter as much if not more than a brand name, @Greg and Jackie. Send some pics when you get the new bikes and let us know where you're riding.

 

[Greg and Jackie]

Hello All ,
Wanted to update our riding situation as of late. Back in October my wife and I went to Seattle Electric Bike and test rode three bikes (Electra Townie , Felt sport , Cube). My wife really wanted and needed a throttle option but I was amazed at the balance and handling of the Electra Townie. I decided to purchase an Electra Townie and my wife purchased a Pedego Interceptor. Here are our thoughts of our purchase.
Pedego -
Good - very powerful and surprisingly fast. Out of the box we are seeing top speed od 26.3 with the motor still on before it cuts out. Great looking quality and very comfortable.
Not as Good - It is heavy which you notice in the handling but it is stable. The bars are an awkward bend that can be a tad uncomfortable.
Townie -
Good - The handling , seating position , bars , shifter all great. Feels solid and the looks are very nice. The band brakes actually work great and they are stronger than I hoped.
Not as Good - This may seem weird - the motor is too good for this bike ! This bike has taught me what I will not live without in future E bikes. Torque sensing pedal assist is a dream next to cadence sensing. A top speed of 20 mph is ridiculous.
Now here is why I say this. I bought this bike because of my test ride and Court's review. The motor truly is overkill for this bike. I am no athlete or professional biker but hitting the top speed on this bike takes no time at all without trying all that hard. The problem lies in that when the motor cuts out (which is actually 19.4 mph) it feels as though you just rode in wet cement. I end up riding at a lower cruising speed just to keep the motor on when it is clearly more capable.
Hope this helps.
Thanks ,

 

[JohnT]

Congrats on your purchases!

Handlebars are pretty easy to swap out. We do it on Pedego Interceptors from time to time. Most of our customers keep the stock ones, but sometimes they require multiple adjustments to feel right.

I don't find torque sensing to be a must-have, but many do, so it's one of the features on the Platinum Edition Interceptor.

 

[Christopher]

Hello All ,
Wanted to update our riding situation as of late. Back in October my wife and I went to Seattle Electric Bike and test rode three bikes (Electra Townie , Felt sport , Cube). My wife really wanted and needed a throttle option but I was amazed at the balance and handling of the Electra Townie.

Hi Greg and Jackie,

Thank you very much for sharing your cruiser ebike thoughts and experiences with us!

Yes, unfortunately for cruiser-style throttle-lovers like your wife and others (like myself), Electra's Townie GO is a pedal-assist only ebike. Yet, just like you, I too, own a Townie GO for the more relaxed upright and stable feeling when cruising. The more comfortable "balance and handling of the Electra Townie" you're referring to is due to their patented Flat Foot Technology, which places the crank forward offering a more realistic seated position with your legs in front of you, instead of underneath of you as you ride.

I decided to purchase an Electra Townie and my wife purchased a Pedego Interceptor.

Excellent choices! My own personal opinion, Pedego / Electra / Ariel Rider are the top of the line brands in the cruiser category, which all three unfortunately have their pros and cons based on your specific needs and limitations amongst competing brands. For us consumers, their isn't currently a brand offering it all on one ebike. I hope to better explain what my research and experiences have found to be the different circumstances and limitations as to why the two ebike brands you own are incapable of offering an all-in-one cruiser ebike to market.

Here are our thoughts of our purchase.
Townie -
Good - The handling , seating position , bars , shifter all great. Feels solid and the looks are very nice. The band brakes actually work great and they are stronger than I hoped.

Yes, the 2016 Electra Townie GO's biggest advantages are its patented Flat Foot Technology (as mentioned earlier) and the super responsive Bosch mid-drive motor. The reason it "feels solid" is because having a mid-drive motor combined with having the battery centered on the frame offers the best weight distribution.

Not as Good - This may seem weird - the motor is too good for this bike ! This bike has taught me what I will not live without in future E bikes. Torque sensing pedal assist is a dream next to cadence sensing. A top speed of 20 mph is ridiculous. Now here is why I say this. The motor truly is overkill for this bike. I am no athlete or professional biker but hitting the top speed on this bike takes no time at all without trying all that hard. The problem lies in that when the motor cuts out (which is actually 19.4 mph) it feels as though you just rode in wet cement. I end up riding at a lower cruising speed just to keep the motor on when it is clearly more capable.

Yes, I agree with you, but for different reasoning. The Bosch mid-drive motor is very much more powerful than its output on the Townie and could handle much higher peak speeds than 20mph. However, in my own personal opinion, due to ever-changing laws and regulations, Electra wants to stay in the ebike market and not move into the motor vehicle market. According to Wikipedia, in order for a bike to be considered an electric bicycle and not a motor vehicle, "Motor output must not exceed 500 W (0.671 hp) and e-bikes cannot travel faster than 32 km/h (20 mph). No driver's license, vehicle insurance, or vehicle registration is required." I can assure you, the problem is not in the motor cutting out at 19.4mph, but the problem lies in U.S. regulations. Greg, I absolutely agree with you when you said, "20mph is ridiculous." Unfortunately, it is what it is, and it will be up to the lawmakers to decide on if 20mph is the proper speed limit or not for mass distribution of ebikes. You're probably wanting to respond by saying "but, then why does the Pedego peak at 26.3mph?" Stay tuned, I'll respond later when I discuss Pedego.
In my own personal opinion, its evident Electra continues to play it safe when it comes to ever-changing laws and regulations since nobody knows what will be considered legal or illegal for ebikes in the future. Since I can't really fault Electra for making a 20mph peak speed cruiser, I will mention that it really grinds my gears how they do not include a throttle feature on their cruisers. With their patented Flat Foot Technology, I believe they could very well make the ultimate cruiser ebike by adding throttle.

Here are our thoughts of our purchase.
Pedego -
Good - very powerful and surprisingly fast. Out of the box we are seeing top speed of 26.3 with the motor still on before it cuts out. Great looking quality and very comfortable.

Yes, the 2015 Pedego Interceptor your wife purchased is an extremely powerful and fast cruiser ebike. The reason it peaks at 26.3mph, well above today's new regulation of 20mph, is because this ebike was originally built in 2015 when the 20mph regulation wasn't common knowledge yet. The 2017 Pedego Interceptor Platinum Edition was released a few months ago, and it is my understanding the motor will also kick off at 20mph due to lawmakers new regulations. Hopefully, an EBR on the 2017 Pedego Interceptor Stealth Edition, oops I meant to say the Platinum Edition will come out soon to confirm. In the end, don't believe a 26.3mph peak cruiser ebike is the new norm, as lawmakers have unfortunately decreased the standard to be 20mph.

Not as Good - It is heavy which you notice in the handling but it is stable. The bars are an awkward bend that can be a tad uncomfortable.

Yes, I absolutely agree, it is also very much rear heavy when it comes to weight distribution. As for the handlebars, it is also my understanding the 2017 Pedego Platinum Edition has corrected the handlebar issue by making the handlebars less bulky for more of a comfortable ride.
Speaking of comfort, and just like how peak speed output of 20mph is no fault to these brands, I am also unable to fault Pedego for being unable to provide a crank forward design due to the Flat Foot Technology patent owned by Electra. This patent really grinds my gears because I would love to have the specs of the new Platinum Edition with more of a crank forward design, like the Flat Foot Technology. As a cruiser consumer, a true upright relaxed and comfortable ride should be an non-patentable standard in the cruiser ebike marketplace.

I bought this bike because of my test ride and Court's review.

Yes, Court does a fabulous job on his EBR's and would make me a very happy camper if we could see an EBR on the 2017 "Stealth Edition" (Platinum Edition) Interceptor. I'm sure I am not alone on this one, and it would certainly answer all of our burning questions/concerns.

Hope this helps.
Thanks ,

Thanks again for sharing your pros and cons feedback on the 2016 Electra Townie GO and the 2015 Pedego Interceptor, it certainly helped me out a lot! I hope my input and opinions offered you support, too. In the end, there isn't an all-in-one cruiser-style ebike. We as consumers, must decide which is more important, comfort/stability or throttle/pedal assist combination?

Cheers,
Christopher