Recommendations for a quality bike that can handle hills, and is comfortable for arthritis?

[NovaCycles]

Hi all, looking into getting back into cycling after a few years off due to aggressive inflammatory arthritis. While it affects my knees the most, it also affects all other joints including ankles, wrists, elbows, hips - so having an e-bike has become a must in order to keep cycling, which is my greatest joy in life.
I've read a lot of great reviews on e-bikes here, and will be test riding some next weekend, but finding it hard to narrow it down based on somewhat conflicting needs.

I will be mostly using this bike for group rides (~15-30 miles) and occasional commuting on a combination of bike paths, town roads, and slight off-road dirt paths.

Budget is flexible, around $5k. I'm in the greater Seattle area with access to plenty of LBS. I'm 5'6" 130lbs, so typically a M size.

Top needs:

1. Comfortable for riding with arthritis. For me that means a mostly upright position, step-through or low-step frame, ergonomic design where possible, good shocks/suspension to reduce jolts to my joints.
2. Ability to handle steep hills.
3. Reliable, doesn't require much maintenance (or if it does, can be done by LBS)
4. (Optional) A throttle. This could really help if I overdo it on a ride and need to get back when my knees are hurting a lot
5. (Optional) On the lighter side for lifting - I know this is hard to get with an e-bike, but I am not a strong person!
6. (Optional) Smaller size, able to fit into car trunk for transport since I live in a rural area where a highway is the only way to get to biking spots.
7. (Optional) Ability to add another battery, for longer trips

Currently looking at the Gazelle Ultimate C380+ for its quality, EVELO Galaxy 500 for its compact size, and EVELO Omega for its power and ability to add another battery for longer rides (though it won't be out until March).
Open to any other recommendations too. There are some similar options in the Specialized and Trek lines, like the Turbo Como 5.0, but they're largely sold out near me.

 

[HappyNaturalist]

Sounds like you've narrowed down the choices quite a bit! I discovered that there is just no substitute for test riding any bike you're interested in. They can look great on paper but until you get your butt in the saddle you won't really know for sure if it's the bike for you.
EVELO was on my short list because they have a such a generous 21-day at home test ride policy - they pay return shipping if the bike turns out not to be the one for you - and I have read nothing but good things about their customer service. But then a LBS (a semi-local one) got a C380 in a small frame size in stock and I rode it and fell in love. The Enviolo hub and Gates belt drive ride like a dream and the fit and feel of the Ultimate frame are perfect for me. I don't have any joint issues, though (at least not yet...) so I might be a bit concerned about whether the suspension on that frame is adequate for your needs. I found many of the smaller bikes forgo a hefty front fork to keep the size (and sometimes weight) down. You could of course add a nice suspension seat post which might make up for that - and I think EVELO will substitute in one that they carry before they even send you the bike. (This video offers a decent overview of options for suspension seat posts:

) I'm not sure whether a different seatpost would help you knees specifically, though. The best option for that is likely to be a throttle (difficult to find on mid-drive bikes). The absence of a throttle on the Gazelle ebikes may make them a no-go for you since there is zero assist if you're in too much pain to continue pedaling. It kind of seems like one of the EVELO's might be your best option. I encourage you to reach out to them.
Keep us posted on your process/decision! Happy riding!

 

[Dewey]

Check out the Montague M-E1 folding bike with full size 700c wheels. The Shimano E6100 motor is good, and can be serviced at Shimano dealers like an REI store. The BT-E8014 battery is a standard component and the 4a charger means faster charging times. Class 1 so no throttle, but it's light enough to fold and lift into a car trunk, and you can hold the handlebars and push it around on its wheels when its folded which is helpful. You might like to look into a seat post suspension for 30.9mm seatpost size.

 

[vincent]

Maybe Flx bikes, they tend to be lighter weight , mid drive and throttle
Not sure about size though

Evelo sounds like a good one too

 

[indianajo]

I'm lucky my arthritis is only my knees. I understand about the throttle. If I twist my knee walking it is fairly useless for a week. Out where I ride my bike to is a likely place to twist my army damaged knee. Most mid-drives like bosch & shimano steps do not allow throttles.
If I had to pick the bike up & put it in a trunk, I'd buy a folding airnimal joey (24" tires) at 24 lb. https://airnimal.co/products/joey/sport/#.YgqUgftOlIc
Then equip it with a bafang 500 w geared hub motor,https://www.batteryclearinghouse.com/products/26-bafang-dc36v-electric-bike-motor
That $23 6 lb motor comes with a 26" wheel. You could spend $100 to get it laced into a 24" wheel. Get a wider rim than the joey comes with to use 55 mm tires that ride more comfortably than 25 mm. The joey website says something about 26" wheels fitting direct, so maybe you could up the size of the rear wheel instead. You'd have to stay 10 or 11 speed, the crank sprocket would not be compatible with a 7 speed rear sprocket. Joey doesn't come with pedals. I use universalcycles.com or modernbike.com for parts.
You'll need a battery controller throttle brake handles pas pickup bafang harness converter. The cheapest way to get all that is buy a direct drive hub motor kit off ebay or amazon, but that 12 lb motor is not suitable for grinding up hills.
I ride 80 hills of up to 15% grade in my 30 mile commute with my geared hub motor. geared hub motors are NOT suitable for climbing 1000' in an hour. Nearest mountains to here that tall are 800 miles away.
For an extra 6 lb you could put on a suspension fork. For an extra 3 lb you could put on a seat suspension. I definitely would change that splinter of a seat on the joey.
Batteryclearinghouse.com has a used 36 v 20 AH battery today. No guarentee it works but at $70 it might be worth a try. My used motor from them did work.

 

[BlackHand]

Sounds like a good fit will be important so as not to aggravate your joints. The good news as you pointed out is there are lots of LBS options in the area. It may be possible to test ride the bikes on your short list with a single day trip to downtown.

I would suggest calling Dandelion Bikes to see if they have any Gazelles in stock for test rides. They may also be able to suggest a Mustache but I'm not sure which of those might be in your budget.

The Evelo warehouse is just a mile or so away from Dandelion so definitely worth seeing what their situation is for stock on hand and test rides.

Regardless of your choice in bike, I would strongly recommend you include the cost of a good platform carrier like the Thule EasyFold XT in your budget. It's expensive, but the ability to load your bike in <5 minutes with virtually no lifting will greatly increase your access to great rides around here.

 

[retiredNH]

The definitions of "hills" and "easy" vary a lot. However, I suspect you won't be able to find a bike that meets all of your specs. Think about where you can compromise. Fortunately, you live in an area with lots of LBS and when the supply of bikes is better than last year when I bought. Where I live, the nearest LBS with any ebikes last March was over an hour away, and they didn't have very many. What they did have was a 30 day trial, which sealed the deal - it showed me that climbing hills with an ebike was not just a theory, and most of our climbs where I live are several hundred feet at a time. Ended up getting two Trek Allant 8s for me and spouse. More than I wanted to spend, but nothing cheaper was around last year, and the bikes have been great, so we don't regret the purchases.

Before buying, consider who will do maintenance and repairs. If you don't want to do it, I would highly recommend not using online purchasing. there's been too many horror stories about LBS not touching the bikes and difficulty getting parts for DIY repairs. OTOH, some posters love the ability to mod their rides and do their own repairs.

 

[Mulezen]

Look at Ravi’s Zen forum…I think he has a throttle model, and some of the bikes are low maintenance (belt/Roloff) and all seem to have seat posts and some suspension. My LBS services Bosch

 

[Dewey]

Look at Ravi’s Zen forum…I think he has a throttle model, and some of the bikes are low maintenance (belt/Roloff) and all seem to have seat posts and some suspension. My LBS services Bosch

The Zen Shakti Class 2 model with a throttle uses a Bafang hub motor, the Samurai is the one with the Bosch CX Class 1 motor and I agree it looks to be a great bike.

 

[NovaCycles]

Sounds like you've narrowed down the choices quite a bit! I discovered that there is just no substitute for test riding any bike you're interested in. They can look great on paper but until you get your butt in the saddle you won't really know for sure if it's the bike for you.
EVELO was on my short list because they have a such a generous 21-day at home test ride policy - they pay return shipping if the bike turns out not to be the one for you - and I have read nothing but good things about their customer service. But then a LBS (a semi-local one) got a C380 in a small frame size in stock and I rode it and fell in love. The Enviolo hub and Gates belt drive ride like a dream and the fit and feel of the Ultimate frame are perfect for me. I don't have any joint issues, though (at least not yet...) so I might be a bit concerned about whether the suspension on that frame is adequate for your needs. I found many of the smaller bikes forgo a hefty front fork to keep the size (and sometimes weight) down. You could of course add a nice suspension seat post which might make up for that - and I think EVELO will substitute in one that they carry before they even send you the bike. (This video offers a decent overview of options for suspension seat posts:

) I'm not sure whether a different seatpost would help you knees specifically, though. The best option for that is likely to be a throttle (difficult to find on mid-drive bikes). The absence of a throttle on the Gazelle ebikes may make them a no-go for you since there is zero assist if you're in too much pain to continue pedaling. It kind of seems like one of the EVELO's might be your best option. I encourage you to reach out to them.
Keep us posted on your process/decision! Happy riding!

Thank you! The suspension seatpost sounds very helpful, I will look into that.

I've reached out to EVELO, and will be visiting a LBS for some test rides this weekend. I agree that having a throttle may be important for my situation. I looooove the way the Gazelles look and that they have quality parts made in the Netherlands, but the lack of throttle is an issue.

 

[NovaCycles]

Sounds like a good fit will be important so as not to aggravate your joints. The good news as you pointed out is there are lots of LBS options in the area. It may be possible to test ride the bikes on your short list with a single day trip to downtown.

I would suggest calling Dandelion Bikes to see if they have any Gazelles in stock for test rides. They may also be able to suggest a Mustache but I'm not sure which of those might be in your budget.

The Evelo warehouse is just a mile or so away from Dandelion so definitely worth seeing what their situation is for stock on hand and test rides.

Regardless of your choice in bike, I would strongly recommend you include the cost of a good platform carrier like the Thule EasyFold XT in your budget. It's expensive, but the ability to load your bike in <5 minutes with virtually no lifting will greatly increase your access to great rides around here.

I didn't know Evelo was in Seattle! I already have an appointment scheduled at Dandelion for some test rides. Will check with Evelo in case they have some models available as well.

That looks like a good bike rack. Pricy, but would be better than shoving my bike in the trunk...and means I might be able to focus on a more powerful bike with a throttle, rather than small/light size.

 

[NovaCycles]

The definitions of "hills" and "easy" vary a lot. However, I suspect you won't be able to find a bike that meets all of your specs. Think about where you can compromise. Fortunately, you live in an area with lots of LBS and when the supply of bikes is better than last year when I bought. Where I live, the nearest LBS with any ebikes last March was over an hour away, and they didn't have very many. What they did have was a 30 day trial, which sealed the deal - it showed me that climbing hills with an ebike was not just a theory, and most of our climbs where I live are several hundred feet at a time. Ended up getting two Trek Allant 8s for me and spouse. More than I wanted to spend, but nothing cheaper was around last year, and the bikes have been great, so we don't regret the purchases.

Before buying, consider who will do maintenance and repairs. If you don't want to do it, I would highly recommend not using online purchasing. there's been too many horror stories about LBS not touching the bikes and difficulty getting parts for DIY repairs. OTOH, some posters love the ability to mod their rides and do their own repairs.

Yes, I suspected I would have to compromise somewhere. My experience with non-electric bikes is that you need several to fit all your needs! At least that's how I justify having three different ones..

Good to hear that supply is a bit better this year. In terms of buying from an online dealer, that's definitely a concern - brands like the Evelo seem like they have great customer support, but I still would rather just take a bike into my local LBS and have them deal with it. Plus what happens if the company goes under.

 

[BlackHand]

I didn't know Evelo was in Seattle! I already have an appointment scheduled at Dandelion for some test rides. Will check with Evelo in case they have some models available as well.

Hmm, looks like they may have closed their showroom based on this post:
https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/cruiser-for-my-wife-pedago-vs-evelo.35531/post-302213

 

[NovaCycles]

Hmm, looks like they may have closed their showroom based on this post:
https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/cruiser-for-my-wife-pedago-vs-evelo.35531/post-302213

They did indeed close it, I got a reply from their product specialist today that their Seattle wearhouse is not set up for customers, and has no room to test ride. Sucks, because I really hate the idea of forking over a ton of money and needlessly shipping something before being able to test it.

 

[6zfshdb]

Here are some observations from someone who shares your ailment. I have arthritis in my hips, knees, wrists & fingers. I've had both hips replaced and the knees are next.
For folks with arthritis, I strongly recommend a step thru bike with a throttle. Mine has gotten me home on several occasions when a call for help would have otherwise been necessary. The fear of getting stranded is lessened somewhat when group riding but I wouldn't want my infirmities to spoil the outing for others.

A bike with a throttle is considered Class 2 and subject to restrictions in some locations. It's best to check the e-bike laws where you plan to ride.

When bike shopping, I found it impossible to find all the features I wanted on any single bike. I chose the one I liked best and made some minor modifications to suit my needs. Things like handlebars, grips and suspension seat post were the most important changes. In my case anyway, the resulting upright riding position and softer ride made a huge difference in overall comfort, especially with the knees. The selection of aftermarket handlebars & grips is almost infinite and quality suspension seat posts from Kinekt, Thudbuster, Redshift & many others are easily installed.

For those with arthritis in the hands, I recommend a bike with electronic shifting. The task is easily done with the push of a button instead of using a lever which can be painful on the wrist and fingers. Unfortunately, electronic shifting is only available on a few upscale bikes. Aftermarket kits, such as those from Archer, are reasonably priced and easily installed by a DIY'er or LBS.

Arthritis is an insidious disease which only gets worse with time. You may be able to ride a particular bike now but think to the future. E-bikes are expensive and you'll want to be able to ride for as long as possible.

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your search! By all means, keep us posted with your decision.

 

[Art Deco]

A search for "arthritis" here will show that you are not alone in fighting that beast, and that each person has different issues with it, but a step through cruiser style with swept back handbars seems to be the best place to start.
Too bad that Comos are scarce in your area, that's what I ride and would recommend a test ride on one before buying. No throttle though, so worth checking out a Pedego.

 

[NovaCycles]

Here are some observations from someone who shares your ailment. I have arthritis in my hips, knees, wrists & fingers. I've had both hips replaced and the knees are next.
For folks with arthritis, I strongly recommend a step thru bike with a throttle. Mine has gotten me home on several occasions when a call for help would have otherwise been necessary. The fear of getting stranded is lessened somewhat when group riding but I wouldn't want my infirmities to spoil the outing for others.

A bike with a throttle is considered Class 2 and subject to restrictions in some locations. It's best to check the e-bike laws where you plan to ride.

When bike shopping, I found it impossible to find all the features I wanted on any single bike. I chose the one I liked best and made some minor modifications to suit my needs. Things like handlebars, grips and suspension seat post were the most important changes. In my case anyway, the resulting upright riding position and softer ride made a huge difference in overall comfort, especially with the knees. The selection of aftermarket handlebars & grips is almost infinite and quality suspension seat posts from Kinekt, Thudbuster, Redshift & many others are easily installed.

For those with arthritis in the hands, I recommend a bike with electronic shifting. The task is easily done with the push of a button instead of using a lever which can be painful on the wrist and fingers. Unfortunately, electronic shifting is only available on a few upscale bikes. Aftermarket kits, such as those from Archer, are reasonably priced and easily installed by a DIY'er or LBS.

Arthritis is an insidious disease which only gets worse with time. You may be able to ride a particular bike now but think to the future. E-bikes are expensive and you'll want to be able to ride for as long as possible.

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your search! By all means, keep us posted with your decision.

Thanks so much for your advice. As much as I love the aesthetic and quality of the Gazelle bikes, realistically I probably should be looking at something with a throttle, especially since as you mentioned I need to plan ahead for the future.

I still have some hope that the right combination of medications will help enough to get me back on my fancy road bike, but the reality is I will still get flareups, and biologics tend to stop working for me after a year or so. Perhaps I'm a bit in denial still, having been diagnosed young.

Definitely will be getting a suspension seatpost, and looking at other upgrades for handlebars and whatnot, regardless of what bike I end up with.

 

[Mulezen]

Some folks here swear by the Baramind handlebars to reduce vibration

 

[retiredNH]

Thanks so much for your advice. As much as I love the aesthetic and quality of the Gazelle bikes, realistically I probably should be looking at something with a throttle, especially since as you mentioned I need to plan ahead for the future.

I still have some hope that the right combination of medications will help enough to get me back on my fancy road bike, but the reality is I will still get flareups, and biologics tend to stop working for me after a year or so. Perhaps I'm a bit in denial still, having been diagnosed young.

Definitely will be getting a suspension seatpost, and looking at other upgrades for handlebars and whatnot, regardless of what bike I end up with.

That's too bad, because most of the quality bikes I know of don't come with throttles. Throttles seem to be the domain of city bikes aimed at more casual riders from what I've seen, but I confess I haven't been looking at bikes since I purchased last spring. Others will no doubt disagree?

Rather than compromise now, anticipating future needs, you might consider getting what you prefer now, and trading to something else as your needs change.

 

[Marci jo]

Lots of great points. You came to the right place.
Test rides will really help narrow your search.
My challenge was finding a true step through frame. Many are advertised as such but are really only a mid-step. Not so great for my “vertically challenged” legs.
You mentioned light weight and fit in a trunk. What is light weight for you? And fit in a trunk? Some of the folders are 60-70 pounds. To me that would not be easy to wrestle into a trunk.
I have my eye on the 2022 Specialized Como 5.0. Nice deep step-through and plenty of torque. Not available yet for test rides.

One of my three ebikes is an Aventon Pace 500. Fabulous ebike.
- Small frame at 13 inches (33 cm)
- Low stand over 15 inches (38 cm)
- Throttle-from-zero. Love this for stop-and-go city riding.
- Reasonable weight at 49 pounds (22 kg) with battery. Note: the smaller motor Pace 350 weighs 46 lbs.
- Priced at around $1700.

Looking forward to seeing a picture of your new ebike!