Electric Bikes - a2b used

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyqAzR56YB4&feature=player_embedded

I've decided I need something to commute downtown. I was considering a scooter, electric skateboard but have settled on an electric bike. I was going to get a Europa for $1400 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc23et_OqvM) but I think I prefer the a2b metro.


I found one for sale but felt I should get some knowledgeable advice before making the purchase...


1. I understand that the batteries are $700 to replace. Can I test the battery with a volt meter to determine the strength? I read you can expect 500 cycles before needing a replacement.

2. Is there much else electronically that can go wrong besides the battery that I may not notice on a test drive?

3. In the local bike shops they retail $3800 Can (after tax). What would be a fair price for one that is 1 1/2 years old? (the same model being shown in the a2b metro video)

OK. I have decided to go with the IGO URBAN ELECTRIC BIKE

http://montreal.olx.ca/igo-urban-electric-bike-iid-104802011

Compared to the A2B:


it is 20 lbs lighter at 52 lbs.
it gets 50 km per charge (20 km more than the a2b)
Top speed 32 km
Battery is a Lithium Polymer and only weighs 7lbs.
Battery gets over 1000 cycles versus 500 for the a2b.
Half the price.

Rumor has it that Best Buy is heavily discounting A2bs that are in stores. While I think it's a well made bike, It seems more of an electric scooter than an ebike. Don't know much about the IGO.

If the battery in the IGO is really a LIPO I hope you've studied the charging/discharging requirements. This isn't a plug-in and forget chemistry. A 1000 cycle life sounds more like LifePo4 batteries. Good LifePO4 batteries with the range suggested weigh more than 7 lbs. I hope it's what they're advertising but it seems suspect.

A2B and IGO are two different animals, silent hub motor versus noisy geared drive.
If you can live wth constant noise of gears??
I rode bike like this and found it annoying listening to this, on bike path noise other than chain=electric something.
I doubt LiPolymer chemistry will deliver 1000 cycles, very theorethical, usually 600-700 cycles but definitely less than 1000 and GOD forbid electronics absolutely cut off battery before it goes below LVC.
yES , i AGREE IT IS not LIKE LiFePo chemistry and I cannot even think when charger fail and allow for overcharging. They use RC pOLYMER CELLS BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP.
MC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKmBrcZbPXg
2:43 shows the charging plugin...just plug the bike into the wall basically.

A2B and IGO are two different animals, silent hub motor versus noisy geared drive.


Ya and this means I can remove the tires as well if I get a flat it is not such a hassle as it is with the a2b's because their motor is wired into the wheels. Plus good luck using the a2b with no power (I hear)..should you need to. I like the idea of no drag of the IGO for pedaling. I am going to test drive both today.

Ya and this means I can remove the tires as well if I get a flat it is not such a hassle as it is with the a2b's because their motor is wired into the wheels. Plus good luck using the a2b with no power (I hear)..should you need to. I like the idea of no drag of the IGO for pedaling. I am going to test drive both today.

I like discussing ebikes so If I came off a little harsh then I'm sorry. My first kit is built and am awaiting a 48V LifePo4 battery.I've been studying this technology for 3 months and came to the conclusion that for me I wanted a modular approach. Each componet of the kit is available from multiple vendors and the total price was comparable as well. If I don't like one of the componets, changing it to something more suitable from another vendor is easy and affordable. That does require research and is something I'm good at.

Battery technology is evolving rapidly and the demand is exploding. Many new people are getting into the manufacture of batteries. Most of this is in China.There are people supplying quality goods from China. The ones I've decided to use are my Quality Control Department.The reason I'm waiting for the battery is that they will test it. I'm talking charge and discharge cycles that take about a week to complete. I didn't just read their ad and say that's the one. I found forums that were brutal against vendors just out for a buck.

Mirocar13 may not agree with you but he is supplying something to consider.

OP,
There was a guy selling a used A2B here for $999 or so. He said it was lightly used. What I like about the a2b is the stealthiness factor. Doesn't look like an ebike at all.

When you go to sites selling LPolymer like "battery space" you can see all kind of warnings,
As I said everthing is fine as long as charging electronics works , but when they fail I would not be anywhere close to the bike with LPolymer battery.
If charger electronics fail and allow Poymer cells to be overcharged you look at fire.
It just chemistry.
Ask me why they offer LPolymer safety charge bags for sale, why they say never leave the charger unattended, why pople charge LPoly in ovens or enveloped by bricks, they must be a reason for that.
I would never buy a bicycle with LPoly cells just meter behind my back.
MC

Since we've highjacked this Thread my next batteries will be LIPO's probably 2 5ah 6s for 44.2 volts I will spend more on the charger possibly twice as much as the batteries. They will be charged in a welding booth.

Or just go with good Lifepo4 battery and never have to worry..
The LiPoly batts are just a fad that the ebike community just started getting into.
The are really made for RC cars and planes..
There is NO reason to go LiPoly when lifepo4 works just as well has 2-3 times the longevity and is the safest of all chemistries.

The charger I'm looking at (Hyperion 1420i Net 3) handles all the present chemistry. A simple firmware upgrade will enable it to stay current in the future. The charger that comes with the Lifepo4 battery pack i'm waiting on is only a 2 amp charger. 10 aH of 48V LIPO is $170 Hopefully it is just a fad. That means cheaper/better is coming.

http://www.hyperion-world.com/products/product/HP-EOS1420iNET3

check out the video

My choice after the test drive was A2B Metro.

How do you like the A2B? Looking at one myself, probably buy the Velociti also made by A2B, what kind of distance are you getting?

How do you like the A2B? Looking at one myself, probably buy the Velociti also made by A2B, what kind of distance are you getting?

Actually I went with an e-bike scooter as it is a superior product for 1/3 the $$


50 km range
32 km hour
Alarm/wheel lock
speedometer
turn signals
headlights
mirrors
regular tires..not special order
more comfortable
more quiet
better feeling throttle
portable pull out battery or charge in place.
more convenient


Plus the battery is only $100 to replace. I ride this thing everyday and absolutely love it! It is by far the best electric choice out there. I am 230 lbs and it climbs hills no problem...light pedaling needed only on steep hills.


http://freedom-road.ca/

http://freedom-road.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSC05741.jpg

looks like a cool bike..but IMHO the frame is to small for most men who are taller then 5ft 9" . nothing worse then buying a electric bicycle/scooter , only to find out that its to small for your body frame size....also, notice in the pciture, there are 3 riders..all female..all oriental..and all small framed build..probably only weigh about 110 lbs each...

for those types of small lightweight people..these bikes are perfect...for the rest of us...they are basically useless.

http://freedom-road.ca/

http://freedom-road.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSC05741.jpg




I am 230 lbs and it climbs hills no problem...light pedaling needed only on steep hills.


..for the rest of us...they are basically useless.

There are not many "us" bigger than myself. I am 6'1 230 lbs and I assure you I have no trouble getting all over town in this thing. If you like to pedal then by all means don't get it....if you like to ride for the
enjoyment without the huffing and puffing then get this bike. Regular bikes (including the a2b) cannot compare to the level of comfort. I mean its a motorcycle seat!

But now you have to spend time elsewhere getting your daily exercise. I would rather get my exercise doing what I have to do anyway.

I don't think everyone is getting an ebike for excercise. some others are using it as an efficient form of transportation from point a to b. To me that's one less car on the road :).

My brother bought an a2b at a trade show (on an impulse, because it was a demo model being offered for like one grand below list) just so he could commute to work with it (one or two miles, mostly down hill) without getting sweaty in the summer. Funny but he had not been riding his old roady for a long time but after buying the a2b he got back into that, joined a local cycling club, then bought a new, pricey carbon fiber racer. Dunno whether he even still uses the a2b.

Myself, I would love an electric assist so that I could keep getting the same exercise as I do now, but be able to travel longer distances and at greater speeds. I currently ride my cargo bikes about 45 miles a day, through very hilly terrain; looking for something that would give me a range of about 100m. Unfortunately no systems with that kind of capacity are readily available. :(

But those scooters sure do look sweet, what's their top speed, joiningtheclub?

But those scooters sure do look sweet, what's their top speed, joiningtheclub?





50 km range
32 km hour
Alarm/wheel lock
speedometer
turn signals
headlights
mirrors
regular tires..not special order
more comfortable
more quiet
better feeling throttle
portable pull out battery or charge in place.
more convenient


Plus the battery is only $100 to replace.

***

another cheap Chinese brand scooter-style.
Warranty of 90 days only says everthing.
They know how to make those cheap chromed plastic pieces, Lead battery?
Look underneth those glossy plastics and what you see - shoddy, messy wiring and cheap connectors which will NOT last even 5 years.
I have been there, saw such "products"
Come here after 3 years and show us your scooter.
90 days warranty is there for the reason - it's a joke warranty for a toy.
CMM

Guys,
I've been noticing a lot of new a2bs on fleabay recently. Either they have issues or someone bought a whole mess of them and has to unload them quick.

And HALF of those don't even have the battery it charger....
So it looks like someone bought some of the NOS bikes for $1000 and took out the most expensive part (battery) and are trying to resell the most useless part(s) (frame)..

quote deleted per quoted person request

im glad you are happy with the escooter...

but if that is a picture of you on your escooter..then I can tell you that the escooter is technically to small for you...proof of this is the fact that your legs do not properly line up with the pedals of the scooter....so if you have to pedal it for any length of time, your pedal stroke will be terribly misaligned and inefficient..

you are 6 ft 1 inch...and if that is in you in the picutre...then it looks like those scooter are made for people no taller then 5ft 9 " ....and actually it is geared more towards people 5ft 7" or less...that is if you do the correct measuremtn of having one leg on the pedal and at the bottom stroke of the pedalling action, there should only be a SLIGHT bend in your knee...

I also dont like the small tires....

there is no way in hell, that thing could pull my 270 lb body weight around my hilly mountain hiways , for any decent distance....and if I needed to pedal it, it would be totally inefficient...

but im glad you like it...i hope it lasts you for at least 3000 miles....but id be shocked if things dont slowly start to breakdown on it. ...ecspecially since I dont think it is made for people weighing more then 180 lbs....as I said earler..theres a reason why the demos of this product often show 5ft tall asian people who weigh 100 lb, driving it on smooth flat roads.

in the picture of you and the scooter, you have your legs touching the ground...and the bend in your knees is still to much bend , even if you had your feet on the pedals....

a properly sized bike is supposed to have only a slight bend in the users knee, when their foot is on the pedal , and the pedal is in the completely down/flat position.

I hope you never breakdown and have to pedal that thing home for 3 miles , with alot of hills...I have a feeling you would be cussing like a sailor , because your pedalling strokes would be severely inefficient...beings that your whole pedal stroke would have improper knee bendage.

And HALF of those don't even have the battery it charger....
So it looks like someone bought some of the NOS bikes for $1000 and took out the most expensive part (battery) and are trying to resell the most useless part(s) (frame)..


well he says hes happy with it so far...and thats what really matters....

IMHO...the pedals on it are not very useful for anyone taller then 5ft 9 ....these types of escooters are massed produced primarily for people 5ft 7 " or less and 170 lbs or less....this is why they are so popular in places like hong kong/ china/ japan.../ indonesia , etc...because those people are generally smaller framed and lighter then american society.

I have to wonder...if you get a flat tire/blowout on that escooter...how easy would it be to put a new tube in it , if you broke down on the road away from home ?

do you carry a bunch of tools for this, just in case it happens on the road ?

First of all any body who is questioning the comfort of this scooter needs to give their head a shake. Sitting on this scooter is like sitting on a sofa versus sitting on a ball crushing, impotence causing puny little bike seat.

No you are not going to pedal 20km on this thing....the pedals are only there to lightly assist on hills and starting if you want.



But now you have to spend time elsewhere getting your daily exercise. I would rather get my exercise doing what I have to do anyway.

I work construction so I get plenty...I scooter for fun and to get around efficiently and easily.



I don't think everyone is getting an ebike for excercise. some others are using it as an efficient form of transportation from point a to b. To me that's one less car on the road :).:thumb:



another cheap Chinese brand scooter-style.
Warranty of 90 days only says everthing.
They know how to make those cheap chromed plastic pieces, Lead battery?
Look underneth those glossy plastics and what you see - shoddy, messy wiring and cheap connectors which will NOT last even 5 years.
I have been there, saw such "products"
Come here after 3 years and show us your scooter.
90 days warranty is there for the reason - it's a joke warranty for a toy.
CMM

I have tried the a2b and this scooter puts it to shame in price, performance and comfort. If you are thinking about an electric bike DON'T...they simply do not measure up...this scooter is the best electric alternative available.



im glad you are happy with the escooter...

but if that is a picture of you on your escooter..then I can tell you that the escooter is technically to small for you...proof of this is the fact that your legs do not properly line up with the pedals of the scooter....so if you have to pedal it for any length of time, your pedal stroke will be terribly misaligned and inefficient..

you are 6 ft 1 inch...and if that is in you in the picutre...then it looks like those scooter are made for people no taller then 5ft 9 " ....and actually it is geared more towards people 5ft 7" or less...that is if you do the correct measuremtn of having one leg on the pedal and at the bottom stroke of the pedalling action, there should only be a SLIGHT bend in your knee...

I also dont like the small tires....

there is no way in hell, that thing could pull my 270 lb body weight around my hilly mountain hiways , for any decent distance....and if I needed to pedal it, it would be totally inefficient...

but im glad you like it...i hope it lasts you for at least 3000 miles....but id be shocked if things dont slowly start to breakdown on it. ...ecspecially since I dont think it is made for people weighing more then 180 lbs....as I said earler..theres a reason why the demos of this product often show 5ft tall asian people who weigh 100 lb, driving it on smooth flat roads.

I don't have to pedal...I mean pedaling is just a novelty with this...even up a steep hill you are just spinning your feet freely. Only time will tell...but with the cost of other electric replacement batteries being as high as $800 I would sooner just buy a whole new scooter should this one break down in a few years. As mentioned the scooter battery only costs $100.



in the picture of you and the scooter, you have your legs touching the ground...and the bend in your knees is still to much bend , even if you had your feet on the pedals....

a properly sized bike is supposed to have only a slight bend in the users knee, when their foot is on the pedal , and the pedal is in the completely down/flat position.

I hope you never breakdown and have to pedal that thing home for 3 miles , with alot of hills...I have a feeling you would be cussing like a sailor , because your pedalling strokes would be severely inefficient...beings that your whole pedal stroke would have improper knee bendage.

see above reply...but I would not be pedaling home uphills...I would be calling a cab.

as I said, im glad you love the escooter...

I am quite confident it would not work for me...im 6ft 6" and weigh 270 lbs { bodybuilder** ...and I am also confident it would not perform as well as my electric bicycle that pulls me 32 mph on flat land and cost me about $ 1200 for the bike, electric kit , aftermarket controller and airless solid tires.

In fact, I would look ridiculous on that little escooter...and would be uncomfortable with my long legs.

as I said, im glad you love the escooter...

I am quite confident it would not work for me...im 6ft 6" and weigh 270 lbs { bodybuilder** ...and I am also confident it would not perform as well as my electric bicycle that pulls me 32 mph on flat land and cost me about $ 1200 for the bike, electric kit , aftermarket controller and airless solid tires.

In fact, I would look ridiculous on that little escooter...and would be uncomfortable with my long legs.

Yes perhaps at six foot six your height would be a comfort issue but I have little doubt that the scooter would get you around no problem.

Update:

Still going strong...zero maintenance to date. I parked it and charged the battery in November. It was still fully charged when I went for the first ride of 2012 yesterday. The tires didn't even need any air.

Hitting 35 kmh on the flat.
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/ucfbr.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/ucfbr)