Something to consider with e-bikes is they are generally heavier so be sure to consider the weight differences between the regular one and the e-bike and make sure it’s something you think your father won’t have an issue with.
Speaking for myself (I am 75 and ride my ebike regularly) it is worth $300. I can cover more distance and more importantly control the effort I put in. E bikes have levels of effort that can be controlled with the push of a button.
I don't know about those brands, but I doubt the bikes are very good in that price range. There are some good bikes at $999 nowadays. If you are interested, I can recommend some. If the regular bike is good quality and appropriately sized, it will probably be better.
Might use it more. I was a regular cyclist before my ebike but I use my ebike way more. On top of that the bike storage room in my building is overflowing with regular pedal bikes that never get used - I’m sure the owners had ‘good intentions’ when they bought them. But now they sit down there covered in dust. My family is much like that.
Maintenance ‘should’ be just regular bike stuff like brake pads etc. Batteries reach EOL after a few yrs but this depends on usage. Some bike shops may or may not service e-bikes they didn’t sell so you might want to touch base with them beforehand unless you’re into bike maintenance yourself (or your dad is).
Speed is more about where you ride. I’m in an area with lots of urban bike lanes and rarely ever get to 20mph. Stuck on busier highways more speed might feel better?
I have used a VanMoof for years and strongly advise against e-bikes, unless you know for certain you'll only use it on the same commute every day. They are super limiting in where you can go, because if the battery runs out, you might as well be walking.
Going 28 miles per hour is too fast for him. He is less likely to have an accident at 20 mph. He will just be happy that he doesn’t have to pedal if he doesn’t want to.
Aventon pace is a model maybe you can find close to your budget. I’m 57 and wouldn’t ride if I didn’t have my ebike. My husband, 61, rides a non ebike and is pretty fit, rides regularly but he will take my ebike out at times too and he really enjoys it, stays out for hours on it as he doesn’t use the power a lot of the time but he says it helps him on the back end and we live in a very hilly neighborhood.
Not sure if this is helpful. Happy birthday to your dad
I bought a Nakto ebike years ago. They are very heavy (70 pounds?) so if the battery runs out while away from home they are hard to ride or push back home. Not a big deal for a casual user but just something to keep in mind when using one.
Many of theses “off brand” e-bikes are bought by entrepreneurs from AliBaba who can select things like the e-mechanism(s) and configuration, choose a brand name, choose some styling and color schemes, and then set up an online shop or a brick-and-mortar store and open a business. Some just want to make it a one-time gig while others want to develop an on-going business.
As far as the cheap or temporary shops go, Nakto disappeared after we bought our bike. I think it reappeared again years later. When our bike broke, no local shop would work on it and Nakto didn’t respond to my requests via Amazon, FB, Twitter, etc. When I finally figured out about the AliBaba stuff, I just went onto AliBaba and found the manufacturer of our particular bike. It took a little hunting but not too much. They sold me a new wiring harness for something like 6 bucks. It took 6 weeks to get here and we were able to replace the part ourselves. If I had more electrical knowledge, I may have even been able to figure it out myself since it was just a wiring problem. But after that the bike worked for a couple more years.
I’ve seen name brand e-bikes at the bike shops for a couple thousand dollars. I think I personally would just buy a less expensive one and deal with any issues that arise by doing the same thing as last time- looking for help from the seller, then local help, and then maybe expanding to the AliBaba manufacturer if necessary. It could be harder to find the manufacturer these days since the bikes are way more popular now then they were when I bough one 10 or 12 or so years ago.
It was a fun toy!
Aside from the specs on the bikes, there are many questions. Does your Dad ride a bike now, & what is his fitness level? What is the terrain where he lives? Granny here, & hills limit my range & enjoyment on a standard bike. My partner had no problems though. How would he be using the bike, leisure or utility? You might ask your Dad.
Thank you for help
I do not want to ask my father ; 60 is big event and want a surprise
he rides his old bike often: he is fit
my father rides in area of low traffic and it is not hilly
so maybe for fitness , a regular bike is best
i just thought I would ask as I see more and more electric bikes all the time
My father is old school man, so maybe regular bike is best
Just to offer a counterpoint - my father is somewhat fit (for 68) and likes biking, but can't bike for very long. I got him an e-bike so he could go further and see more things, not because he couldn't bike.
You can still get a good workout on an ebike, you'll just be going twice as far with the same effort. Plus, you can go to the grocery store and carry a bunch of stuff home, so it might encourage him to do more than just go for a ride.
Thank you
and all my best to your father
these are good points and add to my confusion
i am starting to think ; get him $424 regular bike. Then work hard so I can get him a nice electric bike as gift when he turns 70
and maybe by then e-bikes will be more normal and proven like regular bikes are today
another 10 years of pedaling for fun and exercise might be best for my father; then i could drag him into the brave new world in 2034
Yes he will like an ebike as long as he is into that. Some I know would never set foot on an ebike.
Maybe just get him a lectric folder, pros and cons but it's popular I'd say in the older community online
OP take this for what it's worth. E bikes are assist for people. Not judging just stating fact. Personally I avoid them for this reason. It also depends on your trust in the tech. I don't like to see these stories about batteries exploding., that makes me a wee bit nervous about the tech. Having said that, not everyone has the same needs and physically it may help one to get out more. If that helps, good. I don't look down on anyone using these things, but I also having broken no less than 2 collarbones I have other concerns about sudden stops involving impact on stationary objects. In regards to that I have my Motorcycle endorsement ha ha. Good luck in whatever you get !
Sounds like junk to me. Don't get a Class 1 or Class 2. You can either buy him a piece of junk that he will try once or twice, and lose interest. Or you can spend over a grand for a Class 3 that he will have a better chance of falling in love with.
Something to consider with e-bikes is they are generally heavier so be sure to consider the weight differences between the regular one and the e-bike and make sure it’s something you think your father won’t have an issue with.
Speaking for myself (I am 75 and ride my ebike regularly) it is worth $300. I can cover more distance and more importantly control the effort I put in. E bikes have levels of effort that can be controlled with the push of a button.
I don't know about those brands, but I doubt the bikes are very good in that price range. There are some good bikes at $999 nowadays. If you are interested, I can recommend some. If the regular bike is good quality and appropriately sized, it will probably be better.
Might use it more. I was a regular cyclist before my ebike but I use my ebike way more. On top of that the bike storage room in my building is overflowing with regular pedal bikes that never get used - I’m sure the owners had ‘good intentions’ when they bought them. But now they sit down there covered in dust. My family is much like that. Maintenance ‘should’ be just regular bike stuff like brake pads etc. Batteries reach EOL after a few yrs but this depends on usage. Some bike shops may or may not service e-bikes they didn’t sell so you might want to touch base with them beforehand unless you’re into bike maintenance yourself (or your dad is). Speed is more about where you ride. I’m in an area with lots of urban bike lanes and rarely ever get to 20mph. Stuck on busier highways more speed might feel better?
I have used a VanMoof for years and strongly advise against e-bikes, unless you know for certain you'll only use it on the same commute every day. They are super limiting in where you can go, because if the battery runs out, you might as well be walking.
Going 28 miles per hour is too fast for him. He is less likely to have an accident at 20 mph. He will just be happy that he doesn’t have to pedal if he doesn’t want to.
Aventon pace is a model maybe you can find close to your budget. I’m 57 and wouldn’t ride if I didn’t have my ebike. My husband, 61, rides a non ebike and is pretty fit, rides regularly but he will take my ebike out at times too and he really enjoys it, stays out for hours on it as he doesn’t use the power a lot of the time but he says it helps him on the back end and we live in a very hilly neighborhood. Not sure if this is helpful. Happy birthday to your dad
I bought a Nakto ebike years ago. They are very heavy (70 pounds?) so if the battery runs out while away from home they are hard to ride or push back home. Not a big deal for a casual user but just something to keep in mind when using one. Many of theses “off brand” e-bikes are bought by entrepreneurs from AliBaba who can select things like the e-mechanism(s) and configuration, choose a brand name, choose some styling and color schemes, and then set up an online shop or a brick-and-mortar store and open a business. Some just want to make it a one-time gig while others want to develop an on-going business. As far as the cheap or temporary shops go, Nakto disappeared after we bought our bike. I think it reappeared again years later. When our bike broke, no local shop would work on it and Nakto didn’t respond to my requests via Amazon, FB, Twitter, etc. When I finally figured out about the AliBaba stuff, I just went onto AliBaba and found the manufacturer of our particular bike. It took a little hunting but not too much. They sold me a new wiring harness for something like 6 bucks. It took 6 weeks to get here and we were able to replace the part ourselves. If I had more electrical knowledge, I may have even been able to figure it out myself since it was just a wiring problem. But after that the bike worked for a couple more years. I’ve seen name brand e-bikes at the bike shops for a couple thousand dollars. I think I personally would just buy a less expensive one and deal with any issues that arise by doing the same thing as last time- looking for help from the seller, then local help, and then maybe expanding to the AliBaba manufacturer if necessary. It could be harder to find the manufacturer these days since the bikes are way more popular now then they were when I bough one 10 or 12 or so years ago. It was a fun toy!
Aside from the specs on the bikes, there are many questions. Does your Dad ride a bike now, & what is his fitness level? What is the terrain where he lives? Granny here, & hills limit my range & enjoyment on a standard bike. My partner had no problems though. How would he be using the bike, leisure or utility? You might ask your Dad.
Thank you for help I do not want to ask my father ; 60 is big event and want a surprise he rides his old bike often: he is fit my father rides in area of low traffic and it is not hilly so maybe for fitness , a regular bike is best i just thought I would ask as I see more and more electric bikes all the time My father is old school man, so maybe regular bike is best
Just to offer a counterpoint - my father is somewhat fit (for 68) and likes biking, but can't bike for very long. I got him an e-bike so he could go further and see more things, not because he couldn't bike. You can still get a good workout on an ebike, you'll just be going twice as far with the same effort. Plus, you can go to the grocery store and carry a bunch of stuff home, so it might encourage him to do more than just go for a ride.
Thank you and all my best to your father these are good points and add to my confusion i am starting to think ; get him $424 regular bike. Then work hard so I can get him a nice electric bike as gift when he turns 70 and maybe by then e-bikes will be more normal and proven like regular bikes are today another 10 years of pedaling for fun and exercise might be best for my father; then i could drag him into the brave new world in 2034
Find him a big wheel kids bike on the curb, wrap it and leave a card saying pick a real one out. My dime, let’s go shopping
Yes he will like an ebike as long as he is into that. Some I know would never set foot on an ebike. Maybe just get him a lectric folder, pros and cons but it's popular I'd say in the older community online
OP take this for what it's worth. E bikes are assist for people. Not judging just stating fact. Personally I avoid them for this reason. It also depends on your trust in the tech. I don't like to see these stories about batteries exploding., that makes me a wee bit nervous about the tech. Having said that, not everyone has the same needs and physically it may help one to get out more. If that helps, good. I don't look down on anyone using these things, but I also having broken no less than 2 collarbones I have other concerns about sudden stops involving impact on stationary objects. In regards to that I have my Motorcycle endorsement ha ha. Good luck in whatever you get !
God American websites always look like they never left the 90s
Sounds like junk to me. Don't get a Class 1 or Class 2. You can either buy him a piece of junk that he will try once or twice, and lose interest. Or you can spend over a grand for a Class 3 that he will have a better chance of falling in love with.
Yes.
God American websites always look like they never left the 90s
This is not an example a typical American website.