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Aperture Priority posted:Well my wife and I drove down to the local Rad Power retail location and test rode several models. People were super cool and not pushy about sales at all, just made recommendations and talked about what we needed. Having not ridden a bike in years to riding the streets of Berkeley was a little panic-inducing but it went really well! I rode a Rad bike a few times in Olympia and really enjoyed it. It was definitely heavy with both the front and rear rack, but I was able to go 50 miles on a charge or so. The place I rented it even let me do a battery swap in the middle of a long day of riding. I almost went with the RadRunner, but last night I bought the Radio Flyer L885 longtail cargo e-bike. I went a little nuts, getting both kid carriers (have a 4 year old and a 1 year old who still needs the baby carrier), a front rack, an extra battery, and the cell phone holder. https://flyer.radioflyer.com/flyer-l885.html I also bought a rack after somehow talking my wife into using our "formal dining room" as bike storage instead of our garage: https://www.shoplet.com/Global-Industrial-153-Indoor-Vertical-Fat-Tire-Bike-Rack-4-Bike-Capacity-Black/GLO670515/spdv
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Oct 21, 2022 18:42
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theratking posted:How likely is this failure mode? I store my bike with hydraulic brakes like this... I've stored multiple bikes like this for years. I have had one brake "failure" where there was some air in the lines. Pumping the brake lever got it working enough for me to get home and add fluid/burp the system. I think this is on the same level as "batteries stored on concrete go bad faster" old wives tales.
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Oct 26, 2022 02:04
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The best place I've found is the Something Awful forums for real reviews. Seriously, this place has saved me so much money over the years. I got my Radio Flyer L885 yesterday. It's a fat-tired cargo e-bike with a long tail. You'll quickly notice the running boards, this thing was built around carrying kids and gear. https://flyer.radioflyer.com/flyer-l885.html  I went a little nuts with the accessories because we just sold our old house and I want this to be our main source of locomotion around the neighborhood for a long time. Mine basically looks like this on the back now:  I had 6 boxes show up yesterday, they had: -The bike (2000) -Extra battery (500) -Kid/Cargo rack (200) -Baby carrier for my toddler (250) -Front Basket (100) -Cell phone mount (20) I ordered it Thursday and it showed up the following Wednesday from Chicago. It took me about an hour to put it together, but it was easily 30 minutes just unboxing it. The kickstand helps you hold it in place while you assemble and attach everything. The build quality was pretty good for a bike at this price range. I charged the main battery while working and took my little guy on a ride in the dark. It took a minute to figure out how to turn on the headlight, but once we did we went out for an easy 4 miles. Everything seems to work properly, and I'll give a more thorough review after I break it in. Nocheez fucked around with this message at 14:13 on Oct 27, 2022 |
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Oct 27, 2022 14:06
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No clue, but the basket has two cupholders built-into it. Also, it has a zippered pouch somehow big enough to fit my monster phone in it (S22 Ultra). Edit: a pic, in sunlight finally! 
Nocheez fucked around with this message at 21:42 on Oct 27, 2022 |
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Oct 27, 2022 19:48
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El Mero Mero posted:I'm in the market for an ebike with kid carriers. I keep going back and forth between the wheelbarrow/front bucket style and this back-rack style. Is there a clear advantage for one over the other for kid+ stuff hauling? This is my first one, so I don't know the answer to your question. I did my first ride today with both kids and the bike did great. I'm really excited to use it more going forward.
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Oct 31, 2022 02:13
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Either buy a decent rack now, or later after your cheap rack fails. E-bikes are especially heavy, I'm not sure I'm comfortable putting mine on my 1-up rack.
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Nov 22, 2022 18:29
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CopperHound posted:Install a hitch and use a tray style rack. You will regret any other choice. Sage advice here. Especially the hitch with a tray. I laugh watching the bro-trucks park at the trailhead then spend time having to put their bike together instead of just carrying on the back with a tray. Also, taking your bike apart after riding probably sucks, too.
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Nov 22, 2022 19:22
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I just serviced my Suntour fork on my (non-e)MTB and it was so easy. I don't know what their reputation is, but my experience has been positive with a bike I've owned since 2019 and put over a thousand miles on.
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Jan 31, 2023 22:52
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It's been a while, but I think you just have to ship via ground and notify the shipper that it is a battery.
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Feb 24, 2023 23:30
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So here's the bike I bought for carrying my kiddos around, my original post:Nocheez posted:The best place I've found is the Something Awful forums for real reviews. Seriously, this place has saved me so much money over the years. It's been used much less than I would have liked over the winter, but now that spring has fully sprung in the Carolinas I will be riding this thing way more often. Both kids (5 and 1.5 y/o) *love* going for rides. The baby took a few trips before she got used to it, but now she gets pissed if I take the older one for a ride without her. The brakes absolutely SUCK on this thing. They stop you, but they give you no confidence and I'll be working with my LBS to get something better in the near future. Other than that, I'm hoping to do a 40 or 50 mile trip with the older kid at some point, just to get out and do it. Riding is as easy or hard as you want it to be, and I've never used even 1/4 of the main battery on a trip yet. I have no idea why I thought I might need the extra battery, but I guess it's good to have just in case we start doing long trips.
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Mar 2, 2023 03:36
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Chopsy, that's one of the best posts I've read in my over 2 decades on this forum. Your spine will thank you for a more comfortable ride, it might actually save you money in the long run. Doctors and surgery are the most expensive part of biking.
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Mar 2, 2023 14:46
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I wouldn't get a cargo bike if you don't need the functionality of carrying more than just one kid. They're heavy and kind of hard to maneuver. I love riding with my 2 kids on mine, but if I could've gotten something smaller I would have preferred it.
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Mar 6, 2023 18:45
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Bikes are usually pretty easy to maintain. What has the shop been doing for $120?
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Mar 9, 2023 19:06
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incogneato posted:Those actually look pretty good. Thanks! I have a 1.25" hitch, so I have the regular rack and an add-on. I also have the cargo tray, but I hardly use it so far (hoping this will change in the future). I put hooks on my walls to hold the extras when I'm not using them, and it works pretty well. I keep my mtb in the garage on a SteadyRack, which swivels to keep it out of the way and protected. https://www.steadyrack.com/products/ebike-rack They're really loving sweet, I even somehow convinced my wife to let me hang 3 in our "formal dining room" that is more of an entry-catchall room. The cargo e-bike is so heavy that I try not to hang it until it's officially too cold out for the kids to ride, but in NC that's only 3 months max. For you guys needing to carry an ebike around, I suggest getting the 1up now and enjoying it for life. It's a fantastic product, and I wish I hadn't bought 3 lovely racks on my way to getting mine. The link below is for the super duty, which you'll need for your ebike. https://www.1up-usa.com/product/2in-super-duty-single-bike-rack/ Nocheez fucked around with this message at 13:34 on May 8, 2023 |
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May 8, 2023 13:27
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Safety Dance posted:Pick up a ULine catalog and flip to the back page. You won't want to order form them regardless of price. What the hell is that crap about Reagan doing in there? gently caress Uline.
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May 31, 2023 18:40
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tildes posted:Flyer M880 is fairly similar to RadRunner I think, but without the sort of sketchy safety record (in that it has no record at all instead): https://flyer.radioflyer.com/flyer-m880.html I should have read this more closely. I have a similar model, but not this one. The brakes suck, but I love everything else about it. Nocheez fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Jul 12, 2023 |
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Jul 12, 2023 20:26
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tildes posted:Does anyone have e mountain bike recommendations? Particularly stuff which has a very big largest size. Not as interested in downhill stuff, but would like to do more blue/green trails. It seems like some of the ones which keep showing up are stuff like the Spectral:ON, nukeproof megawatt, and specialized turbo levo? They’re all pretty $$$ but it seems like maybe that’s just how e mtbs are? You might have better luck in the mountain bike thread: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3933905
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Jul 23, 2023 21:46
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.75 miles is a silly distance for an ebike. I'd probably use the time as my exercise for the day, or get a foldable e-scooter.
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Jul 26, 2023 02:03
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kimbo305 posted:REI's got some rock bottom prices on their new small cargo bikes Are these batteries generally interchangeable with ones that look just like it? I have the second battery for my L885 (link here https://flyer.radioflyer.com/flight-speed-extended-range-battery.html) and I'm thinking that having a second bike around might be nice since I have the battery, already.
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Jul 28, 2023 17:36
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Twerk from Home posted:My kids are big now and we're still wanting to move around the 61 pound 6 year old as a passenger. Our 36 lb 3 year old is about to out-grow the Yepp Maxis that we have. Those Yepp Maxis are about 9.5 lbs anyway, those things are hefty, and rated to carry a 40lb kid. This post has made me consider how much my bike and everything on it must weigh. in pounds: Bike - 73 Racks - 12 Yepp Maxi - 9 Extra battery - 15? Kid 1 - 40 Kid 2 - 28 Me - 165 Water/snacks - 3 Bike Lock - 5 Total - 350 pounds. Holy poo poo! Nocheez fucked around with this message at 14:58 on Aug 14, 2023 |
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Aug 14, 2023 14:50
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kimbo305 posted:Your battery probably weights closer to 5 than 15lbs. You are correct. I picked it up when I got home and laughed at the 15 pound number.
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Aug 17, 2023 15:05
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kimbo305 posted:Two waterproof panniers to hang on the rails of your rear rack. This will probably hold more than you'll want to reasonably carry, especially if you use the flat rack space to hold bigger things like a case of cans or something. I always kept a ratchet strap in my panniers for this occasion, I prefer it to bungee cords.
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Aug 27, 2023 01:21
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I broke the kickstand on my L885 cargo bike  It broke right at a manufacturing seam, and at home while I was moving it around thankfully. I guess it doesn't matter as I'm having back surgery on Monday and won't be riding for a little while, but I'm still annoyed.
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Sep 17, 2023 01:34
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The kickstand legs are obviously made of separate pieces with concrete in them.  
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Sep 17, 2023 02:26
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kimbo305 posted:Looks like it’s time for some drilling, a metal dowel, and generous epoxying. I'm not able to ride for a while until I recover, so I'll wait for kickstand V2 to arrive.
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Sep 18, 2023 19:35
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kimbo305 posted:Did they give you a warranty replacement? Yes, it was still under warranty.
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Sep 18, 2023 23:57
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I got my kickstand today and it's a completely different design. I wonder how many of those pieces of poo poo failed before they redesigned it.
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Sep 21, 2023 22:03
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It looks much more solid. It's one piece, and made of a thicker material.
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Sep 22, 2023 00:03
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What kind of budget do you have? 3 kids on one bike is a lot, unless you're also willing to pull a trailer.
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Nov 21, 2023 16:12
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I have a Radio Flyer L800, and while the brakes suck everything else has been great. I'm going to drop it off at a local shop over winter and let them deal with upgrading the brakes.
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Nov 21, 2023 18:42
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Gangringo posted:My understanding is that three kids can technically fit on a long tail, but only a front loader is really designed to hold that many. Not that I have 3, but my 5-year old already wants to ride his bike as often as he wants to sit on the back of the cargo ebike. In a year he'll probably hardly ever want to ride on the back.
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Nov 22, 2023 00:25
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I would sleep better if I reported it to the company and let them decide if/how they want to get it back.
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Nov 29, 2023 20:37
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Speleothing posted:I want an ebike that I can strap a milk carton onto for groceries. Distance about 4 miles round trip with a short but steep hill Panniers on a rack rule, especially if you get the kind you can carry around and use as your grocery bags, as you'll know exactly how much you can fit.
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Dec 5, 2023 01:42
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I was searching Reddit posts for information on upgrading my brakes on the Radio Flyer L885, and found a guy who did it with some fancy looking calipers. They arrived this week and I hope to tackle the project over the Christmas break time. I'll post pictures once I either have success or need some advice.
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Dec 9, 2023 18:58
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Invalido posted:If you are really lucky there's something wrong with your charger, and you didn't actually charge the pack like you thought you did. That was my guess when reading it as well. I put new calipers on my cargo ebike, and it was worth every penny. I have a ton more confidence in riding around now that I can stop much more quickly. Also the squealing noise is gone! 
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Feb 2, 2024 23:39
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I can't be the only guy who uses the throttle lightly to get the ebike up steps, right? I've never done more than one at a time, so I don't know if this works as an option for you.
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Feb 7, 2024 23:43
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evil_bunnY posted:Especially out of the US most ebikes don't come with throttles. Interesting! Does it have a walk mode? Mine does, but the throttle is easier to modulate.
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Feb 8, 2024 15:05
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I have an Abus (long version) and it's great. I can park my bike anywhere.
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Mar 28, 2024 23:13
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I'm sure my bike has a cadence sensor, but with a throttle it doesn't bother me one bit.
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Apr 27, 2024 20:51
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Ebikes should have head, tail, and turn lamps. There's already battery power available.
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May 8, 2024 19:47
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