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I'm thinking of getting Ebike. Don't want to get a high end bike. I have only one place I'd like to use it at. Also I got one knee just replaced and another one in a year or so.. There's a place I used to hunt, sometimes I walked and sometimes I'd ride my bike. Do to my bad knee I have not hunted this place in two years. This place is about 2.5 miles down a fairly flat rail trail. I did take a neighbor's bike in the spring all the way from my house to the trailhead and down to the area I hunt. It is about an 8 mile round trip from my house on his ebike and it is not a high end $4k to $7k bike, more of a $1k, 3 or 4 year old bike. It worked really well for this. So, thinking of getting an ebike, so I could ride the bike from my house or drive my truck to the trailhead and head down the 2.5 miles to where I'm hunting. I could cut time and "sweat" both ways. So I have been looking at ebikes. I'm not spending $4k+ on a bike. I've been looking at ebikes that can easily do this job for around $1k to $1.5k. One that I looking at has a 750 watt rear hub, 7 speed rear, front supension, 4 inch x 26 fat tires, a rack in back and front and rear fenders. The fenders I kind of like, as I have a mountain bike now and get mud all over me when I used to ride down there. Battery size I can't remember right now. Anyone have a cheaper ebike like the one I talked about that they like? Pros cons?? I figured I may use it 4 or 5 times setting cameras up and scouting preseason and who knows, maybe zero to 25 times in season, depending on how preseason goes. So far, this area has been good on deer and bear. Thanks Ed
I have this one, just a hair over your price point with the front and rear racks. I’ve been overall pleased with it, had it probably 2 years now. I think for the money it is probably about as good as it gets.
It’s certainly not the same as the Bakou bikes I’ve rode a bit, but it’s also 20% the cost of those bikes.
-Jim
check out Lectric Ebikes. Great reviews on Youtube. Family type bike that could do the job for you. I've got a couple for my wife and myself. Fun. Not for steep hills though.
I bought a BeeCool bike last year. It’s on the cheaper side compared to the upper end brands, but for where I hunt it’s fine. I will say, it does not handle hills very good.
Not sure if Costco still sells eBikes, but I recommended a guy from my church buy the ones they had cause the value was fantastic and he didn't want to spend money either. Had much better components than most low cost eBikes. He's been really happy. Like any bike, the components are what's gonna give you a bad day. A few flat miles will be within the capabilities of any eBike out there. Performance won't be your issue. Longevity may or may not be.
I am in the market as well. I can’t decide between the Aventon Nikes JTreeman posted our a bike from Hardcore ecycles.
I purchased a $750 kit from bafang and put it on my old schwinn mountain bike. It is 750 watt and works well. With shipping, tax and a few accessories, I probably have $900 invested. I wanted it for Kansas and Nebraska whitetail hunting and didn't want to spend 4K+.
It works great for getting in and out fast and quiet. I also love it for checking cameras. Top end is 28MPH and it seems to have plenty of power going up hill. I think a lower end bike would work fine for what you want.
I have one from Amazon.
ADDMOTOR Electric Bikes for Adults, 65MI Long Range Electric Mountain Bike, 26"x4" Fat Tire EBike, M-560 P7 Electric Bicycles with 750W 20Ah Removable Samsung Cells Battery, 23MPH, Shimano 7-Speed. $1,699.
It's a beast. It seems to fit what you were looking at. Plus, like you I wasn't going to spend 4-8k. I just bought this the first of the year. I compared it to the higher end bikes and didn't find any real or remarkable differences. So far so good. Arrived on time and in good order. Apparently, I cannot post a picture or give you a link, but you should be able to find it.
Be research them for a while. Many of brands use a lot of the same components. Parts seem fair available for them. Batteries can even be sent out if needed and rebuilt with higher end cells and bigger capacity, for half the cost of a new one. My problem is theres so many different ones in the 1k to 2k price range. Glad I dont need it right now. Having a little difficulty with my new knee, 4 weeks and can't bend it much. Thanks for the input. I'm soaking it up.
I'm 69 with a new hip. I only hunt private land. I own my hunting land so I can access with a bull dozer if I want to. Been bowhunting since age 14. That out of the way.
My first e-mtb was a standard Bakcou Mule. Loved it, but it was too tall for my 5'5" self. I'm studying everything I can find to keep from spending nearly $5,000 on a ST Mule 24" which will fit me. It seems there are very few non-scooters that will fit someone my size with mid-mount motor other than QuietKats, Rambos, and Bakcou. Anyone know of something that would get the same job done for less? I don't worry about range because I can see the farm out my back deck. My goal is get exercise but not have to wipe off sweat after walking in.
I have a Fission quite rugged ,I am 5'6" ,it works well for me I plan on getting the trailer for it soon .I have been riding it this summer alot and enjoy it .it is usually around $2500 or so I got mine on sale less than 2 grand
Bowild, I have an Addmotor Motan that I bought on Amazon. But, at 6'0 it's almost too big for me. I can just stand over the cross bar. So, it'll definitely be too big for you. Addmotor has Motans with step thru frames that will work for your height (at least the website states). The bike is hub driven and rated at 350 lbs. I'm not pushing Addmotor. The ones you mentioned are terrific, but I wasn't willing to spend that much for what I wanted to use it for. I hook a trailer to it to haul gear in and game out.
I compared the brakes, gearing, component brands, frame material, weight etc to those of the more expensive bikes and did not see differences that I cared about. In most cases they were the same or very similar.
I did seal up the wire connectors with waterproof tape and the controller with silicone. I put a baggie over the display and covered the battery with a neoprene cover. The components and wiring are rated X5 without my sealing, and the motor is rated 65. Not much you can do with the motor.
I liked the price point for what I expected to get out of it. I intend to use it for scouting when vehicles are prohibited and in one or two management areas where vehicles are not allowed on the trails or roads. Usually, I'm only 3-5 miles from the truck. So far so good. I have not dunked it-yet. I don't think rain will bother it all. I had been using my regular mountain bike without issue. But I was a sweaty mess by the time I got to my stand area. My scouting was also limited to what I was willing to physically endure. Although I'm a glutton for punishment, I'm not getting any younger.
Here's a picture of mine. I added a few items. The only difference appears to be the step thru frame. BTW the light that comes with it is terrible.
Good luck.
It’ll be interesting to see how you guys line your lower-end bikes after a few hundred miles… I have no idea what you could actually GET at the price points you’re talking about. A few years ago, I jammed a crowbar deep enough into my wallet to spend $1200 on a Fatbike. USED. My boys and I share that one; my primary (also bought used, for an absolute PITTANCE) was a $2,000 FRAME ONLY 20+ years ago, and I couldn’t replace the front HUB with comparable quality for what I spent on the whole bike… but I could probably get a pair of “mountain bikes” at Walmart….
I n fairness, I have no clue whatsoever as to what quality you get in a $1500 e-bike, so reports on the durability & reliability could be interesting…..
Wife has an Aventon Adventure II in the medium frame step trough. She's 5'6"-5'7" and has no problems. Think it was handy $2K. Only a few hundred miles on it so far but it's been good.
Corax, I don't expect to have problems. This has a Bafang motor (I know), Shimono gearing, Tektro brakes, 6061aluminum framing, Samsung battery, and Neco headset. Compare these components with the high-end bikes. I do not know who makes the front suspension, controller, or display for them. But they seem similar to Rad Power and Rambo bikes. It's a beast of a bike with pretty good reviews. Again, I stress my intended use. Fully loaded, I doubt that I'll have 250 lbs on the bike and 50-60 lbs on the trailer. If this bike breaks to the point that the part is not warranted, available, or economically feasible to fix, I can buy another and still have less in it than buying a QuietKat, Rambo, or Bakou. Just my reasoning.
Not sure what brand of bike my neighbor has. But its 3 or 4 years old. It was not an expensive bike. Do far he's not had to fix anything on it. If I remember right, it had about 1300 miles on it.
For you guys that have ebikes. How many miles you got on them and put on them in a year?
Learned a ton over the last 2 weeks reading up, chatting on ebikes. Pros and cons of hub drives, mid drives and the new cvt drives. First and foremost get the right size bike for your size. Make a list of what features your looking for. I want a frame size that makes the boys happy, 750 watt, so I don't run into restrictions, quality battery, fat tires, full fenders so I don't get mud and water all over me. Front suspension, no rear suspension. No rear suspension make for better traction climbing rocky loose dirt on hills. Full suspension are nice, if you planning on going fast on rough and over jumps. Fat tires really exorb a lot of shock in back. You can get a seat with a shaft with a suspension in it, its said to really help. Most bikes use for hunting don't see speeds much over 8 or 10 mph. Its got to have a rear rack. Most ebikes you can get a kit to use a trailer. Theres cheaper and better rear hub drives as well as mid drives. I don't know much about the new cvt drives yet. Theres literally dozens of eBike manufacturers. Theres many of ebike part stores to get replacement parts. Good batteries you can get 1000 rechanges, poor batteries, 300 to 400. Hydraulic brakes, versus mechanical brakes, many say it a personal preference. Front suspension can be adjusted and even locked out. Many of these features I'm looking for, can be had for under 2K.
I appreciate all this input. Teeton, your list of preferred features fits my need very well. I feel like the cassette gear systems are on their way out in favor of internal gears and even belt drives. I really like those ideas. However, its not like I'm 20 any longer and can afford to wait a year or two. Just like a lot of things, if one waits for the next thing, the wait never ends. It is amazing how many different options are out there, most of I've never heard of even though I wear the net and youtube out "researching". I plan to make the decision in the next 3-4 days and drop the string on one. The Bakcou Mule ST 24" is the leading candidate mostly because I trust their reputation.
I bought an under 1k e-bike for my sister - it had high ratings. If you are or know a person who had done work on bicycles, I highly recommend checking a few things on these bikes: - the disc brake calipers on her bike were not centered, so they rubbed - easy adjustment. - the wheels were not as true as I like them, so a few turns on spokes made it right. - the brake "reach" needed adjustment for her hands. - testing out a range of tire pressures will likely do more for comfort than any suspension. - know that most bicycles are put together with many bolts and the vast majority are METRIC hexhead. Unlikely you will be able to make many adjustments with SAE hex wrenches. - keep it covered from dew, rain, snow and lube the chain often and you should get your money's worth out of even a cheapy. Good luck!
Bowwild, mule is a mid-drive and many, if not most mid-drives don't have a throttle. Therefore you must always be peddling the pedals to get assist. Not sure if the mule has or don't have a throttle.
I'm recovering from a knee replacement. So I don't need to get one right now. My neighbor did tell me who has two, if I want to use one of his for hunting, I can. But I'd like to get one before my season starts, have it all setup. So all i have to do is put it in truck and go. If I can, I'd like to get out and setup some cameras. Inventory what deer are there. But come mid October, the corn is getting good in the area and the bear start moving in. Then again I question what I'll do with another bear. I still have my last bear skull in the freezer. Don't feel like boiling it out and there's no one around here with beatles anymore.
The Mule has throttle and pedal assist and walk assist. I'm not sure I know a mid drive model that doesn't have throttle. I sell all sorts of ebikes for the back woods and the Mule is the best seller by far. However you're not looking to spend that sort of money so you could check out this Himiway bike at the link I share. It will do what you need it to do. No bells and whistles, but it's good.
use the code 'bowsite' at checkout
Hello John and thanks for your in put. So I understand mid-drive, You can use a throttle, put motor power at the wheel and the petals do not turn? I saw in a you tube video that you had to petal with the motor to get power at the wheel. I thinking if you don't have to petal, I misunderstood or it was a older video when at one time you did?
Correct. an ebike with no throttle is the exception. Mid drive motors move the drivetrain, which in turn moves the back wheel. The mid drive motor engages either by pedal assist or the throttle. Usually a thumb throttle and occasionally a twist throttle instead but thumb throttle is safer.
Rear hub rotates the rear wheel and like mid drive it can be powered either pedal assist or throttle. You get to choose.
In Europe, ebikes with a throttle are not street legal so it can only be powered by pedal assist. Perhaps you saw a european video. Riders still put the thumb throttle on but legally they shouldn't.
There are exceptions so if you're looking at a bike you're keen on and unsure of the specs just drop me a line at [email protected]. I check my emails religiously so you'll catch me there.
I have the Bafang kit on a 29er…its good for playing but not for hunting. Unstable with a pack on.
Things to consider; if you are a big guy, the rear wheel hub Ebikes like the Costco cheapies wont do well getting you up steep hills not enough torque. My wife loves her Costco special for the couple mile ride to town on asphalt to go to dinner.
Then in general, bikes dont do well in mud or with a lot of weight on them
One of the ones I see at Costco is a 350W. I wouldn’t go below 750W. You may want to pull a little trailer some day.
Does anyone have the brand ECELL all-wheel drive? Monarch both front and back have motor. pro or con Thanks
I'm guessing power up-take is higher, so shorter battery life. I also wonder if power on the front wheel will cause the front wheel to slip out on loose rocks and mud. Another thing I'd like to know about AWD is it a sensor system where power is moved from the front to the back wheel or will power be sent to both wheels equally at the same time? It's a bike and is it really feasible to have AWD??
I have older version of this one and it works around local trails. Don't use it hunting too far back and not way to charge.
Teeton look at the Voltbike 750 Yukon Limited. It has everything you are looking for at $1,799 delivered to your house. I have had one for 2 years and it is a beast.
I ride steep, loose stuff on my Mule and Rambo, and have never found a need for AWD. These mid-drive bikes are amazing machines.
One other thing - disc brakes are great, but if you do much steep downhill, hydraulic brakes are the bomb.
If you are mostly riding farm country terrain, you will be fine with rear drive and regular disc brakes. If you get into mountainous terrain, loose rocks, pulling a trailer, etc.. then spend a little more and work with John to get an affordable mid-drive. You won't be sorry.
Got a Mule through John, and I love it. It was obviously built with hunting in mind and in a hunting situation sometimes you are just bashing through all kinds of stuff. It has branch deflectors in front of derailleur and gears. I am sure the toughness of the rig has saved me from some serious problems. Most I've loaded on the rear rack is 100lbs. After that it makes it tough to steer ;P
It sounds like an eBike is a great idea to get you back to your hunting spot comfortably with your knee concerns. The one you're looking at seems like a solid choice with its 750W rear hub, suspension, fat tires, and extra features.
It sounds like an eBike is a great idea to get you back to your hunting spot comfortably with your knee concerns. The one you're looking at seems like a solid choice with its 750W rear hub, suspension, fat tires, and extra features.
For a more budget-friendly option, you might want to check out Bicycle News and Review for reviews and recommendations on eBikes in your price range. They can offer insights on pros and cons, helping you make an informed decision.
Redoak, I used to sell Ecells and am familiar with the bike and the company. The owner can be difficult to deal with but the bikes are well made. The AWD specifically is good. Here's what I'd say about it in general. The AWD bike(s) usually have 2 batteries. Not for extra range but because they need 2 batteries because 2 motors on a single battery would run out of juice very quickly.
The traction with AWD is very impressive and climbs well but navigating unstable terrain it can be tricky. The AWD benefits from having good traction on both tires. But if it's a little rocky, and let's say the front tire lifts up a little. It loses traction but the motor is still spinning the wheel. When the front tire gets traction again it pulls forward.
Each model has it's achille's heel.
A rear hub bike can't climb steep hils but is great on flats. A mid drive stops working if the chain snaps but climbs like a mountain goat. The AWD has the best traction but is the most technically challenging to ride and 2 motors and 2 batteries makes a heavy bike even heavier.
One parting additional detail that can help, Bakcou mid drive bikes like the Mule and Storm are unrestricted motors, so you can change it from Class 1, 2 or 3 depending on your local requirements.
Saw this at a convenience store in Flagstaff Az a couple of years ago. Clerk owned it made it. Said it got him around. Just got to keep those panels aimed at the sun to charge up. Pretty crafty I thought.
