Electric bike

[yoderjac]

Kinda light for that hour of the morning

 

[Native Hunter]

Kinda light for that hour of the morning

I wondered if anyone would notice that I had the AM and PM reversed. I corrected it today when I checked the cameras.

 

[yoderjac]

Nice bike. I feel much more comfortable getting much closer to my stands with the ebike than I did with the ATV or UTV. I am amazed at how quiet mine is.

 

[yoderjac]

Well, it works, but I'm not happy carrying my crossbow on my back. I don't know what long-guns will be like. So, I decided to add a rack to the bike to carry hunting weapons. For the short-haul (Next week is the last week of archery before muzzleloader begins), I simply removed the PackRat gun holders from the rack on my old ATV. I will be primarily be using it at the retirement property for working and retrieving deer only. On occasion, I will take it to the farm for guests, but for now, I don't need to carry a firearm on it. I installed them on the rear rack of the ebike. I put on on each side, front and back so they are at a slight angle. It works well for my crossbow but it is short, long-guns may be an issue on it.

There are a couple pieces of metal welded to the front of the bike and tapped for M6.1 bolts. Looking at the accessories, they are intended for a front basket. I plan to weld up a bracket that I can attach to it and attach another pair of PackRat type gun holders to it rather than attaching directly to the handle bars.

I'll post some pics as that evolves.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Foggy47]

That is a nice girls model bike Jack. Have you encountered any problems with getting your skirt caught in the chain? Huge Grin. (I have a step-thru bike too.....but it's just a wee bit more "manly".)

 

[swat1018]

I'm in the market for an ebike. Want a mid mounted 750W or greater motor. Have some descent hills at the farm. Fat tire, with availability for racks. Budget of around 2K, if I can get one for that. Anyone with first hand experience.

 

[yoderjac]

That is a nice girls model bike Jack. Have you encountered any problems with getting your skirt caught in the chain? Huge Grin. (I have a step-thru bike too.....but it's just a wee bit more "manly".)

It's called a KILT!!! I keep trying to tell people...It's a kilt!

On a serious note, it turns out to be an important feature for me. I first got that feature because I'm getting older and kicking a leg over will only get harder. The same rationale I used for replacing my ATV with a UTV rather than another ATV. But, since I got the bike, I see how beneficial it is in other ways. First, I just put my crossbow on the back rack rather than slung over my back. It sticks out on both sides a bit and I would not want to kick my leg over that with heavy hunting boots on. One slight slip and there goes my crossbow.

Second, for hunting, I don't pedal at all, I just use the throttle. This allows me to put the seat at its lowest position and ride it like a scooter almost. It is so quiet, I can actually hear stuff while I ride. I can stop and listen without leaning the bike to one side or having my balls crunched by a bar.

THanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

I'm in the market for an ebike. Want a mid mounted 750W or greater motor. Have some descent hills at the farm. Fat tire, with availability for racks. Budget of around 2K, if I can get one for that. Anyone with first hand experience.

You might be off in price by about $600. I looked hard at a 750W before I decided on a 1,000 W model instead. Here is a link to what I was looking at: https://www.biktrix.com/products/stunner-x-6 I could find nothing less expensive with these characteristics. By the way, one you missed was throttle (unless you plan to pedal). I saw lots of mid-motor bikes at the Demo day but none had throttle. They all only had pedal assist. When I talked to the organizer he said mid-mount motor and throttle were not a common combination of features. The one I looked at has both.

Thakns,

Jack

 

[Foggy47]

You might be off in price by about $600. I looked hard at a 750W before I decided on a 1,000 W model instead. Here is a link to what I was looking at: https://www.biktrix.com/products/stunner-x-6 I could find nothing less expensive with these characteristics. By the way, one you missed was throttle (unless you plan to pedal). I saw lots of mid-motor bikes at the Demo day but none had throttle. They all only had pedal assist. When I talked to the organizer he said mid-mount motor and throttle were not a common combination of features. The one I looked at has both.

Thakns,

Jack

I have a RAD bike and it's a Runner Plus model. Kinda fashioned like a moped-looking bike. Has the Hub Drive motor......fat tires......and I think it's 1000 W. motor.... (IIRC). Anyway....it has the throttle only mode as well as a pedal mode. I cannot speak to super hills.....as I dont have any. But, I do drive mine everywhere on throttle only mode. I can start out on fairly uphill terrain with no problems. Not been an issue to me. There are lots of good reviews on different model bikes on YouTube......and they do show some hill climbing comparisons there too.

For me......I cannot see a need for the hub drive motor.....but I have not ridden both.....nor have mountainous land.

 

[yoderjac]

I have a RAD bike and it's a Runner Plus model. Kinda fashioned like a moped-looking bike. Has the Hub Drive motor......fat tires......and I think it's 1000 W. motor.... (IIRC). Anyway....it has the throttle only mode as well as a pedal mode. I cannot speak to super hills.....as I dont have any. But, I do drive mine everywhere on throttle only mode. I can start out on fairly uphill terrain with no problems. Not been an issue to me. There are lots of good reviews on different model bikes on YouTube......and they do show some hill climbing comparisons there too.

For me......I cannot see a need for the hub drive motor.....but I have not ridden both.....nor have mountainous land.

Yes, I test drove several RADs. It is the combination of mid-mount and throttle that is more rare. There are lots of rear hub bikes with throttle. I watched a bunch of youtube video reviews especially on hill climbing. There were precious few that showed it with throttle only. It is hard to compare climbing capability with folks pedaling since some is coming from the motor and some from the man.

As you say, it all depends on the terrain. A rear hub motor would not have worked for me. I think that has as much to do with gearing as with the power of the motor. Since a rear-hub turns the rear wheel directly, gearing down has no effect. With a mid-mount you can gear down for a steeper hill. Mid-mount motors are credited as providing more torque than rear hubs. I'm not sure how much that or the peak power is a factor. The reason I say that is because if I gear up with my 1,000 watt mid-mount motor, I can't go up a moderately steep hill. When I shift in to low gear, the motor doesn't even work hard to climb the hill. I think the most important factor in mid-mount is the fact that they use the gearing. I may have been able to save a few hundred dollars buying the 750 watt model that I posted the link to in the previous post.

The problem I had is bike shops have very limited variety. The guy who organized Demo day said they are locked into contracts with particular manufacturers. He said that most ebikes are bought on-line these days. I could not find any bike shops anywhere in the area that had mid-drive motors and throttles, so there was no way to compare. I had to guess whether 750 watts would be enough or not. I did not want to end up with a bike that I could not use to hunt on my hills, so I was cautious and went for the more expensive 1,000 watt model.

Unless a guy can find a bike to try on his terrain, it is hard to know what will work well for them. Perhaps, after the hunting season, when I'm less concerned about human intrusion, I'll video my hills. That is not to say a less capable ebike could not have handled them. It will give folks an idea of what I mean by hills in this thread which might be quite different from what others mean.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Foggy47]

So today I took my Rad Runner + to my deer land. Normally I drive it around our home for a little exercise. It's easy on and off and low to the ground with smaller tires than a normal bike and fat tires for floatation. I decided to use it to check my stand heaters and to see if we got any mouse issues before the rifle season opens on Sat. (all is good). Used it on some of the biggest hills I got from a dead stop. Was a bit disappointed in the results. While it works "OK" it really is lacking on those steep hills without some momentum or some pedal effort. In serious hills.....I'm certain it would be lacking. It's fine for my land....but it's really relatively flat here with just some swales and large ditch bank types of hills. If that is your property....perhaps you can get along with a hub-drive like me. If not....then I see the value in spending a bit more for a decent mid-drive motor. Here is a pic of my Rad Runner +. Good advice Jack.
I have a leather scabbard that I attach each season with a few zip ties. Holds nearly any gun securely.

 

[tn4hunting]

I hunt in the western part of VA in the mountains. I bought a Bokcou mule 1000 for the mountains. I have very steep switch back logging roads and needed something strong enough to climb on rougher roads. It climbs the steepest areas but there is a learning curve. I found the easiest was peddle assist. I could control the bike way better. The one con is if you get in ruts with the powerful motor it will spin out on you. There may be a way to avoid the spin out but I haven't found it. Now coming back down off the mountains is a whole different experience..lol

I bought mine because there is only one way in and I watched bucks smell my side by side tracks and head in the opposite direction. If this makes a difference I will let everyone know but so far the deer seem to be more relaxed on my property.

 

[Foggy47]

^^. One thing I witnessed in the mountains. When hunting elk on horseback....sometimes we would ride relatively close to a deer and they did not bolt from the horses. But get on two legs and they would be GONE!. The deer just did not "get" a man on horseback. Not sure about a bike.....no experience's to report.......but I think there may be something similar while riding a bike vs walking. (somewhat akin to riding in the tractor??).

 

[Hoytvectrix]

^^. One thing I witnessed in the mountains. When hunting elk on horseback....sometimes we would ride relatively close to a deer and they did not bolt from the horses. But get on two legs and they would be GONE!. The deer just did not "get" a man on horseback. Not sure about a bike.....no experience's to report.......but I think there may be something similar while riding a bike vs walking. (somewhat akin to riding in the tractor??).

On a pedal bike, I think it's more of an issue if you stop. If you just pedal past them, they don't seem to care at all and just try and figure out what you are.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

How are the changing of gears when going up a hill? Is the derailer just like in a standard geared bicycle? Is there a metal grinding noise as you shift?

 

[Foggy47]

How are the changing of gears when going up a hill? Is the derailer just like in a standard geared bicycle? Is there a metal grinding noise as you shift?

for me.....I dont change gears much when off-roading. I pick a real low and slow setting and mostly go single speed. I would imagine I could go from 2MPH to 10 MPH without a gear change. Fast enough off road.

 

[yoderjac]

So today I took my Rad Runner + to my deer land. Normally I drive it around our home for a little exercise. It's easy on and off and low to the ground with smaller tires than a normal bike and fat tires for floatation. I decided to use it to check my stand heaters and to see if we got any mouse issues before the rifle season opens on Sat. (all is good). Used it on some of the biggest hills I got from a dead stop. Was a bit disappointed in the results. While it works "OK" it really is lacking on those steep hills without some momentum or some pedal effort. In serious hills.....I'm certain it would be lacking. It's fine for my land....but it's really relatively flat here with just some swales and large ditch bank types of hills. If that is your property....perhaps you can get along with a hub-drive like me. If not....then I see the value in spending a bit more for a decent mid-drive motor. Here is a pic of my Rad Runner +. Good advice Jack.
I have a leather scabbard that I attach each season with a few zip ties. Holds nearly any gun securely.

Like that scabbard. Great idea!

 

[yoderjac]

I hunt in the western part of VA in the mountains. I bought a Bokcou mule 1000 for the mountains. I have very steep switch back logging roads and needed something strong enough to climb on rougher roads. It climbs the steepest areas but there is a learning curve. I found the easiest was peddle assist. I could control the bike way better. The one con is if you get in ruts with the powerful motor it will spin out on you. There may be a way to avoid the spin out but I haven't found it. Now coming back down off the mountains is a whole different experience..lol

I bought mine because there is only one way in and I watched bucks smell my side by side tracks and head in the opposite direction. If this makes a difference I will let everyone know but so far the deer seem to be more relaxed on my property.

Those are very nice bikes. I could not justify the price tag though. Most of the bikes sold as hunting ebikes have a powerful mid-mount motor but the prices can be $5K to about $8k. The bike I ended up with is not advertised as a hunting bike, but has the 1,000 watt mid mount motor and gearing. There may be other advantages to some of the bikes designed for hunting, but I couldn't find any that justified the cost. I think those Bokcou mules go for about $5.5K. I got mine for just under $3.5K to my door.

If I were hunting on public land things like range and other considerations might be a factor. I'm not suggesting the one I got is a good fit for all, bit it is worth a look if you have hills and a budget.

Thakns,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

How are the changing of gears when going up a hill? Is the derailer just like in a standard geared bicycle? Is there a metal grinding noise as you shift?

I don't change gears. I did when I first got it. I did not notice too much noise, but there is some. I can see using gears on paved roads, but not on my logging roads. I'm not racing around when I hunt. I just put it in low gear and leave it there. I can easily do 8 mph or faster on the level in low gear and I don't want to go that fast. I generally putter around under 5 mph. I want to go slow because, unlike an ATV, I can see and hear what is going on around me. Different ebikes have different gear systems. Mine does have a derailer. It works like a regular bike, but if you are using the throttle, the motor turns the chain so you don't have to be pedaling to shift.

Maybe if you were traveling a long distance you might want to change gears to conserve battery. I'm sure on level ground you can run the motor slower in a higher gear and it would save battery life. With just under 400 acres at our farm, when I drive out to hunt and drive back, so far the battery still say 100%. So, for my use, I've just kept it in the lowest gear so far.

After the season, I'll probably try to gear up a bit on our steepest hill and see how it performs. If it does fine in a slight higher gear, I'll probably put it there and leave it there. The only downside I've seen from running in the lowest gear is all the torque. You really have to baby the throttle when you start out or you get a good jerk. It did not take long for me to learn the throttle. There is a slight delay on it but it is less than a second.

I too was concerned about noise from shifting gears. I asked that question of others early on this thread before I bought my ebike. Now that I have one, I find it is zero issue for me.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[356]

Running through the harvested soy fields has been no problem. The rack holds a rifle or cross-bow (although I use additional straps for the crossbow. 750W Heybike, Under $1000.

...First, I just put my crossbow on the back rack rather than slung over my back. It sticks out on both sides a bit and I would not want to kick my leg over that with heavy hunting boots on. One slight slip and there goes my crossbow.

This inexpensive Coleman (utility) rack makes putting a rifle or crossbow on the bike easy. For the 'bow I use additional straps. For a rifle the "rubber bands" included with the gun rack hold it steady. I've been running through my forest trail and the harvested soy fields with no issues. As posted before, the fat-tire 500W Heybike has great reviews, is under $1K, rated for 320#, comes with the bike rack, and has held up this past year quite well. I was reticent to spend $3K on an e-bike if I was not sure if it was a tool or a toy. I am finding mine to be a tool, and if it fails, will replace it with something nicer with no regrets.