RV'er bike for wife

[timjet]

My wife is looking for an e-bike that she can use while we are camping in our motor home. She is in relatively good shape about 5'7" 135 lbs. She wants a step thru or frame that she can mount easily. We've been using our manual bikes on pavement and trails that can be biked.

We plan on using a bike rack mounted on the car we tow behind our motor home, it's how we mount our manual bikes. On average she will use the bike 2-4 times a week when we travel in the motor home over the summer months. When traveling, the bikes will be out in the weather on the bike rack behind our tow car, so any bike we get will have to be able to withstand that. I can get a bike cover but rain will probably still be able to reach from beneath the cover and get the bike and electrical components wet.

We had a 2 ProdecoTech e-bikes that came with our motor home but one did not work due to rain on the motor. I had it repaired and the tech at ProdecoTech said not to keep them on the bike rack when it rains. With the way we travel that would be impossible, so a bike that can be on a rack during a rain storm is important.

Our budget is about $2,500. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[ez3putt]

Since you are in Tampa, you might check out Ride Scoozy in St. Pete. Their Semi-Fat looks pretty nice and it is a folder that might fit in the trunk of your vehicle. Since they are local to you, you could ride one and hopefully get your questions answered regarding weather resistance. I have their VeeGo 750 and transport it on the back of my SUV or my travel trailer. I have only been through one light rain so far, but I will be very disappointed if a vehicle designed to ride in rain, snow, mud, and sand fails because it gets wet. Good luck with your search.

 

[timjet]

Thanks ez. Looks like a nice bike, but a little bit heavy at 63 lbs for the Fat Tire and 750. I'm not sure our current bike rack will take that weight and I'm not sure I would want to lift that weight each time to get it on the bike rack. Since they are close I may take a look at them.

 

[timjet]

I just saw Giant has 2 step thru bikes, LaFree +1 and +2, in our budget range. I think Giant has a good reputation. Anybody have an opinion on these e-bikes?

 

[Dewey]

I just saw Giant has 2 step thru bikes, LaFree +1 and +2, in our budget range. I think Giant has a good reputation. Anybody have an opinion on these e-bikes?

Yeah my local bike shop is a Giant dealer and has them in, they're pretty decent Class 1 pedelecs, weigh 55lb, use a Yamaha motor with a torque sensor, balloon tires, 3 frame sizes and the small claims to fit from 5'3"-5'7". I suggest taking the batteries off the bikes when they're on the rack but otherwise they should be reasonably rain resistant as Yamaha motors are used on muddy eMTB's and commuter ebikes.

 

[timjet]

Thanks Dewey, I'll take a look at them.

 

[Alex M]

For short trips and flat terrain might also consider folding 20" bikes. You could carry those inside the bus:
Amego Freedom $1,200, Magnum Classic Low Step $1,500 (same thing, like a twin brother). 50 lbs.
Blix Vika+ (some good components but no front suspension).

RAD Mini Step Through also looks nice, though fat tires you might not need (too much) on flat paved and gravel roads, and optional rear rack will add a few pounds to this already heavy 68 lb bike.

 

[timjet]

We had prodecoTech folding bikes and found them too heavy to fold and put in the back of our SUV or in the cargo bins of our motor home. Putting on and taking off a bike rack will be manageable. We decided folding bikes were out.

 

[psy1]

You have competing goals: eBike that is resistant to harsh weather/road conditions and lightweight. A folder could solve the weather problem but you would have to put it inside your vehicle. Although outside your budget, you might look at electric Bromptons which should be available soon. The are lightweight folders. Some folders are small enough to stow in storage compartments in an RV. Others are still large and heavy. What is the vehicle you are towing? Given the cost of some eBikes it might be cheaper to change vehicles!

 

[vincent]

Timjet i have used a cheap 2 bike cover from amazon with a truck bed bungee net to keep it fairley secure and not blowing around a lot in the wind
This kept my bikes dry enough and was easy

My vote is for the giant yamaha though if the weight is low enough for you but i personally would still cover the bikes , it is cheap and easy to do

 

[timjet]

Well, I've narrowed my choices down to the 2 biggies in the industry, Giant and Trek. They both have entry level bikes at about the same price - $2300. The Trek Verve+ Lowstep and the Giant Lafree E+2. They are both step thru. I'm leaning a little bit toward the Trek because the battery is mounted slightly lower than the Giant, but until we see them both and my wife has a chance to ride them, I won't make a decision. Anybody care to chime in here?
My Kuat Transfer 2 bike rack is limited to 40 lbs. These bikes are both heavier, but it is what it is.

 

[Dewey]

Anybody care to chime in here?

LaFree E+1 has an internal geared hub if you want to shift gear when stationary

 

[timjet]

LaFree E+1 has an internal geared hub if you want to shift gear when stationary

Tell me, is that good or what. I'm assuming it does not have a derailer.

 

[timjet]

LaFree E+1 has an internal geared hub if you want to shift gear when stationary

Yup, I see that the E1 does not have a derailer. Thanks for pointing that out. Again, good, bad, or indifferent? Since it costs $400 more I'm guessing there is an advantage to that.

 

[Dewey]

Yup, I see that the E1 does not have a derailer. Thanks for pointing that out. Again, good, bad, or indifferent? Since it costs $400 more I'm guessing there is an advantage to that.

Personally I find an IGH helpful when riding in stop start urban traffic as it lets you change gear when you are stopped.

 

[timjet]

Well we took a look at the Trek Verve + Lowstep and the Giant LaFree + 2. We looked at the Trek first and then the Giant. My wife after looking at the Trek and seeing the Giant said let's go get the Trek. I encouraged her to at least try the Giant which she did, but it did not change her mind.
In my opinion the Trek is just a better looking bike with a much better computer. The Giant just had indicator light to tell which assist mode it was in. The Giant looked bulkier and heaver with the battery on the back fender. The Trek looked sleeker and with the battery on the tube below the seat seem more agile. In riding them they both seemed about the same with the assist working pretty much the same. Both bikes had I think about 8 gears +- 1 I forgot.
The Trek is $400 more than the Giant but I wanted to look at the Giant with the hub gear, but the shop did not have one. The hub gear Giant is the same as the Trek in price.
The Giant salesman said the bike weight was "about" 50 lbs, and if so is slightly heaver than the Trek, and it looks it.
My Kuat 2 bike rack is rated at 40 lbs per bike so the lighter Trek is an advantage there.

In summary I believe both bikes performed about the same, but this is just riding them for a couple of trips around the parking lot, obviously not a good test. The Trek in my opinion is a better looking bike using the tube below the seat to hold the battery. I believe most bike makers are starting to no longer use the back fender as a batt holder. This makes the bike look bulker and less stylish and adds weight higher, which is not as good. The Trek according to the Trek salesman is lighter than the Giant and as mentioned looks it. I will take a scale and weigh the Trek before purchase to verify the salesman's figures.

The Trek salesman was far more experienced in selling e-bikes. That store has sold many and like us he said most entry level Trek's are sold to RVers. The step thru design is a big draw for older folks. The Giant salesman said his store has sold a total of 2.

 

[timjet]

I should also mention that the Trek store had probably 2.5 times the floor space as the Giant store. This made the Trek's look better. The store had several displays with many e-bikes. The store was smartly designed. The Giant store was crowded with 2 other customers and bikes stacked everywhere. To get to the Giant LaFree, the salesman had to move other bikes. The Giant store had only the LaFree e-bike which is probably why they've only sold 2 e-bikes.