Should I get an e-bike? (specialized, speed, top, better)
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I started commuting 12 miles one way to work about 3 years ago. One way my commute was 45 mins the other direction it was 75 mins depending on weather/incline. What I would ask you is are you riding on mostly flat ground or climbing multiple hills? What is the grade %? If you climb hills a lot then get a mid drive? If mostly flat get a hub drive.
I started commuting 12 miles one way to work about 3 years ago. One way my commute was 45 mins the other direction it was 75 mins depending on weather/incline. What I would ask you is are you riding on mostly flat ground or climbing multiple hills? What is the grade %? If you climb hills a lot then get a mid drive? If mostly flat get a hub drive.
I think this is too simplistic. Either hub or mid drive can work in either setting. Yes, mid drives tend to be more efficient, but there are many other factors that go into a good ebike system. And, for shorter ranges, efficiency is less critical too.
I started commuting 12 miles one way to work about 3 years ago. One way my commute was 45 mins the other direction it was 75 mins depending on weather/incline. What I would ask you is are you riding on mostly flat ground or climbing multiple hills? What is the grade %? If you climb hills a lot then get a mid drive? If mostly flat get a hub drive.
I did a ton of research before buying my ebike. As I'm a senior and live in a very hilly area I agree with this assessment. It's pretty much common knowledge in the ebike community that a mid-drive is much more efficient at climbing hills than a hub drive.
What I would ask you is are you riding on mostly flat ground or climbing multiple hills? What is the grade %? If you climb hills a lot then get a mid drive? If mostly flat get a hub drive.
It's rolling hills throughout the ride - nothing too crazy, mostly 3-5% (maybe max is 7%). I can definitely do it on a regular bike (and have done it multiple times in the past) but the distance is just far enough and there's just enough elevation for it to be annoying on a daily commuter ride
Definitely looking at a mid-drive motor because I like that it feels more like riding a bike - definitely want to still be able to pedal but just with some assistance (don't need something with a throttle lol)
It's rolling hills throughout the ride - nothing too crazy, mostly 3-5% (maybe max is 7%). I can definitely do it on a regular bike (and have done it multiple times in the past) but the distance is just far enough and there's just enough elevation for it to be annoying on a daily commuter ride
Definitely looking at a mid-drive motor because I like that it feels more like riding a bike - definitely want to still be able to pedal but just with some assistance (don't need something with a throttle lol)
We live in a hilly area too, and our house is located in a high area - any ride we do from the house will have a several hundred foot climb on the way home.
Our normal riding style is to have power off until we start up a hill. We'll downshift on the way up. When it gets tough in the lowest gear, we'll turn on the power, stepping up the assist level as needed for the hill. This approach means that for most of a typical ride, the power is mostly off until the last mile, where we do our climb home. In a typical 12-15 mile ride, we'll use 10-18% of the battery.
I say YES! Fiance' & I got e-bikes for the very 1st time in mid-March & we've been LOVING them! And this is coming from 2 people who haven't ridden (regular) bikes in 20-30 yrs. We don't need bikes for commuting anywhere so it's purely for fun for us & we never bike on the streets where cars are...just in parks or bike trails. I think once you get an e-bike, you won't want to go back to having a regular bike.
Do your research, there are tons of brand out there. If we could redo it, we'd get more powerful motor bikes w/ batteries that last longer. But it's OK, we love the e-bikes we have & will gladly get another pair when these finally go out.
I think we want to stick w/ foldable ones that are as lightweight as we can get them because we're limited on space & I don't want to install a bike rack on my car.
The Lectric latest 2.0 model is pretty great for a great price.
Sonders is nice, but kind of heavy in weight.
Fiido - most lightweight AND reasonably priced that I know of
I could comment on more, but it will be a lot longer here!
GF has a foldable PED-I-GO. Front wheel drive. Straight in level, I can get 25-27mph out of it. (I'm 100 lbs less than the Michigander above.) Seems lots of fun.
Last electric bike I rode, went >100mph, and does wheelies if you want. 0-60 in 2.5 sec. (That was fun too!) Gotta be careful with it though. It can "shoot you out into an intersection FAST."
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alloo66
I started commuting 12 miles one way to work about 3 years ago. One way my commute was 45 mins the other direction it was 75 mins depending on weather/incline. What I would ask you is are you riding on mostly flat ground or climbing multiple hills? What is the grade %? If you climb hills a lot then get a mid drive? If mostly flat get a hub drive.
Oh I can definitely do the ride to work unassisted. I show up a sweaty mess though which is not ideal for a professional setting and there are not any showers at work so I have to bring a change of clothes and baby wipes. I’m curious if an ebike might mitigate some of those factors.
Pierretong: Local Raleigh person here. Just wondering if you ever made a decision.
couple talking points:
1. Whatever you get/got, consider pre-planning by putting your clean outfit at work, along with all you need. Wipes (I've heard "ManWipes" are great for this use-case), deoderant, and maybe even a wash-cloth for a quick 'sponge bath' in the mens room.
2. I have a buddy who's an avid cyclist (4000+ miles per year) who mostly rides a regular bike, but got an E-bike for exactly the same reasons you are contemplating. I think he's mostly happy with it. (We relentlessly make fun of him for having an e-bike, but it's all in good fun. It's what friends do. )
3. I used to commute before the pandemic too. since, we change locations and no longer have a shower. For your info (since you're local) I live in Cary/Apex near the Costco. I used to commute to RTP, near the post-office on Alexander. New office is up the road at Alexander and Miami Blvd. I have not tried that ride yet, but would have to take an indirect route. (Not about to ride on 54/Miami during rush hour!!!!)
Hope you found what you're looking for. Feel free to DM me if you want to discuss. I'm no expert (never owned an e-bike) but I am passionate, and have cycled A LOT in the area.
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