what do I need?

[Toe]

Facts:
61yrs, male, 150lb, good shape, a "jock"
location: just north of Madison, WI, (Merrimac), live on a lake.
Roads: 2 lane country highway (hw 78), black top with some gravel, 5 miles to town, med grade hills (not flat at all really). NO city riding at all.
Needs: get groceries, hardware store (small stuff). In general, more than a backpack load.
Use: daily, garage kept
I need this for transportation, not leisure. I want function, dependability, safety (lights, fenders,ect). I want a bike to be proud of, to want to ride, I believe you get what you pay for.
Any recommendations or more information I can provide? So far, I am liking Pedego, Trek, but there is so much out there.
Thank you for your help.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Facts:
61yrs, male, 150lb, good shape, a "jock"
location: just north of Madison, WI, (Merrimac), live on a lake.
Roads: 2 lane country highway (hw 78), black top with some gravel, 5 miles to town, med grade hills (not flat at all really). NO city riding at all.
Needs: get groceries, hardware store (small stuff). In general, more than a backpack load.
Use: daily, garage kept
I need this for transportation, not leisure. I want function, dependability, safety (lights, fenders,ect). I want a bike to be proud of, to want to ride, I believe you get what you pay for.
Any recommendations or more information I can provide? So far, I am liking Pedego, Trek, but there is so much out there.
Thank you for your help.

You should visit Lenny's store in Madison. He has every eBike you can think of. 200+ bikes to test ride and an afternoon of test riding will help you zero-in on what you would enjoy for the long term.
There are tons of options to choose and nothing comes beats real life experience.





Some options for you are:

1. Magnum Metro + : https://www.magnumbikes.com/product/magnum-metro-plus/
   
   
2. Izip E3 Moda: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
   
   
3. Haibike Trekking series: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
   
   
4. BH Urban series: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
   
   
5. BULLS Speed series: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[Toe]

Ravi, you are a prince! This is exactly the recommendation and bike store I am looking for. Thank you so much, my hunt is over, time to buy and move on down the road. I have a 20ft Sea Ray if you ever want to cruise Lake Wisconsin, I owe you. Toe

 

[indianajo]

I found cargo baskets made the front too light on a conventional MTB or cruiser frame. Front wheel would whip sideways on obstructions like speed bumps, gravel ridges, pavement separators. Then I would go over onto my chin.
The cargo bikes have a stretch frame behind the seat, which puts my weight on the front tire. No more problems like that yet. Five stretch models, the Radwagon, The Pedego stretch, the xtracycle, the yubabikes mondo. Surly has an all steel model, extremely heavy duty for long distance campers is my opinion. I didn't want one. I like the drop frame since my legs are short and I'm 66. You may find the drop frame effeminate. Then again the muscles got a lot stiffer after age 60.
The bodaboda left is no longer available electric, but I like two big wheels to even out the holes around here. Doing my conversion, the battery could be mounted on the front on the "breadbasket" mount holes. I've had 7 gallons of water, a 42 lb keyboard, a 8' 1x8 board on this bike. 2.1" tires are big enough for 340 lb gross and are not hard to change out on the road.
The welded baskets I had before were easier to load at the grocery, but the panniers are lighter. Haven't holed through these yuba units yet.
There are a lot of fans of front cargo bikes on here, but they must not ride where there is significant wind. One of those huge boxes might have made me get off & push today, 41 mph gusts. These rear cargo bikes don't drag more than a MTB with panniers.
If you're fit, you may prefer a hub motor to a mid drive. You can pedal hubs without the electricity. I ride power off most of the time, stressing my heart/lungs every day. The reason I bought electric, a 15 mph headwind dragged my 30 mile commute from my summer camp out to 5.7 hours. Too much exercise! I can't pick the day I come or go, and I had headwinds both ways that week. Go ahead, blow, I've got electricity now. The motor was $189 but the battery was $630. No pedal assist though, the $229 kits have it.
The bodaboda came with fenders & reflectors, book rack and foot racks, but I bought the lights separate. Since the light switches tend to **** out in a year or after they get rained on, throwaway lights I think are an advantage. I've got a garmin light now, which senses upcoming cars with radar, so I don't have to turn my head so often. The garmin is rechargable with a micro usb port, the lithium lasts a little better than AAA's in my old light.
Have fun shopping.

 

[Gator]

Facts:
61yrs, male, 150lb, good shape, a "jock"
location: just north of Madison, WI, (Merrimac), live on a lake.
Roads: 2 lane country highway (hw 78), black top with some gravel, 5 miles to town, med grade hills (not flat at all really). NO city riding at all.
Needs: get groceries, hardware store (small stuff). In general, more than a backpack load.
Use: daily, garage kept
I need this for transportation, not leisure. I want function, dependability, safety (lights, fenders,ect). I want a bike to be proud of, to want to ride, I believe you get what you pay for.
Any recommendations or more information I can provide? So far, I am liking Pedego, Trek, but there is so much out there.
Thank you for your help.

Friend
This is a great bike. https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-quick-eplus

Very stable cruiser, with torque and speed when needed. Comes with fenders, lights and a good rack to hang panniers or baskets off of. Get MIK flat top for the rack. It bolts right up. Giant carries it in their accessories.

Enjoy =D

 

[JohnJ]

I tried the Quick-e and it is a very nice bike. Try also the iZip Moda. Similar profile and on sale for about $2,300. The Raleigh Redux is the same bike for a little more $.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Just a couple of thoughts...

• @Ravi Kempaiah is spot-on. The important thing is to get out and try a bunch of bikes.
• You aren't required to use whatever saddle, pedals, racks, fenders, &c that come with the bike. Don't hesitate to upgrade them to something that works better for you.
• Do some research and find someone nearby who can do a pro bike fit on your bike. A sports medicine or physical therapy place in your area can likely point you in the right direction. Sometimes even bike shops can do this. This can make a dramatic difference in your comfort and efficiency on the bike, bluntly more than a different saddle a lot of times.
• Whatever you budget for the bike, remember that you are going to drop a fair number of ducats on accessories. While a helmet, lock, basic tools, &c aren't grossly expensive you ought to budget at least around $300 (independent of whatever the bike costs) for extras. Over time expect to spend more, sometimes quite a bit more.

 

[Marci jo]

Love your user meme. Is that your pet T-Rex?

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Love your user meme. Is that your pet T-Rex?

That t-rex was photographed on journey at Prehistoric Gardens, Port Orford, OR.

 

[Toe]

Friend
This is a great bike. https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-quick-eplus

Very stable cruiser, with torque and speed when needed. Comes with fenders, lights and a good rack to hang panniers or baskets off of. Get MIK flat top for the rack. It bolts right up. Giant carries it in their accessories.

Enjoy =D

Thank you for the link, good advice.

I found cargo baskets made the front too light on a conventional MTB or cruiser frame. Front wheel would whip sideways on obstructions like speed bumps, gravel ridges, pavement separators. Then I would go over onto my chin.
The cargo bikes have a stretch frame behind the seat, which puts my weight on the front tire. No more problems like that yet. Five stretch models, the Radwagon, The Pedego stretch, the xtracycle, the yubabikes mondo. Surly has an all steel model, extremely heavy duty for long distance campers is my opinion. I didn't want one. I like the drop frame since my legs are short and I'm 66. You may find the drop frame effeminate. Then again the muscles got a lot stiffer after age 60.
The bodaboda left is no longer available electric, but I like two big wheels to even out the holes around here. Doing my conversion, the battery could be mounted on the front on the "breadbasket" mount holes. I've had 7 gallons of water, a 42 lb keyboard, a 8' 1x8 board on this bike. 2.1" tires are big enough for 340 lb gross and are not hard to change out on the road.
The welded baskets I had before were easier to load at the grocery, but the panniers are lighter. Haven't holed through these yuba units yet.
There are a lot of fans of front cargo bikes on here, but they must not ride where there is significant wind. One of those huge boxes might have made me get off & push today, 41 mph gusts. These rear cargo bikes don't drag more than a MTB with panniers.
If you're fit, you may prefer a hub motor to a mid drive. You can pedal hubs without the electricity. I ride power off most of the time, stressing my heart/lungs every day. The reason I bought electric, a 15 mph headwind dragged my 30 mile commute from my summer camp out to 5.7 hours. Too much exercise! I can't pick the day I come or go, and I had headwinds both ways that week. Go ahead, blow, I've got electricity now. The motor was $189 but the battery was $630. No pedal assist though, the $229 kits have it.
The bodaboda came with fenders & reflectors, book rack and foot racks, but I bought the lights separate. Since the light switches tend to **** out in a year or after they get rained on, throwaway lights I think are an advantage. I've got a garmin light now, which senses upcoming cars with radar, so I don't have to turn my head so often. The garmin is rechargable with a micro usb port, the lithium lasts a little better than AAA's in my old light.
Have fun shopping.

Thanks for the advice, that took time and thought.

 

[Toe]

You should visit Lenny's store in Madison. He has every eBike you can think of. 200+ bikes to test ride and an afternoon of test riding will help you zero-in on what you would enjoy for the long term.
There are tons of options to choose and nothing comes beats real life experience.

View attachment 30237
View attachment 30235
View attachment 30236

Some options for you are:

1. Magnum Metro + : https://www.magnumbikes.com/product/magnum-metro-plus/
   
   
2. Izip E3 Moda: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
   
   
3. Haibike Trekking series: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
   
   
4. BH Urban series: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
   
   
5. BULLS Speed series: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Excellent advice and web sites, I will visit Lenny's.

 

[Alex M]

I would avoid models with battery mounted on the rear rack. Too heavy back, too light front - like Inidanajoe noted. Especially with groceries in the back.

A bike to be proud of is one subjective criterion. Drop-frames aka step-through frames are practical for older people, whether this fits their pride or not. Pedego have (usually) good styling, I like their looks better than some other (cheaper) utility models popular here, though when you attach a milk crate to the rear rack - to carry "more than a backpack load", styling won't matter much.

They all have lights and fenders these days. The only thing to check is whether the lights are "integrated", i.e. powered by the bike battery, or need AA/AAA batteries that might burn out when you don't expect it.

 

[Dewey]

T

I would avoid models with battery mounted on the rear rack. Too heavy back, too light front - like Inidanajoe noted. Especially with groceries in the back.

A bike to be proud of is one subjective criterion. Drop-frames aka step-through frames are practical for older people, whether this fits their pride or not. Pedego have (usually) good styling, I like their looks better than some other (cheaper) utility models popular here, though when you attach a milk crate to the rear rack - to carry "more than a backpack load", styling won't matter much.

They all have lights and fenders these days. The only thing to check is whether the lights are "integrated", i.e. powered by the bike battery, or need AA/AAA batteries that might burn out when you don't expect it.

To be fair not all battery lighting is crap, my Busch & muller battery lights have a charge indicator that glows green when good, and red long before the LED’s lose power. To correct a front wheel that feels too light when rack panniers are loaded you might also try a wheel stabilizer/deflopillator spring https://velo-orange.com/collections/city-accessories/products/vo-wheel-stabilizer.

 

[Alex M]

A big unknown is how much cargo he intends to carry. This will determine whether a regular cruiser would work, or he needs a cargo bike with a stretch frame. There are not too many cargo bikes to choose from, RAD Wagon is only available in a few showrooms.

Stabilizer spring is an interesting idea, - thanks.