E-bikes

#1
volinbham

volinbham

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#1
Anyone have one?

I've just started looking. Did a test ride - great option for people who are out of cycling shape or have bad knees, arthritis, etc.

Pricey but lot's of options. Considering a conversion on an old mountain bike I have.
 
#2
#2
Don't do the conversions, most are junk. The price is steep for a quality one, but well worth it. I work at a Specialized shop and we have several demo models. They're tons of fun to ride around.
 
#3
#3
My buddy carries Faraday bikes in his Townsend shop. I kind of laughed them off at first, but they are really cool to ride. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I was an in-town commuter or lived in a neighborhood amenable to bike traffic.
 
#4
#4
VOLatile said:
Don't do the conversions, most are junk. The price is steep for a quality one, but well worth it. I work at a Specialized shop and we have several demo models. They're tons of fun to ride around.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice.

I have 3 bikes now (don't ride any of them). Will sell the 2 newest ones and keep the old Stumpjumper Sport as a back up - maybe convert when the kits improve.

Since you work Specialized you might appreciate my old bike

(not my actual one but just like it - 1985 - my college commuter)

35468108755_b113f7be8a_z-jpg.485826
 
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#5
#5
volinbham said:
Thanks for the advice.

I have 3 bikes now (don't ride any of them). Will sell the 2 newest ones and keep the old Stumpjumper Sport as a back up - maybe convert when the kits improve.

Since you work Specialized you might appreciate my old bike

(not my actual one but just like it - 1985 - my college commuter)

35468108755_b113f7be8a_z-jpg.485826
Click to expand...

Those old Stumpys are so cool.
 
#6
#6
Have my order in for a Juiced Ocean Current - inexpensive by E-bike standards but not cheap.

Will provide a ride report when it gets here.
 
#9
#9
I'm not familiar with these at all. A couple questions:

I'm assuming you can disengage the motor when you just want to free pedal?

When the motor is running and you aren't pedaling do the pedals unlock so your feet can just rest on them or do they continue to rotate with the chain?
 
#10
#10
I built my own. I bought a 27" mountain bike and added all of the electric stuff from Luna cycles. The electrical stuff I bought was around $1500 since I went with higher end components and a high end battery.
Building your own is not for everybody, but I have a background in electrical automation so for me it was a no brainer.
My bike will do about 20 mph as I have it tuned and about 15 to 20 miles of range depending on the terrain and how much I pedal. Most e-bikes have pedal assist where you get a little power from your battery along with your leg power, makes it easier for us old "knee challenged types" or you can do throttle only.
 
#11
#11
Coug said:
I'm not familiar with these at all. A couple questions:

I'm assuming you can disengage the motor when you just want to free pedal?

When the motor is running and you aren't pedaling do the pedals unlock so your feet can just rest on them or do they continue to rotate with the chain?
Click to expand...

There are different means to power assistance. Faraday bikes have a torque sensor on the crank that relays information to the front wheel motor. Pedaling/freewheeling works and feels the same as with a traditional bike. The motor can be turned off and the amount of assist can be increased and decreased.
 
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#13
#13
Coug said:
I'm not familiar with these at all. A couple questions:

I'm assuming you can disengage the motor when you just want to free pedal?

When the motor is running and you aren't pedaling do the pedals unlock so your feet can just rest on them or do they continue to rotate with the chain?
Click to expand...

They are pedal assist, meaning you have to pedal for the motor to engage. Not many, if any, electric bikes can self-propel. You can still coast like any other freewheeling bike.
 
#17
#17
Coug said:
I'm not familiar with these at all. A couple questions:

I'm assuming you can disengage the motor when you just want to free pedal?

When the motor is running and you aren't pedaling do the pedals unlock so your feet can just rest on them or do they continue to rotate with the chain?
Click to expand...

Q1: Yes - however the motor, battery, frame reinforcement, heavier duty spokes, etc. add weight so this one weighs in around 50 lbs so pedaling will be a bigger chore than on a non-electric.

Q2: Pedals don't move on this one - it has a rear hub motor and a throttle so you can zip along with no pedaling at all. As Volatile points out there are different approaches - many of the name brands have the motor in the crank so the motor only engages when you pedal. Hub motors can run without pedaling. Lot's of tradeoffs among the front hub, rear hub, crank motor approaches.

Overall, they are a blast to ride and to Q1 you can choose to ride it just like a normal bike, almost like a normal bike or basically like a scooter (if it has a throttle option).
 
#18
#18
VolStrom said:
I built my own. I bought a 27" mountain bike and added all of the electric stuff from Luna cycles. The electrical stuff I bought was around $1500 since I went with higher end components and a high end battery.
Building your own is not for everybody, but I have a background in electrical automation so for me it was a no brainer.
My bike will do about 20 mph as I have it tuned and about 15 to 20 miles of range depending on the terrain and how much I pedal. Most e-bikes have pedal assist where you get a little power from your battery along with your leg power, makes it easier for us old "knee challenged types" or you can do throttle only.
Click to expand...

I looked into this but decided for the price I'd go dedicated since I wanted either a comfort bike (the one I picked) or a fat tire (one I may add to the collection for offroad and beach applications).

I went with an upgraded battery (12.8 amp hour) - motor is 500 watt with 750 peak and the total price shipped was 1500.

Was going to get the Radpower RadRover fat bike (1500 also) but they are switching to 2018 model.

If the price of conversions comes down over the next year or so I'll convert my old mountain bike - everything sub Luna prices had sketchy reviews.
 
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#20
#20
Assuming this one works out I'll add this one so my lazy friends can join me and I can hit the beach

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbIg_VTGtq4[/youtube]
 
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#21
#21
you can hear the motor engage/disengage on this video and see what you can do

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a7l46LSDww[/youtube]
 
#22
#22
We already have trail access issues in the USA. These will do nothing but aggravate the situation. Sierra Club already hates us, just wait until they start getting run over by bikes going UPHILL.

Sorry to be so negative on technology that does help some folks get out in the woods. I just don't see it ending well if their popularity in the states soars to European levels. They do not have the same access issues that we do.

It is awesome that they allow some people to return to a sport that their knees no longer support. I get that aspect of it. I just see this eventually leading to all bikes being banned on more trails than we already are.

All for them on the road, as commuters, leisure bikes, etc. Just not on trails mountain bikers have fought for and maintained.
 
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#23
#23
sona said:
We already have trail access issues in the USA. These will do nothing but aggravate the situation. Sierra Club already hates us, just wait until they start getting run over by bikes going UPHILL.

Sorry to be so negative on technology that does help some folks get out in the woods. I just don't see it ending well if their popularity in the states soars to European levels. They do not have the same access issues that we do.

It is awesome that they allow some people to return to a sport that their knees no longer support. I get that aspect of it. I just see this eventually leading to all bikes being banned on more trails than we already are.

All for them on the road, as commuters, leisure bikes, etc. Just not on trails mountain bikers have fought for and maintained.
Click to expand...

Good luck when your knees hurt and yes they will hurt at some point in time. You might not like life so much when your lifestyle is banned versus someone else?
 
#25
#25
I don't get the draw for e-mountain bikes. Heck, the jarring bumps on downhills, rocks, etc are probably harder on knees than the climbing. I figure that power assistance will be mostly used by commuters/leisure riders.
 
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