E Bikes

As I sit here reading about E bikes, the cookies have taken over.

I'm seeing all kinds of ads for E Bikes and skin tight riding clothes that a 70 year old man would look downright silly in. It says, "Go-to shorts for wherever you may go."
 
Bamaman said:
As I sit here reading about E bikes, the cookies have taken over.

I'm seeing all kinds of ads for E Bikes and skin tight riding clothes that a 70 year old man would look downright silly in. It says, "Go-to shorts for wherever you may go."
Click to expand...

I wear the skin tight bike shorts but I wear gym shorts over them. Works well for my purposes, you just need to find what works for you
 
When I ride my normal, non electric bike, I have a pair of gel-padded underwear that I use under my normal modest sports shorts. I prefer that and find it far more comfortable than wearing the padded, stretchy bike shorts.
 
kevink said:
Here's a perspective on e-bikes from the high end of the enthusiast/racer/mechanic world that gives you a sense of what's possible. Of course the kinds of bikes he has in mind cost more than many of us would spend on a car - and that's the REGULAR bikes let alone the e-bikes. But the technology is amazing.

https://www.velonews.com/gear/road-gear/zinn-e-bike-can-life-changing-lifelong-cyclist/
Click to expand...
Good article. I get a bout of arrhythmia (SVT) every few months, I have to quickly stop and lay down with my feet up. So far they always pass quickly and have not increased in frequency but I worry that they could get worse or more frequent and screw up my riding. Zinn's experience is encouraging.
 
I built my Ebike on this bike; IRON HORSE IH5510SR 29" Men's Warrior 3.2 Mountain Bike | Sears Hometown Stores

I built it for cruising easy MTB trails, and back roads, not racing, or competing of any kind. I have a 500 watt, 36V front hub motor, that has pedal assist, 5 speeds along with the 24 stock gears, and a twist throttle, along with a nice display. This bike will run 25+mph (I can hit 30 mph while pedaling hard) On battery alone, and have stretched out over 40 miles while also pedaling, but would easily do 20+ miles on battery alone, but who wants to just be a passenger without pedaling.

I paid $300 for the bike, and another $250 for the complete kit, and separate bottle cage battery for around $180, so about half the price of a prebuilt unit.
 
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ckelly78z said:
I built my Ebike on this bike; IRON HORSE IH5510SR 29" Men's Warrior 3.2 Mountain Bike | Sears Hometown Stores

....

I paid $300 for the bike, and another $250 for the complete kit, and separate bottle cage battery for around $180, so about half the price of a prebuilt unit.
Click to expand...

Do you remember how many hours did it take to change the bike to an E bike ?
Trying to figure out how hard is it to do.

If you peddle the bike with a dead battery, does the front wheel spin freely or are you pushing against the motor all the time ?

Why did you need such an expensive battery holder ? does it not come with one ?
 
Sunset said:
Do you remember how many hours did it take to change the bike to an E bike ?
Trying to figure out how hard is it to do.

If you peddle the bike with a dead battery, does the front wheel spin freely or are you pushing against the motor all the time ?

Why did you need such an expensive battery holder ? does it not come with one ?
Click to expand...

I remember doing all the work in 2 Winter afternoons last year. With the kit that I got, they multi-tasked many of the connections, and color coded them, so it was really easy to figure out what went where. The price was for the battery that fit inside of the water bottle holder cage. I listed it below.

It coasts for a long time which means it pushes easily. There is probably 10% more effort than pedaling the bike before it had the front wheel motor.

https://www.ebay.com/i/283598651892...HnkA8Zl9jU8207fxY9sTbDRSTnT8hurRoCTXsQAvD_BwE

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ebikeling-...var=442057554146&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
 
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I put a hub motor on a recumbent trike and also bought a Mod City+ from a shop in Austin. The ebikes are good for windy days and if you have a lot of hills. I also find that I ride the ebikes more than non-motorized ones because it is so easy to do so. I recommend doing some serious test rides before buying, as some of the name brand bikes I tried were underpowered and made climbing hills a chore. Another thing to consider is that if you buy a bike over the internet, you are responsible for all maintenance and troubleshooting. If that doesn’t sound appealing, buy from a local bike shop (even if they are more expensive).
 
molly312 said:
I would be interested in brands. I have been looking at the Trek Verge 2. E-bike supplies are limited here due to their popularity and the manufacturers slowly getting back to work. I am especially interested in the help they give you going up a steep hill. I have 2 steep hills to get back home and just can't make it these days on my old bike. User experience would be appreciated.
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We picked up two Electra Townies from a local bike shop to haul around on the motor home. Last week, we camped in Keystone South Dakota and rode the bikes the six miles from the campground to Mount Rushmore. The last four miles was 800'+ of elevation. While I ended up in first gear and maximum assist, the bike kept pushing and ultimately consumed 40% of the battery capacity climbing the mountain. The gate attendant was amused to see us since they don't see many bicyclists up there. No charge for admittance by the way!

In normal riding, they makes hills and wind disappear. We've ridden them ten miles since recharging them and both batteries still show a full charge.
 
kevink said:
Here's a perspective on e-bikes from the high end of the enthusiast/racer/mechanic world that gives you a sense of what's possible. Of course the kinds of bikes he has in mind cost more than many of us would spend on a car - and that's the REGULAR bikes let alone the e-bikes. But the technology is amazing.



https://www.velonews.com/gear/road-gear/zinn-e-bike-can-life-changing-lifelong-cyclist/
Click to expand...



No doubt that ebikes provide life changing enjoyment for people and I look forward to trying one. What stood out to me from the article was how the author struggles with arrhythmia and how he had his very first episode in his 50s the day after a grueling 200 mile ride in the mountains. Think there’s a connection with gonzo over-training?
 
So, do you guys who use an ebike feel like it's still good exercise? When I go for a bike ride if I avoided all the hills it wouldn't feel like much of a work out. If it wasn't for the workout I doubt I would just go for a bike ride on the same routes I've been on 100's of times. I could see the benefit of an ebike if the bike was used as a commuter or I did a lot of tour traveling but for use for bike rides around home not so sure, I think it might quickly turn into a dust collector.
 
zinger1457 said:
So, do you guys who use an ebike feel like it's still good exercise? When I go for a bike ride if I avoided all the hills it wouldn't feel like much of a work out. If it wasn't for the workout I doubt I would just go for a bike ride on the same routes I've been on 100's of times. I could see the benefit of an ebike if the bike was used as a commuter or I did a lot of tour traveling but for use for bike rides around home not so sure, I think it might quickly turn into a dust collector.
Click to expand...

We bought them for transportation once the motorhome was parked more than for exercise. If you really wanted to feel the burn, leave the power off and you're pedaling a 50 pound bike. You'll be glad for the power assist for the second half of your ride. We haven't had ours very long, but it seems from our few rides that you can use varied levels of assistance and make the ride as strenuous - or not - as you wish.
 
X 2 On Biktrix.

I own the HD Juggernaut with the battery upgrade. 50 mile range and you can cruise at a good speed. I keep it at level 4 for pas and enjoy it immensely.

It's good on mountain trails, the beach and pavement! The stunner is also good with upright position.

They allow older people with bad knees to still enjoy riding!
 
Love our Turbo Como!!

We got DW a Turbo-como 2.0 a couple years ago and love it. It is expensive but looks great, rides nice and goes over 50 miles on a charge in low-moderate assist mode. My wife is always up for a ride and I benefit from having to work harder to keep up on my standard bike. She still gets a workout but doesn’t have to worry about getting tired or intimidated by a big hill.
The ride on an e-bike can Be described as always having the wind at your back.
 
We just bought a pair from Electric Bike Company. Made in USA, best warranty I could find. Good components used. Were really happy with the purchase. They have a lot of Youtubes. Bolton bikes has good youtube info as well.
 
I have one that I bought for the same reasons as the OP. It is more of a beach cruiser type - a Tower E-Bike. Heavy duty cruiser type bike with balloon tires. Goes 30-60 miles based upon pedal assist or full bike power. I love it - no hill problems, nice comfortable ride with as much effort as I want to expend! I have had it for a while and it still puts a smile on my face every time.

The great thing about e-bikes for me is that you don't worry nearly as much how far you travel - you have the battery power there to help get you back. Good luck on your research.
 
Local Bike Club Likes Specialized E-Bikes

I haven’t ridden any e-bikes but several of our local bike club have had good experiences with the Specialized brand that our local bike shop sells.

Don
 
I have built several mainly to see how far and fast I could get an electrical to be with the parts available... got one that goes to 60mph... fun bike but not for the faint ....

Bought a couple e bikes pre built for myself and the wife... the sondors... good value and pretty well built for the price... and the batteries are cheaper too...

https://shop.sondors.com/pages/mxs
 
My wife rode an E-bike on a biking vacation in Belgium before the virus hit. She liked it but I just can't bring myself to ride one. Too many decades on conventional bikes and recumbent trikes. They would be a nice luxury for occasional use if I lived in a place with lots of hills but pretty useless in a flat state like Florida especially when you live at the beach. The fun part for me about riding a bicycle is being in total control and relying on my own power. To me a bicycle is a beautiful blend of art and mechanics in a human powered vehicle.


Cheers!
 
Bagabonz said:
We just bought a pair from Electric Bike Company. Made in USA, best warranty I could find. Good components used. Were really happy with the purchase. They have a lot of Youtubes. Bolton bikes has good youtube info as well.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with you. But, after looking at EB company, I chose to convert my own bikes. Better faster and less money. I used a cycle shop call LUNA Cycles. BafangUSA has similar stuff, but i felt there batteries were sub par, whereas LUNAs are TOP of the line. My kit was $650 and the battery was $550. Bafang middrives are very good. Our bikes are 1000 watts, peak at 1500 in unlocked hot rod mode. I can do over 40 mph and go over 70 miles in pedal assist 1 or 2. I have never got to the end of the battery.

It was an easy build. It took me about 4 hours each bike. You pull off the pedals and the crank. The motor fits right in.
 
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