I’ve added a new tool in my “transportation toolbox”.  I recently purchased a Giant electric bike to use in Florida. This post is about the e-bike – what I bought and why I bought it.

I’ve been a serious bike rider for many years.  I started out years ago riding a hybrid and then switched to high-end road bikes.  After having colitis, I gave up the long-distance road riding and switched back to an all-terrain bike for short distance riding.

The all-terrain bike has been my main mode of transportation while I’m in Florida. It’s a fat tire 27.5 in Giant ATX model that goes anywhere and I ride it everywhere.  I usually ride about 4-10 miles each day.  The terrain in Florida is flat and most of the places I need to go are within a 5-mile bike ride.

Why The New E-Bike

Last year we purchased a house in Florida that’s a little further away from the beach.  The new location added about 2 miles to my typical ride.  Also, I started to notice that riding over the Sky Bridge to Fort Myers Beach was getting a little harder.  I still have plenty of strength and aerobic energy but my 65-year-old knees are starting to dread pedaling up and over the Sky Bridge.  I can still do it but I frequently look for opportunities to hop on the beach trolly if it’s coming by.

I was thinking of getting a scooter but after some thought and research, I decided on an e-bike.  An e-bike is about the same price as a scooter but here’s’ the reasons why I went with an e-bike

• It’s much lighter and easier to transport – no need for hitch rack or trailer just a bike rack
• There’s no need to register an E-bike or have insurance.
• There’s no need to store, carry, or buy gas
• There’s limited maintenance with an e-bike.
• I can ride the e-bike in the breakdown lane or sidewalks if allowed.

And, I still get many of the health benefits of bike riding.

Some Key Considerations

I did considerable research before I purchased an E-bike.  E-bikes are relatively new within the past 3-4 years.  There are several makes, models, and types.

One key decision is the motor location.  The early models and lower cost e-bikes tend to have a hub drive motor.  In essence, the motor is built into the rear wheel hub.  There are two issues with this location.  First, the wheel is not a standard bike rim – it’s custom to that manufacturer.  And second, it can be difficult for the bike owner to remove the rear wheel to change a flat tire.  Many are bolted to the frame instead of having a wheel quick disconnect.

I found that most newer E-bikes (and ones from standard bike manufacturers like Raleigh, Trek, Cannondale, and Giant) are using crank-based motors.  The motor is located in the pedal crankcase.  This location provides a smoother feel when the motor kicks in (i.e., the pedaling gets easier vs. feeling like your being pushed).  I decided to go with a crank-based motor.

The other key decision is what brand and where to buy.  There are plenty of e-bikes available on the internet.  I decided to go with a name brand (Giant) and I bought from a local dealer.  My reason for this is that the name brand manufacturers are using standard bike components (like on their other bikes) and frames that they manufacture. They also use name-brand motors.  My new e-bike has a Yamaha motor.  The most complex component in an e-bike is the motor and if there’s a problem with it (or with the battery) I want to be able to take it to a dealer.  I also want to be able to get a replacement battery when needed and want a vendor who has a legacy of being around.

My New E-Bike

I decided to buy a Giant Explore+4 GTS e-bike.  I bought the 2020 model from a local bike shop for $2,500.  It has the Yamaha SyncDrive Sport motor, which puts out 80 Nm of torque.  It has a 400-watt 36V lithium battery, which is removable.  This bike has 700x45c tires.  The size is very similar to the 27.5 in wheels I have on my ATX bike.  I like the large wheels because they make for a smoother ride versus a 26 inch wheelset.  The Explore+4 comes in 4 sizes for the frames.  I bought a large based on my height (6′ 1″).

This e-bike is a Class I pedal-assist bike.  It only goes if you pedal it – there is no all-electric mode with a throttle (Class II).  You ride it like a regular bike.  In the highest gear and highest level of support, it will go up to 20 mph.  It has 9 gears in the back cassette and 5 levels of electric pedal assist from the motor.  You shift gears just like you would on a regular bike. I found the lowest Eco level is great for flat road riding.  This level matches your pedaling power.  The second level is great for flat dirt roads.  The next three levels can be used for inclines and hills (or if you just want to ride fast with less effort).  The highest levels provide 360% of my pedaling power.

My Experience

So far, I’ve only ridden it for about 30 miles (road and on a trail).  I used 60% of the battery power and could easily have ridden another 20 miles on the single battery charge.  The bike is very knee-friendly.  Going up hills is effortless in levels 3-5.

There’s a couple of ways you can ride this bike.  I ride it at the speed I would ride a regular bike (10-14 mph) and use the assist levels like I would use the front gears on my all-terrain bike.  The bike is heavy (around 35-40 lbs) so I always ride with lowest levels assist (Level 1 or 2) on.  Using the lowest level of assist extends the battery range.

You could ride the bike in high gear always using the highest level of assist (Level 5).  You’ll be going faster (15-20) mph than a normal bike and use up the battery faster.  Other than going down hills, I find it uncomfortable to ride this fast.

Giant has several models of e-bikes.  I choose one that I could use anywhere (road and trail).  I like having a front suspension fork for a smooth ride.  And I like having fat tires for off-road travel.

I’m glad I purchased from a local bike shop.  They helped me select the model and frame size.  I got to test ride a bike before I bought one.  They did the setup and made sure everything worked.  Once it arrived from the factory, they helped set it up for me by putting on a longer handlebar stem and changing out the stock seat.  They will also do a free tune-up after I ride 200 miles. Overall, I’ve been very pleased with my purchase.

Add Ons

Since I plan on using the e-bike for my main transportation while I’m om Florida, I added some extra components.  As mentioned above,  I swapped out the standard seat with a more comfortable one from Serfas.  I also swapped out the standard metal pedals with a pair of low profile nylon pedals.  Sometimes I carry groceries on my bike, so I added a rear cargo rack.  I also added front and rear lights.  Last year, Fort Myers Beach enacted an ordinance that mandates all bikes have lights.  I also added a GPS based bike computer to track mileage, ride time, and speed.

 

So, I’m ready to roll.  I’m anxious to get to Florida, return to warm weather, and start using my new e-bike.