lydy 

I am 58 years old, female, 5'6", and 220 lbs. I live in Minneapolis, which is remarkably flat. I strongly prefer a step-through. I am a relatively novice biker. I want an ebike that I can put in my car so that I can take it places. That means a folding bike, but it doesn't have to be very light, as I am not planning on lugging up stairs or onto the subway. So, anything under about 70 lbs. works, although obviously the lighter the better. I would consider a non-folding bike if I could get it on my Saris trunk rack, but that would mean it would have to be in the 40 lb. range, and that's basically outside my price range. I want it to have at very least a rear rack, as I want to be able to go to the coop and other small shopping by bike in good weather. It seems unlikely that I will need greater than a 20 mile range. I don't think I need suspension. I would like it to be rideable if the battery gives out, which means that I would prefer multiple gears. I don't care too much about fancy displays, but I do want to be able to tell how the battery is doing as I ride.

The two bikes I'm currently considering are the Rad Mini Step-through. That looks like, pardon me, a rad ride.


Radpower has a really good reputation. Note I would need to buy a rear rack. The motor is way better than the other bike I'm considering, and generally has many more support options. It is heavier, mostly because of the motor, if I understand what I've been seeing properly. It looks like a really, really nice bike.


However -- I can get an Ecotric Starfish on eBay for $600, which is not quite a third the price.

If I buy it from the manufacturer, I have slightly better support options, but it would cost an additional $100. Note, it comes with a rear rack, already. It's only a 350W motor, and commensurately slightly lighter.


So, the real question is, is the Radpower bike worth an additional $1000?


If you are aware of any other things I should be looking at, do let me know. But mostly, all the others are about the same price as the Radpower, with similar features or slightly less good features. The things cheaper than the Ecotric...do not look good.

Thanks so much for any advice you can offer.

2old

Read the reviews, consider how much you're going to use the bike and decide. Good news: the Ecotric models on Amazon have a 4+ (of 5) rating, so the owners seem pretty satisfied. Depending on finances I would probably purchase the 500w, $775 model on Amazon (or ebay if it's less expensive there).

Doc_Wui

I own an Ecotric 20" fat tire folder and follow the Ecotric facebook group. Occasionally look at the Lectric group. Owners in both groups do seem happy, but Lectric support is more mature, and probably more responsive, Ecotric is just one guy at a PC somewhere. However, I never had any issues on mine in two years

You're comparing two vastly different bikes in the Starfish and the Lectric XP. My wife and I already own/ride two 20" folding bikes with motors I put on myself, I bought the Ecotric on impulse, because it was $775 on amazon. l had never seen a 20" fat tire bike close up. Big size difference. A 20x4" fat tire is 23.5" tall, while your 20x1.75" tire is 20". The Ecotric is also 6-9" longer than my wife bike, 25 pounds heavier. The same size differences would apply to the Lectric XP. However, the Starfish is probably 10 pounds heavier than our bikes, so the weight difference might be 15 pounds. It My wife says the Ecotric is too powerful/big and I say it's more like a SUV vs a car. Either way, we like the skinny tire folders better than the fat tire.

If you compare the Ecotric and Lectric fat tire bikes, the latter is a newer design with an integrated battery. The 48V battery and 5 level assist on the Lectric is better than the 36V and three level assist of the Ecotric. There is a 48V version of the Ecotric with 5 level assist.

While I've not seen a Starfish, I know it has the same 36V battery and 3 level assist. Most new riders find the 3 level assist too fast in level 1. With time, I believe they get used to it. I did anyway.

I think any of these bikes will serve for an errand runner but the bigger fat tire bikes would be better with saddlebags/basket etc. The fat tire bikes might be better for occasional rides in late Fall or early spring with light Minnesota snow, but you better be careful.

EDIT: While out riding today, I realized I addressed my response to LEctric XP vs Ecotric. The Lectric was under $1000 last time I looked, and they claim to have have sold over ten thousand bikes. What about RAD? In my opinion, one of the first US outfits to import chinese bikes and made a name off the fat tire genre. They can charge more because they have a good customer base and service.

lydy 

Thanks! I did go ahead and get the Ecotric Starfish. It arrived today. I think it's assembled, though the "manual" was for like, six other bikes, not the Starfish. Sigh. Battery is charging. Hope to take her out for a spin tomorrow.

lydy 

I really appreciated your response, and partly based on it, I did buy the Ecotric Starfish I had my eye on. It arrived today. I _think_ I've got it properly assembled. We'll find out tomorrow, when it's daylight and the battery is charged.

I think I need to try WD40 on the folding hinge. It is very, very, very tight, and I am having trouble folding and unfolding it.

2old

I've never had a folding bike, but would expect your bike to "loosen" with use. It might be better "tight" since it's integrity could be enhanced.

hsuBM

motor oil, chain oil, hardware store “Mystery” oil or “3-in-1” oil. WD is a water displacer good for cleaning metal interfaces which have been contaminated with excessive water.

I think I love you.



Srsly tho, while I usually hate on eBikes for how most people want to use them, I hope you enjoy your new eBike.

lydy 

Tight is one thing, but I should be able to actually, you know, fold and unfold it. At the moment, it's almost beyond the combined strength of myself and my boyfriend. It's really, really, really tight. So maybe a little motor oil or something. I dunno. I'd like it to be possible to fold and unfold it by myself, you know?

lydy 

Thanks for the lubrication advice. Probably try 3-in-1, since we have some in the house.

I have a regular bike, which I adore, but I also wanted an ebike for things like longer trips, and for hills. The thing is, ebikes really enhance accessibility for older or frailer people. My knees aren't the best, I have asthma, and there are things I just cannot do on my lovely Electra Loft that I'd like to be able to do. The other thing is that an ebike will let a person without as much stamina go out riding with someone considerably buffer than they are and keep up. I did that this summer with my close friend and his asthmatic partner. We put his partner on a rental ebike, and his partner could keep up with us, and we all had fun. Without the ebike, we would have had to cut the ride short, and even then it might have been a lot less fun for his partner.

lydy 

3-in-1 did the trick. Thanks! Took her out for her maiden ride. She was lovely. A dream...a budget dream, but a dream.

hsuBM

Yeah, my MUP’s and commute roads are filling up with skinny cigarette smokers on eBikes who want to ride a motorcycle that they don’t have to stop at red lights with and as an extra they can tell people that they’re getting exercise because their feet are technically on pedals which are connected to the wheels. They love going 25mph on the MUP into a headwind while weaving between walkers, joggers, and peddlers. I’m not being a psychic, I’m a magnet for them when they’re feeling chatty, and they can chat.

I know that frailty is in my future. When I see older and/or broken folks struggling with all sorts of methods for either just getting around or getting exercise my mind races and fails to come to a conclusion to what the heck I’m gonna do.

Doc_Wui

I hope the Starfish works out for you! We like our folders a lot.