Mixed use Ebike under 45 lbs.

[EVDan]

I'm 75 yr old, 170 lb, 5' 7" guy in moderately good shape. But riding more than 20 miles, especially in hilly NW WA, is becoming challenging. Currently I ride a 2018 Specialized Sirrus Carbon Comp with Redshift stem & seat suspension which is a really sweet ride! I'm looking for an Ebike that will provide good exercise, enable me to ride longer / further (3-4 hrs, up to 50 miles), is light weigh, & will still feel handle like an analog bike. I've been reading reviews & ridden several ebikes the past 6 months.

Criteria includes:
- Local bike shop with in 60 miles of Seattle so I can test ride & get service if needed This is the greatest limiting factor.
- Under 45 lbs. This is the 2nd most limiting factor.
- Price under $2K (including aftermarket enhancements I plan to get such as wider tires, Suntour suspension seat post, & Kinect suspension stem to soften ride).
- Suitable for riding 75% on rough Seattle area pavement but would also be comfortable on trails, mild gravel.
- step thru or low cross bar
- Fits in back of Kia Niro
- I don't want to order a bike without a test ride. I don't want to put it together and then discover that it doesn't fit right & then have the hassle of needed to disassemble, repack, & return it.

Bikes I'm considering ( all get great reviews on Ebike review sites so none of them appear to be a loser):
- Aventon Soltera.2: I rode it & liked it, fits in my car, LBS nearby, lowest cost. My concerns are it is a bit over my ideal weight, lower power than others (250W vs 350W) and probably won't accept tires larger than 42 mm.
- Propella C9 V2 Pro: I rode it & liked it -- feels better than Soltera (perhaps mostly thanks to higher volume tires), I like the adjustable stem, it fits in my car, manufacturer is just 40 miles away & can service. My concern is that I can't seem to find any actually owner reviews on it. The earlier C9 does have some good owner reviews.
- Velotric T1 - ST: Great reviews & on paper sounds great, probably the best of the bunch. My primary concern is that I cannot find one anywhere near to test ride or test fit in my car. Also, riding position may be a bit too far forward for long rides.
- Also rode a Trek Dual Sport +2 & liked it. Cons are it had a "drag" when not pedaling (I didn't notice that on Soltera or Propella), and its $2,400 price + another $300- 400 for enhancements is just too much.

Given all my criteria, it's starting to look like I may be "stuck" with the Propella. I'm pretty sure it would be a good choice for me, but wondering if there are any solid reasons I should pass on it

 

[fooferdoggie]

wide tires add a lot to the weight and how much power you need to help with moving the bike. you get more comfort with supple tires at the expense easier to puncture.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

With such low a budget I cannot give any advice.
The e-bike that is the electric sibling of the Sirrus, can be had in Step-Through, is lightweight and pretty small is the Specialized Vado SL. It is of course not a $2k e-bike.
It makes me wonder people can afford an excellent car for $27k but want to have a good e-bike for dimes.

 

[Ben J]

Given the bike you own and that you want "good exercise" and "handle like an analog bike", I wouldn't recommend any of those. Look for some kind of mid-drive. Given what you like and what you're looking for, I think a Vado SL is also a good recommendation. It will feel like a bike down to 0% assist, and you can add in assist at very fine levels and feel each one. An Aventon is ham-handed with the assist by comparison, and rides much worse with zero assist. Maybe a used Vado SL is out there in your price range?

The thing about bike reviews is that all bikes get "great reviews" unless you can really read between the lines and see what the reviews aren't saying.

 

[EVDan]

Yes, the Vado SL is a wonderful bike & used cost could make it affordable.
In fact, there was a lightly used 2023 Vado SL 5.0 just sold on the local Facebook marketplace for $1,900 in a couple hours, basically $3K below MSRP. That was a rare bird & it was the wrong size for me.
I have a hard time justifying spending more than $2K as I will probably ride less than 1000 miles /yr and the high rate of bike theft here in Seattle. My 1st carbon bike, a Trek FX 5 Sport got stolen as I spent 10 mins in a store despite having a stout cable lock.

 

[BlackHand]

These guys in Ballard have a Como SL 4.0 in your size that would be worth a test ride to see if the geometry and weight/assist ratio works for you. They list it for $2400 right now, but the Spec website has it on sale for $1800. The 5.0 is also available online for $2350 and gets you under 45lbs with a belt drive and IGH.

Personally, I think the Tero 3.0 at $2250 is a much better value but Specialized lists the step through at $1000 more than the diamond frame right now...

Specialized Turbo Como SL 4.0

What happened when we brought our perfectly balanced Super Light system to our popular Turbo Como E-bike? The best combination of power, range, usability, and comfort in a bike that weighs 40% less...

www.electricvehiclesnw.com

REI carries the Cannondale Allroad ebikes. The lower end ones are in your price range and the midlevel model they usually carry instore is $2200. A couple pounds over your target, but you pretty much have to make concessions with weight and/or price to find a step through that meets your criteria.

 

[harryS]

I hate to be a downer, but I'm 75 too and time really isn't waiting around for us. Don't think too long, Buy something soon. I've been ebiking for 9 years and enjoying it more every year.

I like the Propella 9S. Mid drive torque sensor. It probably won't fit the tyical senior ebiker because being Class1 with no throttle, but it seems like a good fit for a biker.

Or any of thoese REI bikes.

 

[EVDan]

Thanks for all the suggestions. After riding the Velotric T1 S1, I made my decision. The T1-S1 is a very nice bike but had the shifting was a bit clunky, there was some resistance while coasting, and I preferred having a screen (rather than using my phone).
The Propella C9 V2 Pro was the only bike of 5 I test rode that I could find no fault in for my wants and needs; plus the company store is less than 30 miles from my home. So I bought on of the last ones they had in stock & added a Kinect suspension seatpost & stem.
Besides a few short "familiarization" rides on it, I done a 20 mile ride on paved trails and 8 miles on single track. I am amazed how well this bike handles both the pavement and "mild" single track (dry dirt with short but steep hills, moderate amounts of roots, & some rock). This 75 year old had not problem with either although I could have used a bit more "oomph" from the motor going up one of Seattle's steeper hills.
To be sure, the addition of the Kinect Suspension Seatpost and Stem have significantly smoothed out the bumps making it very comfortable while only adding about 3 lbs to the total weight. I thought I might want to change the tires from the street focused "CTS" OEM "cargo bike" tires but they roll really well, and had no problem on the single track so I'm gonna stick with them, ast last for now. Very pleased with my choice, hopefully it will hold up well over the next few years. Roll on!