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-   -   best city ebike for me? (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=1231445)

Ebikecusrious 05-27-21 03:54 PM

best city ebike for me?
 
Hi all, I am just recently considering an ebike, and kind of overwhelmed by all the options. Maybe y'all could help me choose? I am male, 5 10', over 200 pounds, looking for an ebike with a throttle and pedal assist ideally. Want it to be as quiet as possible and as light as possible, heavy use on bad local NYC streets. 5K is about my limit to spend.... thanks if you can help!

2old 05-27-21 04:27 PM

You can get a lot of bike for $5K, but most of the big OEM's, where you can spend that much money, offer pedal assist (PAS) only. Your best bet is to see what others are using especially if there's a local shop. Don't know the current laws in NYS and/or NYC, but you might want to check. Be careful of the "reviews" you encounter since some individuals are compensated for them. A light bike is another aspect that's going to be a challenge. You might consider DIY.

shelbyfv 05-27-21 04:56 PM

A throttle would definitely be useful in stop and go traffic. I don't know about legalities, mine is a Bafang conversion. It will almost peel rubber!

alloo 05-28-21 05:53 AM

I like the Blix Aveny. Maybe even the Priority Current, Gazell C8.

cat0020 05-28-21 06:52 AM

I've been commuting in NYC traffic with my bicycles since 2013.
Always looking for that lightest commuter bike.
Your budget is plenty to find a suitable bike.
But you need to specify some criteria:

Do you have (safe) storage space? to determine whether a folding bike or non-folding bike would be better suited.

What is your desired ranger for this e-bike? and regularly operated range? to determine how big of a battery you might need to have.

Will you be taking this bike on/off public transport? buses, subway, ferry?

My commute from WTC to Sheepshead Bay on my regular ($200, 24 lb., non-electric) folding bike is about 40-50 minutes, over the Brooklyn Bridge. I use the cheap folding bike the most often, I can leave it and not worry about it getting stolen. Parts are easy to replace when damaged. Since 2013, I've gotten 2 door-prizes (when driver open door without looking for on-coming traffic) and T-boned a SUV that stopped in the middle of the intersection. Luckily, my commuting speed is usually under 17 mph, I'm 5'10" about 175 lb. so impact with cars at my speed doesn't result in significant injury, unless I get hit by a car traveling at much higher speed than me.
I try to keep the length & width of the bicycle to minimal, smaller target, less chance to get hit and easier to maneuver between car mirrors.

With the road condition not being butter smooth, I would recommend smaller sized wheels 20" (stronger) and fatter tires, 2.5 or wider, for your weight.
I have a Qualisport Dolphin for little over a year, about 750 miles ridden.
Combination of 350w motor & 20" wheels do offer enough torque to get going from stop and keep a good pace at 20 mph, but not much above 20 mph.
But I like the stronger wheels riding in NYC, where potholes and poor road surface can damage larger wheel frequently.
I've added front & rear rack since the picture below. https://www.qualisports.us/
https://i.imgur.com/DTqwolT.jpg

I have a cargo e-bike that I use to transport large volume items/foods between school & homeless shelter.
It's not light, it's not expensive, but gets the job done and sure beats driving and looking for parking spots.. large bike like a cargo bike is usually not attractive to bike thieves.
https://i.imgur.com/OYGLqJj.jpg

For cruising around with throttle, I also have the Juice Scorpion.. in the city traffic, it's not really the safest option without decent riding skills.
The weight of the Scorpion & its capability for higher speed really need a rider who is used to maneuvering among NYC traffic to stay safe on it.
https://i.imgur.com/8FEef82.jpg

Feel free to ask questions about bicycle commute in NYC in general.
With COVID, there is much heavier demand on bicycles & e-bikes in general.
$5k is really not necessary to get something to suit your needs.
Lightest possible may not last very long in NYC traffic.

Ebikecusrious 05-28-21 07:26 AM

Thanks, man! That is super, super helpful. I can put it in my apt, but that's a drag as is a studio. Also, I need to bring it up a couple flights of stairs, thus the desire for lightness (or maybe walk assist)? Man, 3 bikes! You must have a ton of space, am jealous. I think 50 mile range would be fine. I was surprised to see you say bigger wheels are weaker, would have thought the opposite. Thanks again!

cat0020 05-28-21 07:51 AM

My main residence out in PA near Valley Forge National Park, less tax, less insurance cost, plenty of space there to ride and store toys.
I work in Brooklyn, reside in Hoboken during the weekdays.
Basement in Hoboken is where I store my commuting folding bikes, it gets really dusty & moldy down there if you don't ride frequently.

Bigger wheels can be built strong, combine with wider tires they can do fine, but well-built wheels are expensive, so are larger sized tires.
For city dwelling and taking bikes onto public transport, they do take up more space, more difficult to go through subway turn style.

Range on e-bike is highly dependent on the usage of throttle or how much pedaling you do along the ride.
I personally use the throttle very little, only when I'm carrying heavy load and difficult to start moving when stopped.

Once the bike is moving at cruising speed of 12-15 mph, PAS kicks in and battery consumption is mainly when you encounter hills.
The faster you want to travel, the more juice the motor consumes.
During COVID times, I try to avoid visits to the hospitals, so I keep the speed down to avoid accidents.
NYC cycling is mainly about survival for me, just getting from A to B in one-piece and no injuries. Stay well hydrated and don't get hit or assaulted.

I've bought my in-laws & employees e-bikes.
My in-laws are near 80 y-o, they just ride to local grocery store or fishing spot in Queen, 2-3 miles from their residence.
With COVID and home invasion stories on the rise, they've been riding very little.
https://i.imgur.com/JB2vXRD.jpg
Employees trying to quit smoking and cut down on transit/transportation costs, they are younger,
they don't really take care of their stuff; so cheap e-bikes are just fun for them.
They seem to hold up pretty well, and there are shops in Brooklyn that specializes in fixing these cheap (under $1K) e-bikes.
They get you to places you need and still perform decent, just not much to look at and heavy.
But they seem to be popular among the delivery folks in NYC.
If it's good enough for people that ride 50-60 miles every single day, in all weather, gets abused with throttle operation all the time;
that's gotta be a durable e-bike, right?
https://i.imgur.com/LE1NEc0.jpg

2old 05-28-21 08:33 AM

The bike that might satisfy all your requirements is a Gocycle, but don't let it out of your sight. I've seen them in shops and bike shows (pre-COVID) and they're fantastic, light and expensive.

browngw 05-28-21 10:09 AM

My wife and I both have 2019 Giant Lafrees'. I'm the same size as you and the large fits me perfectly. Excellent choice for us. Relatively light (53lbs), 2.35" x26 tires and excellent bicycle feel. I rode mine 47km yesterday over mixed terrain including hills. The app tells me I have 59% battery left! It was in the auto sensor mode the whole time giving me up to 300% power. No need to be anxious about range. I did get rid of the puffy foam saddle and install a Brooks B67 but my wife likes the original saddle on hers. The Momentum (Giant) Lafree has a Yamaha drive with a torque based six sensor control. No throttle is required as it knows when you need to go. It is a Class 1 rated bike which can be used almost everywhere. It is limited to 20mph like all of its class. We have a shop that sells Giant nearby and have great support. The step thru frame is solid enough to feel stiff under my 230lbs.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e8f5298a08.jpg

Doc_Wui 05-28-21 03:00 PM

"I have a Qualisport Dolphin for little over a year, about 750 miles ridden.
Combination of 350w motor & 20" wheels do offer enough torque to get going from stop and keep a good pace at 20 mph, but not much above 20 mph.
But I like the stronger wheels riding in NYC, where potholes and poor road surface can damage larger wheel frequently."


IS there a limit as to how low you can put the seat on your Qualisports? I saw a review on the Fiido, which uses a similar seat tube battery and the guy said it's no good for anyone under 5'8" because the seat post hits the ground.

cat0020 05-28-21 06:41 PM


Originally Posted by Doc_Wui (Post 22079637)
IS there a limit as to how low you can put the seat on your Qualisports? I saw a review on the Fiido, which uses a similar seat tube battery and the guy said it's no good for anyone under 5'8" because the seat post hits the ground.

I'm sure there is a limit, how low is depending on rider's comfort in controlling the bike.
Seat tube/seatpost battery for e-bikes pretty much comes in one length: long.
Just as most if not all folding bike with long seatpost, but at least you can cut the seatpost shorter on for non-battery seatpost.
Some folks at 5' 8" may have long legs, maybe no problem with ground clearance of the seatpost battery, some may have problems.
The power cable that connects the battery to power controller is at the bottom of that seatpost battery, ground clearance is somewhat important to keep the bike operational.
Not my bike, but you can see in the pictures below there is not much ground clearance.
https://i.imgur.com/VNtK66p.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mpxLQIA.jpg

Calsun 05-30-21 10:58 AM

I would stay with ones where you can get service and support from a nearby bike shop. Even the owners of $5000 e-bikes have had problems and needed to work through dealers to get the problems addressed by the manufacturers. I always like to search on an item and if there are "problem" associated with it as with the battery problems with the Giant bikes for example. If the battery fails can you get a replacement one quickly or replacement controller.

Ebikecusrious 05-31-21 01:01 PM

Thanks!
 
Really appreciate the in depth help, guys. Follow up: I just tested a Van Moof--anybody out there love/hate em?

cat0020 05-31-21 01:11 PM

VanMoof looks nice.

How did you like it?

Feels enough juice to get you around?

Able to carry it up & down a flight of stairs to get around the subway?

Theft prevention looks interesting. I don't own a smartphone, but I find these extra features on the bike interesting.

Ebikecusrious 05-31-21 03:30 PM


Originally Posted by cat0020 (Post 22082601)
VanMoof looks nice.

How did you like it?

Feels enough juice to get you around?

Able to carry it up & down a flight of stairs to get around the subway?

Theft prevention looks interesting. I don't own a smartphone, but I find these extra features on the bike interesting.

I liked it a lot. I think I can carry it up a flight of stairs, but it is on the heavy side. Lot of juice, handles hills easily. Built in gear changers, which is cool, but sometimes a little clunky, Also, thing is tall--I guess Dutch people are super tall, turns out. For 5' 8" to 6'8", I am about 5' 10", could just straddle bar.

josephvman 06-01-21 12:58 PM

Check out a Specialized Turbo Vado SL. The biggest negative is price, but it's in your budget. I have the 5.0 EQ model and love it. Very natural feel to it with assist that's seamless but definitely doubles your output. It's also probably the lightest commuter-style ebike you'll find. NYC roads aren't any worse that Houston's, where I ride. I put a RedShift suspension seatpost and Brooks B17 saddle and it's like a magic carpet. Even on maximum assist and riding flat-out I can get 30+ miles on a charge. Dial that back to Eco mode with 35% assist and it's nearly triple that.

​​​​​​https://bikerumor.com/2021/02/28/rev...and-urbanites/

Calsun 06-01-21 01:04 PM

The electric mountain bikes are going to provide more suspension cushioning and be 10 lbs lighter than the average "commuter" bike. The same suspension that is designed for rough trails helps with bad roads in the city. Commuter type bikes tend to be much heavier in terms fo the frames and the wheels and the tires which is not a problem when riding on relatively flat ground but is a problem for hauling the bike up flights of stairs.

If traffic is only going to allow for speeds of 10-15 mph on city streets then a regular bicycle may be equally useful and it will be 30 lbs lighter. A folding bike like the Dahon folding bikes sell for $800 and weigh less than 30 lbs and come with a rear rack and front and rear wheel fenders.

Ebikecusrious 06-03-21 05:38 PM

Thanks again, all, bike bought!
 
I went with the Specialized Vado 5.0. The price (5K) just about broke me, but I love everything else about it so far. Fast, light, good-looking, handles beautifully. Fingers crossed.

Calsun 06-09-21 03:09 PM

For city use the Yamee Fat Bear and similar e-bikes are great as their fat tires work very well when on bad roads or even having to go off a curb where no cut was made for handicap use. The rear suspension is like that of a mountain bike and this also helps absorb road shock on badly maintained roads. Second choice would be something sold as a "gravel" bike or something like the Giant Stance E+ bikes.

Plenty of range on a charge and a very very strong rear rack (3/4 inch diameter tubing) so support a load using panniers or the like. The Yamee have front and rear lights powered off the battery and the tail light works like a brake light on a motorcycle. In city traffic the more you can operate like a motor vehicle the safer you will be.

slavany 09-15-21 09:01 AM

"My commute from WTC to Sheepshead Bay on my regular ($200, 24 lb., non-electric) folding bike is about 40-50 minutes, "

Can you please share what route you're using. I consider riding from Sheepshead Bay to Court St in downtown Brooklyn (similar road).

cat0020 09-15-21 09:18 AM

From Sheepshead Bay,
I usually take the side streets (22 st) parallel to Ocean Ave. up to Ave H or so.
Ocean Ave. to Prospect Park, ride through the park,
Take Lincoln Pl. on the left side after exiting the Prospect Park Arch.
Bergen St. then Smith St. through downtown, then one block over to get onto the Brooklyn Bridge.

Sempervee 09-15-21 09:55 AM

surprised no one mentioned the RAD powerbikes from Seattle. We have 4. I am 5 10 and 210 muscular. Hard to beat the RAD Mini for product performance, price and No one else matches their customer support. He is my folding daily rider and grocery getter.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...120eab0d0.jpeg

slavany 09-15-21 09:59 AM


Originally Posted by cat0020 (Post 22230968)
From Sheepshead Bay,
I usually take the side streets (22 st) parallel to Ocean Ave. up to Ave H or so.
Ocean Ave. to Prospect Park, ride through the park,
Take Lincoln Pl. on the left side after exiting the Prospect Park Arch.
Bergen St. then Smith St. through downtown, then one block over to get onto the Brooklyn Bridge.

thank you!
Also, bedford or ocean parkway line are not good?

Calsun 09-15-21 11:17 AM

I would check out the new e-bikes being sold by REI which include a $1,999 e-bike with an integrated rear rack (much stronger than the bolt on ones). Add fenders and it would be a good commuter bike.

A problem I have with Radpower is that their customers need to do the work on their bikes. REI has an excellent bike shop operation inside each of its stores with knowledgeable staff to do the setup, make adjustements, do repairs, and upgrade or add parts.

cat0020 09-15-21 12:13 PM


Originally Posted by slavany (Post 22231046)
thank you!
Also, bedford or ocean parkway line are not good?

They tend to get busy with other pedestrian traffic, runners, baby strollers, etc... even with designated bike pane/path.
I use the side streets more because there is less (motor & pedestrian) traffic in general, unless you go through a school zone during dismissal or morning drop-off.
Once in a while you get stuck behind a garbage truck, but I just move onto the sidewalk.


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