The problem with ebiking or any form of biking in many areas is lack of biking infrastructure. In my hometown, there are few if any safe paths to traverse. Competing with cars that are hellbent on running you over is not a great option. I love biking, but it comes with many risks in terms of using it as a viable commuting option.
I've been thinking about an ebike but I believe my 155cc scooter is much safer riding the rural roads of Arkansas.From what I'm seeing most of these people aren't pedaling half the time anyway
One of the things I miss about living up in the north east is there are lots of small roads with lowish speed limits. Around here in the south, often you'll be stuck in a suburb connected directly to a 55mph road or at least 45mph. Making even owning a Moped a tough call.
I live just south of Birmingham close to a small college town. Biking in town is not too bad as many students have bikes. However, my subdivision is a few miles out from town and the county roads are really dangerous to bike on. I have actually transported my bike to town to ride around.
I have a couple old cars and a couple electric bikes. When the weather is nice I always ride my bike. Cars don’t have to be expensive but gas is. 72v is obviously not necessary and is actually fairly rare overall. Most ebikes are 36-48v. If you can afford 72v and dual motors, go for it. It’s still much less expensive than a car but you do have limited storage space for groceries and other items. It’s also hard to drive 100 miles at once on an ebike but some people don’t travel more than a few miles from their home. It depends on your situation I guess.
There are some things you can get for extra storage space for groceries such as a front rack and a rear rack. And there's bicycle cargo trailers as well if you don't mind spending $100+ extra bucks.
Yup, i have a 48v 500w bike that gets around 20-23mph depending on throttle only or pedal assist. Use it primarily for getting to and from work in florida( both jobs come out to about 5 miles one way), and also random late night rides while hitting the occasional dirt trail just for the fun of it. Havent tested the range fully yet but based on my 10 or so mile rides each day, i only seem to drop about a bar a day while charging twice a week at most. Genuinely impressed over the past month of owning and honestly rekindled my old passion for riding bikes in general. Maybe some day ill pick up another ebike ( or possibly convert my existing) to one that can hit around 30-35mph since i personally would rather keep my top speed on a two wheel vehicle around that. Even then, i can see most people being perfectly fine with a simple 15-20mph top speed ebike that can reliably get them around 20 miles on a single charge full throttle. But like you said, comes to the individuals needs at the end of the day. Of course if i need to grab a ton of things, groceries, or a very far trip then the car it is. But typically if the weathers fine, ill prefer to use the bike for usual mon-fri work week and have been enjoying the commute to and form work so much more lately because of it.
This is old info...your using... it 52 and up now.. better build etc range .... and cam be lifted with controllers and displays... for a overall better ride..... 23 Years experience riding an building... what you see I'm chain stores is nor the reality of the ev market...
@@roz4747 yep, need to run 2 bikes which is fine but now 2 people required for a shop trip instead of just going on your own, and one has to stand around being bored hoping they dint get mugged lol. Bike security has always been a problem, about time something was done about it if it ever going to replace the car.
One thing I really like about my ebike is access to walking areas, biking areas, and car areas. It goes everywhere and as long as you are courteous, no one minds. So for example: a big event in a city. I ride the ten miles in to the city, avoiding every traffic issue and every walking crowd issue. I get there faster and easier. Plus, my panier bags hold a ton, and hide the hub motor.
Forget range anxiety, THEFT anxiety around here is the thing. This town is not very bike-friendly so there's no easy place to find to lock your bike. That's thousands of dollars on a tiny little chain or a cable. 1 nut with an angle grinder and it's gone. A lot of money to commit just to have it stolen so easily. I have this problem where I live with the Ebike I have. I'm always on the lookout for things to lock it to or places to lock it
I use PEWAG chain, which is much harder than normal chain to cut through with an angle grinder. I add another lock on the brakes. I also have two Samsung Tags on the bike, and a loud annoying alarm with a remote. My hope is they find an easier target.
@@Sanwizard1 I have one of those alarms as well and invested in a carbide chain. I'll have to look into the type you have. Always looking for better hardware.
@@Sanwizard1 Yep, the reality is, for most people having atleast two forms of lock ( or even one in some situations) is all you need to stop the "opportunist" who may potentially see your bike. Theyll see yours, then immediately choose the easier target. Then you have the "actual" seasoned bike thieves that can and will cut through any lock if given enough time...but in my honest opinion, its rare enough to the point of me not being paranoid about it and i also wouldnt ever leave my bike for many hours unattended for example overnight. I use to have genuinely anxiety whenever locking up my ebike outside of walgreens or my local vape shop until i recently really thought about the area i live in, and just the overall level of common sense i have with locking bikes in general. As long as you have atleast 1 ulock for your frame/rear wheel and another form of lock preferably a chain lock or a higher quality durable cable lock going through the front wheel/seat/etc, your bike will be fine in most cases( unless you live in a high crime area/ heart of the city of course). I also went with a tail light alarm that works surprisingly well and is discreet enough to where you genuinely wouldnt know its an alarm until its too late. But lately ive found myself not feeling the need to use the alarm, just the ulock and the cable lock for my wheel and that feels perfectly fine. Now if i had this bike back where i used to live in NY many years ago.....nah, the bikes coming in with me everywhere i go lol.
I haven't put gas in my car going on 3 years now! However, I am a physically tough bad ass! Go outside, stay outside. After riding bicycles for my whole life, I start to see people in cars like those bugs that carry everything with them where ever they go. Also, Cars make you very physically unhealthy!
I bought studded tires for my mountain bike and rode year round in Canada at 60 years old. Not once was I cold and the tires were the single best product I’ve ever purchased. Outstanding grip, many times I wondered how I was still moving forward without sliding or spinning out. They’re worth the big money they charge for real!,, do it, riding all year was great and I feel very fit. Cheers
i've been riding (almost) every day on my 4000w ebike for 8 years and i'm finally looking into a dual sport dirtbike because i'm sick of buying new batteries (especially 86v), and after the last year or two they cost well over 2000 for me and only get 3-4 years at best. people love to talk about how little it costs to charge a battery, nobody wants to talk about charge cycles or battery degredation or the price of replacing one. they have their purpose but energy density is not where it needs to be to be a total replacement for two wheeled vehicles, although the disparity isn't as bad with 4 wheeled vehicles
$2000 every 3-4 years isn't much at all compared to how much you'd spend on fuel and maintenence of a car in the same timeframe. Just in gas alone, the average American spends about $1500 per year. Paying $2k for a new battery every 4 years is saving you about $4k.
About battery wear. I have a 1kWh 52V 20Ah battery that Luna Cycle used to build 5 yrs ago and I've put it on several e-bikes I've built. I ride very much in an eco style and always pedal. In the first year I routinely charged it 100% then let it sit for days before riding and one time I charged it from the cold not knowing that both were terrible for the pack. This promptly degraded the pack increasing internal resistance, making the voltage bounce down over 1V whenever drawing over 300W. After I switched to a select-able charger with 80% or 90% settings, my range for last 4 years has stayed about the same though I suspected the capacity was way down. Having just bought a battery capacity tester it measured 800Wh using a 150W constant load so that spec is way better than expected.
It's seems as though those numbers are quite accurate. As I have also calculated the same numbers. Any difference in them would be minuscule and hardly noticeable
The only main expensive for an ebike is the battery which you'll replace about every 3-5 years. My 52v 20ah battery is 2 years old and it's about time I get a new one as I'm starting to see that it drains faster.
Quality cells can go 500+ cycles without noticeable degradation. If you go 100km+ rides every day, you might have to replace it in 3-4 years. but otherwise 10+ years is expected lifetime for 30-40% discharge every day
@@Lord_darkside74 Nope, I got my ebike for around $600 in 2018. It originally had a 36v battery with a 250w motor. I later bought a 52v 20ah battery for about $340 and a 1000w motor for $150.
If one gets into the habit of storing an ebike at 20-80% charge and top off before trips, it can double the life of batteries. It does take a bit of planning, or use a smart / timed outlet.
A lower price point of $1000 or less is also possible. A few companies sell commuter ebikes, w rigid forks and efficient rolling tires, limited to 20mph (or 28 pedal assist for short bursts where one needs speed to keep up w traffic). Range is 20-40 miles. Less concern for theft at the lower price point too.
@@theone2be33 The TurboAnt Ranger R1 & Lectric XPremium are such bikes, they're class 3 ebikes, which allows pedal assist to go higher (28mph) than regular throttle only 20 mph. The motor just cuts off at 20mph for throttle, and 28mph for pedal assisting. The 500W motors can do more, but to qualify for class 3, has those built-in limits.
Ebikes are excellent for commuting, but cars still have a place as well. What would you have done if you actually purchased anything at the mall? What about grocery shopping? If you own a home, how do you carry materials etc…? Need to taxi your kids around?
I try to do a lot of things with the bike, but anytime I go to the grocery store, the hardware store or any big box store - 10 to 20 times a month... I require a car. Not sure how other people do without a car, yet.
@@NPLVentures I do plan to get some large/expandable panniers/saddle bags to help get more things without the car though. Still trying to find the perfect ones for this task
Never lock your bike at the bike rack in front of the store. Put it way out in the parking lot with the cars, where you have to drive or wait by it to see it because it is visually blocked by cars around be it ,or against the shopping cart corral where it will be 95 percent invisible and unexpected.
Do you normally just blow through every stop sign? Occasionally on a 4 way stop don't cars pull out in front of you because they assume you are following the rules?
I thought I was the only one that noticed he did that! Like...you guys sorta slowed down at stop signs and I think a light even without coming to a full stop. Luckily no one hit them. That and the busier roads full of cars make me nervous. Especially where there isn't even a bike lane. Probably most towns and cities don't have any bike lanes at all and people driving cars couldn't care less if they run cyclists over. Seeing these two riding around, talking and looking around their surroundings still seemed way more carefree than any car ride.
You are absolutely right! The efficiency of an e-bike is by many times better than an e-car or a petrol/gas car. Also: Some e-bikes are quite expensive, others are cheap, but compared to cars they are still cheap. To gaul around stuf one can have a cargobike, racks, bags and/or a trailer. What do you think? Is your UPP battery pack good? Chinese cells inside? Price? Thank you!
I drive a 20 yr old truck and an 11 yr old car with no car payments. Put less than 5K on each per year. Out in the country they are a necessity, and I keep them well maintained. Hoping they outlast me at 65 yrs young. I got into ebikes for the idea that I could put them on a bike rack when I need to take either vehicle into town to be serviced. I could then ride the bike home without having to rely on anyone to give me a ride home? So far it's worked like a champ with both of my automobiles being serviced this year and riding the ebike home, and riding it back later to pick the car or truck up.
I didn't see any evaluation of whether an e-bike can replace your car, nor was there any breakdown in cost of ownership. Just a passing mention of how much to charge it. A little disappointing. I feel like I was "click-baited".
The expensive ones are into motorcycle prices. A Benelli TNT135 mini motorcycle costs $3500-, gets over 100mpg, goes 60+mph, ultra reliable, and much safer on the road.
I need a bike that will push 60 mph+ at least and be street legal for my commute to work. If anyone could recommend something that would be appreciated. Not that an electric bike wouldn’t do well in the long run for me, if I’m paying 4.5k+ for an EBike that has to be modded to barely scratch that speed, I might as well get a street legal moto for the same price , 1-2 tanks would get me to and from work pretty easily.
If your commute is 5 or so miles I’d ride my ebike to work everyday but when you start having to commute 10 miles and more it takes to long and would have to leave for work 30 minutes early. Now that would be with an average ebike $2000 and under with a cruising speed of about 15 mph. Also, Ebikes are becoming high theft items.Can’t really leave them locked up anymore without being stolen. Sucks man.
I own and love the Onyx, but it still lacks what a car can do. The Onyx is great to ride for a single guy with no kids taking short trips on good weather days. As much as I love the Onyx I still need a car on certain days to haul kids and groceries around.
I have a 374Wh battery. I'd expect ~65 to 70 cents to charge once from empty. Just being generous to who's power I'm using, until I get a personal meter. Energy is ~ 12 cents per kwh here though.
E-bikes are totally worth it for me. My cars are paid off, and are also pretty good on gas, but I pay over $700 a month for insurance on cars that mostly just sit there. I do ride to work when the weather permits, and even my smallest battery does the job on a lightweight 2600 watt RadMini. However, I still need a car because I can't use a bike for lots of things. No infrastructure, bikes are not allowed in drive-throughs, and 99% of businesses have no secure bike parking.
I have an old truck 1995 chevy work truck and 3 bikes,right now I use my mtn bike for 80% of my transportation ! The other bikes are a fat bike and road bike,one of these I'm going to convert to an ebike !Going to Costco once a month with my truck takes care of most of my shopping !
No. I sold my Onyx RCR and bought a motorcycle. I’ve put 2500 miles on it in two weeks. No way you’re doing that on an ebike. If time is money, then gas is cheaper than waiting for the bike to charge. Yes, you can charge overnight, but what if you’re out and not done riding? You’ll miss gas. I did. Also, riding a motorcycle is objectively more fun. Undebatable. For the dollar-to-fun comparison, an ebike doesn’t come close. I couldn’t believe how unsafe an RCR felt after getting a motorcycle. Janky and straight-up dangerous at speed in crosswinds. I once was fully leaned against the wind, putting all of my weight down trying to lean the bike, and still got blown into oncoming traffic. Put it up for sale that afternoon. Never been happier with a decision, and grateful it was a gateway to the true joy of two wheels: motorcycles.
Wish Jamaica had ebikes/conversation kit's so I could purchase instead of trying to get it from overseas, but it's just what it is just gotta find me a trusts worthy courier service to do my online shopping for on ebike kit and battery
only a few companies make good ebikes almost all are hype over priced limited junk but some companies make cheap good quality ebikes that just destroy the over priced junk .riders are paying 3,500 for bikes that cant go up a small hill unreal but i guess if you have are on flat ground no inclines no hills nothing but flat ground you dont know but i have never seen a twilight zone location like this where inclines dont exist.ariel rider bikes are built like a tank and climb almost any hill and cost 2,400 hard to beat them i have had mine for a year with no issues over 1000 miles .metal gears not nylon enough power torque to climb hills and they dont hype the price way to high for low performance and charge a fortune .im sure there are a few companies like this but not many do your research unless you only care about looking cool .thanks for the video
Have to agree with you on your comment about not being on a bike…..didn’t see any pedaling. Basically on a scooter. Do disagree with your pricing on ebikes though.
@@louwittmer5624 I have to agree to disagree. The cost, added with the expense, is well worth the investment, in MHO. But its all demographical of course.
When I saw the map and y’all mentioned Short Hills I was like “I’ve gotta go riding with these guys one day” I live in Newark so it’s not incredibly far.
Do not get rid of your car..I strongly urge you not to do it. One day, you may really need it. For example, you decide to help out some random refugee family in lack of transportation. And they notice your unused car. YOu will so be happy to donate it to them. It will happen.
I'm hearing you on the prices... But, its always like that with newer tech. We just gotta be carefull with what ebikes we buy. There are may great bikes under 2k. 2k is alot cheaper than a DUI.
They are also easier to steal and the battery will wear out fast if commuting far and charging it twice a day, I thought this video was going to be about the rising price of bikes like Sur Ron and individual components like the BBSHD.
Driving a car is a luxury just like riding a bike it is not about saving money it is about getting to places in the rain snow and extreme heat without looking like a peasant.
Built my ebike from the ground up, it’s the same frame that was pictured at your buddy’s gym, and they do get expensive to build once you go high powered…mine is 134v!
That's it? Mine's 500v dual hub motor, dual controllers, dual 1000w batteries and dual throttles, with full independent suspension AND hydraulic disc brakes. Get you some of that
Baitclicky thumbnail. I wanted to see more comparisons of E-bike vs motorcycle. High end E-bikes are getting expensive and you can sometimes get a used motorcycle for around the same price. seems like with the motorcycle you get more bang for buck, but you lose so much freedom on where you can take it
@@ayoutubewatcher7009 Naw I built this one for street use only. I wanted something fast that I could hit the race track with if the opportunity ever comes..lol. My next will be a proper trail bike (mid drive motor). I just honestly don't have trails any where near me. So one project was to get a cheap electric dirt bike for about 1000$ and do a supercharge rebuild. Just don't know if the investment is worth it. Ultimately I saving for a zero fx.
i think there worth it personally going for a cs20 the 12000 w option for speed i dont live even a mile away from work but theres always bad weather and terrain for work is like off-road or just pure muddy other then that sometimes i have to fight the speed of other because the speed markets or the bad weather i mentioned plus being 21 and having other priorities like buying expensive stuff ,video games , or simply saving time on traffic and money for gas personnel i dont want to keep dealing to pay a license plate or insurance or other crappy drivers. That and almost impossible to buy a used or brand new car without mark ups over 10k price increase like even now a 2015 mustang a low spec would cost u mostly around 30 k. i currently using a walmart brand one got for under 700$ (payed 300) idk how that works though goes 20 max speed well to assist and i think 25 rang is great just sucks in water though gonna start to work on that for it
Range and speed is a two edged sword--the farther go, the faster you need to get there. Urban and some suburban commutes make sense. But it's 25 miles for me to the nearest town. Not gonna work. And no one factors in tires and tubes into their bike cost. Those puppies wear fast and are expensive!
@@christopherwilson2272 and? I get 80,000 miles on my Honda fit tires, and they cost about $450. But motorbike tires last a few hundred to a few thousand. And it's not uncommon to spend 180 on a motorcycle tire and only get 5000 miles.
Same here, this is exactly what makes my ebikes totally impractical apart from fun and certain jobs where there is somwhere safe to leave it out of sight .
E-Bikes are now obsolete since CF Moto and Benelli have release Grom copies for half the price of an E-Bike. Battery technology is just not ready, they are too expensive and do not last long.
Every battery has so many watt-hours which is how many watts it can sustain for 1 hr. Of course pulling more watts means less range. Speed, hills, and acceleration are #1 range killers. If you went 20 mph, did modest acceleration and helped pedal uphill you could probably double your range over riding it hard
Hey man! What do you think about the dual suspension “Youken” e-bike on alibaba? I’m planning on getting one and upgrading it by adding a mid drive, it already has a 750W hub motor with 13Ah battery, I think the frame alone has so much potential, and its only like $580, (i have a friend from china who can send it to me for literally $40 to kurdistan iraq, but 3 months shipping) there is also a few TH-cam vids about it :) keep going love these vidoes!
@@theone2be33 I’m surprised the big 4 Japanese brands of motorcycles haven’t taken advantage of what all these fly by night garage guys are doing.It’s hard to spend 5k on an internet emoped and hope they will be around in a couple years.Im talking onyx and huck cycles.Those are some cool looking emopeds style bikes but are they engineered well?where do you go to have them worked on if needed?
You can use bike lane and path with an E-bike even the one that are almost electric motorcycle, people seem less concerned cause they don't really know what it is. but when its gasoline powered there a lot more reaction at least where i am.
For me is not worth it. Even for e scooters the police wants us to plate license plates and ensurance... HOW THE HELL? In México there is no such thing... not even ensurance for the new electric moto models. It's a hastle because you also need license for an e scooter.
How does that $9000 dollar bike guy barely have any locks on their bike. I have a $1600 Rad Power bike and I have 3 u locks and am terrified of it being stolen.
This is the future ? Many have families. I go from Pittsburgh to Massachusetts. Oh sure I will get on a bicycle. Try comparing Apples to Apples. How about just walking?
I need this bike Lmao fuck my car I drive maximum distance of 15 miles the farthest and I don’t go to many places all the stores are like 1-2.5 miles away always needing a car to go there
You're right about electric being the future and gas is way too high let alone car payments.I just laugh when I see a car especially a sports car speeding down the highway. 👍👍😁⚡⚡⚡⚡💯⚡⚡
The problem with ebiking or any form of biking in many areas is lack of biking infrastructure. In my hometown, there are few if any safe paths to traverse. Competing with cars that are hellbent on running you over is not a great option. I love biking, but it comes with many risks in terms of using it as a viable commuting option.
You hit the nail on the head. No bike lanes or shoulders, and I've had drivers look me in the eye as they almost run over my front wheel.
Same where I live
Yes. We as Americans must make America great again!
True too many crazies out there ruins it
I've been thinking about an ebike but I believe my 155cc scooter is much safer riding the rural roads of Arkansas.From what I'm seeing most of these people aren't pedaling half the time anyway
One of the things I miss about living up in the north east is there are lots of small roads with lowish speed limits. Around here in the south, often you'll be stuck in a suburb connected directly to a 55mph road or at least 45mph. Making even owning a Moped a tough call.
I live just south of Birmingham close to a small college town. Biking in town is not too bad as many students have bikes. However, my subdivision is a few miles out from town and the county roads are really dangerous to bike on. I have actually transported my bike to town to ride around.
I have a couple old cars and a couple electric bikes. When the weather is nice I always ride my bike. Cars don’t have to be expensive but gas is. 72v is obviously not necessary and is actually fairly rare overall.
Most ebikes are 36-48v. If you can afford 72v and dual motors, go for it. It’s still much less expensive than a car but you do have limited storage space for groceries and other items. It’s also hard to drive 100 miles at once on an ebike but some people don’t travel more than a few miles from their home. It depends on your situation I guess.
There are some things you can get for extra storage space for groceries such as a front rack and a rear rack. And there's bicycle cargo trailers as well if you don't mind spending $100+ extra bucks.
I'm with you on this. My car is a 1997. Sure it costs $60 to fill, but the insurance and the rest is not so expensive.
Yup, i have a 48v 500w bike that gets around 20-23mph depending on throttle only or pedal assist. Use it primarily for getting to and from work in florida( both jobs come out to about 5 miles one way), and also random late night rides while hitting the occasional dirt trail just for the fun of it. Havent tested the range fully yet but based on my 10 or so mile rides each day, i only seem to drop about a bar a day while charging twice a week at most.
Genuinely impressed over the past month of owning and honestly rekindled my old passion for riding bikes in general. Maybe some day ill pick up another ebike ( or possibly convert my existing) to one that can hit around 30-35mph since i personally would rather keep my top speed on a two wheel vehicle around that. Even then, i can see most people being perfectly fine with a simple 15-20mph top speed ebike that can reliably get them around 20 miles on a single charge full throttle. But like you said, comes to the individuals needs at the end of the day. Of course if i need to grab a ton of things, groceries, or a very far trip then the car it is. But typically if the weathers fine, ill prefer to use the bike for usual mon-fri work week and have been enjoying the commute to and form work so much more lately because of it.
I started commuting 36 miles round trip on my AR grizzly. It takes me 20 min longer but is much more fun and i am saving money.
This is old info...your using... it 52 and up now.. better build etc range .... and cam be lifted with controllers and displays... for a overall better ride..... 23 Years experience riding an building... what you see I'm chain stores is nor the reality of the ev market...
have you looked at gas prices, you could buy a cheap e-bike for the price of 4 tank fulls of gas
Believe that
are u mad
Seen price of household fuel bills? Government has screwed us all
This is a fact because cheap Walmart ebikes are in the mid hundreds
They need to start paying road taxes if they become more prevalent
Bike theft is the biggest problem.
Yeah would be afraid can’t go into any store for fear of it.
The problem is you can't just lock up an ebike like a regular bike and then go into a store. You need one other person with you to watch the ebike.
Makes that .19 cost go up a bit…..
@@roz4747 yep, need to run 2 bikes which is fine but now 2 people required for a shop trip instead of just going on your own, and one has to stand around being bored hoping they dint get mugged lol.
Bike security has always been a problem, about time something was done about it if it ever going to replace the car.
Tell me about. I recently sadly had my broke stolen 😭
One thing I really like about my ebike is access to walking areas, biking areas, and car areas. It goes everywhere and as long as you are courteous, no one minds. So for example: a big event in a city. I ride the ten miles in to the city, avoiding every traffic issue and every walking crowd issue. I get there faster and easier. Plus, my panier bags hold a ton, and hide the hub motor.
Forget range anxiety, THEFT anxiety around here is the thing. This town is not very bike-friendly so there's no easy place to find to lock your bike. That's thousands of dollars on a tiny little chain or a cable. 1 nut with an angle grinder and it's gone. A lot of money to commit just to have it stolen so easily. I have this problem where I live with the Ebike I have. I'm always on the lookout for things to lock it to or places to lock it
This is a concern but it’s also important to know your area and crime rate.
If I bike was stolen here it would be a huge deal
I use PEWAG chain, which is much harder than normal chain to cut through with an angle grinder. I add another lock on the brakes. I also have two Samsung Tags on the bike, and a loud annoying alarm with a remote.
My hope is they find an easier target.
@@Sanwizard1 I have one of those alarms as well and invested in a carbide chain. I'll have to look into the type you have. Always looking for better hardware.
@@Sanwizard1 Yep, the reality is, for most people having atleast two forms of lock ( or even one in some situations) is all you need to stop the "opportunist" who may potentially see your bike. Theyll see yours, then immediately choose the easier target. Then you have the "actual" seasoned bike thieves that can and will cut through any lock if given enough time...but in my honest opinion, its rare enough to the point of me not being paranoid about it and i also wouldnt ever leave my bike for many hours unattended for example overnight. I use to have genuinely anxiety whenever locking up my ebike outside of walgreens or my local vape shop until i recently really thought about the area i live in, and just the overall level of common sense i have with locking bikes in general.
As long as you have atleast 1 ulock for your frame/rear wheel and another form of lock preferably a chain lock or a higher quality durable cable lock going through the front wheel/seat/etc, your bike will be fine in most cases( unless you live in a high crime area/ heart of the city of course). I also went with a tail light alarm that works surprisingly well and is discreet enough to where you genuinely wouldnt know its an alarm until its too late. But lately ive found myself not feeling the need to use the alarm, just the ulock and the cable lock for my wheel and that feels perfectly fine.
Now if i had this bike back where i used to live in NY many years ago.....nah, the bikes coming in with me everywhere i go lol.
@@docchocobo I know a few dudes in NYC that use Altor S.A.F angle grinder proof Ulock for their E-bikes.
I haven't put gas in my car going on 3 years now! However, I am a physically tough bad ass! Go outside, stay outside. After riding bicycles for my whole life, I start to see people in cars like those bugs that carry everything with them where ever they go. Also, Cars make you very physically unhealthy!
Right on man. Cars are overrated. Make America great again
Me 2 brother. Riding for over 50 years. 2 wheels are the best.
I think an e-bike can replace most commutes. What do you do if there is ice on the roads in the winter?
Studded tires are available and work well.
@@Hybrid600 I will look into it
I bought studded tires for my mountain bike and rode year round in Canada at 60 years old. Not once was I cold and the tires were the single best product I’ve ever purchased. Outstanding grip, many times I wondered how I was still moving forward without sliding or spinning out. They’re worth the big money they charge for real!,, do it, riding all year was great and I feel very fit. Cheers
@@shakyhandpictures2185 If anybody would know about biking in winter, it would be a Canadian. I appreciate your reply!
Luckily live in Texas so that's not too much of a problem for me
i've been riding (almost) every day on my 4000w ebike for 8 years and i'm finally looking into a dual sport dirtbike because i'm sick of buying new batteries (especially 86v), and after the last year or two they cost well over 2000 for me and only get 3-4 years at best. people love to talk about how little it costs to charge a battery, nobody wants to talk about charge cycles or battery degredation or the price of replacing one.
they have their purpose but energy density is not where it needs to be to be a total replacement for two wheeled vehicles, although the disparity isn't as bad with 4 wheeled vehicles
Lifepo4 might be better than lion but energy density is less.
$2000 every 3-4 years isn't much at all compared to how much you'd spend on fuel and maintenence of a car in the same timeframe. Just in gas alone, the average American spends about $1500 per year. Paying $2k for a new battery every 4 years is saving you about $4k.
your math should be making you keep the ebike not buying an ice engine haha
About battery wear.
I have a 1kWh 52V 20Ah battery that Luna Cycle used to build 5 yrs ago and I've put it on several e-bikes I've built. I ride very much in an eco style and always pedal.
In the first year I routinely charged it 100% then let it sit for days before riding and one time I charged it from the cold not knowing that both were terrible for the pack. This promptly degraded the pack increasing internal resistance, making the voltage bounce down over 1V whenever drawing over 300W.
After I switched to a select-able charger with 80% or 90% settings, my range for last 4 years has stayed about the same though I suspected the capacity was way down.
Having just bought a battery capacity tester it measured 800Wh using a 150W constant load so that spec is way better than expected.
I just store it around 20-80% charge, top off before every trip. That way it doesnt spend much time in the life-shortening range.
It's seems as though those numbers are quite accurate. As I have also calculated the same numbers. Any difference in them would be minuscule and hardly noticeable
The only main expensive for an ebike is the battery which you'll replace about every 3-5 years. My 52v 20ah battery is 2 years old and it's about time I get a new one as I'm starting to see that it drains faster.
If you have Samsung quality cells then it should last at least 3 years before you see a 20% drop
Quality cells can go 500+ cycles without noticeable degradation. If you go 100km+ rides every day, you might have to replace it in 3-4 years. but otherwise 10+ years is expected lifetime for 30-40% discharge every day
No that $3000.00 price tag
@@Lord_darkside74 Nope, I got my ebike for around $600 in 2018. It originally had a 36v battery with a 250w motor. I later bought a 52v 20ah battery for about $340 and a 1000w motor for $150.
If one gets into the habit of storing an ebike at 20-80% charge and top off before trips, it can double the life of batteries. It does take a bit of planning, or use a smart / timed outlet.
You have a lot of electrical loss when charging and using a charger. You need to calculate about 40% loss from the charging system.
40% extra of a really small number is still a really small number.
I like how you started a topic of discussion and provided screenshots for reference.. great video. Subscribed and liked!
Much appreciated!
A lower price point of $1000 or less is also possible. A few companies sell commuter ebikes, w rigid forks and efficient rolling tires, limited to 20mph (or 28 pedal assist for short bursts where one needs speed to keep up w traffic). Range is 20-40 miles. Less concern for theft at the lower price point too.
There's no such thing as pedal assisting to higher speed. The motor won't let you out pedal itself
@@theone2be33 The TurboAnt Ranger R1 & Lectric XPremium are such bikes, they're class 3 ebikes, which allows pedal assist to go higher (28mph) than regular throttle only 20 mph. The motor just cuts off at 20mph for throttle, and 28mph for pedal assisting. The 500W motors can do more, but to qualify for class 3, has those built-in limits.
Why I don't have a car.Too expensive.My e bike is my transportation too and from work
Short answer: No
Long answer: Sometimes, especially if you consider it a hobby.
Do you ride an ebike?
@@kevinnielsen1356 yes
Ebikes are excellent for commuting, but cars still have a place as well. What would you have done if you actually purchased anything at the mall? What about grocery shopping? If you own a home, how do you carry materials etc…? Need to taxi your kids around?
I try to do a lot of things with the bike, but anytime I go to the grocery store, the hardware store or any big box store - 10 to 20 times a month... I require a car. Not sure how other people do without a car, yet.
Good point. when going that often Uber gets expensive
@@NPLVentures I do plan to get some large/expandable panniers/saddle bags to help get more things without the car though. Still trying to find the perfect ones for this task
I turned a very old shopping cart into a bike trailer by using the wheels from a wheelchair and a rod end with a bearing for the hitch.
Cargo bike, trailer, panniers, big rucksack are options.
Biggest problem is security, most likely come out of shop to a picked lock andno bike ..
Never lock your bike at the bike rack in front of the store. Put it way out in the parking lot with the cars, where you have to drive or wait by it to see it because it is visually blocked by cars around be it ,or against the shopping cart corral where it will be 95 percent invisible and unexpected.
Do you normally just blow through every stop sign? Occasionally on a 4 way stop don't cars pull out in front of you because they assume you are following the rules?
I thought I was the only one that noticed he did that! Like...you guys sorta slowed down at stop signs and I think a light even without coming to a full stop. Luckily no one hit them. That and the busier roads full of cars make me nervous. Especially where there isn't even a bike lane. Probably most towns and cities don't have any bike lanes at all and people driving cars couldn't care less if they run cyclists over. Seeing these two riding around, talking and looking around their surroundings still seemed way more carefree than any car ride.
Most states have bicycle law - stop sign is like yield sign for Bicycles only!
You are absolutely right! The efficiency of an e-bike is by many times better than an e-car or a petrol/gas car. Also: Some e-bikes are quite expensive, others are cheap, but compared to cars they are still cheap. To gaul around stuf one can have a cargobike, racks, bags and/or a trailer.
What do you think? Is your UPP battery pack good? Chinese cells inside? Price?
Thank you!
I drive a 20 yr old truck and an 11 yr old car with no car payments. Put less than 5K on each per year. Out in the country they are a necessity, and I keep them well maintained. Hoping they outlast me at 65 yrs young. I got into ebikes for the idea that I could put them on a bike rack when I need to take either vehicle into town to be serviced. I could then ride the bike home without having to rely on anyone to give me a ride home? So far it's worked like a champ with both of my automobiles being serviced this year and riding the ebike home, and riding it back later to pick the car or truck up.
I didn't see any evaluation of whether an e-bike can replace your car, nor was there any breakdown in cost of ownership. Just a passing mention of how much to charge it. A little disappointing. I feel like I was "click-baited".
The expensive ones are into motorcycle prices. A Benelli TNT135 mini motorcycle costs $3500-, gets over 100mpg, goes 60+mph, ultra reliable, and much safer on the road.
Then you pay for gas, then you pay for insurance monthly. Then you pay to register it. Then you have to take the M class and wait in line for hours.
@@johnkisaragi5920 lifes a bitch
I need a bike that will push 60 mph+ at least and be street legal for my commute to work. If anyone could recommend something that would be appreciated. Not that an electric bike wouldn’t do well in the long run for me, if I’m paying 4.5k+ for an EBike that has to be modded to barely scratch that speed, I might as well get a street legal moto for the same price , 1-2 tanks would get me to and from work pretty easily.
Congrats on 2k wishing you the best success
Appreciate it ✊🏻
lol don't feel embarrassed about the wheelie. Just look around and say. You DAM RIGHT.
If your commute is 5 or so miles I’d ride my ebike to work everyday but when you start having to commute 10 miles and more it takes to long and would have to leave for work 30 minutes early. Now that would be with an average ebike $2000 and under with a cruising speed of about 15 mph. Also, Ebikes are becoming high theft items.Can’t really leave them locked up anymore without being stolen. Sucks man.
I own and love the Onyx, but it still lacks what a car can do. The Onyx is great to ride for a single guy with no kids taking short trips on good weather days. As much as I love the Onyx I still need a car on certain days to haul kids and groceries around.
I bought a rear rack and a trailer for my ebike and turned it into a cargo commuter. Its perfect for small errands.
Really vibed with the dude in the car jamming the beats
Congrats on the 2,000 subs. I get 70 miles on my delfast 3.0 if I'm doing 38 mph.
I have a 374Wh battery. I'd expect ~65 to 70 cents to charge once from empty. Just being generous to who's power I'm using, until I get a personal meter. Energy is ~ 12 cents per kwh here though.
E-bikes are totally worth it for me. My cars are paid off, and are also pretty good on gas, but I pay over $700 a month for insurance on cars that mostly just sit there. I do ride to work when the weather permits, and even my smallest battery does the job on a lightweight 2600 watt RadMini. However, I still need a car because I can't use a bike for lots of things. No infrastructure, bikes are not allowed in drive-throughs, and 99% of businesses have no secure bike parking.
bike infrastructure does need improvement
I would never park my bike in a place like that, especially for no reason...
Yeah, I'm going to rent a car anytime it's raining or snowing out or if it's too cold out. Makes total sense.
Your buddy is eventually going to have to buy plates and insurance. It's a motorbike
I have an old truck 1995 chevy work truck and 3 bikes,right now I use my mtn bike for 80% of my transportation ! The other bikes are a fat bike and road bike,one of these I'm going to convert to an ebike !Going to Costco once a month with my truck takes care of most of my shopping !
Love your comment about using a Rental Car for those long trips, perfect combo!
No. I sold my Onyx RCR and bought a motorcycle. I’ve put 2500 miles on it in two weeks. No way you’re doing that on an ebike. If time is money, then gas is cheaper than waiting for the bike to charge. Yes, you can charge overnight, but what if you’re out and not done riding? You’ll miss gas. I did. Also, riding a motorcycle is objectively more fun. Undebatable. For the dollar-to-fun comparison, an ebike doesn’t come close. I couldn’t believe how unsafe an RCR felt after getting a motorcycle. Janky and straight-up dangerous at speed in crosswinds. I once was fully leaned against the wind, putting all of my weight down trying to lean the bike, and still got blown into oncoming traffic. Put it up for sale that afternoon. Never been happier with a decision, and grateful it was a gateway to the true joy of two wheels: motorcycles.
Wish Jamaica had ebikes/conversation kit's so I could purchase instead of trying to get it from overseas, but it's just what it is just gotta find me a trusts worthy courier service to do my online shopping for on ebike kit and battery
only a few companies make good ebikes almost all are hype over priced limited junk but some companies make cheap good quality ebikes that just destroy the over priced junk .riders are paying 3,500 for bikes that cant go up a small hill unreal but i guess if you have are on flat ground no inclines no hills nothing but flat ground you dont know but i have never seen a twilight zone location like this where inclines dont exist.ariel rider bikes are built like a tank and climb almost any hill and cost 2,400 hard to beat them i have had mine for a year with no issues over 1000 miles .metal gears not nylon enough power torque to climb hills and they dont hype the price way to high for low performance and charge a fortune .im sure there are a few companies like this but not many do your research unless you only care about looking cool .thanks for the video
You guys aren't on ebikes, you're on practical motorcycles. Regular ebikes cost $1000-$2500
Have to agree with you on your comment about not being on a bike…..didn’t see any pedaling. Basically on a scooter. Do disagree with your pricing on ebikes though.
@@louwittmer5624 I have to agree to disagree. The cost, added with the expense, is well worth the investment, in MHO. But its all demographical of course.
I peep the GTA 5 music 7:50 😂 my
Onyx should be coming in 2 weeks or so I didn’t get a tracking# yet hopefully I receive it tomorrow
Yeah, my gasser truck costs me $95 a week to fill up. I'm planning on buying an Atlis XT whenever they finally hit production.
Isn't it rediculous? It's time to make America great again
@@theone2be33 I agree. I’d take mean tweets over this shit any day.
When I saw the map and y’all mentioned Short Hills I was like “I’ve gotta go riding with these guys one day” I live in Newark so it’s not incredibly far.
Do not get rid of your car..I strongly urge you not to do it. One day, you may really need it. For example, you decide to help out some random refugee family in lack of transportation. And they notice your unused car. YOu will so be happy to donate it to them. It will happen.
No lane splitting for you guys? Here in France, we go straight to the front of the queue, which makes e-bikes even better.
I'm hearing you on the prices... But, its always like that with newer tech. We just gotta be carefull with what ebikes we buy. There are may great bikes under 2k. 2k is alot cheaper than a DUI.
They are also easier to steal and the battery will wear out fast if commuting far and charging it twice a day, I thought this video was going to be about the rising price of bikes like Sur Ron and individual components like the BBSHD.
Building a proper bicycle road infrastructure will make it worth it - like proper protected bike lanes with less broken glass and nails.
How do you lock up your e bike with that strap on battery so no steals just the battery?
They just need longer lasting batteries. I don't want to be carrying 3 and 4 batteries around if I'm on the thing all day
Driving a car is a luxury just like riding a bike it is not about saving money it is about getting to places in the rain snow and extreme heat without looking like a peasant.
Yes, totally worth it for me 🤣
Still having a blast 18 months after getting one.
Built my ebike from the ground up, it’s the same frame that was pictured at your buddy’s gym, and they do get expensive to build once you go high powered…mine is 134v!
That's it? Mine's 500v dual hub motor, dual controllers, dual 1000w batteries and dual throttles, with full independent suspension AND hydraulic disc brakes. Get you some of that
@@theone2be33 🤔 batteries are measured in volts and motors are measured in watts.
@@clemonsjoey ahhh shit. I built it backwards. Dammit
@@theone2be33 😂
Baitclicky thumbnail. I wanted to see more comparisons of E-bike vs motorcycle. High end E-bikes are getting expensive and you can sometimes get a used motorcycle for around the same price. seems like with the motorcycle you get more bang for buck, but you lose so much freedom on where you can take it
Amazing video I am definitely converting my bike into an ebike
Eh, just BUY an Ebike. Less hassle and is cheaper in the long run.
Cool little wheelie @ 10:04
How does your custom ebike stack up to your buddy’s? Speed wise?
Great video made some good points. I spent 7k on my build myself..lol..Would love to ride with you guys I am in MD. 👍🏼
I am as well. Are you a trail rider?
@@ayoutubewatcher7009 Naw I built this one for street use only. I wanted something fast that I could hit the race track with if the opportunity ever comes..lol. My next will be a proper trail bike (mid drive motor). I just honestly don't have trails any where near me. So one project was to get a cheap electric dirt bike for about 1000$ and do a supercharge rebuild. Just don't know if the investment is worth it. Ultimately I saving for a zero fx.
I spent 10k on my Ebike. Of course I can't settle for anything but the best. I have to be top dog all the time
@@theone2be33 You not playing around..lol..7k is my absolute max on a bike.. Anything after that and its a Zero FXE..lol
But when one get's caught in the unexpected rain and there's 20 miles left to go??
i think there worth it personally going for a cs20 the 12000 w option for speed i dont live even a mile away from work but theres always bad weather and terrain for work is like off-road or just pure muddy other then that sometimes i have to fight the speed of other because the speed markets or the bad weather i mentioned plus being 21 and having other priorities like buying expensive stuff ,video games , or simply saving time on traffic and money for gas personnel i dont want to keep dealing to pay a license plate or insurance or other crappy drivers. That and almost impossible to buy a used or brand new car without mark ups over 10k price increase like even now a 2015 mustang a low spec would cost u mostly around 30 k. i currently using a walmart brand one got for under 700$ (payed 300) idk how that works though goes 20 max speed well to assist and i think 25 rang is great just sucks in water though gonna start to work on that for it
3:33 I wish we had that price in Germany. I’m paying 0.40€ or 0.43$ for a kWh.
Range and speed is a two edged sword--the farther go, the faster you need to get there. Urban and some suburban commutes make sense. But it's 25 miles for me to the nearest town. Not gonna work. And no one factors in tires and tubes into their bike cost. Those puppies wear fast and are expensive!
Tires on my 4runner cost me $1,100
@@christopherwilson2272 and? I get 80,000 miles on my Honda fit tires, and they cost about $450. But motorbike tires last a few hundred to a few thousand. And it's not uncommon to spend 180 on a motorcycle tire and only get 5000 miles.
It's well established that bike tyres wear so fast you don't save money vs a fuel efficient car. Might have more fun though.
Once you get that Onyx in cart the way you want it, it’s more like 6k
Everyone I’ve seen selling used think they can ask retail and over
I prefer to build bikes, however it's ok to have at least one factory made bike, but not cost effective, I charge my bikes, and car at work, free!!!!
here where I live that would get stolen within minutes even with 60 locks on it
Same here, this is exactly what makes my ebikes totally impractical apart from fun and certain jobs where there is somwhere safe to leave it out of sight
.
What bike is his buddy riding?
I built a 72v 70ah 12kw 85mph mid drive ebike for the price of an onyx. prebuilts are a scam. lmao
Got any videos on it?
I built a 500v, 300ah, 500mph dual drive system for less than it cost for 20 cases a beer and a keg
@@theone2be33 I have a leather glove and I slap it around your head.
What kinda of e bike is the that cost 2,100 . I need that
What bike are you riding here
NPL Ventures. You never mention the name of your bike. What is the name of your bike in the vids?
E-Bikes are now obsolete since CF Moto and Benelli have release Grom copies for half the price of an E-Bike. Battery technology is just not ready, they are too expensive and do not last long.
E-bikes are the new liquor sickles like the little scooters when you lost your license for a DUI so there's always going to be a market
do you think the amount of watts your pulling effects your range on a 72v 20amp?
Every battery has so many watt-hours which is how many watts it can sustain for 1 hr. Of course pulling more watts means less range. Speed, hills, and acceleration are #1 range killers. If you went 20 mph, did modest acceleration and helped pedal uphill you could probably double your range over riding it hard
@@Geoff9001 And head winds kill range too and towing loaded trailer
@@manFromPeterborough or wearing a backpack
Let's see... When was the last time a gallon of gas was 19cents??? hmmmm??? Love my e-bike. My car.......not so much. Good vid.
That would've been back in 1962 and a pack of Marlboro cigarettes were a dime a dozen. Ahhh the memories that will always remain
Hey man! What do you think about the dual suspension “Youken” e-bike on alibaba? I’m planning on getting one and upgrading it by adding a mid drive, it already has a 750W hub motor with 13Ah battery, I think the frame alone has so much potential, and its only like $580, (i have a friend from china who can send it to me for literally $40 to kurdistan iraq, but 3 months shipping) there is also a few TH-cam vids about it :) keep going love these vidoes!
Don't jump it!
When your spending 4-5000 k on an ebike that can go 50 mph you can just get a 150cc scooter for $2000 that can reach 60 mph and get 100+ mpg.
But the point is not using gasoline(petrol) at all
@@theone2be33 I’m surprised the big 4 Japanese brands of motorcycles haven’t taken advantage of what all these fly by night garage guys are doing.It’s hard to spend 5k on an internet emoped and hope they will be around in a couple years.Im talking onyx and huck cycles.Those are some cool looking emopeds style bikes but are they engineered well?where do you go to have them worked on if needed?
You can use bike lane and path with an E-bike even the one that are almost electric motorcycle, people seem less concerned cause they don't really know what it is. but when its gasoline powered there a lot more reaction at least where i am.
I drive a minimum of 132 miles a day during the week on roads that are mostly 65mph. Otherwise i would
Not worth it when you make 600 bucks a day.
For me is not worth it.
Even for e scooters the police wants us to plate license plates and ensurance... HOW THE HELL? In México there is no such thing... not even ensurance for the new electric moto models.
It's a hastle because you also need license for an e scooter.
what helmet do you wear when riding your ebike?
A budget full face
Do you ever peddle?
Why not compare Motorcycles??
Sound level balance check? Your voice is blasting while your friend's is barely audible.
You’re so good with money and savings…you should be a dividend investor 👀 😉
How does that $9000 dollar bike guy barely have any locks on their bike. I have a $1600 Rad Power bike and I have 3 u locks and am terrified of it being stolen.
DIY is the only way to make eBikes "worth it" IMO.
Eh, nay, to each his own
This is the future ? Many have families. I go from Pittsburgh to Massachusetts.
Oh sure I will get on a bicycle.
Try comparing Apples to Apples. How about just walking?
If you use solar its even cheaper. 🌞
Not these but a surron yeah
Yes 👍⚡
Instead of gas I'm paying off my bike lol
Has the cops stopped the onxy?
Nope
I need this bike Lmao fuck my car I drive maximum distance of 15 miles the farthest and I don’t go to many places all the stores are like 1-2.5 miles away always needing a car to go there
guy in blue t-shirt lazy, hasn't pedaled once
i can charge my 66 volt 20ah in 2 hrs flat from 0.
not good for the battery but good if you need a quick charge
@@TheAgentAssassin its 3, 6 cell lipo batteries in series. i charge all three separately. perfectly fine to charge them that fast
Not At All.. EUC up..
No
NJ 🤟🤟
You're right about electric being the future and gas is way too high let alone car payments.I just laugh when I see a car especially a sports car speeding down the highway. 👍👍😁⚡⚡⚡⚡💯⚡⚡