e-bike recommendations
August 9, 2024 5:35 PM Subscribe
So I'm thinking about getting an e-bike and would love some advice sorting through all the different options. In particular, I want one primarily for exercise. More details inside ...
So here's my deal - I'm a 50ish guy in San Francisco. Before my son was born I used to bike around the city a fair amount for exercise and fun. But once he arrived that got replaced with running due to the kid-related time constraints.
Flash forward 15 years, and I have a little more time available and would like to find some lower-impact cardio to help my aching knees. So getting back to biking sounds great!
But SF has a lot of hills, so an e-bike that could help out with that would be awesome. Basically I want to be able to work up a sweat, but get a little push if I need to get to the top of Portola. I'll use it to commute once in a while, but mostly exercise.
There are a lot of options!
I think I want a class 1 bike with pedal assist and torque sensors. Beyond that, I would love some recommendations. also, if this is not what I should be looking for, please let me know.
Prices seem all over the map (it's bikes, so makes sense). I don't mind spending to get something that works, but I'm not planning to do any competitive racing or mountain biking. If you know of a great bike store in SF, that's helpful too!
So here's my deal - I'm a 50ish guy in San Francisco. Before my son was born I used to bike around the city a fair amount for exercise and fun. But once he arrived that got replaced with running due to the kid-related time constraints.
Flash forward 15 years, and I have a little more time available and would like to find some lower-impact cardio to help my aching knees. So getting back to biking sounds great!
But SF has a lot of hills, so an e-bike that could help out with that would be awesome. Basically I want to be able to work up a sweat, but get a little push if I need to get to the top of Portola. I'll use it to commute once in a while, but mostly exercise.
There are a lot of options!
I think I want a class 1 bike with pedal assist and torque sensors. Beyond that, I would love some recommendations. also, if this is not what I should be looking for, please let me know.
Prices seem all over the map (it's bikes, so makes sense). I don't mind spending to get something that works, but I'm not planning to do any competitive racing or mountain biking. If you know of a great bike store in SF, that's helpful too!
Best answer: If you can afford it, try the Vado 4.0 or 5.0. I love mine. They are amazing bikes.
posted by PaulVario at 6:50 PM on August 9
posted by PaulVario at 6:50 PM on August 9
Best answer: I'm an incurable fan of Dutch bikes and recently got a Gazelle Arroyo C8. It has Bosch electrics linked to a Shimano 8-speed hub gear. Everything is enclosed, so you don't have to wear special bike clothes. You might be wanting something more sporty, but I love this thing so much
posted by scruss at 6:57 PM on August 9 [3 favorites]
posted by scruss at 6:57 PM on August 9 [3 favorites]
Best answer: The Specialized Turbo Vado SL exactly fits your description. It is in a class of eBikes that are designed to be lightweight and to handle and ride just like a regular bike, but with some powered assistance. The Vado SL is a fitness bike based on the non-electric Specialized Sirrus. I don't own one but I've ridden one a bit and it's an absolute blast to ride. Note: not to be confused with the regular non-SL Turbo Vado model which is a much heavier general-purpose eBike with a more powerful motor and battery.
Edit: I just looked at migurski's recommendation, the Riese and Müller Culture would be a similar option, although even more expensive.
posted by riddley at 7:08 PM on August 9
Edit: I just looked at migurski's recommendation, the Riese and Müller Culture would be a similar option, although even more expensive.
posted by riddley at 7:08 PM on August 9
Best answer:
posted by mbrubeck at 7:47 PM on August 9
I think I want a class 1 bike with pedal assist and torque sensors.Yes, I agree that this is what you want. For San Francisco’s hills, you also want a mid-drive (rather than hub-drive) motor. Most bikes with torque sensors have mid-drive motors, but not all.
posted by mbrubeck at 7:47 PM on August 9
First, you will need to consider if San Francisco has any regulations about ebikes. Here in NYC, only UL-certified ebikes are permitted to be sold in bike stores. This precludes a number of brands such as Specialized, really!
Second, some NYC apartment buildings are banning or restricting ebikes, due to the alarming number of ebike-related fires.
Third, make sure your LBS will be able to service whatever you buy, as some stores don't have the expertise to deal with ebikes and their issues, such as firmware updates and whatever else they need. I'd be very cautious about buying from a non-mainstream brand. There are a number of brands that have gone belly up, such as Faraday, which makes getting support and spare parts a beeyotch.
(Disclosure: I work at a shop that sells and services Tern and Gazelle bikes.)
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:50 PM on August 9 [2 favorites]
Second, some NYC apartment buildings are banning or restricting ebikes, due to the alarming number of ebike-related fires.
Third, make sure your LBS will be able to service whatever you buy, as some stores don't have the expertise to deal with ebikes and their issues, such as firmware updates and whatever else they need. I'd be very cautious about buying from a non-mainstream brand. There are a number of brands that have gone belly up, such as Faraday, which makes getting support and spare parts a beeyotch.
(Disclosure: I work at a shop that sells and services Tern and Gazelle bikes.)
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:50 PM on August 9 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Seriously go to New Wheel. They were amazing when I bought my bike and would give you great advice. Plus you can try it out on a hill to make sure it's what you want.
posted by Carillon at 8:15 PM on August 9
posted by Carillon at 8:15 PM on August 9
Best answer: I just went through this. Some possibly-relevant thoughts based on this:
- I'm in another very hilly city, and I also wanted a torque sensor, and from everything I've read, a mid-drive motor (Class I) seemed like the best choice, ideally with a gear range suited to a hilly city.
- I'm car-free, so I wanted it to be reasonably cargo-friendly, esp. since hauling things up/down hills sucks if you're just running an errand. But I also wanted the bike to feel like, y'know, a bike - it's also how I get my exercise. (Which is also why I didn't feel like Class III assist - the 28 mph version - was for me.)
- I'm another incurable Dutch bike enthusiast (my non-electric bike's one), and there were some features I wouldn't do with out (IGH rather than derailleur, chain guard, fenders, fairly upright posture which I love for road visibility in urban areas) and some I would have been sad to lose (wheel lock, coat guard over wheels). This ruled out some otherwise interesting options (e.g. Brompton e-bikes.)
- Some bike stores don't service e-bikes at all; some don't service brands they're unfamiliar with or DIY conversions. (I'd been looking into doing one of those for my existing bike, but it would have been a major pain to get to a local shop that would service something with a Bafang motor.) For these reasons, it can be safer sticking with brands whose bikes are UL 2849-certified, and brands using widely supported motor/battery manufacturers.
- And I wanted to avoid companies that seemed at a higher risk of going under.
I ended up going with a Tern HSD, though if any of the local stores were selling Gazelles, my commitment to a more cargo-friendly layout would have been strained. The Riese & Müller Multicharger2 was also tempting but would have been at a premium above a fairly similarly-specced Tern, and I was already pushing the boundaries of my budget. All of them have Bosch mid-drive motors with torque sensors. You probably don't want something quite as cargo-oriented as these particular models, but all these manufacturers have sportier options too.
I've been pretty happy with the "I can still work up a sweat but I have a little extra power when going up hills or in an unrelenting headwind" aspect. I try to keep the motor on no-assist except on hills, or occasionally in specific traffic situations, and it just feels like a bike then. (A heavy bike, but given my Dutch non-e-bike, that's pretty normal for me). On the lowest assist mode, it really feels a lot like riding with the wind at your back, or on a slight down-slope. I sometimes use higher levels of assist primarily on fairly steep (>10% grade) hills; the assist does start to feel more obvious at higher levels. But for me, I was realizing that my fears of finding myself too exhausted to deal with a big hill in my new city were preventing me from riding (particularly with cargo of any sort), and the e-bike's taken those away, and that's a major plus. I'd definitely recommend doing some test rides, if you can - you can get a better idea of what feels right to you!
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 10:04 PM on August 9 [3 favorites]
- I'm in another very hilly city, and I also wanted a torque sensor, and from everything I've read, a mid-drive motor (Class I) seemed like the best choice, ideally with a gear range suited to a hilly city.
- I'm car-free, so I wanted it to be reasonably cargo-friendly, esp. since hauling things up/down hills sucks if you're just running an errand. But I also wanted the bike to feel like, y'know, a bike - it's also how I get my exercise. (Which is also why I didn't feel like Class III assist - the 28 mph version - was for me.)
- I'm another incurable Dutch bike enthusiast (my non-electric bike's one), and there were some features I wouldn't do with out (IGH rather than derailleur, chain guard, fenders, fairly upright posture which I love for road visibility in urban areas) and some I would have been sad to lose (wheel lock, coat guard over wheels). This ruled out some otherwise interesting options (e.g. Brompton e-bikes.)
- Some bike stores don't service e-bikes at all; some don't service brands they're unfamiliar with or DIY conversions. (I'd been looking into doing one of those for my existing bike, but it would have been a major pain to get to a local shop that would service something with a Bafang motor.) For these reasons, it can be safer sticking with brands whose bikes are UL 2849-certified, and brands using widely supported motor/battery manufacturers.
- And I wanted to avoid companies that seemed at a higher risk of going under.
I ended up going with a Tern HSD, though if any of the local stores were selling Gazelles, my commitment to a more cargo-friendly layout would have been strained. The Riese & Müller Multicharger2 was also tempting but would have been at a premium above a fairly similarly-specced Tern, and I was already pushing the boundaries of my budget. All of them have Bosch mid-drive motors with torque sensors. You probably don't want something quite as cargo-oriented as these particular models, but all these manufacturers have sportier options too.
I've been pretty happy with the "I can still work up a sweat but I have a little extra power when going up hills or in an unrelenting headwind" aspect. I try to keep the motor on no-assist except on hills, or occasionally in specific traffic situations, and it just feels like a bike then. (A heavy bike, but given my Dutch non-e-bike, that's pretty normal for me). On the lowest assist mode, it really feels a lot like riding with the wind at your back, or on a slight down-slope. I sometimes use higher levels of assist primarily on fairly steep (>10% grade) hills; the assist does start to feel more obvious at higher levels. But for me, I was realizing that my fears of finding myself too exhausted to deal with a big hill in my new city were preventing me from riding (particularly with cargo of any sort), and the e-bike's taken those away, and that's a major plus. I'd definitely recommend doing some test rides, if you can - you can get a better idea of what feels right to you!
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 10:04 PM on August 9 [3 favorites]
I can only speak to my own experience, but I had a somewhat similar situation and ended up getting a Ride1up 700 series since it came with fenders, rack, etc. Took a few hours to put together so you may want to have someone help (or take it to a shop). It has a throttle but I almost never use it - usually to get a quick start at a light.
But it uses a cadence sensor, which is a little less natural if you want to feel like you're really riding normally with a bit of a boost. They sell a torque sensor bike (the LTD) that's supposed to be good, and now there's a Brose mid version that should be quieter and smoother (but considerably more expensive).
I spent about $1200 all told but that's fairly cheap as these things go. I would be prepared to spend $2000 to get the frame and motor type that works for you. And if there's a shop where you can test out a handful then by all means do that!
I've found it's great to do exactly what you're suggesting - use my legs, but not depend entirely on them. Don't worry, you'll still have plenty of control over how hard you're working.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 10:23 PM on August 9 [1 favorite]
But it uses a cadence sensor, which is a little less natural if you want to feel like you're really riding normally with a bit of a boost. They sell a torque sensor bike (the LTD) that's supposed to be good, and now there's a Brose mid version that should be quieter and smoother (but considerably more expensive).
I spent about $1200 all told but that's fairly cheap as these things go. I would be prepared to spend $2000 to get the frame and motor type that works for you. And if there's a shop where you can test out a handful then by all means do that!
I've found it's great to do exactly what you're suggesting - use my legs, but not depend entirely on them. Don't worry, you'll still have plenty of control over how hard you're working.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 10:23 PM on August 9 [1 favorite]
I did a bunch of math and compared lots of production ebikes. The concept of wheel-inches is what the would be the equivalent wheel diameter if the pedals were directly connected to a wheel. Most bikes are around 30" on the low end, so mid-drive ironically has less advantage than a hub motor for hill climbing.
This is all a long-winded way of saying pick whatever bike you like riding.
At your price range and torque sensor, your only choice is probably a new Lectric model that came out recently and a few other brand-new options. Normally torque sensing starts around $1600 and only on the most recent version of Chinese-import ebikes like Aventon, Rad Power bikes, Lectric, etc. You'll need to maintain the electric components yourself if you buy them. You'll need to pay at least double at a Local Bike Shop to buy a supported brand like Tern or Specialized, but you do get a better product for more, it's just not quite twice as good for twice as much IMO.
posted by flimflam at 8:40 AM on August 10 [1 favorite]
This is all a long-winded way of saying pick whatever bike you like riding.
At your price range and torque sensor, your only choice is probably a new Lectric model that came out recently and a few other brand-new options. Normally torque sensing starts around $1600 and only on the most recent version of Chinese-import ebikes like Aventon, Rad Power bikes, Lectric, etc. You'll need to maintain the electric components yourself if you buy them. You'll need to pay at least double at a Local Bike Shop to buy a supported brand like Tern or Specialized, but you do get a better product for more, it's just not quite twice as good for twice as much IMO.
posted by flimflam at 8:40 AM on August 10 [1 favorite]
Best answer: → …
I looked hard at doing a self-build before buying the Gazelle, because I have a hardtail 29er which gets far too little riding that would make a nice conversion. I looked round and priced out a bunch of options. Many of them were not road legal in Ontario (maximum powered speed limited to 32 km/h), and none of them had a UL/ULC listed charger. Dunno about you, but "house not burn down" is quite an important feature for me. So I dropped 2–3× the price of a conversion on the extremely polished Gazelle
posted by scruss at 2:02 PM on August 10
it's just not quite twice as good for twice as much IMO.
I looked hard at doing a self-build before buying the Gazelle, because I have a hardtail 29er which gets far too little riding that would make a nice conversion. I looked round and priced out a bunch of options. Many of them were not road legal in Ontario (maximum powered speed limited to 32 km/h), and none of them had a UL/ULC listed charger. Dunno about you, but "house not burn down" is quite an important feature for me. So I dropped 2–3× the price of a conversion on the extremely polished Gazelle
posted by scruss at 2:02 PM on August 10
Response by poster: Lots of great answers here - thanks!
I'll definitely check out New Wheel.
One other data point - I'm kind of tall (6'3") - we'll see how that affects things.
posted by chbrooks at 4:09 PM on August 10
I'll definitely check out New Wheel.
One other data point - I'm kind of tall (6'3") - we'll see how that affects things.
posted by chbrooks at 4:09 PM on August 10
Dutch bikes come in positively giraffe-tall sizes, so you should be sorted if your local place carries all of the sizes
posted by scruss at 1:54 PM on August 13 [1 favorite]
posted by scruss at 1:54 PM on August 13 [1 favorite]
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posted by migurski at 6:23 PM on August 9 [3 favorites]