Originally Posted by
Steely Dan
i've purchased two other bikes from BD.com in the past, both at seemingly impossible discounts, and i have been very satisfied with the quality of both bikes.
so how have the elctronics of your system held up in salty, slushy winter commuting conditions? that's the biggest unknown variable for me that gives me the greatest concern.
i do not want to shell out a couple thousand on an e-bike only to have winter conditions destroy the electronics after a couple of seasons.
oh, i'd for sure spring for some studded fat tires. one of the reasons an e-bike intrigues me so much is that can help overcome the time penalty of riding on studs in the first place.
a fat bike might be overkill, but i was just thinking that if i'm going the e-bike route anyway, why not get one that could theoretically tackle just about anything a chicago winter can throw at it.
yah, BD is fine. Not the latest and greatest TdF technology, but who wants to pay for that.
I dont' really ride in "slush" much. We use a ton of salt, so either it is snowy, or salted, or black ice. Black ice (mostly a problem in March with cold nights and above freezing days) can put you out of commission for many weeks (or months). My hub motor seems to be sealed fine. Everythhing else I have is in a frame bag, so it is fine. The biggest problem is having snow all over the bike that melts when the bike is parked. Its mostly a problem for high iron content bike parts (like the chain, and some of the bolts).
But yeah, ebikes don't care too much what kind of tire you use. I expect the range is lower with higher rolling resistance tires but speed and power don't change much.