As the title states, I'm looking for an eBike for hilly commuting. I come from a hard tail MTB / gravel background and really enjoy both. So much so that ideally I'd like to start riding to commute to work via bike but the terrain in my city isn't really commuter friendly. Great for training and working up a sweat, less so for arriving at the office clean and getting home in a timely manner.
My commute is roughly as follows:
- Distance: Approx 30km return
- Climb: Approx 480m
- Gradient: Mostly 2-3% at most with a couple of larger sections around the 7-8% mark on average.
Budget: Approx $4,500 – $5,000 AUD
I've got approx 2 years of recreational MTB / gravel riding under my belt. Essentially I'm not an overly strong rider, but I have an idea of how bikes are going to feel and the work required. So I know I want a mid drive that is going to be punchy up the hills but allows me to put the work in if I so choose to.
I'm also considering that my partner will take it on longer rides as I'm the stronger rider of the two and it will open a few routes up there. So it's going to be multi-purpose over all. Luckily our frame sizes are quite similar so it'd be more saddle height / handlebar adjustment to be 'close enough' for them.
I'm considering it will need some kind of rack, or the ability to easily install a rack. Fenders etc. will more or less be a requirement also. While it'll largely be on pavement, there are a few trails I can take to / from work which will make things a little more interesting. So it'll need to be somewhat capable off-road. Not hammering it through rock gardens, but need to be able to travel through them without too much issue.
I'm currently considering the Cube Kathmandu Hybrid 800 as my favorite. A second option would be the Merida Big Nine 400 EQ. both of these are somewhat available in my area. I'm leaning towards the Cube as it has the Bosch motor. From what I'm reading they seem to be a little more lively than the Shimano and have replacement components readily available. They apparently are a little more efficient on battery use also. One major plus is that the Bosch controllers seem to be a bit better laid out / more interesting with available add-ons to the display. I already have two Merida bikes and like the build quality / geometry of both (for their respective fields) so think they'd be a great option here too. However, in my mind the Cube seems to be running the better gear overall and the feature set seems more promising for the price bracket.
Wondering if there's any other options I should be considering here?
by opinion_and_insult