Trek bikes we bought.

[dodgeman]

I’m sure everyone was just on the edge of their seat on when, what, and if I was going to get an e bike. Any way I am active on a couple of other forums, tractors and cars and often people post but don’t follow up so you don’t what happened. We bought for my wife and I a pair of Trek Verve +3 step through for both of us. I tried some conventional frame bikes, I can mount them but it’s just going to get worse as I get older, I’m 59 now. I posted before about should I get a step through or not. The bike shop owner showed me a couple of techniques but they just didn’t work for me.

We bought them at Bickles in Burlington Iowa. The owner waited on us and was great, probably spent more time than when I‘ve bought cars. Of course we bought accessories, helmets, a pair of bike shorts, water bottles, hitch bike carrier etc., so we cleaned out my wallet. I tried a couple different bikes and am happy with my choice. He said it will be months before he gets more of these bikes in stock so I feel lucky to have found them within an hour drive of my house.

We have rented bikes recently, Bulls and Pedigos. Our new bikes have roughly the same boost as the Bulls, maybe a little less and a lot less than the Pedigos, but that’s not a bad thing. The Pedigos were almost like electric motor cycles. One really big plus for Trek was the smooth power delivery. The Treks are just less jerky. We rode about 7 miles before it got dark and we are pretty thrilled. It’s almost like swimming with a life vest. I know how to swim but it sure is more fun and easier with a ski vest on.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for the help.

 

[dodgeman]

Another follow up, I wasn’t sure how to transport them in my pick up. The bike shop owner talked me into a Thule Easyfold XT2 bike carrier. A very slick setup, I got a longer ramp also. When not on my truck it folds up into a compact unit. I think it will be much easier than getting them up in the bed. Not cheap though, $850 but worth it and has some anti theft features.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Congratulations, Dodgeman! Many happy miles! Besides, the Verves here are what is called Low Step, and these are even easier to mount and dismount than Step Through. (I bought my first e-bike when I was 58, so I can fully understand your choice).

I agree with you on the smooth power delivery from good mid-drive motors as the Bosch ones are. (On one of our group rides, a friend of mine tried my Specialized e-bike first, then a cheap e-bike next. He was impressed with the natural ride feeling of a good mid-drive motor compared to the jerkiness of an Ananda).

I hope you will stay with us on the EBR Forums, and I especially encourage you to take part in @David Berry's thread "2021: Our Rides"!

 

[Dallant]

Congrats Dodgeman, and best of luck with all! Get a helmet and wear it!!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Get a helmet and wear it!!

They bought helmets, no worries!

 

[Dallant]

@Latitude also is very busy on his Verve!

Trek Verve + 3 here

I just want to weigh in about the Verve + 3. It is often dismissed here as underpowered or overpriced. And that may be true, but arguably, it is not aimed at an enthusiast market such as a majority of members here. If you look at reviews on the Trek website, you will find that the Verve + 3 has...

electricbikereview.com

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

Congrats and many happy miles, Dodge! Trek makes a great ebike and their dealer network is the envy of the industry. Bickles is a long established bike shop in South East Iowa; I still have my floor mounted air pump I picked up from them in the mid 1990's when I was stationed on the river while in the USCG.

Next step: Tackling Snake Alley in Burlington. And don't forget, take plenty of pictures!

 

[dodgeman]

We got new helmets, much better ones, the Trek helmet I had been wearing was 18 to 20 years old.

We bought the bikes in Burlington but I doubt we ride there much, it’s about an hour away. In Illinois there is a pretty extensive bike trail system that runs along the Henipen (sp?) Canal that I would probably haul our bikes to first.

 

[GenXrider]

I noticed a couple people referred to "Bickles". It's actually "Bickel's".

I bought a standard Trek bike there well over a decade ago. I was in there last summer (2020) to check what they had, and they were pretty well cleaned out. I ended up waiting until Feb 2021 to get an e-bike. Haven't been to Bickel's this year.

Congrats on the new bikes and enjoy Hennepin.

 

[dodgeman]

I stand corrected, it is Bickel’s. Spelling is on of my weeknesses.

 

[dodgeman]

Note, my misspellings in my last post was intentional.

 

[Art Deco]

Note, my misspellings in my last post was intentional.

Just mind your pedaling and peddling and you're good here.

 

[LisaW]

View attachment 99607
I’m sure everyone was just on the edge of their seat on when, what, and if I was going to get an e bike. Any way I am active on a couple of other forums, tractors and cars and often people post but don’t follow up so you don’t what happened. We bought for my wife and I a pair of Trek Verve +3 step through for both of us. I tried some conventional frame bikes, I can mount them but it’s just going to get worse as I get older, I’m 59 now. I posted before about should I get a step through or not. The bike shop owner showed me a couple of techniques but they just didn’t work for me.

We bought them at Bickles in Burlington Iowa. The owner waited on us and was great, probably spent more time than when I‘ve bought cars. Of course we bought accessories, helmets, a pair of bike shorts, water bottles, hitch bike carrier etc., so we cleaned out my wallet. I tried a couple different bikes and am happy with my choice. He said it will be months before he gets more of these bikes in stock so I feel lucky to have found them within an hour drive of my house.

We have rented bikes recently, Bulls and Pedigos. Our new bikes have roughly the same boost as the Bulls, maybe a little less and a lot less than the Pedigos, but that’s not a bad thing. The Pedigos were almost like electric motor cycles. One really big plus for Trek was the smooth power delivery. The Treks are just less jerky. We rode about 7 miles before it got dark and we are pretty thrilled. It’s almost like swimming with a life vest. I know how to swim but it sure is more fun and easier with a ski vest on.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for the help.

Hi - I know this thread is older but I'm wondering how you like your Verve +3 so far. My husband and I (he's 65 and I'm 59) are looking at the Verve +2 and I'm curious as to why you chose the +3 over the +2 and if you're happy that you did. We're total newbies to all things e-bikes and very excited! Thanks!