Mistadubb
New Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- West Hills
Greetings, here’s a not-so-quick story for context of where I’m at. My family and I recently made a big move from Miami, where I spent the majority of my life, to the hills of California, specifically West Hills. While in Miami, I tried to stay semi-active by running and cycling occasionally. The flat lands there were all I knew, making it easy to manage. Fast forward to moving my family out west during COVID, bringing our hybrid Cannondale road bikes—these hills are no joke.
I now live on top of a hill, and to leave my neighborhood, I have to go down about half a mile, navigating another hill before reaching a flat stretch. I quickly realized that biking here was not going to be as fun and easy as I was used to. Our bikes ended up hanging on the wall, collecting dust, as we joined the Peloton wave instead. Although it felt like work, it was never as enjoyable as being outdoors riding.
Shortly after, I had knee surgery on my left meniscus. By the time it healed, I began experiencing major arthritis in my right knee. I realized I needed to get back to staying active and strengthening my legs. I took my bike off the wall (it had been there for about 2.5 years, collecting dust) and had it serviced and cleaned at a local bike shop. I decided to give these hills another shot.
As I was leaving the shop, I shared my story, and they suggested an e-bike might suit me better. I scoffed at the idea, asking, "Isn't that cheating?" and "Will I even get a workout?" They laughed and told me to think about it, inviting me to come test ride one whenever I was ready.
Back home, I gave it a go, riding down the street (down and up a hill) a few times. It felt like my heart was trying to jump out of my chest. I thought about it and decided to explore it further. I spent weeks researching, and compiling a list of about 20 bikes from all price ranges, considering factors like speed, comfort, battery life, power, etc. Despite all the research, I hadn't ridden an e-bike yet, so I was still technically in the dark about what I wanted or needed. I finally did a test ride, and after a few miles, my watch asked if I was doing a workout. Seven miles later, I realized I had burned about 300 calories but didn't feel tired. I was hooked.
Ready to make the plunge, I scheduled a few more test rides. Although I've narrowed down my choices, the selection is still pretty wide. I wanted to ensure I checked off a few things in no particular order: Comfort (preferably full suspension), speed, Class 3 capability (I was excited to understand what each class meant), power (to tackle hills), battery life (up to 15-25 miles one way, including hills), solid build with a premium feel, safety (rear lights, especially brake lights), versatility (near a trailhead for occasional trail rides), and reputable history and services (great warranty and a proven track record in the business). Quite a wish list, I know.
For reference, here are the bikes I've tested in the order that I rode them. (1.) Serial 1 - Rush/City (2.) Trek Dual Sport (3.) BULLS TR2 Speed (4.) Gazelle C380 (5.) R&M Homage (6.) R&M Charger (7.) R&M Delite
I've narrowed my search to a few bikes/brands: Reise & Muller (The DELITE & Chargers), Specialized (The Vado's & Tero's), Bianchi (E-VERTIC FT-TYPE & Omnia), and Trek (Allant's). I'm leaning towards the DELITE because it's on sale, and during my test ride, I loved how solid it felt, with a noticeable quality. The other brands on my narrowed-down list haven't been tested yet, but my research suggests they would be a similar riding experience. The prices for most are cheaper than the R&M, which intrigues me. However, I also believe you get what you pay for, most times. Plus the DELITE is on sale.
There may be other models out there that I haven't considered that may also make sense. Whew! Writing this felt like I was in class, but after reading various posts and forums on this site for the past month, I feel like this community keeps it real and could help me with feedback and insight. I look forward to what you guys have to say. If you've gotten this far into the post and read all this, thank you kindly. You are the real superstars. ;-)
I now live on top of a hill, and to leave my neighborhood, I have to go down about half a mile, navigating another hill before reaching a flat stretch. I quickly realized that biking here was not going to be as fun and easy as I was used to. Our bikes ended up hanging on the wall, collecting dust, as we joined the Peloton wave instead. Although it felt like work, it was never as enjoyable as being outdoors riding.
Shortly after, I had knee surgery on my left meniscus. By the time it healed, I began experiencing major arthritis in my right knee. I realized I needed to get back to staying active and strengthening my legs. I took my bike off the wall (it had been there for about 2.5 years, collecting dust) and had it serviced and cleaned at a local bike shop. I decided to give these hills another shot.
As I was leaving the shop, I shared my story, and they suggested an e-bike might suit me better. I scoffed at the idea, asking, "Isn't that cheating?" and "Will I even get a workout?" They laughed and told me to think about it, inviting me to come test ride one whenever I was ready.
Back home, I gave it a go, riding down the street (down and up a hill) a few times. It felt like my heart was trying to jump out of my chest. I thought about it and decided to explore it further. I spent weeks researching, and compiling a list of about 20 bikes from all price ranges, considering factors like speed, comfort, battery life, power, etc. Despite all the research, I hadn't ridden an e-bike yet, so I was still technically in the dark about what I wanted or needed. I finally did a test ride, and after a few miles, my watch asked if I was doing a workout. Seven miles later, I realized I had burned about 300 calories but didn't feel tired. I was hooked.
Ready to make the plunge, I scheduled a few more test rides. Although I've narrowed down my choices, the selection is still pretty wide. I wanted to ensure I checked off a few things in no particular order: Comfort (preferably full suspension), speed, Class 3 capability (I was excited to understand what each class meant), power (to tackle hills), battery life (up to 15-25 miles one way, including hills), solid build with a premium feel, safety (rear lights, especially brake lights), versatility (near a trailhead for occasional trail rides), and reputable history and services (great warranty and a proven track record in the business). Quite a wish list, I know.
For reference, here are the bikes I've tested in the order that I rode them. (1.) Serial 1 - Rush/City (2.) Trek Dual Sport (3.) BULLS TR2 Speed (4.) Gazelle C380 (5.) R&M Homage (6.) R&M Charger (7.) R&M Delite
I've narrowed my search to a few bikes/brands: Reise & Muller (The DELITE & Chargers), Specialized (The Vado's & Tero's), Bianchi (E-VERTIC FT-TYPE & Omnia), and Trek (Allant's). I'm leaning towards the DELITE because it's on sale, and during my test ride, I loved how solid it felt, with a noticeable quality. The other brands on my narrowed-down list haven't been tested yet, but my research suggests they would be a similar riding experience. The prices for most are cheaper than the R&M, which intrigues me. However, I also believe you get what you pay for, most times. Plus the DELITE is on sale.
There may be other models out there that I haven't considered that may also make sense. Whew! Writing this felt like I was in class, but after reading various posts and forums on this site for the past month, I feel like this community keeps it real and could help me with feedback and insight. I look forward to what you guys have to say. If you've gotten this far into the post and read all this, thank you kindly. You are the real superstars. ;-)
