Electric bike

[silver_yummies]

I'm looking pretty hard at a Biktrix Stunner X 6 for my application.

1) My place is less than 1 sq mi, so range is no issue.
2) I have other means for transporting deer, so I don't care about that.
3) My biggest issue will be hills. I want to be able to use throttle only (especially as I get older).
4) I want a girls bike (step-thru frame is the politically correct term today), again for aging.
5) From the reading I've done, it seems like mid-mount motors provide the most torque for hill climbing.
6) I want to keep the price under $3K
7) it seems like the most wattage I can find in that price range is 750 watts with 1,000 watt peak.
8) It has 9 gears which should help for the hills.

While I'm buying an ebike for hunting, I'm also considering using it for cardio as I get older. I'm thinking that the pedal assist will help me keep up with my much younger wife who is in great shape. And, when she wears me out, I can just throttle back home and cry myself to sleep!

Can anyone identify a competitor under 3K with these characteristics that I can consider?

Thanks,

Jack

RadRover 6 plus by rad power ebikes is deeply discounted right now and has step thru model. 750 motor but is hub driven and not mid. But for the specs, this might be worth a look for $1.3k.

 

[silver_yummies]

RadRover 6 plus by rad power ebikes is deeply discounted right now and has step thru model. 750 motor but is hub driven and not mid. But for the specs, this might be worth a look for $1.3k.

There are $50 discount codes, 10% PayPal cash back; 5% cash back thru PayPal and Chase Freedom as well to lower price more if you go that route.

In no way am I affiliated with Rad, just sharing info.

 

[Foggy47]

Well this thread is timely! Just hopped on a deal that came up from Rad ebikes - Radmission is the model for $450 shipped. Had to give it a shot at that price, will be delivered later this week. Only use I need it for is to get to and from stand locations and check some trail cams quietly once every blue moon. Pretty flat land and I’ve got a trail system so hoping this bike will be good enough.

Been wanting one for 3+ years now but price always kept me away. This should keep my ground scent very minimal now which is benefit 1B for getting this.

Well....the price is sure right. I ride a Rad Mission here in AZ. But I only ride it on the paved streets here for a little exercise. It would not be my choice for an off road bike. The mission model has a weaker motor than their other bikes, and it has no suspension and relatively small tires. Its an economy model and it is a decent bike for use on pavement and really good trails. You got a good deal for sure. Rad has better off road models tho.

 

[Foggy47]

There are $50 discount codes, 10% PayPal cash back; 5% cash back thru PayPal and Chase Freedom as well to lower price more if you go that route.

In no way am I affiliated with Rad, just sharing info.

Those are pretty good bikes at that price range. I have a Rad Runner in MN and its got a similar motor and gears....but in more of a "moped" style. I like it for my old bones. Easy on and off for an old guy. The Rad Rover is a more capable bike......but the Runner is more my style. Something for everyone.

 

[roymunson]

are you guys using it to get to stands?

I don't have issues walking to stands, but I could see how something quiet and stealthy would be great for slinking around hanging cameras etc

 

[silver_yummies]

Well....the price is sure right. I ride a Rad Mission here in AZ. But I only ride it on the paved streets here for a little exercise. It would not be my choice for an off road bike. The mission model has a weaker motor than their other bikes, and it has no suspension and relatively small tires. Its an economy model and it is a decent bike for use on pavement and really good trails. You got a good deal for sure. Rad has better off road models tho.

Absolutely there are way better e-bikes for off road than this RadMission I am getting. I have gravel/dirt/mowed trails to drive this thing down and bought a soft padded seat to put on it to try and help the comfort. I'm young enough to take a bit of abuse - farthest it'll be driven to a stand is 0.9 miles 1 way.

The price was way too good. The battery this bike comes with sells for $450! So it's like I bought a battery but got a full e-bike with it.

 

[omicron1792]

I’m looking at this.

2022 Volcon Grunt

The Grunt is an innovative, easy-to-operate electric motorcycle that allows people to experience outdoor adventure or get work done in an efficient and fun way. With no gears, no clutch, no gas and no noise the Grunt is easy to ride and enjoy by off-road-enthusiast families, or those completely...

www.volcon.com

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I’m looking at this.

2022 Volcon Grunt

The Grunt is an innovative, easy-to-operate electric motorcycle that allows people to experience outdoor adventure or get work done in an efficient and fun way. With no gears, no clutch, no gas and no noise the Grunt is easy to ride and enjoy by off-road-enthusiast families, or those completely...

www.volcon.com

Those like pretty nice! I have a buddy with a couple electric motorcycles/dirt bikes that he uses on his place. They are ridiculous. So fast. Honestly my place isn’t big enough to justify something like that. And they aren’t easy to move so it wouldn’t satisfy my need for public land hunting but if you had a big place and didn’t need it elsewhere they are awesome.

And at @yoderjac, with regards to switching gears and noise I never switch gears at all on my roads. I just leave it in the lowest and it’s plenty fast

 

[omicron1792]

Those like pretty nice! I have a buddy with a couple electric motorcycles/dirt bikes that he uses on his place. They are ridiculous. So fast. Honestly my place isn’t big enough to justify something like that. And they aren’t easy to move so it wouldn’t satisfy my need for public land hunting but if you had a big place and didn’t need it elsewhere they are awesome.

And at @yoderjac, with regards to switching gears and noise I never switch gears at all on my roads. I just leave it in the lowest and it’s plenty fast

Tried this one at a ducks unlimited event. This is a a work/hunting vehicle. 40mph max. But has instant and great torque and 50 Mile range. Has a 60v lithium battery that prob weighs 10 pounds. Can take it out and with you and have multiple. Has slots for 2 in the bike taking range over 100.

I like it. Now have to convince the wife!

This is competitor to a rokon which several hunter buddies of mine have.

Rokon For Hunters

Designed specifically for hunters, the Rokon for Hunters package consists of the legendary Trail-Breaker with a camoflauge design and brush busters included. Call or email us to order!

www.rokon.com

 

[yoderjac]

are you guys using it to get to stands?

I don't have issues walking to stands, but I could see how something quiet and stealthy would be great for slinking around hanging cameras etc

I've got the cam problem solved with wireless and solar, but for me it is scent control. It gets hot here during archery season and then cools off in the evening. I don't want to work up a sweat walking in and climbing to my stand. I usually take an ATV/UTV so my walk is less than a couple hundred yards. Now, if I could make that a much more stealthy drive, not only would it be better, I could probably shorten the walk even further.

 

[Foggy47]

Tried this one at a ducks unlimited event. This is a a work/hunting vehicle. 40mph max. But has instant and great torque and 50 Mile range. Has a 60v lithium battery that prob weighs 10 pounds. Can take it out and with you and have multiple. Has slots for 2 in the bike taking range over 100.

I like it. Now have to convince the wife!

This is competitor to a rokon which several hunter buddies of mine have.

Rokon For Hunters

Designed specifically for hunters, the Rokon for Hunters package consists of the legendary Trail-Breaker with a camoflauge design and brush busters included. Call or email us to order!

www.rokon.com

I had one of the gas powered Rokkon's back in the 80's. That thing was a hill climbing machine......and would go where my body could not. Went straight up a "wall" in a gravel pit and I slid off the back and the bike came down on top of me....lol. It was a real billy goat. That gas motor was too loud back in those times. I did not use it to a great extent before selling it to another elk hunter. Prices sure have changed.

 

[yoderjac]

RadRover 6 plus by rad power ebikes is deeply discounted right now and has step thru model. 750 motor but is hub driven and not mid. But for the specs, this might be worth a look for $1.3k.

Looks very interesting for the price. I don't see much detail on the battery or a torque rating which makes me wonder about hills without pedaling.

 

[356]

Did you guys buy these on-line or from a local shop? If on-line, how do you deal with service? Can you post make and model?

Thanks,

Jack

Mine is from Amazon. It is a HeyBike Mars 500W with a rated range of 46 mile (ha!). It is rated for 320# and folds up nicely. Not much to service--and parts are readily available. Like some others, I had to tweak the rear derailer settings. I also had to learn to repair flats (my bike shop wanted $100 since it was the rear tire. I bought some tire spoons for $10 and did it myself for $20 total with a new tube). Most of the parts on these bikes are off-the-shelf (seats, tires, wheels, derailers, chains, pedals, etc...). Even the lithium batteries can be "replaced" by the owner (with care).

 

[yoderjac]

Mine is from Amazon. It is a HeyBike Mars 500W with a rated range of 46 mile (ha!). It is rated for 320# and folds up nicely. Not much to service--and parts are readily available. Like some others, I had to tweak the rear derailer settings. I also had to learn to repair flats (my bike shop wanted $100 since it was the rear tire. I bought some tire spoons for $10 and did it myself for $20 total with a new tube). Most of the parts on these bikes are off-the-shelf (seats, tires, wheels, derailers, chains, pedals, etc...). Even the lithium batteries can be "replaced" by the owner (with care).

Actually, the LI batteries are one of my concerns. Like anything, they can cycle many times shallow or fewer times deep, but there is only so much life left in them. I see all kinds of batteries and connections on bikes. I don't really see an industry standard. So, I'm wondering if I buy one, if I will be able to buy another LI battery that fits it in 5 or 10 years when it wears out. If not, will I have a big heavy non-e bike in the end?

Li batteries have a great shelf life. I'm considering buying a second battery if I get a bike so that I don't have to worry about that.

 

[yoderjac]

Those like pretty nice! I have a buddy with a couple electric motorcycles/dirt bikes that he uses on his place. They are ridiculous. So fast. Honestly my place isn’t big enough to justify something like that. And they aren’t easy to move so it wouldn’t satisfy my need for public land hunting but if you had a big place and didn’t need it elsewhere they are awesome.

And at @yoderjac, with regards to switching gears and noise I never switch gears at all on my roads. I just leave it in the lowest and it’s plenty fast

Yes, I will likely do the same thing. I can't justify the cost for a "hunting" ebike. I think I'm going to set my budget at $3K-ish

 

[GMan5465]

Yes, I will likely do the same thing. I can't justify the cost for a "hunting" ebike. I think I'm going to set my budget at $3K-ish

I purchased from Sykl bikes. I bought the X750. They are located within an hours drive of me, so I could try them out. It has front and rear suspension, which is a close must when driving down trails. We’ve had a few issues but their support has been great, comes with two year warranty. It also came with front and rear racks. I have one pretty steep hill in one corner of my property, if I got a running start and peddled, I could make it up. Some of my stands are a 2 mile bike ride, depending on the route I take. So nice not being all sweaty when I get there. I have just mounted rhino grips on the front rack to hold my bow.

Regarding using them for fitness. They are fun to ride and easier than traditional Obviously. It gets you out and moving. If you keep pedaling, you will feel it. The benefit is you can use throttle for the big hills…or when getting chased by dogs. You can go farther and see more.

Highly recommended if you can stomach the price tag.

 

[yoderjac]

I purchased from Sykl bikes. I bought the X750. They are located within an hours drive of me, so I could try them out. It has front and rear suspension, which is a close must when driving down trails. We’ve had a few issues but their support has been great, comes with two year warranty. It also came with front and rear racks. I have one pretty steep hill in one corner of my property, if I got a running start and peddled, I could make it up. Some of my stands are a 2 mile bike ride, depending on the route I take. So nice not being all sweaty when I get there. I have just mounted rhino grips on the front rack to hold my bow.

Regarding using them for fitness. They are fun to ride and easier than traditional Obviously. It gets you out and moving. If you keep pedaling, you will feel it. The benefit is you can use throttle for the big hills…or when getting chased by dogs. You can go farther and see more.

Highly recommended if you can stomach the price tag.

I did not see a torque rating on it, but it is less expensive than the one I'm looking at. With my hills and wanting to use throttle only, hill climbing is pretty important to me. From the but of reading I've done, given the same wattage motor, the mid-mount motors are better hill climbers than the rear hub motors. I may just wait until next year and try to test drive some this summer.

 

[Elmucho277]

I built mine myself using a Mongoose Malus 26" fat tire bike. I purchased a Bafang 1000w mid-drive motor and all the linkages to hook it up. Mid-drive is the way to go if you want torque to go up hills. This is pretty much the exact motor that Quiet Kat uses on their high-end bikes. I also added a mega-range 7-speed cassette which has a larger first gear for more torque. If I had to guess I'd say it weighs about 70 lbs. I probably have around $1,500 into it in total and it wasn't bad to put together. They have instructions on how to do it and following those it went pretty smoothly. I use it to check trail cams and to get to some of my stands that don't require a trip through the woods. It could go through the woods if you have a decent trail, but would probably not be good going through a lot of brush. I use pedal assist solely on it, which only requires you to basically move your legs for it to get you going rather than having to put much effort into it. The worst thing I have run into with it is getting flats from thorns and other things that can penetrate the tire/tube. I think I have that solved though knock on wood by using tire liners and slime for tubes.

 

[Foggy47]

Some of the bigger names in selling bikes direct have pretty good supplies of parts and good service too. Recently there are lots of mobile bike service companies that do the assembly or repair of bikes. (This could be a great biz opportunity for someone with decent mechanical skills and a fair population available. ). As said....most of the parts are similar between the various brands and parts dont seem to be a huge concern.

I think if you stay with some of the larger well-know e-sellers.....you will have a decent experience. I checked it out.....and RAD is the largest on the web and has a decent reputation. They use Samsung batteries......and have parts available. Their word has been stellar with me.

I suppose any of these brands can be somewhat better or worse experiences for many of us. If you want outstanding service and dont mind the high prices......then stick with your local seller of the high end bikes. They will take care of your and get paid for doing it. At the same time.....I have taken my bikes to their store for service and they took care of me like one of their own. I suppose I paid 1/3 of the price for the bikes they sell. (Mostly I had tires and a brake cable to fix on a pedal powered bike).

If your buying a bike for the mountains....then for sure buy a 1000 watt mid drive motor. But for many of us with normal hills and trails....a hub drive 750 watt motor is sufficient. Gotta consider your needs before you part with your cash.

I am a very occasional user.......so that factors into my needs as well. But I have no regrets on two RAD bikes thus far. They work as advertised.

 

[yoderjac]

Some of the bigger names in selling bikes direct have pretty good supplies of parts and good service too. Recently there are lots of mobile bike service companies that do the assembly or repair of bikes. (This could be a great biz opportunity for someone with decent mechanical skills and a fair population available. ). As said....most of the parts are similar between the various brands and parts dont seem to be a huge concern.

I think if you stay with some of the larger well-know e-sellers.....you will have a decent experience. I checked it out.....and RAD is the largest on the web and has a decent reputation. They use Samsung batteries......and have parts available. Their word has been stellar with me.

I suppose any of these brands can be somewhat better or worse experiences for many of us. If you want outstanding service and dont mind the high prices......then stick with your local seller of the high end bikes. They will take care of your and get paid for doing it. At the same time.....I have taken my bikes to their store for service and they took care of me like one of their own. I suppose I paid 1/3 of the price for the bikes they sell. (Mostly I had tires and a brake cable to fix on a pedal powered bike).

If your buying a bike for the mountains....then for sure buy a 1000 watt mid drive motor. But for many of us with normal hills and trails....a hub drive 750 watt motor is sufficient. Gotta consider your needs before you part with your cash.

I am a very occasional user.......so that factors into my needs as well. But I have no regrets on two RAD bikes thus far. They work as advertised.

One concern of mine is batteries. I'm not worried as much about out parts. Battery technology is changing quickly. While there is a lot of similarity between bikes, there is no industry standard battery configuration that I can see. If a particular battery configuration (voltage, amperage, form factor, connectors) is not economical to produce, I end up with a heavy non-e bike. Like you say, it may be important to pick a big player in the industry. Right now there seem to be many little players in the industry.

On another note, they are having an ebike demo day at one of the parks about 30 minutes from my farm tomorrow. I plan to attend and check some out in person.