I was going to get a Specialized Vado but they were out of stock in my size. I ended up getting the the turbo Como sl with the basket etc. I can ride it without pedal assist on flat terrain and use pedal assist for hills. I can lift it although it is a little heavier then the Vado. I can see me using it for commuting and going to stores if I lived in a city that was bike friendly. Right now I have to load it up and take it to a bike trail. Wish I had it when I lived in Portland.
For everyone wanting a turbo vado sl only to find only L and XL sizes - it's a very small bike! I'm 5.5 and an L is perfect for me. Don't let the size put you off.
Not as low maintenance as a belt drive and hub gears, but waxing your chain improves longevity and keeps it nice and clean on the outside (no chainring tattoos). The downside is no rust prevention. If the chain gets wet, it will need a soak in the wax pot when you get home.
After riding both, agree completely with comments on the Trek FX+2 vs Specialized Vado SL. The only downside of the Specialized is that the motor is quite whiney. I could tell which assist level I was in simply by the whine of the moor.
I personally feel that the Devinci eCartier slays them all. Its range(150 k)light weight(22 k), Canadian aluminium and sporty style wins everytime for me. I'd be curious what you thought
It's not a bike I'm familiar with, but I've just looked it up and it looks good. It doesn't fulfil our video brief of being under 20 kilos, so it couldn't make our list but it does look like a good commuter bike option. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and comment. Jason
Yes, there are alternatives that can be fitted the clamp to the rear chain-stay. They are not the cleanest looking option but they will do the job. It’s disappointing that Raleigh didn’t fit kickstand mounting points for a cleaner look. Thanks for taking the time to watch our videos and commenting.
One needs the Fork-style kickstand for heavy (i.e., electric) bikes and any bike hauling heavy items such as canned goods and beverages from the supermarket. Trek sells a good one.
Hi Rock, thanks for the comment. If foldability and light weight is needed I would suggest taking a look at either Gocycle (top end) and MiRider (budget end) as great options worth considering. Cheers Jason
Because they're all made in China, I got the blue Hyper Ebike step thru pedal assist from Walmart for $398. Had it since last year and no problems. Has a rear rack and fenders, only put a wider seat and Bell trail tires on it.
We haven’t ridden one ourselves but yeah, looks like a great bike. Fits into this category well! Lightweight and well specced. However, our favourite’s are noted in the video. Have you tried many?
I feel the major bike brand companies offer the worst value as other companies offer the same product at a much lower price point with affordable batteries that are typically bigger.
Hi Jason, thanks for watching our video. I would agree with you, often the big named brands are more expensive than lesser known brands. Part of that of that is cashing in on their brand name/image/loyalty, which you can argue they have earned from decades of producing good bikes. They also often offer longer warranties and a better dealer network for warranty / repair. However, there are undoubtedly some great lesser heard of brands out there producing equivalent, or sometimes better better, bikes for similar or less money. If the consumer is prepared to do a bit more research there are some great bikes to be found.
Got a cheap electric bike 1k what a load of crap. Uses the cheap unbranded components possible. Things brake and no ones sells parts. Got a 2.5k orbea 3 year old now and still going strong.
Not sure about the other two but frustrating the Trek and Specialized don't have removable batteries. What if you say, ride it to work but you need to charge up the battery for the ride home? I understand the add on batteries are like $400 which seems quite expensive.
I've used the first TENWAYS CGO600 for three years and I'm upgrading for a light bike with removable battery (most probably the CGO600 PRO). Non removable batteries make it much more difficult to charge at work/home...
Thanks for getting in touch. You’re right, a powerful motor will indeed account for the weight. However, when it comes to manoeuvring the ebike i.e up stairs, over fences, racing, or of course, for manoeuvrability on techy-trails and performing tricks and so on, then a lightweight eBike is preferred! Hope that helps. - Toby
@@ebikecentre Not to mention that the handling is impaired with the additional weight. Same with the hub motor vs, the mid motor. For me the weight distribution to the back is very noticeable with a hub motor. They just don't handle as well. I agree with your choice of "best bike".
Hi Vince, 40-50 miles of range is going to be very much at the top end of what is achievable under perfect conditions. We are going off figures supplied to us by the manufacturers, which I appreciate are often more optimistic than realistic. Range unfortunately is not an exact science as it there are so many variable factors involved, such as rider weight, load, terrain, surface, weather and the mode of assistance used. Thanks for your comment though. We appreciate your feedback. All the best Jason
@@ebikecentre Hi Jason. Thanks for the reply. My assertion was based on my experience with my e-bike kit. My pension not running to one of those very nice 3k machines, and wanting to keep my road bike configuration, I added a friction drive Revos kit which works extremely well. With an all up bike/kit weight of 13.5kg I appear to have a - less refined obviously - rough equivalent to the proper e-road bike. Now range - the Revos stated draw down figures of 4.5 to 5 km per Wh using their 200KWh battery, gives a suggested range of 40km in continuous use, and a deliberate test confirmed this - I actually achieved 36km on a 50/50 flat/hilly ride. On this basis a 250KWh battery would give say 48 - 50km, not miles. There is one difference, though, and that is that the Revos only has one power level, which one has to compensate for by judicious use of the gears. The question therefore is, would having variable power levels be enough to mke such a big difference? Your opinion would be welcome.
@@andrewlancefield3730 Was that continuous use for the whole 60 miles, or was there a lot of off time? My 36k was 'motor on' continuously apart from some freewheeling on the hills, and at my age my speed on the flat never goes past the cut off 25k.
Hi, thanks for the message. I agree with you belt drives are an excellent option. However, there are limitations to using a belt drive with a lightweight eBike. If the eBike is hub-driven (with the motor in the rear wheel) there is no option for gearing in conjunction with a belt drive (there is no space for hub gearing and a hub motor) so the bike will have to be single speed. This won't work for everyone, particularly those who live in hilly areas, so for them a chain drive with derailleur gearing will be necessary. If the bike has a mid-drive motor, you can have rear hub gearing in combination with a belt drive, however, this hub gearing adds significant weight to any bike. As with most things in life, there is always a trade off to be had somewhere, which one you chose will depend on your particular needs. We do appreciate your feedback, we hope you have enjoyed the videos.
Do you sell any mid motor, rear hub gear with belt drive e bikes? Would be really good if you can share some options and maybe even do a video on these types of ebikes…👍
Nevertheless it contained a comparison summary with a ring of truth, that I have not been able to find elsewhere. I found it very helpful that it was NOT clogged up with the detail on each bike that I can find on many other videos.
