10 Things We Wish We'd Known About E-Bikes
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- čas přidán 10. 05. 2024
- E bikes are becoming more and more popular as a smart and practical way of getting around and staying fit. And they’re a hell of a lot of fun! If you’re interested in jumping on the e-bike bandwagon or just want to know what all the fuss is about, we’re here to help with the top 10 things we wish we'd known about ebikes!
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What do you think are the most important things to know about e-bikes?
It's still a bike and that's better than no bike
Battery safety and care
Si doing us dirty on that music comment... ;p
How horrific to the environment are batteries, that you probably didn't need
If you have e bicycle just buy e bike
I hadn't had a bike since I was 16 years old. I bought my e-bike in July of last year, then aged 47. Fast forward 16 months or so down the line. I have ridden 5350 miles. Lost over 2 stone. My blood pressure is excellent. My fitness levels have increased massively. I have seen parts of my local area & county I didn't even know existed. I cycle everywhere & in any weather. Because of my e-bike, I ditched my car. I now only cycle in either eco mode the lowest assist level or I actually turn the motor off. I am now researching my next bike purchase, which will be a non-e-bike as my fitness has improved so much I am ready to add non-electric cycling to my life, I think I will buy a gravel bike? but I will still use my beloved e-bike. In the last lockdowns, I spent more time outside in the fresh air than I had ever done. I have reconnected with my younger self & found a new meaning in my life. I love cycling & even the guys on the fast road bikes are not as mean as they used to be & sometimes say hello when I am out & about. I managed my longest ever cycle last week (in eco-mode) 100KM, it took me over 6 hours with only 45 minutes rest. Buying my e-bike saved my life & anyone who thinks they are cheating needs to put themselves in another person's shoes. Life has not been easy for many of us over the past few years & without my bike, I fear my mental health would have been much worse. They are an amazing invention & one I will be forever thankful for. BTW, my bike is a Giant Explore GTS+4. I have modified the bike with new wheels & tires, better grips & even put a Brooks C17 seat on it. I even have a few items of lycra now, LOL & yes I wear a helmet. After years of sitting on my backside in cars, I never imagined I would become a cyclist, 31 years after my last bike. I turned 49 in September just gone & look & feel younger than I have done in a long time. When I say buying my e-bike saved my life, I mean it literally. Thanks for your channel I love watching your videos. Best regards, John. :)
More power to you mate 👏
Fantastic.
Hat off to you.
Thanks for sharing your story
That's amazing, well done! Keep it up
Brilliant comment 👍
Yes, thanks for sharing your new passion. I ride at least 5,000 miles per year. I feel amazing. 🥰
One thing to consider about ebikes is the fact that persons of different fitness can cycle together. My wife and I have done memorable trips of about 800km each over very difficult terrain while I ride a regular Mtb and she goes on the ebike. Don't hesitate to own one, you will surely use it.
That's a reason my wife and I bought a tandem bike - we could stay at the same pace more easily. 😁
Aww that’s absolutely lovely
I got the red runner ebike never got any exercise Sale scooter ahead of me hit by a car and they didn't get back up they were air lifted away to the hospital Car went sideways and hit them like a baseball bat...
Hahaha smart !
Comment: Wow, I just stumbled upon a new project called the Morph eBike by Freebeat! It's incredible how e-bikes can bring people of different fitness levels together, just like your experience with your wife. I can't wait to try it out myself and explore difficult terrains like you did. And the best part is, the Morph eBike can be charged indoors! It's great to see such innovative features being introduced in the e-bike world. Thanks for sharing your experience, it's truly inspiring! Ride on with your MTB and e-bike adventures!
I’m a reasonably fit 61 y.o. cyclist living in a very hilly part of Cornwall with many 20% hills. I manage rides of 50 km+ on my non assisted road bike but sometimes the thought of the the final long climb home puts me off riding, especially when its windy as well, which is often the case. I realised checking on Strava that I spent 90% of every ride slogging uphill with only 10% of ride time spent on flats and downhill. My new e-bike flattens out the hills so I enjoy the ride more and go out more often and cycle further getting the same exercise with more fun and less pain.
And now you can KOM all those pesky climbs
@@3mtech Nope. Strava has a category for e-bike which avoids this. If I wanted to cheat I could just drive the bike computer up the hill in my car…
@@martinronchetti5419 Haha. You wouldnt be the first. Strava only knows if you tell it, right?
Very similar here - 61 (passably fit) / deepest Northumberland / eBike flattens hills indeed, esp. with headwind. Have a couple (no bragging intended) - a Chinese-sourced FatBike that works AOK...but almost does all the work 4U; and a Euro-spec one (same 4-mode Bosch CX motor) that (on paper) appears less powerful, but once you 'get' the fact that it's pedal-assist (instead of pedal-replace), it's brilliant - you get out what you put in :-) Former used when I feel lazy (hey, at 61 I'm allowed!), latter when I actually want to 'cycle'. With wearing a HRM you can certainly see the workout-difference on the phone app. Love them.
@@3mtech I remember a pro cyclist from the Tour of Britain getting the KOM (on closed roads, of course) on a hill near me at 18 mph. The very next month someone set a new KOM at 32 mph.
Absolutely love my eBike for commuting to work. Arriving in office clothes without breaking a sweat, even in Australia's summer is amazing. They're an absolute joy to ride.
Ya it should be a balance of excercise and some chill wind try your clothes
What sort of bike did you go for; I’ve notice a wide range in prices. I want a lighter one as I live in an apartment. My knees are starting to suffer cycling to work so I thought it would help
How far is your commute? Is the traffic bad? Were driver's aggressive towards you? Sorry, I've been researching this topic
@@chrisplacido4737 my commute is 20km round trip. Traffic is heavy and drivers are no more aggressive than if you were driving a car. My advice is don't overthink it. Buy a bike you can afford and get stuck in!
@@spangas5799 yes great comment..am riding one myself and i am 62 an aussie living at the moment here in China where i got a good deal on an Ebike
I'm 63 and over the past dozen years, I progressively developed painful knee problems which pretty much made riding a conventional bike rather torturous. Even after just a couple miles, my knees would start to hurt. I decided to invest in an ebike and now I am riding about 1200 miles a year which is great in of itself. However, the JOY of riding an ebike - it makes me feel like a superman able to tackle steep hills and trails with a childish glee! The ebike has given me a new lease on enjoying the mental and physical benefits of cycling. The technology has done wonders for people like me!
@@alexmorgan3435 who gives a shit
You need to move your seat backwards or forwards it is in the wrong place this prevents knee pain
Cost?
Get your feet looked at. I had knee problems that turned out to be normal foot aging, the fat pad on the balls of my foot went - changing the how the foot sat and pulling the knee out of line. Orthopedic docs never look at this, podiatrists should. A pad under the foot can restore function when this is the problem. Often you can see if it’s changed yourself, but nobody knows to look.
which model you have?
Bought my first e-bike when I was 76. Although work is only 3km away I use the bike for this short trip each day and it has improved my fitness a lot. As well, when I arrive at work I feel energised and ready to go!
That is one factor that is rarely mentioned: no matter where you go, you arrive there full of energy, with a clear mind. Hmm.. does the ebike also charge you?
Do you still work at the age of 76 ??? Respect ! Nowadays I even see 12 year olds driving to school on an ebike
@@squidcaps4308 and not covered in sweat
78 now and still working. I love my ebike although I use it at lower power setting now than when I first bought it. Getting fitter.
@@tommulvey9449 I’m 70+ and I’m thinking of getting an E bike, as my car is on it last legs and I don’t want to replace it. You’ve just helped me make my mind up.
I've been riding my e-bike for a while now. I'm 68 years old and I've lost 30 pounds this year between eating better and riding. I recently rode a gravel trail 55 miles and had a third of the power left. I have my street bike on a trainer so I can continue to ride during the snowy winter months ahead. I'm looking forward to more riding next year.
Congrats 👍 this is the spirit!
I am geared up to ride mine all winter. I do notice the cold does reduce my mileage but I have it wrapped and won't plan to ride as far per trip in winter anyway. But trips to the store or bank etc I will do all winter when ever practical. People ask my age and I say 60 in Jan 2022, but if i am on my bike, I am 17, riding like a rambunctious teenager would! - Cheers
I wanna buy an ebike for my mom. Not sure which to get though. There are so many models
@@ahwayzcool4630 I don't know where you're from, here in Italy it's not really about what you would like *like* or what you *want* to buy, it's more about what you can find in the store. Just go for what it's available and try them untill you find a good fit.
@@ahwayzcool4630 I would go with a well known brand name - mine is Specialized. Off brands can be hard to get serviced.
I have been a motorcyclist for 7 years and a cyclist for a year and a half now.
The one thing I would say to people is, don't let rain put you off. For most the year you can work around it and the first time I was caught in a torrential downpour whilst cycling I found it outrageously fun. The first time I went out and a thick mist descended I was struck by the absolute beauty and serenity of it.
There are plenty of good reasons why you can't trade in a car for just a bicycle. But even trading in many of your journeys, even in the rain, is doing a great bit for the environment.
I try to avoid riding in rain or forecast rain. I would like to be able ride in the rain. Does rain affect the electronics?
@@martinmaddox5315 I wrap a plastic bag over my screen and bought a battery cover and I've never had any issues with my ebike in the rain.
Riding in a snowstorm is even better....if you have fat tire with tread...
Being able to eat a cake instead of going to petrol station is a true victory
True words
As long as you cycle to the cake shop :)
Good point. Hate stopping for petrol but like cakes. Lol.
Reminds me of when I walked to school instead of catching the bus, so I could spend bus fare on sweets and chocs. The exercise is cancelled out by the treat lol
You are reversing your cholesterol !
E bikes were a game changer for my wife and I …as 60 something’s, we can now enjoy all the steep hilly terrain (or windy conditions) on any bike trails we would never explore before….
Keep in mind that many of us who are not as active as we used to be is not due to laziness but due to declining mobility. I have a great deal of walking difficulty now and an ebike is about my only option to be active outdoors. I am researching to purchase an etrike instead of a two wheeled bike for safety reasons. Videos into this specific application would be appreciated!
what did you buy?
I want to add my experience with this comment for those who may be interested.
I've been commuting to work every day by bike for a year now and I have both a good quality e-bike and a cheap Decathlon road bike. The e-bike is key in hard windy days, rainy days or when I need to carry extra weight. Most of the days I ride the road bike, which also serves as weekend leisure ride.
I sold my motorbike almos a year ago and I've been barely using the car in the last year. At 37, I'm in my best shape ever and I basically need to thank the e-bike for making this possible.
Ciao
Sold your motorbike, sold your motorbike, hell no man .
@@romeoone5389 I would sell it again if I could 😉
My bicycle averages 15 mph, motorcycle is 80 mph highway. But neither will pull my 30' travel trailer or boat. Only thing I'm looking to sell is this house with a damn 2-car garage!!!
I also had to give up the motorcycle as I moved countries and would need to resit the tests again to ride so ended up looking at these and they look good. Thanks for your input
Ebikes seem really impractical. I have an hour commute by car and a family to raise. I also work 60+ hours a week and wouldn’t be able to afford to get injured on one of these things. I keep seeing comments on 30-60 year olds saying they use these to commute or drive around the city. In my area it’s illegal to ride bicycles on most of the roads so it’s been relegated to a leisurely activity. If I ever get leisure time I might buy one, but spending Thousands on a bicycle is absolutely stupid when I barely get enough disposable income to buy anything without going homeless again. I’ve lived in my car before, you can’t live in an ebike.
Ebikes are great fun when they work. Some tips I'd have from personal experience are:
Make sure the motor is a freewheeling one, there are ones that once turned off will function as generator and some even charge the battery while riding with the motor turned off.. (great if you want to burn calories, but less fun when far from home and the battery dies). Make sure it rides well, and that you can do a decent distance with the motor/electronics turned off.
Find one that doesn't pair the battery to the bike. This will make cheap revisions over time possible. Some batteries will just lock up once they are "tampered" with, or will flat out not work if you want to let your mate borrow one. Then you'd need to go to a dealer and have the battery paired to that bike (for which some brands charge (an excessive amount of) money. and then later it would need to be paired to yours again. (there are also brands that will allow riding 80-120 or so KM on a non-paired battery before shutting off.
There's nothing like doing a multi day trip with 2 batteries (1 borrowed) only using the battery for long uphills or heavy headwinds so doing 200+KM per battery, and the 2nd one cuts off after 80 KM, refusing to work again without attaching it to the bike it's paired to that's hundreds of KM's away. Always check that kinda stuff when you buy an ebike. It can bite you in the butt as well when you have the cells in the battery replaced and everything seems fine and great until 80-120KM in it just turns off. If you want it as part of anti-theft reasons (the usual reason given for it) fine, but be aware of the limitations.
Personally I have had 2 bike bags on the back of my bike, with a approx 2000Wh battery. No need to worry about running out while riding, and actually making it possible to use a induction heater while camping for cooking and even heating the tent, and I used to just carry a conversion plug for public car chargers to charge the battery without going home. This would have been way harder to do with the bike needing a paired battery.
3rd, check the wiring for stupid design decisions. I didn't buy mine, it was a hand me down from my parents, but it had the wires coming from the controller on the back and going forward UNDER the mudguard, so between the mudguard and the tire.. Which eventually caused the wires to take damage and short out. Sure, it looks pretty, but putting wires in places where it gets sand,sticks,stones and water thrown at it all the time isn't good. so eventually about 40 volts went into the 5 volt parts which didn't end well. 😂
Thinking about it, I should just have changed that when I got the bike from my parents, its a stupid place for power wires to be.
4th, if you have a front or rear hub motor, make sure it's not one that gets "unpaired" when disconnected. Been there, done that... pulled the wheel out to replace a 20-30 euro tire, disconnected the motor plug to avoid damaging it, and had to pay 60 euro's to a dealer to pair the motor to the controller again because once you disconnect the cable, as "anti-theft measure" it needs pairing again. 🤐
I really hope these points have gotten better in the last 10-12 years or so, but somehow I suspect they will probably just be doing more to lock people in to their dealer networks and make it harder to service stuff yourself.
This idea went right to repair is so important. They could give end user the paring tool if it actually for anti theft. It’s for making money for free.
You see, yours is a proper list of things to think about, thank you.
This '10 things' GCN video was a transparent Bosch powered e-bike infomercial. I wouldn't be surprised if they do indeed make some good e-bike motors and ancillaries however.
His 'I confess' moment was *surprise* yet another advantage of e-bikes, but mine is this - I thought you'd be able to switch on hill detection with assistance varying with the steepness up to a point (not mentioned so I presume not) AND they'd offer regenerative braking on the downhill. However I realised that would require moving the freewheel mechanism from the rear hub to something clever in the region of the cranks/bottom bracket or something, suddenly I was disappointed. Guessing all that GPE gets wasted in the brakes if you like to stay reasonably safe downhill?
@@artgreen6915 I rode my mom's old ebike after she passed away for a while, I consider it an "old people bike" as the front wheel motor would just start generating energy above 26 or so km/h so you'd basically hit a wall barely being able to push it above that and the best solution on long parts with the wind in the back was to get off, pull the battery (that was on the back) far enough back to not make contact with it's connector and then ride it above those speeds. It would still be heavier as it then uses the motor to power the on-board electronics at all speeds, but at least I could do around 30-35 km/h with it. And then pray the battery pack wouldn't fall out.
I'm sure the company that made it thought they were geniuses for regenerating energy like that, but for people that only want a bit of support on up hills or with strong headwinds that thing was an absolute nightmare. 😂
Quite honestly, I don't really think that the whole regeneration thing is worth it on a bike unless you have the alps in your back yard or something. Maybe if you hold the brake levers a little to turn it on that would be doable, but a "dumb" system like this is more trouble than it's worth.
Just like the automotive industry
Name these predatory companies. I know onewheel was playing games but hadn't heard any ebikes doing it.
I'm pretty neutral on ebikes, but when some scruffy dude in jeans and donkey jacket passes me on some hill it hurts my ego
Lmao I feel you
I’m that guy, no ebike though 🧐
I always apologise when I do that. Though most roadies are faster than me even on my ebike
I was passing someone on a throttled e-bike. They apologized and disengaged the motor. I advised then that they were technically riding a motorcycle with an electric motor. They were surprised. E-bikes are limited,in most U.S. states to 20 MPH/32 kph. There are a few with lower limits. This bike could do 28.
@@jamesmckenzie3532 What humble beast your are. Get over yourself.
I never fancied an ebike until I saw your piece about the Orbea Gain and the ebikemotion system. After several months I managed to get a Gain M30, put some gravel tyres on it and it's now perfect for where I live in West Cornwall.
Prior to getting it I was done in at 40 miles on my previous gravel bike. On the Gain however I comfortably manage to do from home to Lands End and back which is over 50 miles and i'm not in bits for the rest of the day.
I don't see my ebike as cheating as it means I actually cycle a lot more than I was physically capable of doing previously.
I bought my first Ebike one year ago and so far I have done 5000 miles on it. I have been a keen cyclist all my life and commute daily to work. When I was younger I would average 50 miles per day, 6 days a week. I have since had 3 big operations and the Ebike has enabled me to get back to fitness and I'm 51. They are awesome. Switch the power off and you'll get a tremendous workout during a 30 mile run on a 35kg fat bike. If you want to be a bit fresher at the end of your journey then use some power. Fly up hills with the power on or boost your leg size with the power off. Just get one, you'll be smiling all the time. After 16 mph you're under your own steam. My average speed for my commute is 22 mph. Not too bad for 20 - 30 miles and 1500 feet of climbing.
Are you a real person or just a bot?
@@mattlott8766 very much a real person mate
What do you mean "after 16 mph you're under your own steam"? Does power assist turn off after 16 mph?
@@justinbeynon7980 for UK legal ebikes yeah. The motor assists you up to 15.5mph and is a lifesaver on hills. I average bang on around that figure but I wish we could increase the pedal assist limit to 20mph it would make a big difference
@@justinbeynon7980 Absolutely, legal eBikes - the assistance turns off after 15.5 mph, you are pretty much using your own steam then.
My ebike is a Gtech. I chose it because it was the least expensive "quality" model available. It's about as simple as it could be. It's a single speed and 2 non-tuneable power levels. Simple, maybe, but excellent for my local needs. The only small problem is the limited range and the immense difficulty of pedalling without power-assist. I'm a super-fit 70-year-old and also have a road bike and ATB. But I love my ebike for leisurely rides as it really does flatten the hills.
One of the learning points for me was the quality of the bicycle saddle. Since you put less power on the paddles, you are sitting with more weight on the saddle. So the quality of the saddle is important. For me a saddle that resembles my racing bike saddle worked quite fine. Also a more racing posture (that the sit bones are making correct contact) helped.
Good advice. I see 99% of people out there that buy a bike and just take the whole thing as is. First thing I do is replace everything I come in contact with because it's usually where they save money on complete bikes and it makes the feeling of the bike so much better. New seat, new grips, new pedals. The next step is the part that contacts the road, the tires.
I see more people out riding now with ebikes on the scene. Good for all of us whether you're for or against ebikes. Why? More people riding means more voices and votes for better trails and safety issues. If you're against more people riding, I feel sorry for you. Your choice though.
as long as they stay off of non motorized trails, I have no problem with electric motor cycles.
@@gregknipe8772 unlucky then mate
@@gregknipe8772 I’d say if you’re under 60 and/or don’t have a handicap. But seeing these 30year old hipsters and their tattoo’d girlfriends riding ebikes on the trail at motorized speeds does piss me off.
@@rogerc23 why because they beat you up , down and go further? You’ll find they do as much effort with yourself
@@markwebster243 LOL. Yeah sure they are
They're also really good for burning up extra calories when lifting them over walls, through styles and those width restriction gate's 🥵
Assuming the e-bike user has the oomph to do such a task.
Ha ha ha ha ha E bike and crossfit rolled into one 🤣
@@andrewwaller1948 I already call my bike my gym. I have to get it up stairs.
These are all things that would fail an equality act impact assessment and should be removed.
Probably too unfit for anything. 😂
Good video. I've had an e bike for a few years now and it's helped me get out more often and on much more hilly rides also carrying camera gear and jackets, etc. When pushing 60 years old, it's great. The great benefit is doing the shopping. I use one or two panniers and get all I wan't, including beer! There are some 20% dirt road pinches on the way home, so it makes all the difference and it saves me using the car. One thing to mention is you can go through brake pads much more quickly as these bikes are heavy including and ever expanding rider too.
Keep riding bro
I have an ebike and I've probably rode almost 2,000 miles on mine. I mainly use it to commute to and from work. I listen to music during my rides. I keep adding accessories to help with the safety factor. I enjoy it.
Ebikes are great for commuting to work without getting to sweaty (Australian summer) as you are able to adjust the assistance. I then turn the power down on the way home for a work out, but still have assistance when needed. My ebike has allowed me to get back into riding sooner while recovering from a knee injury/pending operation.
I built up my wife's new Columbia RD shopper with an e-bike motor, from doing 5-10miles on a conventional bike, we went for a maiden 20 mile ride. She got up to 45 miles, we went picnicking with folding chairs, mini hamper. On the back of this I got a custom built bike with a Bafang drive- full suspension. Love it to bits for shopping, green lane riding, I've added the same pannier system to mine, so we can double the load carrying. I'm adding a Super-Nova front light with high beam for night riding.
Great overview. I had a Specialized Vado that was sadly stolen. I loved it. I would get another when I can justify the new spending . I would add one more issue with ebikes. The maintenance is a little more complex and unlike a regular bike, they need software updates.
Also, when they throw an error be ready to open up your wallet. We really need right to repair and independent shops. It is just crazy to have to pay 2000 euro to repair a 2 year old bike that cost 3000 euros.
Fit a Baffang motor to a normal bike . I did , it is fast 30mph !
Its not hard , only needed help from the bike shop to take the pedals off , and put the motor in place and the pedals back on . Honestly its a cheaper way to get something thats better than a lot of shop bikes.
So does my DI2 equipped road bike now. However I've just adjusted the gears after a wheel change on my phone rather than with a screwdriver. 🙂
I have a 2017 Raleigh Pioneer 400wh bought the back end of 2018. Its been a blast - 4000 miles later I've opened up hilly parts of Wales where I live and would never have got to otherwise. I still have to avoid the very steep hills because the torque is a bit low. I think range has reduced slightly as the battery has got older but even in hilly areas I can easily cover 27 miles or so. On a tour of Normandy I was able to get to 48 miles on some trips and only encountered minor recharge anxiety (as well as cramp which lead to me wrecking my one man tent - but that's another story). On the up side it has drawn me back to cycling two or three times a week and its turned Wales into Holland - how cool is that?! I thoroughly recommend e-cycling at night - I don't mean set the alarm clock for a quick cycle at 2am, but there there is something about buzzing around the countryside or town on a dark evening - you'll need good lights to avoid pot-holes, and a bit of reflective gear ! Which brings me to... on the down side I spend far too long looking for new cycling gear and I'm obsessed with bike accessories such as powerful lights for those buzz moments. I wish I'd bough the bigger version of the battery as it would have built in a bit of extra life - it looks as though I will have to have mine refurbished soon-ish. Which brings me to a bit of a gripe with the industry - there is a serious comparability/interchangeability issue with the electric bike batteries - that needs to change somehow and new batteries should be easy to come and shift between bikes by than they are - the manufacturers seem to be focusing on innovation rather than sustainability. Finally and if you haven't been on an e-bike or, as admitted by Simon in this video, you have initial e-bike hesitancy (EBH) - just go to a shop and get on one - it's only then you get it. The joy, the fun, the possibilities and the feeling that you should have done this much sooner than you did.
I agree about the fun.
Had mine for over 4 years now.
17000kms.
And every trip was a blast.
I get way WAY more exercise (in terms of calories burned) on my EMTB than I would on a regular MTB, simply because they're just far more fun. Yeah I might do half the effort per mile (I stay in eco) but I do 3 or 4 times the miles. It's all down to the individual, but my friends have similar experiences. Every cynic I've met who's come out on an ebike trek with me has changed their mind. They're incredible machines.
Yeah. There definitely can be some truth to that. I was a fairly casual cyclist before getting my first ebike many years ago. Switched to riding that basically everywhere. I didn't bother owning a car for a few years, and when I later got around to putting my road bike back on the road after a few years of daily e-biking, I had gotten much faster.
I've been cycling everywhere since I was 12 (no car - don't need one, so don't want one). Alas a few years ago a certain cardiac condition put a stop to my proverbial gallop. The e-Bike was/is a terrific answer; environmentally-friendly, user-friendly and always gives me an acceptable cardio-workout (have gone several miles with no excessive exertion - literally zero sweat but still got some good exercise in - an acceptable cardio-vascular workout). Great! Best advise - stay safe and enjoy the moment........
I’ve been contemplating getting one for sometime. Yours is one of the best videos I’ve seen laying out all the pluses and minuses. I am 64 years old cycled cross country from Massachusetts to California in 1978 and many other rides over the years. I own four bicycles. But I just don’t enjoy hills anymore. Pedal assist would be perfect for me and I would still get a work out. And my wife could join me as she only likes to do bike paths because they’re flat. Thank you. Now which one to get? Hmmm
The Bianchi, it's a beautiful road bike and most people wouldn't guess.
Your new e-bike will take you across country again.
I ride a Specialized Creo and use the third party Blevo app with it,. This allows me to fine tune the bike to provide assistance based on the watts that I put out. So in Eco mode, the assist level is a range between 5% and 50%. I specified 200 watts for me to output. If it's less than that, I get no assistance. When I put out more watts (either pedaling harder or going up a hill) it will gradually add assistance. On steeper hiils, I've never seen it give me more than 40% assistance, Once the watts fall back, so does the assistance. With it set this way, my predicted range is over 300 miles for the typical terrain I ride. You can also turn the power off. I've lost 30 pounds and when I ride my gravel bike (Specialized Diverge), it feels like I'm on an ebike because I really did get stronger. My ebike has been a godsend.
The main difference I have found in different ebikes is how much the controller helps at minimum assistance. I had an original controller that just helped too much so I changed to one with 10 modes. The first 3 are just a pleasure to use since they give no help on the flat but just the slightest push on the hills and the battery just seems to last forever. Very useful to cycle to work or carry very heavy shopping. Most other ebikes I have tried just give too much push on low assistance.
If you're somewhere that they're legal, get a thumb throttle. That way, you can decide how much help you want throughout a ride. On the flats, you can just back it off as low as you want, and then give it as much as you need on steep hills.
@@nwimpney The thumb throttle is too sensitive, it's all or nothing, very difficult to keep it halfway. It's useful in 1. when starting off a traffic light and 2. To walk the bike up steep hills, stairs or over rocks.
Bought my eMTB 3 years ago, one of the best purchases of my life! eBikes are amazing machines and some stubborn people have totally wrong perception on eBikes. If you are a rider who likes to push and be on the upper edge of your comfort zone, you will ride exactly the same on the eBike, you will just be faster on the climb for the same effort. And believe me, you can push your heart to red on eBike easily if you want. And don't forget the exercise you get when you go above 25km/h assist limit with 24-25kg heavy bike. And you don't need much assistance for it to be fun, I use Eco mode 99% of the time, I you are a regular biker that is more than enough assistance and you get much better range.
Some of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences i've had biking were those hills or obstacle i couldn't get over. I had to try again and again and again and by the end of summer when I could finally conquered it, I logged it as a personal victory. You don't get that with a helper motor.
@@schmoopieschmoop3383 well you do, you just pick more difficult obstacles :) But to each their own, I've been biking since my teenage years, done some very difficult routes in my life on classic mtb, I didn't start my biking on ebike, I have 20 years of mountain biking behind me on standard bike, so I can honestly say that ebikes are much more fun, except when you have to carry it over obstacles or push it up the steep hill :)
As a physical therapist, I love improving access to fun and physical activities, and e-bikes can do that! E-bikes are more likely to get people moving than they are to make physically active people more lazy. My only concern is safety of handling the bike for people who aren’t used to riding at higher speeds. Another plus: helpful to the environment.
I find I don’t go faster on my e-bike but right now with a torn meniscus root I can keep bicycling without over stressing my knee. My bike is a custom made Bike Friday. I can carry it up & down stairs. Let me add that I’m 4’9” and almost 68.
I bought my first e bike 5 years ago and I used it everyday to go to work and back home. I got over 5000 km on it now. I bought it in Germany and now I took it with me to Hawaii. Its a blast and I love that you can just throw it on a bike rack on your car, Park away from the city for free and just ride downtown or wherever you need to go with no sweat. The only thing is I had to change the Battery after 3 years , Im on my second one now but saving gas and passing all the traffic is totally worth it! On my Garrison I usually make it to any destination quicker than everyone else with their fancy cars because I can take the bike literally to the doorstep instead of parking it in a parking lot and walk to wherever I need to go. I always recommend Ebikes to my people around me especially with rising gas prices right now. Keep on riding peeps!!!!
I ride with an older lady who uses an e-bike. When I ask her why she said that she has been a roadie for decades and loves riding. She found that she can still ride her regular road bike as far as she always could but she is slower. The e-bike allows her to keep up with the group.
absolutely , the club i'm in there are some older members who still go out on group rides & thanks to E bikes they can keep up with the main group & enjoy the social element
@@888johnmac
Sometimes they lead the group! I was on a ride a couple of weeks ago, and on a long gradual climb, one of the older riders on an eBike decided to be less than social, and went ahead of the group. I was able to catch up with her, but it wasn't easy.
everyone can find and excuse. it's not hard.
Will she buy an electric motorbike when she gets dropped with her ebike?
@@lucasrodriguezfontan8451 She's tough. I don't think she will need to. It is amazing to watch her run rings around fairly strong riders half her age. My son accompanied me one ride and couldn't figure out how she was dashing ahead of and circling around the rest of us. He figured it out when he took a good look at the e-bike. We can run with her on the flat but she is dominate on the hills.
Then you hit the 15mph wall, when the motor goes off and the output power is all yours :-). Mine has got my 63 yr old fat arse with ducked knees courtesy of being ex forces, off the couch and out riding nothing wrong with that i'd say. If i keep going over Winter i may join the dark side and ditch the motor. Top vid.
Light side*, if you get what I mean 😉.
see if the controller has wire loop restrictor, get a couple more mph
Unfortunately, e-bikes are still too expensive for my standards. But I will get one eventually. Very encouraging and convincing video, Si. 🤣👍
couldn't you buy by monthly installments?
Save monthly then buy
@@dallysinghson5569 Took me almost a year to accumulate the cash required to purchase a $1,049 a belt drive single speed eBike.
Do a cost/benefit evaluation. You may save enough to justify financing one.
The prices seem to range from A$1400 to A$8000! I want a lighter one as I live in an apartment but they seem around A$4000 at least.
Just got my ebike a few days ago and i love it. Haven't been on a bike since the 90s but now i think i have seen more of my city this past weekend then i have in the last 20 years and it has been a blast.
You will still get your exercise! I had a misconception before that riding ebikes is a breeze, however that depends on how much you rely on the motor, bought 2 ebikes this year, wish I had bought one sooner!
I have a utility electric bike and in the past 3 years I have used it to carry over 3200 pounds of cargo. I just love it.
I hear many people complaining about the weight, but then I just found out an aluminum-frame eBike like the Cannondale Quick Neo SL2 actually weighs nearly 2Kg *less* than my old 1973 steel Schwinn 10-speed touring bike that's been converted for foul-weather use (Sachs 7-speed hub, drum brakes, enclosed chain). And the Cannondale is less than 2Kg heavier than the Trek 420 touring bike that's my daily rider.
Lots of great info. Been Keen cyclist all my life. Got eBike conversion kit about 10 yrs ago (easy to swop over if you get a new bike) and it's a great way to travel and keep fit. Encouraged others to get one, they often say "No. I need the exercise !" Then they don't regularly cycle. So the most important thing about eBikes is to get over this misconception. Its a win win situation - faster & Further ! And because it's more enjoyable for many folks, you end up doing more. Also try the traditional Bicycle Cape for rainy weather, the secret being anchoring it down by sitting on it ( pull up a bit, so not too tight on your back) and using the hand stirrups at the front end. Complete the set up with gaiters and waterproof shoes or plastic bags over shoes - best, most comfortable way in bad weather. Surprisingly streamlined in the wind too. Great channel.
Yes. Ebikes are for lazy people. I need the exercise, but it's hard work, so I drive my car instead. ;)
I did the same, probably around 17-18 years ago, built up a longtail cargo bike conversion. rode it as my main vehicle for a few years, and it got me in way better shape.
When I decided to put my road bike back together for fun after a few years of e-bike, I was already in pretty decent shape right from the start.
in the U.S. there are three classes that are allow on the bike trail [mostly]. I had both Class 1 and Class 3 in the commuter bike form. I love Class 3 of 28mph assist but I love the class 1 Raleigh that can go 80 miles on mostly Normal with some High power setting. range shows over 100 miles on ECO mode so I am super happy with class 1 bike with Shimano e6100 setup. plenty of power but very efficient compared to the Bosch system on Trek Commute +. Trek is a class 3 with 28mph assist so it's really fast and sometimes too fast on urban settings with lot of cars and people. e-bike is definitely he next evolution in biking and looking forward to 100+ miles range with 30lbs weight in the future.
I have a Trek Powerfly5 2021, I have the motor tuned off most of the time. On a 70km ride I used 1 bar on the indicator, I watched the display and the bar went out at about 60km. Its a great feeling cycling up a hill knowing you are getting exercise but can switch the motor on when you get tired.
My Orbea Gain has been a game changer. It was an expensive purchase but I fell in love with it the second the shop let me take it for a test ride. I've improved my fitness and while I'm still working on it I see my improvements. I used to ride like 10-15 miles and I'd be tapped. Now I casually ride 50mi without the motor most days. It's led me to rethink commuting and the necessity of a car.
I’ve got the M30 and it’s brilliant. I ride further and choose routes with bigger climbs because I can. I still go out on both my road bike and my CX. It’s interesting to see how little time I’m riding with assist after 18 months with the Gain. I did a century and still had charge in the battery at the end.
I guess a tip for people to stay safe during winter commutes - you can check the grip level of the surface you are currently riding on by intentionally locking up your rear wheel with a brake. I do this every time I go onto a visually different surface. Is that patch of darker road ahead black ice or dry tarmac? blip the rear brake and you can gauge how quickly the wheel locks up, giving you an idea on the grip level it provides.
They have their place. I use a Gocycle for my London commute, it's perfect for that. Evenings and weekends I'm out on the road bike.
I would recommend, if you’re looking for an ebike for yourself, find a conventional bike that works for you best and have a local independent install an aftermarket Bafang hub motor and battery system which includes a throttle. You’ll get the most for your money.
the add on hub motors can be a long term headache because the wheel is not designed to handle the torque and weight. The mid motor units have better reliability
@@mriguy3202 You’re right, I meant to say mid drive. Definitely prefer mid drive to hub.
Got my first E-Bike 2 years ago and I am in love with it. I love where they are going with it, making them "smarter". I recommend it to everyone.
Glad you're enjoying yours so much!
Great video mate thank you. Please review more e-bikes, like the Canyon Precede On Cf 9, the one you are riding now and any other interesting new ones. There aren't enough e-bike reviews out there while e-bike is and becoming more and more popular by the day.
E-bikes are great. Bosch are really, really badly anti right‐to‐repair. These head units are locked down to an unreasonable degree, and not even retailers can do anything with them.
bosch doesn't want people trying to make the motors do what they aren't designed to do. I've never had any problem getting bosch to help us at the shop.
If you want an ebike that's easy to tinker with, Bafang is the way to go. You can use controllers and LCDs from other manufacturers, and there's even open-source controller programming available for some of them.
things will change, here in the states anyway, right to repair is a big issue and corporations are leading the charge. that said, Bosch is the brand of most of my power tools… and in that arena, they make really, really good stuff.
The anti repair stance is a real issue. Unfortunately other manufacturers are doing similar things. The system from Mahle requires the special authorized dealer app to pair a new battery to the system. Sadly that drive is in a lot of otherwise interesting bikes.
@@lihtan not for the newer ones. They are going the way of Bosch.
On the topic of how hard the ebike is to pedal without the power:
It depends on how heavy the bike is, basically. On most ebikes, the lowest power setting is tuned to just barely offset the weight of the motor components, so that's the setting that's most like a regular bike. Obviously, aside from getting the most natural feel of riding, the advantage of such a setting is that it makes your range very high, while keeping that stronger assistance on tap for when you bite off a bit more than you can chew by yourself.
But you can just turn the power down completely, and the system just acts like a data center. Most of the better ebikes ride pretty much exactly like a heavy regular bike when the power is off, with little to no power loss. On a flat surface, if you don't care about speed, it'll feel pretty normal. On slight downhills, the weight can actually help you out. I reckon a super light 17 kg ebike would slow you down about 5-8 kph compared to a 9 kg machine of similar design, depending on your fitness level. This is also handy for letting you get nice workout without scaring the local townsfolk with your blistering speed.
The power assistance is handy for shopping, too.
Bosch CX Gen4 and Shimano EP8 improved from their predecessors with freewheel directly in crank shaft completely decoupling non-assiting motor&reduction gears from power input of rider.
Broses also should have similar system.
In other motors freewheel can be reduction gear closer to motor adding various amounts of drag.
(like Yamahas up to at least PW-X2)
true true. my grandmas bike with a bosch performance line gen one (the egg shaped one) is a pain to pedal without assistance while my yamaha pw equipped emtb is ok to pedal without the electric motor
I am long convinced about e-bike a decade ago for some people, but not for me. I am now 70, starting riding when I was 48 on a mountain bike and keep riding ever since. I own a folding bike, steel vintage, alu bike, ti bike and a carbon bike (15 years old now). At my most fitness at 55 years old, I could follow young riders at the max speed of 50 km/hour and they then slow down to the range of 35-40 on a long trip. Now I am 70, still capable of following young riders on a trip at max speed of 30 km/hr. This year the max distance trip for one day was 200 km. If a certain guy in France can ride a bike at the speed of 25/km avg at 100+ years old, I reckon that I don't need an e-bike.
I've been commuting to work for the past months and an e-bike makes it much more pleasant. I'm still getting some exercise, but use the turbo-setting when I'm tired and have to ride up a hill :). Did forget to charge my battery this week though. Luckily my light still worked, but it's a heavy bike without assistance.
Totally agree with him. Waterproof clothing is the answer to the excuse of ebike wont make you dry. I ride my ebike even during rainy days with waterproof clothing and shoes and it solves the wet issue
Not to mention the fact that skin is waterproof.
@@garyschnitker6689 True
Quick question mate, how do you keep your feet dry? I don't want to install clipless pedals on my bike and all the over shoes I find are for cycling shoes specific?
@@samb2318 I use clipless pedal mate
having to walk around a warm shop in your waterproofs is not good
What is the model of the Cannondale bike you're using?
Yeah I can't find it either 😕
I'm in my 40's and my 'normal' bikes have been sitting for almost a decade. I bought a cheap E-bike and I am hooked.
I ride for at-least an hour almost every day now.. An hour riding with assists is still healthier than not riding at all..
I'm losing weight, building my core, and I'm climbing mountains and seeing sights that I never would have dreamed of..
+ I'm also a courier and have even parked my car for a good portion of the day to take the smaller/closer orders by bike.
I'm even looking into bike trailers so I can haul more.. your next Instacart might just be delivered on an E-bike considering they think $4 is sufficient for someone to destroy their car with nowadays..
I have been considering an E bike for a while now. They seem to be getting better and better. I live on a 4 by 7 mile island with a max speed of 35 mph. Commutes for work would be under 4 miles round trip on the flat. Work outside so have my waterproofs on anyway. Other trips would involve lots of hills. The main thing that bothers me is the battery pack. Non standard fitment. Concerned about needing to replace a battery down the line and them saying " We don't make them anymore for that model" So rendering the bike not fit for purpose.
One of the most important benefits with having a bike is how easy it is to maintain and repair your own gear. Seeing how Bosch is opposing right of repair, the choice of motor system should also be a relevant factor.
That's exactly the type of information I'm looking for: which drivetrains have 3rd party replacement parts you can just drop in when the original ones wear out. I don't want to buy a bike that's useless in a few years.
My cheap Halfords ebike is absolutely fine with repairs.
@@falsemcnuggethope Hub motors and a DIY conversion might be a good way to go if you've got the technical abilities. Pretty much any of the mid-drives are going to have a lot of proprietary bits, but a DIY rig, you can pretty much swap in whatever parts you need when any of them fail.
Clearly, it's not an option for everybody, but I'd much rather have something generic so I can service it, even if it's not as pretty and integrated.
Reliability. One thing that I would like to point out (from experience) is that the reliability is awful on ebikes. They cost nearly as much as a motorcycle but break down after a few thousand km. A lot of broken ebikes on sale locally since the repair costs more than they are worth in most cases.
I suppose that depends on the type of bike. The ones I've tried can just be used like regular bicycles if there's issues with the battery or you're out of power so you don't end up stuck somewhere. A bicycle is a bicycle as long as the wheels move with peddle power, chain, intact and brakes are fine you're good to go.
I think part of the issue is that mid motor ebikes will tear apart rear derailleurs and chains - which have all been made thinner/lighter/weaker to fit in 9speed cassette etc
@@donaldpyper4627 Actually, no. The chains last over 1000km even with my 500W drive but the issue is that the motors are made to be light and as such they simply are not robust and brake down. Weak bearing, water ingress, etc. and Bosch will easily give you a 2000 euro bill to replace a motor on a 3000 euro bike.
@@krob9145 They can if the one way clutch does not fail, and they can. I am not talking about the city bikes that people commute with. I am talking about sport bikes that people actually use to get some performance out of, do a lot of miles, etc. For example an electric bike that you use to train will wear out much faster than a normal bottom bracket and easily cost 1000+ euro to fix. Bosch CX motors have been know to get error 500 under 5000km of driving and that pretty much requires the whole new motor. The display, if it brakes, costs few hundred euros - and they have had issues.
Wow I didn't knew mid drive motor had those problems.
One more reason to hate them.
Guys, go for hub motor, you'll have a lot of advantages.
Got 1000 W on mine, for 8 years, no maintenance yet.
Before I got an ebike, I was driving about 3,000 miles a year, commuting by acoustic bike 3-5 days a week.
After retiring I was still driving about the same distance as I assumed more of the household errands, and there was no safe route to the nearest long recreational trail. After one of the stores I frequent opened a store within a relatively safe route and there is a mostly connected grade-separated route to that trail, I drive only when I need greater distances or bulkier hauling capacity. I now drive less than 600 miles a year, and about 2,100 between my commuter and cargo e-bikes, with about 1,600 of those miles being utility riding.
Came to the conclusion the joints and muscles are ageing quicker than I wanted so bought an e-bike about two years ago. For the most part I love it, can zip around where I want and it feels solid when riding. Two things I'm not particularly fond of though are the weight - at 26 kgs it is considerably heavier than my road bike (around 8 kgs) and being longer plus heavier it is more cumbersome when moving it around manually.
E-bikes are the way forward although my main worry is crime, having had thieves break into my secure garage and make off with two high-value bikes. Even with the best security locks, I still don't feel confident commuting to work on a four-grand E-bike. Somehow they need to make these things really difficult for criminals to shift.
I agree, theft is the wet blanket on the ebike party.
Buuy a gps tracker, it's pretty cheap nowadays.
You can even derive battery power to charge is while you are riding, so you never have to charge the tracker.
I have my Supersix Evo Neo3 arriving in two weeks and looking forward to it. Main reason is to get out further afield which means tackling some long inclines on route.
@MRGRUMPY53 UK
I bought my first e bike second hand over 10 years ago. It was very good, I could do up to 60 km with it and got a lot of fresh air on my work commutes. Just a bit heavy. I recently bought my second one, as I could not find spare parts for my first one anymore. Also second hand, an electric mountain bike. I was amazed of how much things have improved. I can do the same distances, but with one battery only (my first one had two), and more importantly, I can ride it like a normal bike once the battery is empty. The first bike only had 8 gears, wheras my current bike has 21 gears, and is less heavy.
What does anyone need 8 or 21 gears for?
I’m 46 and haven’t ridden a bike since I was 10- you had one brake and that was pedaling backwards to slow down.
I’m considering an ebike for a new job that has terrible public transport, but I’m finding it all a bit daunting.
Serious question though- what is the need or purpose for so many gears and how do you slow down to not come off it as such speeds with a pedal assist/ throttle?
@@rachkate76 With my new bike which has 21 gears, I only turn on the battery in steep hills. If you cannot go down to very low gears, you will be quickly limited on certain slopes (a bit less, if you are in decent shape, but still). Also, when I start pedalling from standstill, I make sure to be on a low gear, or else I need a lot of strength in my legs. Unless you want to not also get some exercise in, it's good to have at least a certain number of gears to not have to turn on the battery all the time. As a 10 year old, you probably had smaller wheels which are easier to pedal even in the default gear (you would probably be quickly limited in maximum speed though, as you need to pedal really fast to go fast without being able to change gears). Only really flat landscapes allow for bikes with no gears.
Doing your research on a product before you purchase is so vital. If you want to have an easy breakdown as to why an e-bike is meant for you check out our video on our newest e-bike installment.
czcams.com/video/J1ARBD4lqa8/video.html
The ability to tune the output is good, I would de-tune my mate's bike because he's getting a bit cocky.
I love my trekking e-bike. But there’s one little thing I didn’t realize when I bought one: they are not allowed on a plane, that is: the battery. So no trip to Iceland or Greece for me on my own bike. Or not yet at least.
In a previous life I used to move equipment by air that was battery powered and you could ship them if they were separate and suitably packaged and documented. Check and see if the same applies to e-bike batteries!
@@BarryTaylor7591 in this case they ship them on a cargo aircraft - it's allowed to transport Lithium Ion batteries with bigger capacity on a cargo aircraft, but not in the cargo department of a passenger aircraft. On passenger aircraft 100 Wh (18 V 5 Ah tool batteries have 90 Wh and are still allowed) are the limit for each battery, but more than one with less than 100 Wh are allowed, and they should be transported in the cabin.
@@BarryTaylor7591 thank you. There are some exceptions for battery shipping, but 300 kW is the limit, as far as I can see. Most airlines don’t ship ebikes at all - even without a battery. And sometimes shipping (UPS dangerous goods for instance) is so expensive that it is almost more attractive to buy a new battery. A local rent-a-battery service could be a solution.
@@simonm1447 thanks for that. Perhaps there is enough demand to rent e-bike batteries so transportation is less of an issue.
@@horizontaal seems a bit short sighted in this era of all things ‘e’ but I also think there is a demand for battery rental. Hope to see a solution soon. Enjoy your riding.
Bought mine at the beginning of the pandemic when my job felt I was essential, but shouldn't be taking public transportation. The job ended about a month or so later and the e-bike was great fun for going on take-out food runs and grocery shopping. I did discover that I could cover the same distances on my gravel bike, the e-bike actually got me riding longer distances on my acoustic bike, as e-bikers call them. I started only having my partner use the e-bike so she could keep up with me on rides. I used it from time to time to ride to my soccer referee gigs and some of my games. I then joined an e-bike meetup group and went on a few rides which were great fun. My last ride the electronics failed, someone with dual motors and dual panniers carried my battery while I rode acoustically. Took the bike to a shop where they didn't make much progress for over a month(original shop had closed down), now it's been at a second shop that is promising it back in a week.
In almost 2 years I'm on my 2nd motor, luckily covered under warranty. I thought about selling the bike when it wasn't getting as much use. I may still sell it since the warranty will expire soon . I do miss it though, it was great fun. During pandemic, after e-bike, I have bought a mountain bike, have a new gravel bike on the way, have upgraded 2 vintage steel bikes, one I have on a trainer for indoor cycling and another for commuter rides. My e-bike is a cruiser bike I bought on sale with mid drive motor and no throttle. Class 1, didn't want to spend too much since I didn't know if I would like it. I'm glad I got it, it put a smile on my face and made me appreciate my other bikes more. Looking forward to getting it back on the road. Only upgrade I've gotten is a sportier saddle which has made it more comfortable for longer rides.
Yeah im 61 im on the fence about buying an ebike or just getting a nice regular 🚴 🚴 with gearing
Haven't had a bike in over 15years , decided to buy a Carrera vengeance E bike and I love it , actually look forward every morning to riding to work and back home , a must buy
I'm 64 years old and diagnosed with heart failure. I've been an avid cyclist (mountain and road) for many years so it came as a complete surprise. So, I purchased an ebike (Turbo Levo Comp) so I can continue cycling and not stress my heart too much. It has been my savior by allowing me to continue riding and staying in as good of shape as possible. I'm 100% ebike now and will never go back, even if my heart does miraculously recover!
Hi, thanks for this video.
I've been e-biking for around 10 years now, and I love the publicity it's getting.
A few remarks though:
Could you please ditch the ICE motorbike to film you while cycling? The noise is REALLY annoying, go electric! :).
0:52 "The harder you pedal, the more power it will give you". Not really. Some E-bikes have a torque meter and can do that (usually more expensive), but you can have engine power coupled to the speed you are pedaling at, or, just a manual throttle.
2:34 "I though e-bike would make people lazy". Yep, that's the most common remark I get when I talk about e-bikes to people who never used it. It's a real pain to explain, and they never beleive you.
6:20 "Security embeded in the bike, with a lock function". Well, this could even be better, if bikes had hub motor with no free wheel. You can have a mode that short your motor phases, acting as a pretty strong brake (you'lle need 200-300W to go around 10-15kph depending on the engine). That's part of why all those mid drive motors infuriates me. I'll talk about it later.
8:34 "e-bike specific parts maintenance": Yep, pretty much no maintenance. Plus, again, if you have a hub motor, you'll have even less maintenance than a regular bike, you'll have less stress on your transmission (because the engine is applying the force directly to the wheel, even better with a front wheel hub motor), with regen, you won't wear your brake pads also (like in an electric car). I've got a motor on a cargo bike for around 8 years, it's still ticking like day one and had 0 maintenance whatsoever, I've recently changed the 8 year old controller for a better one, but it was still working great.
9:26 "How fun it is to ride an e-bike" Oh boy, yes, it's huge fun. You should see the face of adults that I take for a ride on my cargo bike, they love it, and never thought they would :).
10:00 "About keeping yourself dry" Yep.. That's usually the second remark after the "getting people lazy" one. You are totally right.
Now about the engines. I really don't like mid drive motor for several reasons, and prefer no free wheel front hub motor.
Here are the main reasons:
- It's personnal, but I want to choose my bicycle, and then add a motor to it, so that it suits perfectly my needs. It's pretty rare that you can't adapt a mid drive motor to a "dry" bike.
- I like front hub motor, because then, you have an AWD bikes, and for the few times I go on muddy or sandy terrain with my city tires, it does helps a lot for traction!
- already talked about it, but with no free-wheel hub motor, you can engage the strong "electric brake" as an anti theft measure
- talked about it. Less stress on the transmission and the rear wheel (forces are more evenly distributed), less maintenance.
- with front hub, you can get a nexus or a rolhoff (for the gear train) even les maintenance!
- you can regen while breaking. On hilly terrain, you get around 30% back, 10% in the city. But more importantly, you don't wear your brake pads !
- theorically, they are more efficient than mid drive motor (less gear, and no transmission)
I wish hub motor were more mainstream, and when sold on a bike, would come with regen and parking brake. It's a shame
"We'll start with a false statement saying ebikes need to be pedaled to have power"
@@thankmelater1254 It's the law in EU and north america, at least. Otherwise they are considered as a moped.
Basic rules are:
- You need to be pedaling to get motor assistance
- Assistance is limited in speed (25km/h in EU, more in America), after that, the motor won't help you.
- Assistance is also limited in power 250W in EU, more in america.
What are you talking about?
I also like the hub motor but on the back since I use trails and where I live is very hilly. The hub motor gives a more natural pedalling since your feet must move exactly the same as if the bike was a normal one. I have often seen mid-drive cyclist go by moving their legs completely disincronized to their speed.
@xmtxx2 - So many interesting points. I've been thinking about an ebike for a year and a half. I'm moving home imminently and I think it'll happen soon after that. I'm in 🇮🇪and🇬🇧; and both homes in flat land. So much about what you've written are subjects I've not picked-up on other bike-reviews or manufacturer's sites. So, thanks for your contribution.
@@hittitecharioteer Wow, thank you for taking the time to make a response. Glad I could help.
The more we are, the better it is for everybody :).
Bought an ebike end of May. Haven’t cycled since I was a kid.
Did 308 km in June and 367km in so far in July. I’m hooked.
For me the biggest thing I’ve learned is just how much I enjoy cycling.
Thank you. I really enjoyed your review. Since I’m shopping for my first n don’t know which way to go (mediocre bikes or go for better ones), knowing it’s an investment, replacing your car or whatever, made me lean toward safer, more assured purchase of the best bike I can afford. Grateful
What I want to know is: if I pair a HR monitor to my ebike, can I ride in HR Zone 2 and the motor will provide variable assistance to keep my speed close to 25 kph (or whatever desired speed)? That would be amazing. Imagine a commute with no sweat or fatigue and a definite duration regardless of the weather conditions!
I’m not sure if the specifics as I don’t have a separate HR monitor, but I understand that it’s possible of Specialized Turbo SL bikes (possibly all Specialized bikes that use Mission Control). Have a look at some of the videos for Specialized Mission Control.
Basic ebikes usually put out a set wattage at the different levels. So just pull your hr up on a head unit and when going uphill (and hr starts to climb) adjust the power level so the bike does more work. Not automatic but very simple.
I find bike commuting time is very consistent ebike or not, it’s much more affected by traffic lights than effort.
There are a few (and sadly, from what I've seen, on the more expensive side) that do so based on HR where the goal is to keep you at a set effort for your body, and the bike . Greyp has an offering that does so, for example. Whether it has a mode for speed, though, I'm not sure.
I find that you kind of work it out, as you get to know the bike better. Weather and luggage can be a factor too.
Can't you find a more bike-friendly route where you don't get stuck in traffic lights? Lame if you don't.
2 things I wish I'd known: 1) how quickly battery packs wear out and need to be replaced and 2) how much replacement battery packs cost. GCN barely mentioned #1, and ignored #2 entirely. Shame, that.
yes, a manufacturer that adds a function to add a generic battery to supplement or replace the dedicated built in one will do well
I'll tell you this, it's cheaper than paying for gas annually. Battery pack's lifespan depends on many factors but if we're going on the battery alone, e-bikes with 18650 battery cells last about 2 - 3 years before you need to replace it. Ones with 21700 batteries last about 3 - 5 years. I have a 52v 20ah battery I bought in 2019 for about $340 that I'm still using today. It's about time I get a new one though because I've started to notice a faster decrease in voltage while riding. The battery is still going strong though. I can ride at full throttle (which is about 28-35mph depending on conditions) for 15 miles (round commute) and have around 60% battery left. I would have more battery left if I didn't ride at full throttle. I plan on upgrading to a 72v 20ah which is around $670 or maybe a 72v 30ah which is about $800. It'll give me more range and will last me for about 3 - 5 years since I'm going for a pack with 21700 cells.
I'm also wondering about this. I'm not buying any gasoline at the moment so the comparison is to a regular bike. I don't want to buy a bike that's useless in only a few years.
Oh wow, I just came across this video on outdoor cycling and I'm already impressed! The content is so informative and engaging. As an ebike user, I am always on the lookout for new and innovative products, and that's why I am thrilled to have stumbled upon the new crowdfunding project by freebeat called the freebeat Morph 2-in-1 e-Bike. This e-bike seems to have some outstanding features, such as the ability to be charged in indoor mode. That's revolutionary! I can't wait to learn more about its 750W motor, top speed of 20mph, and the Smart Saddle Detection+ feature for achieving fitness goals effortlessly. Kudos to freebeat for pushing the boundaries of cycling!
Hey there! I also came across this video and I have to say, I'm impressed too! As an ebike user, I'm always on the lookout for innovative products, and the freebeat Morph 2-in-1 e-Bike seems to have some outstanding features. The ability to charge in indoor mode is truly revolutionary! I can't wait to learn more about its 750W motor, top speed of 20mph, and the Smart Saddle Detection+ feature for achieving fitness goals effortlessly. Kudos to freebeat for pushing the boundaries of cycling! Keep up the great work!
When my car died, I bought an e-bike for commuting. I live in the Laurentians mountains and it is amazing. Even after a long day of work, I walk about 10km à day, i can easily ride the 16km back home, even with the last 2.3k, 12% hill before getting home. Just love it, and so does my butt.
A big benefit of e-bikes is safety.. being able to rapidly accelerate is great for getting out of danger moments.
You mean getting into dangerous moments
However, I have a Kalkhoff urban bike (the Berleen model) with a rear hub drive which doesn’t immediately kick in. This means that when the traffic lights turn to green, I wobble quite a bit until the drive kicks in… and in a very busy urban environment with densely-packed traffic, for a few moments I’m not convinced how safe I am….
One of the things i wish i thought about differently is tire thickness, as you maybe don't wanna pedal some really thick tires yourself, you really want them on an e-bike for improved comfort.
38c is sort of mandatory due to the weight of the bike. pinch flats can happen, the rims are built wider and stronger so 28-30c is just dangerous 32-34 is still not cutting it, 36c is covering the rim from typical side hits. oh and slime or sealant is a must because ebike like to get flats about twice as much on average.
@@chrisprice5806 Yeah im riding on 42s and i feel like i would have loved having something 50+
I have 55mm (2.2") gravel tires on mine. Good rolling yet comfortable.
A bunch of the e-bikes that I've seen around Boston are fat tire models. Not only is it more comfortable, the extra traction will keep you going even if there's snow on the ground.
I am riding on time tested 28mm Continental Gatorskins with a known puncture proofing. Weight, dependability, and having battery inside the downtube and difficult to remove, with a belt drive were my main priorities when I purchased my eBike. I ride a road bike comfortably and my 32 pound (14.51 KG) eBike fits nicely to my commuting route.
I just finnish my AWD Hub motor Ebike MTB. I used it for daily riding going to my work. I do 70km range everyday.
My biggest fact that i have learned after 3.5 years as an e- biker i that it eats though the drive train! Have to replace it quite often. You might say that is also the fact with an ordinary bike, but with an ebike you tend to use one or two gears like 90% of the time - i.e. the gears that fits 60-70 rpm cadence when doing 25 kph. And if you are using the higher power modes as a standard as i see many do it will wear out even faster. For that reason it is advisable to use eco mode as much as possible.
That being said i still love my ebike as i can bike to work all through winter, and with the trailer i bought i can haul around all kinds of things without needing the car!
I helped my mate fit a Bafang mid-drive motor on his old Raleigh mtb and it's quite impressive. It'll do over 40mph on the flat with pedalling, or 30mph just on the throttle. If you avoid using full throttle it'll also do 40 miles on a full charge. It weighs a ton (24kg) but you don't notice it due to the power. Just don't run out of battery and have to ride up a 15% gradient non assisted like I did.
I bet your mate's last words were:
Hold my beer...
@@Wildschwein_Jaeger Haha pretty much! You don't realise how fast you're moving until you go round a corner on it
I built one with Bafang BBSHD on a roadbike and it will do over 40mph. Thing is, not everybody notices the motor and it is dead quiet. Lots of fun to ride with fast cyclists. When you pull up next them at 30 mph, they are pretty shocked.
The Bafang setup is pretty sweet.
My friend has a motor on an old mountain bike. He says, you have to be careful which gear you're in when you set off or you pull unexpected wheelies
@@lukewalker1051 Yeah it's a great setup, and amazingly powerful for the money. On my mate's mtb you can barely notixe the motor but you do notice the big battery where the bottle cage would sit
While i applaud your choice of a mid drive Bosch, at least here in the states, is too expensive. Bafanfg and others rule here. That said, building yourself and generic batteries provide many more options than a bike with built in motor (limits upgrades) and propreitary batteries that are way overpriced
Bosch is even in Germany one of the more expensive Motors.
We say...buy cheap and you buy twice...not always the case, but very often true.
And if you do not want to risk burning your house, I would avoid cheap Batteries.
Interesting video, but very different viewpoint to mine. I’ve made a few ebikes over the past 15 years or so and love them. As others have recounted, I rode more: if too tired or late to ride unassisted to work- I’d take the ebike, never the car. And because I rode faster on the ebike my 15 km commute was about the same time as driving, parking and walking to work. But mine have been very cheap and simple. I was an early adopter and built my first one instead of buying an exercise bike for knee rehabilitation after injury but found I loved the feeling of always riding downhill! In those days bike shops refused to work on the ebike!
Using a comfortable bike, I fit a hub motor and generic lithium battery. I Use a thumb toggle to adjust the power on/off as hills or fatigue require. In my State, a 200W motor needs no speed limiter or pedalec to be legal, but 250W (the max legal power) needs to be limited. 200 W makes it feel like you are riding down a gentle hill all the time. I doubt that people that deride hub motors have used them. They don’t put strain on the cogs or chain and I’ve never broken an ebike spoke.
You make it way more complex than needed. Why integrate a phone, assist modes or power meter? Just ride it and you’ll get the feel for how it goes and if the battery fades you’ll know to ease up on the assist the next day. The geared hub motor adds little drag when off, and the little geared hub and 15AH battery are fairly light. How long do you think the removable controller will last, and how long will you be able to replace lost or broken ones? Is the bike then trash when this one security component is unavailable?
Just like a carbureted motorbike doesn’t need any electronics, fuel metering or gadgets to prevent you using brakes and throttle simultaneously, why fit them to a simple bike? I took the most expensive bit (the battery) into work and recharged it every day and no one ever stole the bike without it. I went through several batteries and a controller or two over more than a decade but the original hub motor still runs, and if you purchase wisely the gears in a geared hub motor are replaceable too. Great fun, great exercise, ecologically responsible transport, reliable and cheap. Mine cost about $1k Aus each to convert plus the old donor bike. I too would love a mid drive mountain bike for technical MTB (ouch$$$) but that’s way different to commuting on pavement or gravel. I’d never park my expensive (non assisted) MTB in town and don’t see any reason for commuter bikes to be expensive targets for theft either. If I had used a proprietary ebike with specific fitted battery the cost of replacements would have been painful and I doubt the fancy batteries would be available long term or the software supported after 10 years so the bike may be unusable if not stolen. My bikes are still going with routine maintenance. There’s lots of good argument for cheap and cheerful cycling. One of these new fancy bikes would be no quicker, no more comfortable or reliable or safer or make me any fitter or happier.
Put a generic hub drive in your old clunker and smile to work and smile all the way to the bank!
Most of the issues with Hub motors come in once you get into 1000+watts. The strain is usually on the dropout. It's *mid-drives* (like this Bosch motor, or my TSDZ2) that are known for eating cogs and chains. Though that also generally applies more to higher power mid-drives as well.
A lot of folks have computers and power meters on their *non* motorized bikes. And this channel generally caters to athletes, where bio-monitoring apps and the like have a lot of appeal. Hence the mentioning of those sorts of features just coming with many Ebikes as these folks would normally buy that kit to monitor their workout anyway. That and some folks like their bikes to be streamlined. Which looking at my Schwinn and the utter rat's nest of rerouted cables and wiring, I can understand liking something clean with it's battery out of the way and not stuffed into a frame bag. Even my $400 motor came with a more basic version of those bells and whistles though.
The motor-cutoff-when-braking functionality is mostly to stop you from heating up the motor working against the brakes by accident, and in the case of gearless Hubs, regenerative braking. certainly not essential, but all but the cheapest kits come with that feature and some brake levers to use it anyway.
And, uh... Ebikes aren't cheap by any real definition of that word here in the States. We have this amazing Chinese invention over here called a "Bicycle Engine". 2 or 4 stroke, and made to fit inside a beach cruiser. You can get them for $80. Faster than my limiter-disabled Mid-drive, too. I only spent the extra because storing a gas-bike indoors is impractical and I have no garage. XD Also being quiet means I can get away with doing stupid crap.
I used to cycle alot, off road, road, downhill. I got badly injured once and my back and left knee never fully recovered( not on a bike I myst add) . I can no longer downhill or heavy off road and for a long time, couldn't even cycle. I got an ebike now and it has helped me get alot of fitness back , better than a normal bike as it eased it in gradually
Last time I was in my local bike shop they had an e-bike rider in who was getting a puncture repair. He was pretty stinky about it but his e-bike had software that required rebooting after the wheel was replaced in position.
A few weeks back, my nephew had a rear tyre puncture, so needed the rear wheel to be removed. He called me and I happened to be driving not far. I had the tools in the car to remove the wheel and replace the inner tube. Some bike shops cannot deal with e-bikes, but I can.
E-bikes are perfect for commuters dealing with traffic light blasts and for older people who might be put off completely from cycling. There's no way my wife could ride with me without an e-bike
That last bit sounds like an argument against e-bikes.
I love riding my e-bike. As soon as I had a few hundred miles I knew the range was going to be the most frustrating element. I wanted to get longer rides than would be supported with the battery assist, and riding without assist with increased weight was a big challenge. I've learned some areas I can ride unassisted to save some juice, for example, I got a 70 mile ride where about 30 miles were unassisted on mostly level greenways. I've also really loved having an assist while towing a trailer with kids and a trail-a-bike; I've been providing my oldest with a ride to and from school. She doesn't need to worry as much about pedaling and balancing, but she certainly is learning the joy of cycling. I joined work colleagues around the world for a mileage challenge, adding over 2,500 miles to my odometer during the 26-week challenge. I've just dropped off my bike today for a mechanical check and for installing new tubes and tires.
You should do that yourself, incase you breakdown without assistance.
@@ianmangham4570 Haha; Good advice! I have had two punctures I had to repair myself recently. I had new tires and the scheduled maintenance, so I just opted to pay for the whole bit and save time.
70 mile ride!!!!! Wow!!!!! You might be an edge case. Most people don’t do 70 miles at once. Maybe take a spare battery with you, or charge up at your destination. It takes me about 1.5 hours to ebike 15 miles, so you must be riding for about 6 hours!!! Hard to believe.
@@jjayguy23 Yeah, my 70-mile day was 8 hours of riding with some rest and water refills along the route. It was primarily greenways. I had done two 60-mile days over the months prior, but mostly I was riding 25-30 miles for my longer rides and 8-12 for shorter rides. While I've been doing the school drop-off/pick-up it's about 6 miles twice, so around 12 for a day.
I've thought about having a spare battery or knocking off a bit of time recharging, like at a cafe or library. I'm thinking about how and whether I could do some bikepacking with overnights. My first idea has been to invite my spouse to meet me for a B&B; I'd bike and she can bring the car. I'd head back the next day. But, we haven't made arrangements yet. She didn't seem convinced.
@@greenwaybikexploring The Specialized Turbo Vado has a 90 mile range standard! Why not try that? The Specialized Turbo Vado SL w/ 2nd battery installed, has a 120 mile range! It's doable!
For a commuter/daily ride and or for shuttling in non-lift service area's E-bikes are the clear winners in my book. I think they have a lot of potential and are getting a lot more people into cycling, which is good. Might try and get my wife on one as she's not much of a cyclist, but the e-bike would help encourage her to do more.
Will I grab an e-bike to go ride my local trails, nah, I'm find with my normal bikes, but I do think e-bikes have a purpose, and that they're overall a good thing and heck, for my next commuter rig, I'm about 99% sure I'll go e-bike next time around, and it took me a bit for my luddite Single speed rigid bike loving ass to come to that conclusion.
PS: still not selling my rigid one speed pogo sticks tho hahah
I wish I knew how hard is to turn this Bosh engine when your battery is discharged, how unpredictable the range is,how fast battery discharging when going uphill (30km of range on 4 km ride),how much you need to protect it from water. Bad news for those who chose bike with the battery inside the frame, after few years new models coming and new batteries don't fit your bike.
Hub motor with battery on the rack will be my choice next time.
Bosch...
If it is like their alternators, quite the effort it will take.
anything before gen 4 is hard to ride with no assistance, new gen 4 motors though bosch has fixed that problem. I can ride mine with no problem when the motor is off. protect it from water? Ive ridden 2 winters on the oregon coast every day, as this is my car, and even with the gen 3 motor I had zero problems. we get massive storms here. I just serviced a 3 year old bosch motor, and bosch still had all the parts I needed. It seems you might have got unlucky, or got one of the very first bosch motors.
I usually try to ride without assistance for the first half to 3/4 of my ride. When I need it, I turn it on. I do not notice any significant (any) resistance when it is off. I do have a recent model.
@@nextsteps9482
I had a first model and without power I could still ride but it was harder compared to my friend bike with hub motor.
You can feel how much resistance it gives when you remove the chain and try to spin the crankset.
@@xmateinc
I had first gen. That's explains why. I also needed a waterproof cover for my battery due to moisture condensation on connection points not the rain itself. I used my bike every day as cycling courier and made 20k km in first year.
Yeah I never understood why people thought you'd get less exercise out of an ebike. If you normally pedal 15mph average, then on an ebike, set it to the lowest pedal assist level and pedal to 30mph average. There you go, a good workout and you get to where you want to go twice as fast!
If you get to where you want to go twice as fast, doesn't it mean you had half the exercise?
@@sunnyc8900 It depends because you could have also been pedaling a lot faster and harder. To clarify, I meant you'd have to travel a longer distance to get the same level of exercise. But what's nice is that I have been more willing to use my bike to get around, whereas I'd take the car instead of my regular bike because it takes me too long to get to places or I'm just too lazy, but having the ebike makes me use my bike a lot more.
@Dragan L EBike is better. No license, no tags, ride on sidewalks, in streets, and zoom around traffic. Plus it’s heathy and good for environment.
@@sunnyc8900 I end up going twice as far :)
Mine has a throttle. Between pedaling and 'push thumb to go zoom' which would you imagine I use more? :P
I almost slapped a gas engine on it instead, since cheaper and far faster, even if technically illegal. Wouldn't have had the issues with range or charge times either.
4 year old sub 2k eMTB...Original Brake pad's,Chain and tire's...still goes and stop's fine even in very wet condition's.
Only one tube so far and a cadance sensor back in 2019 under warranty (free of charge).
I am in my mid 50's and not very fit but I love to get out as often as possible on my bike even just for an hour or so.
respect man. mine was just over 2k and has the parts replaced that you didnt replace. my motor however is completely maintenance free so far
I'm 72 and have been riding my racing bike all my life, then when there were MTBs, also MTB and since three years Gravelbike. I live in a mountainous area of Germany. 10, 20 years ago as a cyclist you were an outsider. But in recent years there have been more and more e-bike riders. I like that. However, you can only get really fit by riding a bike without a motor. But for the disabled, the elderly or people who commute to work, ebikes are a great thing. I myself will stick with my bikes without a motor as long as I can still get up the mountains.
Consider fitting a kit to your bicycle for a cheaper alternative. My set up cost about 400 Queen Quids and although it's pretty basic it's a must for the hilly terrain in the Cymru.
I was considering that. Can you tell me more how it worked out
@@russellmiles7247 kit was easy to fit. Required an extra washer as the sprocket was a little to close to the chain stays. In the kit was a bag to hold the electronic controller which was a very tight fit so I made a box to fit it in neatly. The battery fitted directly in to the juice rack bolts.
It's pretty heavy as the back wheel ways about nine kg and the battery about three .The range is around 30 miles and it pretty effortless but on steeper gradients peddling helps to maintain a reasonable speed. As it is a direct drive motor it's pretty hard to peddle if you run out of battery plus the extra weight .I have ridden some really expensive E bikes and they are much nicer but for a tenth of the price I am well happy and have done over a thousand miles trouble free apart from many punctures!
Love the ollie inspired science bit! Nice parody skills si!
Really inspiring vid! Quite short. But that bike is a thing of beauty.
I haven't contemplated ebikes seriously: pretty committed manual cyclist. But I live in a pretty hilly part of South London (nothing like Bristol, clearly, but we definitely have hills). So that latter point you made about carrying serious loads... The slight fly in the ointment is that I routinely take my cycles on the suburban trains into central London. Where I live that's a 30 min. train journey, quite a slog to cycle on a manual bike. I assumed I'd never be allowed to take an ebike on London suburban trains... but I just looked it up and it appears that's in fact not true! Food for thought.
great vid! been vaguely thinking that this would be my shopping cart in retirement, now i'm keen to start visiting bike shops.