Sub $3000 Leisure/Commuter Bike For Hilly Area [Final Choice: Priority Current]

[Art Deco]

@siqueirah, your wish list sounds a lot like mine as well as your creeping budget. . Many times in life I've talked myself out of what I really wanted and got something cheaper and often regretted it. You've obviously done your research, but here's a bike that you may have overlooked. It resembles a cruiser, had cruiser type 27.5" wide (not fat) tires, assist up to 28mph, torque sensing pedal assist, reliable Yamaha mid drive, internal 7-speed hub (no derailleur) and hydraulic disk brakes and retails for $2600. Momentum is a division of Giant sold by giant dealers. You can buy one at your Giant dealer, or order on line and it will be shipped to your nearest Giant dealer. Unlike many mail order bike companies, the bike will be assembled, tested, warrantied and serviced by your Giant dealership. I ordered mine in June and it was ready for pickup in a week. Two friends liked mine so much they each bought one and theirs arrived an 3-5 days. I've put 500 miles on mine with 97,000 feet of elevation gain (it's very hilly where I live) and I love it.

Momentum Bikes USA | City, Commuter, Electric, Step-Through Cargo Bikes

Momentum is a new brand of electric, commuter, city, step-through, cargo bikes that combine function and fun. Momentum bikes are elegant and easy to ride.

www.momentum-biking.com

That is a nice bike. I considered it ( #2 choice, actually) but the IGH put me off since I hope to travel with the bike and any shop can fix a deraillier.

 

[Achterbahn]

Live and learn! I based my thought on the bracket the motor is bolted to. I THOUGHT that bracket was proprietary - for the newer Bafang motors.
Clearly, there are others (knock offs?) that use it as well. The fact it's not a Bafang motor might be a show stopper for me. No history, and no path to parts distribution would make me nervous. Worst case I suppose, is you could buy an M600 - or an Ultra, and do a little update.....

Oh, and I don't have 4 bikes. My first 2 are putting big grins on the faces of their new owners - who purchased great bikes very reasonably.

Regarding the # of bikes - now that makes more sense!

And yes, the unknown motor is definitely a cause for concern. At least the Current has a 2-year warranty on components, but I was hoping it wouldn't come to that. Are motor failures common? I agree that if the motor fails outside of the warranty period, I'm toast. It will be impossible to get it serviced or get parts for it. Man, this is so hard!

@siqueirah, your wish list sounds a lot like mine as well as your creeping budget. . Many times in life I've talked myself out of what I really wanted and got something cheaper and often regretted it. You've obviously done your research, but here's a bike that you may have overlooked. It resembles a cruiser, had cruiser type 27.5" wide (not fat) tires, assist up to 28mph, torque sensing pedal assist, reliable Yamaha mid drive, internal 7-speed hub (no derailleur) and hydraulic disk brakes and retails for $2600. Momentum is a division of Giant sold by giant dealers. You can buy one at your Giant dealer, or order on line and it will be shipped to your nearest Giant dealer. Unlike many mail order bike companies, the bike will be assembled, tested, warrantied and serviced by your Giant dealership. I ordered mine in June and it was ready for pickup in a week. Two friends liked mine so much they each bought one and theirs arrived an 3-5 days. I've put 500 miles on mine with 97,000 feet of elevation gain (it's very hilly where I live) and I love it.

Momentum Bikes USA | City, Commuter, Electric, Step-Through Cargo Bikes

Momentum is a new brand of electric, commuter, city, step-through, cargo bikes that combine function and fun. Momentum bikes are elegant and easy to ride.

www.momentum-biking.com

Yes! I hear a lot of the same story. I am also suffering from analysis paralysis. When I think I have a model that I like and feel it's a good decision, someone brings a fault or a different model to my attention (which I'm grateful for!) and I don't know what to do anymore. Just so you have an idea, I first started looking into buying ebikes last November (as in a year ago). I was so riddled with indecision that I never bought anything.

The Momentums look great - you're referring to the Vida E+, right? I probably overlooked them because when I first saw them, my budget was much much lower. I have definitely decided that investing in quality will pay off in the long run, even if I need to sell it down the road, for example. Also, on the Vida page, there's no mention of the 28mph top speed (but I saw the specs on the Transcend page) so I probably assumed it was a Class 1 bike! Any idea how much it weighs? The idea of having a reliable motor brand and having it assembled and serviced by a Giant dealership is definitely a huge plus! I had gotten so attached to the idea of the Priority - this will be a tough choice!

Thanks again!

 

[Coolbob]

@siqueirah Scroll down a little further, past the Vita E+ to the Transend E+. They are very similar, from my memory the Vita has a few less teeth on the crankset (geared slightly lower), it's Class 1 (assist drops off at 20mph) and has slightly more swept back handlebars. the Transend is available as a standard or step-through frame and is a Class 3 (28mph) bike.

I've added larger platform pedals; a handlebar bag with doggie mace, hand sanitizer (don't want to mix those two up) a mask, lip balm and a disposable rain suit; a rear cargo rack: a seat bag with a thick cable lock, multi tool and a couple of small bungee cords and a water bottle cage (the Transend comes with bolts to attach a water bottle cage, but they are photoshopped out in the marketing photos for some reason). I weighed my bike once and I think it was about 52lbs with everything including a bottle of water. The battery weighs about 9-10lbs, so removing that before transporting the bike helps a lot.

If you have a chance, ride a Giant mid-drive. I rode a Trek mid-drive a Townie (Trek) hub drive and a Giant mountain bike. IMHO the Yamaha mid-drive on the Giant felt better integrated and natural, like riding a regular bike to me, I also like the minimalistic bike controls. I leave my bike in 'auto' mode and it makes riding pleasant, but I still get exercise. Hills feel flatter and I can toodle around with minimum effort on the flat bits, although I really like to move at a quicker pace. On my last ride it was late in the afternoon and I set out to ride at a quick clip to get income good cardio before it got dark. I don't have my phone with me to check the stats, but I did 10.4 miles at an average speed of 15mph and I glanced at my watch at one point and my pulse was 161, at one point I was in 6th gear keeping up with traffic in a 25mph zone, so how much exercise you get is up to you. You can crank up the assist and get to work nice and fresh or ride like you're in a spin class, it's up to you.

PS- remember, I'm in a very hilly area and every one of my rides includes riding down the loose gravel shoulder of a 2-lane highway for about a mile and I'm getting several short rides per charge totaling about 37-45 miles per charge.

 

[CodyDog]

"Regarding purchasing from LBS - I understand. The people from my LBS are great. I also would love to try the bike beforehand. However, I always feel like the models the LBS closest to me carries do not fit my requirements. The only have the same brand (Raleigh, Izip, Haibike) and no class 3s."

I would think there would be a Giant, Trek and Specialized dealer in the Bay Area somewhere?

 

[Achterbahn]

@siqueirah Scroll down a little further, past the Vita E+ to the Transend E+. They are very similar, from my memory the Vita has a few less teeth on the crankset (geared slightly lower), it's Class 1 (assist drops off at 20mph) and has slightly more swept back handlebars. the Transend is available as a standard or step-through frame and is a Class 3 (28mph) bike.

I've added larger platform pedals; a handlebar bag with doggie mace, hand sanitizer (don't want to mix those two up) a mask, lip balm and a disposable rain suit; a rear cargo rack: a seat bag with a thick cable lock, multi tool and a couple of small bungee cords and a water bottle cage (the Transend comes with bolts to attach a water bottle cage, but they are photoshopped out in the marketing photos for some reason). I weighed my bike once and I think it was about 52lbs with everything including a bottle of water. The battery weighs about 9-10lbs, so removing that before transporting the bike helps a lot.

If you have a chance, ride a Giant mid-drive. I rode a Trek mid-drive a Townie (Trek) hub drive and a Giant mountain bike. IMHO the Yamaha mid-drive on the Giant felt better integrated and natural, like riding a regular bike to me, I also like the minimalistic bike controls. I leave my bike in 'auto' mode and it makes riding pleasant, but I still get exercise. Hills feel flatter and I can toodle around with minimum effort on the flat bits, although I really like to move at a quicker pace. On my last ride it was late in the afternoon and I set out to ride at a quick clip to get income good cardio before it got dark. I don't have my phone with me to check the stats, but I did 10.4 miles at an average speed of 15mph and I glanced at my watch at one point and my pulse was 161, at one point I was in 6th gear keeping up with traffic in a 25mph zone, so how much exercise you get is up to you. You can crank up the assist and get to work nice and fresh or ride like you're in a spin class, it's up to you.

PS- remember, I'm in a very hilly area and every one of my rides includes riding down the loose gravel shoulder of a 2-lane highway for about a mile and I'm getting several short rides per charge totaling about 37-45 miles per charge.

Ah, that makes sense. When you mentioned cruiser, I went straight to the Vida because of the swept back handlebars. It makes sense that the Transend is the 28mph model! The weight also sounds great with all that added. Thanks for sharing your experience, it's very helpful.

"Regarding purchasing from LBS - I understand. The people from my LBS are great. I also would love to try the bike beforehand. However, I always feel like the models the LBS closest to me carries do not fit my requirements. The only have the same brand (Raleigh, Izip, Haibike) and no class 3s."

I would think there would be a Giant, Trek and Specialized dealer in the Bay Area somewhere?

There are several! I'll be honest, I hadn't considered those before because at the time I considered them to be outside of my budget and mentally ruled them out forever. Now that I've expanded it to accommodate the Priority, I might as well go give those a try! The only thing I see in SF are Specialized bikes everywhere.

 

[Quick514Biker]

Where are you now siqueirah in finding your sub-$3000 bike search? You have now tested the Giant Momentum Transend E+, & didn't like it(you mentioned in the other EBR thread that we both participated in). Maybe reconsidering and open to cadence sensor bike now?

 

[Achterbahn]

Where are you now siqueirah in finding your sub-$3000 bike search? You have now tested the Giant Momentum Transend E+, & didn't like it(you mentioned in the other EBR thread that we both participated in). Maybe reconsidering and open to cadence sensor bike now?

Hmmm - it's tough. I wouldn't say I didn't like it. It just wasn't quite what I expected. The same exact package but with more power would have been perfect - I just can't afford it lol. I still much prefer the more natural feel of torque sensor versus cadence. Since they're not nearly as powerful as I expected, I just don't understand where's the value for the money paid. Maybe if it had a Bafang Ultra...

 

[AHicks]

Back to Rize and one of their Ultra equipped bikes?

 

[Quick514Biker]

Back to Rize and one of their Ultra equipped bikes?

What's the weight of the Rize RX? I can't find the information at this point. That could be a issue for the OP.

 

[Achterbahn]

What's the weight of the Rize RX? I can't find the information at this point. That could be a issue for the OP.

It's under Specs - 64 pounds w/ battery... a bit heavy indeed, but I guess if you are going to have a 1000W motor you will need more battery or you will have a 10 mile range lol

Back to Rize and one of their Ultra equipped bikes?

Honestly, not sure - I don't particularly like how they look, but I guess I can't be picky about everything and still expect to pay sub $3000. I enjoy the polish found on the Giant (and the Priority, for that matter), but I guess you can't have both. At this point, I really don't know what I want to do anymore. I wish I lived somewhere flat!

 

[john peck]

It looks like you are only looking at internet only bikes. Those are great for a second or third bike, but if you aren't already skilled at both riding and repairing, they are often likely to end up unused in the garage for various reasons.. don't fit, can't fix, wrong bike for use case, etc. 2 cents.

Anything under $1500 will probably require mechanical knowledge sooner or later. that´s okay if you have it, frustrating if you don´t.
(or even if you do sometimes)

 

[Art Deco]

I feel your frustration. At the price these things go for you should get more it seems. But in the end, budget rules over features (for me anyway). Same advice about taking some more rides applies. You mentioned that there were Specialized, Trek, and Cannondale dealers close to you IIRC. A trip to a Trek shop will allow you to try a Townie as well on the same stop. And I'd be remiss if I didn't suggest riding a Specialized, even though the list price will be higher. I got quotes from Giant, Specialized, and Trek once I'd dialed in the price range and there was only a $100 differance on two bikes once display, lights, fenders, and rack were included.

 

[Quick514Biker]

When you rode the Giant Momentum Transend E+ going up the hills, were in the lower gear(you need to do that, so the Yamaha motor could help you the most)? Don't keep at a higher gear.

 

[Achterbahn]

Anything under $1500 will probably require mechanical knowledge sooner or later. that´s okay if you have it, frustrating if you don´t.
(or even if you do sometimes)

Exactly - and that's the polish aspect that I enjoyed about these bikes. More reliable and durable. Parts work better together.

I feel your frustration. At the price these things go for you should get more it seems. But in the end, budget rules over features (for me anyway). Same advice about taking some more rides applies. You mentioned that there were Specialized, Trek, and Cannondale dealers close to you IIRC. A trip to a Trek shop will allow you to try a Townie as well on the same stop. And I'd be remiss if I didn't suggest riding a Specialized, even though the list price will be higher. I got quotes from Giant, Specialized, and Trek once I'd dialed in the price range and there was only a $100 differance on two bikes once display, lights, fenders, and rack were included.

I intend to do that! I am away from home right now - just happened to be close to a bike shop that had a Transcend (and only that!). It was very convenient.

Once I'm back, I'll go exploring those!

When you rode the Giant Momentum Transend E+ going up the hills, were in the lower gear(you need to do that, so the Yamaha motor could help you the most)? Don't keep at a higher gear.

Right. First off, my gear game needs severe improvement. I was trying to avoid the cars, while going up and figuring out the feel for the bike. I was definitely in a lower gear, but not the lowest. I give credit to the bike when credit is due - I made it up the hill, which I wouldn't have on a regular bike due to my sad shape and lack of experience. I just expected it to be a more effortless experience. Maybe it was silly of me.

 

[Art Deco]

Exactly - and that's the polish aspect that I enjoyed about these bikes. More reliable and durable. Parts work better together.

At least you are learning what compromises you can live with. In my case I dropped the class 3 to a class 1 requirement to drop the price range. I don't miss the extra speed at all, and I don't need to worry about over regulated bike trails, either.

 

[Achterbahn]

Another point that is highly overlooked by people like me, who are going for their first e-bike and need to watch their budget, and this goes back to what all of you had told me, is serviceability.

I have talked to multiple LBS about paying for assembly of an online e-bike or assembling it myself and having (paying!) them do a final check on the soundness of the bike. To me surprise, the majority of them were borderline hostile to that idea. Responses ranged from not answering my question at all, saying not to buy a bike online, to saying they won't do it, to long rants against online e-bike brands. I understand not wanting to work on the electronics of an unknown bike, but many of them refused to service the bike at all. Although I understand where this is coming from, I was definitely surprised by the attitude.

Given the situation, it seems that unless you buy local (best option) you should either go ultra cheap (and just buy another when it inevitably breaks) or spend the extra bucks and pray to all the gods that it lasts a long time, while you take bike maintenance classes on the side

 

[Art Deco]

Park Tools videos are your friend.

 

[Quick514Biker]

Another point that is highly overlooked by people like me, who are going for their first e-bike and need to watch their budget, and this goes back to what all of you had told me, is serviceability.

I have talked to multiple LBS about paying for assembly of an online e-bike or assembling it myself and having (paying!) them do a final check on the soundness of the bike. To me surprise, the majority of them were borderline hostile to that idea. Responses ranged from not answering my question at all, saying not to buy a bike online, to saying they won't do it, to long rants against online e-bike brands. I understand not wanting to work on the electronics of an unknown bike, but many of them refused to service the bike at all. Although I understand where this is coming from, I was definitely surprised by the attitude.

Given the situation, it seems that unless you buy local (best option) you should either go ultra cheap (and just buy another when it inevitably breaks) or spend the extra bucks and pray to all the gods that it lasts a long time, while you take bike maintenance classes on the side

Yep, almost exactly word for word I was going to tell you. That's in addition what others have said before. It's best to test yourself as many bikes until you find the e-bike that's best for you. I'm in a much tougher situation in Canada, looking for a Class 3 bike. None of the major mid-motor brands are willing to have speed bikes with their motors to be sold in Canada at any LBS. Yes, I can buy Class 3 bikes to purchase online(or not available in any LBS like Rize), but I can't test any locally. I can find Stromer 28mph bikes at local bike shops here in Montreal, but it's too expensive.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Turbo Como 3.0 for the comfort, Turbo Vado 3.0 for speed. Vado can be made less aggressive if needed.

 

[Achterbahn]

Turbo Como 3.0 for the comfort, Turbo Vado 3.0 for speed. Vado can be made less aggressive if needed.

Agreed. Unfortunately, finding a Turbo Como 3.0 at a LBS nowadays is easier said than done.