What to buy?

PamB

PamB

New Member
First of all, I know the saying "you get what you pay for". However, with that in mind,
we don't want to spend over $1000 for an ebike for our 14yr old son to get back and
forth to high school. Have read LOTS of reviews on this forum, know we DON'T want
to purchase The Wave (thank you for the reviews!!)
The 2 we are down to are X-treme Scooters Alpine and one I just found online today,
Kilabike. Would appreciate feedback on both and ideas for any others.
TIA!
 
1st things 1st. Check the legal age limit to use an electric/motorized vehicle. In my state, CO, you have to be 16 years old to operate any vehicle with any type of motor. I haven't heard of the two E-vehicles you mentioned above, but I don't know if I would buy anything I couldn't find a review about on here or youtube.

After that, @Court has a 2nd website called Electric Ride Review where he reviews other electric vehicles/things, like scooters, skateboards, etc. I'd start too. Other than that E-Joe has a foldable bike (Epik) that is around 1800$ and I know Prodeco used to have a model of their bike for 1k even. You might want to also consider a BBOS2 or another conversion kit for a regular bicycle...


(On a side note)These are cool, I know I'd want one if I were 14 again!
or
 
Hi Pam,

Nice gift for your son! For your price range X-Treme may just offer a bike for you, but I would steer away from sealed lead acid battery (SLA) models and look to at least the Trail Maker. It has a lithium ion battery that will outperform and outlast the SLA Alpine by years. I'm always seeing owner's positive reviews on YouTube for the Trail Maker, a little less power and modest components than more expensive bikes, but that may not be a bad thing for a teenager. There is also some info on X-Treme here in EBR Community, just use the search tool in the upper right corner of any forum here.

Good luck!
 
@PamB unless your son has a physical disability there is no need for an electric bike or electric anything. I foresee a lot of problems the least of which are legal.

A cheap ebike in the hands of a 14 yo and his friends will result in either a damaged bike or injured teen. Or someone will take it from him. Liability is yours

Just buy him a qualty bike with tires under 2 in wide and teach him to fix it !
 
Tough to say on the age thing, in general. My fitness program shows I've ridden 100 hours this summer, when kids are on vacation. I can count on one hand the number of young people I have seen on a bike. This is wide open, low density, no-cars suburbia.

I think the CPSC rules said a slow ebike is a bike, so anyone could ride an ebike who could lbegally ride a bike. Some states have age limits, which are generally 16, but many do not. Some are at 14.

As a kid I rode 30 or 40 miles when I was as young as 12. We never thought about it. If kids will ride ebikes, maybe that is an improvement.

For me, an ebike is an aid to fitness. I also see them as a very useful form of transportation. If you get them interested in those formative years, will it last? We now have a lot better affordability. I sold an ebike yesterday to a 20 something who will use it to commute. When I saw him riding off I actually felt "This is completely doable", at least on the edge of the Sunbelt, where I delivered the bike.

Seems like when people ride ebikes, any age, they really like ebikes. Hopefully, if he gets one, it will be a lifetime commitment. :)
 
JoePah, I agree!

Seriously, teens should be given every opportunity to exercise and at that age there is nothing wrong with a bit of unpowered biking.

Buy him a good mountain bike!
 
Let her buy an ebike or E-vehicle if she wants... she asked for advice on what to buy not to convince her otherwise. s*it, if ebikes were around when I was a kid, maybe I'd be thinner now, and never had to spend thousands of dollars on a car, insurance and gas. :D
 
Thank you all for the input (and criticism). No, he doesn't have a disability. Thank God! However, we live where it's averaging 112F daily. And he has to travel uphill 5 miles for the ride home. Hence, why we are looking for something with power assist.
 
Kaldeem said:
1st things 1st. Check the legal age limit to use an electric/motorized vehicle. In my state, CO, you have to be 16 years old to operate any vehicle with any type of motor. I haven't heard of the two E-vehicles you mentioned above, but I don't know if I would buy anything I couldn't find a review about on here or youtube.

After that, @Court has a 2nd website called Electric Ride Review where he reviews other electric vehicles/things, like scooters, skateboards, etc. I'd start too. Other than that E-Joe has a foldable bike (Epik) that is around 1800$ and I know Prodeco used to have a model of their bike for 1k even. You might want to also consider a BBOS2 or another conversion kit for a regular bicycle...


(On a side note)These are cool, I know I'd want one if I were 14 again!
or
Click to expand...
Already checked...we're in AZ, hot hot Havasu!! LOL...we're good for an ebike, just nothing with a gas motor. Thanks for the reply :)
 
I found mine at the Infinion raceway this past Sunday. If you see Laguna.e bikes at an event ask him about specials, he sold me the K1 for 1300.00
 
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