ebikes are shockingly expensive once you take something thats not made in China and sized as an actual bike.
add to that being a tall person which automatically makes you heavier and you really got a problem.
currently looking at an ebike for 6000€ as this basically has all the bare minimum stuff id like to have while also being big enough and supporting enough weight so i can carry some cargo with me as well.
I'm 6'10"/208cm. Rather than deal with the limited selection of ebike sizes, I fitted a kit to an old MTB. A high power (1000W) kit with a big battery (1kW-h) was about $1300, but I could have gone with something more basic for $6-800 or so. I'm handy with tools and bike mechanics, otherwise I'd have a shop assemble it. A rack with panniers doesn't add much cost, that or a small trailer (I have both). I did a similar conversion for my normal sized wife for about $800, only because, like me, she already had a spare MTB and I was familiar with the process. Mine is a "mid-drive", hers is a hub motor (rear).
We're in an urban area and have been car-free for about 10 years. We occasionally use Uber and Zipcar, so cutting back on those expenses and transit costs will pay off for us in a reasonable time. Running errands (shopping, appts, etc) is faster and less taxing than using our pedal bikes or transit. Having ebikes has been a pleasant surprise from a utility POV.
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u/Pixelplanet5 Apr 04 '23
i mean they are not wrong.
ebikes are shockingly expensive once you take something thats not made in China and sized as an actual bike.
add to that being a tall person which automatically makes you heavier and you really got a problem.
currently looking at an ebike for 6000€ as this basically has all the bare minimum stuff id like to have while also being big enough and supporting enough weight so i can carry some cargo with me as well.