Everyone Should Know This About E-Bikes...

You've probably seen loads of e-bike ads with bikes that range from $1000-$2000 - but there's a big secret behind them you need to know.

--- Follow Me on Instagram: @DailyMTBRider ___

Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:17 Cheap E-Bikes
0:49 E-Bike Spam Mail
1:07 The Big Secret
2:34 Where They Come From
3:34 Which E-Bike To Buy

#EBikes #DailyMTBRider

[oboutdoors]

Well, that's one way to stop getting all those distributor requests to review the cheap E-bikes.

[jamesnewsom]

I looked at E-bikes for years. My bike shop only carried $5-6k bikes and up! Absolutely would not even think about it! Not when I buy good used trucks for less than that for my work. I finally researched online and settled on a Magicycle. Very solid build, great customer service. A fantastic bike for my mixed riding of pavement, dirt roads, light trail riding, hills, etc. At the time, less than $1500. I love this bike and have a blast. I understand the need for the mid drive high end bikes for serious MTN bikers. But at 67 years old, that is not my game. Bottom line, I have a blast and get out riding much more than I used to. And I get 35-40 miles on a charge! I live in foothills of Teton Valley, and anywhere I go from my house ends up taking me 5-6 miles downhill. My Magicycle helps me to get back home without killing myself. So, bottom line, I disagree with most of your points. You are the guy at the bike shop who holds his nose up at you, when you can't consider his $5k and up bikes. Biking can be a real elitist game. The majority of riders want some fun, and good transportation without bankrupting themselves.

[BrandonNevermind]

I don't fully agree with the "they're all the same, buy the cheapest one" mindset for one reason: They're all cheap. Let me explain, because I don't want to sound like you need an expensive ebike to get outside, because on the contrary, I am of the mindset that *anything* that gets you active and outside is a great buy. Rather, I'd say do your research and find a couple brands that have good *customer service* and *then* pick whatever is cheapest or looks the best or w/e fits your personal criteria. The reason behind that is, if the bike is cheap and something breaks, you're going to either be left on your own, paying out of pocket to fix whatever broke, *or* the company is going to do their best to help to sort it out. So yes, they're essentially all the same, but I'd still pick a name with people backing it over a one-person drop-shipped no-name company.

[calvinwalker]

Totally disagree with this video…. Practically the only thing you got right was that e-bikes in that price range have cheap drivetrains and are made out of aluminum… You know the aluminum like most bikes that aren’t carbon fiber and don’t cost a fortune are made from.

At least learn some basics about E-bikes before making a video about them. Crank driven? $500? Really?

Please don’t take this guy’s advice. Do some research regardless of what bike you’re buying and don’t just buy the cheapest one because someone says “they’re all the same”…

[Waynice.]

Well my rear hub motor ebike works fantastic! No delay and very powerful. 750 watt Bafang motor. I love it.

[christran]

I have an Aventon and another weird-named brand for my wife. My Aventon is heads and shoulders above the no-name bike. Nothing wrong with the cheapy, but I'm constantly adjusting things, brake, pedal, wheel-truing. gear select, etc. The Aventon was nearly perfect and has been for two years with only basic maintenance: chain lubing and cleaning. It just feels way more solid.

[bonzobanana]

I think its important to note hub motors are mechanically much simpler than mid-drive and because they don't provide their power through the drivetrain they massively extend drivetrain life. Some of the cheap ebikes can be very reliable and they use open standard components so with a little electrical knowledge you can replace parts easily. It's not like a Bosch mid-drive motor where they fill their batteries with glue to prevent you re-using the BMS and make it so the Bosch motor only recognises Bosch batteries. They also restrict the supply of parts.

Some of these cheap ebikes use pretty much useless suspension systems which will not last and have basic drivetrains but not all. There are still cheap ebikes with good basic quality components and with rigid frames and forks which are fine for road and gravel and very light trails.

However for an e-mountain bike really it needs to be mid-drive because of the way power is scaled through the gears. However I personally wouldn't ever use a mid-drive for general ebike commuting. A great video below for serious advice about the different ebike systems. Many bike shops give out completely false information because they are trying to push high cost ebikes even for basic road commuting. Remember many youtube vloggers may not be using a ebike like you and may be sponsored by firms who are trying to push you to spend big money. It's important to get the right tool for the job. It would be madness to get a super expensive highly proprietary ebike that massively increases drivetrain wear and uses high end drivetrain components for general commuting and high mileage applications. Such motor systems could have nylon gears and even belts that wear fairly quickly and a PCB that could be vulnerable to water ingress and repairs could cost $1000s and many repairs become uneconomic and then the bike is just scrap because its designed for that motor system.

[MarkSmith-jspu]

All I know is 3900 trouble free miles on an Aventon Level 1 for $ 1, 899. Wouldn’t change a damn thing on it, including the cadence sensing. 2 Yr warranty and 2 free dealer provided tuneups. I commute 12 miles a day and once a week go on a 40 miler on the stock seat. I did need an adjustable stem, and a mustache handlebar for comfort. 69 yrs old 6 ft 170 lbs.

[Hoggdoc]

Ok like the message here but here are a few corrections IMHO. The overwhelming number of e Bikes are made in China not Taiwan. The better name brand bikes Specialized and Trek are from Taiwan.

They are not crank driven e Bikes, they are called Mid Drive systems.

The major issue with all these non name brand e Bikes is they are generally sold online only and after sale and warranty repairs becomes a real issue. If you are handy with tools try to buy the
most generic components including batteries, stay away from the slick builtin look as you will have issues replacing in the future. While on the subject of batteries insist on Samsung or LG cells anything not listed will be cheaper Chinese cells.

[PKWeaver]

I replaced my Raptobike Recumbent that I didn't ride with a Cannondale Synapse that I didn't ride with a Fiido D4s electric folding bike that cost less than each of my previous bikes, and I now look forward to commuting on it every day.
I've had it two weeks and my average on the bike is 5.1 minutes per mile during April vs 7.3 by car.
I can lean on the motor just enough particularly on the last couple of miles to enable me to wear my work clothes as there's no shower in work, so I leave at the same time as I used to when I drove.
On Sunday I checked out a longer, quieter route using cycle paths on my day off.
As far as I'm concerned, my cheap e-bike is achieving what I've been trying to for 10 years on regular bikes - using it for transport regularly.
If you're not motivationally challenged like me your mileage may vary, but I think it's the best thing I've ever purchased.

[edwardcating]

I couldn't disagree more. Look at components - some are 1 or 2 steps up from entry level. Look at gearing, some offer seven speeds, others 8, or 9. Look at grips - some are "ergo", but use cheap faux leather that grows very slippery as you sweat; others use real rubber and feature grip locks. Compare the UI - some are simple, others offer customization features. Look carefully at those Bafang hub motors (regardless of specified wattage) because some 750 watt motors are spec'd as 750 watt peak while others are spec'd 750 watt continuous (with peak outputs between 1130 and 1300 (depending on the controller output and the battery voltage.) There are a TON of differences between these bikes that you are dismissing out of hand but which actually changes the value proposition greatly. And, maybe most important, look at years in business and customer support. That last item may make ALL the difference.

[addertooth]

Like all technology, e-bikes are constantly and incrementally evolving. What would have been considered king of the hill 2 years ago, is eclipsed by much more affordable bikes.
Tomorrow my new bike arrives. It has two 1000W motors, a 48v 22.4 Amp-hour (AH) battery pack (Panasonic Batteries), Hydraulic brakes, front and rear suspension. It has a 35 MPH speed plus cruise control. The ability to switch off the front wheel to save on battery power. It also has a color LCD display, a mount for a phone with charger, twist throttle, etc....

You are correct there are multiple companies all producing the same bike (with cosmetic differences or changed-up features).

With taxes, shipping and a two-year extended warranty, it was 1710 out the door. I did pony up to buy another 48v 22.4 AH battery. I will either use it to swap out the existing battery or convert it to dual battery. I remember what the price was like on far less capable bikes just two years ago. The landscape has definitely changed over the past few years. I can't wait to see where it goes next.

[watertiteman]

Velowave Ranger has been excellent so far. I like the small screen, hydraulic brakes, large battery, thumb throttle. Best value of the 'cheap' bikes if you ask me.

[griffin]

I researched a bunch of ebikes during the height of Covid and finally settled on Ride1Up Lmt'd. I chose it because I didn't want to be stuck with a "commuter" looking bike or a fat tire 70+lb monstrosity. I didn't even consider a fold-able version.
The Lmt'd looks more like a hard tail mountain / trail bike, which is what I wanted. Good enough to go on some single tracks and comfortable enough to go 25+ mile ride using a mix of assistance and throttle.
It also has some pretty decent components and the company is based in SoCal. Very happy with my choice.

[JL-upnh]

I put over 17, 000km on my cheap ebike using it year round in Canada(harsh winter) with lots of jumps and offroad use. Only repairs that cost money were replacing the cassette, chain and chainring.

[jeffmckinnon]

I bought a dirt cheap E-Bike from Walmart. Hyper 29" with a 250 watt motor. Then I noticed they also have a step-through model with the exact same drive train, Same hub motor, same battery. The manufacturer is responsible to Walmart, not to me. If too many come back. Walmart will discontinue the line. They will take them off the shelves and send them all back. One has to think the drive train is going to be reasonably well built and should hold up fairly well under normal conditions. They make hundreds of thousands of these bikes, and make a profit. The after market parts suppliers are ripe for these many bikes because they are all the same. That is a benefit, not a failing.

If I buy a 2000 - 3000 dollar bike with the newest innovations, will it last 3 times as long? Will I be able to get parts for it considering they change so much over 2 or 4 or 5 years.
I am very new to the E-Bike world, but not to business policy of the box stores.
Professional Bike stores tend to look down their noses at box store bikes, which is never a good practice, especially if they believe that I might want to buy something better - next year.

[prostreet]

I also do not fully agree, but he is also correct in the same sentence. with this video, everyone should become educated, you should know your components, know your variations in battery sizes and requirements for your needs. Do not buy the cheapest because they are not all the same, although very very similar. It's a fine line but educating yourself you will learn that line.

[mountaincam]

I've had 3 E-bikes over the last few years. The first one was just under $1500 It was decent enough for gravel roads, pavement or light trails and fun rides. The next two cost between $2200 & $2400 and there is quite a difference in them and the fifteen hundred dollar bike. Overall build quality is better with nicely finished welded joints and solid feeling frames.
Here are some things that are lacking in the cheaper bike that most bikes over two thousand dollars include.

*hydraulic brakes - - much better stopping power for heavy e-bikes, with less effort.
*high quality name brand lithium cells --Panasonic or Samsung
*name brand high quality tires
*higher quality digital display with a wider range of information and brighter screen.
*a warranty that you can actually use, especially if bought at a bike shop.

 I'm retired and ride my bike at least 8 or 10 miles a day, weather permitting. If you're going to ride a lot you might save enough money on gas to pay for the bike.

[glennover]

Last year, I bought a very similar mountain ebike as the one in your video. From my experience, your assessment is spot on. About nine months in, I had to replace the gear shifter. Yes, it was a Shimano but it was their bottom-of-the-line shifter! The seatpost is so short that I, with only a 30" inseam can't raise it high enough for proper leg extension so I'm never 100% comfortable on it. I look at my purchase as an expensive learning experience. Hopefully, your video will reach potential first time buyers so they don't replicate my experience. BTW, the model I bought is the Bezior XF200 sold by GoGobest, made in China; surprise, surprise!

[theclanmeikle]

I have a volt bigfoot fat bike. It is now 7 years old and I have covered tens of thousands of miles with it and it's a rear hub motor. Still gives me 60 miles per charge and a huge smile on my face. It was £2300 when new and is awesome. I will run it till it dies.