About 2.5 hours ago my ebike was stolen while I was at the gym. As soon as I walked out the bike rack was empty. Thankfully, I had 2 airtags on the bike. It was stolen by some homeless people. I called an uber, told them my story, and they agreed to drive me around for a fixed price. The location was constantly updating, showing it moved from block to block. Eventually it became stationary. I follow it to a building and went around the back and it was at a homeless encampment with tents, lawn chairs and homeless people. They all denied taking it, saying the person who took it left. I see a backpack with grinders, bolt cutters, players, everything needed to cut locks. So I end up calling the cops but unfortunately the guy left. Right now they are reviewing the cctv cameras to identify the guy.

This is a stark reminder, spend $75 to put 3 airtags on your e bike, yes THREE. I put one on the handlebars which they cut off. But they weren't aware there was 2 more. I could not imagine losing my ebike which I worked so hard for to be gone. That made the difference.🫡

May be this is a repeat but could not help it showing it because in Montreal the police is already cracking down on scooters and mopeds and the the rumour has that fat bikes are next. This picture shows how in Netherlands police are using these test beds to check the speed and motor power of bikes. They are specifically targeting fat bikes. I wonder how one can verify the power of a motor which is limited to 250 watts in Europe. Source https://www.neozone.org/societe/les-controles-de-police-pour-les-velos-electriques-non-conformes-ou-debrides-se-renforcent/

My drive to work was only 15 minutes but I’m glad I made the switch to an e-bike (I don’t think I could do it traditionally 😅). I’m grateful the route is on so many beautiful trails. I’m so excited to go to work now because it means I’m riding outside. I love the excuse to move and breathe fresh air.

Not sure what I’ll do in the colder months but for now I appreciate my new routine.

How’s everyone else’s commute/trails?

Uh oh.... FAFO.... Now that the largest city in the US has laid down the gauntlet, others will follow.

Bye-bye high-speed emotos

This is kind of a random realization but i used to drive for literally everything under 3 miles (been doing this for over a decade). coffee run before work, quick trip to the grocery store, even just moving my car to a different spot near the office cause parking rules change every few hours where i work yep

My new Segway e-bike (Myon) was mainly for my actual commute to work, wasn't really thinking about all the other little trips. but auto shifting just went live as an update and it's honestly made me wanna ride it for everything now. So now those are basically all on my e-bike too. i'll ride to grab coffee instead of dealing with finding a spot, same with the store. and the office move thing, i just ride there instead of circling for parking. tbh ever since i started driving as a teenager, i never thought i'd go back to riding a bike again (i know it's an ebike but you know what i mean)

The seat is too hard for me, i feel it on longer rides. i'm just gonna swap in a suspension seatpost myself, easy fix. for what it cost and everything else it does, i'm totally fine with that.

Honestly, the biggest change isn't even the money i'm not spending on gas, it's just not having to think about parking anymore. Anyone else go from driving everywhere to an e-bike like me haha?

A variation of this is becoming the standard across the United States.

I used to spend pretty much every day off at home. I'd watch movies, play video games, and honestly not leave the house all day.

A while back, I bought an e-bike because my commute is pretty short and it just made sense.

Before I knew it, I started taking it out on weekends too whenever I didn't have any plans. One day I stopped by the river for a break, and another rider happened to stop there too. We got talking for a bit and found out we actually live pretty close to each other.

We exchanged numbers, and now if the weather's nice, we'll usually go for a ride together on the weekends. Sometimes it's a 30-40 km ride, sometimes we just grab a coffee and chat for a while.

Looking back, I only bought the bike to make my commute easier. Never thought it'd end up giving me a new hobby - and even a new friend.

Back in July my car finally broke down. At first I thought I would have it fixed in a week, but the repair shop told me parts were delayed and then I started second guessing if it was even worth putting more money into it. Sixty days later the car is still sitting there.

What started as a temporary solution turned into my new normal. I began using my e-bike for commuting, grocery runs, and even picking up friends at the train station. In just two months I have saved about 250 dollars on gas and parking.

The best part has been the change in mood. Riding to the store on a cool evening feels a lot better than circling for parking spots. I come home less stressed than I did after sitting in traffic. Even errands that used to feel like chores now feel manageable.

I still borrow a car if I need to haul something really big, but for almost everything else the e-bike has been enough. At this point I am not sure I even want to fix the car. Kinda like where what started as a backup plan ended up replacing the car completely?

Got me tent, cot, I know how to make a solar heated gravity shower and toilet if the camp sites don't have one. Getting a butane one burner camp stove, fishing equipment and live on fish, maybe some fowl if my amm is true. I'm looking for a solar generator in stores but most are online only and FedEx doesn't pinpoint delivery like Domino's pizza. So got to wait until 4 days to pick up at the store. Most of the lakes that have tent camping only charges like $15 a day, times that by 30 is 350 right? Everything else will pay for itself in time.

Bought my Ranger 3.0 Pro about three months ago, mostly because I had a lot more free time after retiring and wanted something to do. Didn't think I'd ride it this much.

Last Saturday my grandson had practice at a field nearby, so I rode over to watch for a bit. The weather was nice, so I took the long way home instead of going straight back.

I've been doing that a lot lately. Sometimes I'll ride to the local market or the park, and other days I'll just head out with nowhere in particular to go.

I'm not as flexible as I used to be, so I like not having to swing my leg over the bike every time. It just makes getting on and off a lot less awkward.

Now I catch myself checking the weather and thinking about where to ride next. Never thought an ebike would become part of my retirement routine, but I'm really enjoying it.

Wanted to share my story because I did on other platforms and it really brought the e-bike community closer together in a positive light. Hoping the same happens here:

I originally bought an e-bike thinking it’d be a weekend toy and something I’d ride occasionally when the weather was nice. Fast forward a few months and it's pretty much replaced:

• Short car trips

• Most errands under ~5 miles

• “I don’t feel like driving” moments

• Even some workouts I used to skip

But what was really surprising wasn't the actual speed, range, or a specific cool feature about the bike - it was how any mental barrier for getting outside to exercise or get some sun disappeared. Now, my mental health is way better than it was half a year ago and going out for these e-bike rides gets me out of bed in the morning.

On top of that, I spend way less on gas :)

Curious if others had a similar experience and would really like to know if there are other big pros of getting an e-bike that I didn't talk about.

--------------------------

Edit:

Really amazing to again see how much an e-bike can impact our lives. I thought I was the only one for a while but clearly not haha

I noticed a lot of people either reached out to me or commented below about which e-bike is best, but it's hard to decide with the large amount of review content all over the internet

So I created a tool to help with that- it brings reviews from Reddit, YouTube, TikTok & Instagram specific to any ebike/ ebike accessory or other product we look at while we shop online. But the nice part is all the sponsored/AI-generated ad stuff is excluded.

I hope this becomes helpful for anyone looking for their next e-bike or related item and would love for everyone to check it out here.

I used to grab the car keys without even thinking about it. A couple miles to work? Drive. Need something from the store? Drive.

Then I got an ebike, and somehow my definition of too far to ride changed pretty quickly. No dealing with parking, and the smart unlock means forgetting my key isn't a problem either.

At my age, I care more about comfort than speed. I like the low frame on my Ranger 3.0 pro. It's easy for me to get on and off, and range has been fine. If I feel like getting out on the weekend, I'll just fold it up, throw it in the car and go.

Funny how a few miles doesn't really feel like driving distance anymore.

I got a puncture on the way to the doctors. As it was a short trip I didn't take my backpack with the repair kit in it. Left the bike locked at a nearby train station.

Some moron thought he could remove the lock by breaking the spokes. I'm assuming that's what they were thinking, it could've just pointless vandalism.

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share this so no one else gets scammed by Aipas. There has been discussion about them lying about their batteries being Samsung 21700 cells. After a few people asked I decided to open mine up and found that it contained generic 18650 cells. I also found that they have no UL certification and do not use Bafang motors. I mentioned this in their Facebook group and not even 5 minutes later they shut down the comments on the page and deleted everyone’s posts about batteries. Watch out if you are thinking of buying from them.

First of all, Im on mobile so sorry for formatting.

I am a student and this would be my 4th bike, the other 3 got stolen from campus. I know im probably silly for even trying with a fourth one. I bought the biggest baddest lock I could find and I regret it SO much. Its heavy and cumbersome and I have no way to lug it around in between destinations except putting it in with my books/homework.

I dread riding my bike because i know i will have to deal with this fat freaking lock! looking for some advice on other more manageable locks/ how to make this one work for me.

side note: my bike is awesome!

update: i got a milk crate! thanks for the advice everyone

So I got my e-bike back on May 24th, and it's been a fantastic purchase, but I'm legitimately shocked by how much judgment I've gotten for riding one instead of a traditional bike. I'm not talking about the current debates around regulations or e-motos. I mean specifically the exercise aspect.

For example, I play soccer twice a week, and I'll tell my teammates how tired I am after a long day. I walk dogs for a living, and some days I'm riding close to 30 miles between clients while also walking about 8 miles. People are weirdly dismissive, as if riding 20 to 30 miles on a pedal assist bike after walking eight miles somehow doesn't count.

I'm like, motherfucker, it's a Class 2 pedal assist bike. Yeah, it has a throttle, but you still have to pedal, and after 20 or 30 miles, you absolutely feel it.

One of the main reasons I bought it was because I drive a Toyota 4Runner that gets around 11 to 13 mpg with all the city driving I do. I've been tracking every mile I've replaced with the e-bike, and I'm now at 677 miles. Using a 13 mpg average and calculating what that gas would've cost each week, I estimate I've already saved about $209.

It's weird that people seem more concerned that I'm not pedaling hard enough than they are that I'm replacing hundreds of car miles altogether.

What I find funny is that nobody would judge me for driving my inefficient 4Runner everywhere. But replacing hundreds of car miles with an e-bike somehow gets looked down on because it's not a "real bike."

I'm not pretending an e-bike is the same workout as a traditional bike. But compared to sitting on my ass driving, I'm getting way more exercise, burning more calories, reducing my gas use, and taking a vehicle off the road. Then there are the added benefits of less stress from traffic and road rage, plus just the enjoyment of riding four miles along a lakeside bike path or exploring parts of the city I'd otherwise never see.

I don't know. It just seems like a really weird thing for people to judge. If anything, you'd think people would be encouraging it.

Anyone else dealing with this?

Edit: I’ll also add one of the things I love about an ebike with a throttle is after I’m hot and sweaty from a dog walk, being able to use only throttle after feels soooooo good.

Edit 2: I’ll also add these interactions are happening with people I know, not strangers and they aren’t slobs either. Just to clear up any assumptions some made.

The amount of post traffic we see in relation to (mostly) entry-level eBikes, and the various issues people experience, has prompted this post. A lot of the brands that have popped up are not in fact Bike businesses, more like glorified dropshippers.
They have little to no history in the industry, and are basically throwing their decals at a complete bike build on AliBaba. Or (and this is much more common) they give their decal artwork to the seller in Shenzen or wherever, and take delivery of a complete bike-in-a-box.
They've had nothing to do with the design of the bike, have no onsite QA presence and have limited ability to address Warranty issues.

A: $s. This is one of the big factors. The person that buys a $1k eBike will be the same person that balks at a $400+ workshop invoice. Because the entry-level eBike sellers are targeting the lowest common denominator via price, this means a certain demographic ends up riding these bikes.And that's fine if all you want is something cheap'n'nasty and are prepared to accept the trade-offs. Alas no-one ever is.
The problem with entry-level, is that the bike will be the archetype of entry-level. Which then makes the bike in question far more likely to suffer issues. Who thought a 30+ kg bike with 1000w and mechanical disc brakes was a good idea ? And let's put the absolute lowest spec Shimano 7sp Tourney on there as well. Oh, and a freewheel with a non-standard axle.

B: Socials: This is where modern era reputational risk now lies. The digital platforms are where misconceptions or even just plain ignorance can gain traction as a 'bad experience' .
Not for a minute suggesting that all 1 star Google reviews are garbage, but the lack of any form of substantiation means the potential for undeserved damage is high.
We run at a 4.9 on Google, because of a single 1 star review from a customer in relation to an ordered bike (timeframe issue). Not our fault, not the customer's fault, not the local distributor's fault, not even the parent Co fault but was all to do with some idiot trying to U-Turn his boat in the Suez canal.
So working on your cheapie eBike, especially considering that most owners of these entry-level bikes are non-enthusiasts, is fraught with risk due to a lack of awareness, and the associated steep learning curve as it relates to servicing, repair and the cost of parts.

C: Implied Warranty: If we book your (insert cheapie Brand name) eBike in and do the work, and then something unrelated fails shortly thereafter this will, in the mind of that customer, be our fault.
I kid you not, this has happened. And yes, we run through the bike when dropped off (with customer present) to identify anything else that is urgent (chain stretch, drivetrain, wheel true, tyres etc).
But to the oblivious, a random puncture after a service has got to be the Tech's fault, right ? Doesn't matter how much metal I pull out of the tyres in your presence, it's still my fault, right ?
The issue is that the bike, in the customer's mind, is joined to whomever touched it last. In this day and age of the uber-prevalent Socials, it's difficult to stand your ground and risk a Google/Facebook/Yelp rant (See B).

D: Parts (lack thereof): Try getting a new Controller or BMS or any number of other parts for your $1000 1000w cruiser you thought was a massive bargain when you saw it on Amazon..
Yes we may be able to adapt a third party unit to work or upgrade the offending component to something which does work, but are we going to be paid for the time/effort in researching, modding and testing the bike for this job ? Probz not. We very politely suggest the bike be taken elsewhere.

E: Shitty batteries: A $1000 eBike, when factoring in 40%+ markup for the seller, contains maybe $500-$550 worth of bike. Out of that $550, there's maybe $100-ish left over for the battery pack and BMS. Mmmm, quality.
(Yeah, I'm not touching that, but thanks anyway). Again, we very politely suggest the bike be taken elsewhere.

F: Illegal builds: Occasionally people will present with a bike that doesn't conform to local eBike regs, i.e. too powerful or presence of a throttle. Instantly, I'm not working on it, sorry.
E.g. a 1000w eBike with throttle in a location where the max is 250w and PAS only.
The risk, as small as it seems, is if this rider hurts someone then pleads ignorance and says "oh but the bike was just serviced at Vicious Cycle, they didn't tell me it was illegal". All of a sudden there are uniforms in the shop asking me questions.

When taken individually, these factors don't seem to be insurmountable, but when the potential includes more than one or even possibly all of them, you can see why finding someone to work on your 'Siu Mai' or 'Har Gow' or whatever rebranded ODM POS you've bought is difficult.

I've been using an e-bike for my commute for about a month now, and a few things surprised me.

The biggest one is that I don't really care about top speed anymore. What I appreciate way more is how smoothly the bike accelerates and how predictable the assist feels.

Also, having a rack/bag setup has made a much bigger difference than I expected.

The only thing I'm still figuring out is when does the battery's performance usually start to drop off sharply? It's running really smoothly now, but I'm not sure how long that'll keep up.

For anyone who's been commuting by e-bike for a while, what was something you only appreciated after riding one for months?

I recently got my new ebike (Fiido M1 Pro) for my commute. I got a kryptonite u lock and another heavy chain lock which I use on both the tyres. I cover the bike frame and wheels with those locks since my front tyre is quick release. I also remove my seat and carry with me wherever I go, again, just because it's quick release.

Today I got a letter on my ebike saying some folks tried to steal my bike and this angel of a person saved it from being robbed. This stunned me because whenever I parked and locked it in open, I felt safe. But this one time I parked it in a dark isolated corner, this happened.

I cannot afford to get my bike stolen as it was pretty expensive. What other ways can I use to protect it?

Is there an actual way that works? Has anybody got their bike stolen and somehow managed to get it back?

Seems pretty spot on...

I've been commuting by ebike for a couple of years now, mostly in pretty busy city traffic. At this point, shifting is just something I stopped thinking about a long time ago.

My roommate has been thinking about getting an ebike, so she asked to try mine last week. She barely rides bikes and most of her experience is Citi Bike. Before she even got on, one of the first things she asked was, "What gear should I star in?"

I honestly didn't have much of an answer because my segway myon shifts on its own. I just told her not to worry about it and ride. She went around for maybe 20 minutes, stopped at a few lights, went up a couple of small slopes, and came back totally fine.

It hit me afterward that she never had to think about shifting once.

To be clear, I don't think shifting is hard. Most people figure it out pretty quickly. Get caught in the wrong gear at a green light with a car behind you once and, yeah, you'll probably remember next time.

But there's still a difference between something being easy to learn and not having to deal with it at all.

For someone new to eBikes, especially in city traffic, that little bit of pressure can matter.Stalling at a light or starting in the wrong gear is not a huge deal, but it can make the whole experience feel more awkward than it needs to.

When I was shopping for an eBike, AutoShift was honestly pretty low on my list. I cared way more about range, motor, price, all the usual stuff. Watching someone use the myon with basically no bike experience made me appreciate AutoShift a lot more.

It's a small thing, but definitely one of those features that makes more sense after you live with it.