Mountain E Bikes

[strick]

You can go crazy researching e bikes. Almost bought a fat tire but decided against it..weight of those bikes was the main reason. I said screw it and bought a Trek Rail 9.9 all carbon fiber and weighs 49 pounds..I can lift it over a fence or gate easily. Don't need any racks just a back pack and the Deus 2 with my gear in works really well. Some of the trails around where I live do not allow anything with a throttle on them and really the pedal assist takes off like a rocket. I've used it for getting to some relic spots but it's just fun to ride anywhere...My son threatens to steal it from me lol. Make sure you have all the tools if you get a flat esp out in the desert where thorns are everywhere. 

strick

[Valens Legacy]

11 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

I’m going with one that’s folding. I’m planning getting the 20” with 4” fat tires.

I never knew that they made a trike in a electric bike yet.

Just remember to have a way to recharge them for a backup, and some of the new ones are having batteries exploding so be careful.

[dig4gold]

10 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

Most e-bikes now come with throttles that can be used separate from or in conjunction with pedal assist and they are actually pretty responsive/powerful, with no pedaling required even up fairly steep hills.

Using the throttle only will chew through the battery at a rapid pace. Especially going up hills. Depends how far you have to travel though. The bonus is you don't need the motor going back down. Just have to take it easy on your braking fingers.

D4G

[Chase Goldman]

 

14 hours ago, dig4gold said:

Using the throttle only will chew through the battery at a rapid pace. Especially going up hills.

Thanks.  Yes, more power required for climbing or speed translates into higher battery drain and less range/run time in general, that's the obvious trade off.  I thought I made that point clear at the end of that same paragraph from which you extracted my quote.  But doesnt hurt to reiterate it.

I mainly just wanted to point out that most e-bikes now have the throttle feature which doesn't require constant pedaling to get the e-drive assist as implied in your original post.  Pedaling with e-drive assist only is known as Mode 1.

In fact, on my e-bike, in Mode 2, which unlocks throttle assist, the throttle consumes less energy than the maximum pedal assist setting because it is capped at 20 mph max on level ground (and can give you climbing power for obstacles), whereas pedal assist at level 5 will take you up to 26 mph and can give you more climbing power also at the expense of range.  So you actually drain the the battery less using throttle only vs. maximum pedal assist in Mode 2.

Mode 3, if available and unlocked to the cyclist, opens everything up: throttle at max capable speed and PAS at the obvious expense of more level ground range.

Certain modes are restricted on different types of bike paths and trails and your bike typically has to be clearly marked as to the maximum mode capability (1, 2, or 3) that has been unlocked and is immediately accessible to the cyclist on-the-fly.

[GotAU?]

21 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

I was just wondering if any of you out there with one nugget hunting.

 I myself have been thinking about going that route and if I do I’m going with one that’s folding. I’m planning getting the 20” with 4” fat tires.

 I’m open for any suggestions being this will be my first but I’ve had everything else in the past from other two wheel and 4 wheel.

 The great thing about 4 wheel you don’t have to remember to put your feet down when you stop . That could be my downfall.

 Chuck 

750 watt folding RadPower bike would do well  off-road- it’s a step through with front and rear mounts you can put racks on …

Rad power bikes folding model

 

[Ridge Runner]

GotAU

 I’ve looked at it and others just like it and the price don’t vary all that much.

 My birthday is one day after Mother’s Day so I’ll see if my return is time’s 10 .haha  

 Thanks everyone for their input. I’ll post a picture if and when I get it.

 Chuck 

[Chase Goldman]

Here's another foldable step through option for you to consider, Chuck.  Comparable to the excellent Rad GotAU posted above but a little lower cost and it includes front fork and seat post suspension which can help with off-road terrain.

https://lectricebikes.com/products/xp-step-thru-black-long-range

You can save an additional ~$200 if you go with the standard vice long range battery that decreases range by about 35% (45 vice 65 miles max).  1000 Watt peak, high torque motor.  Weight similar to the Rad.  Despite being foldable, both are heavy at almost 65 lbs, which is the nature of ebikes primarily due to the battery and motor.  The Rad folding mechanism is less clunky than the Lectric Bike.  

Lektrik goes for value and maximum features/performance for cost.  Rad focuses on design and manufacturing quality and post sales support.

 

[Jeff McClendon]

Hi Chuck,

I also have the Lectric 3.0 regular model not the step through. I wanted the extra ground clearance for the pedals and bottom bracket. The Lectrics are well made and I have had no issues. I keep mine in pedal assist 1 or 2 most of the time on easier trails and dirt roads and just use the throttle when I need to. I have the stock battery and I get between 14 and 18 miles of total battery life depending on hills and wind. 

If you decide to get a folding or non-folding, make sure is has a walk along setting so that if you have some really rough terrain, washouts or just don't feel safe, you can walk next to it without having to push it. To me, the Lectric 3.0 walk along speed is a bit too fast on flat ground for my 67 year old legs.

Also, some Slime, Tuff Tire liners or some other kevlar tire liner is a good idea for mild off roading.

[GoodAmount]

On 5/13/2023 at 11:08 AM, GotAU? said:

Nice!  I would have also gone this route had I known about the conversion kits.  What do you recommend? I may do this to our tandem.

If I make another DIY ebike I’ll probably go for a CYC motor rather than a Bafang. The Bafang model I’ve got uses only cadence sensing and it’s a pretty raw riding experience. CYC use torque sensing to deliver a smoother ride.

[blackjack]

Hey Chuck, just my opinion as usual, I've had both, granted the e-bike was an early model 10years ago, but the battery died and I never did like it much. It had a twist throttle and plenty of power but I just didn't like the high riding position, too far to fall at my age. I now have a chinese 'pit' bike 12" rear and 14"  front wheels, 125cc Lifan motor, cheaper to replace than a battery. It's electric/kick start, I've taken all the 'kids' stickers off it and added lights. It's 75 kilo's wet and I carry it on a tow hitch mounted rack, goes forever on a tank of fuel, and goes like stink if I want it to, my feet can easily reach the ground on rough terrain. Cost me $950 au brand new, I like it.