Trying to decide on my first ebike

[tedya]

Hi Members. Am new to the forum and am looking to buy my first ebike. I'm not a bicycle novice by any means but am new to the ebike scene.
I have a couple of questions/thoughts and am wondering how you folks feel or what you have experienced.
1) When it comes to the budget (no-name) China ebikes ($1,000 to $3,000) at the warehouses here where I live, why are 90% of them all fat-tire bikes?
Brands like Troxus, Mokwheel, Magicycle, Magnum, etc. I don't see the need for fat-tire unless you are riding on sand at the beach or on snow-covered trails/roads. One of the sales people actually told me they are fat-tire to handle the weight of the bike. I can't buy a bike from a shop where I'm told that. That is ridiculous.
2) Are people (businesses) just ordering from China and white-labeling them here in the states?
I have explored numerous brands and have found that 90% of them are all the same with a couple of tweaks here and there. Colors and component options. The frames look exactly the same for the most part.
3) Are the budget bikes worth it or am I going to regret buying one down the road?
They all seem to have the rock-bottom level components like Shimano Tourney or Altus transmissions and either cheap mechanical or very entry-level hydraulic brakes (Tektro or white-labeled ones from China)Some have white-labeled motors or Bafang motored hub drives. The few mid-drive ones in the budget category seem to be extremely underpowered, saving on cost.
I really am only looking to spend up to $2,500 in the budget category so I really can't have very high expectations but the budget bikes all seem to be WAY overpriced for what you get. I feel these budget bikes are nowhere near worth the price tag. If I end up buying one of these budget bikes, am I just buying a piece of junk?
What have others experienced?
Thanks!

 

[Ben J]

My post was specifically about my Aventure.2 but it spawned some general discussion of fat tire bikes: https://forums.electricbikereview.com/threads/reasons-not-to-buy-an-aventure-2.52810/

 

[indianajo]

Roger the inutility of fat tire bikes. They drag more than 55 psi tire bikes, making unpowered ride very difficult. Note the 30 or 25 psi limit on the tires. Waste of watthours if you do not ride in powder snow or on a beach with fluffy sand. Some posters have complained of poor streering of fat tire bikes.
Suspect the spokes & cables of <$1200 e-bikes to be of same quality of the three $200 MTB's I owned (used). Spokes and cables stretch, needing frequent adjustments. I had no idea how trouble free derailleurs & hand brakes could be until I bought my yuba, which does not need adjustments of those parts. One yuba brake caliper requires 1000 mile adjustment for wear of pad, but not the cables. Pacific brand MTB cranks were plastic, which wore out in 5000 miles, and could not be removed. A Pacific rear axle came unscrewed and dropped the balls on the road. It had to be pushed home. The diamondback MTB rear axle broke in two under my elephantine 180 lb body.
I have owned some tiny brand hub motors. The gears of one wore out at ~4500 miles, which is not amazing but okay for $300. Never lost a bearing but had to tighten screws on the end about annually. Blue loktite did not help. Bargain controller in that $300 kit had no heat connection between the bar the mosfets were mounted on and the ribbed aluminum case. I corrected that and got about 8000 miles out of it.
I fInd it odd the vast array of junk in your market. In my metroplex we have one shop with a dozen Pedego (good reputation), and another shop with 6 Giant ebikes, also reputable. That is all. Maybe two used ebikes a month on craigslist. I am starting to see one fat tire 20" wheel ebike a week on the street, usually ridden by a young guy without a helmet wearing black or dark grey. These guys do not pedal, ride on the wrong side of the road, and do not stop for signs or traffic lights.

 

[nutdriver]

I would recommend that you look at bikes that can be supported locally. It sounds like you do not have a need for a fat tire bike. There are some good discounts available on bikes such as Trek and others. I have limited personal experience with Mokwheel but my son did. The bike is very heavy and the support has not been good. He has a relatively minor but annoying problem with the bike and has given up on getting the needed parts. He literally has to text their support line during the normal sleeping hours. The language barrier is significant, and they do not seem to have the ability to understand or at least provide any useful information.

 

[Dewey]

I second the recommendation to buy from a shop that will support the bike. Recently I bought a RadExpand 5, I had a local ebike dealer assemble the bike because they will service it and do any warranty work needed, if anything goes wrong I can just fold it to transport it in a car to the shop. Some brands can be ordered through mobile vans like Velofix that come to your house. If you choose to buy direct check the reputation of the brand for customer service, I nearly bought a Radio Flyer folding model because I had a good experience with their customer service in Chicago answering questions I had.

$2,500 is enough budget to get you any type of non-fat tire ebike. For example Class 1 ebikes like the Gazelle Medeo T9 or Tern Quick Haul D8, or a fitness bike like a Velotric T1 or Cannondale Treadwell, do come with lower powered 36v 250w mid or hub drive motors at the budget/entry level. If you seek more power for your money go with a bike with a 48v/52v battery and 500w or 750w rated hub motor for example a Class 2 like the Pedego Avenue, or a Class 3 commuter like the Aventon Level.2, etc. Check the reviews on here and on other test sites like Electric Bike Report for component specifications.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

1) When it comes to the budget (no-name) China ebikes ($1,000 to $3,000) at the warehouses here where I live, why are 90% of them all fat-tire bikes? I am guessing becuase they look cool and aggressive. Fat tire bikes appeal to the ego, more than to the practicality of riding. They get lots of compliments from men and little kids. The Fat Tires are not of much value over a 2.8" or 3" tire. In order to utilize thier potential, you need to run at 5-7psi. Then you are going to have problems with pinch flats unless you are running tubeless. The cheap brands do not come with tubeles rims or tires. If running at 5-7psi on the pavement you will have lots of drag which depletes the battery. If you are riding mostly on pavement, Fat Tires are a waste. They are a must for the sand, not much else. Fat tire bikes look cool. I own a Fat Tire (4") mid-drive, and a 3" tire mid drive mtb.

Brands like Troxus, Mokwheel, Magicycle, Magnum, etc. I don't see the need for fat-tire unless you are riding on sand at the beach or on snow-covered trails/roads. One of the sales people actually told me they are fat-tire to handle the weight of the bike. I can't buy a bike from a shop where I'm told that. That is ridiculous. Yes that is absurd.
2) Are people (businesses) just ordering from China and white-labeling them here in the states? Yup, pretty much sums it up.

3) Are the budget bikes worth it or am I going to regret buying one down the road? I own a "budget" bike. The Aventon Level, since 2020. I paid $1,400. I am very pleased with the value proposition. Shengyi rear IG Hub, Magura Hydraulic Brakes, Suntour front (spring) shock, Altus transmission. Practically zero maintenance except for brake pads. For a paved surface bike it has been excellent. I enjoyed riding so much more than I anticipated, that I quickly upgraded to a carbon fiber, mid-drive (Bafang Ultra) emtb with rear suspension, and a Rohloff IHG ($6,500). So did I waste my money on a "budget bike"? Nope, I still have it for guests to ride, and I never would have gotten into the hobby so enthusiastically without buyng my first budget bike.
They all seem to have the rock-bottom level components like Shimano Tourney or Altus transmissions (4+ years on my Aventon Altus Trans) and either cheap mechanical or very entry-level hydraulic brakes (Tektro or white-labeled ones from China)Some have white-labeled motors or Bafang (Bafang is excellent, I've got 3 Bafang mid-drives) motored hub drives. The few mid-drive ones in the budget category seem to be extremely underpowered, saving on cost. My Bafangs are all "rated" at 1,500+ watts, but Manuf Power ratings are marketing BS. Read here: https://ebikes.ca/learn/power-ratings.html
I really am only looking to spend up to $2,500 in the budget category so I really can't have very high expectations but the budget bikes all seem to be WAY overpriced for what you get. I feel these budget bikes are nowhere near worth the price tag. If I end up buying one of these budget bikes, am I just buying a piece of junk?
What have others experienced? If you are concerend that you will lose out, buying a budget bike, or piece of junk, I suggest you buy a used ebike that can be serviced by your local dealer. There are plenty of them for sale. Stick with a brand that can be service locally. Aventon has 1,000+ service partners. Check thier service map.
Thanks!

Good luck!
~Tom

 

[uwugpt]

Turbo Vado 4.0

Consider Vado your high-performance transportation bike, getting you where you’re going with an unmatched combination of speed, reliability, and confide...

www.specialized.com

$2750 for the Turbo Vado 4.0

Bit of a stretch but this is the best deal you're going to see for a new name brand ebike(bonus: big 710wh battery, class 3, suspension seatpost). If you want a Cargo/Fat Tire the Globe Haul ST is also on sale(Hub drive + torque sensor).

 

[Tom@WashDC]

Turbo Vado 4.0

Consider Vado your high-performance transportation bike, getting you where you’re going with an unmatched combination of speed, reliability, and confide...

www.specialized.com

$2750 for the Turbo Vado 4.0

Bit of a stretch but this is the best deal you're going to see for a new name brand ebike(bonus: big 710wh battery, class 3, suspension seatpost). If you want a Cargo/Fat Tire the Globe Haul ST is also on sale(Hub drive + torque sensor).

Good value. Strong dealer network.

 

[nutdriver]

Hi Members. Am new to the forum and am looking to buy my first ebike. I'm not a bicycle novice by any means but am new to the ebike scene.
I have a couple of questions/thoughts and am wondering how you folks feel or what you have experienced.

It would be helpful to know more about what your goals are.

What kind of riding will you be doing?

What types of road surfaces?

Are you wanting a more upright position or something more sporty?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Fat bikes look cool but come with significant penalties. If you don't have a specific use case for fat tires, stay away think twice. When the sand's damp and packed, my 2.3 inch hybrid tires ride beaches with ease.

The two most important things: (1) Test several ebikes before you choose, and (2) make sure you can get local service. Any bike shop can work on the mechanicals in principle, but some won't let ebike batteries in their shops for insurance reasons. Moreover, the electricals are often proprietary, and you can't expect every ebike mechanic to understand yours, let alone get parts.

Totally agree with @Tom@WashDC on torque-sensing assist. Test to see the difference in riding experience for yourself.

I've ridden two 500W torque-sensing hub-drives — my $2,700 Surface 604 V Rook and my neighbor's $2,000 Aventon Level.2. Both frames are probably Chinese, but these ebikes are hardly junk. And both have local service.

 

[Gordon71]

Fat tire to me just means a more comfortable ride. The roads where I live are at best just good. No bike lanes. Lots of cracks and potholes and shoulders that are 6" drops in places if a car should force you off. All those things are better navigated with a fat tire with say 20lbs of pressure. My bike is a 2019 Rad Rover and I've not had any major problems with it.

 

[teskow]

I went from a 4 in tire bike to a 2.3 in tire and must say it near jared my bones loose. I used to ride off road, sand pit and wherever I felt like going and my fat tire would take me. I went where others were carrying their bikes. I am getting too old for that now so sold it. As someone said it depends on where you ride so buy what suits your style of riding. Be sure to ride cadence and torque sensing systems as there is a huge difference in the nature feel of riding. You may have to pay more for torque sensing but in my opinion there is no comparison and it is well worth the extra $$$.

 

[Rexlion]

IMO stay away from the super-low-budget ebikes with obscure brand names. Especially all the Amazon wonders. But there are some bargains to be had. Lectric, for example, buys in huge quantities and keeps their prices low, yet from what I've read they have good CS after the sale. My Ride1Up LMT'D was about $1800 when I bought it and it is pretty good quality (not just my opinion, the local LBS remarked about this); I've emailed for a bit of help and was assisted by people in my own country. So there are some that have no local presence but are still good candidates. Then you have the brands which can be bought at a LBS, and they tend to be good also, although their prices reflect the overhead and middlemen which provide you with that nice local presence.

It's hard to go wrong with a Gazelle, or a Trek (or Electra), or a Giant (or Momentum). As for Specialized, well, I have no personal experience but let's just say I've seen some comments from unhappy owners and some from very happy owners (one in particular that we suspect sleeps with his Specialized).

 

[indianajo]

I went from a 4 in tire bike to a 2.3 in tire and must say it near jared my bones loose. I used to ride off road, sand pit and wherever I felt like going and my fat tire would take me.

No reason you cannot reduce pressure on a 2.3" tire to ride off-road slowly, if your weight is under 260 lb. For 23 mph back on road, you then can boost the pressure back to 55 psi limit. Especially when you load up the back with groceries, yard chemicals, or lawnmower fuel. Keep tires at pressure required to not bang the rim on potholes. Forced off a 6" road edge by ****ole drivers, I make sure the angle is >40 deg and I stand up.
My reliable yuba was $1800 unpowered. In addition to A-list trek, giant, specialized, gazelle, there are kona, cannondale, R&M, yamaha. Blix's problem post count is 1. It has a geared hub motor unsuited to climbing long steep grades like Sierra & Rocky mountains. Also with a geared hub Pedego has a short known problems list although the geared hub motor . Check the count of known problems in the brand forums below, the divide by market share (which is unknown).

 

[tedya]

All the answers have been very helpful. Thanks to everyone.
My wife and I bought bikes this afternoon. After having ridden about 6 or 7 bikes, we decided to buy the Bulls Iconic Evo 1 750 Wave. I got the 44 and she got the 41. They are currently on sale for $2,999 (normally $4,499) which is a bit more than I wanted to spend per bike but what you get for the money on these bikes is outrageous. I am sure my wife and I are going to love these bikes. We will get them in a week at our local shop.

 

[Kayakguy]

It would be helpful to know more about what your goals are.

What kind of riding will you be doing?

What types of road surfaces?

Are you wanting a more upright position or something more sporty?

I see the same approach to choosing a kayak: what kind of paddling (riding) are you going to do? Problem is, the new bike is going to lead you to do the kinds of riding that you didn't or couldn't foresee. With a kayak, you might have assumed you would paddle on a lake, but then you discover paddling in currents, or ocean swell, or surf, or all of the above, and more. An example: you think you want a boat that is supremely stable, but then you try out paddling in ocean swell, and find that a less stable boat is easier to keep upright (which involves hips and knees as well as paddle) and therefore safer, or you want to learn to roll, and find the ultra stable boat is more difficult, and therefore not safer.