pab: EVO have a 2023 workplace initiative if you're still with a participating workplace.

Brilliant - thanks for this; I had links to two of their previous ones, but couldn't find this. Will have to find out if my two previous connections to this (my wife's work; my union) still have any involvement.

Have you viewed this Topic:General eBike Cycling and Trails

FineWine:

 

Have you viewed this Topic:General eBike Cycling and Trails

 

Yes I did read it; a post on that, along with the positive Consumer feedback, has meant I'm going to go try out a Wattwheels Bighorn at the local dealer (even their step-through is actually pretty decent looking). 

I've also found out I should still have access to the current Evo deals (as linked to in a post a few up), so will hopefully be able to also have a ride of potentially suitable models like the Giant Explore E+ 1 700c (what a memorable name!).

The more I think about it the more I'm sure I want to try before I buy, so that does limit my options to bikes in the lower NI.

But I'd still welcome recommendations if anyone's got suggestions that meet my brief, which is:

• upright seating position
• preferably with rear rack installed and lights built in
• ideally under $3k but would consider up to say $4k (let's make that $5k as I could be patient and wait for a sale!)
• primarily for road riding, but also able to function ok on gravel tracks
• need to be able to test ride in lower NI 

https://ebikesandmobility.co.nz

in paraparaumu sell Evinci. Does that equate to lower nth Island for you 😊

Ebikes & Mobility

16 Ihakara Street (Rear Unit)

Paraparaumu 5254  

Phone: 0800 276460

Email: info@ebikesandmobility.co.nz

Highly rate Bosch motors, Tern eBikes and Burkes Cycles in Wellington who kindly shipped the bike fully assembled to me for free in the South Island and provided excellent after sales support. I also consistently find Burkes pricing to be among the best (typically well below MSRP).

Hi @jonathan18 

How did you get on with this.

I can chip in some local info on this.  I've used an ebike for a couple of years now solely for a commute to work and back, and went through a basic non suspension bike before settling on the magnum metro.

No front suspension hurt my forearms way more than I was expecting, and that's the biggest benefit of the upright seating position.  Anything that leans forwards will put a lot of weight on your arms, wrists and palms.  Seat suspension is a plus too.

For Palmerston North the hub approach is entirely doable for a commute, given there's basically no hills here.
My battery was the 48V job and it would probably do two days to and from work, but I just charged it every day.

The Das-Kit displays/controllers have a config mode where you can set a few options, like max throttle and general low/medium/high power options etc.
I set mine to high as the thumb button is very handy to safely accelerate off the mark at the lights, without needing to pedal a little bit first to trigger the motor assistance.
Hydraulic oil based disc brakes are a must to slow yourself safely at speed. 

The ebike had gears on the back wheel only and these we sized to assist whilst biking with the motor. If the battery died then the gears are pretty rough unassisted, and the bike itself is quite heavy with the battery.  Fine once you're going though.

My house to the Massey Campus is about 7km or so, (14km per day round trip) and I could do that almost as fast as a car, or faster depending on traffic.
Cruised around 30km/hr though some bikes are capped around 22 from memory.  (I recall this is as some markets cap speed, and others like NZ cap power).

I tended to pick routes based on Palmerston North streets better suited to bikes, and then jump onto river pathways/bridges where possible to get off the roads.
It was surprising how poor quality the roads are just off the driving lanes, so you had to be quite observant initially until you knew where the poor seal or oddly tall manhole covers were etc.
Gearwise I have a fluro yellow bag cover I wear on the back, and I use a single reflective snap band thing on my right left to keep my trousers away from the chain.
Winter is tricky so I did still bus in crap weather, but you will need gloves on anything under say 10deg as the wind chill is real.
Unisex frame means is actually quite helpful for getting on and off easily.

I was surprised at how much exercise I still got, having original envisaged an ebike doing all the work.
In practise you tend to get up to speed faster and then pedal to keep you there.  So I tended to still pedal almost all the time, but with the motor I would accelerate much faster, and travel at much faster speeds, than if I was peddling alone.  The different power levels didn't tend to change how much I pedalled, just the speed at which I travelled, if that makes any sense at all? 

Hope some of the above is useful.  Pics of mine below, highlighting the thumb throttle / brakes area and comfortable handle bars.
The front handles can be adjusted via level (same as most cars really) and I have them set fairly high up.

Thanks, @Jaxson - that was a useful/informative post. I like the look of the screen on your bike; good size and significant amount of info displayed at one go - I’ve noticed cheaper ones may not have any screen at all, while others tend to be fairly minimalist.

I ended up ordering a bike yesterday; I’d initially been keen on one with a top bar, but I’ve come to accept that’s just a throw-back to now antiquated ideas about ‘men’s’ and ‘women’s’ bikes - and a step-through makes much more sense as I get closer to my dotage, both in terms of getting on/off and the upright seated position. 

I’d been impressed by the smoothness and quietness of the Shimano system - quieter and cleaner changes than I’d experienced with the Bosch and Yamaha powered bikes I’d tried. And in the end couldn’t look past what is a great price for a bike with the Shimano E6100 system - this Merida Espresso 400 for $3150. The battery’s not huge (500 Wh) and there are definitely more powerful motors out there (this has 60Nm of torque; the Giant and Trek models I’d looked at a couple of years back have 80!) but for my purposes I think it’ll be fine.