scottatl

I decided to go for a GOTRAX Alpha. If I like the feeling and want an upgrade I bet I could sell this used for $500 and that would be well worth the $150 foray into eBike. It is a hub motor, I would guess off-brand motor and battery. Is there anything about this that will really annoy me?

This seems to be the most bike you can get for $650. I will put a review in after I get it, granted the only eBike i have tried was one of the ones you rent on the street, so I don't have much to compare it to. I am 6"3 and around 235lb. I measured my primary hills yesterday and they are at an incline max of 7%.

• Motor: 350W high-speed brushless gear motors
• LED Display: battery level, front light switch, 3-speed levels
• Brakes: Front-rear disc brake and anti-lock braking system.
• Transmission System: Shimano professional 7speed.
• Battery: 36V 7.5Ah li-ion
• Frame Materials: Aluminum alloy
• Wheels Size: 29inch

cat0020

Max speed, climbing ability, range, etc.. all depends on rider/cargo weight, weather conditions, I wouldn't put much trust in advertised numbers for those.
Cheap bikes have plenty to offer for folks to get out and ride; their performance maybe lacking, but not all are out riding for performance.
As long as you're out riding and enjoying the ride; it's well worth the money, just as any $10k ebike.

2old

Looks like a solid deal. The Chinese seem to have developed motors that are almost universally proficient FME. Hopefully, the battery, while small, will be good since diminutive batteries
(36V X 7.5Ah = 270Wh) are stressed more heavily than larger ones. Try not to exhaust the battery and recharge to at least 20% STAT if it gets low IMO.

xroadcharlie

I agree with 2old. The 270 watt/hour battery is the single item that might be disappointing to you. Hauling nearly 290 lbs up a 5 - 7% grade with an effective usable power reserve of about 160 watts based on a 75% efficient motor and keeping a minimum of 20% battery life (for longevity) could be problematic. Other then that the bike gets good reviews. Perhaps a 2'nd battery might be best, but they are very expensive. It might be best to go for a better bike with a 500 watt/hour battery right off.

For someone like myself who weighs 140 lbs, rides on flat land, and only want a bit of assistance for wind, or accelerating from a dead stop, That bike might be fine. Hence mostly good reviews. In fact I looked up similar e-bikes here in Canada where they're nearly 2x the price.

scottatl

well, the good thing about the smaller battery is maybe i won't completely rely on it. I want to get some exercise, i just cant make it up hills like i used to. I guess we will see.

Doc_Wui

I don't own a Gotrax, but checked some youtube reviews. I think it's good.

It uses the 810LED display, and I've had two ebikes with the same display, similar motor, and a 36V battery. Three PAS levels, and PAS 1 takes you up to 12 mph, which might be a little fast for riding with friends on regular bikes. If you pedal a little harder, the motor tapers off, and you get pretty good exercise, plus you extend the range, You may want to buy a $10 bike computer to track your speed/range,

Battery looks like an easily replaced reention style case, If you're into exercise, and not throttled ebiking, you night get 25+ miles.