Speaker 1: Buying an electric bike can be a daunting experience. There's a lot to consider and plenty of options at a variety of price points, not to mention e-bikes aren't cheap. And if you're going to spend your harder and money on one, you better make sure you get what you need. That's where I come in. In this video, I'm gonna help you narrow down your options by going over different kind of e-bikes and the type of rider they suit best. All right, we've got a lot to cover. So let's get started before you even think about opening your browser to look at e-bikes. You have [00:00:30] to answer some important questions for yourself. Let's start with an obvious one. How and where will you be riding? When I bought my first e-bike, I thought I was going to be zipping around town on it all the time to run errands or grab a bite to eat, but that wasn't the reality of my lifestyle.
Speaker 1: And soon after I bought it, I realized it was not going to replace my car. Take some time and think about the reasons you're buying an e-bike and the area you'll be riding in. Are you going to be using it to commute for fun or both? What types of surfaces will you be riding on? Will you be riding alone [00:01:00] or with others? And be honest with yourself. You might even realize that an e-bike isn't actually what you're looking for in that case. You're welcome for saving you some money, but please keep watching until the end. All right, now that I've got you dreaming about your perfect e-bike, let's talk about some more specific features. You'll want to think about like range and power. These two options can make a huge difference in how money you spend on an e-bike. If you only want an e-bike to cruise around your neighborhood, perhaps you can save some money here by choosing a bike that can only travel 15 to [00:01:30] 20 miles, as opposed to 30 to 40, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars.
Speaker 1: I'll warn you though owning an e-bike may alter your idea of what you considered to be far because of how easy and fun they are to ride 15 miles used to seem like a journey to me, but now that's just a quick leisurely ride. After work. Most e-bike brands will give you some type of estimate of how many miles the bike can travel on a single charge, but it's usually a super high number that you'd only get under the most perfect riding conditions. This is where some of those questions you answered earlier, come in handy. [00:02:00] If you live in a hilly area and are planning on using a low out of pedal assist or throttle, you might only get half of the range of e-bike claims. It has. You should also consider the climate. You'll be riding in colder. Weather can impact a batteries, performance, and range.
Speaker 1: At the very least, you should look at the batteries, voltage and amp hours to make sure it's powerful enough for you. Usually manufacturer will list a power rating for the motor like 750 D Watts. But again, it's often broad to account for a variety of factors like nominal and peak power. Here's [00:02:30] a fun little trick. You can get a better idea of the bike's actual power by multiplying the batteries voltage by its amp hours, which gives you its density in wat hours. You can then divide that by 20 wat hours or the typical cost of riding a mile, which give you an estimated range. But again, your specific riding conditions will affect that. So I suggest overcompensating by five to 10 miles when you're shopping around, which brings me to motors. There's pretty much two types hub drive and mid drive hub drive motors are usually located [00:03:00] in the center of the rear tire though.
Speaker 1: There are some e-bikes that have front hub drive motors they're most commonly used because they get better range on flatter surfaces and are cheaper than mid drive motors. Mid drive motors are more powerful and efficient, making them great for mountain biking or off-road riding. They're usually much more expensive though. In addition to pedal assist, many e-bikes also have gears which give you more control over the resistance you feel when pedaling just like a traditional bicycle. They also help with tackling Hills. The way I look [00:03:30] at the difference between your pedal assist and gears is the pedal assist will limit your maximum speed while gears help you dial in how hard you want to pedal to get up to that speed. If you're looking for an e-bike, you could also use for exercise, then definitely consider a bike with gears. One of the most overlooked features on an e-bike spec sheet is the type of sensors.
Speaker 1: The motors use to determine how much power to distribute. And when this has a huge impact on the way the bike feels when you ride and many manufacturers don't even list it, the two types are torque and cadence [00:04:00] sensors. Caden sensors simply determine whether you're pedaling or not. And torque sensors measure the actual force you give by pedaling and outputs, power. Accordingly many e-bikes have both which give a smoother experience when the motor kicks in, but some bikes, especially cheaper ones only have Caden sensors, which can make it feel a bit jerky. When starting to pedal, I highly recommend you test ride a few different bikes before making a final purchase to get a feel for how they ride both while pedaling constantly. And in short bursts, you can get [00:04:30] a powerful eBike with great range at a pretty affordable price, but comfort is where it's worth some extra investment.
Speaker 1: Especially if you plan on racking up a lot of miles first, if the EBI, your buying has a standard bike seat, you should just go ahead and plan on replacing that. You'll notice very quickly, how uncomfortable stock bike seats get after about 15 to 20 minutes of riding. If you can swap the saddle without replacing the seat post, you can get a pretty comfortable one for less than $50. Otherwise you may need to replace the post as well. Next, you should see if the bike [00:05:00] has a rear suspect engine system, there's many affordable models with front suspension, which will ease some of the stress on your hands and arms while you ride. But you can expect to spend more. If you want a bike with a decent rear suspension, if you'll be riding on bumpy roads or you get back pains easily, a rear suspension system will make a huge difference.
Speaker 1: However, if that gets the price out of your budget, it, you could upgrade to a suspension seat post, which will add a little extra comfort. Lastly, ergonomics, the rider's height and weight will play a big [00:05:30] factor here. Are you able to get proper leg extension when you pedal, do you have to hunch over too much to hold onto the handlebar? Some e-bikes are designed more for style than comfort, and some manufacturers offer a variety of sizes for each model. Next question is when I wish I had thought more about when I bought my first e-bike, where am I going to store it? It's fun to get lost. Thinking of the time you're going to spend riding your electric bike, that it's easy to overlook the time you won't be riding it. However, some e-bikes are pretty bulky and heavy ranging from 26 [00:06:00] to over a hundred pounds, which can present some challenges to those of us that live in an apartments consider where you're going to keep your bike overnight and how you're going to charge it because e-bikes have electrical systems.
Speaker 1: It's often recommended that you store inside protected from the elements. If you have a garage with space to keep it charged up and ready to go, then you are living the dream. Otherwise you may need to look for an option that's more compact or lighter, but it's not just about the bike. You also wanna make sure you're buying from a good company with great customer service. [00:06:30] Now that buying a bike online is as common as ordering a TV. You should feel confident in knowing that if there are any blooms, like it's damaged in shipping or it's missing parts, the company will stand by their product and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. I mean, it sucks paying that much money for something, getting really excited for it to arrive and then not getting to use it for weeks because of some issue with so many eBike brands popping up these days.
Speaker 1: It's also not a bad idea to buy from one leave will continue to be around for a while, or at [00:07:00] least until the end of your warranty. But if you find the company you bought from isn't as reliable as you'd like, it's nice to buy from a brand that has a strong community of writers, Facebook groups, and message boards can be a great resource for getting help, finding out about cool accessories and mods, or even meeting up for some group rides. All right, a more pre-shopping consideration. We have to be responsible and talk about the law in the us. There are three classes of electric bikes. Class. One is pedal assist with no throttle and a speed limit of 20 miles per hour. Class [00:07:30] two also has the same speed limit, but you can have a throttle and class three brings that speed limit up to 28 miles per hour with pedal assist every state and even local municipalities have their own e-bike laws.
Speaker 1: So you should look up the ones that apply to you. For example, here in California, anyone 16 years or older can ride a class two e-bike on designated bike paths and up to class three on the roads. But other states may only allow class one e-bikes or may even require a driver's license to ride one. But in terms of how it can, which type of e-bike [00:08:00] you buy? Well, that depends on the model. Some e-bikes are class two out of the box, and unless you modify it, they won't go any faster than that. However, if you get a bike with class three capabilities, you'll probably want a speedometer. So you don't overdo it where you're not supposed to. Now that you have a better understanding about the various features of an e-bike and what to consider when one let's go through the different types, I've come up with 10 of them that I've placed in three general categories, recreation, transportation, and niche bikes meant for specific activities [00:08:30] or accessibility options.
Speaker 1: Each type of e-bike has distinct features that make some better than others for certain riding styles. But there are definitely hybrids that allow for more options. The let's start with fat tire e-bikes fat tire bikes have thicker tires to better handle impacts like bumps or pothole. Those tires usually are about four to five inches wide, which helps give more traction and comfort. They're great as an entry level e-bike for casual riders, because they can usually handle a variety of surfaces like bike paths, streets, or even some light off [00:09:00] road riding. They're typically on the affordable side too, with some starting at less than a thousand dollars. However, this is an extremely broad category. As many other types of e-bikes can also have fat tires. In fact, the fat tire bikes I'm going to recommend are all hybrids that overlap with another type. So let's talk about cruisers cruiser bikes are defined by their curved, upright frames and swept back handlebar, which provide a more relaxed riding posture.
Speaker 1: Typically, cruisers will also have a larger, more comfortable saddle. If you're interested in casually riding e-bikes [00:09:30] around your neighborhood or a park on a sunny day, and you can't go wrong with a cruiser. My FA favorite fat tire cruiser is easily the rad runner from rad power bikes. Now I might be biased because it's the only e-bike I purchased with my own money. However, I've been fortunate enough to review e-bikes that are two or three times as expensive as the rad runner. And I've always enjoyed coming back to it because of how comfortable and smooth it is to ride. It has a rear rack and lots of mounting points for accessories. You making it highly customizable. I've also had to deal with rads customer service a couple [00:10:00] of times, and they were very helpful and quick to respond. But if storage space is an issue, you might want to consider a folding e-bike folding e-bikes are exactly what they sound like.
Speaker 1: They're bikes that fold to be more compact, most fold right down the middle of the frame, making them easier to keep out of the way transport in a car or carry on public transportation because of the compact design. Many are not as powerful as their non folding counterparts. And in my experience, they still take up a good amount of space in your home because they're [00:10:30] wider when folded and still bulky. There are some on the more expensive end, like the Brompton electric for $3,800 that folds small enough to fit under a desk. But if I were spending that much money, I'd prioritize performance over design on the other end of the price spectrum, you have these swag Tron E B five pro for just $800, which also folds to be impressively compact, but doesn't have great range or a powerful motor for just a couple hundred dollars more.
Speaker 1: You can get the electric XP 2.0, which [00:11:00] isn't as compact, but has a lot of great features right out of the box, like a front suspension system and LCD screen taking a stylish step up from there. You have the Fido X for $1,600. It also doesn't have a very powerful motor for tackling Hills and the battery range leaves something to be desired. But what stands out most is the toque sensor and keyless security system. I still would recommend using a bike lock because a would be thief. Isn't going to check for that before tossing it in the back of a truck, there are even smaller e-bikes [00:11:30] than the ones I recommend, but at a certain point, it makes more sense to get a scooter or electric skateboard than a bike that's larger, isn't as powerful and does doesn't travel as far.
Speaker 1: All right. Let's shift gears from casual rider to those that have places to be and discuss e-bikes for transportation prices in this category, usually start around $1,500 and can get pretty high. But if you're looking for a car replacement, it could seem like a value. When you consider the additional cost of [00:12:00] gas and maintenance. We have four types of e-bikes to talk about here. And again, there may be hybrids, the first type of transportation e-bike and probably the most practical one is the commuter bike. These are known for having a law long range vendors to keep from getting wet or dirty when riding through puddles or in the rain and a rack or hangers to hold your belongings. A good commuter bike should also be comfortable. So I recommend looking for one with a suspension system or fat tires. If the rad runner peaked your interest earlier, you should check out the rad [00:12:30] city for $1,600.
Speaker 1: It has thinner tires, but larger wheels for more efficiency in urban environments. And it also comes standard with a front suspension system or there's the event in level for a hundred dollars more, which I rode last year and thought it performed really well all around and is available in three different sizes. City bikes are very similar to commuter bikes, but share more in common with cruisers with their upright frame. This makes them a bit more versatile for both commuting and casual riding, but also slightly more expensive. If that sounds like [00:13:00] the bike for you, check out the Magnum Metro S for $1,900. It has the features of a commuter bike with the offenders in a rear rack, but with a more comfortable riding posture and a step through frame, which makes it easier to Mount you also have a front suspensions system or for a high tech upgrade, check out the van move S3 often referred to as the Tesla of e-bikes.
Speaker 1: It has a very sleek design with all the electrical components built into the frame. So you don't see loose cables sticking out near the handlebar or anything like that. There's also some [00:13:30] cool anti theft capabilities like a wheel lock and location tracking most to interesting though, is it has automatic gear shifting. So you don't have to constantly adjust them on the handle bars. It will run you about $2,300, but if money is no object, there's the priority. Current with a mid drive motor that provides a smooth riding experience without dead weight or motor resistance, there's no throttle, but it does have class three capabilities and changing gears, effortless and silent. Thanks to the in Bolio new Vici system. The whole package will [00:14:00] cost you a cool $3,300 cargo bikes could be considered the minivan of the bike world. They make great car replacements for running errands because the larger frame allows for more storage options for carrying things like groceries, or even a child passenger.
Speaker 1: They usually have a larger back battery and a more powerful motor to allow for more weight, because I've talked enough about rad. I'm going to breeze past the rad wagon for $1,900, even though it's a great bike for the price and go straight to the Magnum payload, it has a rear rack and front basket, [00:14:30] a suspension seat post, and you can easily make adjustments to it without tools. It starts at 2,500 and goes up from there. If you upgrade to a larger battery, probably the trendies of electric bikes is the electric motorbike. These look like motorcycles with their thick frames and low seats, but they function more like Mo pets while they have pedals to help with accelerating and climbing Hills, they're often small and awkward to use. Instead, you'll be riding the throttle much more to cruise around electric motorbikes usually perform well, [00:15:00] are comfortable and look really cool, but can be the least practical for many people because they're heavy.
Speaker 1: They take up a lot of space and they can be difficult to lock up. Plus if you're a call rider, these might not be the best fit for you. Many brands offer a variety of models at different price points, but to really make the experience worth it, you should expect to spend at least $2,500 to get something that's comfortable enough to ride. The way it's meant to for me, super 73 is top of mind when it comes to electric motorbikes for about $3,000, [00:15:30] you can at the R model, which has a full suspension system for off-road riding, but for most urban environments, I actually recommend the S two for $300 less. You'll miss out on the rear suspension, but the fat tires and comfortable seat help make up for it. But if those are out of your budget, take a look at juice, bikes, scrambler for $1,800.
Speaker 1: It may not be as pretty as the, or 73 S two, but has many of the same features at a more appealing price. So that covers the variety of e-bikes for most people. But now let's talk about [00:16:00] some of the niche categories. Granted, I have the least amount of experience with these types of bikes. So I'm going to keep this brief and I'll be leaning on my friends@electricbikereview.com for help with recommendations, shout out to core at Ry who helped me buy my first e-bike last year. Not much to say about mountain e-bikes. There are mountain bikes with very powerful motors and solid suspension systems for dirty Rocky Hills and just like regular mountain bikes. These get really expensive. EDR has a lot of great mountain bike recommendations, both full suspension [00:16:30] and hard tail, no rear suspension. Just to give you an idea of the price range though, the cheapest bike it recommends is the Magnum MI six for $1,700, which might almost qualify as a cruiser bike.
Speaker 1: However, if you want the best of the best with all the bells and whistles, you actually don't want those on a mountain bike. They would be extremely annoying. The specialized turbo Livo S SL expert carbon is a whopping $9,025. You could actually buy a car for that road. Bikes are what [00:17:00] serious cyclists wearing tight clothes ride long distances at high speeds, they need to be light, aerodynamic and comfortable. I ride fat tire bikes in jeans and a t-shirt. So let's go back to the experts at EBR. For some recommendations it's most affordable is the IGO electric aspire chameleon. It's $2,500 and the hub motor has a lot to do with that relatively low price, but for a premium road bike, you'll find the bulls desert Falcon Evo for $6,300 or a little more than two super 73 [00:17:30] a but maybe you're not a weekend warrior.
Speaker 1: And just looking for more stability, an additional storage. Well then a trike might just be for you. There's two different types, Delta with two wheels and back, and one in front, probably similar to something you rode when you were a child, then there's tad pull with two front wheels. These are usually more stable at Concor at high speeds. There's also two different postures, upright trikes, like these sun from electric bike technologies, which are great for cargo storage or RECU trikes, like the eco tab. They have a more [00:18:00] laid back seat for comfort or those that get sore backs in an upright position. And that's about all the general types of e-bikes that I can think of. There wasn't a lot of info in this video, but I'm sure I didn't cover it all. So please leave any buying advice you have in the comments below. Thank you so much for watching and don't forget to wear a helmet.
