huckleberry
New Member
- Region
- USA
Hi all,
I'm seriously considering purchasing an ebike as a car replacement for my daily commute to the city. I've dabbled in mountain biking some years prior, but have never really been an avid "cyclist" and would really appreciate some advice on which brands and specific models to consider.
Some context: I live in the PNW and will have to ride through hills typical of the region -- climbing around 600-700 feet of elevation on the way there and 300 on the way back, on hills ranging from 10-20% grade (EDIT: estimate, think San Francisco-level hills), for total distances of 25-35 miles (accounting for extra grocery runs, errands, etc.) There's a brief compacted dirt path on the way to work, but I don't plan to be doing any serious offroading and would only need suspension to blunt the impact of potholes. I'm decently fit and healthy; measure in at just under 5 feet and around 100 pounds; and am technically capable of making it into the city without any electrical assistance. The ride back up the hills is brutal, though, and by the time I get home my crotch and calf muscles feel like they've taken an assault from a jackhammer.
I'm looking for a fast, powerful ebike that can let me glide up hills without running myself ragged; can handle relatively long distances on a single charge; and runs at, around, or slightly above $2k. I don't want something that looks or feels like a motorcycle; I enjoy pedaling and would like something bike-adjacent, just with sufficient juice to take the load off my legs. I also need to be able to physically fit on the frame—anything designed for people 5'5'' and above and my legs will be dangling off the sides like a toddler's.
I conducted cursory research into the best electric bikes for extended distances and steep hills before I came to this forum, and everyone seems to be recommending a mid drive motor, cautioning away from using wattage as a reliable metric to determine motor power, and advising against buying from an online vendor without the possibility of reliable service and maintenence from a LBS. I have a LBS that specializes in Specialized (lol) but from my understanding they're the creme-de-la-creme of the market and cater more towards avid cyclists and hobby enthusiasts. They also cost a pretty penny—I simply don't think I need to purchase a bike exclusively outfitted with high-end premium components to adequately meet my needs.
Thus far, I've tried out the Aventon level 2 and pace 500.3, a Gazelle medeo t9, a Velotric T1ST, and an Electra valego! The Aventon level2 zoomed up the couple hills I tried it on, but feels very much like a motorized vehicle and less like a bike. I'm also deeply concerned about the dozens of 1-star reviews on Trustpilot regarding Aventon repeatedly failing to honor warranties or replace broken components, and I'm slightly wary of attempting a round-peg-square-hole approach by attempting to use a hub drive motor for hill climbing. Even on my relatively brief test runs the battery drained alarmingly quickly. I absolutely despised the cruiser-style handlebars on the pace 500.3; I'm far more accustomed to the aggressive positioning on a mountain bike and feel off-balance and unsteady when pulled away from my center of gravity into an upright posture. I enjoyed the middrive motor on the Gazelle, but found it to be underpowered and slightly unwieldy—ironically, the pace seemed to pack more of a punch when accelerating. The Velotric T1ST barely registered as an electric bike to me, even at the maximum level of assist and at the lowest possible gear. The Electra valego! had many of the same issues as the Gazelle—large, unwieldy, and underpowered, with those repulsive cruiser-style handlebars.
Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for specific brands or models I should look into? I'm open to buying something used or secondhand to cut costs if need be, but I'm genuinely completely overwhelmed by the number of considerations I need to take into account and would really appreciate some expert advice. Thank you!
I'm seriously considering purchasing an ebike as a car replacement for my daily commute to the city. I've dabbled in mountain biking some years prior, but have never really been an avid "cyclist" and would really appreciate some advice on which brands and specific models to consider.
Some context: I live in the PNW and will have to ride through hills typical of the region -- climbing around 600-700 feet of elevation on the way there and 300 on the way back, on hills ranging from 10-20% grade (EDIT: estimate, think San Francisco-level hills), for total distances of 25-35 miles (accounting for extra grocery runs, errands, etc.) There's a brief compacted dirt path on the way to work, but I don't plan to be doing any serious offroading and would only need suspension to blunt the impact of potholes. I'm decently fit and healthy; measure in at just under 5 feet and around 100 pounds; and am technically capable of making it into the city without any electrical assistance. The ride back up the hills is brutal, though, and by the time I get home my crotch and calf muscles feel like they've taken an assault from a jackhammer.
I'm looking for a fast, powerful ebike that can let me glide up hills without running myself ragged; can handle relatively long distances on a single charge; and runs at, around, or slightly above $2k. I don't want something that looks or feels like a motorcycle; I enjoy pedaling and would like something bike-adjacent, just with sufficient juice to take the load off my legs. I also need to be able to physically fit on the frame—anything designed for people 5'5'' and above and my legs will be dangling off the sides like a toddler's.
I conducted cursory research into the best electric bikes for extended distances and steep hills before I came to this forum, and everyone seems to be recommending a mid drive motor, cautioning away from using wattage as a reliable metric to determine motor power, and advising against buying from an online vendor without the possibility of reliable service and maintenence from a LBS. I have a LBS that specializes in Specialized (lol) but from my understanding they're the creme-de-la-creme of the market and cater more towards avid cyclists and hobby enthusiasts. They also cost a pretty penny—I simply don't think I need to purchase a bike exclusively outfitted with high-end premium components to adequately meet my needs.
Thus far, I've tried out the Aventon level 2 and pace 500.3, a Gazelle medeo t9, a Velotric T1ST, and an Electra valego! The Aventon level2 zoomed up the couple hills I tried it on, but feels very much like a motorized vehicle and less like a bike. I'm also deeply concerned about the dozens of 1-star reviews on Trustpilot regarding Aventon repeatedly failing to honor warranties or replace broken components, and I'm slightly wary of attempting a round-peg-square-hole approach by attempting to use a hub drive motor for hill climbing. Even on my relatively brief test runs the battery drained alarmingly quickly. I absolutely despised the cruiser-style handlebars on the pace 500.3; I'm far more accustomed to the aggressive positioning on a mountain bike and feel off-balance and unsteady when pulled away from my center of gravity into an upright posture. I enjoyed the middrive motor on the Gazelle, but found it to be underpowered and slightly unwieldy—ironically, the pace seemed to pack more of a punch when accelerating. The Velotric T1ST barely registered as an electric bike to me, even at the maximum level of assist and at the lowest possible gear. The Electra valego! had many of the same issues as the Gazelle—large, unwieldy, and underpowered, with those repulsive cruiser-style handlebars.
Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for specific brands or models I should look into? I'm open to buying something used or secondhand to cut costs if need be, but I'm genuinely completely overwhelmed by the number of considerations I need to take into account and would really appreciate some expert advice. Thank you!
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) thoughts.
