Glad to hear that yours work so well.
I've personally tried 5 different brands, all required pedalling, which defeated the entire purpose of us renting them to ride around exploring on. The Surface 604 was the worst offender, that had to be pedalled so hard to get the assist to work, it would have been easier to ride a normal bike that weighs 1/3 as much. They have to help a rider, just to overcome their own heft, and be back on par to my normal bike. About 5 years ago an elderly gentleman wanted to ride, but knew that he couldn't pedal a bike hard enough to make it up hills, or go far. So I suggested that we rent electric bikes, assuming they had a twist throttle, thumb throttle, or some sort of throttle to make it go. My mistake, no they didn't, and so we rode about 1000', and had to turn back. Exploring a place on an ebike sounds great while vacationing, rentals all over. But they are more like an overweight bike you MUST pedal ( every one i have tried ) which really doesn't work for everyone. Sure the young and fit crowd, why are you even buying an electric assist bike at all. By something light to jump and thrash on, pedal like the athlete you are, and just be hucking off big drops, and hammering over large rocks etc. But if you are 73, had heart surgery three times, knees are worn out, haven't ridden a bicyclein 40 years, and just want to explore around a town, and the nearby area, lets say Jasper Alberta, with your granddaughter, then being forced to pedal, and pedal fairly hard, not just spinning the pedals, to make it help, is a terrible idea!
I've personally tried 5 different brands, all required pedalling, which defeated the entire purpose of us renting them to ride around exploring on. The Surface 604 was the worst offender, that had to be pedalled so hard to get the assist to work, it would have been easier to ride a normal bike that weighs 1/3 as much. They have to help a rider, just to overcome their own heft, and be back on par to my normal bike. About 5 years ago an elderly gentleman wanted to ride, but knew that he couldn't pedal a bike hard enough to make it up hills, or go far. So I suggested that we rent electric bikes, assuming they had a twist throttle, thumb throttle, or some sort of throttle to make it go. My mistake, no they didn't, and so we rode about 1000', and had to turn back. Exploring a place on an ebike sounds great while vacationing, rentals all over. But they are more like an overweight bike you MUST pedal ( every one i have tried ) which really doesn't work for everyone. Sure the young and fit crowd, why are you even buying an electric assist bike at all. By something light to jump and thrash on, pedal like the athlete you are, and just be hucking off big drops, and hammering over large rocks etc. But if you are 73, had heart surgery three times, knees are worn out, haven't ridden a bicyclein 40 years, and just want to explore around a town, and the nearby area, lets say Jasper Alberta, with your granddaughter, then being forced to pedal, and pedal fairly hard, not just spinning the pedals, to make it help, is a terrible idea!
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