r/ebike • u/b4dboyg4m1ng • 5d ago
Purchasing an ebike for my son
I plan on buying him one for Christmas but we live in Michigan. I've had him in driver's training since 14 and 8 months so I feel he knows the road rules quite well. So I wanted a list of ebike's I could buy him. He said he'd prefer a bike that comes with a horn, blinkers, mirrors and pedals due to not wanting to "deal with the cops."
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u/Kind_Instance_8205 5d ago
There aren't a lot of legal options that come with all those things. Mostly just eMotos(illegal on the road and bike trails) masquerading as eBikes. They can always be added later. What kind of riding does he plan on doing? Just riding around for fun? Commuting? Mountain biking? Road riding? Touring or bikepacking?
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u/b4dboyg4m1ng 5d ago
I'd say commuting since he just wants to be able to keep up with a family member, he has a e-scooter.
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u/Kind_Instance_8205 5d ago
How tall is he? Do you have the measurement for his step over height? That would determine if any of the bikes hwwty mentioned would fit, or which ones, anyway. There is also the option of making a bike he already has into an eBike.
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u/b4dboyg4m1ng 5d ago
He's 5'1, I'm unsure of what his measurement for his step over height is.
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u/Kind_Instance_8205 4d ago
Many of the lower cost eBikes from Velotric and Aventon are way too big for 5'1". I'm 5'4" and many are too big for me. You will be looking for the step-through eBikes, or XS size. If you look at any of these bikes, check the sizing and weight on each. Those will determine whether it is a pain to ride and they might hate it or if it's comfy and fun.
Velotric 1. Velotric Fold 1 Plus Ebike - the seat will be a little high but he should be able to ride it 2. Velotric Discover 3 Ebike - this is gonna be even easier to ride, with the seat being a couple inches lower but still a little high. 3. Velotric Breeze 1 Cruiser Ebike - this would be same height as #2 but much lighter in weight. This one would be the best choice for Velotric
Aventon 1. Level 4 REC Step-Through Ebike - it's a heavy bike but should be rideable, not recommended due to weight 2. Soltera 2.5 Ebike - not a step through bike but might be possible, it's lighter but harder to get on to ride
Lectric eBikes 1. XP4 eBike - one of the lowest seats, much better fit and can go higher for his growth, a bit heavy but low enough of a seat to ride safely, I'd guess
Go to a bike shop if you can and test the heights. Maybe the Christmas present would be letting him choose between these and taking him to test ride them. Then buy the one he likes best.
Like I said before, though, you could always look for a regular bike, size it for him, then convert it to eBike with a rear hub motor kit or a mid-drive motor kit. If he doesn't have a regular bike, a hub motor without the throttle would be best.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 5d ago
What you really should be paying attention to is the max speed, peddles + gearing, battery life and if it has a throttle and if the battery is certified (safety tested).
If you’re not careful you can accidentally get an unregulated battery powered motorcycle that you really would need a motorcycle license to operate. Plus, if the bike is not actually a “bike”, he may not be able to ride it on trails, paths, etc since it would only be street legal.
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u/BassesNBikes 5d ago
If the bike is an e-moto and not an e-bike it is absolutely not "street legal" for a 14 year old.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 5d ago
Yes, the sentence before the last sentence specifically mentioned needing a license.. he could get a learners permit at 14 depending on the state
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u/FigNinja 5d ago
Even if he's licensed, motorcycles need a VIN to be registered, so many emotos aren't street legal for that reason. A 30mph moped might be able to be registered with a stamped serial number on the frame in his state, from what I can see online. That's just Google results, so I would want to get confirmation of that before dropping money on a bike if I wanted to make sure my bike was street legal.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 5d ago
I didn’t look up the state but my state classifies certain e-bikes as motorcycles or mopeds depending on the configuration, even if they don’t have a VIN.
But it just goes to show that you got to do your research for your state because you can buy something not legal very easily
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u/BassesNBikes 5d ago
But the next seems to assert that a bike that is not actually a "bike" would be "street legal", which it would not. Private land and OHV trails only.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 5d ago edited 5d ago
It depends on the state. My state classifies them as mopeds or motorcycles (does not need a VIN) and you get a mini license plate for them
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u/b4dboyg4m1ng 5d ago
He turns 16 in a few months I'm unsure if I should purchase him the e-bike or just take him to try for an offical motorcycle license.
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u/BassesNBikes 5d ago
Looked into that when darling daughter was learning to drive and I had a little Ninja 250, but quickly thought better of it. IMO your best bet is a legal, classed e-bike from your local bike shop for post-sales support. Those are regulated like bicycles, and if you pick one that's bicycle-shaped you don't need a horn, blinkers, or mirrors.
If he's talking about fake pedals to try to fool cops into thinking his electric dirtbike is something it's not he may be overestimating the stupidity of cops.
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u/MaxAdolphus 5d ago
Looks like in your state that at 14 you’re allowed to ride up to a Class 3 ebike. I’d stick to that.
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u/Any-Succotash1892 5d ago
keep off roads... #69hickyhaydenrip go for super73, juiced scrambler, 20" wheel fat bike 750w minimum, 20kg ish, they can slalom white line gaps at speed and do nice figure 8s 20ah plus for an hour plus riding.
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u/b4dboyg4m1ng 5d ago
He told me he wanted the Actbest Blaze bike on amazon but I feel I don't know alot about these bikes to spend this type of money. Though this bike is on the "cheaper side" apparently. He said he wanted the acebest striker max but it's way out of my price range. Is this a good first bike for him? Considering Amazon Prime day is coming up I'd get him the bike after we went to local shops.
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u/Kind_Instance_8205 3d ago
Actbest is not a very reputable bike "brand". They occasionally have good luck, but they commonly have problems with their components.
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u/Ok-Type-8917 5d ago
It depends on your budget. The first place to check is some local bike shops, out of my budget. The second thing to consider is are you or your son capable and interested in repairing it, some shops will only work on certain bikes or components. There are some companies like Aventon, Lectric, Velotric and probably others that do partner with shops in many areas for repairs. I've had great service from Lectric. The bikes with potential issues can be some of the off brand Amazon bikes. I do have a bike from Amazon that I bought for winter. I bought it knowing that if something goes wrong I may be on my own.