I found this monstrosity on Facebook Marketplace and decided to give it a go. It cost less than my commuting bike (on the second page). This is not the ebike I would suggest for commuting, get a light class 1 with better components if you want to commute on it. I calculate that I usually output something like 100 to 150 watts when commuting, so even a 250 watt motor will make a big difference as long as your ebike is not a monstrosity.
What I noticed with this bike, which weighs well over half what I do, is that you can't really go faster /easier until you get to the higher assist levels-probably because the motor is just compensating for the increased rolling resistance and weight. I suspect that the lighter and more fit you are, the less you benefit from the motor.
It's a great purchase if you want to zoom at 20 mph while putting out minimal effort. No more reason to bring out the car in the city unless you need to haul a lot. In theory you can turn down the pedal assist and put it more effort, but good luck convincing yourself to do that if you're on a glorified moped like this one.
by curiosity8472
1 Comment
Good write up. I will say the seat post and the front fork suspension probably also help with the comfort at the higher speeds too.