Finally got to ride the Ebikes

[SMR]

Its been 6 weeks since we went for a ride. Spent a month in Elkhart getting warranty work done and it was cold in April. LOL that and DW's motor decided to fail. New motor great weather so we rode from the campsite to Acadia NP and rode the carriage roads, felt good to be outside. Our friends are visiting so one of them went with us, first time there and was impressed. Looking forward to the season.

 

[Domo]

Ebikes are a blessing to me. I could not keep up with DW. The advent of the ebike allowed us to enjoy much more. And, DW finally got one as the wind and hills would knock her out despite her athleticism. So, living in Florida - despite being mostly flat, we can enjoy going to the market, errands and much more. Heck - after my recent knee surgery (torn meniscus) I've been making excuses to do 5-16 mile trips around town. Good for movement at 73 I'll tell ya!

 

[tlmgcamp]

FYI...As of end of April, there have been 59 fires that started with ebike batteries. There were 5 fatalities associated with the fires

 

[DonTom]

there have been 59 fires that started with ebike batteries.

What percentage of the bikes sold is that? Not that it made any difference to the five killed.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[JudyJB]

I have had two electric bikes because I had pulled some tendons when I caught my heel going down some very steep stairs after I had had two knee replacements. Riding my regular bike caused a lot of knee pain and swelling, so I agree that they are wonderful.

Just be careful when you ride on gravel or even on small gravel patches. I learned the hard way and fell into the roadway on a busily traveled road in Napa, CA. I could not get out from under the heavy bike because of the way I had fallen. Luckily the light was red, and I had fallen directly in front of a small auto repair place. Two mechanics ran out--one pulled the bike off of me and the other pulled me up and out of traffic, which by now luckily had stopped for me.

The problem with gravel is that the "pedal boost" function sometimes interprets riding over gravel and slipping a bit as your needing a bit of a speed boost. That causes the rear tire to move faster than the front tire, so you slip sideways and can easily fall. I managed to walk the couple of hundred feet to the EXPO RV park and had only some scrapes and bruises, but laying under your bike on a heavily traveled road is not fun.

 

[tlmgcamp]

What percentage of the bikes sold is that? Not that it made any difference to the five killed.

-Don- Reno, NV

That was NYC. It didn't give info on bikes sold or rented. The 2022 death toll was 6 so it is trending upward.

 

[DonTom]

That causes the rear tire to move faster than the front tire,

I wonder if traction control is possible on an electric bicycle as it is on electric motorcycles. My Energicas have six settings for traction control, seven if off counts.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Skookum]

I'm a bit lost when it comes to e-bike brands. I see the old/major names have some models, but those are just a few in comparison to all the new companies putting bikes on the market. I'm very interested in one as I need to get back on a bike.

Any brand recommendations?

 

[DonTom]

Any brand recommendations?

Like anything else, there will most likely be many different opinions.

But here is a great place to start to decide what you want.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[SMR]

When we went shopping we found an ebike store in Wintergarden, Fl. They allowed us to ride several different bikes, rear hub motors and mid drive motors. We probably spent 5 hours at the shop. We chose the EG Geneva's that have a mid drive motor. We got ours in Jan of 2020. They are great to have, got us back on bikes and now we look for places to stay by bike trails. Last year we purchased 2 extra batteries to extend our range. We usually ride a min of 20 miles, 40 to 50 when we plan an outing. In Bar Harbor it is very hilly which is why we need the extra batteries, I tow them all secure in a kid trailer. We take a lunch, chairs and will go ride 6 to 8 hours.
We use them to get groceries and go out to lunch.
We don't break any speed records, just go about 8 to 10 mph.
Go test ride or rent if you are able to.

 

[Onyrlef]

I'm a bit lost when it comes to e-bike brands. I see the old/major names have some models, but those are just a few in comparison to all the new companies putting bikes on the market. I'm very interested in one as I need to get back on a bike.

Any brand recommendations?

It largely depends on what type bike your interested in and what type riding you think you'll be doing. There are folding bikes for commuters all the way up to fat bikes and trikes for recreational riding. I don't ride one but I ride a couple of hours a day and I'm seeing more and more of them. I think they're an excellent idea for getting people who might otherwise be intimidated about riding a conventional bike to get out and about. My only caveat for riders is to stay fully aware an ebike is really just an electric moped that you can pedal, they can go really fast and wrecks can be especially serious. My suggestion would be to consult with a reputable bike shop, those guys aren't likely going to sell junk.

 

[Skookum]

It largely depends on what type bike your interested in and what type riding you think you'll be doing. There are folding bikes for commuters all the way up to fat bikes and trikes for recreational riding. I don't ride one but I ride a couple of hours a day and I'm seeing more and more of them. I think they're an excellent idea for getting people who might otherwise be intimidated about riding a conventional bike to get out and about. My only caveat for riders is to stay fully aware an ebike is really just an electric moped that you can pedal, they can go really fast and wrecks can be especially serious. My suggestion would be to consult with a reputable bike shop, those guys aren't likely going to sell junk.

Basically looking for something not foldable/commuter style, which looks like a mountain bike but is more upright, and big fat tires. Something that would be excellent on gravel / all purpose and easy single track in the woods. I've ridden motorcycles, dirt bikes, and many years riding mountain bike so hopefully the "go juice" wouldn't be too much for me to handle

 

[DutchmenSport]

I'm glad you are enjoying the bikes. They are not for everyone, but if you are happy with them, it really does not matter what anyone else thinks. Enjoy the ride! You'll never be any younger than what you are right now!

 

[SMR]

We have a throttle on ours that rarely gets used. We use the lower pedal assist modes so we are always peddling. Now as far as the seat goes.......after 50 miles the tush is sore. LOL I tried several seats but (no pun intended) finally got bicycle pants that help a lot.

 

[Onyrlef]

Basically looking for something not foldable/commuter style, which looks like a mountain bike but is more upright, and big fat tires. Something that would be excellent on gravel / all purpose and easy single track in the woods. I've ridden motorcycles, dirt bikes, and many years riding mountain bike so hopefully the "go juice" wouldn't be too much for me to handle

Just keep in mind a conventional fat bike ( 4" - 5" tires) is already heavy. When you add a battery and the necessary drive gear it's going to be a beast, especially for even a beginner level ( non technical) single track. You won't be hopping anything for sure. They do however make a line of ebikes strictly for riding in the woods and on the trails. Pro Bass Shop, Cabela's and the like carry them, they're oriented toward the hunters and fisherman.
I now ride a conventional fat bike and I love it. You just have to get accustomed to the fact you're not going to zip around at 20-25 mph like on a road bike. On a good day now I might avg. 15mph over 30 miles. You may want to consider giving a conventional fat bike a whirl, heck you can drop it to the small chainring on the front and work your way up as you get stronger.

 

[Onyrlef]

We have a throttle on ours that rarely gets used. We use the lower pedal assist modes so we are always peddling. Now as far as the seat goes.......after 50 miles the tush is sore. LOL I tried several seats but (no pun intended) finally got bicycle pants that help a lot.

Yep, that chamois will change your life.

 

[JudyJB]

I have never seen an e-bike with anything but a front wheel that just spun around, other than when you engage a hand brake or stick out your foot to stop it, both of which are NOT recommended.

There are a lot of companies selling e-bikes via mail. You pick one out from some slick photos and videos, and it arrives in the mail when you are expected to assemble it.

I strongly suggest to anyone that before they buy an e-bike that they try several models. A lot of bike stores now rent out e-bikes, so renting one for a few hours is fairly easy. And even if a bike dealer does not rent them out, they will seldom object to your taking a few minutes ride on several models. Should also try more than one brand.

Also, as was pointed out, e-bikes are very heavy, making them a bit unmanageable at first, especially when you add a motor that can seem to take off suddenly. I gave my older e-bike to my DIL and have let my teenaged grandchildren ride my old or new one. However, I tell them to ride it without the motor on until they get comfortable, and then turn on the pedal boost or try the accelerator, but to keep it very slow at first.

Also, I used to let a lot of people try my old bike, but stopped that when one lady came back from a very short ride with a broken wrist!! She lost control on a slippery patch and fell really hard. (Because of the weight, it is a lot harder to recover from a bad move than it is on a regular bike.) So no more tryouts for strangers!!!

 

[jymbee]

Just be careful when you ride on gravel or even on small gravel patches.

I strongly suggest to anyone that before they buy an e-bike that they try several models. A lot of bike stores now rent out e-bikes, so renting one for a few hours is fairly easy. And even if a bike dealer does not rent them out, they will seldom object to your taking a few minutes ride on several models. Should also try more than one brand.

Great advice from an experienced e-bike owner!

 

[Skookum]

Just keep in mind a conventional fat bike ( 4" - 5" tires) is already heavy. When you add a battery and the necessary drive gear it's going to be a beast, especially for even a beginner level ( non technical) single track. You won't be hopping anything for sure. They do however make a line of ebikes strictly for riding in the woods and on the trails. Pro Bass Shop, Cabela's and the like carry them, they're oriented toward the hunters and fisherman.
I now ride a conventional fat bike and I love it. You just have to get accustomed to the fact you're not going to zip around at 20-25 mph like on a road bike. On a good day now I might avg. 15mph over 30 miles. You may want to consider giving a conventional fat bike a whirl, heck you can drop it to the small chainring on the front and work your way up as you get stronger.

Interesting. I don't technically have a fat bike right now but it's a mountain bike with 27.5x2.8 wheels and tires. I don't do any hopping or catch any air these days It does have a nice low gear and gets over stuff pretty good though. I just wish it had a motor, a little boost, while I need to lose some tonnage.

We also have these things called hills here, in fact, there really isn't much flat anything, so any bike ride is a huff. A motor would be nice to ah..help flatten some of that out.

 

[JudyJB]

Great advice from an experienced e-bike owner!

With a scar on the side of my foot that took several months to heal!! Amazing what scraping on concrete can do to skin and muscle.

Oh, and the other big danger is other e-bike riders. Some think that if it can go 25-30 MPH, they need to ride it that fast. The bike trail at Zion is becoming a serious hazard because there are two bike stores renting e-bikes!!!