[Toymeister]

Attach handle bar and front tire. It comes with a standard charger.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

Attach handle bar and front tire. It comes with a standard charger.

Thanks

[Toymeister]

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 .

[EdFNJ]

A little off topic but do people buy these "E-BIKES" actually for bicycling use or simply for use as a sit-on Segway like touring 2 wheeler type of thing? I see them every morning along Morse on the MMP zipping past us and have never seen anyone doing anything but slowly moving the peddle with the bike zipping along the path. There was no way they were bicycling. Just curious to know the true actual purpose. Doesn't seem like cross country biking for sure. Can they be driven on the roads like a regular bike or are they limited due to the motor on them? I kind of like the idea to take out on some of the PAVED state park trails. I used to be in the Segway club till it for all intents and purposes shut down and enjoyed coasting around cities all over FL on a rented Segway trips with the club. Seems like these might be a cheaper replacement for the same purpose now that Segway's are no longer manufactured and the guy who provided Segways to non-owners (which made up probably 95% of the club) is no longer doing so..

Edit: Do they rent these e-bikes anywhere?

Edit edit: Some questions answered in post just above this.

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

A little off topic but do people buy these "E-BIKES" actually for bicycling use or simply for use as a sit-on Segway like touring 2 wheeler type of thing? I see them every morning along Morse on the MMP zipping past us and have never seen anyone doing anything but slowly moving the peddle with the bike zipping along the path. There was no way they were bicycling. Just curious to know the true actual purpose. Doesn't seem like cross country biking for sure. Can they be driven on the roads like a regular bike or are they limited due to the motor on them? I kind of like the idea to take out on some of the PAVED state park trails. I used to be in the Segway club till it for all intents and purposes shut down and enjoyed coasting around cities all over FL on a rented Segway trips with the club. Seems like these might be a cheaper replacement for the same purpose now that Segway's are no longer manufactured and the guy who provided Segways to non-owners (which made up probably 95% of the club) is no longer doing so..

Edit: Do they rent these e-bikes anywhere?

Edit edit: Some questions answered in post just above this.

I think what you are asking is can they be used as an electric moped (throttle only) most can. Can they be operated wherever bikes are allowed to operate? Per a recent Florida law (Aug 2020) yes they can unless specifically forbidden.

Now would you use them as an electric moped? Not likely as the range is so limited, throttle only mode uses some serious juice. The bikes computers do vary but one way they can work on is you put 100 watts of effort pedaling (bike effort is measured in watts) and it puts in 50 or 100 or 150, this allows you to run in a high gear if you wanted to.

The reality is you bike more often and further. I take mine to my favorite off campus grocery store (no cart access) 19 miles RT. I get out and get some exercise pedaling the entire way. More exercise is a good thing for most of us.

[TWolf]

Hello. I am in of the research phase for my first purchase of an e-bike and would appreciate any recommendations with respect to specific equipment or e-bikes you would recommend. In my research I have tentatively focused on the features and reasoning on the list below.

1) Price Range: $2500 to $3000

2) Bike Model: Combination Mountain/Urban, rear wheel hub motor. Planned usage anticipated to be 80% urban riding around the Villages and 20% usage on state trails (former railroad corridors). It is my understanding that the larger tires also provide a more comfortable ride

3) Drive: 750 watt rear hub geared motor. My understanding is that drive motor can be not larger than 750 watts, and maximum speed of 20mph to be considered a class 2 bike. Also understand that rear hub drives create less stress on derailer equipment.

4) Battery: Current thoughts are 48 to 52 volts with best suited amp requirement. My current understanding is to seek out the bigger commercial battery producers and stay clear of proprietary batteries. This is one area I definitely need advise in.

5) Electric/motor Controller: definitely need advise here

6). Brakes: Hydraulic disk

7)Availability: I have identified several bikes that somewhat fit the above criteria, however identified bikes are subscription offering only with no delivery dates. Further review indicate existing backlog on completed orders of 4 months and no suggestion as to when future orders would be shipped

Any help or recommendations provided are appreciated

[Toymeister]

TJ,

With plans for trails with loose gravel you will want a fat(er) tire bike.

The 750 watt power limit is the Federal standard for Ebikes. However, that standard does not establish if that is 750 watts continuous, nominal, or peak watts so there is some wink and nod, there are different 750 watt motors

I would not get too power hungry. The reality is it sucks down the battery to use a lot of watts and you probably won't use much. As a measure of usage I am neither athletic, petite or shorter. I use 150 to 350 watts to move a heavy ebike 14 to 19 mph. However, bigger battery comes with bigger motors and better components. So you get the motor to buy into the better components.

Many ebike companies start with crowd funded site and still do. It is part of their marketing. Sonders, Rad Power, and Juiced bikes all use this timeline: crowd funded, then 2-4 months of no availability then stocked bikes.

I would consider a Bolton Warthog bike or a Juiced Rip Current S, both in in stock.

[sammy8duck]

I am interested in purchasing the Ariel Rider C-Class. It is a step thru which is what I prefer. Is anyone familiar with this bike?

[Toymeister]

That is a Rad Power City 3 with the optional basket but instead of the direct drive (no gears) hub motor, it is a Bafang hub drive.

Seems like a fantastic price.