A budget offering with a torque sensor (good!) and a whole lot of issues (not good).
“low-price”
“$1500”
What?!? This dude should hit Amazon. You can find the models, without the issues, for half that. You can also buy cargo trikes with a 750w motor for $1599, if you need the capacity.
You can get a trek marlin 5, a bbshd, and a mid-grade battery for like $1500/1600 and build yourself a quality bike for that price.
Please, people, don’t buy cheap ebikes from Amazon’s, AliExpress, etc. Buy from a reputable brand and dealer.
Why? I am genuinely curious. I have owned about eight such bikes (unfortunate basement flood killed the original set) and other than the weird “brake is on the opposite side” thing, I have never had a problem with ebike makers I find in Amazon.
Do you mean counterfeits?
Or you could spend a bit more and get something decent, like an urban arrow. Especially if you’re getting one instead of a second car.
That’s the “can get a good used car” comparison the author makes right off.
Those electric Urban arrows are a dream, but run around 6-7k in every bike shop I’ve seen them in.
The author also acknowledge the operating cost would be significantly different right at the get go though. Used car tend to break down pretty soon since its, well, used. Some part will soon need to be changed, adding fuel cost, fluid change, tyre change, brake pad, it will very likely cost you 50% more than the asking price in 2 years or so, and more in the subsequent year.
Sure, but if you’re going to use it as a car replacement it doesn’t really make sense to get some cheap piece of shit from AliExpress. The car it would be replacing wasn’t going to a be a cheap Chinese PoS either, right?