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A coworker of mine just got an electric Brompton. I don't love where they put the battery (in a bag mounted where a front basket would go), but overall it's probably a fantastic bike and the n+1 is calling to me. Edit: new page tax. Here's his picture 
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Aug 13, 2021 20:20
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Safety Dance posted:I don't love where they put the battery (in a bag mounted where a front basket would go) Where else would it go? Most places close to the frame are impinged upon when the bike is folded up. You could make a little saddle bag for it, but then the wire would have to go across the folding joint to get to the front wheel, making it a bit more of a chore to make sure everything is clear when folding / unfolding.
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Aug 13, 2021 20:29
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kimbo305 posted:Where else would it go? Most places close to the frame are impinged upon when the bike is folded up. I understand the design trade-offs that were made. It could be mid-drive with a mid-mounted battery, or rear-drive with a rear-mounted battery, but I'm sure there are dozens of good reasons why it's front-drive. I just don't love the look of the battery where it is. I'd still love to get one for taking on a train.
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Aug 13, 2021 20:39
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kimbo305 posted:Where else would it go? Most places close to the frame are impinged upon when the bike is folded up. Obviously different folding designs than the Brompton, but i've seen at least two other options lately: Blix Vika+  BikesDirect Insurance Liability 6500 
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Aug 14, 2021 06:20
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Those are both valid, but don't fit with the specific Brompton design. The Brompton rear triangle swings up and butts into the back of the seat tube, so can't put the battery there unless it was the size of a sub sandwich. The rack would work, but would need to be unmounted before folding to not drag on the ground, unless again the battery were extremely low profile.
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Aug 14, 2021 14:33
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 I don't see any room to slap a 18650 based battery pack in here. Any attempt to use up the available space would need to be some custom engineered lipo packs if not an entire redesign of the bike itself.
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Aug 14, 2021 18:47
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Copenhagen style wheel, I suppose. Only recently learned that they don't produce that anymore.
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Aug 14, 2021 20:15
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Has anyone heard anything about Blix? I'm looking for a sub-$3000 long-tail cargo bike and my options are basically the Blix Packa Genie and Radwagon 4. I'm not thrilled with Rad's use of proprietary wheels and I'm sure they're both using the same geared hub motor. The Packa Genie is a bit new and I see a 2 year old Gen 1 Packa for sale near by in "non working condition" which again has me concerned about longevity.
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Aug 14, 2021 20:33
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The Packa also has a hub motor with a freewheel, so has the same limitation with not upgrading past 7 gears.
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Aug 14, 2021 21:22
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Jonny Quest posted:Has anyone heard anything about Blix? I'm looking for a sub-$3000 long-tail cargo bike and my options are basically the Blix Packa Genie and Radwagon 4. I'm not thrilled with Rad's use of proprietary wheels and I'm sure they're both using the same geared hub motor. The Packa Genie is a bit new and I see a 2 year old Gen 1 Packa for sale near by in "non working condition" which again has me concerned about longevity. Rad uses Bafang motors, where's Blix seems to use Shengyi. Not sure what, if any, technical difference between them. Are you just worried about not being able to find replacement tires and tubes later on, with the weird size?
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Aug 14, 2021 23:25
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SamsCola posted:
Pretty much, with the dodgy supply chain around I didn't want to wait months for Rad to get a tube or tire in stock where 20", 24", and 26" stuff is relatively easy to find. This e-bike business is a rabbit hole and now I'm looking at rolling my own BBSHD or TSDZ2 build. But that will also put me into the 2-3k realm really, really fast. This is all for school drop-off use because it's a 20% grade for most of the route and I can barely cut it with gravel bike + tow-a-bike. Plus, all the other cool dads are riding RadRunner Pluses.
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Aug 15, 2021 03:00
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My wife just got a job and we have one car so I'm looking into a good budget ebike for me to do small errands and take the kiddo to school. Anyone have input on good brands or bad ones? I've settled for now on a radwagon or a blix packa, and if this becomes long term I'll consider spending on over if the more seriously expensive ones. Besides performance and quality, my big concern is long term support; our current bikes are Freways, and the batteries stopped working and company just disappeared a couple years later so we couldn't get then working again (at least they work as normal bikes). Edit: should probably read the last page of two of the thread first, looks like some similar conversation already... PageMaster fucked around with this message at 02:25 on Aug 17, 2021 |
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Aug 17, 2021 02:23
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PageMaster posted:I've settled for now on a radwagon or a blix packa, and if this becomes long term I'll consider spending on over if the more seriously expensive ones. quote:Besides performance and quality, my big concern is long term support; our current bikes are Freways, and the batteries stopped working and company just disappeared a couple years later so we couldn't get then working again Shimano, Bosch and Bafang all have 2 year warranties, which is a little on the short side. You might be dealing with them and not the bike manufacturer, which is a double edged sword. Inconvenient if the brand is still supporting the bike, a lifeline if the brand won't help you or is out of business. But depending on your answer above, it might not matter.
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Aug 17, 2021 03:00
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kimbo305 posted:So you're planning to just resell the one you buy now at some point and upgrade? If this ends up being our new normal for the next 2 years and I decide I'm happy biking everywhere here and my kid adjusts then yes. An expensive test run if the ebike lifestyle, but if it's a good fit I think worth trying out before the alternative of buying another car. PageMaster fucked around with this message at 04:03 on Aug 17, 2021 |
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Aug 17, 2021 03:58
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Anyone know if it’s possible to refit a Bosch down tube battery from one bike manufacturer to another? Like say a 650w battery from a scott bike to use in a trek or specialized bike with otherwise the same battery but different casing and locking mechanism?
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Aug 17, 2021 05:03
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I'm looking at an ebike to replace my car as much as possible, and the guy at the local shop is pointing me towards a Bulls Evo cross lite. I haven't seen anyone mention bulls here, and it is a pretty expensive bike (but m willing to spend if it means I rarely ever drive again). what's the general consensus around Bulls? also, if I'm 5'0 with long legs and short arms, what kind of adjustments should I expect to make to fit the bike to me?
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Aug 17, 2021 18:09
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I have trouble justifying the cost of that over say, a Tern HSD: https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/471/hsd-s11 or a cheaper one: https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/471/hsd-p9 Bulls might be legit, but I know of them as the knockoff bike helmet brand. The Terns are one size fits all, but should be fairly easily adjustable down to your size. They claim down to 4'11", so it could be close.
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Aug 17, 2021 18:50
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Personally I’d go for a specialized turbo with that budget, they do flat bar and drop bar versions with rear rack and if anything are conservative with the predicted range.
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Aug 17, 2021 19:45
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Looking for an eBike for new neighborhood- will be condensing down to 1 car for the family and using a portion of selling my car for an ebike Budget flexible but up to 5k isn’t a huge deal; above that I have to think a bit harder but can go higher is something seems absurdly perfectly tailored Want something that will primarily be used throttle-only (have a bunch of real bikes for when I want to scratch that itch) Currently looking at the Juiced Scrambler on the low end, Luna on the middle (all OOS at the moment), and Onyx RCR on the upper end (long wait time). Open to thoughts or ideas. Mostly be 10-20mi trips or less.
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Aug 17, 2021 20:24
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Walked posted:Looking for an eBike for new neighborhood- will be condensing down to 1 car for the family and using a portion of selling my car for an ebike How about a Sur Ron?
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Aug 17, 2021 20:34
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Duck and Cover posted:How about a Sur Ron? Was on the radar too; cant seem to find anywhere to buy other than Luna's listing which is OOS with no ETA. Hits the mark pretty well, though
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Aug 17, 2021 20:52
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kimbo305 posted:I have trouble justifying the cost of that over say, a Tern HSD: hey this was a great tip, thanks! i went and test-rode a Vektron Q9 at another shop today and i really enjoyed it! I'm open to any other suggestions folks have like these
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Aug 17, 2021 21:47
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Walked posted:Want something that will primarily be used throttle-only (have a bunch of real bikes for when I want to scratch that itch)
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Aug 17, 2021 22:46
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Pucklynn posted:I'm looking at an ebike to replace my car as much as possible, and the guy at the local shop is pointing me towards a Bulls Evo cross lite. I haven't seen anyone mention bulls here, and it is a pretty expensive bike (but m willing to spend if it means I rarely ever drive again). Pucklynn posted:hey this was a great tip, thanks! i went and test-rode a Vektron Q9 at another shop today and i really enjoyed it! I'm open to any other suggestions folks have like these
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Aug 17, 2021 23:05
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CopperHound posted:Have you at least entertained the idea of an electric motorcycle instead? I’m certainly open to it and have my endorsement- but everything in that space seems double what I’m aiming to spend. Am I missing an option?
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Aug 17, 2021 23:06
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OK this may be opening a can of worms but do any ebikes have an auditory warning system the way an electric car does? I was walking on the path yesterday and those folks who ride at full throttle and don't call / ring their bell can be difficult to detect / process the sound until they're really close. I think it would be nice if those could be included. Programming your own would be nice. My car makes a harp sound but Teslas can be programmed for other stuff, so at least it'd be fun if you sound like a TIE Fighter.
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Aug 17, 2021 23:12
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Charles posted:OK this may be opening a can of worms but do any ebikes have an auditory warning system the way an electric car does? I was walking on the path yesterday and those folks who ride at full throttle and don't call / ring their bell can be difficult to detect / process the sound until they're really close. I think it would be nice if those could be included. Programming your own would be nice. My car makes a harp sound but Teslas can be programmed for other stuff, so at least it'd be fun if you sound like a TIE Fighter. Garmin makes a radar that'll pick up cars, might pick up bicycles too. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/601468 edit: Oh that's not what your talking about my bad. I suppose you could attach one to yourself and get kind of what you want. Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 23:30 on Aug 17, 2021 |
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Aug 17, 2021 23:20
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evil_bunnY posted:That step through frame is gonna suuuuuck. There's no way to make that rigid enough with the tiny brace and large wheels. well, i put a deposit on a Tern HSD S+ so they'll ship it to the shop so i can take a look at it! pretty much everything else is out of stock until the end of the year at least and I don't want to lose the last bit of summer and fall if i can help it looking at the product page (https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/471/hsd-s) i can't see any reason i wouldn't love it
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Aug 17, 2021 23:56
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Charles posted:OK this may be opening a can of worms but do any ebikes have an auditory warning system the way an electric car does? I was walking on the path yesterday and those folks who ride at full throttle and don't call / ring their bell can be difficult to detect / process the sound until they're really close. I think it would be nice if those could be included. Programming your own would be nice. My car makes a harp sound but Teslas can be programmed for other stuff, so at least it'd be fun if you sound like a TIE Fighter. Unrelated, I had my first unpleasant interaction with tram tracks on Saturday. Bike lane ended suddenly and turned into rail-in-road, but since I was riding in traffic there was no great option to gracefully navigate out of the danger zone. Bike tried to twist out from under me briefly when trying to cross over, either slipping on the rail or nestling into the groove, but I fortunately stayed up. The giant moped tires probably helped. Really wish the bike lanes around here were designed with more consideration for actual users. The city keeps coming up with bullshit that involves either magically hopping to the other side of the road or the lane just disappearing...
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Aug 18, 2021 01:39
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Why not just buy a bell and ring it
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Aug 18, 2021 05:55
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I’ve been on both sides of this: Me walking dog: Bloody cyclists going too fast and expecting you to leap out the way, road rules apply you idiot cycle on the left Me on bikes of all kind: god drat walkers, walk on chuffing right so you can see me coming, it’s the National cycle way, why are you all always so surprised to see me?
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Aug 18, 2021 07:59
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Pucklynn posted:well, i put a deposit on a Tern HSD S+ so they'll ship it to the shop so i can take a look at it! pretty much everything else is out of stock until the end of the year at least and I don't want to lose the last bit of summer and fall if i can help it
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Aug 18, 2021 08:13
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evil_bunnY posted:Nice! The finishing kit is pretty decent on those. The only thing I'd keep an eye on is the fork (they can have pretty annoying service schedules). that's what my Bike Knowing Friend mentioned as well, that the fork despite being custom for the bike doesn't look particularly good. how does one tell these things?
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Aug 18, 2021 14:11
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Pucklynn posted:that's what my Bike Knowing Friend mentioned as well, that the fork despite being custom for the bike doesn't look particularly good. how does one tell these things? Without opening up the fork and examining the parts and design, you can't know for sure, though obviously ride impressions and how long it lasts matter. There are a couple (really, two -- RockShox and Fox) mainstream quality fork brands, and everything else is either boutique or OEM built-to-price-point builds. Suntour is the latter, and while they have some higher quality models, it's definitely a yellow flag to see a Suntour fork specced on a factory build. I think it's likely that only Suntour was willing to build a custom spec for a 20" wheel.
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Aug 18, 2021 14:22
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leftist heap posted:Why not just buy a bell and ring it stick a baseball card in your spokes!
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Aug 18, 2021 15:44
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You can be one of those guys and hang a bluetooth speaker on your bike. I rode around my hood yesterday with my kid in the back seat. I stayed on the sidewalk and just rode really slow when I passed pedestrians. It's no big deal. Just keep in mind that even if you ring the bell half of the people are still oblivious.
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Aug 18, 2021 16:16
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The major problem is pedestrians want to wear headphones on shared pathways and then get pissed off when they are “surprised” by bikes having to navigate past them.
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Aug 18, 2021 16:19
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The Worst are gammon dog walkers on the National cycle network who see you coming and do absolutely nothing about the dog. They always look at you like “hit it then” with with the same smug smirk as you slow or stop, um wut you want me to kill your dog why? You are risking an animal’s life because you get some cheap thrill over making a cyclist slow down on the National cycle network?. I encounter one of these assholes at least once a day.
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Aug 18, 2021 16:28
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Simple; run over the owner instead of the dog.
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Aug 19, 2021 10:42
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Pucklynn posted:that's what my Bike Knowing Friend mentioned as well, that the fork despite being custom for the bike doesn't look particularly good. how does one tell these things? kimbo305 posted:I think it's likely that only Suntour was willing to build a custom spec for a 20" wheel. It's probably something like this It's a coil unit soooo get a couple sets of seals/wipers, a spare damper and you'll prob be set? evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 14:27 on Aug 19, 2021 |
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Aug 19, 2021 14:10
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