Price vs. Cost: How to buy intelligently

[Nirmala]

I have fallen for ebikes too. That is why I am hopeful for the success of the ShareRoller: http://igg.me/at/shareroller/x/12713097

It may not create the perfect ebike, and probably won't perform as well as a lot of the bikes discussed on here. But if it even works half way well, it could bring the joys of ebiking to a much wider audience. No professional installation needed or even special skills required to get it to work. A simple design and yet it has integrated lights, regenerative charging, a set of easy to swap batteries to add a second battery for more range or upgrade to a larger pack, a range of control options from pure throttle to pedal assist, 750 watts of power in the US, and a price that is within range especially if you already own a nice bike you want to put it on. The largest version with the biggest battery still only weighs around 8 lbs on the bike, smaller ones are 5-6 pounds and that includes the battery, controller and motor. So it will be easy to create an ebike with a 25-50 mile range that weighs less than 40 pounds total, or even less than 30 pounds if you have a super light road bike. You can lock up your bike and then remove the entire unit to take it inside with you for recharging and safe storage. They are making custom mounts to make it work on folding bikes and even scooters.

The only questions are: will it come to market and will it arrive close to the promised date? And of course, will it work well? The roller thing is possibly the weak point although Court did give Version 1 a 9.5 out of 10 when he reviewed the prototype ( http://electricbikereview.com/shareroller/version-1/ ), and now they are on to Version 3. One advantage of a roller is that it applies the power at the outer edge of the wheel instead of the center. This gives it more torque and allows the motor to work at higher rpm's.

I am rooting for it and even upgraded my perk to the standard size battery instead of the smallest battery, just in case I want to use it on other bikes than my already electrically powered Magnum Ui5 (with which I will be using it on the front wheel as a kind of booster pack for the hills here in Northern Arizona). Right now you can even order an entire package of a cheap Schwinn mountain bike, a scooter, and a small ShareRoller for $799 plus shipping. That is an inexpensive ebike!

Note: they extended the pre-order pricing so it is now good until Dec.2nd. I ordered one also just to support the concept and help it get off the ground. Ideas like this one could potentially bring ebikes to a mass market including potentially a lot of the existing bicycles out there. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it makes it.

 

[Jack Tyler]

I agree that it's a unique product, mostly due to it's unique packaging. It's also impressive how much the product has been matured from V1 to V3 (e.g. the Bluetooth throttle, the 'Tailwind' feature, and the multiple package sizes & weights are all good examples). And I can see some significant benefits to this approach which go unstated in their marketing pitch. One is that it offers an alternative for the many folks in this community who might be ebike advocates but who can't find an ebike dealer anywhere near them, are uneasy about an on-line bike choice, and can't find any interest from a LBS to help support their purchase. The closest dedicated ebike dealer to me is 300 miles and several mountain ranges away. This option allows me to shop locally (and be supported almost completely after the purchase) while the 'e' side of the bike can be supported another way. (But see my caveat below...) Another advantage, which I appreciate more now that I spent Saturday shopping for a car ebike rack, is how the challenge to haul a bike around is mitigated by the Shareroller approach. Having found the ~25# bike that scratches all my normal itches, I only face the normal challenge of how to carry it on the car.

"The only questions are:...."
Oh, I think there are many questions beyond the ones Nirmala mentions. The motor is likely to be just as obnoxiously intrusive, given its location, as the earlier motor on V1 (see - and 'listen' - to Court's review). The throttle's spring loaded switch, with possibly 1/2" of total throw, strikes me as making it difficult to maintain a steady motor-assisted pace. I imagine uneven road & trail surfaces, with the handlebars jiggling this way and that, to challenge the rider to keep that switch in the same position. At the least, that switch arrangement suggests to me another reason to have a front fork suspension...but is a Shareroller capable of handling that shock loading? (If that's addressed in the product info somewhere, I missed it). And while it's understandable given the initial marketing campaign's need to emphasize fund raising, there are reasonable questions about after sales support that need to be addressed. (Will that be done thru the contract manufacturer, where the needed parts and skills are most likely to reside? Costs involved e.g. to replace the roller belt? What does the warranty specifically exclude? And will a successful launch result in an existing support business 2 or 3 years later, when the initial customer base is likely to begin needing it?) Functionality is also dependent on a lot of variables, I would assume. Other ebike products seem to suffer from unreliable Bluetooth connectivity, along with many consumer electronics products. If you have problems connecting to that throttle, you have a dinghy anchor. Tire surfaces are highly varied. How does that fact influence the Shareroller's performance. I'll bet this list is a long one.

I wish Jeff and his crew much success because I like having this option. But I'm still mulling my own thoughts on this approach, given the lack of 'in the field' information available.

 

[Nirmala]

All good additional questions, and time will tell. Court did say in his review that Version 2 was quieter than Version 1. And I am pretty sure it works with front shocks since the inexpensive mountain bike you can get in their package deal has a front shock, and they show it on a few bikes with shocks on their Indiegogo page. One of their mounting brackets is designed to simply mount on the forks below the shock, and so the motor and wheel would stay in the same relative position at all times.

I can't say how the bluetooth connection will work. I wish they had a simple wired throttle as I think it would be more reliable and the throttle is so close to the motor anyways. I think the pedal assist option would be a good thing to include for anyone using this as their main electric assist. I find on my Magnum Ui5 that I only very rarely use the throttle, in part for the reasons you mention, although I do not tend to ride on very rough surfaces. I wonder how this would work for serious off-road mountain biking as the weight up front over the wheel could also affect handling, although overall this system is less than half the added weight of most ebike systems. I am considering someday getting a very light road bike that I could put this on and thereby have an ebike that weighs under 30 pounds for joy-rides. Who knows? If it works really well, it might even replace my much heavier ebike as my main ride, as I mostly ride for pleasure anyways. As I get back in shape for longer rides, I may only want or need electric assist on uphills.

You can even carry this on an airplane which opens up additional possibilities for say having two bikes you use it on in different cities, or if the ride share systems it was originally designed for take off, you could use this in lots of different cities as you travel by renting a bike share and popping your own motor on to it.

The long term viability of their business model is perhaps the biggest question, as it is with any new product and approach. If it does work for the long haul, it could be a real game-changer. And of course, the earliest you can even hope to try it is next May. I will report back here when I get to try mine.

 

[Nirmala]

As for a bike rack for heavier ebikes, we bought this hitch mounted one: http://amzn.to/1Q8KIna

With a 1 1/4 inch hitch or with an optional metal adapter for 2 inch hitches, it will carry two 60 pound bikes (the standard plastic adapter for 2 inch hitches that comes with it is only rated to carry two 35 pound bikes). It is very easy to use and it carries our two Ui5's easily, although we do remove the batteries just to make it easier to lift the bikes on and off the rack.

 

[Jack Tyler]

"You can even carry this on an airplane..."
Yes, a point they made in reference to Com Air travel but one especially relevant to those of us who fly ourselves. Many FBO's at smaller airports, where most recreational aviation aircraft visit, have bikes. But it's a long hike to get somewhere. So I wonder just how easy it is to fit the adapter...or whether a different adapter, intended to be used with loaner bikes, might be possible. Another example of how this appeals to the GA audience is the fact that many aircraft owners will have a bike in their hangar so restroom and FBO visits can be easily made. I'd love the ability to have this kind of alternative available at my hangar as well as my house, if in fact it met my broader set of needs.

Good discussion!

 

[Jack Tyler]

Nirmala, I already snapped up that rack idea from another of your posts. REI has them on sale (at the moment) and there's the 10% discount for members, on top of that. But of course with a 'normal' bike a trunk mounted rack (cheaper if more iffy) becomes an option and one can exclude the ~$250 hitch install, too. But thanks for the suggestion. I watched their videos and agree it looks like a good product.

 

[Nirmala]

They are making ShareRoller adapters for various folding bikes. It sounds like a folding bike that fit in your plane might be an option as it would work wherever you land.

Glad you found your way to that rack. It is one of the few that will carry heavier bikes that I found that was not overly expensive, although we also had to spend about $175 extra for a hitch. I am glad to have it even if I end up someday with a lighter bike as it is a very solid rack, unlike the trunk mounted ones I have used in the past.