eBikes - thoughts?

[mvweebles]

There is likely an e-Bike in my future. Best I've found is this list -

https://www.bikeride.com/best-electric-bikes/

Folding sounds handy, but not sure it buys much given they aren't exactly demure so maybe a regular bike-size. Any thoughts or experiences out there? For me, would be used when cruising in lieu of either walking or a car/taxi.

Peter

 

[DavidM]

I am surprised that Lectric Bikes (the one I have) and Rad Bikes did not make the top ten on the list as they are two of the most popular. The Lectrics are all foldable, which does make quite a difference in the storage space required. You could fit one nicely in a dinghy to get it to shore.

Most have pedal assisted ranges of 30-40 miles with a motor only range of maybe 15-20.

They are heavy. E Bikes weigh approximately 60 lbs whereas a folding Dahon weighs about 35 lbs. The battery and motor hub probably make up most of the difference.

David

 

[ghost]

They are awesome for many reasons. They are quite a bit heavier though, even without the battery the motor adds some weight. Not a big deal, but a little more difficult to toss around, especially those last 3 inches to the dock.

 

[HopCar]

I have a Rad Runner which I think is a very good value for the money. I’m a big guy, 6’2, 300#. It carries me fine and some cargo as well. It isn’t light and you’d need to give some thought to getting it on and off the boat.

 

[grahamdouglass]

I hope to have an E bike in my future. Weight and size are a big issue on a boat. Also I'm celebrating my 69th birthday this year, and I'm not 6'2" 300lbs, and so getting 60 or so lbs out of a dingy up on to my afterdeck without getting injured or damaging the boat is a consideration. One of the first things I would do is make a bag to put a folded bike into. This would protect the bike, the boat and make it easier to handle bike since it would be a big bag with handles rather than a sharp metal object.

Are there any more suggestions as to what the lightest E bike might be?

 

[mvweebles]

Are there any more suggestions as to what the lightest E bike might be?

I read through a lot of the reviews. Lightweight and eBike don't mix. There are some lighter low quality ones - "Jetson" which appears to be similar to one I've e seen at Costco. 60-70 lbs seems to be the number

Reliability is a big factor for me. I'm willing to spend up to $2k. Debating folding vs standard. I want a more upright ride.

Decisions..... Decisions

Peter

 

[Benthic2]

I had a Rad City that I rode for about a year. They have a very active Facebook group with a very loyal following, but mine was a bust. I had constant problems with the electronics and eventually the battery wouldn't charge. If I was going to do it again, I would not choose a Rad.

 

[Alaskaflyer]

The Brompton folding M6L series weighs 34lbs, folds, and gets “20-45 miles” of range out of its 36V, 8.55 ah battery. It also has six gears for peddling.

You’ll pay for it though. Brompton has been a player in the folding bike space for a long time and is known for quality.

 

[Woodstock]

We bought two Carbo e-bikes this fall and they are great. Carbon fiber (no rust), folding, belt drive & less than 30#. And plenty enough speed and range for us when we're docked. https://ridecarbo.com

 

[Alaskaflyer]

We bought two Carbo e-bikes this fall and they are great. Carbon fiber (no rust), folding, belt drive & less than 30#. And plenty enough speed and range for us when we're docked. https://ridecarbo.com

Those seem very nice.

Shall I help calibrate potential shoppers’ expectations? Expect to pay more than $2,000 for a bike that is light e.g. less than 45 lbs; made with quality and has good support to back it up; and decent range. Want to pay less? Give one of those up. Less than $500? You can have only one.

Boat owners should be familiar with these types of conundrums lol

 

[Insequent]

I use a Trek electric 'commuter' style. About 52#, manageable to get on board and of course removing the battery would help if needed. It's great for general use, and in particular the 2 miles from home to marina.

I take it on the boat occasionally (when solo) but it occupies a fair amount of space inside. My previous boat bike had disc brakes as well, and after a few years the brake calipers got rusty and 'sticky', even in a bag, when stored on the boat deck. I don't want that hassle again! But the folding bikes just don't cut it - I had a Dahon years ago and hated the little wheels and very compromised useabilty as something to enjoy riding.

Electric scooters might be a better option for regular boat use as they are more compact.

 

[mvweebles]

I too had a Dahon. Didn't care for it a bit and left a bad taste for folding bike - benefits didn't offset compromise for me. I am currently using a rusted old 1-speed bike which is better than walking and doesn't attract much attention. I like the upright riding style. But with any incline.....

Extremely difficult decision for me. We also have a camper van so bikes have similar usage as the boat. Something that is designed for poor roads but with decent fenders and an comfortable riding position.

I came across this consumer reports article on care for eBikes to extend life.

https://www.consumerreports.org/electric-bikes/how-to-make-your-e-bike-last-longer-a9368348989/

Thanks for the input thus far

Peter

 

[Constellation1]

We have two Pedego Latch bikes. they are folding, have a belt drive and no derailleur. They have a rack that lets us carry everything we need - groceries etc. They aren't cheap but the low maintenance and clean aspect of the belt and other features are impressive. When folded they fit in our lazarette or almost anywhere else we choose to put them. I highly recommend Pedego.

 

[JWellington]

I used to have one and it was wonderful. Biggest problem is theft in much of the world.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Just bought two Electric City 20" 350w, 10.4AH folding bikes - there delivered to the boat yesterday from Amazon - we will be back to the boat (Marathon) on Wed. Inexpensive, but includes two yr Amazon warranty - will let you know how they turn out! includes racks behind the seat.

 

[ksanders]

I decided to stick with a manual bike.

so... i went to a real bike shop and sat down with the owner to configure the perfect bike for a cruiser. We spent time discussing how I intended to use the bike, the expected conditions, my physical ability, etc...

*Very light weight (around 27 lbs) to make it easy to get on and off the boat
* the most corrosion resistant components he can use in the build
* hydraulic brakes to eliminate mechanical cables and improve braking
* 4.25" tires to ride on the beach and get over obsticles
* a 1X12 gear set for reliability
* high handlebars for a upright stance
* a nice basket for provisioning
* fenders because it does rain

There were no mass produced bikes that are built to do exactly what I want to do, but that is the beauty. He is building my new get around rig to me specifications. A custom solution.

I pick up my new cruising bike hopefully this afternoon.

 

[KnotYet]

A few weeks ago I attended CES in Las Vegas and the sheer quantity of e-bikes
on display was impressive. Also of note were the many new electric motorcycles.

I like the design of Sondors e-bikes and have seen them used for rental fleets
here in SoCal. Their business model has them shipped directly to the consumer,
avoiding the overhead of a brick and mortar storefront.

Full disclosure: I have a Sondors Metacycle on order that's due sometime soon.

 

[Doug_Snider]

My wife has a power assisted Catrike Trail folding recumbent trike and I’m not ready to give up my Trek Marlin mountain bike powered by a 77 year old. When our new Helmsman arrives, we plan to carry them on the boat deck and use the Nick Jackson hoist to handle them. Any suggestions on keeping them dry and corrosion free?

 

[KnotYet]

My wife has a power assisted Catrike Trail folding recumbent trike and I’m not ready to give up my Trek Marlin mountain bike powered by a 77 year old. When our new Helmsman arrives, we plan to carry them on the boat deck and use the Nick Jackson hoist to handle them. Any suggestions on keeping them dry and corrosion free?

A cheap solution would be a couple construction-grade trash bags and paste wax.
A costlier one might be custom bike cover bags and coating with Boeshield or Sailkote?

 

[Alaskaflyer]

One hack for a bag to carry and/or store a folding bike is find a suitcase with suitable dimensions. It will hold up much longer than any simple zipper bag.

 

[Speedsailor]

I purchased a pair of ariel rider m-class e-bikes for our trip from Racine, WI to Deltaville, VA. We put a little over 300 miles on them they ran flawless. They are all aluminum compact frame 20" wheels. They are non folding. I had one flat tire when I nailed a pot hole at 20mph. We stored them on the flybridge on the erie canal and rough weather and on the bow for short hops.
We take the batteries and seats off to lift them on the flybridge.

Paul

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Plan to store our two on our covered and enclosed aft sundeck. Currently have two 6' fender boards, with pads, stored on stbd side. Have not used them in three years, so they will get tossed (or given away) and the folding bikes will fit there nicely, strapped down. All-in weight per bike is 51 lbs - not the lightest, but I can still handle that ok. And if we dock on our port side we could use the dingy hoist to off-load them if necessary. Thought about bags (nice ones @$30 on Amazon), but if the sundeck storage works, we won't need them.

 

[Insequent]

My wife has a power assisted Catrike Trail folding recumbent trike and I’m not ready to give up my Trek Marlin mountain bike powered by a 77 year old. When our new Helmsman arrives, we plan to carry them on the boat deck and use the Nick Jackson hoist to handle them. Any suggestions on keeping them dry and corrosion free?

I had a Trek Marlin, stored on my boat deck, with a bag slipped over the top and down to the deck. Not much rust on the bike over 7 years, but as I noted above, the disc brake calipers started to fail. The brakes would still work perfectly, but they would not fully release after being applied.

So after every use of the brakes it was stop, push the cable at the caliper with my fingers to fully release the brakes, and get back on. Not all that feasible if you needed to brake often! I was about to get the calipers replaced when a burglar stole it and two other bikes from my house.

Maybe frequent Boeshield or whatever would delay the inevitable. But be prepared for some bikeshop R&M work. With a good bag you may only have to get new calipers every 7 years or so.

 

[Doug_Snider]

I’ll give that a try. Replacing my mountain bike wouldn’t be a big deal but my wife’s recumbent trike would be a bigger issue. We had it specifically configured with all controls on the left since she can’t use her right hand. Folded up, it might fit in the salon and not be in the way. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[High Wire]

I got a chance to ride a Jetson 12”. Nice. Would have bought one except they could not deliver before we left Ft Myers. Only 35# or so. Same as a 20” dahon. Also less than $400 with some scratch and dent returns for $250.

 

[OldDan1943]

At my age and physical condition, I would need a folding 3 wheel electric bike that weighs less than 30 pounds.
I am sure they are out there but at what price, about $2K i would imagine.

 

[JWellington]

At my age and physical condition, I would need a folding 3 wheel electric bike that weighs less than 30 pounds.
I am sure they are out there but at what price, about $2K i would imagine.

Indeed, then this wheelchair accessible catamaran might be a good option for you. Catamaris Yachts...Catmar 64, wheelchair accessible.

 

[sbu22]

I decided to stick with a manual bike.

I pick up my new cruising bike hopefully this afternoon.

Good approach to the problem, Kevin. Mind sharing the price tag with us? Thanks

 

[Hippocampus]

+1

https://ridecarbo.com/products/carbo-model-s?variant=32332131598399

Get a waterproof backpack instead of putting on a rack on the bike. I use a Dakin. That way can carry heavy stuff (food/drink, hardware) but loading/unloading two simple pieces of manageable weight and easy to deal with in the dinghy. Set up has nothing to rust and can be left outside locked. Don’t do it. Not visible = not stolen.

 

[mvweebles]

+1



https://ridecarbo.com/products/carbo-model-s?variant=32332131598399



Get a waterproof backpack instead of putting on a rack on the bike. I use a Dakin. That way can carry heavy stuff (food/drink, hardware) but loading/unloading two simple pieces of manageable weight and easy to deal with in the dinghy. Set up has nothing to rust and can be left outside locked. Don’t do it. Not visible = not stolen.

A high quality backpack is a necessity. I've had a large-ish North Face for about 5-years that has taken a beating without a hiccup. I have often loaded it with 40-lbs of stuff and it's still going strong.

But for cruising, I really need a semi-cargo bike sometimes. In the last year, I've had to transport a Windlass and a starter motor on a bike to a repair shop. Having a strong rack is really helpful.

I have some research on decision factors for me that I will post soon (type of motors, brakes, etc). It's a difficult decision for me.

Peter