I am looking at taking on a summer job where I will camp in the mountains and need to travel 12 miles to work on a dirt road every day so 25 miles round trip.If I do this job for the next few years thats going to be a lot of miles on an ebike.What is the longevity of these and what brands are better for this than others?Everyone I know with an ebike rarely uses it
>>1896410Why choose cripplE-bike over proper bike ?Where charge degeneratE-bike when camping ?Why not post in general ?Any battery powered pensioner bike will do. They all run day after day for years on end.
>>1896410I would suggest a Kona Dew-E Dew-E DL or Ecoco They're all based on reasonably good touring bike platforms so will work well with full racks. And decent gravel tires so ideal for dirt roads. Or, you want a higher spec e-mtb.You really want a mid-drive. With hub motors, fixing rear flats without a heavy duty stand or rope to hang it, is extremely difficult. If you're not already good at fixing flats, fixing a flat on the side of the road would probably be impossible for you. This severely limits the bikes usefulness as a dirt road commuter and your only transport.Also if you're looking at super budget models, I suggest you just spend your money on a high quality regular touring bike instead. It's just not going to be reliable or worth it. If you're rich and this is a good job and you're doing this for the lifestyle instead of glorifying being homeless (highly unlikely) and you have a safeish spot to camp, you could also get a solar/ power station setup, like GoalZero to charge it at your camp.
>>1896410ride a regular bike. you will be more fit, stronger, and gain more enjoyment. ebikes are for slobs.
>>1896439eh2x 20 km on dirt, presumably hilly, often loaded with supplies, is a pretty tough ride to do every day as a commute. Nearly impossible for a non-cyclist.It would depend on what his job is. The best option really might be bicycle + shitty car. Do the ride most days but have another option as well.
I would not get any E-bike for those purposes, or at least not rely on one. Batteries don't last forever, wiring can be flaky, charger fuses blow, parts can get damaged - and if any single part of your E assist system goes down you're stuck with a stupidly heavy bike that you won't want to ride at all until it's fixed - and it sounds like you're not going to in a place where it's easy to get hold of proprietary parts and tools or have easy access to the sort of workshop you'd need for advanced DIY repairs.
>>1896410Unless you buy a really expensive one the drivechain will wear out all the time, they use the shittiest components and it doesn't mix well with the extra power.Unless you want to spend a lot I think you'd be better off and happier with a nice gravel bike. 12 miles is reasonable but you'll get fit to it quickly
>>1896424>Why choose cripplE-bike over proper bike ?The job will be long hours and I wont have enough stamina some days to make it homeAlso I am assuming the ebike is faster and I cant spend an extra half hour a day on my commute >Where charge degeneratE-bike when camping ?I can charge the bike every day at work>Why not post in general ?This seems like a more complex question than yes or no>Any battery powered pensioner bike will do. They all run day after day for years on end.Really? The reason I am here is because I read that many electric bike start wearing out after 5000 miles
>>1896437>Kona Dew-E Dew-E DLI think I will need something beefier since the roads are not maintained (old logging roads)>>1896437>If you're rich and this is a good jobThe job is pretty good and should be over 2k a week but I am hoping to convince them to let me take winters off or even 6 months at a time because I would have to rent a place as winters here are pretty harsh and I like to do the vanlife thing in mexico in winters And that has me thinking; fat tires would be nice for beach riding in mexico
>>1896494>Unless you buy a really expensive one the drivechain will wear out all the time, they use the shittiest components and it doesn't mix well with the extra power.This is exactly the sort of specific info I am looking for How do I make sure the drivetrain is a good one?
>>1896620All bikes show wear but it is serviceable. I doubt a bike will show considerable wear after that distance. My first (as an adult) bike was a bottom of the line commuter. I'd guess to have ridden it somewhere around 50tkm. The lights broke. I dont care fixing them, cagies can just open their eyes. The pedals disintegrated vut they are almost always the thing you want to upgrade on a budget bike. It shows wear, like scuffs and scratches and all. I trued both wheels. Changed tires, brake pads, jagwires, disassembled, cleaned, lubricated and reassembled everything a few times... I think that really is about it. Nothing on said bike ever 'broke' or even meeded replacement, except for actual wear items.I'd expect any E-Bike to be equal regarding longevity.Also none of your reasons to not get a proper bike appear convincing, some not even valid.
>>1896627hours of painful research
>>1896693WTF ?a) Brands known for quality can be expected to produce quality parts.b) Since geometries are mostly set in stone and this isnt rocket science the material selection will largely dictate resistance to abrasion, deformation and what not.In addition to that: Chainrings, casettes and chains are wear items. They are to be checked for wear suring regular servicing and replaced as necessary just like other consumables. While a good bike will last you a lifetime, no bikes consumables wont eventually be consumed by riding it.You will eventually replace jagwires, brake shoes, chains, chainwheels, cogs, pedals, bartape, tires, innertubes, rims (as the brake tracks wear out mostly) or brake discs, bearings and so on ... You will also break something. Even on the best quality bike you will, sooner or later, by accident taco a wheel for example.If it says 'happy lucky bike USA GERMANY WAREHOUSE lucky happy quality bike pedal bike' then don't buy it. If the maker is a reputable brand and the components are anything but the lowest tier of a reputable brands lineup then you'll be fine. Also post examples here for Anons to rate what youre eyeing.
>>1896410I can't answer your specific question. I assume the longevity mainly regard motor and battery (and that changes by manufacturer and quality so you gotta find out for yourself). The rest is like a normal bike (they usually put drivetrains and tires adapted to the bigger torque so it evens out).Anyway the question makes me think you're not a cyclist. I don't think an ebike is the appropriate solution. 40km bike commute is too much even in an urban environment. Are you considering the weather? An ebike is only marginally faster than a bike. now let's imagine a mexican logging road, in the mountains. bike golden rule is 15km radius. i'm an avid cyclist and I wouldn't dream of doing it every day, before and after work.i'd suggest carpooling or a light dirt bike, or one of those chinese stuff with fat tires should be more adapted to your niggish complexion.
>>1896410if you do 25 miles a day on an ebike you are going to wear the battery out sooner than you think.I commuted on my shimano steps when i first got it and wore the battery out in a year and had to warranty it
>>1896664>Also none of your reasons to not get a proper bike appear convincing, some not even valid.They seem valid to meKeep in mind I am probably a lot older than you are and I am a truck driver by trade. I can ride the 12 miles to work but after 12 hours running a bulldozer, I am not that into pedaling 12 miles of potholed and washboarded dirt road before I can have my dinner unless I get some electric relief Everyones situation is different
>>1896700For the Tiagra and 105 equipped bikes most of this board rides, there’s far superior Chinese options if you know how to shop.
>>1896791tiagra is a redundant boomer meme literally no one rides tiagra shut the fuck up about tiagra its cues baby or sora claris or older shit tiagra is nothing
>>1896791god damm the eltwoo shills are working overtime today
>>1896442copium huffer
>>1896823>>1896828>t. Thought 105 was high tier
So whats your budget Are you overly tall or short
>>1896791I know but the fact remains that if you want security or say a 'garanty' of quality you fare better with a producer that has put effort into building a name and doesn't want to lightheartedly want to risk blemishing said name. Also alot of the premium you pay goes to customer service who can be expected to handle problems that arise within reason. With USA PPOPULAR COWBOY DERAILER FREE SHIP you might get all those things, but comparable less certainty that this will be what you get.And let's be honest. When buying a prebuilt bike you don't pay ridicolous amounts of extra money to have shimano or campa stuff on it.
>>1896859I am manlet level short My budget is constrained by my extreme cheapness only If the math works out on me saving enough gas , I can come up with any amount of money for this.I am basically a miser , one the big reasons I live in a van
>>1896768You left that out. We were assuming you were a lazy usfs forest recent hire.Get a radrunner. Youll love the wide, small tires for stability and the low center of gravity and you can carry all work gear on it using a set of "panniers".Alternatives: an Aventon adventure e bike
>>1896877Do you want the ability to ride back using throttle and no pedaling or do you want a pedal assist only
>>1896880My guess is that I will use pedal assist 95 percent of the time but probably would want the option all things being equal
>>1896878>radrunner.googling that now
Doing a little math on fuel savings With the price of gasoline today , I spend about 5 bucks a day on this commute If the bike costs me 2500 dollars I would need to do 500 commutes to break even That probably works out to about 5 years if I do all the charging at work.Works out to about 12,500 miles How much maintenance would be needed in that time?Tires?Chain?Sprockets? How about battery life? That should be only 500 cycles and not deep discharge
>>1896915All of those things are highly variable and depend on surface, speed, load, luck and especially maintenance.You'll need a new set of tires if you do this distance on a paved surface. Several factors, like terrain and loading will parish your tires sooner. Severe jagged rocky terrain can slit your tires in an instant. Thats bad luck or pushing it.It is sometimes recommended to change the chain with the sprocket and chainwheel its been running on. I personally don't. Your chainwheel and sprocket will likely outlast the milage you named. This is highly dependent on maintenance. It is not the power you put through it or the cycles it completes that wear your chain. It's the abrasive dirt that gets into it. So as much as sucks ... you got to stay ahead on cleaning and lubricating the chain, chainwheel and sprocket. The later two will only need cleaning, the chain lubes them. There is a point of diminishing returns of course.Modern Li-Ion battery technology is a well researched subject and you can find numbers for maximum cycles, degeneration and everything online. A few hints: The battery will easily outlast 500 cycles, it is best to not store it topped up but normally discharged, it last longer if not charged to its maximum capacity and charged and discharged at a low rate relative to its capacity.
>>1896623>The job is pretty good and should be over 2k a weekthen why are you camping in the mountains and commuting on a bike instead of just living in your car or renting a place closer
>>1897069I have a van like the OP pic related, I travel 6 months and then usually I drive a semi truck for six months and live in the truck,I have not paid rent or mortgage since 2016Everything I have I pay cash for , no credit cardsSoon I will be able to pay cash for a homeThe camping will be in the van and I already have an amazing spot on private property that I dont have to pay for Yes I am next level cheap, even the van I bought is worth way more than I paid for it in 2016
>>1897076You're nuts but also haven't explained the route. For example if you're camping UP in the mountains then your only complaint should be the 12 mile RETURN trip and for that nearly any bike will do fine. IF the route is up and down, or rough then you'll pay more
>>1897110Its up and down for sure, in fact the altitude is only slightly higher in campThe route goes through several large arroyos There are also two very long flat areas that go across a mesa
Perhaps I should just get a rear hub kit for my old POS mountainbike
>>1897190That other anon recommended a radrunner, but maybe look at the radrover 6+ instead? It has fat tires and may do better on dirt roads. It also has a stepthrough version for shorter people
>>1897464I dont have a problem getting on and off larger bikes, but having had frames that were too big in the past, I know the geometry of a short guy pedaling a large bike is no fun. Just adjusting the seat does not fix everything That said I do like the step through idea, just seems so civilized But those smaller fat tires might not be as good offroad and in sand as larger diameter wheels
>>1896937>It is not the power you put through it or the cycles it completes that wear your chain. It's the abrasive dirt that gets into itThis road is super dusty Would a belt drive be better for this?
>>1897753Chain wear is kind of overrated. I doubt you'll go through more than 2 chains a year, and that might amount to a whopping 80 bucks if you get something fancy.
>>1897786but dont I also then have to change the sprokets ?
>>1897789sprockets
>>1898342https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHZR9SA5pOg
>>1897786And thats only for people who measure and change at a predetermined elongation. If you ride until you snap the thing you get way more out of it.
why would you buy that electric abomination instead of a moped? You can even buy mini-motorcycles.>>1892298
>>1896915>I would need to do 500 commutes>works out to about 5 yearsYou only work 20 weeks a year?
>>1898527Normally , yes, I like to take winters off and pick up working late in the spring . Also I am pretty sure there will be days I have to drive to work because of weather or other circumstances.Even If I do end up working this job year round , I cant imagine biking in the snow and freezing cold.But who knows.
>>1898427kek
>>1896410>I cant imagine biking in the snow and freezing cold.A lot of us do it.
>>1899998Really? how cold?This job is at 8000 feet and winters will see 20 below zero , not often but it does get pretty coldI am guessing lots of winter days will never reach freezing and morning commutes with be in the dark, in snow and single digit temps
>>1900111>Really?Yeah, really. >>1865847I don't do it myself personally because I live in a shithole that's much too far away from work, but if the conditions are right it's no different than going skying. It's a matter of having the right clothes.
>>1900113Anon there is a huge difference in biking in the snow and biking below zero Snow is only a small part of the consideration.I dont think anyone here is biking in extreme cold weather on remote dirt logging roads
>>1900193It can't be extreme cold if that post said >I am guessing lots of winter days will never reach freezingThat means they're getting mild winters.And I'm pretty sure some of those anons are biking in -30C or lower up in Canada. They do it in Finland too. Not saying it's ideal (specially on remote roads), just saying it's not that big of a deal.
>>1900222Also how about steep hills in snow? Honest question I have no idea if a fatbike tire gets enough traction to go up a 13% icepacked hill Maybe studded tires for snow?
>>1900325Studded tires yes, and also very low tire pressure -which is going to make the rest of the commute suck.
