E-bikes worthwhile???

[Simon_A]

I like the idea of electric bikes, but a proper setup is so damm expensive.

A decent 48v setup, Lipoly 24v battery packs (x2) $750 per pack.

And thats without the hub motor, speed controller, throttle, etc.

Your up for $1500-$2000 for a decent setup.

I'd seriously love an electric bike, but with the cost of 2 strokes so cheap, I cant justify it myself.

 

[vegaspaddy]

yeap,

i have gebe 2 stroke setup which i use 3 to 4 times a week to commute around 10 miles each way, the good quality engine setups are worth the investment and are reliable out of the box.

i have an electric hub motor running on my wifes trike and i have a front wheel hub rigged up to a cheapo bike, both are running on sla batteries as i cant afford to buy the lip-ion packs yet, they work great but they way a ton and i just don't trust them for long trips.

hopefully with the demand for alternate transportation these packs will start coming down in price a bit.

 

[ozzyu812]

E-Zip rider

I own a e-zip on Sirjakesus good advice. Its a very good bike and was perfect for my budget. It also would be very good on relatively flat land. They have been sold out since I bought mine 3 weeks ago. I've been checking every few days out of curiosity.

If I had your budget of $1000. I would have got a cyclone. http://www.cyclone-tw.com/order.htm. Beware of the shipping cost! The crank freewheel is an essential part. I downloaded and circled the part off the website. It took me a while to find it. LOL

I don't think it will work with a suspension frame. It may take some ingenuity.
I brought a used mongoose xr 250 a year ago, switched to a ridged frame with suspension forks and seat post 6 months ago. I haven't ridden the xr 250 since. the partial suspension bikes are lighter, faster, and just as comfortable.

You say you want 12-15 mi range, but you I think you should get a good enough battery for 20 mi. That way you have plenty of power though the whole trip.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the hub motor design. What if you get in a wreck, what is the most vulnerable part of the bike? The hub! The cyclone's location seems pretty secure there. As an added bonus you can use your rear gears to shift with the cyclone.

Good luck!
Please tell us which way you go!

 

[SirJakesus]

Yeah cyclones are the way to go if you want an ebike that can change gears. The only thing I dont like about the izip trails is the voltage sag when you load the engine for a long time up a hill. This is just the cheap SLA batteries fault though. It could be easily fixed with upgrade NIMH or Lithium batteries once these ones wear out.
I was looking at bikes in the super walmart in amherst and they're actually carrying the currie bikes in stock now. Its about time. I bet they're selling like hot cakes.

 

[ozzyu812]

Great!

I was looking at bikes in the super walmart in amherst and they're actually carrying the currie bikes in stock now. Its about time. I bet they're selling like hot cakes.

Great! one of my wife's co-workers wants one!
BTW, Still out of stock online