Have you tried an electric bike for fun?

[platgof]

These electric bikes seem to be all the rage lately. I am wondering if anyone on the forum has one, and likes it?

[farmer]

I do not, but my niece and her husband are serious bikers who love the electrics for daily recreational riding.  It's very hilly where they live which makes for a less than enjoyable rec ride.

[sharkiesj]

Wife and I would take our regular bikes to the beach to ride along the Huntington Beach Trail(SoCal).  We noticed lots of people had ebikes and we were very curious about them because riding into the wind isn’t very fun at all. Researched alot online and discovered lectric bike, without the “e”. Got great reviews, is foldable, and fit our budget. At the time they were $799/bike.  I ordered 2 and they came in 3 weeks.  Put them together, got a feel for them in a nearby parking lot, and away we went.  LOVE THEM.  THE BEST MONEY IVE EVER SPENT.  LOVE RIDING MY EBIKE MORE THAN PLAYING GOLF.  

 

I throw 1 in the trunk and the other one slides into the back seat in our Toyota Camry.  No bike rack needed.  50 mile range and bike can be programmed to go 30 mph.  Not a single problem with our bikes in 1 1/2 years, maybe we’re lucky, some people complain about stuff in bike reviews but we’ve been good. They do weigh a lot so that’s a little bit different but ebiking is a blast and there’s no way in Hades I’m ever riding a regular bike again.  Ebikes can be very very expensive so we thought for $799 we couldn’t go wrong.  Didn’t have high expectations and was really expecting to buy a “better” and more expensive one within 6 months but 1 1/2 years later we’re still good.  And every time we ride our ebikes it’s like the first time.  It never gets old.  
 

The best part is passing people on regular bikes huffing and puffing and you just zip by them peddling or not peddling at all. You

feel the jealousy glare on your back but they don’t see your silly wide smile that’s impossible to wipe off your face.  We’ve put over 1,000 miles on our bikes biking all over SoCal, taking them to NorCal, and Vegas.  
 

Best money you’ll ever spend.  Golf? What’s that.  As Travis Mathew says, Golf sucks.  

Edited January 25, 2022 by sharkiesj

[TiScape]

55 minutes ago, sharkiesj said:

Wife and I would take our regular bikes to the beach to ride along the Huntington Beach Trail(SoCal).  We noticed lots of people had ebikes and we were very curious about them because riding into the wind isn’t very fun at all. Researched alot online and discovered lectric bike, without the “e”. Got great reviews, is foldable, and fit our budget. At the time they were $799/bike.  I ordered 2 and they came in 3 weeks.  Put them together, got a feel for them in a nearby parking lot, and away we went.  LOVE THEM.  THE BEST MONEY IVE EVER SPENT.  LOVE RIDING MY EBIKE MORE THAN PLAYING GOLF.  

 

I throw 1 in the trunk and the other one slides into the back seat in our Toyota Camry.  No bike rack needed.  50 mile range and bike can be programmed to go 30 mph.  Not a single problem with our bikes in 1 1/2 years, maybe we’re lucky, some people complain about stuff in bike reviews but we’ve been good. They do weigh a lot so that’s a little bit different but ebiking is a blast and there’s no way in Hades I’m ever riding a regular bike again.  Ebikes can be very very expensive so we thought for $799 we couldn’t go wrong.  Didn’t have high expectations and was really expecting to buy a “better” and more expensive one within 6 months but 1 1/2 years later we’re still good.  And every time we ride our ebikes it’s like the first time.  It never gets old.  
 

The best part is passing people on regular bikes huffing and puffing and you just zip by them peddling or not peddling at all. You

feel the jealousy glare on your back but they don’t see your silly wide smile that’s impossible to wipe off your face.  We’ve put over 1,000 miles on our bikes biking all over SoCal, taking them to NorCal, and Vegas.  
 

Best money you’ll ever spend.  Golf? What’s that.  As Travis Mathew says, Golf sucks.  

 30mph whoa, sounds like fun! Glad to hear you and the Mrs. are enjoying them so much! But your post made me wonder… Sounds like you are now missing out on a lot of great exercise! Have you done anything to make up for it? 

Edited January 25, 2022 by TiScape

[Fellaheen51]

Two basic types of e-bikes.  Throttle-assist and pedal-assist.  There are federal and state regulations that determine whether and e-bike is indeed a bicycle or an electric powered moped.  Further, e-bikes fall into three class categories by speed and battery capacity.  In Michigan, Class I & II max speed 20 mph (750w).  Class III max speed 28mph (750w).  A e-bike that has a speed of 30 mph (full throttle-assist) would be considered a moped and subject to different set of regulations (motor vehicle) governing their use.  Park system trails and bike paths are increasingly banning e-bikes beyond class III.  One park system is class I & ll only, class III only in  specifically designated MTB trail.  They've been deemed a hazard for traditional bike riders, intermixing the two on linear bike trails.  It can be very confusing.  Depending on your locale, need to have an understanding of the the regulations governing e-bike usage.  Honestly don't know where one would find a 30 mph throttle-assist bike these days.  The major OEM's are limiting the top speed to 28 mph due to the the regulations.  A cursory glance at California regulations appear the same as here.  

 

 

[sharkiesj]

9 hours ago, TiScape said:

 30mph whoa, sounds like fun! Glad to hear you and the Mrs. are enjoying them so much! But your post made me wonder… Sounds like you are now missing out on a lot of great exercise! Have you done anything to make up for it? 

Oh I still pedal for sure.  There’s a study out, sorry can’t remember exactly, but it basically states that even with ebikes people get a decent workout and it’s not all coasting like you would think.  

[dan360]

Rode a bunch of the Rad Power (local) and some other small manufacturers.   Looked into the high dollar offerings from Bakcou, etc and ended up building my own bike after finding this Johnny Nerdout guy on Youtube.    He worked in the industry, now offers builds and advice.   Smart dude.  Good info.  Not affiliated just a happy customer.

 

https://www.johnnynerdout.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnnyNerdOut

 

[Hickory4ever]

I have a folding bike with pedal assist. I only use it on the lowest setting for pedal assist. The pedal assist saves about 3 gears for climbing hills and keeps the workload reasonable in the wind. Being late 60’s, I want good exercise without going in to the red zone.

 

My 16 inch folder fits easily in the car and cost a little over $1,000. It has a range of 35-40 km. A 20 inch would be faster, but I didn’t buy it for speed. Using it as an e bike, the maximum speed is 32 km/hr (20 mph) which is a provincial limit. Anything faster requires a motorcycle licence and insurance.

[Fellaheen51]

11 hours ago, dan360 said:

Rode a bunch of the Rad Power (local) and some other small manufacturers.   Looked into the high dollar offerings from Bakcou, etc and ended up building my own bike after finding this Johnny Nerdout guy on Youtube.    He worked in the industry, now offers builds and advice.   Smart dude.  Good info.  Not affiliated just a happy customer.

 

https://www.johnnynerdout.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnnyNerdOut

 

 

I've watched Johnny's videos before.  His install vids makes it look pretty easy with a modicum of bike wrenching skills.  Did you install a Bafang mid-drive motor kit that he touts?  Don't want to mess around with a wheel hub motor.  Any issues with programming the controller?  Read where some can be fussy with setup.  

 

Not many new bikes of any kind around these days.  Especially in XL frame size.  Staying with what I have and converting to electric assist seems to make a lot of sense.  

 

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by Fellaheen51

[dan360]

On 1/25/2022 at 3:54 PM, Fellaheen51 said:

 

I've watched Johnny's videos before.  His install vids makes it look pretty easy with a modicum of bike wrenching skills.  Did you install a Bafang mid-drive motor kit that he touts?  Don't want to mess around with a wheel hub motor.  Any issues with programming the controller?  Read where some can be fussy with setup.  

 

Not many new bikes of any kind around these days.  Especially in XL frame size.  Staying with what I have and converting to electric assist seems to make a lot of sense.  

 

 

I paid for one of his phone consults--which he now does for free--explaining the frame I had and what I wanted to do.  He quickly warned me about one important detail....braking.   I moved into a fat bike frame with hydraulic discs, used the Cyclone motor.  Install wasn't plug n play but was not a nightmare;  it is a purpose built bike for hunting and pulling a small trailer, with my largeness on it.  The Bafang BBSHD is a much easier setup and probably more than most e-bike riders will ever need.  I'm moving upwards of 700 lbs at times with mine;  the added power helps.  52v pack with Samsung cells.  May upgrade to a 72v pack but am cautious of too much torque stressing the frame;  I have snapped the chain more than once on a hill loaded, swapped to KMC chain so far so good.  it's kind of similar to this one that Johnny built.

 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by dan360

[Notashank]

I have an electric skateboard that goes 25mph. 

[khalespace]

You loke biking, e-bike and golf, why not do everything all at once?

 

Yesterday I saw a video about electric hey bike for golf courses. It is around $1,500. It can be folded nicely. You can pedal or use electric motor assist. It is much faster than a push car or electric cart. I think getting to your ball early and have more time to plan your next shot is probably helpful. I am thinking about getting one. In this video, he talks about the bike at 2:50.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by khalespace

[dan360]

On 1/28/2022 at 12:11 AM, Notashank said:

I have an electric skateboard that goes 25mph. 

There was a person on one of those during my commute home a few days ago.  City streets, looks like a winner if one can keep their balance and not hit a turtle. 😃

[scotee]

On 1/29/2022 at 10:25 AM, khalespace said:

You loke biking, e-bike and golf, why not do everything all at once?

 

Yesterday I saw a video about electric hey bike for golf courses. It is around $1,500. It can be folded nicely. You can pedal or use electric motor assist. It is much faster than a push car or electric cart. I think getting to your ball early and have more time to plan your next shot is probably helpful. I am thinking about getting one. In this video, he talks about the bike at 2:50.

 

 

 

Our course rents these:

 

 

[596]

Here's the only electric bike I have. Wahoo Kickr Smart Bike.  Absolutely love it.  I've considered the electric assist Trek but then I think, nope, all it will do is increase speed. Already ride fast enough.  One bike for indoors and two for outdoors.

 

[platgof]

I bought two bikes to ride with the intention of converting one to electric. The Giant Roam will be converted because of the disc brakes which are highly recommended for E bikes. I am planning on going with the Bafang 750 watt motor conversion kit, and a decent battery, 20 amp and 48 volts. Not a cheap project but I just gotta give this a try. If it works out I might try riding it to work, a twenty mile ride each way that I would never ever consider with a non E bike, and that is the big difference. With an E bike, a twenty mile per hour average is very doable, this makes a big difference. I expect at least a 30 mile range. This would be a good way to bring down the gas prices, "butt" we will see. 

[platgof]

I have put the E bike on hold and picked up a new KLR 650 for now. Going fast around cars on an E bike did not mesh well in my mind. 

[sharkiesj]

I know this may be a long shot, but does anyone have any experience with using one’s own ebike with fat tires at the golf course? Are courses allowing this? Do they not allow it? 
 

I’ve seen a way to hook up a golf bag to a bike and so naturally I thought, hey , what are the odds of me bringing my ebike with my clubs to the course and this actually happening?? I’ve been to courses that rented golf boards, rented fat tire scooters for golf but I’ve never seen anyone with their own ebike w/ clubs show up and get around.  Anyone with ANY kind of experience or any morsel of info would be helpful.  TIA! 

[platgof]

I really doubt you will get a pass on the bike, mainly because the tires are not wide enough to prevent digging in the mud!

[sharkiesj]

The bike’s tires actually put less pressure on the grass than a regular cart’s tires.  It’s just the lack of knowledge from most course’s staff or fear that the tires will “ruin” the golf course.  I would even be willing to keep the bike on the cart path. If I kept the bike on the cart path I still don’t think most courses would let me out there.  They’d probably claim some kind of insurance liability BS.  

Edited March 23, 2022 by sharkiesj

[JanPling9]

I have tried many electric bikes, but I didn't find the best one for me, so I have decided that a simple bike is the best, especially since it is much cheaper to maintain compared to an electric bike. Plus, I have good insurance for my bike which I don't want to waste. I like that it offers a lot of policies in order to fit all your needs and all this at a reasonable price. However, they have great offers for electric bikes, you can check them here.

Edited April 23, 2022 by JanPling9

[platgof]

On 3/3/2022 at 8:16 PM, scotee said:

 

Our course rents these:

 

 

My buddies rent these and call themselves a Bikers Club!!!

[QuickFeet]

I'm getting ready to purchase a Throttle and Pedal Assisted Electric Bike; mainly for golf but since it is a bike I can use it for short errands around the area where I live as well.

 

I've narrowed the bike down to either a Pedego Element or the Heybike Ranger.  There is a Pedego store nearby so I plan to go look at the Element next week and take it for a test ride.  Heybike is an Internet purchase only, which is okay, but having a Pedego store in the area for possible warranty work, replacement parts and repairs is a big plus.  When you are going to fork out around $2K the couple hundred dollars difference between them become less of a factor.  Right now I think either ebike will be more than adequate for trekking around the golf course.

 

The Divnick Golf Bag Carrier looks pretty functional so that is the choice to secure my bag to the bike.

 

I've cleared using the ebike with the Director of Golf where I play; no restrictions at this point other than following the guidelines that electric push carts follow.

Edited October 30, 2022 by QuickFeet
spelling

[bcjim]

The courses that I'm familiar with, that rent or permit golf bikes restrict them to times when it is completely dry. 

 

Apparently any rain or dew and people are laying them down all over the place.

[Wooley12]

I am loving my eBike. I have leg circulation issues my legs tire quickly. I can walk 9 but not 18. Stopped riding my 10 speed and got an Ancheer from Amazon for $700. I'm back to riding 2 wheels 100 miles a week on the local roads and trails. I can dial in as much exercise as the legs can handle  Only golf use is to ride with couple of clubs to the golf course that is 4 miles away to hit balls on the range or practice my short game.  And have a beer. 

Edited October 30, 2022 by Wooley12

[platgof]

On 10/30/2022 at 3:28 PM, Wooley12 said:

I am loving my eBike. I have leg circulation issues my legs tire quickly. I can walk 9 but not 18. Stopped riding my 10 speed and got an Ancheer from Amazon for $700. I'm back to riding 2 wheels 100 miles a week on the local roads and trails. I can dial in as much exercise as the legs can handle  Only golf use is to ride with couple of clubs to the golf course that is 4 miles away to hit balls on the range or practice my short game.  And have a beer. 

I', guessing the motor is in the hub? That is amazing how far you can go now with an e bike!! I have a bike begging to be converted.

[Wooley12]

2 hours ago, platgof said:

I', guessing the motor is in the hub? That is amazing how far you can go now with an e bike!! I have a bike begging to be converted.

Yes, hub motor. I was going to get a Rad Rover but before I could pull the trigger the Ancheer appeared  as a surprise gift from my brother. I'd estimate the battery allows for about 25-30 miles. I've built racing motors for motorcycles but moving ions and computer programing are not my skill set. DIY with a hub motor makes sense. The brakes are weak and the front suspension is a joke but both are sufficient. As the Ancheer was a gift, $$ to Fun ratio is infinity. Factory parts and service support doesn't exist. Still working on relearning my riding skills. I needed to make two "Strategic Dismounts" in the first week before the throttle and I got to understanding each other. 😆

[platgof]

Could you make a video of the trails you ride? That trail looks awesome! How are the hills with the electric?

[Wooley12]

9 hours ago, platgof said:

Could you make a video of the trails you ride? That trail looks awesome! How are the hills with the electric?

On 10/31/2022 at 4:06 PM, platgof said:

I', guessing the motor is in the hub? That is amazing how far you can go now with an e bike!! I have a bike begging to be converted.

 

 I do live on top of some amazing trails for riding my bike. My bike is not going to power me up any steep hills. That picture is my first time seeing what the bike and I could do off the main trail. I didn't go more than a few hundred yards very far as I didn't know the trail, didn't know my machine, I was alone heading into the wilderness and no one knew where I was but me. Bad combo.  Tell you what is really fun. Riding my under powered and under suspended "Dirt bike" around the closed 9 hole golf course 5 minutes away. The town still mows it like at fairway height. 

This is the main trail. 4 miles behind me is the town and my home golf course and 250 miles in front of me is the Colombia River. 

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Wooley12

[platgof]

The amazing part is how quiet you are on the bike!