acidfast7

new 20" E-bike with the new BOSCH 400Wh motor/battery pack. seems to go roughly 28mph (in Turbo mode) for roughly 35 miles.





opinions?

megalowmatt

Personally I think it's kind of cool but you probably won't find many people who will find it interesting here in the Commuting forum.

One criticism of that category of "scooter" is they are powerful enough to get you in trouble but not powerful enough to get you out of it in traffic situations.

acidfast7

I don't think I can legally ride in traffic anyway. At least, not when there is a separated bike lane adjacent to the street.

I do think that the mixture of parts is really well thought out for a zero maintenance commuter though (roller brakes and IGH) and the small frame size is great for bringing it on the subway/bus/tram.

Would be really nice for a trip down the Italian countryside.

no1mad 

Roller brakes don't have the same reputation for stopping power as disc brakes have. I think I'd rather have increased stopping power to compensate for that kind of speed in case of an emergency stop is called for.

CB HI

All the electric bike commuters I have seen, give up within a month.

If the bike in the OP really will do 35 miles at 28 mph, that is really good, but I have my doubts. I agree that far better brakes are needed for something like that. Next big deal is how long does it take to fully recharge?

When I turn 80 years old, I will consider buying one.

Mark Stone

When you're 80 years old, you will definitely know better than to buy one.

acidfast7

but their much more durable in all weather conditions.

Rhodabike

"Roller brakes don't have the same reputation for stopping power as disc brakes have. I think I'd rather have increased stopping power to compensate for that kind of speed in case of an emergency stop is called for."
Um, no actually, they aren't. Disc brakes work better than roller brakes in all kinds of conditions. They are especially good in the winter and in wet conditions.

unterhausen

that looks like a very well equipped bike, leads me to believe it's expensive. Does the power go through the crank?

acidfast7

"durable" is what I said, actually. I'm concerned with long-term durability. Roller brakes are less maintenance than disc brakes, which is my major concern with a bike that's locked up outside all year long.

acidfast7

All BOSCH units go through the crank. I don't even know if German companies still sell the rear hub-power ones anymore.

I'm actually quite impressed with the cost of the battery exchange (€149), but it still shouldn't be a big deal as I think people are getting 20000km+ out of the original sets (3 years or so.)

The cost is on par with all other e-bikes (pedelec in German) made by reputable bicycle companies in Germany (roughly €2k). The bike itself is probably €800-1000.

as far as e-bike riders quitting in a month, i recently got schooled by an old lady going up a hill. i could tell she only used the "boost" on the hill and she absolutely crushed me.

tcs

I've read about some of these new, speedy ebikes from Europe. That top speed makes it legally a motorcycle where I live - but as a motorcycle it doesn't have the equipment necessary to be street legal. I really wouldn't want to be involved in an accident while riding an unlicensed, unregistered, uninsured motorcycle.

tcs

The USA: always behind the curve.

TiBikeGuy

The TWIKE (from the words TWin + bIKE) is a Swiss-made two seater pedal and electric powered bike that would make the ultimate commuting vehicle. It comes street legal with all the lights, signals, horns and rear view mirrors. You can ride in your work clothes, cover it up when it rains, or remove the cover when the temperature gets warm... There is decent space behind the seats for your bags or groceries.. Quite decent speed of more than 50mph, and it is @ $33 thousand..

acidfast7

They actually make those right around here in a small village ... you can pick up new one for as little as €15000.