27
Looking for e-bike recommendations (anarchist.nexus)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by to c/micromobility@lemmy.world
23 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Hey folks!

I'm looking to move from my cyclocross bike to an e-bike for my commuter. I have a pretty awful knee, and while it doesn't always bother me while I ride, on a commute to the local bus/train the hills can occasionally get damn uncomfortable and turn into stopping to walk my bike up, or having to pedal with a single leg while I stretch and move the other on flats.

So I'm looking to an e-bike as the option. As someone heavy on the DIY and with a strong preference against proprietary, I'm hopeful to find something that:

  • Has an easily replaceable battery, bonus for an assembly that I can rebuild with new 18650s or whatever, and a plug-in style connection for ease. Lets head off questions here by saying this would not be my first battery pack build, and I've got dozens of 18650's on hand.
  • Is flexible as a commuter. I have commuted with my cyclocross bike all through the winter, which wasn't terrible with road tires but did have me switching wheels out. I wouldn't mind fat, I'm not out there for very long distance or speed anymore. Maybe one day I'll be up for a century again, but thats real low on my list.
  • Has utility - one of the reasons I went cyclocross for my commuter was having a lot of mount points. I don't need a daily cargo haul here, but I like my mount points for flexibility.
  • Has a long lifespan with maintenance and repairs. I've got bikes from the 70's and 80's that are still doing well (though I wish my wife liked the Fuji more, she is more comfortable in a hybrid style than road though). I want a frame that lasts, a motor that can be replaced without losing my marbles, I don't have any interest in built in lights that are just going to break and become useless because its all sealed, etc.

I think what I'd want is a combo pedal assist and throttle as an option, and a cadence sensor. A torque sensor I think would be more of an issue for my knee. If I can adjust the assist or just turn it off, I think thats the ideal, but welcome some input here.

Folding is a non-issue, I have a place for the bike to go and would want to take the battery with me to charge.

In terms of budget, I'll call it mid-range ($2k-ish) but if there is a fantastic option at $3500 I'm fine with that. Likewise, I'm not going to stick my nose up at an $800 option if all I need to do is add a few things or upgrade a motor if it ticks all the other boxes.

Any recommendations worth looking at would be welcome!

Edit: Northeast US for the record

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [S] 1 point 1 day ago (1 child)

Fair point and added location in - yes, northeast US.

And the DIY is less daydream and more preference on being repairable. The Treks and such I've seen have all had built in batteries, dealer only servicing, etc - thats just going to end up in a landfill and I hate it.

I'd rather go repair-friendly from the start.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 2 points 1 day ago

    That's the part that rings true for me. I am very pro right to repair. I like concepts like the framework laptop, fixing my own oven, etc. I specifically take issue with vendor lock-in and sell it cheap/break it often/gouge for parts business models that seem to be out of control right now. I went in wanting to vet the manufacturers for their behaviors around right to repair and found it very difficult to do. You kind of had DIY, you had established bike brands, and you had Amazon/Temu/AliExpress/Walmart. Oddly, considering my preferences, I ended up with a bike from a major reputable brand, and it has an integrated battery that I can't remove without tools, and the bike is mostly serviced by their dealer, but they're also the most well-liked bike shop in town. I haven't had any major repairs on the "e" side of e-bike aside from a firmware update because it was throwing an error code, possibly due to the coin cell battery in the on switch running out (now I know). I bring it inside during the coldest months of winter. It's probably been at least 5 years now. It rides great, the only maintenance I do is lubing the chain and taking it to the shop at the start of Spring.

    Part of me feels like I should have stood on principle and waited for the perfectly tuneable, open-source hardware e-bike in a box that I could order and hack to my hearts content with cheap parts and user developed add-ons. Part of me is glad I just bought a bike I liked and got to ride thousands of stress-relieving miles during a few of the most difficult years of my life.

    I guess what I'm trying to say is I admire and share your principles and priorities, and I hope your quest for a right to repair friendly ebike ends in a more principled place than mine. 🤣

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent