Newbie looking for 1st e-bike uphill, mountain(?), foldable(?)

[roozbehid]

Hi,

I am new to e-bike and I am exploring options to buy 2 ebikes, one for myself and one for my girlfriend.
I live in Salt Lake City, where there are many trails and mountains and also paved roads/dirt into mountains!

So I taught full suspension makes sense if sometime I decide to do some easy dirt uphill roads.(Which I've never done before). But maybe just front suspension is good enough?

Also as I do have a small sedan car, I was thinking maybe foldable makes sense in this case? But it seems there are not many choices here.

And lastly reading through forums it seems I have to go with mid-drive and not rear hub if I want to do uphill. Also a friend advice not to go with Bafang(poor quality?)

I am very open to any suggestions and hints, maybe I do have some wrong assumption which Id love to know your opinions on them.
Price range I am looking is lower than 3.5k.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dewey]

Sounds fun. Would you be OK hanging the bikes off a rack on the trunk of your sedan? Not many mid-drive folding bikes and none come to mind with full suspension, but you can go a long way towards a more comfortable ride with a front suspension fork and a seatpost suspension like a Suntour NCX. Hardtail eMTB would probably be sufficient, lots to choose from, though if you’re looking for two ebikes for under $3,500 you can use the search features of this site to limit by max price, to get a flavor for the category see https://electricbikereview.com/category/hardtail/

Are you happy to do your own troubleshooting or would you like shop support? There’s an ebike shop search feature on this site, a quick browse for Salt Lake City, UT, brings up a long list of shops, some of which will be in your price range for example Magnum bikes on State Street you might look at the Mi6 model if it’s in stock, two bikes for around $3,500 for the pair, you could swap batteries if you both have the same bike, plus local shop support. Add seatpost suspension for extra cush.

 

[Taylor57]

Hi,

I am new to e-bike and I am exploring options to buy 2 ebikes, one for myself and one for my girlfriend.
I live in Salt Lake City, where there are many trails and mountains and also paved roads/dirt into mountains!

So I taught full suspension makes sense if sometime I decide to do some easy dirt uphill roads.(Which I've never done before). But maybe just front suspension is good enough?

Also as I do have a small sedan car, I was thinking maybe foldable makes sense in this case? But it seems there are not many choices here.

And lastly reading through forums it seems I have to go with mid-drive and not rear hub if I want to do uphill. Also a friend advice not to go with Bafang(poor quality?)

I am very open to any suggestions and hints, maybe I do have some wrong assumption which Id love to know your opinions on them.
Price range I am looking is lower than 3.5k.

Thanks in advance!

As a relative newbie, IMHO, Bafang gets a bad rap from some on these forums. They must be doing something right though as my guess is they control a good percentage of all ebike motors no?

 

[roozbehid]

Sounds fun. Would you be OK hanging the bikes off a rack on the trunk of your sedan? Not many mid-drive folding bikes and none come to mind with full suspension, but you can go a long way towards a more comfortable ride with a front suspension fork and a seatpost suspension like a Suntour NCX. Hardtail eMTB would probably be sufficient, lots to choose from, though if you’re looking for two ebikes for under $3,500 you can use the search features of this site to limit by max price, to get a flavor for the category see https://electricbikereview.com/category/hardtail/

Are you happy to do your own troubleshooting or would you like shop support? There’s an ebike shop search feature on this site, a quick browse for Salt Lake City, UT, brings up a long list of shops, some of which will be in your price range for example Magnum bikes on State Street you might look at the Mi6 model if it’s in stock, two bikes for around $3,500 for the pair, you could swap batteries if you both have the same bike, plus local shop support. Add seatpost suspension for extra cush.

Thanks.
Well I meant $3500 for each at most.

I think if there is no other choice I am ok with rack on trunk.

I tried to use the search feature but it doesnt have a way to select mid-drive.

Thanks though for suggestions.

 

[Dewey]

I’d plan for a rack, you’re not going to find a good eMTB folding ebike. Montague Paratrooper can be converted with a mid drive kit, but most folding ebikes like the Voltbike Mariner have smaller wheels, wider tires, and weigh more. If you’re set on full suspension you might like to try a Giant Stance E+ it has a good Yamaha motor and an air fork.

 

[FlatSix911]

Hi,
I am new to e-bike and I am exploring options to buy 2 ebikes, one for myself and one for my girlfriend.
I live in Salt Lake City, where there are many trails and mountains and also paved roads/dirt into mountains!

So I taught full suspension makes sense if sometime I decide to do some easy dirt uphill roads.(Which I've never done before). But maybe just front suspension is good enough?
Also as I do have a small sedan car, I was thinking maybe foldable makes sense in this case? But it seems there are not many choices here.

And lastly reading through forums it seems I have to go with mid-drive and not rear hub if I want to do uphill. Also a friend advice not to go with Bafang(poor quality?)
I am very open to any suggestions and hints, maybe I do have some wrong assumption which Id love to know your opinions on them.
Price range I am looking is lower than 3.5k. Thanks in advance!

Take a look at the list of Best EBikes of 2020 reviewed by EBR.

A folding fat bike is the closest match you will find to your requirements... I would recommend looking at other categories like full-size Mountian and Fat bikes.

Best Electric Bikes of 2025

Looking for the best electric bike for your lifestyle and budget? As of today, we have reviewed electric bicycles. EBR conducts the industry’s most complete and objective reviews. Reviewing electric bikes is all we do. Since 2012, we have helped millions of people find and choose the best ebike...

electricbikereview.com

Best Folding Electric Fat Bikes of 2020
Explore all of the folding electric bikes I’ve reviewed (ordered by date) on the category page here.

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Rad Power Bikes RadMini Step-Thru 2 Review

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Lectric eBikes Lectric XP Review

• MSRP: $999
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One of the most affordable folding fat tire electric bikes from a company with dedicated customer support and a solid one year warranty, offers twist throttle and adjustable top speed, up to 28mph, includes fenders, rear rack, and integrated lights. Available in two colors, gloss black or white, with matching fenders and nice looking decals,… Read Review

 

[Marci jo]

Roozbehid, congrats to you and your girlfriend on your search for ebikes. You are in for a world of fun.
My humble opinion, which I suggest to all new ebike searchers:
Test ride. As soon as you both test ride some examples it will narrow down your search. This might be a challenge if you are looking for an online purchase. Personally I would like to test some of the folding bikes but I don't want to buy it without testing it.

Looking forward to a photo of your ebikes.