neverquit

WHY do the ebikes have fenders? Also, been looking at Specialized and can't seem to find any road bikes. They look like, based on the tire tread, to be mountain bikes? Am I missing something?

Thanks
Lloyd

Bizman

Hi Lloyd, when you ask if the Bafang is as good as the Specialized I think they both work well and would get the job done. The Specalized is buy and play, the Bafang you build and that is pretty easy at a fraction of the cost. Luna Cycles is where I got mine and they have been very helpful and building you own you know your bike! I think the quality of the Bafang is very good! My OEM bike is the Easy Motion Max 700, I can recommend them as well, just more costly and since I didn't build it I would have to figure out a problem, which like any of the 2 choices just takes time. The EM has been very reliable for the almost 5 years I have had it. Both ouf our Bafang bikes has been reliable but we have only had them 4 months.

Your Ruby being a Carbon frame I would want to talk with Luna to see if that would be a good choice for the Bafang motor to make sure. If it is I think it would be advantageous to do it yourself or even have a bike shop help you. My bike shop has been very helpful if I need anything for any of my bikes, but I take care of them too! Hope that helps and ride a couple different ones if you can. From want I know now I would go the Bafang route and save allot of money and have a bike of my choice that fits!

Bizman

Hi Lloyd, not sure what you mean when you say "why do ebikes have fenders"? To me any bike that has fenders is to keep the dirt and water off of you and your bike, but maybe there is more? I don't know of any Specialized e road bikes, they are more of a mountain style ebike. You could put road tires on one I suppose, although I don't think they have fender options but others may be able to answer that better. All of our ebikes have fenders, they did not come with them but were after market and work very well at doing want I said above!

neverquit

Hi, Yes, understand about the fenders, but never seen any mountain or road bikes with fenders, and just wondered why ebikes would have them.

Thanks
Lloyd

Rick Imby

Well Lloyd,

A couple things about ebikes. They are heavier and faster--often twice as fast as most people ride their road bikes.

Road ebikes are usually not the racing bar style of bike.

I strongly suggest wider tires on an ebike over a road bike 23-28mm is fine for a low powered (by me anyway) road bike. 32-38 is the minimum width I would go with an ebike.

Mountain e-bikes with road tires make great road ebikes for a couple of reasons.

I would never recommend going with V-brakes on an ebike--for stopping the extra weight and speed the Discs really shine---

The wider tires absorb the extra vibration from higher average speeds.

Higher speeds hit bumps much harder and the wider mountain bike tires will handle that much better.

Weight is not as important on an ebike because of the boost.

I would not convert a Carbon framed bike to ebike use---.

I converted an old (1500 retail) mountain bike that fits me well to an ebike and spent nearly 1k. The bike would sell on Craigslist for maybe $300. It has been awesome. I also bought my gear from Luna.

I also bought a couple of Giant $3000 e-mountain bikes for one of my sons and his wife and I have played with them a lot also. They are awesome too. They work great on the streets and as mountain bikes.

Good luck,

Rick

Rick Imby

If I really wanted a road bike to convert to an ebike I would buy a Gravel Grinder and convert it. They have heavy frames, Disc brakes, wider tires and room for even wider tires usually. But i would stick with a mountain bike and put road tires on it.

neverquit

Hi Rick: Thanks for your comments. I was just concerned that with the mtb tires she would have a tougher time, but I can see it's not an issue.
Since you explained it, I can see why wider tires are better.
Let me ask you this: Do you know why they have fenders?.....I just don't understand that.


Thanks
Lloyd

Rick Imby

Fenders are a European and a coummuter thing. I believe in Germany all bicycles when sold are required to have fenders and lights----I heard this once don't quote me---

The electric bike development for western society has come strongly from Germany where Ebikes have outsold regular bikes dollar wize for several years. Germany is the first Western country to go nuts over e-bikes. Whereas in the US ebikes are maybe 5% of the bicycle market.

Most people who ride their bikes for transportation---getting back and forth to work---ride with fenders. Fenders do not have a downside in performance of the bike or ebike.

The main hassle for me is when putting the bike in a vehicle. Most ebikes are around 50 pounds and are rarely put in a car or on a car rack.

People who buy ebikes have been found to ride them a lot more than people who buy bicycles. In most parts of the world rain can move in an hour or two after you have left home.---Riding in the rain you will get wet but riding in the rain without fenders you will get wet and very dirty. Riding on wet streets after the rain you will get wet and dirty without fenders.

neverquit

Hi Rick: Thanks for the information....Very interesting, to say the least. Getting an ebike for my wife is not for transportation, but for riding with the club. I can understand if you're going to and from work you would want fenders to keep your pants as clean as possible.

Thanks again
Lloyd

momsonherbike

Lloyd -

Hubby and I took a trip yesterday to one of the local bike stores that sell Specialized and Trek ebikes. I was interested in the Specialized Turbo Vado and wanted to see the bike in person.

It is a lovely bike, well conformed and proportioned. I especially like the long tube battery that looks part of the bike and not the brick-sized battery most other ebikes feature. I looked at the Vado 2, liked the quick light up of the screen and the large display. It lacks fenders, but those are a simple add on later. I asked about the range and the salesmen (two of them) said about 50. The website said about 90 for Eco mode, 50 for Normal. And an extra battery costs $1,000. A bit steep... but if you wanted to ride a century you'd probably need it.

I was told the Trek had a better motor that was smoother in shifting and engaged slightly faster than the Specialized motor. Both bikes were side by side so that I could compare them. They both weighed about the same as each other and my current ebike (which is a vintage Giant hybrid converted to ebike via a front hub motor, a thumb on/off button, and 2 twenty mile lithium batteries all for $1,000)

When the weather is better (like out of the single digits) I plan to go back to the store to try out the bike outside. I ride with my club, but also do the charity rides in the 30-40 mile distances. I have never run out of battery, and only rarely have I needed to connect my 2nd 20 mile battery. Generally that occurs when there are a lot of hills and I'm going 25 or more miles. But I'd like to have an ebike that gives a consistant level of assist automatically. I love my current set-up but my thumb does get tired after 30 miles.

PS I'm 64.

fietsbob

looked at the new Trek Electric bike sector.. I bought decent cars that cost less..

neverquit

Ha!....Excellent point!....How prices have changed....I bought my '68 Camaro new and it was all of $ 2800.00!
How times have changed.....

neverquit

WOW!....Thank you for the input!....That's exactly what I wanted to know.....I was planning on going to the Specialized shop on Monday and see what they have. I looked online and Phat Tire doesn't have much of a selection....That's kind of nuts, $ 1,000 for an extra battery!....That's like over 20% of the cost of the bike!....Let me ask you this....have you ever rode your bike with no power?....Weighing in at about 50 Lbs., I wonder just how hard it is to pedal?

Thanks again for your reply, and good luck on your new bike!
Lloyd

Leisesturm

50lbs. is really not that big a deal. One of our tandems weighs 65lbs and I ride it alone all the time. Sometimes I pull a trailer with 100+lbs. uphill! 12 year old kids put their 60lb. classmates on their handlebars and ride for blocks. What will determine how hard an e-bike is to pedal if the motor fails is not what it weighs but whether the drive system is direct drive hub motor (harder to pedal) or a crank drive (easier to pedal). Some hub motors have gears in them that make them easier to pedal without power. So you really need to know what you are working with. E-bikes have fenders because the large majority of them are bought by people that would end up buying fenders, racks, lights, horns, etc. and etc. anyway. So the manufacturers sell them already fitted out. A lot of regular bicycles are now being sold this way too.

momsonherbike

Yes, I spend about 60% of any ride on my ebike riding just under my own power when I'm on a group ride. On a charity ride I spend about 75% of my time riding under my own pedalstroke because I'm not trying to keep up with anyone.

I'm slower on that vintage steel frame bike then I am on my aluminum bike, naturally, because the aluminum bike weighs virtually nothing in comparison. The good thing is the electric hub "freewheels" when not in use, so there is zero drag. It is 100% a regular bike then, just carrying extra weight in the form of a 4.5 lb battery (or two of them) and a 6 lb front hub motor. The bike is a 1996 Giant Nutra, a cromoly steel woman's crosstrail made and sold between 1994-6. Heavy compared to today's aluminum and carbon bikes, yet a very nice riding bike, all things considered. I acquired it in 2012 and rode it as a regular bike until 2016 when I converted it to an electric bike so that I could continue to cycle while allowing a knee injury to heal.

Weighed my bike this morning - it weighs 41 lbs without the battery. The electric hub weighs 6 lbs (according to the manufacturer). So the original bike without modification weighed in at 35 lbs. With hub motor and one 20 mile battery it now weighs 45.5. With two 20 mile batteries onboard it weighs 50 lbs.

I'm sure the Specialized under zero power would feel somewhat the same as my vintage bike sans power (carrying both batteries), although I'm not sure if the Specialized motor freewheels because it is integrated with the pedals. I intend to try out that scenario when I try out the Specialized as well as the Trek.

I'll have to inquire about the cost of an extra battery for the Trek as well - for the long charity rides I ride by myself and do suffer a teeny tiny bit from range anxiety ONLY because riding the ebike (that gives me help when I ask) is so incredibly enjoyable and hills become flatland and it protects my damaged knee from undue stress. Riding an ebike with no power whatsoever is akin to riding a steel beach bike. You work hard for each pedal stroke. Not ideal if you have a leg injury or condition that needs to be coddled. Thus I always want to be assured the bike will be able to help me when I ask.

neverquit

Ahh! Thank you so much for that information!....I didn't know that about the motor placement. I'll make sure that's a question I ask. As far as the fenders, I just thought it strange that ebikes have fenders but road and mtb bikes don't. And from what I've read, it's because most of the ebike riders are riding to and from work....So that makes sense.

Thanks for explaining the motor placement issue. Interesting. Is there an advantage to one over the other?

Thanks
Lloyd

neverquit

Thanks for your input on pedaling sans power.... I just thought it was going to be a bear riding and it would be worse if my wife and I are out and the battery dies...I think that concern is put to bed. Thanks! Yes, my wife suffers from the same "range anxiety" as you mentioned. It's not like we're doing a race, it's an organized bike ride. And I tell her there's rest areas every 10 miles, so we could do this forever!....I think the ebike would help!
I wonder, if later down the road, when looking for a second battery if there's after market batteries that are cheaper? Anyway, that's later on.....Hope your leg heals and comes back stronger!

Thanks again for your input!

Lloyd