Originally Posted by
Pop N Wood
In terms of performance and cost between a DIY to factory ebike there is really no comparison. Makes no sense why ebikes in the US market are so underpowered.
I disagree (but in a cheerful manner). There is a very good explanation for why eBikes in the US are so underpowered.
The US has not been the primary eBike market. Many bike shops are very opposed to eBikes, along with a strong sport-oriented cycling culture. The result is that eBikes are built for the largest markets. Those markets have much stricter power limits. The US gets these offerings from the major makers, thus, the offerings are significantly underpowered in comparison to what is allowed in the US.
So, the low power of the offerings on the US market makes sense. The only way for that to change is for the major makers to see that there is a strong US demand for US legal eBikes. Like you, I have found that making my own gives me better performance/$.