What do you think are the most important things to know about e-bikes?

I hadn't had a bike since I was 16 years old. I bought my e-bike in July of last year, then aged 47. Fast forward 16 months or so down the line. I have ridden 5350 miles. Lost over 2 stone. My blood pressure is excellent. My fitness levels have increased massively. I have seen parts of my local area & county I didn't even know existed. I cycle everywhere & in any weather. Because of my e-bike, I ditched my car. I now only cycle in either eco mode the lowest assist level or I actually turn the motor off. I am now researching my next bike purchase, which will be a non-e-bike as my fitness has improved so much I am ready to add non-electric cycling to my life, I think I will buy a gravel bike? but I will still use my beloved e-bike. In the last lockdowns, I spent more time outside in the fresh air than I had ever done. I have reconnected with my younger self & found a new meaning in my life. I love cycling & even the guys on the fast road bikes are not as mean as they used to be & sometimes say hello when I am out & about. I managed my longest ever cycle last week (in eco-mode) 100KM, it took me over 6 hours with only 45 minutes rest. Buying my e-bike saved my life & anyone who thinks they are cheating needs to put themselves in another person's shoes. Life has not been easy for many of us over the past few years & without my bike, I fear my mental health would have been much worse. They are an amazing invention & one I will be forever thankful for. BTW, my bike is a Giant Explore GTS+4. I have modified the bike with new wheels & tires, better grips & even put a Brooks C17 seat on it. I even have a few items of lycra now, LOL & yes I wear a helmet. After years of sitting on my backside in cars, I never imagined I would become a cyclist, 31 years after my last bike. I turned 49 in September just gone & look & feel younger than I have done in a long time. When I say buying my e-bike saved my life, I mean it literally. Thanks for your channel I love watching your videos. Best regards, John. :)

I’m a reasonably fit 61 y.o. cyclist living in a very hilly part of Cornwall with many 20% hills. I manage rides of 50 km+ on my non assisted road bike but sometimes the thought of the the final long climb home puts me off riding, especially when its windy as well, which is often the case. I realised checking on Strava that I spent 90% of every ride slogging uphill with only 10% of ride time spent on flats and downhill. My new e-bike flattens out the hills so I enjoy the ride more and go out more often and cycle further getting the same exercise with more fun and less pain.

One thing to consider about ebikes is the fact that persons of different fitness can cycle together. My wife and I have done memorable trips of about 800km each over very difficult terrain while I ride a regular Mtb and she goes on the ebike. Don't hesitate to own one, you will surely use it.

Absolutely love my eBike for commuting to work. Arriving in office clothes without breaking a sweat, even in Australia's summer is amazing. They're an absolute joy to ride.

I'm 63 and over the past dozen years, I progressively developed painful knee problems which pretty much made riding a conventional bike rather torturous. Even after just a couple miles, my knees would start to hurt. I decided to invest in an ebike and now I am riding about 1200 miles a year which is great in of itself. However, the JOY of riding an ebike - it makes me feel like a superman able to tackle steep hills and trails with a childish glee! The ebike has given me a new lease on enjoying the mental and physical benefits of cycling. The technology has done wonders for people like me!

Bought my first e-bike when I was 76. Although work is only 3km away I use the bike for this short trip each day and it has improved my fitness a lot. As well, when I arrive at work I feel energised and ready to go!

I've been riding my e-bike for a while now. I'm 68 years old and I've lost 30 pounds this year between eating better and riding. I recently rode a gravel trail 55 miles and had a third of the power left. I have my street bike on a trainer so I can continue to ride during the snowy winter months ahead. I'm looking forward to more riding next year.

Being able to eat a cake instead of going to petrol station is a true victory

I have been a motorcyclist for 7 years and a cyclist for a year and a half now. The one thing I would say to people is, don't let rain put you off. For most the year you can work around it and the first time I was caught in a torrential downpour whilst cycling I found it outrageously fun. The first time I went out and a thick mist descended I was struck by the absolute beauty and serenity of it. There are plenty of good reasons why you can't trade in a car for just a bicycle. But even trading in many of your journeys, even in the rain, is doing a great bit for the environment.

E bikes were a game changer for my wife and I …as 60 something’s, we can now enjoy all the steep hilly terrain (or windy conditions) on any bike trails we would never explore before….

I'm pretty neutral on ebikes, but when some scruffy dude in jeans and donkey jacket passes me on some hill it hurts my ego

Keep in mind that many of us who are not as active as we used to be is not due to laziness but due to declining mobility. I have a great deal of walking difficulty now and an ebike is about my only option to be active outdoors. I am researching to purchase an etrike instead of a two wheeled bike for safety reasons. Videos into this specific application would be appreciated!

I want to add my experience with this comment for those who may be interested. I've been commuting to work every day by bike for a year now and I have both a good quality e-bike and a cheap Decathlon road bike. The e-bike is key in hard windy days, rainy days or when I need to carry extra weight. Most of the days I ride the road bike, which also serves as weekend leisure ride. I sold my motorbike almos a year ago and I've been barely using the car in the last year. At 37, I'm in my best shape ever and I basically need to thank the e-bike for making this possible. Ciao

I never fancied an ebike until I saw your piece about the Orbea Gain and the ebikemotion system. After several months I managed to get a Gain M30, put some gravel tyres on it and it's now perfect for where I live in West Cornwall. Prior to getting it I was done in at 40 miles on my previous gravel bike. On the Gain however I comfortably manage to do from home to Lands End and back which is over 50 miles and i'm not in bits for the rest of the day. I don't see my ebike as cheating as it means I actually cycle a lot more than I was physically capable of doing previously.

Ebikes are great fun when they work. Some tips I'd have from personal experience are: Make sure the motor is a freewheeling one, there are ones that once turned off will function as generator and some even charge the battery while riding with the motor turned off.. (great if you want to burn calories, but less fun when far from home and the battery dies). Make sure it rides well, and that you can do a decent distance with the motor/electronics turned off. Find one that doesn't pair the battery to the bike. This will make cheap revisions over time possible. Some batteries will just lock up once they are "tampered" with, or will flat out not work if you want to let your mate borrow one. Then you'd need to go to a dealer and have the battery paired to that bike (for which some brands charge (an excessive amount of) money. and then later it would need to be paired to yours again. (there are also brands that will allow riding 80-120 or so KM on a non-paired battery before shutting off. There's nothing like doing a multi day trip with 2 batteries (1 borrowed) only using the battery for long uphills or heavy headwinds so doing 200+KM per battery, and the 2nd one cuts off after 80 KM, refusing to work again without attaching it to the bike it's paired to that's hundreds of KM's away. Always check that kinda stuff when you buy an ebike. It can bite you in the butt as well when you have the cells in the battery replaced and everything seems fine and great until 80-120KM in it just turns off. If you want it as part of anti-theft reasons (the usual reason given for it) fine, but be aware of the limitations. Personally I have had 2 bike bags on the back of my bike, with a approx 2000Wh battery. No need to worry about running out while riding, and actually making it possible to use a induction heater while camping for cooking and even heating the tent, and I used to just carry a conversion plug for public car chargers to charge the battery without going home. This would have been way harder to do with the bike needing a paired battery. 3rd, check the wiring for stupid design decisions. I didn't buy mine, it was a hand me down from my parents, but it had the wires coming from the controller on the back and going forward UNDER the mudguard, so between the mudguard and the tire.. Which eventually caused the wires to take damage and short out. Sure, it looks pretty, but putting wires in places where it gets sand,sticks,stones and water thrown at it all the time isn't good. so eventually about 40 volts went into the 5 volt parts which didn't end well. 😂 Thinking about it, I should just have changed that when I got the bike from my parents, its a stupid place for power wires to be. 4th, if you have a front or rear hub motor, make sure it's not one that gets "unpaired" when disconnected. Been there, done that... pulled the wheel out to replace a 20-30 euro tire, disconnected the motor plug to avoid damaging it, and had to pay 60 euro's to a dealer to pair the motor to the controller again because once you disconnect the cable, as "anti-theft measure" it needs pairing again. 🤐 I really hope these points have gotten better in the last 10-12 years or so, but somehow I suspect they will probably just be doing more to lock people in to their dealer networks and make it harder to service stuff yourself.

I see more people out riding now with ebikes on the scene. Good for all of us whether you're for or against ebikes. Why? More people riding means more voices and votes for better trails and safety issues. If you're against more people riding, I feel sorry for you. Your choice though.

I bought my first Ebike one year ago and so far I have done 5000 miles on it. I have been a keen cyclist all my life and commute daily to work. When I was younger I would average 50 miles per day, 6 days a week. I have since had 3 big operations and the Ebike has enabled me to get back to fitness and I'm 51. They are awesome. Switch the power off and you'll get a tremendous workout during a 30 mile run on a 35kg fat bike. If you want to be a bit fresher at the end of your journey then use some power. Fly up hills with the power on or boost your leg size with the power off. Just get one, you'll be smiling all the time. After 16 mph you're under your own steam. My average speed for my commute is 22 mph. Not too bad for 20 - 30 miles and 1500 feet of climbing.

My ebike is a Gtech. I chose it because it was the least expensive "quality" model available. It's about as simple as it could be. It's a single speed and 2 non-tuneable power levels. Simple, maybe, but excellent for my local needs. The only small problem is the limited range and the immense difficulty of pedalling without power-assist. I'm a super-fit 70-year-old and also have a road bike and ATB. But I love my ebike for leisurely rides as it really does flatten the hills.

One of the learning points for me was the quality of the bicycle saddle. Since you put less power on the paddles, you are sitting with more weight on the saddle. So the quality of the saddle is important. For me a saddle that resembles my racing bike saddle worked quite fine. Also a more racing posture (that the sit bones are making correct contact) helped.

Ebikes are great for commuting to work without getting to sweaty (Australian summer) as you are able to adjust the assistance. I then turn the power down on the way home for a work out, but still have assistance when needed. My ebike has allowed me to get back into riding sooner while recovering from a knee injury/pending operation.

Good video. I've had an e bike for a few years now and it's helped me get out more often and on much more hilly rides also carrying camera gear and jackets, etc. When pushing 60 years old, it's great. The great benefit is doing the shopping. I use one or two panniers and get all I wan't, including beer! There are some 20% dirt road pinches on the way home, so it makes all the difference and it saves me using the car. One thing to mention is you can go through brake pads much more quickly as these bikes are heavy including and ever expanding rider too.

I have an ebike and I've probably rode almost 2,000 miles on mine. I mainly use it to commute to and from work. I listen to music during my rides. I keep adding accessories to help with the safety factor. I enjoy it.

They're also really good for burning up extra calories when lifting them over walls, through styles and those width restriction gate's 🥵

I get way WAY more exercise (in terms of calories burned) on my EMTB than I would on a regular MTB, simply because they're just far more fun. Yeah I might do half the effort per mile (I stay in eco) but I do 3 or 4 times the miles. It's all down to the individual, but my friends have similar experiences. Every cynic I've met who's come out on an ebike trek with me has changed their mind. They're incredible machines.

I have a 2017 Raleigh Pioneer 400wh bought the back end of 2018. Its been a blast - 4000 miles later I've opened up hilly parts of Wales where I live and would never have got to otherwise. I still have to avoid the very steep hills because the torque is a bit low. I think range has reduced slightly as the battery has got older but even in hilly areas I can easily cover 27 miles or so. On a tour of Normandy I was able to get to 48 miles on some trips and only encountered minor recharge anxiety (as well as cramp which lead to me wrecking my one man tent - but that's another story). On the up side it has drawn me back to cycling two or three times a week and its turned Wales into Holland - how cool is that?! I thoroughly recommend e-cycling at night - I don't mean set the alarm clock for a quick cycle at 2am, but there there is something about buzzing around the countryside or town on a dark evening - you'll need good lights to avoid pot-holes, and a bit of reflective gear ! Which brings me to... on the down side I spend far too long looking for new cycling gear and I'm obsessed with bike accessories such as powerful lights for those buzz moments. I wish I'd bough the bigger version of the battery as it would have built in a bit of extra life - it looks as though I will have to have mine refurbished soon-ish. Which brings me to a bit of a gripe with the industry - there is a serious comparability/interchangeability issue with the electric bike batteries - that needs to change somehow and new batteries should be easy to come and shift between bikes by than they are - the manufacturers seem to be focusing on innovation rather than sustainability. Finally and if you haven't been on an e-bike or, as admitted by Simon in this video, you have initial e-bike hesitancy (EBH) - just go to a shop and get on one - it's only then you get it. The joy, the fun, the possibilities and the feeling that you should have done this much sooner than you did.

Great overview. I had a Specialized Vado that was sadly stolen. I loved it. I would get another when I can justify the new spending . I would add one more issue with ebikes. The maintenance is a little more complex and unlike a regular bike, they need software updates.

I built up my wife's new Columbia RD shopper with an e-bike motor, from doing 5-10miles on a conventional bike, we went for a maiden 20 mile ride. She got up to 45 miles, we went picnicking with folding chairs, mini hamper. On the back of this I got a custom built bike with a Bafang drive- full suspension. Love it to bits for shopping, green lane riding, I've added the same pannier system to mine, so we can double the load carrying. I'm adding a Super-Nova front light with high beam for night riding.

I’ve been contemplating getting one for sometime. Yours is one of the best videos I’ve seen laying out all the pluses and minuses. I am 64 years old cycled cross country from Massachusetts to California in 1978 and many other rides over the years. I own four bicycles. But I just don’t enjoy hills anymore. Pedal assist would be perfect for me and I would still get a work out. And my wife could join me as she only likes to do bike paths because they’re flat. Thank you. Now which one to get? Hmmm

I agree about the fun. Had mine for over 4 years now. 17000kms. And every trip was a blast.

The main difference I have found in different ebikes is how much the controller helps at minimum assistance. I had an original controller that just helped too much so I changed to one with 10 modes. The first 3 are just a pleasure to use since they give no help on the flat but just the slightest push on the hills and the battery just seems to last forever. Very useful to cycle to work or carry very heavy shopping. Most other ebikes I have tried just give too much push on low assistance.

I've been cycling everywhere since I was 12 (no car - don't need one, so don't want one). Alas a few years ago a certain cardiac condition put a stop to my proverbial gallop. The e-Bike was/is a terrific answer; environmentally-friendly, user-friendly and always gives me an acceptable cardio-workout (have gone several miles with no excessive exertion - literally zero sweat but still got some good exercise in - an acceptable cardio-vascular workout). Great! Best advise - stay safe and enjoy the moment........

I ride a Specialized Creo and use the third party Blevo app with it,. This allows me to fine tune the bike to provide assistance based on the watts that I put out. So in Eco mode, the assist level is a range between 5% and 50%. I specified 200 watts for me to output. If it's less than that, I get no assistance. When I put out more watts (either pedaling harder or going up a hill) it will gradually add assistance. On steeper hiils, I've never seen it give me more than 40% assistance, Once the watts fall back, so does the assistance. With it set this way, my predicted range is over 300 miles for the typical terrain I ride. You can also turn the power off. I've lost 30 pounds and when I ride my gravel bike (Specialized Diverge), it feels like I'm on an ebike because I really did get stronger. My ebike has been a godsend.

I ride with an older lady who uses an e-bike. When I ask her why she said that she has been a roadie for decades and loves riding. She found that she can still ride her regular road bike as far as she always could but she is slower. The e-bike allows her to keep up with the group.

Just got my ebike a few days ago and i love it. Haven't been on a bike since the 90s but now i think i have seen more of my city this past weekend then i have in the last 20 years and it has been a blast.

Bought my eMTB 3 years ago, one of the best purchases of my life! eBikes are amazing machines and some stubborn people have totally wrong perception on eBikes. If you are a rider who likes to push and be on the upper edge of your comfort zone, you will ride exactly the same on the eBike, you will just be faster on the climb for the same effort. And believe me, you can push your heart to red on eBike easily if you want. And don't forget the exercise you get when you go above 25km/h assist limit with 24-25kg heavy bike. And you don't need much assistance for it to be fun, I use Eco mode 99% of the time, I you are a regular biker that is more than enough assistance and you get much better range.

As a physical therapist, I love improving access to fun and physical activities, and e-bikes can do that! E-bikes are more likely to get people moving than they are to make physically active people more lazy. My only concern is safety of handling the bike for people who aren’t used to riding at higher speeds. Another plus: helpful to the environment.

I have a Trek Powerfly5 2021, I have the motor tuned off most of the time. On a 70km ride I used 1 bar on the indicator, I watched the display and the bar went out at about 60km. Its a great feeling cycling up a hill knowing you are getting exercise but can switch the motor on when you get tired.

I bought my first e bike 5 years ago and I used it everyday to go to work and back home. I got over 5000 km on it now. I bought it in Germany and now I took it with me to Hawaii. Its a blast and I love that you can just throw it on a bike rack on your car, Park away from the city for free and just ride downtown or wherever you need to go with no sweat. The only thing is I had to change the Battery after 3 years , Im on my second one now but saving gas and passing all the traffic is totally worth it! On my Garrison I usually make it to any destination quicker than everyone else with their fancy cars because I can take the bike literally to the doorstep instead of parking it in a parking lot and walk to wherever I need to go. I always recommend Ebikes to my people around me especially with rising gas prices right now. Keep on riding peeps!!!!

Then you hit the 15mph wall, when the motor goes off and the output power is all yours :-). Mine has got my 63 yr old fat arse with ducked knees courtesy of being ex forces, off the couch and out riding nothing wrong with that i'd say. If i keep going over Winter i may join the dark side and ditch the motor. Top vid.

Unfortunately, e-bikes are still too expensive for my standards. But I will get one eventually. Very encouraging and convincing video, Si. 🤣👍

I hear many people complaining about the weight, but then I just found out an aluminum-frame eBike like the Cannondale Quick Neo SL2 actually weighs nearly 2Kg *less* than my old 1973 steel Schwinn 10-speed touring bike that's been converted for foul-weather use (Sachs 7-speed hub, drum brakes, enclosed chain). And the Cannondale is less than 2Kg heavier than the Trek 420 touring bike that's my daily rider.

in the U.S. there are three classes that are allow on the bike trail [mostly]. I had both Class 1 and Class 3 in the commuter bike form. I love Class 3 of 28mph assist but I love the class 1 Raleigh that can go 80 miles on mostly Normal with some High power setting. range shows over 100 miles on ECO mode so I am super happy with class 1 bike with Shimano e6100 setup. plenty of power but very efficient compared to the Bosch system on Trek Commute +. Trek is a class 3 with 28mph assist so it's really fast and sometimes too fast on urban settings with lot of cars and people. e-bike is definitely he next evolution in biking and looking forward to 100+ miles range with 30lbs weight in the future.

Lots of great info. Been Keen cyclist all my life. Got eBike conversion kit about 10 yrs ago (easy to swop over if you get a new bike) and it's a great way to travel and keep fit. Encouraged others to get one, they often say "No. I need the exercise !" Then they don't regularly cycle. So the most important thing about eBikes is to get over this misconception. Its a win win situation - faster & Further ! And because it's more enjoyable for many folks, you end up doing more. Also try the traditional Bicycle Cape for rainy weather, the secret being anchoring it down by sitting on it ( pull up a bit, so not too tight on your back) and using the hand stirrups at the front end. Complete the set up with gaiters and waterproof shoes or plastic bags over shoes - best, most comfortable way in bad weather. Surprisingly streamlined in the wind too. Great channel.

I have a utility electric bike and in the past 3 years I have used it to carry over 3200 pounds of cargo. I just love it.

You will still get your exercise! I had a misconception before that riding ebikes is a breeze, however that depends on how much you rely on the motor, bought 2 ebikes this year, wish I had bought one sooner!

I've been commuting to work for the past months and an e-bike makes it much more pleasant. I'm still getting some exercise, but use the turbo-setting when I'm tired and have to ride up a hill :). Did forget to charge my battery this week though. Luckily my light still worked, but it's a heavy bike without assistance.

My Orbea Gain has been a game changer. It was an expensive purchase but I fell in love with it the second the shop let me take it for a test ride. I've improved my fitness and while I'm still working on it I see my improvements. I used to ride like 10-15 miles and I'd be tapped. Now I casually ride 50mi without the motor most days. It's led me to rethink commuting and the necessity of a car.

They have their place. I use a Gocycle for my London commute, it's perfect for that. Evenings and weekends I'm out on the road bike.

I would recommend, if you’re looking for an ebike for yourself, find a conventional bike that works for you best and have a local independent install an aftermarket Bafang hub motor and battery system which includes a throttle. You’ll get the most for your money.

Great video mate thank you. Please review more e-bikes, like the Canyon Precede On Cf 9, the one you are riding now and any other interesting new ones. There aren't enough e-bike reviews out there while e-bike is and becoming more and more popular by the day.

I guess a tip for people to stay safe during winter commutes - you can check the grip level of the surface you are currently riding on by intentionally locking up your rear wheel with a brake. I do this every time I go onto a visually different surface. Is that patch of darker road ahead black ice or dry tarmac? blip the rear brake and you can gauge how quickly the wheel locks up, giving you an idea on the grip level it provides.

E-bikes are great. Bosch are really, really badly anti right‐to‐repair. These head units are locked down to an unreasonable degree, and not even retailers can do anything with them.

Totally agree with him. Waterproof clothing is the answer to the excuse of ebike wont make you dry. I ride my ebike even during rainy days with waterproof clothing and shoes and it solves the wet issue

Doing your research on a product before you purchase is so vital. If you want to have an easy breakdown as to why an e-bike is meant for you check out our video on our newest e-bike installment. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gJdxhaV1mdLVkWw.html

Came to the conclusion the joints and muscles are ageing quicker than I wanted so bought an e-bike about two years ago. For the most part I love it, can zip around where I want and it feels solid when riding. Two things I'm not particularly fond of though are the weight - at 26 kgs it is considerably heavier than my road bike (around 8 kgs) and being longer plus heavier it is more cumbersome when moving it around manually.

On the topic of how hard the ebike is to pedal without the power: It depends on how heavy the bike is, basically. On most ebikes, the lowest power setting is tuned to just barely offset the weight of the motor components, so that's the setting that's most like a regular bike. Obviously, aside from getting the most natural feel of riding, the advantage of such a setting is that it makes your range very high, while keeping that stronger assistance on tap for when you bite off a bit more than you can chew by yourself. But you can just turn the power down completely, and the system just acts like a data center. Most of the better ebikes ride pretty much exactly like a heavy regular bike when the power is off, with little to no power loss. On a flat surface, if you don't care about speed, it'll feel pretty normal. On slight downhills, the weight can actually help you out. I reckon a super light 17 kg ebike would slow you down about 5-8 kph compared to a 9 kg machine of similar design, depending on your fitness level. This is also handy for letting you get nice workout without scaring the local townsfolk with your blistering speed. The power assistance is handy for shopping, too.

The ability to tune the output is good, I would de-tune my mate's bike because he's getting a bit cocky.

I bought my first e bike second hand over 10 years ago. It was very good, I could do up to 60 km with it and got a lot of fresh air on my work commutes. Just a bit heavy. I recently bought my second one, as I could not find spare parts for my first one anymore. Also second hand, an electric mountain bike. I was amazed of how much things have improved. I can do the same distances, but with one battery only (my first one had two), and more importantly, I can ride it like a normal bike once the battery is empty. The first bike only had 8 gears, wheras my current bike has 21 gears, and is less heavy.

I am long convinced about e-bike a decade ago for some people, but not for me. I am now 70, starting riding when I was 48 on a mountain bike and keep riding ever since. I own a folding bike, steel vintage, alu bike, ti bike and a carbon bike (15 years old now). At my most fitness at 55 years old, I could follow young riders at the max speed of 50 km/hour and they then slow down to the range of 35-40 on a long trip. Now I am 70, still capable of following young riders on a trip at max speed of 30 km/hr. This year the max distance trip for one day was 200 km. If a certain guy in France can ride a bike at the speed of 25/km avg at 100+ years old, I reckon that I don't need an e-bike.

Reliability. One thing that I would like to point out (from experience) is that the reliability is awful on ebikes. They cost nearly as much as a motorcycle but break down after a few thousand km. A lot of broken ebikes on sale locally since the repair costs more than they are worth in most cases.

I love my trekking e-bike. But there’s one little thing I didn’t realize when I bought one: they are not allowed on a plane, that is: the battery. So no trip to Iceland or Greece for me on my own bike. Or not yet at least.

Bought mine at the beginning of the pandemic when my job felt I was essential, but shouldn't be taking public transportation. The job ended about a month or so later and the e-bike was great fun for going on take-out food runs and grocery shopping. I did discover that I could cover the same distances on my gravel bike, the e-bike actually got me riding longer distances on my acoustic bike, as e-bikers call them. I started only having my partner use the e-bike so she could keep up with me on rides. I used it from time to time to ride to my soccer referee gigs and some of my games. I then joined an e-bike meetup group and went on a few rides which were great fun. My last ride the electronics failed, someone with dual motors and dual panniers carried my battery while I rode acoustically. Took the bike to a shop where they didn't make much progress for over a month(original shop had closed down), now it's been at a second shop that is promising it back in a week. In almost 2 years I'm on my 2nd motor, luckily covered under warranty. I thought about selling the bike when it wasn't getting as much use. I may still sell it since the warranty will expire soon . I do miss it though, it was great fun. During pandemic, after e-bike, I have bought a mountain bike, have a new gravel bike on the way, have upgraded 2 vintage steel bikes, one I have on a trainer for indoor cycling and another for commuter rides. My e-bike is a cruiser bike I bought on sale with mid drive motor and no throttle. Class 1, didn't want to spend too much since I didn't know if I would like it. I'm glad I got it, it put a smile on my face and made me appreciate my other bikes more. Looking forward to getting it back on the road. Only upgrade I've gotten is a sportier saddle which has made it more comfortable for longer rides.

Got my first E-Bike 2 years ago and I am in love with it. I love where they are going with it, making them "smarter". I recommend it to everyone.

What is the model of the Cannondale bike you're using?

I have my Supersix Evo Neo3 arriving in two weeks and looking forward to it. Main reason is to get out further afield which means tackling some long inclines on route.

I have been considering an E bike for a while now. They seem to be getting better and better. I live on a 4 by 7 mile island with a max speed of 35 mph. Commutes for work would be under 4 miles round trip on the flat. Work outside so have my waterproofs on anyway. Other trips would involve lots of hills. The main thing that bothers me is the battery pack. Non standard fitment. Concerned about needing to replace a battery down the line and them saying " We don't make them anymore for that model" So rendering the bike not fit for purpose.

When my car died, I bought an e-bike for commuting. I live in the Laurentians mountains and it is amazing. Even after a long day of work, I walk about 10km à day, i can easily ride the 16km back home, even with the last 2.3k, 12% hill before getting home. Just love it, and so does my butt.

A big benefit of e-bikes is safety.. being able to rapidly accelerate is great for getting out of danger moments.

E-bikes are the way forward although my main worry is crime, having had thieves break into my secure garage and make off with two high-value bikes. Even with the best security locks, I still don't feel confident commuting to work on a four-grand E-bike. Somehow they need to make these things really difficult for criminals to shift.

I'm in my 40's and my 'normal' bikes have been sitting for almost a decade. I bought a cheap E-bike and I am hooked. I ride for at-least an hour almost every day now.. An hour riding with assists is still healthier than not riding at all.. I'm losing weight, building my core, and I'm climbing mountains and seeing sights that I never would have dreamed of.. + I'm also a courier and have even parked my car for a good portion of the day to take the smaller/closer orders by bike. I'm even looking into bike trailers so I can haul more.. your next Instacart might just be delivered on an E-bike considering they think $4 is sufficient for someone to destroy their car with nowadays..

Thank you. I really enjoyed your review. Since I’m shopping for my first n don’t know which way to go (mediocre bikes or go for better ones), knowing it’s an investment, replacing your car or whatever, made me lean toward safer, more assured purchase of the best bike I can afford. Grateful

One of the most important benefits with having a bike is how easy it is to maintain and repair your own gear. Seeing how Bosch is opposing right of repair, the choice of motor system should also be a relevant factor.

One of the things i wish i thought about differently is tire thickness, as you maybe don't wanna pedal some really thick tires yourself, you really want them on an e-bike for improved comfort.

I just finnish my AWD Hub motor Ebike MTB. I used it for daily riding going to my work. I do 70km range everyday.

Before I got an ebike, I was driving about 3,000 miles a year, commuting by acoustic bike 3-5 days a week. After retiring I was still driving about the same distance as I assumed more of the household errands, and there was no safe route to the nearest long recreational trail. After one of the stores I frequent opened a store within a relatively safe route and there is a mostly connected grade-separated route to that trail, I drive only when I need greater distances or bulkier hauling capacity. I now drive less than 600 miles a year, and about 2,100 between my commuter and cargo e-bikes, with about 1,600 of those miles being utility riding.

I helped my mate fit a Bafang mid-drive motor on his old Raleigh mtb and it's quite impressive. It'll do over 40mph on the flat with pedalling, or 30mph just on the throttle. If you avoid using full throttle it'll also do 40 miles on a full charge. It weighs a ton (24kg) but you don't notice it due to the power. Just don't run out of battery and have to ride up a 15% gradient non assisted like I did.

E-bikes are perfect for commuters dealing with traffic light blasts and for older people who might be put off completely from cycling. There's no way my wife could ride with me without an e-bike

I used to cycle alot, off road, road, downhill. I got badly injured once and my back and left knee never fully recovered( not on a bike I myst add) . I can no longer downhill or heavy off road and for a long time, couldn't even cycle. I got an ebike now and it has helped me get alot of fitness back , better than a normal bike as it eased it in gradually

4 year old sub 2k eMTB...Original Brake pad's,Chain and tire's...still goes and stop's fine even in very wet condition's. Only one tube so far and a cadance sensor back in 2019 under warranty (free of charge). I am in my mid 50's and not very fit but I love to get out as often as possible on my bike even just for an hour or so.

What I want to know is: if I pair a HR monitor to my ebike, can I ride in HR Zone 2 and the motor will provide variable assistance to keep my speed close to 25 kph (or whatever desired speed)? That would be amazing. Imagine a commute with no sweat or fatigue and a definite duration regardless of the weather conditions!

I'm 64 years old and diagnosed with heart failure. I've been an avid cyclist (mountain and road) for many years so it came as a complete surprise. So, I purchased an ebike (Turbo Levo Comp) so I can continue cycling and not stress my heart too much. It has been my savior by allowing me to continue riding and staying in as good of shape as possible. I'm 100% ebike now and will never go back, even if my heart does miraculously recover!

I love riding my e-bike. As soon as I had a few hundred miles I knew the range was going to be the most frustrating element. I wanted to get longer rides than would be supported with the battery assist, and riding without assist with increased weight was a big challenge. I've learned some areas I can ride unassisted to save some juice, for example, I got a 70 mile ride where about 30 miles were unassisted on mostly level greenways. I've also really loved having an assist while towing a trailer with kids and a trail-a-bike; I've been providing my oldest with a ride to and from school. She doesn't need to worry as much about pedaling and balancing, but she certainly is learning the joy of cycling. I joined work colleagues around the world for a mileage challenge, adding over 2,500 miles to my odometer during the 26-week challenge. I've just dropped off my bike today for a mechanical check and for installing new tubes and tires.

Haven't had a bike in over 15years , decided to buy a Carrera vengeance E bike and I love it , actually look forward every morning to riding to work and back home , a must buy

Last time I was in my local bike shop they had an e-bike rider in who was getting a puncture repair. He was pretty stinky about it but his e-bike had software that required rebooting after the wheel was replaced in position.

I am a very serious, fit cyclist. I have seriously considered an eBike for commuting just to make my life easier when I don't feel like biking to work, or its supposed to be a rest day but I don't want to use the car. Lots of good uses for an eBike if you are a traditionally capable cyclist.

Just bought a used Gitane e-bike yesterday and took my first ride this morning. Yes it is fun but takes some getting used to because of no toe clips and upright handlebars. The boost is fun and evens out my cadence. Did not have even one GERD atttack (gastro esophageal reflux disorder), which I have had for years. I am 73.

great vid! been vaguely thinking that this would be my shopping cart in retirement, now i'm keen to start visiting bike shops.

2 things I wish I'd known: 1) how quickly battery packs wear out and need to be replaced and 2) how much replacement battery packs cost. GCN barely mentioned #1, and ignored #2 entirely. Shame, that.

Hi, thanks for this video. I've been e-biking for around 10 years now, and I love the publicity it's getting. A few remarks though: Could you please ditch the ICE motorbike to film you while cycling? The noise is REALLY annoying, go electric! :). 0:52 "The harder you pedal, the more power it will give you". Not really. Some E-bikes have a torque meter and can do that (usually more expensive), but you can have engine power coupled to the speed you are pedaling at, or, just a manual throttle. 2:34 "I though e-bike would make people lazy". Yep, that's the most common remark I get when I talk about e-bikes to people who never used it. It's a real pain to explain, and they never beleive you. 6:20 "Security embeded in the bike, with a lock function". Well, this could even be better, if bikes had hub motor with no free wheel. You can have a mode that short your motor phases, acting as a pretty strong brake (you'lle need 200-300W to go around 10-15kph depending on the engine). That's part of why all those mid drive motors infuriates me. I'll talk about it later. 8:34 "e-bike specific parts maintenance": Yep, pretty much no maintenance. Plus, again, if you have a hub motor, you'll have even less maintenance than a regular bike, you'll have less stress on your transmission (because the engine is applying the force directly to the wheel, even better with a front wheel hub motor), with regen, you won't wear your brake pads also (like in an electric car). I've got a motor on a cargo bike for around 8 years, it's still ticking like day one and had 0 maintenance whatsoever, I've recently changed the 8 year old controller for a better one, but it was still working great. 9:26 "How fun it is to ride an e-bike" Oh boy, yes, it's huge fun. You should see the face of adults that I take for a ride on my cargo bike, they love it, and never thought they would :). 10:00 "About keeping yourself dry" Yep.. That's usually the second remark after the "getting people lazy" one. You are totally right. Now about the engines. I really don't like mid drive motor for several reasons, and prefer no free wheel front hub motor. Here are the main reasons: - It's personnal, but I want to choose my bicycle, and then add a motor to it, so that it suits perfectly my needs. It's pretty rare that you can't adapt a mid drive motor to a "dry" bike. - I like front hub motor, because then, you have an AWD bikes, and for the few times I go on muddy or sandy terrain with my city tires, it does helps a lot for traction! - already talked about it, but with no free-wheel hub motor, you can engage the strong "electric brake" as an anti theft measure - talked about it. Less stress on the transmission and the rear wheel (forces are more evenly distributed), less maintenance. - with front hub, you can get a nexus or a rolhoff (for the gear train) even les maintenance! - you can regen while breaking. On hilly terrain, you get around 30% back, 10% in the city. But more importantly, you don't wear your brake pads ! - theorically, they are more efficient than mid drive motor (less gear, and no transmission) I wish hub motor were more mainstream, and when sold on a bike, would come with regen and parking brake. It's a shame

I live in Seattle which is all hills, some of them quite steep. We were early to embrace the ebike and I've friends who use them to commute. I haven't got one yet, but I've been thinking of adding a commuter style to my stable.

I was about to get another one and tried the center mounted motor. Didn't like it one bit even tho most ppl recommend them, they also cost more and are on more premium bikes. Gotta love the old trusty front hub :D I use the e-bike more than i would a regular bike. A simple "joyride" is often way longer on the e-bike since it isnt a sturrgle unless i let it be.

I think the most important thing to know about e-bikes is that I won't have one until I'm old enough that I can't pedal on my own.

While i applaud your choice of a mid drive Bosch, at least here in the states, is too expensive. Bafanfg and others rule here. That said, building yourself and generic batteries provide many more options than a bike with built in motor (limits upgrades) and propreitary batteries that are way overpriced

Interesting video, but very different viewpoint to mine. I’ve made a few ebikes over the past 15 years or so and love them. As others have recounted, I rode more: if too tired or late to ride unassisted to work- I’d take the ebike, never the car. And because I rode faster on the ebike my 15 km commute was about the same time as driving, parking and walking to work. But mine have been very cheap and simple. I was an early adopter and built my first one instead of buying an exercise bike for knee rehabilitation after injury but found I loved the feeling of always riding downhill! In those days bike shops refused to work on the ebike! Using a comfortable bike, I fit a hub motor and generic lithium battery. I Use a thumb toggle to adjust the power on/off as hills or fatigue require. In my State, a 200W motor needs no speed limiter or pedalec to be legal, but 250W (the max legal power) needs to be limited. 200 W makes it feel like you are riding down a gentle hill all the time. I doubt that people that deride hub motors have used them. They don’t put strain on the cogs or chain and I’ve never broken an ebike spoke. You make it way more complex than needed. Why integrate a phone, assist modes or power meter? Just ride it and you’ll get the feel for how it goes and if the battery fades you’ll know to ease up on the assist the next day. The geared hub motor adds little drag when off, and the little geared hub and 15AH battery are fairly light. How long do you think the removable controller will last, and how long will you be able to replace lost or broken ones? Is the bike then trash when this one security component is unavailable? Just like a carbureted motorbike doesn’t need any electronics, fuel metering or gadgets to prevent you using brakes and throttle simultaneously, why fit them to a simple bike? I took the most expensive bit (the battery) into work and recharged it every day and no one ever stole the bike without it. I went through several batteries and a controller or two over more than a decade but the original hub motor still runs, and if you purchase wisely the gears in a geared hub motor are replaceable too. Great fun, great exercise, ecologically responsible transport, reliable and cheap. Mine cost about $1k Aus each to convert plus the old donor bike. I too would love a mid drive mountain bike for technical MTB (ouch$$$) but that’s way different to commuting on pavement or gravel. I’d never park my expensive (non assisted) MTB in town and don’t see any reason for commuter bikes to be expensive targets for theft either. If I had used a proprietary ebike with specific fitted battery the cost of replacements would have been painful and I doubt the fancy batteries would be available long term or the software supported after 10 years so the bike may be unusable if not stolen. My bikes are still going with routine maintenance. There’s lots of good argument for cheap and cheerful cycling. One of these new fancy bikes would be no quicker, no more comfortable or reliable or safer or make me any fitter or happier. Put a generic hub drive in your old clunker and smile to work and smile all the way to the bank!

The one thing that I wish I knew on my specialized creo is that the 46 tooth chainring was as large as it could go.

I about lost it when Si did his computer voice if a car had a head unit: “You have sat on your a** for 30 minutes and burned 4 calories.” Brilliant.

I don't have a fancy mid drive but I'm loving my commute on my entry level hub drive Lectric XP.

Oh wow, I just came across this video on outdoor cycling and I'm already impressed! The content is so informative and engaging. As an ebike user, I am always on the lookout for new and innovative products, and that's why I am thrilled to have stumbled upon the new crowdfunding project by freebeat called the freebeat Morph 2-in-1 e-Bike. This e-bike seems to have some outstanding features, such as the ability to be charged in indoor mode. That's revolutionary! I can't wait to learn more about its 750W motor, top speed of 20mph, and the Smart Saddle Detection+ feature for achieving fitness goals effortlessly. Kudos to freebeat for pushing the boundaries of cycling!

I saw the direction of gas prices six months ago and bought an ebike to save money. My round trip commute is just under twenty-five miles and I've ridden 2500 miles. I've already saved $1500 over and above the price of the bike and only replaced the brake pads once. By the way, I'm 66 years old and had a heart attack in 2005.