Hi
@eBob, sorry I wasn't able to respond to your initial question about comparing these two bikes! I've been out filming new reviews. It sounds like you're doing well with the E-Moto and that's great to hear. I'm a huge fan of buying used but am also cautious with ebikes given the limited run of batteries and mechanical complexities. I've never test ridden the bike you ended up with, how do you like it? Got any pros and cons to share now that you've had it for a bit of time?
I am pretty happy with it. It definitely isn't as nice as the Path+ I took for a test drive, but obviously way cheaper.
I bought it off of craigslist from an auto mechanic and it looks like he maintained it well.
Things I like...
It has a shock absorber front fork, disc brakes, and both a torque pedal assist and throttle mode. It also has a rear rack that I think was standard on it. The battery is on the seat post and slides in easily as the seat is on a hinged release that moves it out of the way. It is a very upright seating position which I wanted because of back problems. It also makes it easier to see in traffic.
The previous owner added rear baskets on the side and an "I'll get your little dog too! " basket on the front. I think he also added a Bell computer which I havent been able to get to work.
Things that are things I would like improved on my next bike...
Seems to top out at 15 miles per hour with any assist athough you can obviously pedal faster.
It has 6 gears (or is it 7) but the top gear could be higher. With this bike, I am not sure I would want to go much faster.
One nice thing about having the throttle is you can downshift to a lower gear as you approach a stop light but still keep moving with the throttle. I'll also sometimes go throttle only to cool off as I get close to work. I did also ride almost completely on throttle one humid morning so I wouldn't arrive sweaty to an early meeting. It was ok although kind of boring.
Unlike the Path+ there is a little bit of lag between when it gets going and when it decides to stop assisting. Not a big deal once you are used to it.
It also isn't a very powerful motor. My commute is pretty flat, but in a hilly area, that may be an issue.
While the battery is on the seat post, it still seems like a top heavy bike although that is partially it's designs as an upright bike.
My commute is about 7.5 miles which I do in about 32 minutes. It is almost all either bike paths or bike routes (roads marked as bike routes that are wider).
I charge it after each ride so I am not sure what its range is. I did forget to bring the charger once and when I got home, the LED was in the yellow indicating half way down. I didn't notice when it changed. It only has green (fully charged) , yellow, (half charge left) and red (almost dead) indicators. So it got 15 miles without a charge and without being in the red.
It is a fairly old bike, but the previous went had the battery replaced under warranty a year ago. He had lost his license so I think he used this bike regularly. I think he said his commute was about 12 miles each way. The fact the battery is relatively new made it a much easier decision. I have no way to prove he had it replaced but I just got a good feeling about the guy when I met him.
The brakes definitely need some work, but that is to be expected. I need to figure out whether I want to try to learn how to do that myself, or have the local bike store do it. I have two local stores, one that sells ebikes and one that does not but seems to be more serious as a a service center. I am not sure if dealing with disc brakes on an ebike is that different.
One other thing I noticed is the front has two sprockets but no derailleur. The chain is on the smaller one. Any idea why that might've be? Would I be better off on the larger one?
For anyone else thinking of getting a used ebike, it is kind of like buying a used car. You have to expect to pay some to fix something unless you get really lucky. But you can save a lot and get riding now vs waiting until some time in the future which may never arrive.
The biggest benefit I have found is that the extra 10-15 minutes it takes each way are worth it for the physical and especially mental benefits you get from it!
