Some private buildings are also taking it upon themselves to ban them. Still not a majority of them but there's been stories here and there of management companies banning them.
exactly lol but i bring it on the train, i bring it into the doctors office, i bring it into the youth center, no one cares. Technically, E-bikes are banned from the subway where i live but everyone and their mom still brings their ebike on right in front of the transit authority. IME, "no ____ vehicles stored here" rules are suggestions for nice people ;)
Downtown Brooklyn. Specifically the commute from here to the Park Ave Armory that I make for work sometimes can be an hour+ by car in traffic and is about 40min by train.
What kinda locks are you using? Theft is the only thing keeping me from riding my e-bike too much since Iām not willing to leave it out of sight, even with a lock.
How much does your bike cost? A u-lock or small manganese chain should be plenty deterrent for anything other than extended after-dark parking. Personally I try to always lock through the frame and rear wheel, ideally affixing to something like a strong signpost or iron gate (though have just locked it to itself many times without issue, it's a heavy ass moped style bike) throw another small u lock thru the front wheel to discourage someone stealing the wheel. Just always make sure to bring the battery inside if it's parked more than ten minutes. Especially in cold weather.
Also a lot of kryptonite locks will insure you up to something like $2k if you register your bike and the lock is cut and left behind.
Personally I also lock the front wheel to the frame, or to a secure post because it's one of the easiest things to remove and steal.
Carrying 2 locks on an e-bike is pretty easy and I always double lock if im going somewhere other than a quick stop.
I used to live in chicago. Always U lock + cable. But that was a regular bike. If you can ulock the fornt wheel too the frame and the rear between a solid sign post and the rear wheel INSIDE the rear triangle of the frame that would probably be the best and easiest method. The trick of getting the U lock around the tire and wheel inside the frame is a classic hack that makes it easier to get the U lock around a substantial sign oost or bike rack.
If you cannot get the front lock around the wheel and frame on yiur modal a cable or better chain would probably be good enough that a thief wouldn't bither trying to steel the front wheel.
My rule of thumb was never leave a bike out overnight. Period. Also lock in a high visibility place.
Currently live in Chicago, bike to work downtown. U-lock front wheel to frame, cable through accessories, then kryptonite chain lock frame to solid bike rack and/or light post. High vis area works fairly well. If left for longer than 30min or so Iāll take my battery with me. So far no issues but itās only a radbike not a 5k+ fancy rig.
OK I keep seeing u lock love on here but all it takes is a car jack like the one that sits on my spare in my car (which are almost ubiquitously available), and boom, popped u lock... literally takes 5 seconds and no power tools. =/
i think in practice it's rarely possible to find the space to fit a jack inside a ulock that's locked around a bike and a post. battery powered angle grinders are the most popular method.
This! My bike was Ā£5k, I'm not leaving that thing unattended even for a minute - even the best locks can be cut with a portable angle grinder in seconds
I have an altor saf lock, you don't really measure cutting time in seconds for that.
It's generally unlikely for thieves to be carrying several batteries and 5-10 extra grinding wheels around with them as well.
My lock is the reason your bike gets stolen instead, and I'm truly sorry for that.
So then they just steal the $200 derailleur, quick release wheels, Shimano deore brakes, display unit, seat etc that aren't secured by anything other than a bolt
Idk what kind of bougie bike thieves you have stealing derailleurs and brake discs around you, but here it's the bike, the battery, sometimes a wheel, or nothing at all.
If you want full peace of mind, the big boy (12mm) Pewag security chain + Cisa lock are about as tough as you can get. There's another lock I forget the name of but it's a U-lock and I don't think will get both wheels & frame. If you combine a U-lock with a chain you can go a size down in chain/lock and save some money and weight - two locks is pretty much enough to make someone pass your bike for the next
Hiplok D1000 is the one I'm thinking of. $300 for that bad boy or ~$150 for the 12mm 6' chain & lock. The chain & lock are 11lbs so also a self-defense/murder ~~weapon~~ lock
I'm using the D1000 for my ebike. Peace of mind. At least it will withstand while I'm gone for a bit. Still making sure to minimize the idle time though, plus parking at a non-sketchy areas only.
I have a triple system: Kryptonite lock, Abus Wheel lock, and Abus chain lock for the wheel lock. Figure 3 locks should be a decent deterrent. The nice thing about the wheel lock is if has to be cut twice to steal the bike, so it's 4 cuts that need to be made. Also I have my bike insured.
Abus Granit X-plus U-lock. I also have all the logos taped over on my bike to make it inconvenient to search for how much it's worth. Parking around NYC.
Litelok has started selling a lock they claim to be angle grinder resistant which is worth keeping an eye on:
https://us.litelok.com/pages/litelok-x-range
Check out the abus bike lock with alarms. I won't leave it all day but a few people I know that have terns gsd/hsd have them and highly recommend them, maybe 3-5 hours away from the bike.
*Edit: they are locking them up in DT PDX and also on hiking trails.
LOL. I have not seen anyone selling that exact thing but there are lots of aweosme cargo bikes with an out front box like the Long John design or trikes witha huge box uo front. Still the short or lont tail are far and away the most cost effective, popular and best handling.
Do thise UPS guys actually sit INSIDE those things? Got a oicture of any in the wild?
I always wanted a Velomobile. With electric those things would be super efficient. But it would oy be good in the country and bikepaths. Dangerous as hell on suburban and city streets due their low profile.
Total life hack, actually stopped spending so much on my car that I was able to just save that and buy more e-bikes. I now swap them out at home every time I need a fresh set of batteries (although I probably offset the cost of electricity).
Yeah, 1.5 years and 7000 miles in and I'm trying to find a second. Some sort of cargo bike. My So got hers after I got mine and scored an awesome cargo bike. She can haul way more stuff when we hit the grocery store. Sadly hers will not fit me. :(
TLDR; my favorite bikes right now are the Zooz and Jackrabbit. Read for explanation.
I happen to have an inclination towards bicycles, and by that I mean non-fat tire e-bikes. For a regular rider I would say the fat tire is perfectly fine and you should probably get one since theyāre sturdier, more comfortable, and stable at speed, but not really the best for really quick maneuvers or regular bike things (like, IDK, actually pedaling it without power). That doesnāt help with weight either, but if youāre at speed you want that fat tire. When the regular class 3 bikes hit 28+ mph, sometimes up to 35-40 in some cases, you want something that handles less like a bicycle and more like a motorcycle. My best advice to see this in action is try cornering at top speed on a Super73 or other class 3 fat tire bike, then try to find your cornering limit on the regular thin bicycle tires. Youāll reach that faster than you think.
This is actually why Iām an absolute sucker for Zooz which happens to be my favorite bicycle, despite regretting the purchase in the first two weeks. I will also apologize in advance if this paragraph seems like a brand-name circlejerk, but it really is my favorite bike. Buying it was not an easy decision because of the price and the fact that the Crew Dart exists, but actually riding one made me realize why they stuck with this 2.4ā wide tires instead of following the crowd on the fat tire formula. Amazing to ride while standing or sitting (despite the stiff seat), the thumb throttle allows you full control in both styles of riding, SUPER light and durable for jumps, UU750 version has plenty of torque, shorter frame means more accessible for shorter riders (like me, but also means lower center of gravity), and that tire difference means I can dart in and out of tight spaces with so little surface area, kinda like a fighter jet. Some people will review saying just get the Dart instead because āitās the same bike,ā I will tell you that one is an e-bike that looks like a bicycle, the other is a bicycle that functions like an e-bike. HUGE difference. I bought the SWFT BMX though thinking that might be a match, especially since I have a habit of standing at stoplights and itās more bike-like than any other competitor the Zooz has. Yet to see that, but I may post a comparison review on YouTube eventually.
Now regarding the Swagtron and the Jackrabbit. The Swagtron I have because it was given to me by my parents, but also because I figure tons of people will see the Jackrabbitās price, have a heart attack, then recover and fall back on a folding bike. This comparison I wanted to see for myself. If you have the money, the Jackrabbit is far better, although you wonāt have regular pedals but Iāll get to that later. Those folding bikes have weird throttle delays, much heavier, and are actually clunkier and less portable than you think. Not to mention the design is more compromised than you think (try using a regular bike pump on the Swagtronās rear tireā¦..WHY). So yes, effectively youāre gonna spend a little more than half the money on a folding bike, the battery will also be removable, and you have the ability to pedal if you need to. The Jackrabbitās $1k price gets you a bike you can fold in three easy steps vs. a folding bikeās clunky five (and will STILL come undone), a battery you can put in your pocket, and you can literally sling it over your shoulder and walk around. I use it when I travel because it also has a travel bag you can stuff it in, check in, and pick up so you have a set of wheels wherever you go. For twice the price (which I admit, EXPENSIVE), youāre literally paying for the convenience and ergonomics of a better designed bike. Iād say that itself is still worth it.
Let me know if you have any other questions though!
First off Iām gonna be honest here: finding an actually GREAT e-bike under $1k is hard. Very very hard. Youāll find several ones ranging from okay to decent which is evident if youāve ever gone to Amazon or eBay or even hit a search on Google just for an e-bike and a million different choices pop up. This is a fact that e-bike enthusiasts often poke at, where a large portion of e-bike companies are produced and distributed by the same manufacturers. Whenever you see an e-bike reviewer with tons of generic bikes, theyāre usually sent them to review and itās typically the same thing, and while it works for most peopleās needs theyāre just not particularly exciting, interesting, or utilitarian for that specific person.
That being said, I find the most competitive range for e-bikes is right after $1k and just under $3k. Thereās a wealth of choices for proper design from companies like Juiced, Rad Power, and Aventon.
In your situation though, there are two glaring choices: lean into the single-track riding for a proper e-MTB which will likely do everything for a VERY pretty penny or get a fat tire bike similar to the Juiced RipRacer and split that difference on a regular mountain bike.
If you go the first option, Haibike will do it. Ridiculously light, crazy strong, and quick. Only problem is itās nearly SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS. My first motorcycle was a Honda CB300R and my out-the-door price for a freeway capable cafe racer was still a grand less than that. However, nothing on the market is more capable of taking the beating that thing can, except maybe a Sur-Ron X which I think you should get a motorcycle license for (and is not even street legal).
The second option is to buy an e-bike for light off-road duty. It maybe wonāt cross the river because electricity and water donāt mix, but it will do everything else. Despite what I said about fat tires, one thing I conveniently left out is that theyāre also much more stable on loose surfaces. I mean, thatās probably a given since they have more area to cover. As for the 1-mile stretch, top speed (28 mph) on a class 3 bike for that long wonāt hurt the battery range too much, but do check to make sure that speed is fast enough for that road and maybe attach a mirror to the bike so you donāt have to look over your shoulder too often (although I do that anyway). Your options here are far more plentiful though. As mentioned above, thereās the Juiced RipRacer (make sure to get the class 3 version for $1500), Juiced Scrambler, Aventon Aventure, Crew Dart (switch the brakes and the tires because theyāre abysmal), and I can go on and on and on. You can even narrow that down by if you need suspension, and in that case they sell bikes like the Crew Sprinter (you get the idea by now, thereās a bike for everything). At this point you can narrow your choices further by deciding how much weight you can tolerate when you load in and out of the camper van, how much space you realistically have for it, the need for headlights and taillights, and specific price range. Even $1500 gets you plenty of choices, and flexing that budget a bit opens up even more floodgates.
So yeah, at this point REALLY narrow down what you need out of it, and I do mean scrutinize scrutinize SCRUTINIZE on your list of wants because you will always be overwhelmed for choice in the e-bike market. But when you do, the options get much more narrow and focused.
Sounds good! Just to put it out there that I recommend Juiced because I had a Scrambler and while it was heavy, it was sturdy, durable, and very reliable. Rode it about 2k miles before giving it to my dad, but awesome bike and the battery range is just unbelievable. Great as a utility bike and commuter. I would buy one again because itās one of the few bikes under $2k thatās capable of 28 mph, but also a well-constructed bike is something thatās severely underappreciated. Youāll realize this when you start cycling through different ones, like how they sell SWFT and Hurley at Best Buy now for around the same price without offering the specs or quality Juiced does.
Happy hunting though, and let me know if you have any other questions!
Here's what you do. Build safe cycleways everywhere and subsidise eBike purchases. Get people out of cars and onto bikes and eBikes.
You'll save millions/billions in road maintenance over the years, and that's just the start.
My work told me I can store my bike inside the gate which is an electric fence and under an old smoke shed that they will make sure nobody else smokes inside of it, that they provide too. I guess they said they would provide a camera too but I won't get my hopes up on the camera.
The only thing stopping me is the fact I live out in extremely rural America thats 10 miles away on very high hills on very dangerous roads, but that's hopefully going to change soon. If I get an apartment in a small town nearby, that's 3 miles away, on a main road that isn't a stroad, with a bike trail that happens to go from my work to where I live.
The benefits of ebikes do depend enormously on where you live.
I live in a dense suburb, and nothing beats the feeling of zooming to the front of a line of 40 cars stopped at a traffic light. Or watching a car pass me, and then catching up to that same car several more times during the next 2-3 miles of stop-and-go traffic.
But if you're in a rural area where the nearest whatever is 10 miles/45 minutes away by bike, or you have to deal with stroads or other hazardous biking environments, the use case for an ebike is much weaker. (It's still fun, though.)
Backpack, and your hands are free. Try smoking or drinking or eating while biking. You're not going to be pulling a full cargo load but you're also not worrying about locking up a bike outside when it rolls right in and under your desk or whatever
* My local grocery store is a 5 min ride away, I just grabbed 2 full bags of groceries and loaded them onto my bike. As I left, there was a line-up of about 15 cars trying to get into the underground parking lot.
* I can get to work in 25 mins, from leaving my house to sitting at my desk at work. The same journey takes ~45 mins by bus.
* I went to see a band play at a big venue last week. It took 30 mins to get home once I was outside the venue. If I'd driven it would have taken me at *least* 30 mins just to get back to my car and get out of the multi-story parking lot.
This is repeated for almost anything I do. Living in a city means almost everything I want to do is within 10km, and that is extremely ebike friendly.
Any efforts to tax or regulate bikes would be pointless, IMO.
You need to think about the reason we do these things for cars in the first place - cars are expensive, have the potential to cause significant property damage, and the infrastructure they require is uniquely expensive per mile, per person transported.
The āsocial expensesā of bikes/e-bikes/peds are minuscule in comparison.
Iāll also note, I donāt think cars are inherently more reliable, I just think weāve built our cities in ways where cars are the most feasible, safe, etc. way to get around.
>Some guy here claimed that a car is cheaper for long distance commuting because e-bikes are unreliable compared to cars per mile.
"Long distance" needs quantified. On an energy basis, no. I was riding in my friend's Bolt yesterday. Steady state output was between 15-20kw. Unquestionably a couple hundred pounds of bike and rider going much slower won't cost more there. But there was a period I was commuting 90 miles per day. If a bike could do 45 and recharge at work, time would become a major factor, looking down a 2-3 hour commute versus an hour or less.
In terms of the number of breakdowns and the amount of maintenance, I agree that an eBike definitely requires more than a car per mile. Think about cleaning and lubricating the chain every 100 miles on a bike versus going 5,000 miles between oil changes in a car.
However, the *cost* of the repairs and maintenance on the eBike is *far* less. I can replace the motor in my eBike for $350. It would cost at least 10 times that much to replace the engine in my car.
I think itās even better than that though, because honestly the bike maintenance thatās actually required is even less than the recommended intervals, with little downside like there is with putting off car maintenance.
Yes, your drivetrain will last longer if you clean and lube it. But thatās honestly like a five minute effort, costing less than a dollar in materials. I also think that most people probably donāt ride enough mileage for that increased maintenance schedule to benefit them.
> most people probably donāt ride enough mileage for that increased maintenance schedule to benefit them
I think that is why this comparison is only partially relevant. The average motorist in the USA drives 12,000 miles. I doubt if the average cyclist rides 1/10th of that.
im so fast getting around on my e-bike, i dont even use the transit in my city anymore (And its good transit.) theres just no point unless im freezing cold and want out of the elements for a short stint.
I agree. It took me years to figure out that driving alone was not the *only* way to travel; nor was it the best method of travel in many situations.
When I mention this, I hear the same list of (mostly flimsy) excuses that I used to use. It is surprising how deeply "car culture" is ingrained in most people in the USA.
Unfortunately all those savings go up in smoke when your bike gets stolen while you go into a shop. It's the main thing preventing me from using mine for anything other than recreational rides.
All that could have been done on a bicycle too. I find little difference in average speed over 10 miles urban rides. 12-14mph on a bicycle, 15-17mph on eBikes. You could have been riding bicycles for years already.
Round by me the hills are long slogs and no fun to ride. I love knowing that if I set off in a direction I can go up to 17 miles in an hour no sweat, and not be too tired to do what I went there to do. Life changing for me.
True, but I can arrive at my destination without being a sweaty mess on my eBike. I work an office job, so being able to cruise to work on an eBike *in my work clothes* is pretty amazing.
There's some steady hills and inclines on my commute and when I rode my old non-ebike to work I never managed to get there without needing a shower.
My plan is to load my e bike into my car so I can drive to cities and then ride around and visit locations. My biggest gripe going to Philly was I had no place to park.
Manhattan? I had to park at a garage in NJ and take a sub and a train to Manhattan. Public transit was good though.
With a bike, I can park at a Walmart and just ride around, and it'll be especially good at places like New Orleans, Miami, etc. It doesn't save money but I have more transit ability now.
Yup. Hour trip into Manhattan by car takes me under 20 on my bike lol. Chronically late person's wet dream
Until your building bans ebikes š¢
Why would they do that? Are other bicycles allowed?
google: new york ebike fires
O ok, ebike fires. I think i got it.
It actually doesnāt happen as common as people think. 99% of these fires are caused by people making their own battery packs
no by poor bmss
You mean scooter fires
I thought New York was only banning ebike in city housing and that if the ebike had a UL rated battery then it would be allowed.
Some private buildings are also taking it upon themselves to ban them. Still not a majority of them but there's been stories here and there of management companies banning them.
im pretty sure my building has banned gasoline engines but i have a 2 stroke GoPed on my balcony right now. Push your luck, its worth it.
Pretty sure no ICE's indoors is the law most places lol
exactly lol but i bring it on the train, i bring it into the doctors office, i bring it into the youth center, no one cares. Technically, E-bikes are banned from the subway where i live but everyone and their mom still brings their ebike on right in front of the transit authority. IME, "no ____ vehicles stored here" rules are suggestions for nice people ;)
Or your bike gets stolen š±
Where are you coming from if you don't mind me asking? Most places that are 20 mins to Manhattan are also fairly efficient with the subway too
Downtown Brooklyn. Specifically the commute from here to the Park Ave Armory that I make for work sometimes can be an hour+ by car in traffic and is about 40min by train.
until it gets so popular you start seeing bike lane traffic
Expand the bike lanes and shove the cars into the far edge shoulder
Well luckily my bike does nearly 40mph so I go in and out of the street depending
What kinda locks are you using? Theft is the only thing keeping me from riding my e-bike too much since Iām not willing to leave it out of sight, even with a lock.
How much does your bike cost? A u-lock or small manganese chain should be plenty deterrent for anything other than extended after-dark parking. Personally I try to always lock through the frame and rear wheel, ideally affixing to something like a strong signpost or iron gate (though have just locked it to itself many times without issue, it's a heavy ass moped style bike) throw another small u lock thru the front wheel to discourage someone stealing the wheel. Just always make sure to bring the battery inside if it's parked more than ten minutes. Especially in cold weather. Also a lot of kryptonite locks will insure you up to something like $2k if you register your bike and the lock is cut and left behind.
Personally I also lock the front wheel to the frame, or to a secure post because it's one of the easiest things to remove and steal. Carrying 2 locks on an e-bike is pretty easy and I always double lock if im going somewhere other than a quick stop.
I used to live in chicago. Always U lock + cable. But that was a regular bike. If you can ulock the fornt wheel too the frame and the rear between a solid sign post and the rear wheel INSIDE the rear triangle of the frame that would probably be the best and easiest method. The trick of getting the U lock around the tire and wheel inside the frame is a classic hack that makes it easier to get the U lock around a substantial sign oost or bike rack. If you cannot get the front lock around the wheel and frame on yiur modal a cable or better chain would probably be good enough that a thief wouldn't bither trying to steel the front wheel. My rule of thumb was never leave a bike out overnight. Period. Also lock in a high visibility place.
Currently live in Chicago, bike to work downtown. U-lock front wheel to frame, cable through accessories, then kryptonite chain lock frame to solid bike rack and/or light post. High vis area works fairly well. If left for longer than 30min or so Iāll take my battery with me. So far no issues but itās only a radbike not a 5k+ fancy rig.
Yeah I just figure removing a wheel only to have to get the u lock off isn't really worth it when there are easier bikes to steal lol.
OK I keep seeing u lock love on here but all it takes is a car jack like the one that sits on my spare in my car (which are almost ubiquitously available), and boom, popped u lock... literally takes 5 seconds and no power tools. =/
i think in practice it's rarely possible to find the space to fit a jack inside a ulock that's locked around a bike and a post. battery powered angle grinders are the most popular method.
This! My bike was Ā£5k, I'm not leaving that thing unattended even for a minute - even the best locks can be cut with a portable angle grinder in seconds
New York Style U locks are pretty darn good. They take some signficant time with a angle grinder. If you use two even better.
I have an altor saf lock, you don't really measure cutting time in seconds for that. It's generally unlikely for thieves to be carrying several batteries and 5-10 extra grinding wheels around with them as well. My lock is the reason your bike gets stolen instead, and I'm truly sorry for that.
So then they just steal the $200 derailleur, quick release wheels, Shimano deore brakes, display unit, seat etc that aren't secured by anything other than a bolt
Idk what kind of bougie bike thieves you have stealing derailleurs and brake discs around you, but here it's the bike, the battery, sometimes a wheel, or nothing at all.
> altor saf lock That lock alone is 14 lbs. That'd increase the weight of my bike by 50%...
Serious question, what is the point of getting an ebike if i can't even use it to run errands and go places?
I ride mine up and down mountains...
If you want full peace of mind, the big boy (12mm) Pewag security chain + Cisa lock are about as tough as you can get. There's another lock I forget the name of but it's a U-lock and I don't think will get both wheels & frame. If you combine a U-lock with a chain you can go a size down in chain/lock and save some money and weight - two locks is pretty much enough to make someone pass your bike for the next Hiplok D1000 is the one I'm thinking of. $300 for that bad boy or ~$150 for the 12mm 6' chain & lock. The chain & lock are 11lbs so also a self-defense/murder ~~weapon~~ lock
I'm using the D1000 for my ebike. Peace of mind. At least it will withstand while I'm gone for a bit. Still making sure to minimize the idle time though, plus parking at a non-sketchy areas only.
Insurance. Otherwise I wouldnāt leave it out of sight.
Kryptonite forget about it... And I also have skipped the chain because it is too heavy and got a half inch braided cable
I have a triple system: Kryptonite lock, Abus Wheel lock, and Abus chain lock for the wheel lock. Figure 3 locks should be a decent deterrent. The nice thing about the wheel lock is if has to be cut twice to steal the bike, so it's 4 cuts that need to be made. Also I have my bike insured.
Abus Granit X-plus U-lock. I also have all the logos taped over on my bike to make it inconvenient to search for how much it's worth. Parking around NYC. Litelok has started selling a lock they claim to be angle grinder resistant which is worth keeping an eye on: https://us.litelok.com/pages/litelok-x-range
Check out the abus bike lock with alarms. I won't leave it all day but a few people I know that have terns gsd/hsd have them and highly recommend them, maybe 3-5 hours away from the bike. *Edit: they are locking them up in DT PDX and also on hiking trails.
Get a folder you can take that baby inside. My aventon Sinch st sleeps in the bed with me!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
LOL. I have not seen anyone selling that exact thing but there are lots of aweosme cargo bikes with an out front box like the Long John design or trikes witha huge box uo front. Still the short or lont tail are far and away the most cost effective, popular and best handling. Do thise UPS guys actually sit INSIDE those things? Got a oicture of any in the wild? I always wanted a Velomobile. With electric those things would be super efficient. But it would oy be good in the country and bikepaths. Dangerous as hell on suburban and city streets due their low profile.
Where do you live ?
Total life hack, actually stopped spending so much on my car that I was able to just save that and buy more e-bikes. I now swap them out at home every time I need a fresh set of batteries (although I probably offset the cost of electricity).
Yeah, 1.5 years and 7000 miles in and I'm trying to find a second. Some sort of cargo bike. My So got hers after I got mine and scored an awesome cargo bike. She can haul way more stuff when we hit the grocery store. Sadly hers will not fit me. :(
I have been thinking about a cargo bike, but I might get a good cargo trailer instead.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
TLDR; my favorite bikes right now are the Zooz and Jackrabbit. Read for explanation. I happen to have an inclination towards bicycles, and by that I mean non-fat tire e-bikes. For a regular rider I would say the fat tire is perfectly fine and you should probably get one since theyāre sturdier, more comfortable, and stable at speed, but not really the best for really quick maneuvers or regular bike things (like, IDK, actually pedaling it without power). That doesnāt help with weight either, but if youāre at speed you want that fat tire. When the regular class 3 bikes hit 28+ mph, sometimes up to 35-40 in some cases, you want something that handles less like a bicycle and more like a motorcycle. My best advice to see this in action is try cornering at top speed on a Super73 or other class 3 fat tire bike, then try to find your cornering limit on the regular thin bicycle tires. Youāll reach that faster than you think. This is actually why Iām an absolute sucker for Zooz which happens to be my favorite bicycle, despite regretting the purchase in the first two weeks. I will also apologize in advance if this paragraph seems like a brand-name circlejerk, but it really is my favorite bike. Buying it was not an easy decision because of the price and the fact that the Crew Dart exists, but actually riding one made me realize why they stuck with this 2.4ā wide tires instead of following the crowd on the fat tire formula. Amazing to ride while standing or sitting (despite the stiff seat), the thumb throttle allows you full control in both styles of riding, SUPER light and durable for jumps, UU750 version has plenty of torque, shorter frame means more accessible for shorter riders (like me, but also means lower center of gravity), and that tire difference means I can dart in and out of tight spaces with so little surface area, kinda like a fighter jet. Some people will review saying just get the Dart instead because āitās the same bike,ā I will tell you that one is an e-bike that looks like a bicycle, the other is a bicycle that functions like an e-bike. HUGE difference. I bought the SWFT BMX though thinking that might be a match, especially since I have a habit of standing at stoplights and itās more bike-like than any other competitor the Zooz has. Yet to see that, but I may post a comparison review on YouTube eventually. Now regarding the Swagtron and the Jackrabbit. The Swagtron I have because it was given to me by my parents, but also because I figure tons of people will see the Jackrabbitās price, have a heart attack, then recover and fall back on a folding bike. This comparison I wanted to see for myself. If you have the money, the Jackrabbit is far better, although you wonāt have regular pedals but Iāll get to that later. Those folding bikes have weird throttle delays, much heavier, and are actually clunkier and less portable than you think. Not to mention the design is more compromised than you think (try using a regular bike pump on the Swagtronās rear tireā¦..WHY). So yes, effectively youāre gonna spend a little more than half the money on a folding bike, the battery will also be removable, and you have the ability to pedal if you need to. The Jackrabbitās $1k price gets you a bike you can fold in three easy steps vs. a folding bikeās clunky five (and will STILL come undone), a battery you can put in your pocket, and you can literally sling it over your shoulder and walk around. I use it when I travel because it also has a travel bag you can stuff it in, check in, and pick up so you have a set of wheels wherever you go. For twice the price (which I admit, EXPENSIVE), youāre literally paying for the convenience and ergonomics of a better designed bike. Iād say that itself is still worth it. Let me know if you have any other questions though!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
First off Iām gonna be honest here: finding an actually GREAT e-bike under $1k is hard. Very very hard. Youāll find several ones ranging from okay to decent which is evident if youāve ever gone to Amazon or eBay or even hit a search on Google just for an e-bike and a million different choices pop up. This is a fact that e-bike enthusiasts often poke at, where a large portion of e-bike companies are produced and distributed by the same manufacturers. Whenever you see an e-bike reviewer with tons of generic bikes, theyāre usually sent them to review and itās typically the same thing, and while it works for most peopleās needs theyāre just not particularly exciting, interesting, or utilitarian for that specific person. That being said, I find the most competitive range for e-bikes is right after $1k and just under $3k. Thereās a wealth of choices for proper design from companies like Juiced, Rad Power, and Aventon. In your situation though, there are two glaring choices: lean into the single-track riding for a proper e-MTB which will likely do everything for a VERY pretty penny or get a fat tire bike similar to the Juiced RipRacer and split that difference on a regular mountain bike. If you go the first option, Haibike will do it. Ridiculously light, crazy strong, and quick. Only problem is itās nearly SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS. My first motorcycle was a Honda CB300R and my out-the-door price for a freeway capable cafe racer was still a grand less than that. However, nothing on the market is more capable of taking the beating that thing can, except maybe a Sur-Ron X which I think you should get a motorcycle license for (and is not even street legal). The second option is to buy an e-bike for light off-road duty. It maybe wonāt cross the river because electricity and water donāt mix, but it will do everything else. Despite what I said about fat tires, one thing I conveniently left out is that theyāre also much more stable on loose surfaces. I mean, thatās probably a given since they have more area to cover. As for the 1-mile stretch, top speed (28 mph) on a class 3 bike for that long wonāt hurt the battery range too much, but do check to make sure that speed is fast enough for that road and maybe attach a mirror to the bike so you donāt have to look over your shoulder too often (although I do that anyway). Your options here are far more plentiful though. As mentioned above, thereās the Juiced RipRacer (make sure to get the class 3 version for $1500), Juiced Scrambler, Aventon Aventure, Crew Dart (switch the brakes and the tires because theyāre abysmal), and I can go on and on and on. You can even narrow that down by if you need suspension, and in that case they sell bikes like the Crew Sprinter (you get the idea by now, thereās a bike for everything). At this point you can narrow your choices further by deciding how much weight you can tolerate when you load in and out of the camper van, how much space you realistically have for it, the need for headlights and taillights, and specific price range. Even $1500 gets you plenty of choices, and flexing that budget a bit opens up even more floodgates. So yeah, at this point REALLY narrow down what you need out of it, and I do mean scrutinize scrutinize SCRUTINIZE on your list of wants because you will always be overwhelmed for choice in the e-bike market. But when you do, the options get much more narrow and focused.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Sounds good! Just to put it out there that I recommend Juiced because I had a Scrambler and while it was heavy, it was sturdy, durable, and very reliable. Rode it about 2k miles before giving it to my dad, but awesome bike and the battery range is just unbelievable. Great as a utility bike and commuter. I would buy one again because itās one of the few bikes under $2k thatās capable of 28 mph, but also a well-constructed bike is something thatās severely underappreciated. Youāll realize this when you start cycling through different ones, like how they sell SWFT and Hurley at Best Buy now for around the same price without offering the specs or quality Juiced does. Happy hunting though, and let me know if you have any other questions!
Itās the absolute best. And itās FUN!
It is, I love it. Add a trailer and you can basically do most things a car can with you on your own.
Its so much more freedom than with a car imo...and you are way faster and it makes fun as hell. 3/4 of the year iam doing my dutys with the ebike!
I'm from the goverment, that sounds too reasonable. I am going to find a way to profit off your new convenience.
Do it ish
Why thank you, give me $50 to register your ebike i will give you nothing in return but give you empty promises and a new car for me.
Here's what you do. Build safe cycleways everywhere and subsidise eBike purchases. Get people out of cars and onto bikes and eBikes. You'll save millions/billions in road maintenance over the years, and that's just the start.
My work told me I can store my bike inside the gate which is an electric fence and under an old smoke shed that they will make sure nobody else smokes inside of it, that they provide too. I guess they said they would provide a camera too but I won't get my hopes up on the camera. The only thing stopping me is the fact I live out in extremely rural America thats 10 miles away on very high hills on very dangerous roads, but that's hopefully going to change soon. If I get an apartment in a small town nearby, that's 3 miles away, on a main road that isn't a stroad, with a bike trail that happens to go from my work to where I live.
The benefits of ebikes do depend enormously on where you live. I live in a dense suburb, and nothing beats the feeling of zooming to the front of a line of 40 cars stopped at a traffic light. Or watching a car pass me, and then catching up to that same car several more times during the next 2-3 miles of stop-and-go traffic. But if you're in a rural area where the nearest whatever is 10 miles/45 minutes away by bike, or you have to deal with stroads or other hazardous biking environments, the use case for an ebike is much weaker. (It's still fun, though.)
> nothing beats the feeling of zooming to the front of a line of 40 cars stopped at a traffic light It's *disgusting* how much I love doing this.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
LOL. I just googled your acronym and realized what it was. Saves lots of space but how do you haul stuff!? Do they make a cargo EUC? :)
End user computing?
Backpack, and your hands are free. Try smoking or drinking or eating while biking. You're not going to be pulling a full cargo load but you're also not worrying about locking up a bike outside when it rolls right in and under your desk or whatever
Electric unicycle, for those confused at home.
* My local grocery store is a 5 min ride away, I just grabbed 2 full bags of groceries and loaded them onto my bike. As I left, there was a line-up of about 15 cars trying to get into the underground parking lot. * I can get to work in 25 mins, from leaving my house to sitting at my desk at work. The same journey takes ~45 mins by bus. * I went to see a band play at a big venue last week. It took 30 mins to get home once I was outside the venue. If I'd driven it would have taken me at *least* 30 mins just to get back to my car and get out of the multi-story parking lot. This is repeated for almost anything I do. Living in a city means almost everything I want to do is within 10km, and that is extremely ebike friendly.
I'm glad that so many people are jumping on ebikes.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Any efforts to tax or regulate bikes would be pointless, IMO. You need to think about the reason we do these things for cars in the first place - cars are expensive, have the potential to cause significant property damage, and the infrastructure they require is uniquely expensive per mile, per person transported. The āsocial expensesā of bikes/e-bikes/peds are minuscule in comparison. Iāll also note, I donāt think cars are inherently more reliable, I just think weāve built our cities in ways where cars are the most feasible, safe, etc. way to get around.
>Some guy here claimed that a car is cheaper for long distance commuting because e-bikes are unreliable compared to cars per mile. "Long distance" needs quantified. On an energy basis, no. I was riding in my friend's Bolt yesterday. Steady state output was between 15-20kw. Unquestionably a couple hundred pounds of bike and rider going much slower won't cost more there. But there was a period I was commuting 90 miles per day. If a bike could do 45 and recharge at work, time would become a major factor, looking down a 2-3 hour commute versus an hour or less.
In terms of the number of breakdowns and the amount of maintenance, I agree that an eBike definitely requires more than a car per mile. Think about cleaning and lubricating the chain every 100 miles on a bike versus going 5,000 miles between oil changes in a car. However, the *cost* of the repairs and maintenance on the eBike is *far* less. I can replace the motor in my eBike for $350. It would cost at least 10 times that much to replace the engine in my car.
I think itās even better than that though, because honestly the bike maintenance thatās actually required is even less than the recommended intervals, with little downside like there is with putting off car maintenance. Yes, your drivetrain will last longer if you clean and lube it. But thatās honestly like a five minute effort, costing less than a dollar in materials. I also think that most people probably donāt ride enough mileage for that increased maintenance schedule to benefit them.
> most people probably donāt ride enough mileage for that increased maintenance schedule to benefit them I think that is why this comparison is only partially relevant. The average motorist in the USA drives 12,000 miles. I doubt if the average cyclist rides 1/10th of that.
> cleaning and lubricating the chain Carbon Belt Drive crew checking in. Good for 30,000km apparently.
This message has been deleted and I've left reddit because of the decision by u/spez to block 3rd party apps
Just got a Turbo Vado. Life changing. My town has a very good trail system and literally has no one on it except in the summer.
im so fast getting around on my e-bike, i dont even use the transit in my city anymore (And its good transit.) theres just no point unless im freezing cold and want out of the elements for a short stint.
āWell, DUH!ā - every motorcyclist .
I just hate having to chain the bike up super secure wherever I go. That takes all the spontaneity out of it.
I agree. It took me years to figure out that driving alone was not the *only* way to travel; nor was it the best method of travel in many situations. When I mention this, I hear the same list of (mostly flimsy) excuses that I used to use. It is surprising how deeply "car culture" is ingrained in most people in the USA.
Unfortunately all those savings go up in smoke when your bike gets stolen while you go into a shop. It's the main thing preventing me from using mine for anything other than recreational rides.
Easy and cheap solution: just move to a city with low crime. It's one weird trick bike thieves don't want you to know.
All that could have been done on a bicycle too. I find little difference in average speed over 10 miles urban rides. 12-14mph on a bicycle, 15-17mph on eBikes. You could have been riding bicycles for years already.
Round by me the hills are long slogs and no fun to ride. I love knowing that if I set off in a direction I can go up to 17 miles in an hour no sweat, and not be too tired to do what I went there to do. Life changing for me.
True, but I can arrive at my destination without being a sweaty mess on my eBike. I work an office job, so being able to cruise to work on an eBike *in my work clothes* is pretty amazing. There's some steady hills and inclines on my commute and when I rode my old non-ebike to work I never managed to get there without needing a shower.
I'm selling mine because I'm worried about making the mortgage payment in January. Excited to buy a new one when we sell the house though!
I'd love to, but I'm worried it'll be instantly stolen here in Boston.
I wish the entire US would understand this.. instead you have people in here constantly arguing how a ebike should never go 30mph lol.
My plan is to load my e bike into my car so I can drive to cities and then ride around and visit locations. My biggest gripe going to Philly was I had no place to park. Manhattan? I had to park at a garage in NJ and take a sub and a train to Manhattan. Public transit was good though. With a bike, I can park at a Walmart and just ride around, and it'll be especially good at places like New Orleans, Miami, etc. It doesn't save money but I have more transit ability now.