Bruce (not that Bruce), rode my bike and wrote this, however he was unable to post.
Here it is:
In my humble opinion, I think where and how you are going to use the ebike is the number one consideration.
If you are just going to use it in the villages then just about any bike may do. They are all welcome on the multi-modal paths and are not forced to ride on the roads. I think folks pay more for an ebike than a scooter because they don’t want to ride on the road as it is more dangerous. I’d almost vote for an Lectric bike at $899 for this activity.
If you are going to want to ride on more dedicated bike paths outside of the villages, then you may lean more to an ebike that looks more like a conventional bike. I know some casual bike riders don’t even like road bikers training on dedicated bike paths at 20-25 mph. It’s too dangerous. A little swerve and everybody involved can have serious injuries. Fast ebikes (although possibly legal today) may not be welcome on these paths either
Second consideration is how you are going to use it. If you can admit it’s mainly for the electric boost and to stay off the roads, then again any ebike will do.
But if you say you want to actually pedal sometimes, then I think a more conventional looking bike with different size frames for different size folks will probably be a better option. Prove this for yourself by test riding the bikes and decide how far you would be comfortable pedalling without e- power.
So if you are going for a more conventional bike looking ebike, then mail order vs brick and mortar store is the next consideration. Mail order is usually less expensive, but all adjustments, comfort customizations, and warranty issues (to some extent) are on you.
A store will let you actually try out different bikes so that you can find the bike that feels good to you. A store will take care of adjustments, comfort customizations, and warranty issues and may even extend the warranty service to other geographical locations.
Batttery replacement cost may be a consideration also. $1200 battery replacement is surely price gouging. And as ebikes continue to flourish, I’d hope re-building the battery becomes more common to keep that price in line.
And then finally, in flat Florida how long will it be before the novelty of the bike wears off and folks go back to their golf carts, cars, and even scooters. I’d be interested to hear from the non-bike looking ebike users on this topic .
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