What are the Best Electric Bike Resources?

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Hey guys! I set out making ElectricBikeReview.com in 2012 after having a mixed experience buying my first ebike online. After the challenge of repairs and trying to sell it (at a loss) on Craigslist with virtually no buyers interested, I realized there too much money at stake not to become more informed before setting out to buy another.

I wanted to help others figure out which models were affordable, reliable and cool but I also realized that everyone has different needs. Considering electric bikes combine the mechanical complexities of regular bikes with the electrical and programatic complexities of motors and computers I realized I needed help and that I also wanted to pay that help and learning forward.

So here's a short list of the best ebike resources I've discovered (and enjoyed) over the years. Please chime in with your own resources and advice. It doesn't have to all be online stuff and it doesn't have to be only for the USA (where I live). This is a chance to keep paying it forward and recognize the people that are making this industry great!
  • Electric Bike Report (great ebike news, tips, reviews and interviews by Pete Prebus)
  • The New Wheel (awesome YouTube channel with great videos, also a great shop in San Francisco)
  • Turbo Bob's Bicycle Blog (completely unbiased test rides and reviews by Bob who lives near a lot of the big US manufacturers in Southern California)
  • Endless Sphere (one of the original electric bike forums that focuses a lot on DIY ebikes and modding, started by Justin Lemire Elmore in Canada, also created Cycle Analyst and runs ebikes.ca)
  • ElectricBike.com (reviews, industry history, top ten lists, a great blog and so much more!)
 
Ha! Thanks for the props there... I just subscribed to Electric Bike Action, I had seen the magazine in shops and at some of the manufacturer headquarters during my last trip to California but didn't know how to subscribe myself. Very cool!

Someone also just showed me this site ebikereviews com au it covers electric bikes in Australia, pretty decent videos!
 
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Resurrecting this thread, to make additions. :)
As a former Barnes & Noble bookseller, I'd like to volunteer to maintain a list of e-bike-related media.
I'll do my best to weed out anything that seems like a marketing trap or marketing ploy.

Magazines I've found so far (sorry if they're already well-known)
Electric Bike Action Magazine (US) - Court has a great article in the October 2014 issue about the Organic Transit Elf
Ecyclist (UK)
eBike Australia

Books
Electric Bicycles: A Guide to Design and Use by William C. Morchin, Henry Oman
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/360997646684?lpid=82

The Ultimate Do It Yourself Ebike Guide by Micah Toll
http://www.ultimateebikeebook.com/

The Ebike Handbook by Nick Rothman
http://www.electricmotorsport.com/the-ebike-handbook.html
 
BenS said:
Resurrecting this thread, to make additions. :)
As a former Barnes & Noble bookseller, I'd like to volunteer to maintain a list of e-bike-related media.
I'll do my best to weed out anything that seems like a marketing trap or marketing ploy.

Magazines I've found so far (sorry if they're already well-known)
Electric Bike Action Magazine (US) - Court has a great article in the October 2014 issue about the Organic Transit Elf
Ecyclist (UK)
eBike Australia

Books
Electric Bicycles: A Guide to Design and Use by William C. Morchin, Henry Oman
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/360997646684?lpid=82

The Ultimate Do It Yourself Ebike Guide by Micah Toll
http://www.ultimateebikeebook.com/

The Ebike Handbook by Nick Rothman
http://www.electricmotorsport.com/the-ebike-handbook.html
Click to expand...
Awesome list @BenS thanks for chiming in! Glad you caught my short on the ELF in Electric Bike Action. That was my first article in a magazine ever and lots of fun to do. I'm at Interbike shooting lots of footage and updates are on their way for the site and forum :)
 
Hi guys,
FYI, the current issue of Dirt Rag (below) has an article titled "The Great E-Bike Controversy". You will be relieved to know that the author's exploration is void of sarcasm and vitriole, but don't expect an official olive branch.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
 
Thanks, Ben.
Maybe this will wake some of us up as to how the conversations should begin NOW...as opposed to later (when even more ebike bans are in place locally and hearts/minds have already been won over).
I'm beginning to think that a lot of young people today are...not very interested in riding the very best that this country has to offer.:rolleyes:
 
DashRiprock said:
I'm beginning to think that a lot of young people today are...not very interested in riding the very best that this country has to offer.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

As Ravi observed in another thread, it may seem that "people today aren't interested" if you mainly interact on this forum.
The ebike category is in its infancy, and the emtb's are, therefore, so few that the number of people who are directly, immediately affected is very few.

If I may anticipate your response and answer prematurely, I agree that conflicts like that between ebikers and mtb'ers can fester before anyone focuses on it, and become exponentially more complex and difficult to deal with.

All of my two-wheeled experience to date is on motorcycles. Just like in the motorcycle community there are cliques or factions, or groups of folks with specific interests, the same holds true for the bicycling community. Just as people who ride cruisers, exclusively road tourers, don't show up to represent for the AMA when there are land use hearings, the same, I would imagine, holds true for the bicycling community.

I don't wish to discourage you, but urgently sounding a call to action for offroad riding issues probably doesn't resonate with many ebike riders on this forum. There is a polling function, and it would be really interesting to post a poll and simply ask us about our awareness and interest.

Most of the mtb riders arguments eventually come around to trail maintenance; how they've never seen ebike riders contributing to maintenance (duh...encountering an ebike rider is a rarity in any location), and they fear that the bikes will tear up the trails. So, with those concerns in mind, doesn't it make sense for folks like you to put twice as much effort forth to help maintain the trails you want to continue to ride? A "call to arms" holds more water if you share your volunteer experiences. Then they may want to toss in and help! :D
 
At the risk of going off-topic and in the wish that said topic would be discussed elsewhere despite my constant urging (to no avail) I'd like to clear up a few things regarding your response, starting with Ravi's quote that you referenced below:
BenS said:
As Ravi observed in another thread, it may seem that "people today aren't interested" if you mainly interact on this forum. The ebike category is in its infancy, and the emtb's are, therefore, so few that the number of people who are directly, immediately affected is very few.
Click to expand...
Here is Ravi's quote: "...Being vocal is important but most people on this forum are pro E-bikes. Here is a good forum for you: http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/ebike-just-marketing-plan-will-hurt-trail-access-929829.html
Two points made very simply.
One doesn't need to own (strictly) an electric mountain bike to be grossly affected right now by (trail) access issues as defined by anywhere but a public street..'and'...
We are not going to solve the above RIGHT to access these same publicly owned lands by insisting that everybody who believes the former statement to be true ONLY discuss this fact exclusively on a forum where spinning of the wheels on said issue is being encouraged (for good reason by both standard and ebike leadership) every day.

And yes, you may anticipate my response (I will respond to the balance of what I disagree with you in that regard later)...yet keep in mind that you are speaking with someone (as you well know) who has a long history of dealing with those who continually attempt to shape the conversation in regards to these issues (see what MikeVanable told Larry (us) what we must do to 'kiss the ring' of the mtbing community just recently).

As for getting involved in maintenance?...I suggest that you reread my previous posts here on just this (critical) matter and would add that this is the oldest trick in the 'me-only' trail user's handbook (I'm just here to tell these guys what to expect!). ;)

Looking forward to continuing this elsewhere if Court desires it to be so.
:D
 
BenS said:
If I may anticipate your response and answer prematurely, I agree that conflicts like that between ebikers and mtb'ers can fester before anyone focuses on it, and become exponentially more complex and difficult to deal with.
Click to expand...
We're being told that the focus is on. What makes said 'focus' so "exponentially more complex and difficult to deal with"...is that:
1) It is a 'focus' (conversation) that does not include the riding community at large...and
2) It is a 'focus' which does not have the light of day shining upon it...even if the mere peon consumers or due paying mtb members buying ALL bikes were indeed included...which they are not.

BenS said:
...my two-wheeled experience to date is on motorcycles. Just like in the motorcycle community there are cliques or factions, or groups of folks with specific interests, the same holds true for the bicycling community. Just as people who ride cruisers, exclusively road tourers, don't show up to represent for the AMA when there are land use hearings, the same, I would imagine, holds true for the bicycling community.
Click to expand...
The AMA Chairman of the Board rides an electric motorcycle..which she rides wherever in the heck she wants to...no barriers...period.
Peon ebike consumers (merely those supporting manufacturers and as you say "the biking (cough) community") are banned both on (many) public bike trails AND public mountain biking areas.
I'm simply giving more credit to ebikers of all stripes (and you obviously disagree) that a slap in the face to both of us is the same as slapping all of us

BenS said:
I don't wish to discourage you, but urgently sounding a call to action for offroad riding issues probably doesn't resonate with many ebike riders on this forum. There is a polling function, and it would be really interesting to post a poll and simply ask us about our awareness and interest..."
Click to expand...
I have never been much of a fan in regards to unregulated polling on the internet...but by all means...poll away!

BenS said:
of the mtb riders arguments eventually come around to trail maintenance; how they've never seen ebike riders contributing to maintenance (duh...encountering an ebike rider is a rarity in any location), and they fear that the bikes will tear up the trails. So, with those concerns in mind, doesn't it make sense for folks like you to put twice as much effort forth to help maintain the trails you want to continue to ride? A "call to arms" holds more water if you share your volunteer experiences. Then they may want to toss in and help! :D
Click to expand...
If there were ever a summary (or 'handbook') as to how single track 2 wheel enthusiasts (high powered or human powered) approach anyone with a contrary opinion as to their sole access ('right') to public lands...see above for a quick primer. I'm not saying that this is your opinion, Ben..yet allow me to summarize the 'me only trail' approach:

#1 (and most importantly)...claim 'damage'. If you can't prove it..and no one with any credibility has ever studied it..use the following to 'fix' it:

#2..."We've never seen you at the trailhead on maintenance day.." (see "share your volunteer experiences" above).
The most important strategy here is the initial attitude when approaching anyone. No one will ever show up to work with or help someone if it has already been proven that their opinions or simple facts brought forward have already been discarded (see Larry at the IMTB Summit and Mike VanAble). "You put up with me, my buddies and our b.s. for an entire day....and we 'might' let you come back tomorrow for more of the same.."

#3.. claim that there are plenty of 'other' trails to ride...yet definitely not 'ours' (you know, the 'public' land with the primo scenic areas).

Same crap...different machines...don't fall for it.


'
 
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The solution to sustainable maintenance issues on public lands is very simple.
Take the money out of (cough) 'non-profit' hands and any government employee equating the overseeing of such as a career worthy expense for the general public.
Force private enterprise to compete for these very simple tasks.
Once and for all define a trail maintenance volunteer as someone our children can actually be proud of...NOT the type that has purposely CLOSED public land to everybody but themselves long after the 'original' volunteers established a legacy that is not recognizable or certainly even existent today.

If a trail maintenance volunteer (today) won't work (tomorrow) beside a much more efficient (bang for the buck) private enterprise or fellow volunteers seeking to promote/maintain true multi-use trail systems...they weren't really interested in building the true legacies that they have long 'claimed' to be building in recent years.
 
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BenS said:
Hi guys,
FYI, the current issue of Dirt Rag (below) has an article titled "The Great E-Bike Controversy". You will be relieved to know that the author's exploration is void of sarcasm and vitriole, but don't expect an official olive branch.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Click to expand...
Yeah!! I picked this up a few weeks ago. Good read; wish I could find the e-bike mag around here. Anyways, the more people buying them will always equal more headlines.
 
Hey friends what do you say about this bike ?..

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eBikeschool.com is amazing and some fabulous videos. Youtube continues to amaze and look for BRUNO there. Endless Sphere has a Facebook page and some great active threads and some very talented folks ready to offer assistance. Micah Toll has a book on battery building. and even if you won't build a battery it's worth the investment to understand how they are built and maybe even build or repair yours.
http://www.ebikeschool.com
http://www.ultimateebikeebook.com
https://www.amazon.com/Micah-Toll/e/B06XSHM464
https://www.facebook.com/groups/endless.sphere/

Tools on http://www.ebikes.ca/tools.html
 
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