eBike choices and Local Bike Shops

[Calsun]

E-bike is too broad a term. Many Class II fat tire bikes made in China and shipped out to markets and these weigh 70 lbs and are not something one can carry up stairs and require special bike racks to support their weight. I bought two of these and needed a motorcycle ramp to get them on the $800 bike rack that was hitch mounted.

I replaced them with Specialized Turbo Creo bikes that have a weight of 26 lbs and for all intents and purposes are like a standard road bike. They provide pedal assist that is like having a strong tailwind on the roads.

REI in the USA has excellent road bikes that use standard tires that are easy to repair in the event of a flat and that weigh about 55 lbs and sell for less than $3,000. Going below that is a risk in terms of reliability and ability to get repairs or firmware updates. If the controller fails a e-bike is worthless if the unit cannot be replaced and if the bike was not bought from a local shop one is pretty much on their own.

 

[socialfilter]

I'm not on the position of many of you here. I'm going to be 87 next month. I'm not motivated to do my own wrenching, in fact I don't see myself repairing a tire on the road. I have ridden a trike for the last ten years. Last year I converted to an ebike. It was hard to get Catrikes at the time so I thought why not get an ebike? It was easier to obtain and I liked the idea of being back on a regular frame bike as long as I didn't have a serious fall and distrurb my pacemaker. Ha, ha.

And so I purchased a store-bought Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0. What a bike. Absolutely perfect for me!

But I had forgotten how a regular bike tested my body. I hurt everywhere I touched the bike, After10 months it was still painful to ride. I sold the bike to a lucky guy who was younger and used to road bikes. By that time Catrikes were a little more available. I purchased a Catrike Expedition with Bosch drive. Everything works as it should. The battery pack will not explode. I've been very happy with it through 2000 miles.

What's the moral here? Some people, for whatever reason, may have to suck it up, bite the bullet and buy a major brand, relatively reliable and able to be serviced by the dealer. The cost may be worth it for some.

On the other hand, I admire the do-it-yourself people and their interesting solutions!

As someone that has never worked on a bike, much less an ebike, I understand completely. I've been watching YouTube videos etc. just to learn how to align the brake pads & rotor lol. If I could afford it I would definitely purchase an expensive ebike I could buy from a local shop and have it serviced there but alas I'm poor so have a cheapie Chinese. Just from my experience with their customer service so far I know if I ever need a part or something it will be a nightmare. You get what you pay for

 

[Smaug]

The shop I just bought my Aventon Level.2 from is an Indian motorcycle dealer. They had a few other e-bike brands, I can’t remember which; never heard of them.

The sales guy was surprisingly helpful and knowledgeable about them. He said they started carrying eBikes to get them through the pandemic when they couldn’t get motorcycles.

I think a motorcycle dealer is a good place to sell eBikes, because the mechanics won’t be intimidated. It’s a bit of the opposite situation compared to a bike shop: these are the slower, low end transportation that they offer.

I have two local bike shops: one is in its final closing sale; the owner wants to retire and he got an offer on the building. Too bad, he’s been at it for 40 years. They carry Trek, Electra and Giant eBikes ranging from about $1700 to $3,500.

The other is downtown, more expensive. I don’t remember what brand they carry, but it’s very minimal in the eBike area. I can tell he’s got a bad taste from eBikes, but doesn’t want to be left behind either.

 

[socialfilter]

The shop I just bought my Aventon Level.2 from is an Indian motorcycle dealer. They had a few other e-bike brands, I can’t remember which; never heard of them.

The sales guy was surprisingly helpful and knowledgeable about them. He said they started carrying eBikes to get them through the pandemic when they couldn’t get motorcycles.

I think a motorcycle dealer is a good place to sell eBikes, because the mechanics won’t be intimidated. It’s a bit of the opposite situation compared to a bike shop: these are the slower, low end transportation that they offer.

I have two local bike shops: one is in its final closing sale; the owner wants to retire and he got an offer on the building. Too bad, he’s been at it for 40 years. They carry Trek, Electra and Giant eBikes ranging from about $1700 to $3,500.

The other is downtown, more expensive. I don’t remember what brand they carry, but it’s very minimal in the eBike area. I can tell he’s got a bad taste from eBikes, but doesn’t want to be left behind either.

Kinda off topic but Rad has been expanding shops for their brand west of the Mississippi, idk about east. They have mobile repair and for a cheaper brand I think they're pretty decent and now, if you're in the right area, the ease of repairs, parts, and advice is great especially for new riders. Hopefully others will follow suit.

 

[Smaug]

Kinda off topic but Rad has been expanding shops for their brand west of the Mississippi, idk about east. They have mobile repair and for a cheaper brand I think they're pretty decent and now, if you're in the right area, the ease of repairs, parts, and advice is great especially for new riders. Hopefully others will follow suit.

This is one area where Rad leads, and it helps to justify their somewhat high prices for minimally-spec’d bikes.