dr_max

My son is going to start a sports combined program in high school next year and he will be playing hockey but will have to cycle back home. It’s a 17 miles round trip than can be windy because it’s following the St Laurence river and is exposed to wind.

I am searching for a basic ebike available in Canada for the days he will be finishing late and after big hockey days when he wants to go back home without riding too slow to help him a little bit to come back effortlessly before the evening hockey game.

any suggestions for an e-bike with a price tag that won’t bring bike stealers anywhere near the bike rack at school?

thanks!

Bald Paul

Bike thieves will steal anything that isn't too difficult to steal. It doesn't really matter if it's an expensive bike, or a cheap one. Granted, a cheap bike with a very secure lock may be less enticing to them than an expensive bike with a cheap lock, but there's no guarantee.

KPREN

That is tough to answer for sure. Is your son legal to ride a fast e bike?
The size of battery is directly proportional to the speed of travel. A fast e bike will need a 500 watt hour battery to make that trip and the basic cheap e bike is less that that. Ride down around 10-12 mph and the battery size drops to 260 watt hours or so.
Your probably looking somewhere around $800-900 Canadian or so.
I can't answer the question of what is good on the cheap end. Others here can help you on that.

cat0020

Ebikes don't really mix well with sub-freezing temperatures.
From what I remember when I played hockey, the practices were 4-5 AM before daylight, in the dark even more cold.
Hockey bag with sweat soaked gear could be 25-30 lb. plus hockey sticks, not exactly easy to carry on an ebike.
I don't know if I would want to pedal an ebike for 17 miles with heavy load after hockey practice, even when I was young & able.
It might seem like a good idea in your mind, but doesn't sound safe nor practical for more than a few trips; likely your son would get tired of it pretty quick.

dr_max

i don’t know if the Thule cheetah 2 bike trailer could help for transporting the equipment. I would have to find a e-bike that could haul this.

i traveled all my life on a bike to commute during summer and winter and got used to it. My son loves cycling he might enjoy it. I am trying to find him an ebike to help him enjoy it even more than I did during all those years.

cat0020

If I'd hard practice or hard hockey games, the last thing I'd want is to pedal another 17 miles in the dark & cold with all my hockey gear.. probably not the best way to learn how to enjoy cycling,
If you want your son to enjoy cycling, that's great, designate time to it to make cycling enjoyable and spend time with him on the bike to explain why you enjoy cycling so much; probably will last longer than his hockey career.

I'm usually proponent for cheap ebikes for practicality, but if the goal is for a youngster to get into cycling, to enjoy cycling; the rider would need to participate in cycling with least amount of physical preconditions and good amount of guidance & encouragement for a possible lifelong development for the love of cycling.

CrimsonEclipse

Unlike the rest, I'll actually try to answer your question.

Absolute cheapest is a department store ebike. They go for around $400.
Durability will be limited, range will be only 20 miles in minimal assist.

If you're going to add a trailer, you need a $800-1000 ebike which ranges from 20" fat tire folding bikes to 26" comfort bikes.
These will be heavier but more capacity and range.

If he is riding in the cold and after practice, you need to assume he is going to use throttle only or maximum assist (at least at first)

Get at LEAST twice the range you think he will need.
1. Manufacturers universally overstate range.
2. More assist = much decreased range.
3. Cold weather commonly reduces range
4. Trailer

As for theft, not much you can do. If there is inside storage, a folding bike might make for easier storage (and will help with battery range).

You may also consider a higher performance scooter. Sure there's no pedaling, but they are easier to bring inside and store in tight places.

Good luck

2old

If there's an REI nearby, you might consider their Generation 1 bike at $900 (until September 4). It's a mini-cargo bike that you could try before you buy, and has rei-quality and the inherent benefits of membership. If you need a full cargo bike, Velotric has some well reviewed models. If you just want cheap, look at Go Trax.

zandoval 

17 years old?

Think its time for some wheels.

Bicycle, Motorcycle, or Car. I don't think a cheap e-bike fits in. Either way after looking at the various sources it could be as cheap as 500 USD for a ChiCom special.

Do consider that a Car will get ya a girl. And if you have a cheap e-bike ya need a girl with a car that can pick you up when it fails in cold wet weather on the way to your next game.

Chuck Naill

I never bought anything for the children with "cheap" as a criteria. Surely the school would allow the bike to be stored inside during practice,

cat0020

Why more college campuses are starting to ban electric bikes

https://electrek.co/2023/08/27/why-college-campuses-are-starting-to-ban-electric-bikes/

dr_max

I cycle about 20 miles with my kids every evening on the St Lawrence river they already enjoy cycling. Just trying to find him a way to enjoy e-bike transportation without to have to buy a car at 16 like most of the kids

Inusuit

Just for the record, OP says it's 17 miles round trip, so only 8.5 on the way home.

dr_max

thats exactly why I want a cheap ebike so he can lock it at the entry of the college campus, not in the campus

dr_max

well I have 4 boys and they destroyed all their bikes, all their scooters, all their skateboards at the skate park. I don’t care to pay but if you are going to destroy, abuse it or get it stolen, then the cheaper it is the less painful it is to buy a replacement one.

not going to buy a 4 grands top of the line eFat bike like I would like him to have because this fat bike is already gone!

dr_max

he’s 12
17 miles is the round trip
8.5 mile to come back home

MarcusT

Ignoring the extraneous discussion.
I would just go to Canadian Tire. They have reasonably priced ebikes and you know you can count on their warranties.
Buy a top quality lock and remove the battery while parked

zandoval 

It's a hard call either way. An 8.5 mile trip for a 12 year old in my little town is no big deal. But an 8.5 mile trip just down the road in downtown Austin Texas could be deadly.

Rats... In some cities I would not let him outta my site. Bravo for you Dad. Tying to give your boy some growing room is admirable...

dr_max

well it’s a cycle path following the river for the whole trip. He already does it alone when coming back from his grandma’s house or his soccer games. Really safe place to ride and really safe city.

I was cycling to school the same distance at his age. Just trying to make him enjoy cycling as much as I do as an active way to transport!

Chuck Naill

I would begin to teach them how to maintain their toys. If they destroy one, don't purchase another. Based on you post, my concern would be if the child would be able to safely make the 17 mile trip.

veganbikes

4 grand is not top of the line at all unless that line is mediocre at best. Also a fat bike is the worst bike for most of the people riding them unless they are riding in really sandy or snowy areas like all the time.

4 grand will generally get you a decent solid bike that will be reliable and serviceable in more places. You can find Bosch, Brose, Shimano...good quality stuff that is reliable for commuting and riding regularly. Generally you should find stuff like Shimano Deore and Magura brakes and things like that.

An e-bike is not a skatepark bike so they shouldn't bring it there and teaching them good locking practices is important. Yes it is teaching and training and it may seem like they can't do it but they can you just need to help them understand the situation and use good locks with them and theft is not a problem and if you have them take it to the local shop with regularity to get it tuned up and parts replaced as needed they will realize and hopefully get tips and tricks on maintenance and start to understand it a bit more.

Cheap and E-bike are two words that need to stay far away from each other. Make sure you are buying quality that is serviceable at your local shop and also something that isn't going to fall apart or cause potential electrical issues. Or just skip the e-bike and problem solved. Either the quality of components goes way down or the price has to go up there is no getting both.

cat0020

I've been riding my $1499 Fiido T1 since MAR 2022 for over 900 miles in NYC with zero problems, not even a flat tire.
https://fiido.com/products/fiido-t1-...-electric-bike
Fat 20x4" tires does pretty well in the snow/ice winter and soak up the potholes in NYC.
Cast wheels with no worries of rusty spokes or even need to true a wheel.
750w hub motor 20Ah battery for well over 45 mi. of throttle only operation with me at 175 lb. and other cargo weighing up to 40-50 lb.

I carry large volume (& weight) of food items between school & homeless shelter on my Fiido T1 on a bi-weekly basis, one-way distance of approx. 8 mile.
It's easier on an ebike (in NYC) since I am capable of riding between car mirrors, up sidewalks, cut through parks,
ride across parking lots or even against traffic flow in one-way streets, with no worries about parking.

Even with a throttle only operation, I wouldn't enjoy riding in the cold, dark, windy winter of Canada hauling hockey hear after a game or practice.
Tens of thousands of delivery people on ebikes in NYC metro, 24/7, year round in all weather, I'd say most of them are hub-motored and under $2K.
They are not sexy ebikes, they are not fancy ebikes, they don't all comply to standards, but they are made to be used and abused.
I have not affiliation with any brand name, I just ride them as daily transportation and take care of the bike maintenance on my own, that how I learned since I was 13.

Pictured below is my T1 (green grips) & the warranty replacement T1 PRO (purple grip) that Fiido sent out when the original T1 had few frame breakage.
My original T1 (green grips) is still being ridden by me few times a week for errands & deliveries in Brooklyn.
Replacement T1 PRO (purple grips) is converted for my wife, 4'11" tall.



There are plenty of other options for "cheap" ebikes for a teen or kids.
More importantly is to demonstrate how to ride on public roads, example for them to follow when they are riding on their own.
Allowing kids to have an ebike seems to provide them a tool that's beyond their understanding of consequences when accidents occur.
Especially when their ability to operate may be impaired after a hard hockey practice or game at late/early hours in the dark.
$4-5K, you can buy a cheap used car and allow safer travels in the cold & dark, like my Yaris in the background, that cost me $3K.

Calsun

If your son is healthy he does not need an e-bike to ride less than 9 miles. Even with a strong wind he should be able to pedal at 12 mph and so would need only 45 minutes to get home. I can go 30 miles round trip in 10-15 mph headwinds with no need for an e-bike and I am 73 years old and overweight by 20 pounds.

cat0020

Why more teenagers should ride electric bikes
https://electrek.co/2023/08/30/why-m...lectric-bikes/

dr_max

he’s totally healthy and we go for bike ride in the evening after school together and often do 20 miles rides to go see their grand mother who lives just beside the new school he’s going to do next year. However during the cold months, I remember freezing when sweating and traveling in my road bike and the first snows were dangerous with the slick tires of my commuter road bike when I was coming back from college.

Some people use ebike fat bikes to commute from work all winter long and they love it. My wife is even trying that this winter since she spoke with the wife of the gym teacher who’s doing that.

active transportation is the Mecca compared to driving and old used car. Better health, better for the environnement, better for everything. Prefer to help more in that way.