Electric bicycle discussion - - broken out of carvana thread

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I haz dat teddy bear smile.
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Build your own, it's very easy and 1/4 of the price if not less. Most of the affordable ebikes have a lot of cost cutting, especially in the motor/battery which is the most important part. When you get into the $5k+ bikes, that's where the quality is but who the hell wants to spend that much money on a bike?
 

Thirdgen89GTA

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You know, come to think of it, and electric motor cycle would work great for me in my Apartment. Being that I'm on the ground floor. I could just roll it up to my patio and plug it sneak a weather proof electrical cord outside through the old Satellite Cable hole in the wall to charge it.
 

Bob Kazamakis

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This is why I really want to get an e-bike of some kind, probably the pedal assist version. I just want to ride longer and go further than I normally do.
I do most of my riding off-road on dirt and limestone trails and I love being out in the woods.

The problem is, most of the decent e-bikes cost an arm and a leg. They're WAY too much money.
Decent quality bikes in general cost an arm and a leg these days. There’s been a good amount of component tech that’s trickled down to more affordable groups but it’s still wild the prices these days.
Build your own, it's very easy and 1/4 of the price if not less. Most of the affordable ebikes have a lot of cost cutting, especially in the motor/battery which is the most important part. When you get into the $5k+ bikes, that's where the quality is but who the hell wants to spend that much money on a bike?
Honda owner thinking. Quality stuff costs money.
You know, come to think of it, and electric motor cycle would work great for me in my Apartment. Being that I'm on the ground floor. I could just roll it up to my patio and plug it sneak a weather proof electrical cord outside through the old Satellite Cable hole in the wall to charge it.
Wrong thread, guy. Go over to the power sports section.
 

Bob Kazamakis

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Do you see prices settling down anytime soon Bob Kazamakis ilikemtb999 or will prices and supply be the same for awhile?

Thinking if I’m going to go with a eBike I will go to the local new bike store and talk with them. I assume there are some perks to that versus buying online? Or can you order frame size based on inseam or something?
prices have only increased here and there because of the tariffs set by Trump on things from China but honestly most bikes are made elsewhere in the higher end side of things.

Perks I’d say you get a free “tune up” by law usually about 6 months to a year after purchase. Any warranty issues that may arise would usually be free as well covered by the shop/manufacturer. It varies by shop. You can always go test ride something and go see what more or less money gets you (generally more torque and more battery capacity).

Most major manufacturers are the same price online as in store but things could be on sale. I know we can’t keep bikes in stock and we almost never have leftover model years, not sure what Illinois shops are like. Most direct to consumer major companies are good about warranty stuff too but you’d be on the hook for labor most likely.
 

Bob Kazamakis

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:rofl: You're like a realtor finding out people don't need you. Except you're like 100x more arrogant about it.
I don’t sell a damn thing at work, just a tech. I can tell you that people appear to need me as I’m usually scheduled out a month+ for repairs. :dunno:

You’re just the guy the service writers would tell where to head to get your bike repaired.
 

Spivitz

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Dan00Hawk

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I bought a Jetson E Bolt Pro from Costco for $299 back in November as a birthday gift for my daughter. The price has gone up since then to around $350. Listed at $599 on the manufacturer website. It's made for 12 and older. My daughter is a bit intimidated by the electric assist and the twist grip throttle, so I've actually been riding it quite a bit on nicer days. It may only top out at around 16 mph, but it's ridiculously fun to ride, and it feels decently built with some nice features like cruise control, led headlight, cruise control, and folding handle bars for storage in a car trunk. I feel a bit self conscious on it as it looks weird compared to a normal bike, but that's been the only drawback. Battery life in cold weather drops dramatically, but that's the same for any of them.

The wife wants one now, and for around $300-$350, if it only lasts a few years, it's not a huge investment.

 

FESTER665

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Looks like some good components on it for sure... :unsure:

Can you chime in on that Bob Kazamakis ilikemtb999 if you can give a little clarity on the component side....
 
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FESTER665

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When not in electric, that looks to just be a single speed bike though, correct?

Definitely not a single speed:
1616427186724.png
 

Dan00Hawk

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Build your own, it's very easy and 1/4 of the price if not less. Most of the affordable ebikes have a lot of cost cutting, especially in the motor/battery which is the most important part. When you get into the $5k+ bikes, that's where the quality is but who the hell wants to spend that much money on a bike?
So I've got an older hard tail carbon fiber 19" Trek MTB. Many of the components are worn/outdated and need replacing (RockShox, trigger shifters, v-brakes...). Since it's a light bike to begin with, would something like this be a good candidate? I've never really done much wrenching on my bike, and had a buddy put this one together for me about 15 years ago. I'm toying with either just selling it off (if anyone is interested in it) or making it into an e-bike. It sounds like it would be much cheaper to use this as a base and end up with something fairly decent. But it's always felt cramped when riding, as it's a bit small for me (hence the tall seat post and handle bar extensions to try to make it work). Any thoughts, recommendations, or insults? :p

Trek carbon fiber.jpg
 

Dan00Hawk

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I mean the Bolt Pro that Dan linked. I don't see any derailer's.
Single speed for the Jetson Bolt Pro. I've ridden it for a few miles at a time, and with the throttle or pedal assist, it's been adequate for riding around our neighborhood and paved trails. You won't be going more than about 17mph with pedal and motor assist with it though, as it would need another gear for higher speeds. It's decent for what it is, though, which is probably one of the cheapest e-bikes on the market.
 

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I haz dat teddy bear smile.
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So I've got an older hard tail carbon fiber 19" Trek MTB. Many of the components are worn/outdated and need replacing (RockShox, trigger shifters, v-brakes...). Since it's a light bike to begin with, would something like this be a good candidate? I've never really done much wrenching on my bike, and had a buddy put this one together for me about 15 years ago. I'm toying with either just selling it off (if anyone is interested in it) or making it into an e-bike. It sounds like it would be much cheaper to use this as a base and end up with something fairly decent. But it's always felt cramped when riding, as it's a bit small for me (hence the tall seat post and handle bar extensions to try to make it work). Any thoughts, recommendations, or insults? :p

View attachment 84083

I assume those are 26" wheels just by looking at it. With there being a front shock IDK if I would use a FWD motor, so you'd have to do the rear wheel.

I didn't want massive power with my so I went with a 250w 36v setup. Looks like they're out of those for 26" wheels RN so here's a 48v one.


You just swap your tube/tire over, hook up the electrics, use the supplied torque arm and go. There's a million detailed videos on YT of what exactly you need to do, so I won't go into detail but it's pretty easy once you get it. I put one on a bike that nobody has done before so I had to use other people's videos to reference but still had to figure it out on my own.

For the battery you can do whatever you want. I went with an Ebay battery. Some people use drill batteries, some people buy batteries that look like water bottles, etc.
 
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Yaj Yak

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Thanks to a newly proposed bill that is currently making its way through US Congress, electric bicycles may soon qualify for a significant tax credit in the US.



The Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment (E-BIKE) Act would create a 30% tax credit for e-bike purchases in the US.

The bill was created by Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). As it is currently written, the bill would qualify for e-bikes up to 750W and priced up to $8,000.

The tax credit would be maxed out at $1,500, meaning e-bikes up to and beyond $4,500 would receive the max credit of $1,500.

The goal of the legislation is to promote the adoption of electric bicycles as alternative transportation, which could potentially replace large numbers of cars on US roads. Electric bicycles have much smaller carbon footprints than cars, even compared to electric cars. They also provide exercise for riders, which is an increasingly important concern in a country like the US currently facing an epidemic of obesity.

We reached out to a number of electric bicycle companies in the US to hear their thoughts and perspectives on the proposed legislation.
 

FESTER665

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That would be bad ass. I could stomach spending $3k if I was close enough to places I need to run errands or commute to work.

Was just thinking the same thing. I just saw the local bike shop is a dealer for those Batch E-Bikes, so I might have to swing by up there and check it out. That tax credit would make the decision even easier.
 
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