Do you think, Pat that my gf Brix would refuse riding her Vado 5.0 I bought specifically for her?Finally, not sure about the wisdom of you picking a bike for your girlfriend - that sounds like a recipe for disaster.
I think you're an entirely different case, Stefan - you have a great amount of knowledge and experienceDo you think, Pat that my gf Brix would refuse riding her Vado 5.0 I bought specifically for her?
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Ha! Well thankfully she is easier than I am. She will be commuting to work (maybe 20 mins), running small errands, and riding the local trails (paved) with me. She may get in to the exploring and long rides along side me, ya never know. But either way, she will definitely need a step thru style as she is 5'2"-ish with shorter legs. The new Aventon commuter step thru was announced last night and that is the sort of bike she will end up with, for sure. She has looked at a few with me and likes that style, so that's a plus. At this point I may end up buying hers before my own. Lol! Oh well.I agree it's important for you to test ride SOME bikes, even if they're not the bikes you think you want. For one thing, after you actually ride a few, it will be easier for you to narrow down what you're looking for.
Also agree about making a prioritized list. There's not one bike that I know of that's ideal for ALL surfaces/types of riding.
Be brutally honest with yourself about the kind of riding you will actually be doing MOST, and get the bike that will work for that. You may have dreams about mountain biking (for example), but, with your medical issues and the length of time it's been since you've ridden a bike, how reasonable would that be for you? Get rid of the "maybe someday I'd like to ride...", or "it might be nice to be able to ride..." thinking, and stick to what your majority riding is going to be like - that will help to narrow down the choices so at least the bikes you're considering are all in the same category, with similar features.
Finally, not sure about the wisdom of you picking a bike for your girlfriend - that sounds like a recipe for disaster
It's important that you know your girlfriend, AND that you have a LOT of real world experience with bikes - if either one of those two items are missing, then making that kind of choice becomes a precarious position@PatriciaK: One thing is sure; the size of the Vado is right for her!
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I am quite happy with my Espin Sport, which cost $1200, by the way.
We have a Ride1up 500 and the suspension is fine. My son really likes that bike. We received it in July. They have a Ride1up 500 step thru also that may fit you better. Honestly the regular 500 may be a little tall for you. My son is 5'5_5'7" with a 30 " in seam and he has to ride it with the seat all the way down. Not enough room for a suspension seat post because then the seat is too high. Reach is also longer than many bikes. Aventon bike models come in different size frames. However, with Aventon you cannot program the assistance levels as you can with a Ride1up and some find the assistance too zippy even in low settings. Some people who want two cheaper bikes just get two Electric xp's which are $899 each. I do not have one but they are very adjustable, have a 500 watt motor, PAS, throttle up to 20 mph, and they fold up. Comes with rack, fenders and lights. (Class 2 but you can raise top speed to be class 3). Those 20 inch wheels help increase torque for hills they say. People seem to like them. Some people modify them by changing the chain rings, gearing, seat, etc. Maybe not the best for exercise but may be ok if you keep the assistance level low. The company seems very responsive to its customers.
I like my Espin Sport also. I believe the frame is smaller than the Ride1up500. We have one of each. The Espin Sport assist levels are not programmable but I can go pretty slowly on a bike path in Level 1 and yes you need to peddle and shift. The Espin Flow is the Step thru model. If you want something like the Rad Step thru check out the Espin Nero for $ 999 with fenders and for another $100 or so get racks, front and rear, lights, panniers, water bottle cage.
Yea, they wrote me about it being back in stock. But a November wait time?..... ehhh. I dunno. Though I do LOVE that bike.
No, none. We live in Cali, where the covid 'rules' are still a bit tight. And in our county, some places still aren't open at all. The LBS are open, but with safety measures such as 'you can look, but don't touch'. And we can't even go in the shop; it's all curbside viewing only. So that doesn't help us at all as for measurements and test drives.
Our main one, and most recommended is Hyland Bikes (San Jose). There are a couple smaller ones around that we can call and ask about their test rides, but Hyland has the most (broader) selection and just got some Aventon bikes in that my girl wanted to try. But no can do.
