Looking for under $2000 city ebike for 6 ft tall 325 lb male in Seattle WA.

C

Cstefan

Member
Region
USA
City
Seattle, WA
I’m big and heavy (6’0” 325 lb, 182 cm 147 kg), but hopefully getting an ebike will help me slim down some. I’ll be using the bike for errands so I’ll need to be able to haul a couple bags of groceries. I’m in Seattle on top of a hill so the bike needs to have some hill climbing ability.

I rode a Surly Crosscheck for 20 years and stopped riding regularly 5 years ago due to an injury which also totaled the bike. I’ve put on about 80 lb since I was riding the Surly regularly. Unfortunately my belly means I can’t really ride leaned over at all. I can ride the Uber/Lime rental ebikes just fine. FWIW I can take most of the hills I need to ride in the lowest gear on the Uber rentals.

I’m looking to order one of the following make/models:
Aventon Level
Charge City
Espin Sport
RadPower RadCity
RadPower RadRunner Plus
Ride1up 700

I’m looking for something in-stock and shipping or on not more than a 2 week backorder.

I’m leaning strongly toward the Ride1UP 700 but thought I’d see what people here had to say.
 
Dude your 325lbs and your planning on climbing hills in Seattle...with groceries! Spend a few extra bucks and get a Middrive bike because buying a bike that cant do what you want it to do is a complete waste of cash!
 
Another big guy here, but I'm a big OLD guy (70 years old, 6'2"/315). I've kinda been there, done that with several different bikes over the last few years. I would vote like Timpo did, against the RAD City with the direct drive motor. It will be completely gutless in the hills with somebody your size on it - even if you double the size of the stock 750w direct drive motor to 1500w.

Now say you remove that direct drive motor, and put something like a 1000w geared hub motor in it's place, NOW you have a serious go anywhere bike built for big guys. That's what I did and it's been my "go to" bike for a few years now.

The only thing that will out climb it, that I've been on, is another bike I bought for express use in a very hilly area I ride in. That bike has an even bigger motor, rated at 1500w, and it's a mid drive. That's some serious climbing power. While both are able to climb about anything paved, the mid drive can climb longer. Those looong climbs require that the motor doesn't overheat too quickly. Short climbs, doesn't really matter how steep they are, if they can be climbed in 30 seconds, both the geared hub and the mid drive work fine. It's those LONG climbs, lasting 5 minutes or more, that separate the men from the boys when it comes to serious climbing power. Which you need is going to be your call, based on the are you live in.

Newest bike is a 500w geared hub. Although I wouldn't recommend it at all for a real hilly area, it's a light weight (55lbs) peppy bike I really enjoy in an area with just occasional short easy to climb hills. It has an aftermarket controller that can supply up to 1000w to its 500w motor. Think "cat on a hot tin roof" with full power on it. That bike has NO trouble in a climb, or crossing a busy street, that can be done in just a few seconds...

Maybe have a look at something like this, not on your list: https://rizebikes.com/products/rize-md
This is a bike that's more expensive for sure, but with it's mid mounted rock solid 750w Bafang BBS02 motor, you can be assured you aren't going to be walking your bike up to the top of a hill.
 
If two grand is a hard cap and you want a mid drive for hill climbing maybe buy a step through you like and get it converted with a 750w Bafang mid drive, you could pay a shop to do it if you prefer. You might like to look at an upright comfort oriented bike like a Norco Scene 3 or Kona Coco
 
ElevenAD said:
Dude your 325lbs and your planning on climbing hills in Seattle...with groceries! Spend a few extra bucks and get a Middrive bike because buying a bike that cant do what you want it to do is a complete waste of cash!
Click to expand...
I do want eventually to have a mid-drive but I can’t find any I like at a price I want to pay.

Given how heavy the Uber bikes are and how wimpy the motor is I think any bike with halfway decent torque should work on most of the hills I need to ride.
 
A conversion mid bafang hd might be a cost effective option if you are not married to buying a prebuilt ebike.

you could buy a used bike and have a shop convert it for you for 2k ish… a bit more for a nicer bike.
 
Just to show more options:

lunacycle.com

Bafang BBSHD Mid Drive Ebike Kit

Lowest price anywhere on the BBSHD. The new bafang 1000 BBHD will put out a maximum of 1600 watts and is the most powerful ebike kit ever and its a mid drive!
lunacycle.com lunacycle.com
Timpo said:
Bafang G062 hub drive kit
(battery NOT included)
eunorau-ebike.com

ENA 48V1000W Fat tire Ebike Rear Hub Motor Conversion Kit

Specifications: Top Speed: 31mph(50km/h) base on 26inch wheel Battery Life: Over 800 Charges Charge Time: 5 Hours Kit Includes: 1.48V1000W Bafang G062 fat rear screw freewheel motor with 20/26inch rim 2.48V25A sin-wave controller(no noise)...
eunorau-ebike.com eunorau-ebike.com
Click to expand...
 
Good to know. Thanks. I still will need a chain. It's 15 years old. Better safe than sorry..
 
Mid drive is not required for hills lasting less than 40 minutes. The problem is cooling, mid-drives cool better. I can't imagine in town you'll be lugging the motor down that long. I cross 80 hills in a 30 mile commute with a 1000 w geared hub motor. No problems, other than rain.
Your weight and the possibility of groceries brings up the limitation of tires. 2.1" is limited to about 220 lb, and groceries in panniers or baskets on the back lifts the front and transfers weight to the rear. Been there, done that, although I was only 213 lb at my biggest. The front tire of a MTB or cruiser skids around and loses traction when loaded on the rear.
You need a stretch cargo bike that puts your weight on the front tire, and the cargo on the back tire.
There is a eurnau for about $1600 now, but has 20" tires and would be rough in a pothole.

ebikesforall.com - ebikesforall Resources and Information.

ebikesforall.com is your first and best source for all of the information you’re looking for. From general topics to more of what you would expect to find here, ebikesforall.com has it all. We hope you find what you are searching for!
ebikesforall.com ebikesforall.com
There are terns with 20" tires. Again I don't recommend such small wheels.
There is a blix packa starting @ $1700 with 24" wheels which is much more the thing.

Blix Electric Bikes — Style, Performance and Utility eBikes

Blix electric bikes offer a unique combination of performance, utility and style. Top-selling electric folding, electric cargo, electric city, electric cruiser bikes. Free shipping and easy financing available. Designed in Santa Cruz, CA.
blixbike.com blixbike.com
I have a yuba, the 26" wheel bodaboda is just announced back, and the 24" kombi has been generally available. Both probably have shimano mid-drives, but don't meet your price point. https://yubabikes.com/
Then there are xtracycle, M2s, kona, others in 26" category.
Happy shopping and later riding.
 
Last edited:
JakEmAll said:
A conversion mid bafang hd might be a cost effective option if you are not married to buying a prebuilt ebike.

you could buy a used bike and have a shop convert it for you for 2k ish… a bit more for a nicer bike.
Click to expand...
I considered the conversion route, but with parts and labor prebuilt ends up being a better deal. Another consideration is the backlog most shops around here have on major work.

In the long run I’ll probably have a nice mid-drive built by a local frame maker but right now I want to get the bike I can afford and get today (or at least in the next 2 weeks)
 
Cstefan said:
I considered the conversion route, but with parts and labor prebuilt ends up being a better deal. Another consideration is the backlog most shops around here have on major work.

In the long run I’ll probably have a nice mid-drive built by a local frame maker but right now I want to get the bike I can afford and get today (or at least in the next 2 weeks)
Click to expand...
Conversion is hard to beat if you're using a used bike to start with... Here's a used one in your price range that you could probably test before buying.

seattle.craigslist.org

GT Aggressor Ebike 27.5 large - bicycles - by owner - bike sale

GT aggressor pro 27.5 with bafang Luna Cycle BBSHD 1000watt mid drive motor. This bike really does well off road, in the single track, and on hill climbs. Geared for climbing but has plenty of top...
seattle.craigslist.org
 
Dewey said:
If two grand is a hard cap and you want a mid drive for hill climbing maybe buy a step through you like and get it converted with a 750w Bafang mid drive, you could pay a shop to do it if you prefer. You might like to look at an upright comfort oriented bike like a Norco Scene 3 or Kona Coco
Click to expand...
I could have sworn it was $2500!
 
Cstefan said:
Given how heavy the Uber bikes are and how wimpy the motor is I think any bike with halfway decent torque should work on most of the hills I need to ride.
Click to expand...
You dont own those bikes so its different, each time you ride its probably a different bike and if something wears out you would never know. If you road the same 350watt Uber bike every day im not sure how long it would last you.
 
pathfinder said:
What did u get, I just picked up a ncm/et/Leon Cycle T1000, I'm 6.4" 320 and no issues
Click to expand...
I bought an Espin Sport. I’ve been having some problems with broken spokes that probably could have been avoided if I’d had the wheels properly tensioned before I rode it.
 
Cstefan said:
I bought an Espin Sport. I’ve been having some problems with broken spokes that probably could have been avoided if I’d had the wheels properly tensioned before I rode it.
Click to expand...
You don't think spoke breakage comes from you being 50 lbs heavier than the max rating of 275 lbs?
 
rich c said:
You don't think spoke breakage comes from you being 50 lbs heavier than the max rating of 275 lbs?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't think that at all. My weight has been the same for years (a little over 300). I have/have had several bikes through the years (analog and e-bike), and the Espin is the first (only) one I've ever had issue with. That experience would tell me that a properly done wheel, especially one with 13ga spokes, shouldn't be having these problems, especially with the frequency they seem to be having them....

I would note that Espin is taking care of these issues pretty gracefully.-Al
 
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