Prospective E-Biker, Washington DC Metro

[hk1]

greetings. my commute went from a fairly even 7 miles to an up and and down (489/299ft per google maps) 12.5 miles. It's just too much and therefore Im considering an e-bike.

budget is about $2K which I know is a "low" budget for an e-bike. top considerations are the RadCity (free shipping at the moment) or maybe the specialized turbo (2015) on sale- tho I dont know the 2015 model will drop much below where it is now, $2500 (no fenders, no rack- $300 alone on the specialized site).

Im actually on the MD side of the metro area and the MD law says 500W which strictly speaking might make the Radcity too powerful (750W). Im looking for any Radcity reviews on a hilly terrain or just buying advice given my budget (Ive been on this site a lot in the last week). Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 803]

greetings. my commute went from a fairly even 7 miles to an up and and down (489/299ft per google maps) 12.5 miles. It's just too much and therefore Im considering an e-bike.

budget is about $2K which I know is a "low" budget for an e-bike. top considerations are the RadCity (free shipping at the moment) or maybe the specialized turbo (2015) on sale- tho I dont know the 2015 model will drop much below where it is now, $2500 (no fenders, no rack- $300 alone on the specialized site).

Im actually on the MD side of the metro area and the MD law says 500W which strictly speaking might make the Radcity too powerful (750W). Im looking for any Radcity reviews on a hilly terrain or just buying advice given my budget (Ive been on this site a lot in the last week). Thanks.

Look at an A2B Galvani or Ferber at $2K. Great comfortable bikes, well built, with good warranties. Customers of ours who have purchased them from us have been very very pleased.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

greetings. my commute went from a fairly even 7 miles to an up and and down (489/299ft per google maps) 12.5 miles. It's just too much and therefore Im considering an e-bike.

budget is about $2K which I know is a "low" budget for an e-bike. top considerations are the RadCity (free shipping at the moment) or maybe the specialized turbo (2015) on sale- tho I dont know the 2015 model will drop much below where it is now, $2500 (no fenders, no rack- $300 alone on the specialized site).

Im actually on the MD side of the metro area and the MD law says 500W which strictly speaking might make the Radcity too powerful (750W). Im looking for any Radcity reviews on a hilly terrain or just buying advice given my budget (Ive been on this site a lot in the last week). Thanks.

I used to live in college Park and moved to Chicago last year.
Not many ebike shop around there.
You could try a few bikes at Hybrid pedals in Arlington. If you do go there, tell Alan Hi . He carries Izip, easy motion, Pedego.
You may also try local FELT dealer near Georgetown or Rockville. They may have last year's Bosch bikes on sale.

There are quite a few forum members from that area (15mile radius) @opimax , @walawn

 

[Dewey]

budget is about $2K which I know is a "low" budget for an e-bike. top considerations are the RadCity (free shipping at the moment) or maybe the specialized turbo (2015) on sale.

I live in Arlington and I would second the above recommendation for Hybrid Pedals. Before I converted my bike with a kit I went there and found John and Alan business like. Tell them your budget and requirements, they will try to sell you a new ebike but ask about what deals they can make on last years model or used rental ebikes. They have a second location in Baltimore where they keep those bikes but ask them to email you their current stock list, and given a couple of days notice they're happy to bring them to their Arlington location for a test ride. Revolution Cycles, Spokes Etc, and Big Wheel Bikes are other shops with occasional ebike closeouts and specials - Revolution currently have the 2015 Raleigh Tekoa-iE (48v 350w Currie TransX) on sale for $2,000, while Spokes Etc have a similar bike the 2016 iZip E3 Peak for the same price. Court reviewed both bikes as having the same drive train and as good hill climbers. If you do go with the Rad City the 48v battery 20a controller will generate nearly 1,000w peak power which would definitely get you up hills.

An option in DC is RIIDE, a light weight (40lb) single speed with a 350W (500W peak power) rear hub motor, twist throttle (no PAS), and a 36v 9ah battery (approx 18-25 mile range) for $2,000 or their leasing RiidePass can spread the cost, $300 down and $79 per month for two years covers purchase, maintenance at their shop, theft insurance, and they throw in a folding lock. The low weight is good but the low power 10-15a controller and big 45t front chain ring would mean using throttle and pedaling quite hard all the time up hill so take it for a test ride on your route home from work before you buy.

Other area ebike shops include the Green Commuter in Silver Spring (Raleigh, Currie, cargo ebikes), City Bikes and ElectriCity Bikes both have your Specialized Turbo for $2,500. In the District, Bicycle Space and the Daily Rider sell more expensive ebike brands (Gazelle, Faraday).

 

[Dewey]

You might like to take a look at Juiced Bikes, a budget alternative to the Rad City is the Juiced Cross Current which has a 350w (500w peak power) rear hub motor. The nearest Juiced dealers to DC are in VA Beach and Philly which is a bit far to go for a test ride. The new Juiced Cross Current Air has a low $1100 starting price and free shipping but the 7.8ah battery is small for your needs so you should consider the $300 upgrade to the 10.4ah battery.

 

[supramax]

greetings. my commute went from a fairly even 7 miles to an up and and down (489/299ft per google maps) 12.5 miles. It's just too much and therefore Im considering an e-bike.

budget is about $2K which I know is a "low" budget for an e-bike. top considerations are the RadCity (free shipping at the moment) or maybe the specialized turbo (2015) on sale- tho I dont know the 2015 model will drop much below where it is now, $2500 (no fenders, no rack- $300 alone on the specialized site).

Im actually on the MD side of the metro area and the MD law says 500W which strictly speaking might make the Radcity too powerful (750W). Im looking for any Radcity reviews on a hilly terrain or just buying advice given my budget (Ive been on this site a lot in the last week). Thanks.

I've been on this site quite a bit for the last little while, too. After reading about all the different e bikes and getting advice from a slew of e-bikers, I've more or less decided to go with my original plan and convert my 2007 Globe Sport into an e bike. Do you love your current bike, is the question. If so, look into conversion kits. They range from $600 to $3000.

 

[WilliamT]

The bill says "motor rating of 500 watts or less" (MD Senate Bill 378). The Radwagon claims 750 watts, but in reality it uses a 48v 500 watt motor. It can handle up to 750 watts if the controller supplies it with more current but according to the manual not recommended for long periods. I believe the RadCity uses the same direct drive hub motor but you should double check with them.

So technically, this motor has a rating of 500 watts.

 

[Lost]

I suggest a bike with easy to get generic components. They tend to be less expensive by an order of magnitude, and when things like the battery need replacing, you are not stuck with OEM pricing structures. There are many to look at if you want to order a bike, and fewer at the local stores. I like Rad Power and Lunacycle. Temper those recommendations with the fact that I have only been into this for a couple months though.