E-Bike Owners. What e-bikes do you have experience with?

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

Hello e-bike owners.

I thought that we may share some knowledge and experience with e-bikes here.

A few months ago, I bought a Lectric XP Lite 2 (single speed, belt drive e-bike). Due to the cold and snowy weather I have only been able to ride it about forty miles. I have a very bad right knee, and I have found that the 300 watt, 28 nM torque this model has is barely adequate when going up some of the hills in my area because my bad knee prevents me from contributing power that a person with healthy knees would be able to supply.

I like the design, the ability to fold the bike so that it would fit in just about any car is nice, and the lack of a chain, and derailleur systems is also very good. The batteries, and charger are UL Listed. The company has a reputation for excellent customer service.

Here is the one I bought:

XP Lite 2.0 JW Black Long-Range eBike | Lightweight eBike | Lectric eBikes

Commute with the XP Lite 2.0 JW Black Long-Range eBike, featuring a Gates Carbon Belt Drive for a quieter ride. Enjoy extended range, hydraulic brakes, and a sleek design.

lectricebikes.com

Considering the limitations my bad knee imposes, I have now ordered a Lectric ONE which has a 750 watt, 85 nM torque drivetrain including a six speed electronic transmission coupled to a belt drive wheel motor.

Lectric ONE:

Lectric ONE Long-Range Commuter Electric Bike | Lectric eBikes

Shop the Lectric ONE long-range eBike, made for riders who want the durability of a commuter ebike with world-class technology and the ability to go the distance!

lectricebikes.com

I also bought A LOT of cargo hauling accessories from Lectrric, including a trailer they market as a pet carrier. My goal is to use this setup to do my around town grocery shopping and such other things I use a car for now.

As the weather improves, I will put some miles on them and I will post about my experience with these two e-bikes here.

I have ordered some electrical accessories from a third party supplier that will allow me to connect one of the two batteries from the XP Lite to the Lectric ONE for expanded range.

I also bought a Lumos helmet, and light system that is pretty fancy and high tech.

https://ridelumos.com/products/lumos-nyxel?variant=46945577304323

I invite other e-bike owners to post about their experiences with other brands.

 

[Hot Rats]

I bought the Giant Talon E+ on Jan 3rd. It's got a 75Nm motor and a 430 battery. If I keep it in tour mode, I can get 30-35 miles. Eco gets me about 50 but I've only ever gone 32 miles so far. I have just under 900 miles on it now. I love it as I am able to keep my heartrate up for a longer duration and not hurt the knees. I'm going places I never would have been able to go on my touring bike. I used to ride 8 to 10 miles and about an hour. Now I ride 20 miles+ and over 2 hours which is the reason I bought it. More time moving my body and the results are starting to show. I waited a lot of years to buy an E-bike because of misconceptions and an unjust bias, but I am so glad I finally did get one. A bigger battery would be nice, but 20+mile rides are ok for now. In a few years, after technology improves some more, I'll upgrade. Happy riding on your new bike!

 

[Stylee Mousse]

I wrecked my knees as a teen climbing hills in stiff gears in Pittsburgh in a first gen mountain bike.

I spent years later rehabbing and got an e-bike to commute to work about 12 years ago.

It works great for me, faster than driving, get a reset from work, get good exercise (I pedal a lot, ride sporty but polite).

My bike is on its 3rd battery and first full repower (OEM system relied on parts I could no longer source).

One anecdote I agree with is that with a e-bike you are less likely to skip riding if you aren't feeling energy, yiu just use more juice

 

[Danny O Danny]

My wife and I both ride recumbent e-trikes (hope that's allowed). We've had our HP Velotechnik Gekko trikes for about 8 years (w/ Bafang e-drive motors). She has a bad back and I have bad knees, which is why we chose trikes over bikes. We ride them several times a week.

 

[Thumper]

We really like our Lectrics, upgraded the batteries. Plenty of power and speed!

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

I like the trike design seating that looks comfortable like a mesh lawn chair. I have had carpal tunnel problems since the 1970s and the handle bar ergonomics may be better for that. One aspect of this design I don't like is that they are a large machine that you can't easily transport. One reason I bought the Lectric XP Lite that I started with only months ago was that you could fold it up and it fits in the back seat or trunk of even a small car. The problem with that is that it is light duty, and is not up to the task of hauling my fat hind end up a big hill while my knee hurts so much that I can't pedal.

The Lectric ONE that that I just ordered should be here on Tuesday does not fold.

When I bought the XP Lite Long Range a few months ago, I also bought a spare long range battery from Lectric that was not inexpensive, but it is UL listed, and I hope the extra cost for UL listing means it is less likely to burn my house down in a catastrophic charge cycle fire some day.

I have ordered some hardware, connectors and extension cables and a battery combiner that will allow me to use one of the batteries from the XP Lite which is the same capacity but is a different form factor in a dual battery configuration to get more range out of the stock Lectric ONE single battery setup. I can strap it to the rear rack or put it in the saddle bags I bought for the XP Lite.

I also ordered the "Large Food Delivery Package" for the Lectric ONE to bring frozen pizzas and other groceries home in.

 

[4Mal]

Other end of the spectrum... BMC AlpenChallenge AMP. I think it's a 2018. Full carbon gravel bike. Shimano drive train. Great bike for competitive gravel rides. Not races as 'e' ain't legal but for keeping up with the hotshots way cool.

Orbea Rise full carbon, full suspension e-mtb. 10 lbs heavier than my of Devinci Django. It handles almost exactly the same. The geometry of theose two is very close. Fantastic! Mud tires adds another 5 lbs. One way they keep the spec'd weight down is puttng on faux mountain bike tires... euphamistcally known as dry weather tires... happilynthey wore out quickly...

 

[matthewbrown]

I bought a Blix Aveny, which has a Dutch-style aluminum frame, a throttle, and huge baskets. The front basket does NOT turn with the wheel, which was a little confusing at first; it's secured directly to the frame. It carries quite a bit, and it's very secure in bad weather. For about two years I commuted by bike to school, and when it was raining or nasty, out came the Blix. Now that I am retired from teaching school, I use it occasionally for errands or fun, but I mostly ride my "acoustic" bike, a Specialized Allez racing bike that's been converted to an upright roadster.

 

[ahbradot]

In 2023 I bought the Aventon Aventure.2 Step-Through Ebike is a popular fat-tire model with an original new price of around $1,999.

Key Features

The Aventure.2 is known for its versatility and robust build, making it suitable for various terrains.

• Motor & Sensor: Features a 750W rear hub motor and an upgraded torque sensor for a more responsive pedal assist experience compared to the previous model.
• Performance: Offers a top speed of 28 mph with pedal assist (Class 3) and a throttle-only speed of 20 mph (Class 2). It has an estimated range of up to 60 miles with pedal assist.
• Components: Includes an 8-speed Shimano drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, integrated front light, and rear brake lights with turn signals.
• Design: Comes with 26x4 inch fat tires, metal fenders, a rear rack, and a step-through frame design that is easy to mount and dismount.
• Battery: The 48V, 15Ah (720Wh) integrated battery is a key component, with healthy charge cycles.

 

[spatters]

If you're interested in ebikes, make sure you're buying an actual ebike instead of something the police can potentially impound.
Make sure you buy something where the battery and charger are certified by UL, ETL, TUV, or another internationally recognized testing lab. You don't want to burn down your house. You've seen smartphone and power bank fires: now imagine one 10x the size.
Also, "fat tire" ebikes are dumb, and the kind that have an extra-low seat and look like little motorcycles are even dumber. That extra weight and drag will kill your range, and your legs if you ever have to pedal it home with no assist. Get an ebike with a normal seat and normal bike tires.

The Legal Issues...

First, there are a lot of things being sold as "ebikes" that are legally mopeds or motorcycles in the USA, with registration and insurance requirements. (Unlike ebikes, which are legally bicycles.) The legal limits in almost every US state are:

• Class 1: Pedal assist only, 20 MPH max assist (you can pedal faster but the motor cuts out at 20)
• Class 2: Pedal and throttle assist, 20 MPH max assist
• Class 3: Pedal assist only, 28 MPH max assist
• All classes: 750W maximum peak power

It is common, though not universal, that only Class 1 (no throttle, 20 MPH) is legal on mountain bike trails, and that Class 3 (28 MPH) is only legal on roads, and not sidewalks or bike paths.

Yes, if your "ebike" has a motor >750 watts, goes faster than 28 MPH, has no pedals, OR has a throttle that lets it go faster than 20 MPH, it is legally a moped or motorcycle.

For many years, this was not enforced and people could ride just about anything. But Chinese manufacturers started flooding the market with cheap "ebikes" that used 1000W+ motors intended for cargo bikes in SE Asia and could do 35+ MPH. Unscrupulous retailers started selling Chinese electric motorcycles with 5KW+ motors to kids and calling them "ebikes". Kids started getting hurt and killed, hikers and actual bicyclists got tired of being buzzed at 35+ MPH by packs of teenagers on "ebikes", and cities didn't like missing out on the revenue from vehicle registrations.

So, particularly on the coasts, there are more and more cities cracking down, to the point of impounding and crushing them. (In NYC, the speed limit for ebikes is now 15 MPH everywhere. Yes, this is dumb and unenforceable.)

Summary: stick to manufacturers who tell you, on their webpage, which class of ebike they are selling you, and whose products are UL/ETL/TUV certified.

(Note that some Chinese brands have begun claiming UL certifications they don't have. You can easily look that up here Product iQ | UL Solutions You can also assume that anything from Aliexpress, and anything on Amazon sold under multiple brand names, is falsely claiming UL.)

 

[pbass74]

I bought my wife a nice cruiser style ebike from Six-Three-Zero. She loved it and rode it even when she was very ill and enduring chemotherapy. The geometry of this bike makes it comfortable to ride.

Then, for myself, in order to keep up with her, I bought a good quality kit and converted my old Raleigh mountain bike to electric wth a 750 watt motor--it's set up as a class 2 bike. I have a lot of steep hills in my area and can ride up a 12% grade.

 

[climber]

I have a Yamaha Mono 5 that I bought for $2k last spring when Yamaha was closing out their eBike sales. it's around 52 pounds, which I admit is heavy. however it handles almost as good as my StumpJumper that I ride downhill on in the summer. it's a 27.5+ and for winter I put studded tires on it. I use it to regularly ride over to the nearby cliff and ice climb in the winter, as well as just ride regular groomed MTB and snowmobile trails.

 

[climber]

Also, "fat tire" ebikes are dumb...

WHAT??? I have a fat tire ebike that I ride all the time...,

 

[ahbradot]

Also, "fat tire" ebikes are dumb, That extra weight and drag will kill your range, and your legs if you ever have to pedal it home with no assist. Get an ebike with a normal seat and normal bike tires.

"Fat tire" and heavy is exactly why I bought my E-bike.
I want the exercise only and nothing else.
Windy day even better as my leg muscles burn.
I use the e-power very rarely, only when crossing a street or to avoid a pedestrian.
I come home after a ride with 100% power still displayed.
It's the best exercise.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

After finding that my bad knee will not be good enough to pedal my new Lectric XP Lite single speed belt drive up steep hills I ordered a Lectric ONE.

When I am expecting a delivery I place a very large sign at the end of my driveway with my name and address displayed in large block lettering to help delivery people know which house to deliver my package to. I watched the FedEx truck drive past my house, and stop at a different house where the driver took a large box labeled with the Lectric logo out of his truck, and drag it down my neighbors driveway towards his front door.. I went over there and pointed to my sign and told the driver that maybe I need to make a larger sign. The driver was kind enough to help me carry the 60 pound package two houses back to my house. When I opened the box I saw that FedEx had customized the bike by putting a very deep gouge in the frame and breaking the plastic cover over the cast aluminum transmission gear case.

I contacted Lectric, and they dispatched a replacement Lectric ONE the next day.

The first day that FedEx had possession of the replacement bike the package tracking showed: Shipment exception Barcode label unreadable and replaced. Three days later, the tracking showed it to be located in Chicago, with no movement for two more days. After day three in Chicago, tracking shows the status once again as: Shipment exception Barcode label unreadable and replaced. I wonder if the barcode label became unreadable once more because the box has been run over by a forklift. Another day has passed, and FedEx must be waiting for the glue on the third barcode label to dry before they continue with the delivery because there is no progress in the tracking today. It is snowing now anyway so I can wait a few days to see what condition the replacement bike is in.

Kudos to Lectric for shipping a replacement within hours of my report of shipping damage.

Thanks for letting me whine about this very minor first-world complaint while many other people around the planet are suffering through a lot of very bad stuff these days.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

I posted above about the Lectric ONE I bought that arrived with damage incurred during shipping, and that Lectric sent a replacement very quickly. It has been cold with snow, and rain since I got the new bike, but today was good enough that I decided to get the new bike set up. Unfortunately the new one arrived with no mineral oil in the reservoir for the rear brake. I see that there was evidence of the oil having leaked out from the seal on the reservoir cover. I decided to ride it anyway, and I am very impressed with how the Lectric ONE performs.

First thing to do was install the Pinion app for the electronic transmission on my iPhone, and connect to the transmission via bluetooth. The app informed me that there was a firmware update available for the transmission, so I let that occur and then took the bike for a six mile ride. I went up the steepest hill close to my house, and the bike had no trouble unlike the Lectric XP Lite single speed belt drive I bought first.

The Pinion transmission was designed and manufactured in Germany, and I am impressed with how it performed in the short, (six mile) test ride. The belt drive is silent and maintanace-free. I did not play around with any settings on the app other than programming it to always start out from a stop in the lowest gear. The default was to start in third. The bike shifts automatically, or you can select gears by way of up, and down levers at any time, but I just let the bike shift on its own. I think it has cruise control as well.

I sent an email to Lectric about the brake problem and they told me to take it to any shop and send a photo of the bill, and they would reimburse me. I prefer to fix it myself, so I am about to order the mineral oil and a brake bleeding kit from Amazon to do the work myself.


Here is how it looks now, but I have various cargo carrying stuff, and other accessories I bought for the XP Lite that I will transfer to the Lectric ONE.

There is no suspension on this bike and it is a bit harsh of a ride on rough pavement. I bought a suspension seat post and a better saddle for the XP Lite, but seat post is not the correct length for the ONE, so I will be ordering the post Lectric sells for this bike.

My initial opinion after only six miles is that the Lectric ONE is a great value.

 

[4Mal]

My new Specialized Grocery getter. Aluminum. 28 mph spec. Really well thought out utility cruiser. Then BMC AlpenChallenge Amp from pre Covid. Full carbon build gravel bike. Super light and tossable. BMC is painful as everything is proprietary. As a bike though, it's the race machine you would expect from BMC.Not the battery in line with the rider and not out on the downtube to keep the center of gravity where it belongs. Radical design for 2018...

Not pictured is my ailing Orbea Full Suspension Mountain bike. I let the batterry go too far south over last fall and winter as I was rehabbing... Now waiting for a new battery at $700 and freight... lovely...

 

[Stylee Mousse]

I'm the same with e-bikes as basses. Crazy loyal. Or I hate change? I

have a old A2B (who went out of business) - It started life as a pedal-assist with a great torque sensor system that in the end kept breaking due to my actually pedaling hard.

I repowered it with a ebikeling throttle kit. It has been great since. I think I've had it since 2014. Second battery and I commute with it 4-5 days a week.