The search begins.

[DouglasB]

The wife and I went looking at Ebikes yesterday. We didn't test drive any yet but saw the Trek and Specialized models. Both seemed like well built pieces of equipment but the Specialized took the show with their aesthetically pleasing designs and competent feel. We particularly liked the Specialized Vado. The Como looked nice as well, I hear it's very comfortable. I'm 70 and she's 65 so we aren't spring chickens any more but are very phycically active, walking 3 miles a day and riding our road bikes whenever the sun is out. She rides horses as well, so it's not like we are getting them because we are declining in our abilities, we just want something for errands and commuting. We were both very impressed with how the Specialized looked and felt comapred to the Trek. Can anyone think of anything else we should be looking at in that price range for our purposes ($3,000)? We are looking for a touring/commute bike with fenders and a rack. The Evelo Delta X also looks interesting.

 

[indianajo]

Welcome to the site.
I looked at the specialized turbo vado 3.0 that court reviewed. 250 w mid motor bike class 1 limited to 20 mph. You're riders so I'm sure you know how to pick the height and frame you want. Class 1 gets you on heavily supervised bike paths in the east legally, but won't pull you across a busy intersection with maximum acceleration because there is no throttle. 250 w is okay for very light people especially with a 10 speed rear cassette going down to 40t, but won't help you a lot up steep hills. I wouldn't buy that low power around here, but I have 15% grades to deal with and I carry 50 lb supplies sometimes. 36 v 12.5 AH battery might get you 40 miles 90%-10% regular charge. when new and once a quarter you go to full charge.
A mid motor buys you a tow truck or lift from a friend if something fails. You can't really pedal them unpowered. I ride mostly unpowered, only use the electricity on very bad headwinds or distances over 27 miles. So I prefer a geared hub motor, which doesn't drag unpowered. You may prefer to ride your older bikes if going unpowered. Mid motors can have better feel than hub motors, torque sensing mid-motors are especially natural feeling with power and the turbo vado has that.
I like the exercise of running my errands on the bike unpowered, but having some help into a 41 mph wind (like yesterday here). I'm age 68 and the cardiologist said my heart "had nothing wrong" before my shoulder surgery. So I think struggling a bit is fun and necessary.
Regular MTB frame, I've had trouble with a heavy basket on the rear making a MTB front skid on obstructions and gravel. I go over the handlebars onto my chin when that happens. If your load is 20 lb or less, you might not need a heavy basket. Your load may be more balanced. I ride the stretch frame left which puts my weight on the front wheel & the supplies on the back. available from yubabikes, xtracycle, rad cycle. That frame hasn't pitched me off yet, 1 year experience in 2 weeks.
I can't help on the trek, court doesn't review them since they won't pay.
Have fun shopping.

 

[DouglasB]

Welcome to the site.
I looked at the specialized turbo vado 3.0 that court reviewed. 250 w mid motor bike class 1 limited to 20 mph. You're riders so I'm sure you know how to pick the height and frame you want. Class 1 gets you on heavily supervised bike paths in the east legally, but won't pull you across a busy intersection with maximum acceleration because there is no throttle. 250 w is okay for very light people especially with a 10 speed rear cassette going down to 40t, but won't help you a lot up steep hills. I wouldn't buy that low power around here, but I have 15% grades to deal with and I carry 50 lb supplies sometimes. 36 v 12.5 AH battery might get you 40 miles 90%-10% regular charge. when new and once a quarter you go to full charge.
A mid motor buys you a tow truck or lift from a friend if something fails. You can't really pedal them unpowered. I ride mostly unpowered, only use the electricity on very bad headwinds or distances over 27 miles. So I prefer a geared hub motor, which doesn't drag unpowered. You may prefer to ride your older bikes if going unpowered. Mid motors can have better feel than hub motors, torque sensing mid-motors are especially natural feeling with power and the turbo vado has that.
I like the exercise of running my errands on the bike unpowered, but having some help into a 41 mph wind (like yesterday here). I'm age 68 and the cardiologist said my heart "had nothing wrong" before my shoulder surgery. So I think struggling a bit is fun and necessary.
Regular MTB frame, I've had trouble with a heavy basket on the rear making a MTB front skid on obstructions and gravel. I go over the handlebars onto my chin when that happens. If your load is 20 lb or less, you might not need a heavy basket. Your load may be more balanced. I ride the stretch frame left which puts my weight on the front wheel & the supplies on the back. available from yubabikes, xtracycle, rad cycle. That frame hasn't pitched me off yet, 1 year experience in 2 weeks.
I can't help on the trek, court doesn't review them since they won't pay.
Have fun shopping.

Thanks for the input. I just called the shop and it was a the Specialized 3.0 that we were looking at. It has a top speed of 28 mph. The sales person seemed pretty knowledgable and said that the 250 Bros Turbo, mid drive motor on the bike was plenty to haul my 200 lbs up hills. I don't need a throttle. What we want the bikes for is riding into town on errands, probably 20 or so miles round trip. Right out of our driveway is a short but very steep hill. We can do it on our road bikes but it requires standing up on the pedals (no motors). We aren't getting them for exercise but see them more as fun transportation. We expect to peddal them but don't want to huff and puff. There are plenty of hills around here. We get plenty of exercise elsewhere.