this post was submitted on 25 May 2024
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I got the chance to ride an ebike at a city event here and it was absolutely delightful, I hate riding a bike but this was like a dream of a bike ride, so comfortable and it actually moved forward so fast with less effort, I loved it. But I think it would be stolen so fast if I chained it anywhere. Like I could ride it to work (they let you park them inside) but not to grab groceries. And they cost as much as a small motorcycle or scooter.
They are really convenient for getting around the city! :)
I got a 12mm thick chain from Oxford and a kryptonite ulock and so far, I've been fine (I live in a high bike crime city).
It's really about making your bike unappealing to steal because of how long it would take to cut through a beefy chain in two places and a Ulock in two places. It can be done, though. I also have a bike horn that sounds if someone moves the bike.
Aventon sells ebikes starting at $1,000, and Juiced Bikes go on sale for $1,150 (they are consumer direct unless you live in San Diego). Radpower and Lectric bikes aren't too spendy, either. Ebikes are getting surprisingly affordable!
(My little electric commuter next to my traditional weekend mountain bike!)
You may or may not have a good answer to this, but why are so many ebikes fat tire bikes, and why did you pick one? A fat tire is going to have more inertia, so it will take more energy, but the ubiquity of them, even for commuting confuses me.
They are really good if your city has fucked up roads. Potholes, curbs, tram lines (or light rail) that are embedded in the road, even some older syle storm drains have slots wide enough to swallow bike tires that are over an inch wide. And the bike lanes are usually added to already worn roads or by storm drains, some old-style.
Fat tires are also great for sand and loose gravel, which is present in the city I live in. Fat tires are also significantly more stable at very low speeds, which is good around pedestrians (eg, rolling slowly through crowded boardwalks where there are no bike lanes- only stroads).
For an ebike, the rolling resistance is a relatively small tradeoff since the motor will overpower it. I don't really have a problem even with it turned off, though, as leg power is fine too. I primarily use the motor for the ultra steep hills here. Because riding up a long 18%+ grade sucks. (And motor power for dangerous road situations where keeping up with cars is mandatory, such as neighborhood bridge crossings without any bike lanes)