Buying an e-bike in the Netherlands

[mickand]

Looking to buy a cheap folding e-bike to drag on and off a boat and use on the flat countryside. Everyone rides bikes over there, but new ones are expensive compared to the US. I'm looking at a DYU from Amazon for 500 euros,
Does anyone know of a 'used' resource over there (eBay not good) or any other suggestions for an inexpensive new one.
Mick Anderson

 

[Smaug]

Is it this one?

Amazon.com

That looks like a different version of the Jetson Bolt Pro that Costco used to sell here in the USA.

If so, what you can expect is:

• Seat height much too short for an adult to approach full leg extension
• A rough ride over anything other than very nice pavement (due to small wheels and no suspension)
• About 1/2 of the stated range, unless you're doing quite a lot of the work and/or not going very fast
• Note that only the handlebar folds down and seat collapses; I wouldn't really call this a "folding bike", as it is still full length. Would this even be a benefit on a boat? I guess it depends on the boat!

 

[mickand]

I have a Jetson Haze model in the US and for my needs it serves me well. The DYU I'm looking at in the Netherlands is similar to the Haze but the reviews I've seen so far are not inspiring.

 

[m@Robertson]

You can check out BikeFair for used ebikes in The Netherlands. They show 68 folders for sale in the country.

City bikes - Folding | BikeFair - Marketplace For Bikes

The marketplace for bikes. Find new or second-hand bikes offered by locals. Search by location, your heigth and many bike attributes. Pick from 68 bikes offered.

bikefair.org

If it were me I'd get a regular folder and put a hub motor kit on the front with an easily removable battery. The WSTs in Leiden near the top in the link above are prime candidates. 279 Euro for the whole bike. Front hub motor is perfect in that environment (and common) and the low power you'd get with an EU-Legal 250w motor is plenty for the low-speed traffic that is the norm in the bike lanes. Plus the front motor means your legs make it a 2wd. That was a superb combo for me pedaling around as part of the swarm on a weekday in central Amsterdam, where 15 mph was easily attainable and way too fast.

If you haven't been over there yet, one thing you will recognize real fast is they do bikes differently. Both bikes and ebikes are effectively all what Americans would consider rolling pieces of junk. Completely different attitude as to what a bike is supposed to be. Show up with a fancy bike and you will stick out like a sore thumb. Same with wearing a helmet and riding in anything but street clothes.

 

[mickand]

Thanks for the tips.