I recently put my Pedego up for sale without any urge to get another electric bike. I have a motor scooter for my runabout that, until recently, has been reliable. It (scooter) decided to blow a seal and it goes in the shop soon. Its a great brand but you wait for parts, so now I'm stuck driving. I hate cars. So I started looking at another ebike. For some reason I'm leaning toward a RadRunner. I'm fine with the single speed, the 20" wheels and pretty much everything about it. I also don't mind the whole "mail order" thing if it needs parts. I think Rad will be around for a long time. So I may put in my pre-order and wait for the back-order. Why is it hard to walk away from these ebikes? They're like a horrible drug!
Why am I looking at ebikes again?
- Thread starter sc00ter
- Start date
FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Silicon Valley
Resistance is futile... welcome back to the Club. 
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
For me, ebikes brings back memories of being a kid riding my bike wherever I wanted to go. It gives a sense of freedom I don't get from any other form of transportation. The economy and efficiency is also hard to beat. Short of walking, how else can you travel +/-50 miles on about 10 cents worth of electricity with no license, registration or insurance costs to worry about.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
Addicted here as well.
It's the ONLY reason I can think of that has me browsing, checking out bikes when I'm very satisfied with the one I have.
One thing I've learned, is if you look long enough, you'll find something that's going to check ALL of your boxes, and THEN, you'll be looking for a reason NOT to buy it - even though the bike you have was ideal to that point.
It's the ONLY reason I can think of that has me browsing, checking out bikes when I'm very satisfied with the one I have.
One thing I've learned, is if you look long enough, you'll find something that's going to check ALL of your boxes, and THEN, you'll be looking for a reason NOT to buy it - even though the bike you have was ideal to that point.
jbizzybiker
Member
and unlike walking, biking creates a breeze in summer!
CdnShaun
Active Member
Going back to having your scooter (once repaired) and an ebike is a quality of life statement - you have two forms of transportation you enjoy (You are experiencing the famous rule I live by of '2 is 1 and 1 is None') and you gain also the choice of scooter or ebike for each time you head out, choosing what's best each time.
I can relate in that all the ebikes I have are conversions. I have heard myself say outloud a few times (usually chatting with acoustic only cycling friends) 'If I ever want to I can just remove the electric components and I still have a really good bike to continue riding'....
The question I have realized, more than ever since joining this awesome forum is - Why would I ever do that? Even if I get to the most fit shape of my life (I'm 42 now and only getting older, lol) - why would I remove the longer range the motor gives me and most of all why would I purposely make long steep hill climbs painful again, on purpose?
So yes if ebikes is a dirty addiction, then count me in - I have one acoustic bike left in my fleet and even it would look really nice with a mid-drive motor on it...just saying.
Cheers everyone!
I can relate in that all the ebikes I have are conversions. I have heard myself say outloud a few times (usually chatting with acoustic only cycling friends) 'If I ever want to I can just remove the electric components and I still have a really good bike to continue riding'....
The question I have realized, more than ever since joining this awesome forum is - Why would I ever do that? Even if I get to the most fit shape of my life (I'm 42 now and only getting older, lol) - why would I remove the longer range the motor gives me and most of all why would I purposely make long steep hill climbs painful again, on purpose?
So yes if ebikes is a dirty addiction, then count me in - I have one acoustic bike left in my fleet and even it would look really nice with a mid-drive motor on it...just saying.
Cheers everyone!
TMH
Well-Known Member
Guilty! I also sold our 10 year old Pedegos earlier this year - We just weren't riding them in the last few years.
Probably lasted less than a week before new e-bike purchases were planned. New e-bike technology is incredible compared to the old! We've got Vespas as well, and they serve a purpose. But we are now riding our e-bikes every day, and those little trips to the market, bank or hardware store are now happening on the e-bikes instead of the Vespa.
We now have a little personal fleet of different styles of e-bikes, and are able to choose to ride a bike which fits our mood on that particular day. We currently have one on order, and yet I am still looking daily at e-bike sites for what is next.
My name is Tom, and I'm an e-bike addict...
Sierratim
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Nevada City, CA & Paradise Valley, AZ
Now that sounds like a real habit!...Guilty! I also sold our 10 year old Pedegos earlier this year - We just weren't riding them in the last few years.
Probably lasted less than a week before new e-bike purchases were planned. New e-bike technology is incredible compared to the old! We've got Vespas as well, and they serve a purpose. But we are now riding our e-bikes every day, and those little trips to the market, bank or hardware store are now happening on the e-bikes instead of the Vespa.
We now have a little personal fleet of different styles of e-bikes, and are able to choose to ride a bike which fits our mood on that particular day. We currently have one on order, and yet I am still looking daily at e-bike sites for what is next.
My name is Tom, and I'm an e-bike addict...
FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Silicon Valley
Guilty! I also sold our 10 year old Pedegos earlier this year - We just weren't riding them in the last few years.
Probably lasted less than a week before new e-bike purchases were planned. New e-bike technology is incredible compared to the old! We've got Vespas as well, and they serve a purpose. But we are now riding our e-bikes every day, and those little trips to the market, bank or hardware store are now happening on the e-bikes instead of the Vespa.
We now have a little personal fleet of different styles of e-bikes, and are able to choose to ride a bike which fits our mood on that particular day. We currently have one on order, and yet I am still looking daily at e-bike sites for what is next.
My name is Tom, and I'm an e-bike addict...
I am starting an EB-AA chapter in my neighborhood. It sounds like the original Pedegos were the Gateway Drug for many here on EBR to the world of EBikes.
Sort of "China syndrome" - not related to nuclear reaction this time. Nothing is manufactured locally, so you wait for parts sometimes. You were happy with a scooter, why not buying a big brand scooter that would have more dealers and parts available...
Now you plan on using Rad Runner as a scooter - this is understandable, given its limited usability as a human-powered bike - but the comfort won't be the same and I would think that minor issues like tires or spokes would pop up more frequently than with a scooter. More serious problems with RAD are not uncommon either, and online/phone support can be a tedious thing. Though there is Velofix in some places.
Alex, the scooter in question is a Piaggio. I'm hoping its just a dislodged rear seal and I didn't have anything go crunch. It's hardly a China scooter. Now concerning the ebike, I'll take the chance with the online support. No other manufacturer sells what I'm looking for, except the AddMotor M-66 R7, and I get a slightly better feeling with the Rad Power brand. But I see your point now concerning something more common in motor scooter land. Actually my wife put a ban on another scooter so a motorcycle will be next. But I don't care for motorcycles either. But I do miss my ebike.
TMH
Well-Known Member
That sounds exactly how I play the marriage game!
Fortunately I have a wife who understands my 'issues', so the marriage has lasted 35 years so far.
So I ordered a nice, simple RadRunner 1. September is the delivery date. I will update my introduction section, so if someone wants to try one on for size in the Norfolk, VA area they can test ride my RadRunner. Looking forward to riding again.
alloo
Active Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Albuquerque, NM
I ride scooters also. My scooters are my motorized transportation. I've owned Piaggios and Japanese built scooters. You're right you have to wait for parts for the Piaggio while Japanese, and Taiwanese Scooters have a 7 day parts turn around. I mainly ride my Blix Aveny to work 3-4 times a week 25 mile round trip. I use my scooter to get to work and other places when I'm in a rush. The best running scooters are the ones that are run daily. I love both for different reasons, but have been toying with the idea of getting a Juiced Scorpion or HyperScorpion because it has a more Moped like form factor for an ebike. We will see. I like the fact that I'll have the ride of a scooter with the bicycle exercise. I live in Denver. It's funny how we will dis Chinese Scooters, but have no issue Chinese made ebikes.
I hear ya alloo. It does crack me up when someone bashes on all Chinese products, I'm like "Open you phone and look were its made!" and sure enough-China. You have to invest in quality control to build a solid product, no matter what country its made in, and quality control cost money. The Piaggio scooter has been a tank until the rear seal went at 11,000 miles. I used to put 10,000 a year on my scooters but the wife and I no longer go more than 50 miles MAX anymore on the scooter, and I no longer ride 2 wheels on the freeway. It's air conditioning and safety of a cage for us if freeway work is needed. The ebike is going to be mostly for work commuting (14 miles each way) and runs to the grocery store. I missed my old ebike, just wanted something with more "moped like" ability, hence the RadRunner.
There is actually a lot of issues with Chinese made ebikes, especially those under $2K
My bad, I should've realized that not everybody saw the 1979 classic "The China Syndrome" and the allegory wouldn't be understood.
The point - missed by both last respondents - was that remote manufacturing means waiting. Brands with better representation have shorter waiting times.
Another point was that a machine like RAD Runner is a poor substitute for a scooter, while also not being pedal-friendly like some other ebikes.
Now, if the OP wants a moped-like ebike in addition to car and scooter, this is a different thing. But there is one caveat - increasing number of toys inevitably leads to increased maintenance and repairs.
Last edited:
jaizon
Active Member
Guilty! I also sold our 10 year old Pedegos earlier this year - We just weren't riding them in the last few years.
Probably lasted less than a week before new e-bike purchases were planned. New e-bike technology is incredible compared to the old! We've got Vespas as well, and they serve a purpose. But we are now riding our e-bikes every day, and those little trips to the market, bank or hardware store are now happening on the e-bikes instead of the Vespa.
We now have a little personal fleet of different styles of e-bikes, and are able to choose to ride a bike which fits our mood on that particular day. We currently have one on order, and yet I am still looking daily at e-bike sites for what is next.
My name is Tom, and I'm an e-bike addict...
Hello, Tom.
Similar threads
