Have you Ever Tried an Electric Bike?

[rebeka deleon]

I have never tried an electric bike before but would love to. sounds fun. I love riding bikes with the family and its good exercise.

[JohnWebike]

I have an electric bike. I think for me, it was necessary because I live on a mountain. It has got me back into cycling. The treck uphill after a ride, an electric allows me to exercise, and still get home afterward! I suggest anyone considering buying an electric bike, check out the forum on Electric Bike Review site and look at the "known issues by brand" category of the forum . I discovered this site after I purchased and had major issues. It is invaluable information given by actual riders with real issues.

[JR Namida]

There was no place to do a demo ride on a $1,000 ebike here in Vegas so I read everything I could find and watched a lot of youtube videos. I ride road bikes and live on the third floor, making weight and cost my two major concerns. I ended up purchasing a KBO Hurricane belt drive bicycle.

I have only ridden the Hurricane eBike 77 miles, and like it very much for several rides I do on flat pavement. The Stealth Urban Electric Bike KBO Hurricane is nice has small 250 watt hub motor than lets me improve my 7 mph sections to 12 or 14 mph.

I do not need to ride 23 mph, 14 mph is the perfect speed on busy roads, making me easy to believe I can stay out of trouble with cars and I can stop quickly for cell phone reading pedestrians not paying attention when stepping off the sidewalk. The mechanical disc brakes are as good as my ultegra R8000 rim brakes and so far it has been easy to slow down and avoid cars that seem to want to turn right into a curb cut right in front of me.

The Bicycle weighted 37.7 pounds without the pedals after assembly on my scales. After personalising/modding with a few carbon fiber parts and new front wheel, & lighter weight gatorskin tire the bicycle now weighs 34.9 Making it easier to carry up and down three flights of stairs when I am going to use the eBike. I still ride the 17, to 20 pound road bikes that are much lighter weight when I must use a route with hills and long inclines.

Now owning an eBike I discovered you need one equipped with a Torque Sensor if you have short hills or long gentle inclines in your ride area. Throttles in my opinion might be nice, but they induce you to not to pedal, and take a long time to bring you up to cruising speed unless you are providing peddle assist to help the bicycle acceleration. About a month after my ebike purchase I saw several youtube reviews on a bicycle in the same purchase price range with a similar alloy frame, larger hidden battery along with a Torque Sensor that would have allowed me to do short cimbs, but most importantly ride long inclines without major cadence drops as all PAS bicycle interpret as you want to ride slower.

I purchased a single speed eBike that has a motor assist based on cadence, spin the pedals fast and it provides a firm gentle push to 23 mph. In general terms I like the way the bicycle looks, it is stealth without a battery on water bottle bolts that can be kicked off an easily stolen. Yet I did not understand you need a Torque sensor to communicate to the mid or hub motor when you want it to provide more assistance. I have adjusted my routes for the ebike to avoid hills and long inclines where my pedal speed slows down and I must sweat with effort to move a heavy bicycle forward.

My income/pocketbook can not afford a Ribble, Orbea, Specialised, or Le mond sub 27 pound ebike. But next time I know to purchase the lightest electric bicycle I can afford with a Torque Sensor that will translate pedal pressure to the controller that the motor needs to provide more assistance. No tank weight ebikes for me with narrow stairs...    

[Jesper]

(05-08-2021, 03:31 PM)Ivelisse Woods Wrote:  I tested one at our local bike shop. I haven't purchased one yet mainly because of the cost and being hesitant about losing the benefit of not getting the exercise.

My oldest sister and her husband just got pedal assist ebikes. They used to ride regularly on standard bikes , but with them getting close to 70 years old I applaud their continued effort. I don't know what they ride, but these bikes will not drive as an ebike only, you have to do some pedalling so you still get some exercise benefits from them. I will contact them and find out what models they have.

---

(07-07-2021, 06:56 PM)JR Namida Wrote:  There was no place to do a demo ride on a $1,000 ebike here in Vegas so I read everything I could find and watched a lot of youtube videos. I ride road bikes and live on the third floor, making weight and cost my two major concerns. I ended up purchasing a KBO Hurricane belt drive bicycle.

I have only ridden the Hurricane eBike 77 miles, and like it very much for several rides I do on flat pavement. The Stealth Urban Electric Bike KBO Hurricane is nice has small 250 watt hub motor than lets me improve my 7 mph sections to 12 or 14 mph.

I do not need to ride 23 mph, 14 mph is the perfect speed on busy roads, making me easy to believe I can stay out of trouble with cars and I can stop quickly for cell phone reading pedestrians not paying attention when stepping off the sidewalk. The mechanical disc brakes are as good as my ultegra R8000 rim brakes and so far it has been easy to slow down and avoid cars that seem to want to turn right into a curb cut right in front of me.

The Bicycle weighted 37.7 pounds without the pedals after assembly on my scales. After personalising/modding with a few carbon fiber parts and new front wheel, & lighter weight gatorskin tire the bicycle now weighs 34.9 Making it easier to carry up and down three flights of stairs when I am going to use the eBike. I still ride the 17, to 20 pound road bikes that are much lighter weight when I must use a route with hills and long inclines.

Now owning an eBike I discovered you need one equipped with a Torque Sensor if you have short hills or long gentle inclines in your ride area. Throttles in my opinion might be nice, but they induce you to not to pedal, and take a long time to bring you up to cruising speed unless you are providing peddle assist to help the bicycle acceleration. About a month after my ebike purchase I saw several youtube reviews on a bicycle in the same purchase price range with a similar alloy frame, larger hidden battery along with a Torque Sensor that would have allowed me to do short cimbs, but most importantly ride long inclines without major cadence drops as all PAS bicycle interpret as you want to ride slower.

I purchased a single speed eBike that has a motor assist based on cadence, spin the pedals fast and it provides a firm gentle push to 23 mph. In general terms I like the way the bicycle looks, it is stealth without a battery on water bottle bolts that can be kicked off an easily stolen. Yet I did not understand you need a Torque sensor to communicate to the mid or hub motor when you want it to provide more assistance. I have adjusted my routes for the ebike to avoid hills and long inclines where my pedal speed slows down and I must sweat with effort to move a heavy bicycle forward.

My income/pocketbook can not afford a Ribble, Orbea, Specialised, or Le mond sub 27 pound ebike. But next time I know to purchase the lightest electric bicycle I can afford with a Torque Sensor that will translate pedal pressure to the controller that the motor needs to provide more assistance. No tank weight ebikes for me with narrow stairs...

I would not feel like a fool on that bike. Very decent looking and style for an ebike. I think 35 pounds is a good weight given motor, battery, and associated equipment.
Thank you for the input about the torque sensor. I would not have thought about that either, but it certainly makes sense. I do hope I am decades from wanting or needing an ebike, but I am impressed with the improvements being made in design and efficiency as well as weight. I assume those "lighwieght" ebikes you listed are carbon frames; tough to imagine an ebike at much under 25 pounds unless a carbon build.

[schnoodle]

I'm not sure where to even start ....

[Nitro77]

I really love to ride electric bike , because it gives me lots of fun and change my mood completely.

[Ximena]

I have just brought an electric bike for my kid please anyone here share some electric bike safety tips so i can guide him before ride. thanks

[Tim Elett]

We like ours but mine was shipped with a bad battery, lol ,so I borrow her battery,which is the same brand,NAKTO still waiting to hear from them on battery issue.

[JR Namida]

(05-16-2021, 09:48 AM)Ablang Wrote:  I haven't yet tried an electric bike.

I haven't seen any in person that wasn't less than $1000.

You are in California, have you looked in Best Buy?

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/swft-volt-ebike-w-32mi-max-operating-range-19-8-mph-max-speed-black/6464288.p?

JR

[Cynthia Stacey]

I would love to try an electric bicycle. We gave up bicycle for health reasons but would love to try an electric bicycle. This may be the answer for us!

[Robert F Walker]

R.W. NEWBIE, JUST A BEGINNER ON MY 4-MONTH-OLD LECTRIC XP 2.0 STEP-THRU E-BIKE. LIVING IN MICHIGAN, SO I WILL BE ON A WINTER BREAK FROM MY E-BIKE ADVENTURES, MAYBE VISIT FLORIDA FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS SO I CAN GET SOME RIDES IN UNTIL SPRING ARRIVES IN MICHIGAN, TO BE DETERMINED. HOPE ALL OF MY FELLOW E-BIKE RIDERS STAY SAFE & HEALTHY DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

[cec]

I own a 2021 RadCity ST v3 electric bkie---- love it. Work as hard or as easy as you like. This bike has 2.3 " tires. 99% of my riding is on paved trails and roads. I have been thinking about buying a new RAD Power boke with 4" tires. I'm not sure if the larger tires would be on any benefit,.

Any thoughts on this? BTW I do not have a problem with the 2.3 " tires. Thought that the 4" tire might be more versatile

[cec]

(09-04-2021, 10:43 AM)Nitro77 Wrote:  I really love to ride electric bike , because it gives me lots of fun and change my mood completely.

Amen to that---

[TheCelticSeer]

(05-05-2021, 09:24 AM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Are you sceptical, neutral or excited about electric bikes?
Have you ever tried riding one? What are the reasons for yes/no?

Join the poll and let's discuss e-bikes

I have not tried one yet, I'd think it would take a bit of getting used to, like a motorbike does, but would be interested to give it a shot.
Not sure on the range of them, but I know you would have to cut the range in half if you planned to return home unless you know where you can charge the bike and how long it would take?

That's another concern, the charging time, and how do you dispose of the batteries once they are dead like car batteries go!!

[Flashbk2]

I vote yes. I have owned rode an 1000 w all wheel drive for 1.5 years now . I still ride conventional bikes ,too . But days I am not into pushing myself it’s nice to have options .

[AK-LG]

I have not tried riding one yet. It's something that I am considering buying, however for now I am just reading about them.

[bluesbreaker]

Ebikes are great! Battery Technology is so advanced

[Peanut]

Never tried. But quality and price seem to be improving. And feel excited about them now, finally.

[Kimmy]

(05-05-2021, 09:24 AM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Are you sceptical, neutral or excited about electric bikes?
Have you ever tried riding one? What are the reasons for yes/no?

Join the poll and let's discuss e-bikes

Not an eBike, but an eTrike.

My grandma had an electric trike that she would ride along with the family riding bikes. I rode it a few times, it was fun but nothing like bicycling.

From what I can see of eBikes they are heavy and often poorly balanced. The good ones seem to cost as much as a used car.

[Ashley]

(05-05-2021, 09:24 AM)Nicholas Wrote:  Hello, bike riders!
Are you sceptical, neutral or excited about electric bikes?
Have you ever tried riding one? What are the reasons for yes/no?

Join the poll and let's discuss e-bikes

No easy way to "try" one around here unless you happen to know someone who has one (and I don't). From what I've seen advertised, it seems all the decent eBikes are really pricey. Way more than I could spend on a toy without knowing a lot more about it.