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Epoxy Bulletin posted:Thanks for the heads up on Dapu, the bike shop guy that loaned me his fat tire for the week gave me a catalog and it looks like most of the Jpn market bikes I would consider come with Shimano parts, which seem to have favorable reviews?
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Jul 28, 2020 16:50
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Safety Dance posted:There are cheaper entry level mountain bikes. A Diamondback Sync'r 24 is less than $900. I'd guess that n8r secretly wants a hardtail gravel/touring bike with knobbies and a front suspension rather than a full sus trail bike for going off jumps and such. That is a bike for kids dude....... and not an e-mtb. All I can tell you is I see a lot of e-mountain bikes on the trails in Colorado and they are pretty much all Spec or SC or something similar. It is fine to have no idea about the e-mtb world.
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Jul 28, 2020 17:51
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spwrozek posted:That is a bike for kids dude....... and not an e-mtb. I know, I'm talking about the $4-7k figure you quoted for regular mountain bikes. I'm pointing out that you can get a solid hardtail for a lot less than that. If not a Sync'r, then a Mason 1 or an Overdrive 29. Truth be told though, I know nothing about mountain bikes except for what I see on Seth's Bike Hacks, and the dude's like 5' nothing so he could probably rock a Sync'r 24.
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Jul 28, 2020 17:57
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Rocko Bonaparte posted:I don't think I've ever heard anybody complain about Shimano. Hmm, that's actually a hell of a reputation to have. About their ebike components? There's a few issues they have with their last generation groupset, one of which is just sort of accepted as a wear item.
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Jul 28, 2020 18:21
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Just about every ebike I have looked at use Shimano derailleur, all the low end ones use the same Shimano Tourney 6/7 speed. I think they literally have a monopoly on the derailleur market. You have to look at Shimano's own tier chart to figure out if you have an entry level or mid-tier one. As far as Shimano middrive kit, nobody uses it.
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Jul 28, 2020 19:37
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Safety Dance posted:I know, I'm talking about the $4-7k figure you quoted for regular mountain bikes. I'm pointing out that you can get a solid hardtail for a lot less than that. If not a Sync'r, then a Mason 1 or an Overdrive 29. Truth be told though, I know nothing about mountain bikes except for what I see on Seth's Bike Hacks, and the dude's like 5' nothing so he could probably rock a Sync'r 24. You can't even get an adult mountain bike in a 26" wheel, come on man. Diamondback is an entry level brand, which is fine but it is what it is. If you want a hardtail regular bike then yes they start about $1000 (I will stop talking about regular bikes though, not the point of this thread). Trek's e-mtb hardtails (designed for actual mountain biking) start at about $3500. I am sure there are cheaper options out there though although a quick look around doesn't seem to find anything I would feel comfortable riding on mountain bike trails. E-mtb question are probably best for the mountain biking thread. spwrozek fucked around with this message at 19:42 on Jul 28, 2020 |
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Jul 28, 2020 19:40
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I don't know if they're actually any good but frey.bike seems to make nicely priced mountain bikes but to get one you're ordering from China. From my research buying named major brands gets you less in the way of hardware but support would be better. Anyway I'm waiting for my Ride1up lmt'd I opted to go cheapish as I wasn't sure I'd use it. Too hilly to go for the cheapest options. If I like it/actually use it I'll probably get something nicer. Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 20:37 on Jul 28, 2020 |
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Jul 28, 2020 20:27
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Duck and Cover posted:I don't know if they're actually any good but frey.bike seems to make nicely priced mountain bikes but to get one you're ordering from China. From my research buying named major brands gets you less in the way of hardware but support would be better. Components look OK and looks like somewhere between $2500-3500 for one depending on the model. Plus another $200-300 on a dropper seat post. I don't really want to drop that much money on a bike I have never been on but people do it (there are a lot of direct to consumer bikes that do that to cut costs). I am not sure I would want to ride the Frey bike but it could work out. I am not sure how they are able to price it so low honestly, I assume they buy everything at a discount in China. You have $1100 worth of shocks (sure that is consumer prices but even so how low is Rockshox going to go). $160 in tires... When you start to price things up I just have to wonder how they can produce the bike with out some shady poo poo going on. If I am really honest though...it has a spot for a kickstand and comes with one....on a mountain bike. Like I said I am sure there are many other options out there. I am reading a pretty detailed unboxing and it was $800 to ship it to the US, Ouch. The motor size/control would also be an issue on a number of trails that do allow ebikes. I might just keep editing this as it is fun...68 lbs though, the SC Heckler is 47 lbs. I will stop making GBS threads up the thread though. It anyone has a frey bike and is in colorado I would love to see it go down longhorn and see how it does. spwrozek fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Jul 28, 2020 |
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Jul 28, 2020 20:59
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The Bafang Ultra is a monster drive train. It's kind of ebike you get when you are ordering your third ebike. Also check out Sur-ron line of "ebikes" if you plan to spend that kind of money for speed.
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Jul 28, 2020 21:16
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spwrozek posted:Components look OK and looks like somewhere between $2500-3500 for one depending on the model. Plus another $200-300 on a dropper seat post. I don't really want to drop that much money on a bike I have never been on but people do it (there are a lot of direct to consumer bikes that do that to cut costs). I am not sure I would want to ride the Frey bike but it could work out. I am not sure how they are able to price it so low honestly, I assume they buy everything at a discount in China. You have $1100 worth of shocks (sure that is consumer prices but even so how low is Rockshox going to go). $160 in tires... When you start to price things up I just have to wonder how they can produce the bike with out some shady poo poo going on. If I am really honest though...it has a spot for a kickstand and comes with one....on a mountain bike. Like I said I am sure there are many other options out there. I am reading a pretty detailed unboxing and it was $800 to ship it to the US, Ouch. The motor size/control would also be an issue on a number of trails that do allow ebikes. I might just keep editing this as it is fun...68 lbs though, the SC Heckler is 47 lbs. I think the 800 shipping number is air shipped and covid is making shipping more expensive. stephenthinkpad posted:The Bafang Ultra is a monster drive train. It's kind of ebike you get when you are ordering your third ebike. Also check out Sur-ron line of "ebikes" if you plan to spend that kind of money for speed. The Sur-ron is a motorcycle. I do think Luna Cycle is something to consider as they are willing to use the beefier bafangs (when compared to like bosch/brose/yamaha etc) and offer belt drives which appeals to me. Edit: Although Luna Cycle support is supposedly not great, and the warranty isn't long. Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 01:39 on Aug 8, 2020 |
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Jul 28, 2020 21:27
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Rocko Bonaparte posted:Also, this thing with smaller wheels on the cargo ebikes comes some benefits. It's easier to mount and dismount. Apparently, you accelerate faster which would matter for hauling loads. That trades speed but this is fine if you're treating the motor like it's there to even make this at all possible, not to also make it super fast. It puts less stress on the spokes, and spokes going out was a problem with the larger Radwagon tires. The Radwagon complaint I saw a lot about their new 22" tires was that there was only one source for them, so you're locked into their stuff even for basic repairs. 22" are the dumbest loving thing. There's *so* much decent rubber in 20" and 24"; just let it go and use that. spwrozek posted:There is also a sort of turf war going on with non ebike and ebike riders. There is a lot of concern around mountain bikes with motors leading to land managers closing areas to bikes all together. Thankfully we have generally only seen ebikes banned and not mountain bikes all together. You see the mountain bikers who fought for 30 years to make us not motor bikes as that was originally where we were lumped in and they get really worried.Personally I have no issues other then giving an eye roll with secret jealously on brutal long climbs. evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Jul 28, 2020 |
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Jul 28, 2020 21:50
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Ordering direct from China is a Faustian bargain. You get all this stuff, but they never said it would actually work, not have strange holes in them, be mounted in the right places, or come out of the box in a pile of dust. The savings is in omitting the middle man. E-bike companies take their share but also buy in bulk, inspect the bikes beforehand, and take some responsibility if the bike is defective. The better ones will develop a relationship with their manufacturers instead of being just a front end for AliXpress.
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Jul 28, 2020 21:54
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Rocko Bonaparte posted:Ordering direct from China is a Faustian bargain. You get all this stuff, but they never said it would actually work, not have strange holes in them, be mounted in the right places, or come out of the box in a pile of dust. The savings is in omitting the middle man. Of course there's risks involved it becomes a matter of weighing those risks with the potential for savings and or getting a better equipped bicycle. Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 22:35 on Jul 28, 2020 |
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Jul 28, 2020 22:31
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Duck and Cover posted:Of course there's risks involved it becomes a matter of weighing those risks with the potential for savings and or getting a better equipped bicycle. For the sake of giving advice, I'm going to frame it kind of like what I think I saw in the bike commuting thread about getting a conventional bicycle--and then double that to account for the e-bike-specific stuff. Basically, it's controllable if you have a good familiarity with bikes already as well as some comfort with working with e-bike components. As an example of something I had happen from a more conventional retailer, my front light wouldn't turn on. We ended up finding out that the connector for it had been crushed inside the motor assembly. The controller mounted into that assembly and the whole thing rotated in/out of place. The wires were doubled up and crammed into there. I'm guessing they slammed it shut at the factory and pinched that connector. I returned the bike because I was left having to otherwise either: 1. Run the cabling for a replacement light through the frame, which included running a rear light. 2. Splice in a new connector myself without being familiar with what is actually going on inside those cables. Now, if I had gotten the same bike at, like, half the cost, I'd probably have taken a shot at it (or just gotten battery-powered lights). However, I had paid the retail premium so I just sent it back. What fills me with the worst kind of my well-known analysis paralysis are the places that won't accept returns if you're just generally not satisfied with the e-bike. I ended up just dropping that brand but what I narrowed down to instead were three different companies that wouldn't let you try out the bike beforehand. There's one place in town that I investigated in some detail and concluded they were more of the "retail front end for AliXpress" type than anything else. I actually found some of the bikes they were selling on there! So it took two months to whittle things down and feel comfortable picking one. evil_bunnY posted:You can *definitely* tell the bosch mid drives were just not designed for 20". In 4/4 it'll yeet you off the line are the slightest hint of pedal pressure. Luckily i've never felt I've needed more than 2/4 basically ever. Oh yes motor-assisted wheelies is a thing, although I can't imagine it being as bad with the longer frames of those cargo bikes. I'd like to see that though ("check out this fat ride!"). Actually, uh, that's a thing, I guess... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVVy4uuL6ew The next video that came up was the Blix Packa promotional video, which was really jarring. It went from wheelies to "don't you want to ride a bike with BABY?"
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Jul 29, 2020 08:07
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Woke up at 6:30 this morning to go for a ride, only to find I had a flat tire! It was a pain in the rear end getting the internally geared hub disconnected, and I had to work around the chain case since I couldn't figure out how to remove it. Also the rim brakes are supposed to have a quick disconnect skewer, but they don't. Still, eventually, I got to this point: Replacing the tube was a breeze. Tire levers are amazing. I remember trying to change an inner tube using a couple of screwdrivers when I was in college and it sucked. I got everything back together and took it for a 12 mile ride (starting at 10...) and everything feels solid. Need to verify that the rear wheel is aligned right. I also need to get a replacement replacement inner tube. I wouldn't want to have to replace the tube in the field. I could apply a patch, but I'd need to carry around too many wrenches to pull the wheel (I think I could get it done with a 15mm and 10mm wrench, pair of pliers, and maybe a T25 socket for the brake). I'll just keep carrying a patch kit for the time being.
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Aug 1, 2020 19:56
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Can you just pull the part of tube put and patch it? If the tire is deflated it should be pretty easy to dismount. Also, Marathon Plus ans slime tubes.
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Aug 2, 2020 00:07
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Yeah that's my plan if there's an obvious puncture and I'm out and about.
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Aug 2, 2020 00:36
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Barely concealed ad for Rad ebikes: https://earther.gizmodo.com/riding-an-e-bike-has-changed-my-entire-perspective-on-h-1844575886 They get called out in the comment for not disclosing that Rad loaned them the bike. Also quote:While it’s true they can be a bit pricey (a decent entry-level bike clocks in at around $1,000) 
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Aug 2, 2020 20:16
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finally received my ghost ebike from rei! HA this thing practically rides itself. it's great! it's great!!! i am a bit worried that the bike is too big for me. i can't really stand over the top tube without it touching my crotch. but it feels great to ride, and when i stop at a light i tend to just put one foot down and have the other on a pedal, which works fine. not planning to take this thing off road so i suppose i'm ok.
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Aug 3, 2020 18:25
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DELETE CASCADE posted:finally received my ghost ebike from rei! HA this thing practically rides itself. it's great! it's great!!! Awesome! Post pics! Then take it off some sweet jumps and post more pics. It sounds like the frame might be a tiny bit too big, but I guess that isn't much different from how a motorcycle fits a rider. After spending Saturday changing an inner tube, I went out and got a couple new squares on Veloviewer yesterday:   (the view from Louis Valentino Junior park) Annoyingly, my handlebars started coming loose on the ride. I was fortunate enough to stumble into one of those little bike repair stands that municipalities sometimes bolt to the sidewalk, and it had the right size hex key to tighten the bolt that holds my handlebar in place. That had come loose, I guess.
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Aug 3, 2020 19:41
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You should probably pick up a multitool to carry with you if that isn't part of your standard kit. If that happened with my handlebars I would go and check every single part on the bike to make sure it was assembled correctly.
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Aug 3, 2020 22:27
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Multitool is a good idea. I was the last person to touch that bolt, so it's probably my fault as well.
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Aug 4, 2020 02:45
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bike pics to come later, for now here are some observations:
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Aug 4, 2020 05:43
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you know that feeling you get when you've been on a boat, rocking back and forth, and now you are on land, but your body kinda feels like there are still waves? well i feel like that, but ebike. my body wants to suddenly accelerate forward
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Aug 4, 2020 06:43
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DELETE CASCADE posted:Crosswinds do matter. It's heavy. Never felt a gust quite like that on a bike before. Everything else equal, a heavier bike will be more stable in a crosswind. It might be the particular geometry that makes it more sensitive.
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Aug 4, 2020 08:37
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DELETE CASCADE posted:i am a bit worried that the bike is too big for me. i can't really stand over the top tube without it touching my crotch. but it feels great to ride, and when i stop at a light i tend to just put one foot down and have the other on a pedal, which works fine. not planning to take this thing off road so i suppose i'm ok. kimbo305 posted:Everything else equal, a heavier bike will be more stable in a crosswind. It might be the particular geometry that makes it more sensitive.
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Aug 4, 2020 09:05
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kimbo305 posted:Barely concealed ad for Rad ebikes: This kind of thing I think will ultimately harm the industry. Electric bikes are getting pretty good right now, but you can't find many sources of people that talk about them unbiased and level headed. I have some feeling with the capital that Rad Power Bikes is getting that they'll lead the way to commoditizing electric bikes, reduce their price, but also kill off a lot of small outfits. People need to talk more about what that means but instead we get this "wow I totally never tried an ebike and I was given this one to review and weeeeeeeee!"
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Aug 4, 2020 23:26
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There's a minimum component quality level for a device that serves as daily transport, and cheap ebikes don't pass the bar yet. While big players continue to push bikes that defeat themselves for continued use, there's gonna be an adoption issue. You can push the price down to $500, but it won't last any longer, perputating the attitude that it's just a gimmick.
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Aug 4, 2020 23:44
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I don't have problem with it. Rad is the biggest vendor so they should be funding the "got milk?" type campaign. Ebike industry as a whole is still too small.
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Aug 5, 2020 00:24
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Rocko Bonaparte posted:This kind of thing I think will ultimately harm the industry. Electric bikes are getting pretty good right now, but you can't find many sources of people that talk about them unbiased and level headed. Absolutely your choices are going to be big brands/luxury brands and the cheap stuff. Seems to be the end game for every market. Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 01:05 on Aug 5, 2020 |
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Aug 5, 2020 00:41
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aren't rad power bikes at least decent? they were one of the options recommended by the op. i ended up spending more based on a friend's personal recommendation, but if you can get a serviceable one for ~$1000 that won't kill you and is fun and popular etc, i'd say that's a good thing. there will always be a market in cycling for people who want to pay more
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Aug 5, 2020 02:16
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What qualifies as decent? I don't know if bicycles, much less ebikes, are ever going be the kind of mindless-daily-transport that a small car is today. The drivetrain is exposed, the parts are smaller and necessarily lighter, and maintenance intervals are smaller. I think Rads are Fine if you're a bicyclist and you occasionally check for loose spoke and keep on top of chain cleanliness and otherwise take good care of your stuff. kimbo305 posted:There's a minimum component quality level for a device that serves as daily transport, and cheap ebikes don't pass the bar yet. While big players continue to push bikes that defeat themselves for continued use, there's gonna be an adoption issue. You can push the price down to $500, but it won't last any longer, perputating the attitude that it's just a gimmick. I was chatting with the guy at Propel Bikes when I picked my bike up, and he showed me a prototype they'd gotten from China. They wanted buy white-label ebikes and sell them as Propel brand bikes, probably in the $1000 range. That didn't work out because the quality wasn't there. I think what will push ebikes into the realm of daily transport for the masses is local shops being able to sell cheap store brand bikes that they can stand behind. There's a big difference between taking a broken bike to the shop and being frustrated getting parts replaced by a company across the country or across the globe.
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Aug 5, 2020 03:02
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Safety Dance posted:What qualifies as decent? I don't know if bicycles, much less ebikes, are ever going be the kind of mindless-daily-transport that a small car is today. quote:The drivetrain is exposed, the parts are smaller and necessarily lighter, and maintenance intervals are smaller.
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Aug 5, 2020 03:23
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Right exactly, but habits are going to have to change in the driving-entrenched world in order to get them to accept bikes as daily transport. The average American isn't going to adopt an ebike as the thing that gets them to work in the morning without also accepting that they need more maintenance than an oil change every whenever-I-remember-it.
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Aug 5, 2020 03:37
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Safety Dance posted:
But Propel bike specialize in high end ebikes though. Since NYCE Wheel is dead I don't know who else sell higher end Bosch/R&M/Birdy bikes than Proopel. They are the kind who stock and stell 6k europe bucket bike you can put 2 kids in the front bucket and ride like a fancy European. I mean it makes perfect sense that they don't want to sell white label bikes. Mean while every other ebikes shops in the US are selling white labelled rebranded Chinese bikes in the $1000-1500 range which are essentially the same bikes. Also let me point out that the US bike shops are selling lazy white label instead of deep customed models like the Canadian online order shops because US has terrible ebike laws compare to Canada. stephenthinkpad fucked around with this message at 04:33 on Aug 5, 2020 |
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Aug 5, 2020 04:29
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Propel has a decent selection in the $2k - $2.5k range. They're not all elaborate Urban Arrows. REI looks like they sell a good mix of Bosch mid-drive and [company I haven't heard of] hub drive bikes, starting around $1500. I was at the REI in Manhattan the other week and they had some Tern GSDs and Yuba Boda Bodas on the shop floor.
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Aug 5, 2020 15:26
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so i was reading about how the bosch motor in my ebike works, and the site lists its modes as eco, tour, sport, and turbo. i uh. i had just assumed that sport was the top mode. i don't think i've even tried to press + from sport mode. lmao are you telling me this thing can do EVEN MORE boost than i've been using
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Aug 5, 2020 18:43
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Hahah! I don't feel a very big difference between Sport and Turbo, but it's there. Turbo is absolutely the "hit the 20mph speed limiter going uphill" mode.
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Aug 5, 2020 18:52
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DELETE CASCADE posted:so i was reading about how the bosch motor in my ebike works, and the site lists its modes as eco, tour, sport, and turbo. That's the real-life version of dreaming about discovering your stick shift car has one more gear or your house has this extra room you didn't know about. DELETE CASCADE posted:aren't rad power bikes at least decent? they were one of the options recommended by the op. i ended up spending more based on a friend's personal recommendation, but if you can get a serviceable one for ~$1000 that won't kill you and is fun and popular etc, i'd say that's a good thing. there will always be a market in cycling for people who want to pay more "Decent," I suppose so. What got me a little worried was some of their wattage ratings coming from overcharging and underpowered motor. That is, a 750W e-bike actually having a 500W motor that they'll ram more current into in peak usage. There's an aftermarket for upgrading their bikes that speaks towards their prevalence but also towards missing customer expectations.
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Aug 5, 2020 19:13
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DELETE CASCADE posted:
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Aug 5, 2020 20:36
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