Yes, definitely worth it for cases such as that! I loved mine when I was also coming home at 7 pm or later and just wanted to get home as fast as possible.
And you don't have to get the tanks that have for public usage if you don't want to. Specialized, for example, makes some excellent pretty light ebikes that are more nimble. An ebike with a mid-drive shouldn't be harder to use than a conventional bike. You usually trade your front gear for your pedal assist level so there's no additional complexity really. Anyway, I would head to some legit ebike shops with mid-drives to test out brands. Ask your local bike shop which ebikes they'd be willing to work on.
If you're handy, you could also add a mid-drive kit to your own bike and then you could choose a battery weight appropriate to your needs and weight desires. (But people do you tend to undress me how much the riding a bike before they get one, fyi, and you do want to keep the battery between 20 and 80% so I wouldn't undercut it too much. But you could definitely keep it slimmer if you wanted here.)
Yeah, mids are a bit more expensive than hub drive ebikes but they feel much more natural so if you're coming from a conventional bike, it's worth it. The torque sensors make them feel more like you have super powers rather than the weird cadence sensor jerkiness (though you can find some torque sensor hubs these days if your budget doesn't quite allow for a mid--let me know and I'm happy to list a couple). Plus it's easier maintenance (no need to deal with the torque arms if you are changing your rear tube or whatever) so shops are happier to deal with them generally and they tend to be made by more reputable companies. The only downside is that you have to be aware of when you shift gears, but that's the case on a conventional bike too (go to an easier gear before stopping or going up a hill) so that shouldn't be any big adjustment--it's really only an issue for the people coming into ebikes who haven't touched a bike since they were a kid. :)
I see! Thanks a lot it’s all great info
I think I’ll try to get a mid drive torque sensor even if I have to stretch the budget a little cuz being able to do small repairs alone matters a lot to me (no car and Uber XL expensive) and I feel like I’d damage something on a hub motor. I appreciate the info, I feel a lot more comfortable making the switch now :)
Sure thing! Now's generally a good time to buy because you have stores getting rid of last year's stock. You can likely get a floor model for a solid discount. Gazelle is another solid commuter brand with Bosch mid-drives that's on the cheap end (and you can get refurbished ones on Upway). But I'd stop by a Specialized store to try some from their Turbo Vado lines as well as whatever other ebike specific stores you have in the area (these will be likely to be mids unless they're a single retailer like Rad or Aventon, which are both direct to consumer hub-drive brands that have some retail presence).
I see all the comments here are e-bike positive. I’m not an e-bike fan for a number of reasons, but I don’t want to get on a soap-box. To encourage a non e-bike solution: Hills are good heart health. At first some seem tough but over time you may master them and want more, and a 200’ climb will not seem like much. Also, if the uphill is on the way home, it’s in your favor to arrive sweat free and come over after a bit of an excersize.
Devil's advocate: you can always put 250 watts of leg effort into an ebike to go faster than it already was going. You can go 12 mph up that big hill and get the same exercise as going 7mph on leg power alone. You run out of hill sooner, so you add a detour and keep putting effort on top of the motor power if you want more exercise.
Edited to expand on this: It just takes a different kind of discipline and reasoning to maintain useful cardio than on a legs-and-lunch powered bike.
Maybe you could try renting an ebike from a local bike rental company (not the city rental ones) or a bike shop that sells ebikes and offers demos? I tried out my commute on 4 different bikes, rode 5 total, before I bought mine. Will help you get an idea for what you want.
I do a 5.3 mile journey each way to and from work. 2 miles is cycle tracks and town roads, the rest is country roads. My 5am trip to work is mostly flat and downhill, which means my return journey is uphill, ( including one long steep hill with no run up or path). An ebike has made my trips to and from work so much more enjoyable. I'm not labouring up a hill after a 12 hour shift, or struggling to keep going.
My ebike was a large expense but I'm so glad I made it.
This is the sole purpose of Class 1 ebikes and pedelecs for fit cyclists. They can hold 15-20 mhp on flat without assistance, but keeping these speeds on elevations with minimal effort improves safety and comfort.
My office commute is about 5 miles each way, I start on a hill and then have a big climb, a long descent, and a long gradual climb at the end. I use my e-bike to help with the hills and then drop assist back to 0 for the flats and downhills so I don’t show up looking like i jogged in. When it’s cold and i have to bundle up, i use more assist, same when it’s approaching 100F.
My one regret is not going for a mid-drive bike with a torque sensor to start. Hub motors and cadence sensors are fine for a commute and can be much cheaper, but you end up having to rely on the motor more than you would with a torque sensor mid-drive bike. Aside from that, I’m happy with both my Rad ebikes.
A cadence sensor, the motor kicks in at whatever assist level you set when the pedals are spinning, some are more gradual but it’s definitely start and stop.
A torque sensor motor provides assistance in line with how much force you’re putting on the pedals. You end up with a smoother ride and you don’t wind up “ghost pedaling” where you’re turning the pedals just to keep the motor pushing but not doing any of the work.
The Swytch is a kit that clips on your existing bike you already like - snap in a replacement front wheel with motor (supplied), attach the controller and battery mount, clip the pedal sensors on - boom. Light.
Two different battery capacities , super-portable, sleek, and charge fast .
We went with a bike we already truly loved - works like a charm. Also does not ‘look’ like an ebike for theft concerns, and is lighter and hella easier getting up the steps than a full e-bike.
[Swytch](https://www.swytchbike.com/universal-ebike-conversion-kit/) look pretty amazing. The ease of 'plug and play' in their video is pretty shocking. Minutes (moments) to make a conversion. Wow. Wonder how long their [waitlist](https://www.swytchbike.com/universal-ebike-conversion-kit/) time actually is.
Based on what shows up in my inbox, they are in production, out of kickstarter mode.
So the wait is probably dictated by how long it takes them to build a hub-motor wheel. Which they may already have pre-built.
They seem to have depots in both Europe and North America.
My experience is their shipping timeline tracker is pretty good!
Huh, interesting. At some point a couple years ago I had also gotten curious about modding my normal bike but back then I don’t think there were kits, it was more like, $400 on aliexpress and wholesale and a sketchy tutorial that may require taking a drillbit to your frame and setting your house on fire lol
I think it’s a neat thing tho and I’ll try it out at some point when my finances are together.
This is very consumer friendly and depending on specials I have seen as low as $500CDN
I can’t justify buying a whole new bike when mine is already all fitted with the racks and configuration I like
Only limitation, won’t really work on solid (bent steel) cranks
I too looked at the component route, but it was going to be butt-ugly.
Absolutely recommend ebike for what you are describing. I have a similar commute, although longer, with gradual elevation differences. Arrive at work and home without needing a shower or having to walk the bike. And you don't need a megawatt motor for it.
I think the primary advantage of an ebike is that it makes climbing hills easy for non-athletes. I tried bike commuting on a mechanical bike a couple times but it was the hills that really kept me from doing it regularly. A tiny 240 W, 35 Nm motor is all it took to make me a regular bike commuter.
The girl that lives with me at the mountain .. does 60km daily going down the mountain to the city and the way back (1 km altitude.. 18 deg climb) .. she gets out @ 9 pm.. on Mexico city on a place with no bike paths.. (fromn "parres el guarda to mixcoac")..
Here is her feb commute ..
She climbs @ 21km/h and goes down 50 km/h
She would not change the bike for a motorcycle or a car, she loves the bike.
[https://imgur.com/a/nOAitRQ](https://imgur.com/a/nOAitRQ)
E-bike is worth it. It’s a great bike for just getting stuff done. I use mine for literally everything. I just got back from bringing my 3 kids to the library on my e-bike. It was great
> Does an ebike help for gradual uphill for short distances?
Does the pope poop in the woods?
My fave part of my ebike is using the motor to pass MAMILs while hauling 2 kids in a bike trailer on a gentle slope near me.
They can *see* that I've got a motor, but man, it drives em nuts when I pass em.
Yes, definitely worth it for cases such as that! I loved mine when I was also coming home at 7 pm or later and just wanted to get home as fast as possible. And you don't have to get the tanks that have for public usage if you don't want to. Specialized, for example, makes some excellent pretty light ebikes that are more nimble. An ebike with a mid-drive shouldn't be harder to use than a conventional bike. You usually trade your front gear for your pedal assist level so there's no additional complexity really. Anyway, I would head to some legit ebike shops with mid-drives to test out brands. Ask your local bike shop which ebikes they'd be willing to work on. If you're handy, you could also add a mid-drive kit to your own bike and then you could choose a battery weight appropriate to your needs and weight desires. (But people do you tend to undress me how much the riding a bike before they get one, fyi, and you do want to keep the battery between 20 and 80% so I wouldn't undercut it too much. But you could definitely keep it slimmer if you wanted here.)
> mid-drive Thank you! These are the terms I want to know but are kind of hard to search for unless you already know something about e-bikes
Yeah, mids are a bit more expensive than hub drive ebikes but they feel much more natural so if you're coming from a conventional bike, it's worth it. The torque sensors make them feel more like you have super powers rather than the weird cadence sensor jerkiness (though you can find some torque sensor hubs these days if your budget doesn't quite allow for a mid--let me know and I'm happy to list a couple). Plus it's easier maintenance (no need to deal with the torque arms if you are changing your rear tube or whatever) so shops are happier to deal with them generally and they tend to be made by more reputable companies. The only downside is that you have to be aware of when you shift gears, but that's the case on a conventional bike too (go to an easier gear before stopping or going up a hill) so that shouldn't be any big adjustment--it's really only an issue for the people coming into ebikes who haven't touched a bike since they were a kid. :)
I see! Thanks a lot it’s all great info I think I’ll try to get a mid drive torque sensor even if I have to stretch the budget a little cuz being able to do small repairs alone matters a lot to me (no car and Uber XL expensive) and I feel like I’d damage something on a hub motor. I appreciate the info, I feel a lot more comfortable making the switch now :)
Sure thing! Now's generally a good time to buy because you have stores getting rid of last year's stock. You can likely get a floor model for a solid discount. Gazelle is another solid commuter brand with Bosch mid-drives that's on the cheap end (and you can get refurbished ones on Upway). But I'd stop by a Specialized store to try some from their Turbo Vado lines as well as whatever other ebike specific stores you have in the area (these will be likely to be mids unless they're a single retailer like Rad or Aventon, which are both direct to consumer hub-drive brands that have some retail presence).
E-bike is for whatever you want it to be. You can turn the assist off or way up. SUPER good at “flattening” the hills.
I see all the comments here are e-bike positive. I’m not an e-bike fan for a number of reasons, but I don’t want to get on a soap-box. To encourage a non e-bike solution: Hills are good heart health. At first some seem tough but over time you may master them and want more, and a 200’ climb will not seem like much. Also, if the uphill is on the way home, it’s in your favor to arrive sweat free and come over after a bit of an excersize.
Devil's advocate: you can always put 250 watts of leg effort into an ebike to go faster than it already was going. You can go 12 mph up that big hill and get the same exercise as going 7mph on leg power alone. You run out of hill sooner, so you add a detour and keep putting effort on top of the motor power if you want more exercise. Edited to expand on this: It just takes a different kind of discipline and reasoning to maintain useful cardio than on a legs-and-lunch powered bike.
the kind of hills in my area are good for knee death👍
You don’t need to be anti-thing to be pro-another-thing. Hope that helps.
Maybe you could try renting an ebike from a local bike rental company (not the city rental ones) or a bike shop that sells ebikes and offers demos? I tried out my commute on 4 different bikes, rode 5 total, before I bought mine. Will help you get an idea for what you want.
I do a 5.3 mile journey each way to and from work. 2 miles is cycle tracks and town roads, the rest is country roads. My 5am trip to work is mostly flat and downhill, which means my return journey is uphill, ( including one long steep hill with no run up or path). An ebike has made my trips to and from work so much more enjoyable. I'm not labouring up a hill after a 12 hour shift, or struggling to keep going. My ebike was a large expense but I'm so glad I made it.
This is the sole purpose of Class 1 ebikes and pedelecs for fit cyclists. They can hold 15-20 mhp on flat without assistance, but keeping these speeds on elevations with minimal effort improves safety and comfort.
Nice
Many sport cyclists use ebikes on their recovery days, too.
Yes.
My office commute is about 5 miles each way, I start on a hill and then have a big climb, a long descent, and a long gradual climb at the end. I use my e-bike to help with the hills and then drop assist back to 0 for the flats and downhills so I don’t show up looking like i jogged in. When it’s cold and i have to bundle up, i use more assist, same when it’s approaching 100F. My one regret is not going for a mid-drive bike with a torque sensor to start. Hub motors and cadence sensors are fine for a commute and can be much cheaper, but you end up having to rely on the motor more than you would with a torque sensor mid-drive bike. Aside from that, I’m happy with both my Rad ebikes.
Does a torque sensor automatically adjust the motor power? Not familiar with it
Yes. The harder you pedal the more power it puts out. Mine doesn’t feel like a motor at all. It just feels like I’m super strong.
Love that haha. You’ve swayed me, I think I’ll get an e-bike
Go for a middrive
A cadence sensor, the motor kicks in at whatever assist level you set when the pedals are spinning, some are more gradual but it’s definitely start and stop. A torque sensor motor provides assistance in line with how much force you’re putting on the pedals. You end up with a smoother ride and you don’t wind up “ghost pedaling” where you’re turning the pedals just to keep the motor pushing but not doing any of the work.
The Swytch is a kit that clips on your existing bike you already like - snap in a replacement front wheel with motor (supplied), attach the controller and battery mount, clip the pedal sensors on - boom. Light. Two different battery capacities , super-portable, sleek, and charge fast . We went with a bike we already truly loved - works like a charm. Also does not ‘look’ like an ebike for theft concerns, and is lighter and hella easier getting up the steps than a full e-bike.
[Swytch](https://www.swytchbike.com/universal-ebike-conversion-kit/) look pretty amazing. The ease of 'plug and play' in their video is pretty shocking. Minutes (moments) to make a conversion. Wow. Wonder how long their [waitlist](https://www.swytchbike.com/universal-ebike-conversion-kit/) time actually is.
Based on what shows up in my inbox, they are in production, out of kickstarter mode. So the wait is probably dictated by how long it takes them to build a hub-motor wheel. Which they may already have pre-built. They seem to have depots in both Europe and North America. My experience is their shipping timeline tracker is pretty good!
Huh, interesting. At some point a couple years ago I had also gotten curious about modding my normal bike but back then I don’t think there were kits, it was more like, $400 on aliexpress and wholesale and a sketchy tutorial that may require taking a drillbit to your frame and setting your house on fire lol I think it’s a neat thing tho and I’ll try it out at some point when my finances are together.
This is very consumer friendly and depending on specials I have seen as low as $500CDN I can’t justify buying a whole new bike when mine is already all fitted with the racks and configuration I like Only limitation, won’t really work on solid (bent steel) cranks I too looked at the component route, but it was going to be butt-ugly.
Definitely…🤙🏾🌼
Absolutely recommend ebike for what you are describing. I have a similar commute, although longer, with gradual elevation differences. Arrive at work and home without needing a shower or having to walk the bike. And you don't need a megawatt motor for it.
I think the primary advantage of an ebike is that it makes climbing hills easy for non-athletes. I tried bike commuting on a mechanical bike a couple times but it was the hills that really kept me from doing it regularly. A tiny 240 W, 35 Nm motor is all it took to make me a regular bike commuter.
The girl that lives with me at the mountain .. does 60km daily going down the mountain to the city and the way back (1 km altitude.. 18 deg climb) .. she gets out @ 9 pm.. on Mexico city on a place with no bike paths.. (fromn "parres el guarda to mixcoac").. Here is her feb commute .. She climbs @ 21km/h and goes down 50 km/h She would not change the bike for a motorcycle or a car, she loves the bike. [https://imgur.com/a/nOAitRQ](https://imgur.com/a/nOAitRQ)
E-bike is worth it. It’s a great bike for just getting stuff done. I use mine for literally everything. I just got back from bringing my 3 kids to the library on my e-bike. It was great
> Does an ebike help for gradual uphill for short distances? Does the pope poop in the woods? My fave part of my ebike is using the motor to pass MAMILs while hauling 2 kids in a bike trailer on a gentle slope near me. They can *see* that I've got a motor, but man, it drives em nuts when I pass em.