Anyone own an EBike?

[Paul F Franklin]

Mary and I plan to buy Ebikes in the spring. We've rented them a few times and enjoyed riding them a lot. We have ancient 12 speeds that weren't top notch when they were new and now are at end of useful life. Given our ages (mid 60s) we think Ebikes are the way to go. We live near the Cuyahoga valley and many many miles of paved and hard pack bike trails. Mostly flat but with occasional grades where the ebike assist is appreciated. We'd also like to be able to ride them on the 15 mile round trip to the gym where we work out each morning; that route has a few fairly steep grades that are a real chore for our old legs.

Looking to hear about rider's experiences, things to look for, recommended brands, etc. We have several good EBike dealers in the area, and we will likely buy from one of them.

[John Ziebron]

I'd cancel the gym membership. Sounds like the bike ride there and back is plenty of exercise. :D

[Bill George]

Mary and I plan to buy Ebikes in the spring. We've rented them a few times and enjoyed riding them a lot. We have ancient 12 speeds that weren't top notch when they were new and now are at end of useful life. Given our ages (mid 60s) we think Ebikes are the way to go. We live near the Cuyahoga valley and many many miles of paved and hard pack bike trails. Mostly flat but with occasional grades where the ebike assist is appreciated. We'd also like to be able to ride them on the 15 mile round trip to the gym where we work out each morning; that route has a few fairly steep grades that are a real chore for our old legs.

Looking to hear about rider's experiences, things to look for, recommended brands, etc. We have several good EBike dealers in the area, and we will likely buy from one of them.

We were down in Florida one year and saw a few and then found a Pedego EBike dealer close by, test rode and then purchased two. They were fine and top quality. Took them home here and hardly ever rode. We paid way too much top dollar for that brand, good quality but next to zero resale value at least around here in Iowa. Ended up selling for less than 1/2 price when they were just two years old!

Since then we ended up with recumbent trikes, and we ride more. I added a electric motor kit to mine which cost $900, will do the other one next year. You can pedal, use motor pedal assist or just straight motor drive.

[Jerome Stanek]

Mary and I plan to buy Ebikes in the spring. We've rented them a few times and enjoyed riding them a lot. We have ancient 12 speeds that weren't top notch when they were new and now are at end of useful life. Given our ages (mid 60s) we think Ebikes are the way to go. We live near the Cuyahoga valley and many many miles of paved and hard pack bike trails. Mostly flat but with occasional grades where the ebike assist is appreciated. We'd also like to be able to ride them on the 15 mile round trip to the gym where we work out each morning; that route has a few fairly steep grades that are a real chore for our old legs.

Looking to hear about rider's experiences, things to look for, recommended brands, etc. We have several good EBike dealers in the area, and we will likely buy from one of them.

Is that hill up Portage Trail or Smith Road

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I do not. I keep thinking about which way to go and snooping around the web for ideas.
HILLTOPPER front wheel kit is my current favorite.

[Paul F Franklin]

I'd cancel the gym membership. Sounds like the bike ride there and back is plenty of exercise. :D

You would think, but a glance at either of us will tell you otherwise:rolleyes:

[Paul F Franklin]

Is that hill up Portage Trail or Smith Road

Not those particularly, we live in Richfield. There are lots of routes but all of them seem to be uphill both ways :D Getting into and out of the valley is tough on a regular bike.

[Jim Becker]

I thought about getting one, but opted for a regular hybrid bike instead. I don't mind the grades that occasionally come into play in local trails and roads and have only had to walk it once or twice. Which reminds me...I kinda need to get back to riding. This whole shop build thing put the riding "out of sight, out of mind". To me that's honestly the risk of a bike or an e-bike...if you make the investment, you need to actually use it with reasonable frequency for multiple reasons.

[Keith Outten]

Where is the middle of the road between quality and cost? I don't like to buy cheap junk but I rarely find the top of the line products to be best value. We live in a rural area, Jackie and I would like to have a couple e-bikes to ride around the neighborhood in the warm months. I would like to take mine to WV when we are camping to be able to move around the campground when walking is just to far of a distance. Since I cannot use my ATV in the early morning because of the noise an e-bike would be just the ticket.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have ridden an old MTB with a China direct 1000W back wheel and a 56 tooth chainring. It was terrifying. It was this guys 2nd wheel. The first one only lasted a few months. China Direct did send him a new wheel FOC.

[Bill George]

One of ours had front wheel drive, here is the problem... when going up a hill when you need it most the front wheel gets light and the drive wheel loses traction been there done that. The bike motor kit I purchased drives one rear wheel and it is wonderful, wife approved for hers to do next.

[Paul F Franklin]

We were down in Florida one year and saw a few and then found a Pedego EBike dealer close by, test rode and then purchased two. They were fine and top quality. Took them home here and hardly ever rode. We paid way too much top dollar for that brand, good quality but next to zero resale value at least around here in Iowa. Ended up selling for less than 1/2 price when they were just two years old!

Since then we ended up with recumbent trikes, and we ride more. I added a electric motor kit to mine which cost $900, will do the other one next year. You can pedal, use motor pedal assist or just straight motor drive.

There is a Pedego dealer nearby, but yeah, my impression is they are higher priced than comparable alternatives at the same power and capacity levels. But part of the issue with choosing is there aren't many brands with a long history, the tech is evolving quickly, and the models change frequently. I generally try to avoid the bleeding edge on stuff like this, but it's hard to do when the models change significantly every year.

[Bill George]

Our selling dealer would not even take ours in trade on a new trike or sell on consignment!! I purchased both recumbent trikes used and like new and then added a motor kit to mine. My wife was afraid to ride a regular E bike because she breaks bones to easily.

[Bernie Kopfer]

I have ridden a high quality $$$ MTB for several years. But since my life and limb depend on that bike I need something strong and reliable. Getting stuck in the mountains or anywhere with a broken down heavy bike is my idea of a nightmare. I suggest you research and find a good brand with a reliable dealer network and buy from them. A cheap bike that you cannot always trust, will probably destroy your desire to go riding. And if you obtain a pedal assist only ebike you will guarantee yourself the exercise you want at the level you choose. The temptation to use the throttle is hard to resist. The ebike market is being flooded with cheap imports that are racing to the bottom in terms of quality and long term reliability. That is why I strongly recommend a name brand bike and dealer.

[Erik Loza]

My wife purchased a Cannondale e-bike about a year ago and LOVES it. She was rehabbing a torn MCL and riding a regular bike was too challenging. I really like it, too. Imagine that you are about 50% stronger. That’s the feeling.

Erik

[Maurice Mcmurry]

One of ours had front wheel drive, here is the problem... when going up a hill when you need it most the front wheel gets light and the drive wheel loses traction been there done that. The bike motor kit I purchased drives one rear wheel and it is wonderful, wife approved for hers to do next.

I bring these guys along for ballast. They are also the reason I want a little help.


https://youtu.be/jmQdcoMRhVg

[Jack Frederick]

Check out the RadPower bikes. I hav e ridden my friends and it was quite nice and it has lasted a couple years so far. My wife and I are looking at them after we move in Feb.

[Bob Borzelleri]

We have been riding recumbent trikes since 2008. After hitting a fallen water bottle while a group ride on my road bike, I went down like a rock and landed on my hip. Images of a broken hip and the potential life changing consequences flashed before my eyes. Over the next few months, I sold 2 road bikes, 1 FS mountain bike, a FS MTB tandem, a tandem road bike and a cyclocross bike. We bought 2 recumbent trikes and have not looked back.

Over the years, I added Copenhagen electric motor rear wheels on two of our trikes and just recently added 2 mid drive motors to the original trikes we bought.

Some e bike/trikes offer torque sensitive pedal assist where the motor provides assist proportional to the effort you put out. Others offer cadence assist where all the motor needs to see is that you are turning the cranks (even with little effort) and then there are the motors with throttles which is pretty much like hanging onto the bars and doing nothing else other than cranking the throttle.

The rear wheel motors I recently installed are set to torque assist only. They are referred to as mid drive (describes mounting the motor in the bike crank bottom bracket) motors and these can be set up through software to do any of the three modes. We use torque assist only because we want the best workout available.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Check out Eddy's Bike Shop online.
Their Trek eBikes start around $2.5k and go up to about $10k for some of the mountain eBikes.

A huge problem with the eBikes is - you don't know if ou are paying big bucks for a name, for quality or as a scam.

Personally, I think Eddy's charges top dollar for everything. My 21 speed Trek was the lowest price bike - other than a 7 speed - and it ran $800 three years ago when I bought it. That sort of lets you know that Eddy's is at the top of the price food chain.
They have a lot of $10 to $15k frames alone. No gears, no tires, no chains - just the frames!
I did take a test ride around the parking lot on an eBike - a $2.9k Trek that was pedal assist and it was a blast.

I do recommend reading all the info Eddy's has online though - not only the specs but they have a great section about local trails.

That's the main thing I wanted to mention. Before you spend a lot of money on eBikes, make sure you get what's allowed on the streets and trails where you will ride it/them.
The Summit County Hike/Bike trail limits eBikes to pedal assist only. I haven't seen anyone run into a problem with that - - - yet. BUT, I only started back riding a bike three years ago, right before COVID shut down everything.

Eddy's also offers eBikes for rent if you want to try one out for an extended ride. If that interests you, send me a PM in the Spring and I can show you the back roads to take to get from Eddy's to the hike/bike trail.

Speaking of which - the Hike/bike trail goes from Kent - in Portage County - all the way to Alexander Road- in Cuyahoga County - unbroken, meaning you don't have to travel on any streets. There's a short jog at Alexander Road to get to the "Emerald Necklace" and at the Portage County end to get onto the Kent trails.

I highly recommend if you take the Alexander road to Kent route, you start at Alexander Road and go towards Kent. It's all uphill. You run into a fairly steep hill at Brandywine and going under Rt 8 and coming up at the Tiki bar and grill - but other than those two, it's pretty easy going. When you turn around and head back, it's all downhill - except for one two hills that you can detour by taking a short jaunt on a couple back roads.

Man, I really miss riding. :(

[John K Jordan]

Paul,

I first saw e-bikes in Europe where bike transportation in cities was almost universal. All I saw there were road bikes. I was interested more in an off-road bike for around the farm and for trails.

We bought a Specialized e-mountain bike, the Turbo Levo FSR, Comp Carbon (I think that means composite carbon frame, can’t remember).

Very high quality but not exactly cheap. Bought it a few years ago before the price about doubled - I see a used one for sale now for over $4000. I know almost nothing about e-bikes and did no research, just got it on the strong recommendation of a good friend, a hard-core traditional and e-MTN bike fanatic and a big fan of the Specialized brand. We had to drive about 300 miles round trip to the nearest dealer and snagged one in stock.

These and similar models are apparently quite popular in the UK and Europe, I’ve seen videos of long treks in rough mountain terrain. It uses a pedal-assist and is easily adjustable on the fly for minimum assist to make you really work or for more assist until you are barely pedaling to go up a steep hill. The thing is a dream to ride and the battery has so much power it seems to last forever. I’m 72 and while I enjoy a good workout these aging legs also appreciate the power assist!

The suspension is amazing and the handling is good, However, I’ve never ridden another e-bike so I have no frame of reference for comparison. I have no idea what models and features are sold now or what is even available to buy. I think this is almost the same model I have: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo-levo-fsr-carbon
Ours is bright red so I can find it in the woods! :)

JKJ


Mary and I plan to buy Ebikes in the spring. We've rented them a few times and enjoyed riding them a lot. We have ancient 12 speeds that weren't top notch when they were new and now are at end of useful life. Given our ages (mid 60s) we think Ebikes are the way to go. We live near the Cuyahoga valley and many many miles of paved and hard pack bike trails. Mostly flat but with occasional grades where the ebike assist is appreciated. We'd also like to be able to ride them on the 15 mile round trip to the gym where we work out each morning; that route has a few fairly steep grades that are a real chore for our old legs.

Looking to hear about rider's experiences, things to look for, recommended brands, etc. We have several good EBike dealers in the area, and we will likely buy from one of them.

[Bill Dufour]

What happens in two or three years when you need a new battery? Will they still be in business and have that kind of battery for sale. Is there any standardization of battery packs?
Bill D

[Stan Calow]

I've thought about them too, but got a regular bike instead. But I always like to consult Consumer Reports, who has indeed done some testing and recommending. I dont know if this is beyond a paywall ir not: https://www.consumerreports.org/search/?query=ebikes

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Mrs. and I started riding a nearby bike trail along the Susquehanna River. Mostly flat and 12 to 14 miles long. But half the bikes on it are e-bikes, and a few are definitely way over the 750 Watt limit for street legal without being classed as motor bikes. Lately, I have seen some enclosed e-tricycles, windshields, roof, doors, mirrors, headlight, tail and brake light more like a tiny electric commuter vehicle. Like a half scale Cushman. And they go far too fast around some of the curves. I did get a look at one. Even had a dash board with radio, Driver said as long as it has peddles, cops leave him along. It was not as fancy as the enclosed motor scooter I saw ten years ago in Maryland that had to training wheel struts that came down to hold the thing up when it stopped. It also had a windshield roof doors,etc. but was going down main street in Bel Air MD. in the rain.

[Bill George]

FYI I need to make a correction to my post about motorizing a recumbent trike, the motor was installed at mid-point where the pedals would be directly under. It then drove one rear wheel via the OEM chain drive. I only have 3 speeds instead of the 7 or 8 whatever it was. It was not all that hard to do IF you have mechanical ability like most folks on here. I did not go the cheap route mine was mid-way at about $900. The hold up was ordering the correct adapters to get the OEM crank and the rest off.

[Paul F Franklin]

What happens in two or three years when you need a new battery? Will they still be in business and have that kind of battery for sale. Is there any standardization of battery packs?
Bill D

Bill, I don't see any standardization unfortunately. Replacement down the road is a crap shoot for sure...best one can do is go with a big brand I think.

[Paul F Franklin]

The trikes are interesting, but I wonder about transporting them? Do they make hitch mount carriers for them, or would they have to go in the pickup bed or a trailer? Most of our riding will be around home, but we would definitely want to travel with them fairly often.

[John K Jordan]

Bill, I don't see any standardization unfortunately. Replacement down the road is a crap shoot for sure...best one can do is go with a big brand I think.

I wonder if the battery quality differs. 4 years on the battery now (on our Specialized e-bike) and I think my friend has about 8 years on his now, no noticeable degradation. These were not one of those inexpensive brands; maybe this is one of those cases where you get what you pay for. [gasp!]

JKJ

[Bill Dufour]

Maybe someone will make an e bike that uses several standard power tool batteries like a Makita bike. I keep using my 9.6 Mkkita because I have the cordless drills and... jig saw, right angle drill, sander , garden pruner, flashlight, wet saw and probbably more I forgot about.
Bill D

[Bill George]

Maybe someone will make an e bike that uses several standard power tool batteries like a Makita bike. I keep using my 9.6 Mkkita because I have the cordless drills and... jig saw, right angle drill, sander , garden pruner, flashlight, wet saw and probbably more I forgot about.
Bill D

The motor on my eBike is rated at 500 watts at 36 volts how many watts is a 9.6 volt Makita battery good for? Some eBikes use 750 watt (1 Hp) some 1000 watts.

[Erik Loza]

The battery on my wife’s bike is from Bosch. In fact, that was one of their selling points. So, not too worried about when/if. Also, given how popular e-bikes have become and the rate at which aftermarket batteries for all manner of electrical devices are available, there ought to be OEM-grade equivalents available for a while. Just my thoughts.

Erik

[Myk Rian]

Maybe someone will make an e bike that uses several standard power tool batteries like a Makita bike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z8dFlVNrY8

[John K Jordan]

The motor on my eBike is rated at 500 watts at 36 volts how many watts is a 9.6 volt Makita battery good for? Some eBikes use 750 watt (1 Hp) some 1000 watts.

I didn’t go look at the label on our Turbo Levo FSR battery but Sir Google suggests it is 700 Wh and put the Makita battery at 9.6V * 2.6Ah = 25Wh. (If I counted correctly on my fingers that might be equivalent to 28 Makita tool batteries, a lot of batteries to plug into the bike.) Someone less tired could check the math.

[Bill Dufour]

I remember seeing a bike with a vertical boiler with a tall chimney and a steam engine to drive the front wheel. All nicely polished brass . I think it burned propane or liquid fuel, not coal or wood. Seen in Berkeley. Never know what you will see in a college town.
Bill D
Something like this but nicer.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

one fancy enclosed model I saw loaded onto a long trailer hitch platform that went the entire width of the suv hauling it. folding ramp on the passenger side for loading. I have seen similar large platforms for hauling extra large ice chests.

[Bob Borzelleri]

Hitch-Rider is one company that makes receiver mount racks for recumbent trikes. Ours carries two trikes.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I was thinking about a 6 or 8 pack of Milwaukee Fuel batteries in a series, parallel arrangement. I am leaning more toward standardized parts as I keep looking around. It would be neat to multi-task battery's and chargers.

[Paul F Franklin]

I didn’t go look at the label on our Turbo Levo FSR battery but Sir Google suggests it is 700 Wh and put the Makita battery at 9.6V * 2.6Ah = 25Wh. (If I counted correctly on my fingers that might be equivalent to 28 Makita tool batteries, a lot of batteries to plug into the bike.) Someone less tired could check the math.

Your math is perfect John. Of course those makita batteries are a few generations back, technology wise. The dewalt Flexvolt batteries are 180 watt hours, so four or five of those would do the trick pretty well.

[Alex Zeller]

None of the companies making ebikes actually make much more than the frame. Mot everything else is stuff they buy. Bikes have been this way for a very long time. On regular bike things like the wheels, brakes, chain, shifter, seat, etc. are made by companies like Shimano. With ebikes the shape of the battery could be exclusive to each brand but the cells inside it are generic. If they die I'm sure, if nothing else, you can find someone who can open the pack up and replace the cells.

My biggest problem with ebikes is that people always say they are just going to use them to help climb a hill but end up using them like a motorcycle. Right now it's not too bad but in the near future I would expect that more states are going to realize that there's money to be made. Only a few require registering them but expect it to change. That could include an inspection by a bike shop to verify that the motor isn't over 1000w (as required by most states).

As for buying a pair? This spring my plan is to buy a side by side trike. It has two seats so can carry on a conversation easily while biking. Other advantages are a much nicer seat (on some), easier to carry stuff, like food and an extra jacket, etc. They also don't fall over like a bike does. Trikes are much harder to transport than a bike so having two trikes, one for you and one for the better half it can be difficult. But carrying just one on a receiver hitch rack isn't bad.

[Michael Schuch]

Start with the basics, hydraulic disc brakes are standard these days for good reason. I would not buy any bike with cable disc or rim brakes.

Buy a ebike with a mid-drive motor. Hub drive motors are for lower end bikes and aren't as versatile. A mid drive motor will generally take you further on a charge than a hub/wheel motor because the bikes gears can be changed for best motor (and pedaling) efficiency.

Next question, do you want a pedal assist bike or an electric motorcycle? A 500w pedal assist motor should be more than you ever need and is the start of electric motor cycle territory. A 1000w or 1500w will take you to the same places just a whole lot faster, i.e. electric motorcycle type speeds. Bosch 250w motors make for a lighter bike needing minimal petal assist up the steepest hills and stays within the legal definition for an ebike in most locals. Bafang is a Chinese manufacture that made high power ebikes affordable and they have an excellent reputation. Bosch is on the smaller more refined side and I believe their motors top out at 250w, this is what I would shoot for on a pedal assist bicycle.

Battery in frame ebikes are more refined than a frame mounted battery ebike.

A quality internally geared hub is a very nice luxury but conventional gears and derailer will get the job done very well. These days most upper end bikes will only have gearing on the rear hub (External or internally geared), no front derailer on the crank (pedals). This makes more sense for shifting and reduces complexity and the number of items that might break. With an internally geared rear hub you can get a belt drive instead of a chain drive and have darn near zero drive train maintenance to worry about if you want to shell out that kind of money.

Internally gears hub explanation: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/internal-gears.html A 5 speed internally geared hub should be plenty for an electric bike.

Shimano and SRAM are the two top quality drive train component manufactures. More money for their top end components won't buy you stronger components but rather shave grams off their weight which is completely meaningless for an ebike. Electronically controlled derailers are the current hot technology for weight savings... I would definitely not go there!

Racing bikes have the cranks directly below the seat for maximum transfer of power from the bicyclist to the bicycle and the bicyclists torso is horizontal to the ground. This is great for efficiency but sucks for comfort. A commuter bicycle will have the cranks further forwards of the seat and a more upright riding posture. One of the biggest complaints I hear about bicycles for older folks like us is wrist numbness and pain due to too much body weight being supported by your wrists.

A recumbent bicycle is one of those hippy contraptions where the rider is laying on their back (Don't know them until you try one). A semi-recumbent takes a commuter configuration to an extreme with the cranks considerably forward of the seat with a very upright riding position and usually a very comfortable but not very efficient ride for most people. Older people like us on electric bicycles really don't have any need for pedaling efficiency and comfort should be your primary concern.

Recumbent trikes (tadpole or delta configuration) are very stable and comfortable rides but they aren't as maneuverable as bicycles and take up more of the bike path.

After tons of researching and comparing we bought a Townie Electra eBike for my girlfriend and she absolutely loves it. She really loves the relaxed comfortable riding position. https://electra.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/electra-bikes/electra-e-bikes/townie-go/c/EB210/ Note the position of the cranks/pedals considerably forward of the seat.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Amish are using rechargeable tool batteries for darn near everything, sewing machines, clothes washers, , barn lights, kitchen appliances. ice cream freezers, electric typewriters, cash registers even computers. A company called Sunrise Sales in Indiana sells Ninja Blenders converted to Dewalt, Milwaukee or Makita drill batteries. there is a company selling drill battery electric scooters.

[Bill George]

If you have priced replacement tool batteries you will find they are expensive. I would be more concerned on the bike / trike motor than the battery wearing out. Well cared for those good branded Lithium E bike batteries will more than likely outlast the bike or motor.

[Paul F Franklin]

Michael, thanks for the awesome info!

[Maurice Mcmurry]

What I am after for now is a bicycle with electric assist rather than an E-Bike. I like the idea of a hub motor because it does not contribute to ware on the drive train.

[Bill George]

What I am after for now is a bicycle with electric assist rather than an E-Bike. I like the idea of a hub motor because it does not contribute to ware on the drive train.
Ebike, electric assist one in the same. Front wheel hub drive the issues with traction on a hill as I pointed out above.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Ebike, electric assist one in the same. Front wheel hub drive the issues with traction on a hill as I pointed out above.

I think my cargo bike might be an OK candidate for front wheel drive. The geometry is unusual.

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[Maurice Mcmurry]

Rest In Peace Sheldon Brown! I have some helmet bling in his honor.
Jan Heine carries a similar torch. He is a bit of a purist regarding what a bicycle is. I enjoy the Bicycle Quarterly. Looking forward to his book too.

A bit about Jan. His bike is interesting as is his finishing time.

Jan Wins AR High Country Race (South Loop) – Rene Herse Cycles (https://www.renehersecycles.com/arkansas-high-country-race/)

[Bill George]

I think my cargo bike might be an OK candidate for front wheel drive. The geometry is unusual.

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My Border Collie weighs close to 80 lbs, my Aussie is around 50 but he likes to Run!

[Maurice Mcmurry]

The dog bike was created because of the look the black dog gave us when we would go for a ride and leave her behind. She loved to run along but we had to get a little way out of town, beyond the beat of the park ranger, and the danger of traffic.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

This thread has gotten so branched I do not know where to post... I just jot off the phone with S.I.L. who works at a Trek shop in Brunswick GA. The Electra Townie is their most popular E-Bike.