Mid drive ebike for wet weather and the occasional passenger?

[LegendofGreyson]

Hi y’all. Brand new to the ebike discussion. I’m terrified they’re gonna lift the public mask mandate on public transit so here I am, looking at options so I don’t end up with a microclotting disorder for the rest of my life. *insert this is fine meme here*

Critical details:
- I have a 4 mi one way commute to work. About a 300ft climb all told. This is my farthest regular errand.

- I live in Seattle, so it’s gotta either have options for weatherproofing or come ready for the perpetual mist and occasional actual rain.

- I’d like to be able to occasionally take my partner places with me. We’re under 300lbs together, maybe even under 250.

- I’d like to keep it under $4k. Under $3k would be ideal. I’ll be financing this so I’d rather not go over but don’t want to throw down on an inferior product that I’ll be getting a headache from down the road.

So I’m looking for a mid drive ebike that has either a well rated rear rack that can be made passenger ready or the possibility of attaching some kind of trailer. Ideally a company that has good customer service. Like I said, I’m pretty new to this whole thing so please offer up anything that might be obvious to you but not to me. I’ve been reading reviews but it’s hard to get ideas about the particulars that I need from generic reviews.

Thanks in advance
- G

 

[harryS]

Maybe something along these lines makes sense for you.

Electric Bikes

Want to know which SUPER73 bike is perfect for you? Browse the entire collection and compare models to find the one that fits you and your lifestyle.

www.super73.com

 

[LegendofGreyson]

Thanks! Ill check that out. Right now Im eyeing the Yuba Kombi E5 since they kinda specialize in cargo bikes but I have some reservations about its ability to handle the hills here.

 

[Dewey]

Thanks! Ill check that out. Right now Im eyeing the Yuba Kombi E5 since they kinda specialize in cargo bikes but I have some reservations about its ability to handle the hills here.

You could buy the pedal bike version of the Kombi and convert it with a more powerful motor like a BBSHD

 

[LegendofGreyson]

You could buy the pedal bike version of the Kombi and convert it with a more powerful motor like a BBSHD

Is that difficult to do? I can follow directions but I have zero elec/tech knowledge or experience.

 

[LegendofGreyson]

Leg end of Grey son.? Wtf

I will not advise having a passenger on any pedal assist or throttle ebike.
Save money and buy a bike for your passenger.
Foofer got a tandem some thing like that you needs to consider too.

My name is a take on the Legend of Zelda video game series. Dunno why that warrants a wtf? Kinda rude.
.
If you cant advise, you could always scroll past.

 

[indianajo]

That super73 has ~20" wheels and energy eating fat tires, apparently. If you don't need your teeth, 20" wheels are fine. I ride 26" wheels because there are a few pot holes in my county. Some people love the eunorau or the tern, other 20" cargo bikes.
I don't even want to install a mid-drive. Hub drive wasn't too bad. My generic 17.5 ah battery was $630, and california-ebike is selling 17 ah batteries now for $620.
Xtracycle eswoop cargo bike had a bosch mid drive 2019. Blows your budget and if the battery gets stolen, a new one is ~$1300. But you wanted a mid drive. www.xtracycle.com
Other cargo bikes are m2s, magnum, pedego, reiss & Mueller, blix packa. Some are 250 w, watch it. I leave out one brand with >260 known problem posts.
I have a yuba bodaboda I bought for $2000 with accessories in 2017. It arrived perfect, in a double box. Then when 25 mph headwinds started happening in September & April due to global warming, I added a front hub motor. I climb 200' on my 30 mile trip pretty easily, including 3 or 4 15% grades of 100'. I carry up to 80 lb groceries and 20 lb tools bags stand tubes water. The best geared hub motor for grunt is the Mac12t with 48 v battery.
The 3 class system every state has adopted limits ebikes to 750 W, which is pretty wimpy for pulling 400 lb uphill. Don't fall into the "torque multiplication" falacy about mid-drives. Only mountain bikes with 36 or 44 or 48 tooth rear sprockets multiply any torque. You can tell bikes that don't have them because the rear sprocket isn't 10-12" in diameter. What mid drives do is cool better than geared hub motors, for climbing 1000' mountains in an hour. Mac has said an hour of low speed full power will burn their motor. Southern Indiana hills are rolling so I use full power about 1/10 of the distance. 300' is nothing like 1000'. Some people climb with DD hub motors, which cool okay with ferrifluid, But DD motors eat watthours at low speeds uphill. Total misappication of the type. DD is good for flat fast urban commutes.
I just ignored the poster of #6 for language.

 

[tomjasz]

My name is a take on the Legend of Zelda video game series. Dunno why that warrants a wtf? Kinda rude.
.
If you cant advise, you could always scroll past.

You soon learn which posts (posters baiting) just don’t warrant a response. indianajo has great input. We don’t always agree, but honest opinions based on real world experience often trump myopic forum blather.

in my past life I sold and supported a number of parents that used cargo bikes to haul the munchkins around. id be on the side of kitting a good cargo bike frame. indyjo knows them better than I. But I had customers very happy with surly frames. yuba too. Radwagon gets a lot of raves but I lean towards kitting. It’s pretty much a budget decision. Rad the least expensive and many say decent service. Me? $$? F it, I can’t take it with me.

 

[tomjasz]

All that said, weather proofing is easy. RTV, ACF50(or any dielectric type product) and knowledge of where water might migrate... you’re hood to go. Get a bike and the brain trust will guide your water resistant mods.

 

[Dewey]

Is that difficult to do? I can follow directions but I have zero elec/tech knowledge or experience.

Here is a blog post I wrote about converting my pedal bike to an ebike, I too had no electrical experience starting out, and here’s another one someone else wrote that I like.

Another EBR member Matt Robertson has a good blog with DIY building advice.

If you prefer, you can do what I did and use a local bike shop to help with the mechanical bicycle stuff like removing the bottom bracket and helping make the motor work with bikes gearing. I found crimping battery connectors was easier than trying to learn how to solder.

 

[LegendofGreyson]

That super73 has ~20" wheels and energy eating fat tires, apparently. If you don't need your teeth, 20" wheels are fine. I ride 26" wheels because there are a few pot holes in my county. Some people love the eunorau or the tern, other 20" cargo bikes.
I don't even want to install a mid-drive. Hub drive wasn't too bad. My generic 17.5 ah battery was $630, and california-ebike is selling 17 ah batteries now for $620.
Xtracycle eswoop cargo bike had a bosch mid drive 2019. Blows your budget and if the battery gets stolen, a new one is ~$1300. But you wanted a mid drive. www.xtracycle.com
Other cargo bikes are m2s, magnum, pedego, reiss & Mueller, blix packa. Some are 250 w, watch it. I leave out one brand with >260 known problem posts.
I have a yuba bodaboda I bought for $2000 with accessories in 2017. It arrived perfect, in a double box. Then when 25 mph headwinds started happening in September & April due to global warming, I added a front hub motor. I climb 200' on my 30 mile trip pretty easily, including 3 or 4 15% grades of 100'. I carry up to 80 lb groceries and 20 lb tools bags stand tubes water. The best geared hub motor for grunt is the Mac12t with 48 v battery.
The 3 class system every state has adopted limits ebikes to 750 W, which is pretty wimpy for pulling 400 lb uphill. Don't fall into the "torque multiplication" falacy about mid-drives. Only mountain bikes with 36 or 44 or 48 tooth rear sprockets multiply any torque. You can tell bikes that don't have them because the rear sprocket isn't 10-12" in diameter. What mid drives do is cool better than geared hub motors, for climbing 1000' mountains in an hour. Mac has said an hour of low speed full power will burn their motor. Southern Indiana hills are rolling so I use full power about 1/10 of the distance. 300' is nothing like 1000'. Some people climb with DD hub motors, which cool okay with ferrifluid, But DD motors eat watthours at low speeds uphill. Total misappication of the type. DD is good for flat fast urban commutes.
I just ignored the poster of #6 for language.

Thank you for all this info! The only reason I specified mid drive is because I read that they take hills better than hubs. But it seems like you’re saying a hub should be fine for what Im doing; is that right? Like I said, this is all super new to me so Im still getting my bearings on whats hype and whats actuality.

 

[indianajo]

300' of rise per trip doesnt violate the 1000' in an hour heat limit of geared hub motors. 300 lb or more passenger weight means you should probably have a 750 w geared hub motor. The DD type of hub motor uses too much energy with that kind of rise & load. Mid-drives would also do your planned route & load, at greater cost to you and greater profit to the dealer. West Coast dealers are reluctant to sell geared hub motors, because many customers take them out in a few weeks to run from the sea & city, to the park at the top of the nearest mountain. That causes a warrenty claim for shorted turn winding.

 

[harryS]

BIg enough motor. Small enough passenger/rider. Right kind of frame. Having a passenger is a concern most of us never consider.

 

[PedalUma]

I currently have a Yuba Mundo that is up for conversion. The Boda Boda is much lighter and would better fit the description of your needs. Pop on a mid-drive and you are set.

 

[tomjasz]

I’m really shifting away from suggesting mid drives unless there’s just no alternative. I’ll soon see how much of a beating a 9-C will take on local hills. If Grin has nailed the simulator... well I’ll own it if I’m blathering. Stay tuned...

 

[PedalUma]

Putting some skin down takes a pair. Good for you. Leadership is about getting out front. That takes some risk. I am working on my wire diagram.

 

[tomjasz]

Kinda rude.

I'm repeating but some fellas are best enjoyed by clicking ignore.

 

[WattsUpDude]

I like the Eunorau G20 on the low end and the new Tern Quick Haul in the mid end.