The Best Electric Bikes for Small People

[Mike_V]

FYI: Electric Bike Company offers 24" wheels, battery and motor features, assembled in USA, warranty and
your custom colors.

 

[TomD]

Glad to help. Here is another option for the iZip at Crazy Lenny's

iZIP TRLZ Low Step $1,199

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Not sure I would be suggesting 250W rear hubs given her criteria of "decent power" and "good on some steep neighborhood hills"

 

[TomD]

a color other than white

White makes a good primer for painting. If you call them Lenny's will likely discount the BH Atom Street for under $2K shipped including suspension seat post, assuming they have any left.

BH Atom Street | BH Bikes USA | eBikes | Commuter Bike

This is the bike for you ifYou are looking for an electric bike with an integrated battery, with the geometry of conventional bikes and a long range -

www.crazylennysebikes.com

It fit another woman your height. This is a mid drive so you can shift to a lower gear to help out the motor on hills. No throttle but you don't need it. Just apply pressure with your feet instead of your thumb.

 

[FlatSix911]

April/May 2020
I'm 5'2" ,have a 30" inseam, and a petite female (under 120lbs). Looking for my first e-bike but don't want to break the bank until I know I love it.
I'm looking for something with both throttle and pedal assist. My max is $2000 but prefer less. Here are my criteria:
Must haves

• $1500-2000 max
• tailored to my size,
• some decent power
• not too rickety on gravel
• step-thru or foldover
• a sportier look
• good on some steep neighborhood hills
• Atlanta metro shop/dealer to address issues if any

Should haves:

• a color other than white
• not too heavy
• storage rack
• fenders,
• water bottle holder

Have done a ton of research and started with the internet bikes like Rad Power, Super73, and others etc and realized that is not the way to go. Spoke to a few bike shops and bike aficionados and was steered towards the following for my size, in particular:

1. Magnum Classic II Low Step,
2. Magnum Ui5
3. Pedego 24" Interceptor

My rub with the Magnum is that it looked like a scooter and not sporty enough. Should I get over this? I really like the Pedego but it is just out of the budget for a first e-bike. Was then steered towards iZip/Raleigh but it seems like they only have one or two that are made for petite women. Researching those is how I found this group. I considered buying online and having it sent to me but was steered against that for multiples reasons. I know I should try it out for size, fit and comfort.

Pre-owned/ Pre-loved is an option (especially since it is a first ebike) but even a pre-owned Pedego is expensive for this first timer. I'm looking for a top 5 list based on the above criteria. Thanks in advance!

If your budget allows, I would highly recommend upgrading to a mid-drive bike with a stronger motor for climbing hills and better controls.
Bikes Direct has a really nice step-thru model with a Shimano mid-drive motor with hydraulic brakes, rack, fenders and integrated battery for $1,799.

Save Up to 60% Off eBikes LTD QTYS of these 29er eBikes Electric Adventure Hybrid Urban/City bikes 2020 Motobecane Elite eUrban with Shimano E5000 / E6010M Electric MidDrive 29er Front Suspension Mountain eBikes Shimano M6000 Hydraulic Disc Brakes Advanced Lockout SunTour 100mm Forks | Save up to 60% off list prices on new Electric bicycles

 

[Somm68]

It's at the upper end of your budget but look at the Tern Vektron D7i, says it fits riders from 5' 3" and it doesn't have a throttle which might rule it out for you, your nearest Tern dealer appears to be in Clemson, SC which is a ways to drive for a test ride. My wife really liked the adjustable handlebar stem on a test ride.

Definitely looking For a throttle and local support but thank you. It seems that 5’3” is where most Small sizes start...or am i missing something?

 

[Katysax]

I am 5’3.5”. I bought an ebike last July (not my first but my first of the current generation). The bike I bought was a Veego Semi-fat. A folding low step design. I have done a lot of riding in my life and I can do a lot of my own maintenance and repairs but don’t always want to. Between Veego phone support, my meager skills and my local bike shop I’ve done fine. I would not recommend this bike if you arent comfortable diagnosing issues or doing brake or derailleur adjustments. However, I do recommend the form factor. The small wheeled fat tired bikes are terrific if you are of short stature. It’s very easy to dial in the exact seat to handlebar ratio you need. The bikes are easy to transport and easy to mount and dismount.

I love Tern bikes. They are a bit pricey and they are not as low step or adjustable as my Veego. The bike I would recommend is the Rad mini step-thru. Not sold through a local shop but support available from Velofix. Also, Rad bikes are everywhere and a lot of local shops have some experience with them. The bike will do everything you want.

Don’t get too hung up on the motor for your first bike. I have a mid motor Specialized and I still have the Veego. In the past I’ve had a Bafang mid motor and a couple of hub bikes. I’ve also ridden but not owned other mid motor bikes. Any bike of the current generation will do fine on local hills. Other than that I could write a few hundred pages on the differences, similarities, advantages and disadvantages of different motor types. Once you are on the bike and riding you’ll be experiencing riding, not the motor.

Racks, fenders and bottle holders are easy to add if they don’t come on the bike.

I don’t own a Rad but there are good reasons they are so popular. They hit the right price point. They offer a good balance of features and capabilities. Alternatively, look at what your local vendors sell. My main point is look at the low step folders.

 

[Somm68]

I am 5’3.5”. I bought an ebike last July (not my first but my first of the current generation). The bike I bought was a Veego Semi-fat. A folding low step design. I have done a lot of riding in my life and I can do a lot of my own maintenance and repairs but don’t always want to. Between Veego phone support, my meager skills and my local bike shop I’ve done fine. I would not recommend this bike if you arent comfortable diagnosing issues or doing brake or derailleur adjustments. However, I do recommend the form factor. The small wheeled fat tired bikes are terrific if you are of short stature. It’s very easy to dial in the exact seat to handlebar ratio you need. The bikes are easy to transport and easy to mount and dismount.

I love Tern bikes. They are a bit pricey and they are not as low step or adjustable as my Veego. The bike I would recommend is the Rad mini step-thru. Not sold through a local shop but support available from Velofix. Also, Rad bikes are everywhere and a lot of local shops have some experience with them. The bike will do everything you want.

Don’t get too hung up on the motor for your first bike. I have a mid motor Specialized and I still have the Veego. In the past I’ve had a Bafang mid motor and a couple of hub bikes. I’ve also ridden but not owned other mid motor bikes. Any bike of the current generation will do fine on local hills. Other than that I could write a few hundred pages on the differences, similarities, advantages and disadvantages of different motor types. Once you are on the bike and riding you’ll be experiencing riding, not the motor.

Racks, fenders and bottle holders are easy to add if they don’t come on the bike.

I don’t own a Rad but there are good reasons they are so popular. They hit the right price point. They offer a good balance of features and capabilities. Alternatively, look at what your local vendors sell. My main point is look at the low step folders.

no opposed to the folder....just so many factors to consider....i would not be able to diagnose issues and am unfamiliar with making adjustments to a bike.

 

[Somm68]

White makes a good primer for painting. If you call them Lenny's will likely discount the BH Atom Street for under $2K shipped including suspension seat post, assuming they have any left.

BH Atom Street | BH Bikes USA | eBikes | Commuter Bike

This is the bike for you ifYou are looking for an electric bike with an integrated battery, with the geometry of conventional bikes and a long range -

www.crazylennysebikes.com

It fit another woman your height. This is a mid drive so you can shift to a lower gear to help out the motor on hills. No throttle but you don't need it. Just apply pressure with your feet instead of your thumb.

My main reason for the throttle is to give it that motorcycle feel...even if f slight. Have not heard of this one. Will take a look.

Not sure I would be suggesting 250W rear hubs given her criteria of "decent power" and "good on some steep neighborhood hills"

what would be the minimum power i should be looking at? I definitely like the integrated battery style. This one is not bad as a white bike. My reasoning for not wanting white is b/c my current bicycle is a white Trek 7 speed that I did not pick out myself. Color is good

 

[Somm68]

Also, several of you mentioned mid drive. Why is that preferable?

 

[Somm68]

FYI: Electric Bike Company offers 24" wheels, battery and motor features, assembled in USA, warranty and
your custom colors.

Did you mean the Model X, or Model R? https://electricbikecompany.com/comparison-chart/

 

[Dewey]

Did you mean the Model X, or Model R? https://electricbikecompany.com/comparison-chart/

I just queried this over IM chat with the Electric Bike Company and their Model M is the same as the Model Y but with 24" wheels. But they said they could convert their other models too eg Model X. Looks a good choice! Court gave a complementary review of the Model Y

 

[FlatSix911]

Also, several of you mentioned mid drive. Why is that preferable?

This should help... a good discussion of all of the pros and cons.

Electric bicycle hub motors vs mid-drive motors: Which should be on your next e-bike?

Electric bicycles are becoming increasingly popular forms of two-wheeled electric transportation for both commuting and pleasure riding. The two most...

electrek.co

TLDR... Mid-drive motors were designed to improve upon a number of shortcomings found in hub motors.

The single largest advantage that mid-motors have over hub motors is their gear ratio. They allow the rider to power the rear wheel via the same chain and gear set as the pedals, which means that a low gear can be selected for powering up steep hills or accelerating from a stop with massive torque. A mid-drive motor in low gear can climb steeper hills than a hub motor of similar power, and can climb hills for longer than a hub motor, which could overheat on long steep hill climbs.

A mid-drive motor is also usually smaller and lighter than a hub motor of similar power. Bafang recently debuted a new line of mid-drive motors for racing bikes that weigh only 5 lbs (2.3 kg). Smaller and lighter mid-drive motors are often stealthier because they can be incorporated directly into the bicycle’s frame. Many people don’t even realize that a mid-motor bike is an electric bike just by looking at it. Changing a tire on a mid-drive motor e-bike is much easier, since you don’t have a heavy hub motor to deal with. You just change it out like on a normal pedal bike. Plus, since you can use normal bicycle wheels, you have the freedom to use any wheels, tires and cassettes that you wish.

Lastly, mid-drive motors allow the use of true torque sensors for pedal assist systems, which regulate the motor power based on how hard you push on the pedals as measured at the crank. Hub motors often rely on cadence sensors for pedal assist, which only regulate motor speed based on pedal speed, and can cause jerky or awkward motor timing, especially when hill climbing or moving the bicycle around obstacles.