Trunkable/folding, long distance (60 mile?) Ebike thats light (sub 50lbs) with throttle??

[The duke]

I earlier posted a thread considering getting an escooter. I do a 20 mile round trip commute that's relatively hilly. I now use a mid drive emtb, and even with max assist, the hills are working my 50-something leg muscles.

I find myself fattigued and not looking forward to commuting after doing it daily for 7 months, and Ive lost the desire to go out and ride or explore on my mountain bike the way I used to on weekends.

Then the holidays rolled around and I had a few mid-week days off. It was so refreshing. I enjoyed riding to work the next day....felt refreshed. I decided I wanted to take Wednesdays off from peddling from now on.

I'm looking for an ebike that a 200lb person can go 20 hilly miles with throttle only. To be safe, that would mean a 50-60mile stated range. It'll be my rainy day ride to get me a mile to the bus stop, so it must be able to fold small enough to carry onto the bus. It should also be small enough for the trunks of my kind co workers who offer me a ride home on the rare SoCal rainy days.

I got the crap flamed out of me for suggesting an escooter. I was told I'd probably end up dead, either from a pothole to the tiny scooter wheel or from the drivers who apparently dont see escooters on the road. So hopefully I can get some good suggestions for a compact ebike?

 

[FlatSix911]

Here are a few suggestions... good luck with your search.

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[6zfshdb]

You've got a difficult search going here. Most throttled folding bikes have hub drives which, for the most part, are less capable on hills than your mid drive emtb. Even at full throttle, depending on the slope, I don't think your leg muscles will get much of a break. The throttle will give you a rest on the flats though.

It is possible a hub drive will work well enough on the slopes you encounter. The only way to know for sure is to test ride one on a hill to get a feel for how it performs.

Of the few folders available with mid drive, even fewer have throttles. This is one I'm aware of:

Electric Bikes With Free Shipping & 4-Year Warranty | EVELO

Browse our great selection of electric trail bikes, tricycles, and folding bikes. Get FREE shipping, 0% financing, and a 21-day at-home trial with Evelo.

www.evelo.com

Here are reviews on some popular folding bikes for 2019 which might be of help:

Zip Around Town and Save Storage Space With One of These Foldable E-Bikes

These zippy electric bikes fit just about anywhere.

www.bicycling.com

 

[harryS]

Here's a bike that can do what you want. Mid drive BBS02. That will handle any hills, A reviewer went 24 miles on flat ground, throttle only, on the Luna Mosso, using the 52V6AH Luna Mini battery. Watch the video in the lower right corner. They have different batteries now.

Luna Folding Ebike

Distributors and builders of life changing electric bikes.

lunacycle.com

 

[tomjasz]

Well, that's a clumsy affair from Luna. Perhaps kitting a bike with a BBS02B or a BBSHD. BUT battery size for 60 miles seems the tougher requirement to sort.

 

[The duke]

Here are a few suggestions... good luck with your search.

Review: GOTRAX Shift S1 folding e-bike is a fun little $799 commuter electric bicycle

GOTRAX is more commonly known for their popular and inexpensive line of electric scooters. But the company has recently moved...

electrek.co

Review: The E-JOE EPIK SE ebike is a foldable crotch rocket

2018 E-JOE EPIK SE Sport Edition Electric Folding Bike 500-700W/48V – under $1500 50lb foldable bike with enormous range and power,...

electrek.co

Review: RadMini folding electric fat bike offers high power at a low cost

While fat-tire bikes can be a blast to ride, their big wheels can make them tough to lug around. But...

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Blix Vika+ folding electric bike review: A stylish and punchy commuter e-bike

The Blix Vika+ is a folding electric bike that combines fancy styling with deceptive power. Don’t let its elegant appearance...

electrek.co

First ride: 28 MPH and $899 Lectric XP e-bike combines high speed and low cost

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Thanks for the suggestions! I'm not sure any of these would get 200lb me through 20 hilly miles. My BH with a 700w battery has only about 15-20% battery remaining after doing it, and that's with pedal assist. If I wanted to give my legs a break and go all throttle, I'm doubtful I could make it.

 

[FlatSix911]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm not sure any of these would get 200lb me through 20 hilly miles. My BH with a 700w battery has only about 15-20% battery remaining after doing it, and that's with pedal assist. If I wanted to give my legs a break and go all throttle, I'm doubtful I could make it.

Here is another option if you can give up the throttle and go with an efficient mid-drive with the power and range to climb hills.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...icycles/ebikes-electric-folding-bikes-ef3.htm

 

[The duke]

Here is another option if you can give up the throttle and go with an efficient mid-drive with the power and range to climb hills.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products...icycles/ebikes-electric-folding-bikes-ef3.htm

View attachment 43488

I've already got a mid drive ebike, a BH Atom X. The point was my aching legs (even with max assist) wanting a break mid week. Dont get me wrong, I can and have been riding daily for the past 7 months, but it's starting to feel relentless and I'm longing for a day off.

When you long NOT to be on your bicycle, it's time to change something up. I'd like to do NO peddling on wednesdays.

 

[vincent]

This is a tough one, I agree this probably needs to be a a diy built bike

A BBS02 or a BBSHD is nothing like the mid drive you have now, these are completely different beast

it comes with the throttle and can be tuned to be much more powerful, at least that’s my understanding

if I was trying to do this I would build probably a 1000 W BBSO2 you should be able to lightly pedal something like that and not tax yourself or use throttle the whole way with a decent size battery

when you say folder does it have to be like a 20 inch tire folder or can you go with like 26?

A lot of people have done paratrooper conversions that fold and they put the BBSO2 or HD on them
But they have the bigger tires, I don’t know if that matters

i’m excited to see what you come up with

 

[vincent]

The more I think about it the paratrooper seems like the better bike for you, I’m sure some of these other guys that know more will chime in but you need bigger tires to go that far and that’s been done a few times times and I would think it would be relatively easy to find somebody to do a kit

 

[The duke]

This is a tough one, I agree this probably needs to be a a diy built bike

A BBS02 or a BBSHD is nothing like the mid drive you have now, these are completely different beast

it comes with the throttle and can be tuned to be much more powerful, at least that’s my understanding

if I was trying to do this I would build probably a 1000 W BBSO2 you should be able to lightly pedal something like that and not tax yourself or use throttle the whole way with a decent size battery

when you say folder does it have to be like a 20 inch tire folder or can you go with like 26?

A lot of people have done paratrooper conversions that fold and they put the BBSO2 or HD on them
But they have the bigger tires, I don’t know if that matters

i’m excited to see what you come up with

Thanks for the advice. A paratrooper conversion would be awesome, but it's not something I'd be able to fit on a bus or in a co-worker's car on the 10-12 rainy days we get per year here in SoCal.

Honestly, I'm considering an escooter - the Emove Cruiser.

1,352 kWh battery! 50+ mile real world range. 25mph top speed with a 600w motor and 50lb weight. On wednesdays, I could ride it (I think) for my whole 20 mile round trip. On rainy days, I could ride it the mile to a bus stop, then fold it and bring it onboard. It would also fit in co-workers' trunks when they offer me rides home. I know it definitely feels less safe, but I dont think there's an ebike that checks all the boxes.

 

[vincent]

I think the scooter sounds great
Will it have that range doing a bunch of hills? I know nothing about scooters

Why can’t you take the paratrooper on the bus? Don’t they all have racks?
The car situation I don’t know about , guess it depends on how small the trooper folds

Let us know how the scooter does

 

[tomjasz]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm not sure any of these would get 200lb me through 20 hilly miles. My BH with a 700w battery has only about 15-20% battery remaining after doing it, and that's with pedal assist. If I wanted to give my legs a break and go all throttle, I'm doubtful I could make it.

My Zizzo folder is rated for 300 LB. My BBS01B 250W fits very nicely. The frame is such that the motor rides nice and high. I'm using a really nice keyed nylon battery bag on. the rear rack. But I'll be running small batteries as it won't be used for any long rides. A BBSHD would be a quick bike!

 

[tomjasz]

A BBS02 or a BBSHD is nothing like the mid drive you have now, these are completely different beast

Quite different. The BBSHD is almost clown pedaling in upper levels of assist. Mine will run near 30MPH on a seven-speed in 3rd or 4th gear. around 33-35MPH standard 1000W setup which peaks around 1500W

a 1000 W BBSO2

Um, no such animal 750W and somewhat sensitive to being overworked. In this case, the BBSHD is the superior motor.

 

[harryS]

So everyone agrees now that the Bafang mid drives can throttle you thru those hills on a folder? Granted, Luna made a really ugly battery implementation. They had a better looking solution with the original Luna Mini than what they use now.

I don't see how standing for 20 miles on a scooter is relaxing.

 

[tomjasz]

So everyone agrees now that the Bafang mid drives can throttle you thru those hills on a folder?

God morning Harry! Not sure how to read that? Sarcasm or? Thanks!

 

[tomjasz]

BBSHD 15% grade all throttle 48V battery 42T x 20T, 12MPH, ALL DAY LONG....
5% grades at 22MPH, no problem.

Motor Simulator - Tools

Our ebike motor simulator allows you to easily simulate the different performance characteristics of different ebike setups - with a wide selection of hub motors modeled, and the ability to add custom batteries and controllers and set a wide variety of vehicle parameters you'll be able to see...

www.ebikes.ca

 

[michael mitchell]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record: bus=Brompton. Get a 2 speed version, and the Grin kit. You can put whatever size battery you want in the front bag. I run a 48V 19.2 battery inside the S-Bag, and that consistenly gets me to 27mph on throttle. I live in a very hilly area (Seattle), and only require light pedaling on grades >10%. I can do a 23 mile round trip with no problem.

 

[camdon44]

Check out the BPM F-15RS. Fat tire, folding, 1000W, 21AH, torque assist... I'm not sure what the range is, but with this setup it should do at least 30 miles. Can you recharge it before the return home?

 

[FlatSix911]

Take a look at the specs on this folding bike...

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Magnum Premium 48 High Step

• Model: Magnum Bikes Premium 48 High Step
• Suggested Use: Commuting, Urban, Neighborhood
• Warranty: 1 Year

Electronic Details:

• Motor: 8Fun Rear-Mounted Geared Hub 500 watt
• Battery: Samsung 18650 – 48 volt 13 ah ( 624 wh) – Lithium Nickel Cobalt Manganese (Li-NCM)
• Estimated Charge Time / Estimated Range: 6 hrs / 25 to 55 miles
• Display Type / Readouts: Fixed Backlit Monochrome LCD / Power (Current), Battery Level (6 Bars), Speed, Assist Level (0-6), Odometer, Trip Distance, Trip Time
• Drive Modes: Cadence Sensing Pedal Assist, Trigger Throttle
• Top Speed: 24 mph with PAS (20 mph throttle only)

Bicycle Details:

• Total Weight/ Battery Weight: 55 lbs / 10 lbs
• Frame Type: High Step / Folding
• Frame Material: 6061 Aluminum Alloy
• Stem: Tool-Free Adjustable Height
• Brakes: Tektro Front and Rear Mechanical Disc with 180 mm Front Rotor and 160 mm Rear Rotor, Tektro Levers with Motor Inhibitor
• Grips / Saddle: Faux Leather / Selle Royal Wide Gel Comfort
• Stem / Handlebar: Tool-Free Adjustable Height (Three Locking Positions) / Folding, Flat
• Seatpost / Seatpost Diameter: Promax / 27.2 mm
• Tires: CST 20″ x 2.15″ / 20 in (66.04 cm ) / Kevlar Lined, Reflective Sidewall Stripe / Schrader Valve
• Folded Dimensions: 14 x 33 x 33″