Electric Bikes

Sweet Pat!  Hope you get one then!  I looked at Costco first, and they have some less expensive ones, but none that had the 750w motor which from my research suggests would be best for how much I currently weight if I want to be going uphill.  I think I read that 750w is the max before it gets classified as a scooter or something like that too. So I think i'll start with that and the highest battery capacity I can afford, and then the other options like fat tires that are made to work on snow, sand, and street.  There was a guy on the street the other day riding a ebike next to me, and I was shocked he was going almost 30mph on that thing!

As far as riding on the beach, it's just one of the ideas I have, and it seems like it would be a ton of fun on non-crowded beaches.  I hear ya on the dangers of these things, and can see at some point they may implement rules against them on beaches.  But i'm not really sure if I'll like riding on the beach if it's difficult.  But sounds like fun to give it a shot.

I was also in Monterey one day a couple years ago and this elderly couple rode up on their E-Bikes and was talking to them about it.  They had ridden their bikes all the way from Santa Cruz, and it totally blew me away they could go such a distance on their bikes.  And yep, i'm also thinking that I'll use it for trips to the store, only 1.5m away, seems like that would be cake on one of these things.

One word of caution
Be sure whichever model has capacity for program upgrades
Many online e-bikes are offered for a great savings over bike shop "Brand name" models,
but when the software crashes there is no way to update or reprogram them and replacing the computer gets expensive.
My son has worked in Bike shops for over 10 years and deals with this daily, it happens more often then you can imagine.
Also,
These discount (online / no name) bikes use proprietary parts which means you have to buy replacement parts from them
at inflated prices and usually at much lesser quality.
lastly,
Look into the manufacturer of the motor assembly.
I wouldn't go with a no name motor builder, same as you wouldn't go with a no name kayak builder for the same reason.
Good luck finding the right bike for your needs
;0) 
 

I would hesitate before spending money to ride an ebike on the beach. Chances are they will be banned there. Originally ebikes were meant to be electric assist with pedal power for most forward movement. Ebikes quickly evolved into electric motorcycles with pedals as an evolutionary vestige. I think one can envision multitudes of fast moving mechanical devices moving among pedestrian beach users walking on the sand and having a picnic. Conflict is inevitable. There are those who would ride carefully and slow but also those who do not. I've seen increased use of ebikes on mountain bike trails and dislike it. My feeling here is that mtb biking is meant to build and test physical endurance not increase distance and speed by non human powered means. On the roads for all powered vehicles I'm fine with it and can see beneficial uses such as a grocery trip to carry a load.

100% agree

finna buy a Lemond when production is squared away.  expensive, but so is back surgery!

summa these ebikes weigh two tons, bulky and not easily carried/transported.  can easily throw a disc just loading onto a rack

I'd never ride it on the beach but trading off for lightweight. 

Al, you should check out Quiet Kat, a subsidiary of Vista Outdoor.
VSTO's west coast office is on Scotts Valley Drive. 
Once they open back up, you could probably demo there. 

They're also sold at Bass Pro Shops, couple floor models in boating section

Thanks for the QK VSTO suggestion!  I did look at the Jeep E-Bike, super duper impressive, and super duper expensive.  But man, that sure looks like a great vehicle.  The lower end Ranger is less than 50% of the Jeep, and still looks super cool.  Would be a good one to test ride to see how they perform with my weight on a 500w motor.  Since they are local, that makes it more attractive!  Thanks again, will check them out if I can in person.  If they have em at BPS SJ, probably drop by this weekend.

Thanks for the QK VSTO suggestion!  I did look at the Jeep E-Bike, super duper impressive, and super duper expensive.  But man, that sure looks like a great vehicle.  The lower end Ranger is less than 50% of the Jeep, and still looks super cool.  Would be a good one to test ride to see how they perform with my weight on a 500w motor.  Since they are local, that makes it more attractive!  Thanks again, will check them out if I can in person.  If they have em at BPS SJ, probably drop by this weekend.

Just to clarify, QK itself isn't exactly a local company. but VSTO has an office in SV, and it serves as the HQ of their Bell/Giro/Blackburn division.  I'm sure they'll have some quietkat bikes there tho because everyone in that office rides bikes everywhere.  My guess is you could sweet talk someone into a demo

Found another Fishermans Life Video where he went perch fishing on his E-Bike, seems like an awesome way to cover ground:

Electric motorcycles.  Keep off the beaches and trails.  I saw one ripping up a dirt trail uphill going 25 mph while the actual mountain bikers struggled.  It's just a motorcycle.  Keep to the OHV parks please. 

If bikers would stay off mountain roads like where I live, with no shoulder, blind curves, wearing all black clothing, no lights on, in the early morning while driving into the sun, then I might listen to your suggestion about where I can ride a bike. Thanks.

You asked -

"Anyway, curious if people are into E-Bikes, have recommendations on places to test ride them, other uses for them, etc."

I gave you my not into response, recommendation to move it to an OHV area and use them as what they are... motorcycles. 

Good luck with your purchase. 


 

Knowing how electronics and salt love each other, i'd be paranoid about cleaning it afterwards.  Probably even put dialectric grease on the batter connections and make sure things are as waterproof as possible.  But have a cheap pressure washer that would clean it in a few minutes, so not too worried about keeping it clean.

Not recommended to blast bikes with pressure washers- especially an e-bike. it forces water into a lot of places it shouldn't be like greased joints and bearings. it will pound sand and salt further into your bike rather than off of it.
a hose and a brush is the best bet. strip and relube chain after use because it will have sand and salt clinging to it.

I have been commuting on bikes for a long time. spent 5 years in Minnesota doing it.  Salt will destroy any bike regardless of how well or thoroughly you clean it (not the same thing). We would have a "Winter bike" because of this.

The salted roads are nothing compared to a salty and sandy beach.

on a separate note, Ebikes are the new target of ecological stewards.. we don't need to give them another reason to attack fishermen and revoke access to public lands.. 

what they are... motorcycles. 

California legislature doesn't agree w u

I was on the fence about ebikes for a looong time, thought they was only 4 koox.  But I've come around, and now think e- assisted pedal bikes are more closely aligned with traditional bikes compared to motorcycles.

I understand the stank sentiment watching an ebike bust up a hill, but they're still bikes.

Electric motorcycles.  Keep off the beaches and trails.  I saw one ripping up a dirt trail uphill going 25 mph while the actual mountain bikers struggled.  It's just a motorcycle.  Keep to the OHV parks please.

Disagree 100%. They do not belong in a OHV Park. They are to small, to slow and to quiet to be at a OHV park. Those parks are designated areas where fellow dirtbikers can ride without having to worry about mini bikes, Mountain bikes and vehicles. They have their own designated areas to ride.
Also, what if he was going downhill and the mountain bikers could keep up? Whats the difference?
Lets be honest here. Its not the E-bike thats the problem, Its the rider. There will always be Asshat drivers no matter what the mode of transportation is! Its not fair to penalize all e-bikes because of a few jerk riders!

If bikers would stay off mountain roads like where I live, with no shoulder, blind curves, wearing all black clothing, no lights on, in the early morning while driving into the sun, then I might listen to your suggestion about where I can ride a bike. Thanks.

Bit of false equivalency, don't you think?  "Eow, bicyclists do that so I should do this!"  Do it if yo want but don't try to justify it like that.

I have a Rad brand Rad Runner utility bike.  It was a little pricier than some other brands but it's a well established brand.  I don't plan to use it on the sand or even off-road but it should be great for getting around the campgrounds and running to the store when needed.  I can carry it on the back of my Man Van and still pull my kayak trailer.  It has the wide tires but no suspension so I added a suspension seat post and upgraded to a more comfortable seat. I haven't used it much yet but it seems fun to ride and the option of not peddling and moving at 20 MPH is great.  It has disc brakes and a stop light for safety.  I'll have it a Crabfest if you want to take a test ride.