NCM Milano is it reliable for a 1.90m 115Kg guy?

[MrStone]

Hello people,

Im pretty desperated and want to buy a bicycle and Im about to sell my car since I cant afford to keep it. I use public transport but that isnt well avaible which is why Im forced to buy a bicycle.

My budget is pretty tight, around 1300€ it could be 2000€ so I wouldnt pay twice but cry once if the reliability would increase by a lot. I need a high capacity bicycle to make an ebike worth it, otherwise Im carrying more useless weight, well here in my area its pretty flat but at my weight + an ebike its very exhausting.

I love bicycling, which is sad that my budget is low as a student but at least my dad helps me and he wont help me when Im going to buy a bicycle without engine and then my budget would be around 500€. However my ebike needs to survive ~5-7 (around my college time) years while using it around 15km on average per day (varies a lot, I have to commute a 3km way, and also often shop grocery etc. , but sometimes I need it for 40-70km). So I could be understating my average as I never really tracked it.

I weight 115kg and carry around 10-20kg of stuff, but Im about to lose some weight and my target is around 100kg.

Is the NCM Milano able to handle me for some years without repairing it often? My biggest issues were the rims bending, but that could have been my brother who weights more and doesnt handle a bicycle with care (while I do), and since I vetoed him using my bicycle my rim never had an issue again, but it was a 47-622T aka 28x1 3/4 (UK) instead of a 28"*1.5 700C. My second most often issue was the crankshaft bottom bracket breaking, more like the thread broke often and I had big issues opening it and replacing it. But I would replace it with a proper one if that happens I guess (dont want to redo that after it got damaged)

At the end, if my ebike would break in the worst possible way(like not even useable even as a normal bike). Then I would have to buy a second hand bicycle and doing my daily stuff and going to the gym. Which would be pretty annoying since I have to walk A LOT in my college, especially A LOT of stairs (no elevator at all)

I really really hope that I get a reply here, since I tired on other forums, and they barely could help me or didnt even reply in the first place

Edit: Im from germany

 

[m@Robertson]

Here is a link to the bike for anyone who isn't familiar with it:

Amazon.com

Essentially what we are talking about here is a low-cost, mass-produced Chinese import ebike. Since you are quoting your budget in Euro I am going to assume you are somewhere in the EU. Such a location would very likely put a bike like this well into the upper echelons of street bikes that get locked up during the day outside. The bikes I have seen on the street in the EU would be regarded as garbage - literally - here in the US despite the fact that those junk bikes see more miles than any of the pavement queens we see riding around here. My point behind mentioning this is a bike like this is going to stand out and will need care to keep. Always take the battery. Lock it up with at least two good locks. Bring it in at night etc.

Unfortunately, a bike in this price range is always going to have low-end components in it. Never mind the electrics. You'll see bottom of the line derailleur, chain, hubs etc. Will they suffice? Well we can hope so, but don't be under any illusions. Whether this bike survives long term is a 50-50 bet. Just ride gently, stay off the cobblestones if you can and take regular maintenance seriously.

 

[MrStone]

Since you are quoting your budget in Euro I am going to assume you are somewhere in the EU. Such a location would very likely put a bike like this well into the upper echelons of street bikes that get locked up during the day outside. The bikes I have seen on the street in the EU would be regarded as garbage - literally - here in the US despite the fact that those junk bikes see more miles than any of the pavement queens we see riding around here.

I added that Im from germany. At first I was suprised by your reaction, but I realized EU is big. Yeah in germany its quite the opposite, or at least in my town. I see tons of 4000-10000€ ebikes, even at the Train station. And I will get a kryptonite Evo series 4 with another lock for the front tyre and Im looking at a insurance, as I can really not lose that ebike. I only have to pay ~60 bucks, maybe I can even include it in the insurance for our apartment (Household insurance?). So for safety, Im gonna be pretty safe. Because Im not gonna buy another lock anyway, so why not spend some more money on it right? And I got a basement with a room for myself with a locked door, aswell as a rain cover when Im at my gf (I like to keep my things as long as possible)

Yeah Im gonna be driving it safely and avoid bad roads. Only issue is, that I really love to accelerate and also drive fast, like 30-35kmh I guess, when I only have to drive it like 3km. (I guess Im gonna see the speed with the odometer, I never tested it before). I guess if I press too hard and the crankshaft with bottom bracket gets damaged, I could exchange that, but I really shouldnt over do that or something else breaks. I also change gears gently etc.

Tomorrow I will try some bicycles at my bike shop and see if Im gonna get a trekking bike instead aka, try to convince my father that a reliable bicycle would be better? Even tho I would get more exhausted, especially on hard weeks with high distance routes. I can also test the NCM for 10km and could give it back. Maybe that would give me a better feel how well or bad the bike is.

Thank you for your reply

 

[Moscow29]

Hi , I’ve been riding Ncm Moscow for 3 years now , done about 4000 miles . I’m 80kg . I ride a lot of hills and rough trails . I’ve experienced no problems, it seems bulletproof. It’s a strong and solid bike ( Milano is basically the same , just a different frame configuration) . Hub motors are mostly very reliable . Over the 5-7 years you will possibly need to replace the battery , that is the component most likely to fail . You will also need to do standard maintenance and replacements- brake pads , chains , possibly broken spokes , cables , tyres but that’s the same for any bike . I hope that’s helpful ….