Quesions concerning the purchase of bike

[Dwain Kitchens]

I am 63 and my wife 62. I have narrowed the E-Bikes down to two--The Electra Townie Go, or a Pedego.

They both have peddle assist, but only the Pedego includes a throttle. We plan on riding around our blocks, but Sarasota also has 12.5 mile trial that they allow both types to ride on. So, if we ride from the entire trail, that will be about 25 miles. We are in good shape, no issues, but as we get older, I was just wondering if I would regret not buying the Pedego. One "salesman" said the Pedego wasn't really designed as a "bike", so he leans toward the Electra, which is a bike. He is inferring that if we only use in bike mode, it will not measure up to the purpose and design as a bike.

Anyway, the models I am looking at are the Electra Townie Go 7D; or the Pedego Interceptor (24"). The Electra is about 1,500, the Pedego is about 3,000! I don't think I would use the throttle that much, but I am wondering if I will be sorry in the future. Perhaps I should get the Electra for less money, and down the road if I realize I would like the throttle, I can make the decision then. But, the throttle does seem like it would be fun, but I DO want to get exercise to.

Your thoughts?
Thanks!
Dwain

 

[Browneye]

Amazing what a 'salesman' will say, isn't it?
I wouldn't make a 'buy' suggestion, but would encourage you test ride as many as you can find. You'll learn about what's out there, what's available, the various propulsion styles and configurations. Then armed with that knowledge and experience your buying choice becomes much easier.

There is a lot of value in having a dealer you purchase from be your tech support and warranty service as well.

Since Electra is part of Trek, you're in good hands there. Pedego has a good reputation as well.

Visit as many dealers and you can stand and check them all out.

 

[Dwain Kitchens]

Amazing what a 'salesman' will say, isn't it?
I wouldn't make a 'buy' suggestion, but would encourage you test ride as many as you can find. You'll learn about what's out there, what's available, the various propulsion styles and configurations. Then armed with that knowledge and experience your buying choice becomes much easier.

There is a lot of value in having a dealer you purchase from be your tech support and warranty service as well.

Since Electra is part of Trek, you're in good hands there. Pedego has a good reputation as well.

Visit as many dealers and you can stand and check them all out.

Thank you!

 

[albli]

why don't you consider some other brands. I own a Sondors which I am thinking to upgrade it. I feel Pedego is good only for customer service but their price somehow don't justify their service. I think Rad power or Ariel Rider offers better value. (I am thinking to buy one of them but can't do test rides as they sell online).
I was thinking i won't use throttle a lot too but once you use it, you can't stop using it. I think having a throttle is very important

 

[vincent]

i am a fan of throttles but not a big fan of pedego, they do have good customer support

but i would not pay 1500 extra for a throttle if these are your only two options

agree with others if possible look around some more , does tampa have some ebike stores?

if you can drive over to orlando and visit crazy lennys they will have more ebikes to test ride there than anywhere probably, better prices and several to try with throttles

 

[TomD]

As far as the Pedego Interceptor, I wouldn't pay $3K for a rear hub bike with a battery high on the rear rack. That's going to be rear heavy and top heavy. Same for the Electra. I assume you are looking at step thru cruiser type bikes.

Here's one with throttle for ~$1500.

Ride1Up 700 Series Review | ElectricBikeReview.com

Price: $1449.00 | Model Year: 2019, 2020 | A commute-ready ebike with sturdy aluminum alloy fenders and versatile rear rack with triple bungee and pannier hangers, available in two frame styles (high-step and step-thru), two color choices, and ships to US, Canada, and Mexico

electricbikereview.com

Also check out aventon pace step thru, blix sol, and many other options.

 

[vincent]

you might check out FLX step through also, it is lighter than a lot of them

 

[Mike_V]

Hi Dwain,
For your consideration:

Electric Bike Company® - E-Bikes Built in California Factory using global materials % | Custom Design and Personalized Colors | Ships FULLY assembled

Electric Bike Company strives to provide the best custom built electric assist bikes in the world by using global materials and local USA electric bike builders and high quality parts.

electricbikecompany.com

Made in America
EBC electric bike company, who directly competes with Pedego.
Warranteed with mobile mechanic support.

Good reading here:
"We have a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee from the day that you receive your bike if you’re not satisfied with it. We will cover all shipping costs for returns as well as parts you may need. There is a 10 year warranty on the frame and motor and a 5 year warranty on the battery. We offer a lifetime replacement warranty on the battery cells – so for the life of the battery, we will replace the internal cells."

 

[Dwain Kitchens]

why don't you consider some other brands. I own a Sondors which I am thinking to upgrade it. I feel Pedego is good only for customer service but their price somehow don't justify their service. I think Rad power or Ariel Rider offers better value. (I am thinking to buy one of them but can't do test rides as they sell online).
I was thinking i won't use throttle a lot too but once you use it, you can't stop using it. I think having a throttle is very important

 

[harryS]

Without a throttle, you have to use the gears to your advantage. My wife never cared to shift gears though, so when she learned to use the throttle (she calls it a toggle), she never looked back. She'll go up hills in the wrong gear and add throttle.

I find the throttle very nice when I attach a trailer or a hitch hiker rig to pull the grandkid. Eliminates the wobbly start with a third wheel.

It's 130 miles to Crazy Lenny's in Winter Garden from Sarasota. The local bike trail passes by his shop. Been there. We spent a week in Sarasota in Jan 2019. Nice bike trails there too. I recall we rode to Venice and back.

 

[Dwain Kitchens]

Hi Dwain,
For your consideration:

Electric Bike Company® - E-Bikes Built in California Factory using global materials % | Custom Design and Personalized Colors | Ships FULLY assembled

Electric Bike Company strives to provide the best custom built electric assist bikes in the world by using global materials and local USA electric bike builders and high quality parts.

electricbikecompany.com

Made in America
EBC electric bike company, who directly competes with Pedego.
Warranteed with mobile mechanic support.

Good reading here:
"We have a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee from the day that you receive your bike if you’re not satisfied with it. We will cover all shipping costs for returns as well as parts you may need. There is a 10 year warranty on the frame and motor and a 5 year warranty on the battery. We offer a lifetime replacement warranty on the battery cells – so for the life of the battery, we will replace the internal cells."

 

[Browneye]

I've seen the Electric Bike Company bikes but have not ridden one. Seems to be a nice product. Our local dealer developed the line in response to beach-cruiser demand in our coastal city.

The Ride1Up seem to be a good alternative, however as I understand it they are on order due April, but likely that date has been pushed back. Worth checking into.

Aventon Pace 500 is another good option, may find at your local bike store (LBS) as they sell thru regular bike dealers. A nice product at a good price. I would take one over a RadCity, but the latter is also a good option. It also comes very complete and with a throttle. The Aventon and R1U also have a throttle. They are common to find on hub-drive ebikes, less so on mid-drives.

The higher-end mid-drive bikes, especially from the big-3 - Trek, Specialized, and Giant - all provide a more natural rider experience, even without a throttle. If you're a true 'bike-rider' the differences tend to be more noticable and appreciated, albiet they do come at a higher price point. Worth a test-ride nonetheless.

 

[Retired & riding]

I am 63 and my wife 62. I have narrowed the E-Bikes down to two--The Electra Townie Go, or a Pedego.

They both have peddle assist, but only the Pedego includes a throttle. We plan on riding around our blocks, but Sarasota also has 12.5 mile trial that they allow both types to ride on. So, if we ride from the entire trail, that will be about 25 miles. We are in good shape, no issues, but as we get older, I was just wondering if I would regret not buying the Pedego. One "salesman" said the Pedego wasn't really designed as a "bike", so he leans toward the Electra, which is a bike. He is inferring that if we only use in bike mode, it will not measure up to the purpose and design as a bike.

Anyway, the models I am looking at are the Electra Townie Go 7D; or the Pedego Interceptor (24"). The Electra is about 1,500, the Pedego is about 3,000! I don't think I would use the throttle that much, but I am wondering if I will be sorry in the future. Perhaps I should get the Electra for less money, and down the road if I realize I would like the throttle, I can make the decision then. But, the throttle does seem like it would be fun, but I DO want to get exercise to.

Your thoughts?
Thanks!
Dwain

Also by Trek is the Verve+ 3 or 2 and the Allant+ , both bikes I am considering at age 67. The Allant+7 has 75NM torque with the Bosc Performance CX motor which should be enough assist for you with a 500watt battery. Try them before you buy at your Trek dealer. I have also ridden the Specialized Vado which seemed very spunky but will probably go with one of the Trek bikes mentioned here as my Trek dealer offers more support, is trained in servicing the Bosch motors and is just down the road from me , while the local specialized dealer would have to send in the ebike parts for maintenance, or so they said.

 

[indianajo]

Both the pedego interceptor and the electra townie go have geared hub motors. These can be ridden power off without drag, which I high recommend for heart health. I'm age 69, and I use my motor for days when the wind is >12 mph in my face, or whizzing across six lane 10th street on the 6 second green lights. The throttle I have is handy for the second.
Bosch mid drives drag a lot power off, you are married to the battery on one of those. I let you look up the others, what motor & features they have. Shimano & Yamaha mid drives don't drag power off, maybe brose. All direct drive hub motor bikes drag with the motor off, such as most rads. DD motors weigh about 10 lb too, whereas a geared hub motor like I saw on the first two weighs about 6 lb.
Read the brand review "known problem" thread on whatever brands you consider. Certain highly recommended bargain brands come with wheels that recommend torque checks of the spokes monthly. My more expensive bike shown left, I've never checked or tightened a single spoken in 2.5 years and 5000 miles. Nor have a changed a chain, which mid-drives tend to require. Other than tires which last about 1500-2000 miles, (knobbies, street tires about 700) my biggest maintenance item has been tightening the cover screws on my geared hub motor, which I've had to do twice. It goes thump thump when the cover gets loose. Use blue loktite on the screws, but that is not permanent either.

 

[sc00ter]

Throttle is a really nice thing to have. If I'm coming home from work and it starts raining (I've been stuck in some nasty storms!) I use the throttle the whole way home. My commute is 14 miles each way. I also own a Pedego and they have bent over backwards to resolve the only 2 issues I've ever had. I shorted wire loom and a broken spoke. As much as I like the idea of a cheaper mail order ebike (I want a cargo/people hauler next) I will stick to my Brick and Mortar support vs. a fix-it-yourself mail order bike. Both brands you mention have good customer support, from a real deal store. Good luck on your purchase!

 

[Dwain Kitchens]

Thank you, look like nice bikes. I'll check them out.

 

[Dwain Kitchens]

As I continue my research, I am now leaning toward Electric Bike Company. They seem to have an excellent product, and incredible warranty. But, I will continue to do my research and eventually do some test rides.
Thanks ALL for your responses.
Stay safe and healthy!
Dwain

 

[Dwain Kitchens]

Thanks everyone for all your responses!
Dwain

 

[Sierratim]

I had converted a couple of entry level MTB's to ebikes about 9 years ago. I set them up as throttle only. We looked at Pedegos when it came time to replace the homemade eibkes. They struck me as overpriced for the features.

We decided to go with a brand that would be supported by one of our two LBS's. Both brands offered torque sensing pedelecs without throttles. They performed as well as the manual throttles with one less thing to think about.

We ended up buying Specialized Turbo Vado 5's and after 10 months are quite happy with them, and the local support we can get.

 

[TomD]

The Turbo Vado 4.0s are currently on sale for $2485 after rebate in the US thru mid April. There is a step thru version, albeit more of a mid-step. The riding position may not be as upright as you're looking for, but for the money I'm not sure you can find a better bike from a local bike shop in this price range. I would at least test ride one at a local bike shop if you still can. Court seemed like a kid in a candy store when he reviewed the Vado 4.0 last April:

Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 Review | ElectricBikeReview.com

Price: $3550.00 | Model Year: 2020 | A high-speed, feature-complete, urban electric bike with unique tubular fenders that have flexible extensions and water routing system to keep your legs, back and face dry, integrated lights and a tight modern rack

electricbikereview.com