ebike advice

[craiginho]

i have a flat 12-mile round trip commute but am starting to develop knee problems. have had the bike--an aluminum cannondale touring frame (t500) with ??,000 miles on it--fitted which helped the knees but still have pain. i love commuting on bike though and i'd hate to have to give it up, so am wondering if a ebike is a viable solution.

got a few prelim. questions maybe some folks can help answer:
1) when using the motor, do your pedals spin?
2) how do ebikes hold up to daily use? battery's have a tendency to die quicker etc?
3) how do motor/batteries hold up in the wet? we get about 50 inches of rain annually.
4) what are the differences b/en dedicated ebikes vs. converts?

"thanks, and i'll take my answer off the air."

[BBDrive]

1) when using the motor, do your pedals spin?
2) how do ebikes hold up to daily use? battery's have a tendency to die quicker etc?
3) how do motor/batteries hold up in the wet? we get about 50 inches of rain annually.
4) what are the differences b/en dedicated ebikes vs. converts?

First of all you are a PERFECT candidate for an E-bike conversion.
1, no, the pedals don't spin; you don't HAVE to pedal but you can easily pedal along and it is with very little effort that you will maintain otherwise unattainable speeds.
2.Daily use is best for an E-bike, yes the batteries will wear faster cycling them daily. However charging and discharging daily is much better than using rarely and charging only after use.
3)Batteries are generally very weather proof, motors are also generally ok as long as you aren't completely submerging them. The controllers on the other hand don't like wet.
4) Dedicated E-bikes are generally more like a moped and less like a bicycle, there are exceptions like the optibike, but you really PAY for that pre-built nice e-bike. For the price you pay for the dedicated e-bike you get a rather crappy quality bike generally with a decent kit. Converting a bike allows you to start with a better bike with good components (which makes a HUGE difference) and to combine the components you desire to make the E-bike best suited for your use, also this allows you to mount batteries and controllers as you see fit.

[stokell]

I agree, starting with a high quality bike and adding a hub is the way to go especially if you still want some exercise. You are also more stealth that the average factory-built e-bike.

I've been using my pedal-first hub for almost a year now. I've discovered that the lead/acid batteries that most bikes and kits come with are of limited use to some one who uses it daily for commutes (I go 48 kms a day).

I'm just building up my third e-bike from a kit. This time I'm starting with a donor bike that has front shocks and disc brakes. The roads aren't that good around here and when you are going 35 km/hr, you need better than average brakes for your own safety.

[BroadwayJoe]

Brakes & Batteries!!! There are many fine motor/drive schemes to choose from but those 2 B's are the bottom line. From my experience, small SLA is fine for testing and evaluating the mount. Only running a few miles/km at a time. To completely finish a worthy product - go for great batteries and even better brakes. Wheels and tires included. Seating may be another important thing to consider since longer rides induce more rider wear/tear. I currently likes me some of that Day 6 semi-recumbent wide seat format for a future project - but, the brakes would need attention and I'm okay springing the saddle instead of the whole bike if battery/motor weight can be kept minimum.

just some thoughts...