E-bikes: Seeking advice on a commuter bike that meets disability needs

patience_limited
2024-05-12T22:23:40Z

I've done considerable e-bike research, and I'm still struggling with unanswered questions...

I'm looking for a mid-range e-bike mainly for commuting, approximately 3 miles/5 km each way. Part of the route is on unpaved but graded park trails, otherwise paved (sometimes very bumpy) streets and sidewalks. I don't anticipate using the bike for heavy cargo, rough trails or long powered rides, but wouldn't mind working up to 30 mi/50 km trips with partial assists.

The primary goal is a safe, stable ride that gets me to work reliably without leaving me too banged up.

Requirements:

1. Major assistance with steep hills. Though I've rebuilt decent endurance and muscle strength, I've got two artificial hips, and occasional inflammation in knees, ankles, and feet that makes powering up a long incline painful.

2. Suspension fork and relatively upright riding position. Even with gel gloves, bumps and bangs through a rigid frame and forward leaning will wreck my wrists and hands quickly.

3. Step-through frame. Thanks to hip replacements, my balance and range of motion aren't all they could be.

4. Local service availability. Fortunately, I'm in a town with great (if expensive) bike shops.

Nice to have:

1. 60 lbs. or less. I don't expect to wrestle the bike up/down stairs or into vehicles frequently. It's more a question of being able to propel it under my own power most of the time and carry it on a standard car rack. I've looked at e-trikes for stability, but they're too heavy and cumbersome.

2. Hydraulic disc brakes, belt drive and sealed motor hub (expensive but cleaner for commuting and lower maintenance), torque sensor.

3. Integrated lights.

4. Fenders, chain guard, rear rack, kickstand, phone holder included or available at reasonable cost.

5. Visual appeal - colors, not too obvious battery, etc.

Overnight recharge is fine, the battery doesn't have to be removable.

Possibilities so far:

Priority Current (via Costco). review,
review
Con:

Rigid frame

Complaints about required pedalling and power distribution on hills

Pro:

Meets most of the requirements

Model has been out for a few years with an established track record

Well-reviewed

RadPower Radster Road Regular review, review
Pro:

Checks all requirements

Safety emphasis

Con:

Heavy (78 lbs.)

Electric Bike Company Model E or R
review, review
Pro:

Extensive customization available

Con:

Cruiser style less likely to be comfortable for long rides

Model R is 78 lbs.

Ride1Up 700 Series ST review, review
Pro:

Inexpensive

Meets most requirements

Con:

Assembly difficulties reported, no local dealer

Aventon Level.2 Step-through review, review

This is still early research... but more questions:

What am I failing to consider?

What's an appropriate price point to look at for my requirements (keeping in mind that I'd be paying as much as $150/mo. for transit when not using the bike)?

Anyone else in a similar spot?

Edit - updates on continuing research, for those interested in comfort bikes... So many manufacturers! It might be time to turn the optimizer brain off. Quite a few of the online-only vendors are just mixing and matching Chinese parts. Reports of terrible customer support and quality/safety issues are common.

New candidates:

Cannondale Adventure Neo 2 EQ Speed

Reviews of this specific newer Class 3 model are scarce, but other Neo models get mostly rave reviews from older riders with various disabilities. As much as I've loved Cannondale bikes, there are some reported quality and design issues in comments that give me pause. The only reason I'd consider an e-bike in this price range is if it's a durable, realistic car replacement capable of safe use in very bad conditions.
Pro:

Most of the important wishlist items covered

Top quality powertrain and gearing parts

Torque assist - comments say it's smooth and you never miss a manual throttle

Versatile for city and road

Locally available

Con:

High price even with quality factored in

Chain guard not included, and it should be at this price

Comments mention battery is difficult to remove

Envo seems like a reliable Canadian brand that's doing interesting things. There are U.S. distributors. Dollar purchasing power makes this a potentially excellent value choice.
Envo Lynx 20" Only one professional review, but customers seem happy. I wasn't considering folding bikes originally, but this seems well-made, has English-language support, and has decent specs for the price and flexibility.

Envo ST 50 - few if any comments available, but the stepover D50 model gets rave reviews. Meets all requirements, with excellent range for longer trips.

Mokwheel Asphalt ST review, review, review
Pro:

Meets wishlist with moderately priced accessory package

Adjustable stem angle

Excellent price for features

Extra safety lights

Con:

DTC-only (US-based)

Lower-quality and range of gearing

Tenways AGO T review, review
Pro:

Meets wishlist

Premium components

No-brainer torque control and CVT

Stylish

Con:

May be underpowered for steep hills

Class 2 limited (may be hackable)

DTC, based outside US

Zen Photon Pro review
Pro:

Wishlist mostly covered

Premium components

Powerful hill-climbing capability

Long range

Con:

Price is over upper limit of budget

Relatively new to market

Users complain about weight

Ride1Up Prodigy V2 LS CVT review, review, review, review non-CVT. This might be the pick - meets requirements and then some, good value for quality, relatively future-ready, adaptable for the conditions I'm likely to encounter, and comfortable. It doesn't hurt that it's $300 off right now.

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