It's been a year - can we chat e-bikes again?

[davester]

I'm a bike nut, not an ebike nut, but I can tell you that the best overall bike forum is https://www.bikeforums.net/bike-forums/ and they have a specific ebike subform. I would go there and ask questions first.

[CJsNvrUrly]

RAMd®d wrote:
I've bought three!

Wow!
Upgrades or increasing the stable?

Increasing the stable.
I feel like the Jay Leno of the e-bike world.

[M A V I C]

For your use, I'd have no problem going with a Rad bike. They are local to me. I know one of their c-suite execs.

[freeradical]

A DIY project that installs a 2 stroke engine to an old bike is more fun.

[RAMd®d]

I really like the looks of the Trek Verge+ 3, just which the diamond frame wasn't black only.

The blue of the V+ 2 is nice looking.



A DIY project that installs a 2 stroke engine to an old bike is more fun.


Fun is relative.

I can't imagine listening to the rasp of a two-stroke for any length of time.

[Michael]

We noticed that Costco has an electric bike (don't know the brand) with very small wheels (maybe 14") for $350 or so. I figured they were essentially toys. Maybe so. But, we ride regularly in a national park and have seen an older couple on the bikes several times over the last couple of months. We ended at the same time on Saturday and I chatted with they guy. He says they're great. There are a couple of modest hills that my wife and I huff and puff on and he and his wife just zoom along. The guy said they're both overweight (they are...) and the bikes easily move them along. Hard to imagine that they're any good for that price, but, of course, it's Costco so you could return them until you're too embarrassed to do so!

[Acer]

What sort of real-word range we talking here, say on rails-to-trails grades, pedal assist?

[Maddog]

It is kind of like the mac vs. pc discussion. You can spend more, have fewer troubles and generally enjoy it more with the mac (imho, the Specialized e-bikes) or can get in cheaper. I have ridden the Rad bikes, not a huge fan. I own two of the specialized low entry Como ebikes. Love them. These are for the road/around town, not for the trail. They do ok on fire roads, but not really made for that. The Como's are pedal assist only and I highly recommend you get the ones that top out at 28mph, not the 20mph limit.