What should I get? New to ebike world?
- Thread starter Bassn7
- Start date
I’ve bought a couple of Amazon e-bikes for around $600 to use for very casual paved road riding. They all worked. Probably not going to be the most reliable e-bikes. But for your very limited use, I think they might be fine. You’re asking on a very specialized (pun intended) forum. Most responders will probably not even consider $600 Amazon e-bikes. But I’ve found they do work. You might also consider some used e-bikes on local craigslist. Test ride them.
Slaphappygamer
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Aptos
Are you handy? A $600 e-bike may not have the most quality components and might require more regular maintenance than other e-bikes. That said, I would be very cautious when charging the bike. I’ll only ever charge my bike when I am home (awake) and can periodically check the battery and charger for accessible heat. I also have a watt meter so I can monitor power draw.
I’ve seen used rad bikes go for about this price. Check all marketplaces you can. Nextdoor, Facebook, Craigslist are my go tos.
I’ve seen used rad bikes go for about this price. Check all marketplaces you can. Nextdoor, Facebook, Craigslist are my go tos.
harryS
Well-Known Member
You're planning to ride 80 miles a year on pavement. Can we trust a $600 ebike to power up 8 times and go 10 miles? Sure hope so, but you probably have to ride it about six times to be sure. There's always something like a loose connection or missing screw that pops up in the first few rides that needs to be corrected.
gromike
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- City of Dreams
It doesn't sound like you are a serious biker, so anything that fits will probably work for you. I would avoid the cheapest stuff because you might end up with something of that is literally a piece of junk. That said, if you're handy you can work miracles, though that will take more money.
Personally, I have a strong aversion to cheap bikes. Scrapped so many to elemental form that had not one part worth harvesting.
Personally, I have a strong aversion to cheap bikes. Scrapped so many to elemental form that had not one part worth harvesting.
You might take a look at what Walmart has to offer in your price range. I glanced at a few of their bikes which not only had UL certification but 3 or 4 year warranty options as well as Walmart return policy. Some might be in stock at local stores or have free shipping. I'd probably choose a Walmart UL certified bike with a warranty option over Amazon.
Edit:
Beware that Walmart 90 day return policy is only for those sold by Walmart, not the many third party sellers that list on walmart.com
Here's a $500 ebike shipped and sold by Walmart UL certified, overall excellent reviews, pedal assist only (no throttle), solid steel fork instead of a cheap pogo stick suspension fork.
Edit:
Beware that Walmart 90 day return policy is only for those sold by Walmart, not the many third party sellers that list on walmart.com
Here's a $500 ebike shipped and sold by Walmart UL certified, overall excellent reviews, pedal assist only (no throttle), solid steel fork instead of a cheap pogo stick suspension fork.
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LimboJim
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
The Concord line of bikes sold and shipped by Walmart peak at $658 right now. There's a good warranty available but I've ridden a $500 one - it was extremely low power yet it rapidly chewed through its small 36V battery.
The 48V moped looks a bit more likely to give more bang per buck, and its battery looks like a widely available (non-propietary) unit.
The 48V moped looks a bit more likely to give more bang per buck, and its battery looks like a widely available (non-propietary) unit.
spokewrench
Active Member
- Region
- USA
That estimated 80 miles a year could cause imbalance. Cells get out of balance with each other through self discharge. Recharging seems to have some capacity for equalizing cells, but just a few charge cycles in a year may not be enough.
I bought an e-bike in 2020 so I'd have transportation while I figured out what was wrong with my then-beloved antique car. I chose an e-bike because at 73 and obese, I didn't know if I had the energy for the hills around here. There's no bicycle infrastructure here, so I might need to step it up and go on some stretches to avoid impeding traffic. Motor assistance would be valuable on days when I was under the weather.
At first I was far more dependent on the motor that I'd imagined. I discovered that the saddle was too far forward, which made my leg muscles inefficient. I moved the saddle and began pedaling maybe 130 miles per charge. I needed some help on hills because it was a 1-speed.
I ride daily. It's nice to have the throttle available, but I don't use it much with my 7-speed. I've pedaled 96 miles since my last charge, and the display says the battery is 96% full.
A regular bicycle might be the best choice for @Bassn7 .
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Not my cup of tea but the Loadpro looks like a nice bike to ride a few miles with front and rear racks to carry a tackle box and a picnic basket.
kevinmccune
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Ah Vados.wait get an Ancheer!
That is exactly what I bought as my first ebike in 2019. Ancheer 350W 7 speed 26in wheels for $600. Rode it for a few months and trouble free 1000 miles. Climbed alot of hills. Even tackled a few dirt roads. I liked it.
IBut eventually sold it and bought more powerful higher quality more expensive ebikes. And over the next six years I have bought a number of ebikes including a Turbo Vado 4.0. Out of all the ebikes I prefer my steady reliable Ride1Up with over 10,000 miles. It was not $600, though.
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