5 Things to Know Before Buying an Electric Bike

Intro 00:00
1. Weight 00:06
2. Hill Climbing 00:45
3. Cost 01:06
4. Small Wheels 1:37
5. Bike Theft 02:11

[@JohnHerbst]

Was not expecting the proposal! Amazing. Still not sure about small tires, though a lower center of gravity would be nicer in icy Chicago winters. Great video Andrew!

[@batterybikes]

Hey John. I wish I had more footage from that day to do it justice, but for now that's it. It was a fun day and my now-wife thought it was just another two person ebike day. Quite a surprise. My thinking on the small wheels is... most bikes will be ebikes in the future. Mechanical advantage because they're smaller, because they're a smaller diameter you can afford to go wider without having to carry the weight of a wider rim/tire, smaller wheels make it easier to move the bike around, smaller wheels are stronger. I reworked the second draft of my script to include some of these... but by 3am last night I figured the time for re-recording voiceovers had long passed. What kind of ebike(s) do you have?

[@JohnHerbst]

@@batterybikes I have a Gazelle C380+, which has been a killer ride. My qualifications were Class 3, internal hub, and belt drive. That limited my options to only a few bikes. I already have 2,000 miles on it (in about 8 months), and completely love it. I do amid that I've looked at getting another e-bike, and would probably get a folding e-bike - but would like an internal hub and belt drive. Those Tern's definitely have my interest piqued!!

[@batterybikes]

Oh damn. That looks beautiful - and I'd love that extra 8mph. I might have to hack my GSD at some point to at least get the extra speed. I need to try out the newer Bosch motors too. I could see 30% more torque being quite a difference. I think mine is 65nm.

[@westmcgee9320]

I have a folding ebike. Probably entry level. But dammit, the convenience of being able to toss them into a trunk for travel or under a desk at work is killer. It obviously doesn’t work for everyone’s needs but I highly recommend them. - a six month newbie

[@jefbiggs1583]

Great video 👍. I would I recommend a lite lock x1 or x3 if you really want to protect your bike. Those locks are grinder resistant

[@pault1289]

Really helpful video, can't believe only thirty odd likes. Thanks for collating these points.

[@batterybikes]

Hey Paul thanks for watching. The youtube algorithm is a blackbox that nobody really understands. When people actually click through and watch this video people watch most of it. That's a good sign that in a few months youtube might start sharing this more and it'll get some views. Who knows. It also probably needs a saucier thumbnail - hopefully will freshen up a bunch that need some tweaks soon

[@justienep405]

Do a Brompton video! Please

[@ricardoanevarez9704]

Hi Andrew, I have the same ebike, where will you instal the air tags? ..../also I am looking for a suspension seat post if anybody can recommend one :)

[@odeaus]

It's intriguing to think about the challenges of urban mobility in the U.S., where most cities are designed for car ownership. This poses a dilemma: getting around can be nearly impossible without a car, yet owning one comes with significant costs like car payments, insurance, and routine maintenance. One potential solution could be to create programs that make e-bikes and e-scooters more accessible or affordable. This approach might have a two-fold impact: 1) potentially reducing theft by saturating the market, thereby diminishing the value of stealing (theory), and 2) alleviating poverty by offering a more cost-effective means of transportation. While this wouldn't solve all the issues-better public transportation, improved infrastructure, a robust social safety net, and healthcare reforms are all needed-it could be a promising start. However, in today's society, the wage gap seems to be widening every day. The systemic barriers to getting out of poverty have become so entrenched that it might be more efficient to just give money away at this point rather than invest in programs.

[@batterybikes]

I'm all for it in theory. It does seem like non-owned bikes get treated poorly. It would be interesting to see what the cost of something subsidized would be. I think low income owners buy their own might be cheaper long term though. Still gotta make secure bike parking though so theft isn't such an issue.

[@andcraft9294]

why 2 apple airtags?

[@batterybikes]

In case the thief finds one and stops looking

[@studiosinger]

Main thing is a garage or place in home is necessary. They are easily stolen.