Ebike for my mom

[cbr shadow]

My mom is 65 years old and wants an ebike for tootling around with her friends, who also have ebikes. I'm wondering if someone can recommend an ebike for roughly $2,000 range. She thinks range and comfort are the most imporant metrics. With decent range (50-70 miles?) I'd like to see what other recommendations people have here.
Right now she's looking at the "Juiced CrossCurrent X" ( CrossCurrent X: Ultimate Commuter Bike )
I don't anticipate her putting a ton of miles on the bike, but she's excited to get one so I want to be sure she gets something decent.

 

[RunForTheHills]

"I don't anticipate her putting a ton of miles on the bike" and "With decent range (50-70 miles?)" seems to contradict each other. 50-70 miles is going to need a very big battery or a fit rider that contributes a lot by pedaling. This forum is mostly for people who build their own ebikes from kits or scratch. However, Juiced is an okay brand. They are a step above the sub-$1000 ebikes, which are mostly junk. To get a name brand quality ebike, you are probably looking at spending $3000+. If you mother may have issues getting her leg over the top tube of the bike, you may want to look at step through models.

 

[cbr shadow]

"I don't anticipate her putting a ton of miles on the bike" and "With decent range (50-70 miles?)" seems to contradict each other. 50-70 miles is going to need a very big battery or a fit rider that contributes a lot by pedaling. This forum is mostly for people who build their own ebikes from kits or scratch. However, Juiced is an okay brand. They are a step above the sub-$1000 ebikes, which are mostly junk. To get a name brand quality ebike, you are probably looking at spending $3000+. If you mother may have issues getting her leg over the top tube of the bike, you may want to look at step through models.

I see what you mean about the contridiction about range. She's stated a few times that she worries about running out of range. The step through models seem perfect, but the range seems to be 25 miles typically. Is it a reasonable solution to have to buy an extra battery for long rides and bringing it with on the front or rear rack in case it's needed?

 

[RunForTheHills]

I think that would be a reasonable solution if you Mom is comfortable changing the battery.

 

[Chalo]

Range anxiety is a thing for sure, but it mostly belongs to folks who don't know what they're talking about. I do often wonder why the same folks don't ask for 1500 mile single tank range in their cars, or 7 day endurance in their cell phone batteries.

If your mama has ever gone 70 miles at one time on a pedal bike, then she might have a clue what she's asking for. Or not-- that's something that most of us would only have done, if at all, when we were pretty young. Time passes and we forget the details.

Anyway, folks need 50 mile range in an e-bike like they need 50 mph in an e-bike: They often say they do, but it's not true. If they ever tried it, they would know.

Edit:
For my part, there are plenty of days where I put in 40 miles on the bike over the course of the day. But that's the whole day-- long work commute, running errands, maybe meeting friends or playing with my band. I can and do charge the battery while I'm at work, so realistically I never need more than 25 mile range on a single charge. And I'm willing to bet I have a bigger appetite and less negotiable reasons for miles on the bike than your mom does.

 

[neptronix]

We are a DIY forum so of course we are going to suggest building one instead of buying a subpar prebuilt product.

In the case that you want an above average battery not available in an existing model, you will need to pay the cost of a battery twice, so building makes sense, and achieving that under the $2000 mark is no problem.

Minimum cost of entry to a new or used bike with 26" wheels ( ideal for a hub motor ) is $300, so we have $1700 left to spend on electrics, and with that budget you could create an ebike significantly better than whatever her friends are riding.

This is the motor/battery/controller configuration i'd run to build a legal bike if we don't have tons of steep hills in the area. Both the battery and motor are a few lbs lighter than what would come on a factory ebike.

 

[Chalo]

What neptronix said is all true. But if DIY isn't for you/your mama, Juiced bikes are indeed excellent value for their cost. If all tailor made e-bikes were that good and reasonably priced, I wouldn't recommend DIY to as many folks as I do.

 

[DaLanMan]

What? First yer gran is welding, now yer mum is in a biker gang :grins:

I have spent a lot of time on various trikes, and I agree. I am not in my 60's but breaking a pelvis ages your motion a lot. The other one I would say is not terrible but is over priced for what you get is the moponcool, I helped pop a hub motor on the front of one for getting up an evil hill assistance, and I see the lady all over town in it, she peddles along having a good time and has not that i haeard fallen off of it. We put I believe 14's on the back to drop it down a little, that whole bottom end had issues wiht the 14's butting the disk too low, it is off to a machinist I know to see what he can do with it. I think I have seen those with electric kit from the shop, not sure if it is factory.

Meanwhile, I am off today to pick up 2 workmen 1 a trike, 1 not, and a conversion kit... Goonna be buuusssy with these.

 

[RunForTheHills]

It depends on the person. I used to go on 20-25 mile weekend rides with a 76 year old friend. He rode a non-motorized mountain bike. We would also do 6 or 7 mile hikes together in the hills. One time, while hiking up Mount Diablo, we got passed by an older lady effortlessly climbing the steep grade at about twice our speed.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Sure, a three wheeler might be what she needs. It depends on the person, as I said. And, no, the lady who passed us was not wearing tights or a cape.

 

[amberwolf]

My mom is 65 years old and wants an ebike for tootling around with her friends, who also have ebikes. I'm wondering if someone can recommend an ebike for roughly $2,000 range. She thinks range and comfort are the most imporant metrics.

For comfort, you'll probably want to have her ride different styles of bike (electric or not) to see which one she is comfortable on. Everything from seat type and height to frame length to bar style to grip placement to crank location, riding posture, etc., wll make a bike comfortable or uncomfortable for different people.

Also, a bike that's comfortable for a few miles may not be for ten or more.


Juiced seems to make decent bikes, based on posts over the years, but...do they make more than one size of each bike, and how adjustable are they for different people's shapes and sizes?

With decent range (50-70 miles?)

How far will (can) she ride in a single trip?

That, and back, is the range she "needs", plus a margin for adverse conditions, such as winds, detours, pack aging, etc.

Depending on the kind of trip, she could get an even smaller pack, and charge at the destination(s), if she was willing. It makes for a lighter, easier to handle bike (and possibly significantly lower cost, since a good battery can cost as much as all the rest of the system combined).


A bigger battery can give more range, but it also is larger, heavier, and more expensive.


If the conditions are all completely flat, "perfect" paved roads, no winds, and she's not contributing to the power with her pedalling, and riding at say, 15mph, she's probably going to use, at a guess, 15-20wh/mile with typical bicycle profile/tires/etc. Faster uses more power, and less ideal conditions use more power. You can guesstimate usage with the specific conditions

 

[99t4]

50-70 mile range? How many hours it that on a bike saddle? I obviously don't know how conditioned your mom's body is to a bicycle saddle, but still I'm calling a 50-70 mile ride aspirational. Nothing wrong with that, but how about starting out with 25-30 mile range and upgrading battery Ah when the time comes?

 

[calab]

Townie Electra ebike from your local bicycle store would be a great purchase for an all in one, ready to go, easy operating, easy maintainable because if anything goes wrong you just take it to the bicycle mechanic for repair, and because you bought the ebike from them they will take extra good care of you. Buy the normal Townie Electra bicycle cruiser ebike, whether it be in the 26", 27.5 or 29" x 2.00 to 2.10 width tire (its good for the pathways) in the frame thats best suitable for the rider. The trikes are a situational thing, best to just look at your local bicycle store for which ever way you want to go. Trike ebike, Tandem ebike, Road ebike, MTB ebike, Cruiser ebike, Unicycle is a losing form of transportation, I havent seen our 1 or 2 local Unicyclists out, but I did see that yellow Velomobile roll around.

 

[DaLanMan]

It depends on the person. I used to go on 20-25 mile weekend rides with a 76 year old friend. He rode a non-motorized mountain bike. We would also do 6 or 7 mile hikes together in the hills. One time, while hiking up Mount Diablo, we got passed by an older lady effortlessly climbing the steep grade at about twice our speed.

Diablo?

So, Clayton or Pleasant Hill? ya don't sound like one o'them bad boys from Concord...

I went to DVC to save on GP req's... probably back before you were born...

The wife wants me to find a place in the back side of clayton.. I think she is buggery nuts, the internet sucks in that canyon.

 

[calab]

the internet sucks in that canyon.

Elons Starlink is a no then?
Maybe a small compact affordable satellite wifi enabled feature within the controller is required for those out of cell phone tower range days where you just are required to login to the matrix, to do whatever online.

 

[DaLanMan]

You would have to actually see this place, it is first off amazingly beautiful, Claytons bloody Police department is an old Winery or something, never heard the whole story. The front looks like a barn and I can't find any good images of the rear backs up on a nice park is all hand set river-rock.

Clayton buts up against Mt. DIablo, which is on 3 sides a mountain without tree's just weeds and scrub.

On the back side however, it is a beautiful example of the California low mountain ranges. Talk to the right people and they will explain the benefits of this all being sea floor in Geologically recent times (look up deep time) I will just say that for a lad from the Bonney Shores of Dingle Bay.. California has everything that Ireland did not. real mountains, proper forests.. Rivers that were actually navigable...

The country side here was described by Robert Heinlein as "It had the contours of a rumbled blanket left behind in the rush to greet the day" which is disturbingly accurate. This particular winding canyon goes from the back side of clayton to the back side of Byron (that center of western culture) and I live spitting distance down Byron highway from there.. next to flat farms and an massive aqueduct ... which is about the depth of detail ya need about my burg...

 

[Az.]

My mom is 65 years old and wants an ebike for tootling around with her friends,

Why won't you invite your mom here and include her in decision making process?
As others above I doubt 70 miles range is really needed. Step through frame is a must.

I would love to go on a bike with my mom. Don't miss that opportunity.

 

[E-HP]

"I don't anticipate her putting a ton of miles on the bike" and "With decent range (50-70 miles?)" seems to contradict each other. 50-70 miles is going to need a very big battery or a fit rider that contributes a lot by pedaling.

The juice bike mentioned claims 80+ miles, so I’m pretty sure we need to calibrate to BS miles, not real miles, so the battery can be small, assuming a lot of pedaling.

Selection is fairly easy. What model bikes do her friends ride? Hers should have similar capabilities, but be a little nicer. Also, factory e-bikes don’t usually come in a wide variety of sizes, so so specs on her size, weight, and fitness level would help.

So, the bike just needs to go a little further, be a little more comfortable, pedal a little easier, and look a little nicer than theirs, which should show that her son loves her just a bit more than theirs too.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Diablo?

So, Clayton or Pleasant Hill? ya don't sound like one o'them bad boys from Concord...

I went to DVC to save on GP req's... probably back before you were born...

The wife wants me to find a place in the back side of clayton.. I think she is buggery nuts, the internet sucks in that canyon.

I had a contract in Concord for a few years and rented a room there. I live in the Southern California mountains. I am currently working in San Jose and have an apartment there for work.

MTA: Concord isn't all bad. I stayed in the east side of town for the first two years and in the northern part for the last two. Relatively crime free and a couple of miles bike ride to the office downtown.

 

[E-HP]

I haven’t ridden around Daly City before, except on the coastal mountain bike trails, but it is somewhat hilly around town, so you need a little bit of climbing power here and there. Not sure how the older lady e-bikers are there, but here in the east bay, they’re pretty serious. Sometimes I see them in groups riding casually, but most look like they’re on a mission to get somewhere fast. There are a few popular models among the gray haired barn burners. I suggest she go to the bike shop and test ride the Aventon Level 2 step thru, with torque assist PAS. The Juiced bike is nice, but I wouldn’t suggest anything other than a step thru. She may be fine now, but she may like e-bikes and end up using it for several years.

 

[2old]

My son got his wife a Rad Power commuter and it seems functionally adequate (probably similar to the Juiced). Considering the bleak state of the OEM industry, you might be able to locate a hardtail mid in your price range from one of the majors (Giant, Trek, Specialized, or equivalent).

 

[DaLanMan]

Well if you are in Cali and looking for a chassis. I have a fine assortment of random stuff, wwe call it the boneyard, or the place our slightly special dog goes to get lost (about every 3rd week he decides there is something in there that is edible or something, we hear him crying later when he can't find an exit) I have a lil bit of everything from hub motors to a frame I am told is worth a small car (I have not figured out what I am gonna do with it, but I have a Yeti frame which made me look at their website.. Went a little balder) So yeah, If ya need to track things down I will help out...

Concord is this lovely area, and the people are pleasant crime is minimal and yet somehow it had a Rep from Back in the 80's through today. I never did figure it out.

 

[nicobie]

If it was up to me I'd listen to Chalo and Amberwolf. Between the two I'd guess that they have well over 40 years experience with bikes.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

A minor detail. If you buy a bicycle with a proprietary battery form factor, you should hope they are still sold in 3-5 years. I know of someone that burned out his battery in one year. Batteries are expensive, and batteries you can't replace will cost you an entire electric bicycle.