Stairs - Muscle up or an easy alternative?

[sfcanuck]

Has anyone found anything that makes it easier to carry or glide your bike upstairs in an apartment? My bike without the battery is 42 lbs.

I've been eyeing the Thule EasyFold XT Long Loading Ramp and am wondering if anyone has tried to use a few of these to tackle the stairs in a walk-up? Would love to hear how others have tackled the "stairs" with a portable solution.

 

[Nova Haibike]

Remove the wheels and carry the frame and wheels up separately?

 

[Ebiker01]

Throttle it up . Not for newbies though !

 

[Nova Haibike]

Throttle it up . Not for newbies though !

Except there is no throttle on a Gazelle.

 

[Ebiker01]

oh, maybe one can be added ??
is really easy going up the stairs using the throttle.

 

[Altaman]

You should be able to put you bike in walk mode, makes it easier to get up stairs.

 

[waltermoe]

42 lbs without battery is really heavy, I carry my regular MTb upstairs and its just 30 lbs, so I know the pain. Since I got an own house I constructed a simple Lift storage. So I hook the bike on that and pull it up flat under the ceiling. It is a bit scary in the beginning to walk under it, but you get used to that.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Exercise. Do push-ups. I'm carrying a Vado and a Trance E+ with battery upstairs. Got the strength by regular long e-bike rides. A year ago (pre e-bike) I was a disabled person.

 

[Ebiker01]

a simple Lift storage.

A pic would be helpful . I like building usefull devices.

 

[Marci jo]

Exercise. Do push-ups. I'm carrying a Vado and a Trance E+ with battery upstairs. Got the strength by regular long e-bike rides. A year ago (pre e-bike) I was a disabled person.

Stefan,

Do you carry both the Vado & Trance E up the stairs at the same time, one ebike under each arm? Just kidding, that would be an impressive feat!

Seriously, what does your doctor think of your improved physical condition since you got the ebikes?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Stefan,

Do you carry both the Vado & Trance E up the stairs at the same time, one ebike under each arm? Just kidding, that would be an impressive feat!

Seriously, what does your doctor think of your improved physical condition since you got the ebikes?

I stopped visiting doctor except for getting a prescription for my permanent medicines...

 

[6zfshdb]

I use my throttle to walk the bike upstairs on occasion. I understand this isn't any help in your case.

After my hip surgery, I used a PVC pipe ramp to push my conventional bikes up stairs. I cut an 8' length of 3" PVC pipe in half lengthwise, put one half inside the other and bolted them together. I cut a 3" PVC tee in half an bolted it to one end to keep the ramp from twisting. The ramp length needs to be custom fit to the staircase. You still have to push the bike but at least you don't have to lift it.

I use a similar ramp now to load bikes into my pickup truck bed rack. Pictures are available in post #3 of this thread: https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/ramp-to-roll-bike-into-car-suggestions.36978/

 

[Iridebikez]

I also live up a couple flights of stairs in an apartment building. 42lbs for an ebike doesn't sound too bad, and I agree with Stefan that some amount of strength is going to be necessary. However, I've found doing it with a rear hub motor was too awkward. After trying a few bikes, I think the best solution is a mid-drive because it puts the weight in the middle of the bike.

After that, there are two options for carrying up the stairs. The first is a bike with a top tube at a comfortable height to just lift straight up and carry (one hand on the top tube, the other on the handlebars). You need a low-ish top tube because when you're going down the stairs the rear wheel needs to be high enough off the ground to clear the (higher) stairs behind you. The second is to find a diamond-style frame with a flat top tube and get that thing over your shoulder, cyclocross style. Luckily, this seems to be a common design trait in modern bikes, particularly with aluminum frames.

Obviously ebikes will be much heavier and there is no race (feel free to rock the spandex, though!), but this is the general idea:

Both of those require a decent level of fitness, but such is the burden of living upstairs.