(08-30-2019, 07:41 PM)bikeracer Wrote: Does anyone know if there are electric bikes that let you switch from manual to purely electric, so that you won't have to pedal when you're extremely exhausted?
If yes, what's the brand name and where can I find them online?
Thanks.
I purchased a KBO Stealth Urban Hurricane electric bicycle, in May 2021, it was my first eBike experience. I had no place to try an ebike that I would be able to afford, and wanted to enjoy my rides without sweating like crazy in the summer heat on the way to office and home. Yes, I was refusing to ride public transportation during the Covid Pandemic and hatted paying for parking my car.
I figured I could rent an expensive eBike for several days for $200, or purchase one for a thousand dollars try it for a week and sell it quickly for $200 less on craigslist if I did not like the eBike. Bicycle arrived in the evening. was easy to install handlebars, charge battery, and pump the tires full of air. Next day I went for a 6 mile ride on my 37.7 pound bicycle not using any electricity. The bicycle was lighter than my 1980 something Mongoose Hilltopper, and I knew after that 6 mile experience I could ride it home without any power assist from the motor, if I drained the hidden battery accidentally.
I continued riding, eventually rode another 32 miles on several power levels using the pedal assist, that went from 12 mph in level 1 to 23 mph in level 3. I discovered I could easily average 12/14 mph as I did on a my 17 pound carbon fiber Ridley road bike to and from the office. I change my route to avoid 2 hills and a long gentle incline but the bicycle easily did the 20 mile one way commute in level 1. We had some 117°F (47.22°C) days where I drove the car and was happy pay the parking, eventually if it was 90°F @ sunrise I took the car. Otherwise the KBO Hurricane and only a few times was sweaty when I arrived in the office.
I have no place to charge my bicycle during the work day, but it easily handles the commute of 40 miles and I am quite happy with my purchase. Would like to have a different bicycle today, yes, I would like to have a slightly more powerful hub motor, and a Torque Sensor instead of cadence sensing. When riding a hill a cyclist slow down their pedaling speed, and cadence sensor understand that as you want less power. If you have a Torque sensor on your eBike it measures how hard you are pressing on the pedals, and increases the power on hills and long gentle inclines.
A torque sensor to me is a requirement for all eBikes, or increase the power of the motor so you do not care about hills or long inclines. Add a throttle and a bit more power in the motor and the bicycle will also not slow down on hills or long gentle inclines, but the range of travel will be less. Or weight be dammed, and get a large 1,000 watt motor and heavy battery and then 80 miles range with a 20 Ah battery is within the ability of the 55 pound electric bicycle.
I carry my bicycle up and down the stairs, left on the street it would disappear in an hour, so weight is very important consideration. Ribble has a 22 pound stealth eBike , but that eBike probably will never fit my pocketbook. All of the major bicycle companies have road style stealth eBikes in the 20-26 pound weight range but they cost between $4, 000 to $17,000 USDollars.
Here is a link to a ebike ride youtube demo that demonstrates what can be accomplished inexpensively:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4tfNUnyNLs&t=6s
Cheers and may you find the eBike of your desires with a throttle button...
JR