What kind of bike should I be looking for?

[MikeNSX]

First time ebike rider and long time motorcyclist. Hello: My name is Mike. First, I'm 67 years old, but as some have said "I'm not dead yet". A little bit about me:

I like toys.
I drive a 500 HP car, but drive the speed limit or a lil over. I don't use all the power, but like having it.
My last cycle was a Honda CBR1000RR; one of the fastest road bikes, but I road it slow like a scooter

So now I would like to get an ebike for the following reasons:

1. I should get more exercise and I'd rather pedal a real bike and go places than a stationary at a gym.
2. I live near some really good rail-trails and bike paths and would like to bike them.
3. I suffered a herniated disk and after my operation 8 years ago never got back on my Trek bike to ride.
4. I still want to pedal some, but want an easy ride without getting all sweaty and out of breath.

What I wont do with an ebike:
1. I won't use it for transportation to go anywhere i.e. store, work (yes I still work) etc.
2. I won't ride in challenging areas jumping over logs and careening down steep hills.

Where will I ride it:
I will ride mostly on bike paths, rail-trails (gravel surfaces) and easy trails.

My budget is that I'd like to spend around $2000, but no more than $3500. It seems that you can buy a lot more bike dealing direct over then net, than at a local bike shop. But, I also don't want to throw my money away by buying junk and buying direct probably means that I'll be buying sight unseen.

The hardest part has been deciding what I should look for in a bike for what I want. I probably would be happy with overkill and unhappy with bare bones.

So i'll pose some questions to those far more experienced than me and hope that you haven't gotten too bored so far to click the back arrow

A. Front suspension or full suspension: Guy at the local bike shop said that he doesn't recommend full suspension (but he didn't have any to sell either). Some of the cheaper bikes from China have full suspension and are within my price range. What would you recommend for me?

B. Rear hub drive or mid drive? I do want a throttle. The 750/1K watt Bafang Ultra motor system appeals to me.

C. Fat tire or no? Would a fat tire bike be good for what I want?


Some bikes I've been looking at;

On Amazon https://www.amazon.com/LANKELEISI-S...12189&sr=8-2&keywords=ebike+folding+1000+watt

LANKELEISI XXT750PLUS1000 26 Inch Fat Tire Folding Electric Bicycle 48V10Ah Shimano 27 Speed Full Suspension Snow Mountain Beach E-bike 1000W Motor,5in LCD Speedometer,Dual Hydraulic Disc Brake

I don't think a 10 AH battery is large enough for a 1K motor. Also this bike has a dual-crown front suspension. Is that good or bad?


Another bike that appeals to me is the MOAR Rapt2. It has the Bafang ultra mid drive, throttle and a 17AH battery. But who knows when it will ship.


If I go with a front suspension only the E-Glide ST looks like a good value but is no frills.

Another concern is the battery. Some manufacturers such as MOAR have what looks like a very custom designed battery. If they go belly-up would the battery become unavailable and the bike become a very,very heavy pedal bike?

If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me and I hope you have been a little bit entertained Seriously, the main things I need to decide on are;

Hub or mid drive
Fat or not fat tires,
Full suspension or only front.
Air shocks or oil/spring?

Thanks all. I appreciate all the help you can give me. I wan't to try to make the bike I buy one that pushes all my buttons. I don't want to end up wanting to upgrade to another bike in a year.

Best regards, MikeC

 

[ebikemom]

AWESOME that you are looking for an ebike!!!

I didn't think I'd run errands either, but I like my bike so much that I even used it to buy a new dishwasher!


And, I'm also quite guilty of grocery shopping, commuting, and going to church and appointments!


I planned just to ride recreationally with my son. Oooops!!!

 

[MikeNSX]

Thanks for the great reply Some of these bikes seem as heavy as a dishwasher hehe.

 

[ebikemom]

Ebikes are heavy, because of the heavy motor and heavy battery, even those that are supposedly "light." I have a lovely Thule Easyfold bike rack that allows me to roll the bike right up on the rack so I don't have to lift it. The weight doesn't matter for my errands and commuting and recreational riding. Hey, compared to motorcycles, they're light as a feather!!!

Ebike research has shown that ebikers ride their bikes much more extensively--more often, and for longer distances--than conventional cyclists. This research has been done in a variety of ways. One study I liked looked at folks who already rode their bikes regularly for transportation needs, and then randomly assigned half of them to be provided with ebikes for a period of time. Then, they compared the ebikers with the conventional cyclists. Ebikers rode many more miles than the conventional cyclists. Research has also found that one reason for this is that ebikers will choose safer routes that are more circuitous, as well as re-routing to throw in errands, etc. Why? It's not exhausting to ride an ebike, even if one is in a rush or must tackle hills. So, we don't arrive at our destination needing a shower (unless we want to work that hard!).

Happy shopping!

 

[Nova Haibike]

I don't know what kind of e-bike you want or should buy, but I can say this: suspension on many if not most inexpensive bikes are junk. Also, do not be swayed by features. You're better off with well contructed basic bike than a poorly built but "feature rich" one.

 

[rich c]

If you have an issue with your back, actually riding a bike before buying is essential. Many of the internet only bikes come in one frame size only. There are cruisers with a more vertical sitting position, and anything from there to full forward with drop handlebars. Having a good local bike shop fitting you to the proper frame and sitting position will be well worth the money. You'll get thousands of miles on the bike, get one that fits. Say you spend another $2,000 to buy from a local shop. That works out to maybe $500/year or less. That's cheap entertainment and health! I read a lot of questions from people who buy a bike that doesn't fit them. They take a brand new bike and add new handlebars, new saddle, handlebar risers, better brakes, etc.... Don't be fooled by the cheap basic bike off the internet! I'll be 66 in a month. I went from not riding at all in 2015, to averaging about 2,500 miles a year now. All pleasure miles, I'm retired.

 

[chriskmee]

If you want a throttle, and want to remain legal, that limits you to a class 2 ebike, which means a speed limit of 20mph. Some class 3 ebikes (28mph pedal assist) might come with a 20mph throttle as well, but they aren't common at all.

The first thing I did when I was looking at ebikes is to go to my local shops and test ride a few. I went in thinking I wanted a throttle and front suspension, but ended up buying a no throttle no suspension bike. Being able to test ride a bike really helped me decide on what I actually wanted instead of what I thought I wanted. It also helped to get a feel of the different motor brands to feel the difference between them. Some motors feel more natural, some have more torque, and some just feel better than others.

 

[MikeNSX]

Great advice.. Thanks!

 

[Figs]

As others have said, ride as many as you can. If you have an electric bike shop in reasonable driving distance go there and try out different brands and types. If you don’t , then go to as many regular bike shops as you can. Most only carry one ore two brands, but you can get an idea of what may work for you.

Narrow it down to two or three, and give them an extended second test ride. By that time you will have some experience, and can make an informed decision.

Buy one, then ride the heck out of it

 

[PDoz]

If you told the guy at the local shop that you had back issues and he still didn't recomend rear suspension, try another shop.Sure, he can sell you a suspension seat post later, but he's thinking pedal bike rather than ebike imho - the motor compensates for the reduction in efficiency, so why not go for a comfortable ( back freindly) ride?

Personally, I think it's worth investing a little time and budget on getting a bike that suits you from a shop that understands you - as others have mentioned it can get very expensive upgrading components later to bring the " budget" bike up to cbr1000 expectations - you've confessed to liking toys, so perhaps browse one of the larger online stores ( eg chainreaction) to get a feel of what all the extra bling will cost you later ( eg you WILL replace sprung forks with air forks, and most likely realise that you " need" at least 34 mm mid spec forks to match the compliance you're used to from the cbr - that's $1200 at least....and we haven't even started talking about the madical world of carbon fibre yet...)

See if you can get a ride on a higher spec bike and perhaps be honest about what you want in this toy? You're more likely to actually use something you find pleasurable - that doesn't mean you have to invest in a top of the range carbon fibre emtb , but having gears that click rather than clunk, or a motor that feels natural / unobtrusive, perhaps ergos that work for you and a bike you want to look at whilst sipping coffee -I presume those are the priorities that madeyou choose a cbr instead of a grom?

 

[CodyDog]

Well your timing is good, a lot of 2019's appearing. You were talking about FS, the lower range of your budget will yield you low end components from what I found. Spend as much as you can and you'll most likely be a happy camper. I went low budget on one bike and high budget on the other and there is a significant difference.

I also rode a CBR1000RR for awhile. Man that was a bike!

 

[MikeNSX]

Thanks all. I think I've narrowed my search to a FS with Bafang Ultra motor. I'm looking at M2S bikes for either the All-Terrain with fat tires, or the Dual-Sport with not so fat tires. I want to ride rail-trails mostly and a bit of road riding. Fat tire or no?

I also am interested in the MOAR Rapt II but need to see it reviewed. The EBR or the MOAR prototype with hub drive needs a follow up to see if production MOAR bikes are solid with the rear wobble corrected. I think this review hurt MOAR and they need to get another bike reviewed ASAP to reclaim confidence in the brand.

 

[Sally Fitzgerald]

Look for a lightweight one, I have a folding e-bike. I can take it anywhere, it has a good powerful motor and plus it has a little LCD screen and also It has a good solid frame (good battery as well) serves me really well. All in all, I would a recommend a folding e-bike with a solid sturdy frame, one with no problem handling bike trails. A light folding one is also easier for you to carry around, if you need to.