According to UA-cam analytics, there are a lot more people watching biking videos in the last few months. If you're one of those people and you want to know more or see more of something, ask me and I'll see what I can do! Cheers :)
IMHO, if you're handy and can wait about a month for an eBay hub motor (CAD $300'ish) and an AliExpress battery (CAD $300-600), the DIY kit would save you about $500-1000 (after tax). But if you're a first time e-bike builder, or don't have a garage or place inside that you can build the DIY e-bike, I'd say it might be better to buy a pre-built one. Plus, if anything goes wonky with the pre-build store-bought e-bike, the local shop can usually help you out. That's not the case with DIY e-bikes and you're left to figure it out on your own. I've had a few issues here and there over the last 3 years with my e-bike (nothing that I couldn't fix though) and if I were to do it over again, I think I'd buy one from a store.
@@mustafabozan2133 Thought I answered this, whoops! This commute was 7km each way. I now have a similar commute in London, Canada but it's A LOT more chill and there are bike lanes for 70% of it!
I’ve been doing this for months on my ebike it’s a vibe man I hate taking my truck anywhere now I have the bike in to be tuned up and I’m like bummed I have to use my truck for 2 day
I have to admit you are brave in the traffic. I have done 10,000 kms in last 18mths but only on bike paths/footpaths. For me staying away from the tintops relieves all the stress
I've become a bit more cautious but I still bike on the roads only because there isn't often any cycling infrastructure on my routes. Last week had me on 80% cycle paths and trails though! I have to say it's infinitely less stressful!! ♥
Fantastic, love the homebrewn bike. I commute with an e-bike about 12.000 km a year, all year round in southern Sweden. Works well and no serious mishaps.
@@BenDurham I'm using a Riese & Müller class 3 bike. Sure costs like a small car but I don't mind, it is a true car replacement. Really had no issues with the bike itself so far, everything just keeps working. It has the Gates carbon belt so it's been truly maintenance free. Worn out some tires but so far no punctures. How is your self-built bike working in the long term? I like the DIY factor and that you can get a decent bike for a very low cost.
I get my ebike in 3 weeks. I just sold my construction company and am left with a dodge ram 2500 and have no need for it on any given day. I have been racing bikes for a long time and think this is the only obvious next step. I ordered the aventon aventure and am super pumped. Enjoyed the video and I am definitely a new sub. Keep it up, I look forward to more videos.
Really enjoyed the video. I got the Rad City last Spring and put 3200k on it commuting and recreational riding during the past year. It’s down in the basement now because we have way too much snow in St. John’s to manage year-round riding. Can’t wait to get back at it this spring!
Storing it away for the winter is fair! I hope you'll be taking it out soon though (if you haven't already)! It's a great way to abide phyisical distancing measures whilst avoiding cabin fever! :)
Our routine is identical! I'm saving for my first ebike but need it to be foldable so I can take it on the tram. I've been car free for 8 months and love cycling my bike to work! Great video!!
Ooo yay! How long is your commute? That's actually been my biggest struggle so far: getting this ebike in the car. Having a foldable one would be amazing and soooo helpful. Especially for two foldable bikes (one per partner) in one Nissan Versa hatchback!
@@BenDurham I'm lucky, I currently only have a 10-15 minute commute but I'm looking for an ebike as I'm moving soon so will be commuting about 30 mins. Keep up the great work and I look forward to watching some more of your videos :)
Last year, I traded in my car park at work, and upgraded my mountain bike with an e-Bike kit. Not as efficient as a dedicated commuter, but I can do trails as well as road (only got road tyres on right now though). My work commute is about 12KM, but I live at the top of a hill. On my "Acoustic Bike" I could ride in to work in about 35 minutes, but riding home took 50minutes+ because of the hill. Our local bus company added bike racks to the bus, which I used on wet days. However, once I electrified, I use the bike ALL THE TIME, my work commute evens out about 20 minutes each way now. Much faster than driving at rush hour. Ive got nearly 3000K on the clock for it now. The only times I generally use the car is when Ive got the family with me, and for trips over 60Km (well outside the bikes battery range) and for my martial arts classes (Historical European Martial Arts) where Ive got a bit of gear to take - padded armour and swords which are impractical to take on my bike.
Ooooo that's AWESOME to hear! And right?! There's a time and place for driving for sure and we obviously drive when it doesn't make sense (going to and from other cities)... but if you've already put 3000km on your ebike, then it has DEFINITELY been worth it!! That's like 7.5 gas tank refills so far (accounting for 400km per tank if you're getting rubbish L/100KM in stop-and-go traffic)!
@@TheChromeRonin THERE WE GO - huge saveings!! Not to mention associated maintenance, initial purchase price of another car (now delayed by many more years because of fewer KMs put on your car)
I live in Tasmania and , I have similar ideal to You , Love riding past the stopped traffic , and yes I play safe ! I ride and Avanti E Bike so far 5,000 km with no issues !
Enjoyed. My nephew loved Toronto and biking. He rented a car if necessary. I am moving eventually to Edmonton. Live in a River Valley. Looking forward to the new world of E Biking. Thanks. Fun Video.
I lived in a small town near edmonton in 2014! I definitely needed a car there BUT if you're in core edmonton, you might not need one. There's a lot more cycling infrastructure that's taken shape since I was last there... and ebiking makes distancing much shorter and more doable! If you're planning on biking in the winter, check out some of my winter biking / frostbiking tip videos - it's totally possible!
So punctures really suck and I always carried a patch kit... but removing the back wheel was actually the worst thing ever 😭 Since getting a Ride1Up 500 and Biktrix Swift Step-Thru (my partner's), we haven't had a single flat for the last 10 or so months! Must be the tires. And knowing that it's possible to have no flats for this long makes any future tire purchase easy: tire liners or super-durable tires! It's worth any cost to me now because of the reliability!
Those are called Panniers! There's a lot of different attachment mechanisms but search up Panniers and have fun hunting! You probably don't need a waterproof one either. I have a video about that on my channel.
Thankyou for your reply. Appreciated. I should have researched more before the deed was done. Mine was in a bike stand with a lot of other bikes. I guess they liked mine although I thought there were some comparable so less appealing is a thing. I look forward to more you tubes.
Thankyou. I have the trail guide for bicycles and it gets me most places. I have bags now so should be able to do some of my shopping as well. I suppose my biggest concern is bike theft.
Awesome video. I've been bike commuting for the last 3 years and have logged over 8,000 miles. I occasionally drive my car when the weather is really bad. I can't imagine going back to driving. Despite the number of times I've been advised how I'm taking my life in my hands with all of the crazy drivers, I feel like it's very safe. I wish more people would ride their bikes. There'd a whole lot less stressed out people if they did.
Regarding getting a Rad Power Bikes e-bike...oddly enough, I started commuting on a regular mountain bike, then I converted it to a DIY e-bike and about 8 months ago, I bought a RadCity from Rad Power Bikes. I've put about 1500 miles on it to day. It's the perfect commuter bike in my opinion.
That's about the same amount of time and distance that I've been bike commuting now too. Cheers to that! Safety is always my number one concern and I'm always hoping not to encounter drivers who think they own the road. I would absolutely LOVE not to have to ride with traffic and would 100% take cycling infrastructure if it existed in North York (just North of Toronto). But for now, the electric assist helps me accelerate faster and keep up a high speed so as to not annoy drivers! I have a video on driving vs biking to work actually! I totally agree with the stress of driving 🎬👉 ua-cam.com/video/173Nx-UXQuM/v-deo.html
Even now I still consider getting something like the RadCity - and now even the RadMission (freshly released). But I just purchased another 14Ah battery so my battery range with both is HUGE. So I'll be sticking with my horrible-looking DIY ebike for quite a long while now. Future video on that coming soon hopefully :)
Same! I live quite close to there. Cheers, neighbor! As for the 30-80% charges, this article explains it quite well (gearpatrol.com/2020/06/17/smartphone-lithium-ion-charging-tips/) but basically, e-bikes use the same lithium-ion composition as you'd find in you phone or laptop. Lithium-ion batteries last longer if you only charge them to 80% and don't let them drop under 30%. AccuBattery (play store app) does a great job of showing your the various "ware cycles" your phone experiences depending on what percentage you charge your phone at - same for big e-bike batteries! I still charge it to 100% for longer trips though.... but I've been using it for nearly 3 years and it's still going strong with more than 1500 cycles (because of battery maintenance)!
I learned last year that “filtering” is the act of riding your two-wheeler between cars when they are parked at a red light. It is not to be mistaken for “lane-splitting” which involves the same activity - again, riding between cars - when traffic is actually moving. ☝ with that in mind, is lane splitting really called filtering in Australia? 😮 just curious! Source: driving.ca/auto-news/news/motor-mouth-beyond-a-safety-issue-motorcycle-lane-filtering-benefits-everyone
@@BenDurham if the vehicles you're passing are doing less than 30kms an hour it's called filtering, which is legal but if they're doing more than 30kms an hour it's called lane splitting, which is illegal ☺
@@samb2318 Yep! I'm back in London, Canada now (instead of Toronto) and there's getting to be enough bike lanes, paths, and infrastructure that I no longer do this life-threatening trek. And more "regular people" will soon be able to get out of their cars and on to bicycles! :)
Very informative and inspiring! I am considering several commuter eBikes: the Gazelle Ultimate C380+, a Canyon Pathlite:ON model, or possibly a Riese & Muller. Living in Southern California, I am fairly confident that I can ride year-round, though having such a bike during the summer will allow me to get to work--about 6.5 miles one-way--without drenching with sweat!
Ooooo those are some great brands! I've since moved on from this DIY ebike and have riden iGO, Ride1Up, Biktrix, and Rad Power bikes. All of them are great! But out of your choices, Gazelle and Riese & Muller are my votes! The London Bicycle Cafe carries them here in London, Ontario but I'd recommend test riding them before purchasing just because of the high price tag. I LOVE the internal gear hubs and the slick suspension and low maintenance of the majority of those two brands' lineups. AMA if you have questions :)
Hi Ben, I live in Montreal and have been using my eBike all year long! I have been filming my rides and will certainly upload some videos soon. I may reach out to talk more about this!
Your video was very informative. I am waiting for my radcity step thru and I plan to commute. I was thinking I’d only commute during good weather (Wisconsin) but you have inspired me!
You can do it! But even if you only ride on "nice" days, it's still an amazing way to get out of your car, public transit, etc. So relaxing! We were considering the RadCity step-thru but just went with a Biktrix Swift (my partner's) and Ride1Up 500 series (mine) within the last 3 months. Similar and great! You'll love it!! Have fun!
I guess having my normal bike stolen out. of our condo parkade. That is the biggest concerns with expensive E bikes. I am not sure of the remedy;. If thieves want it bad enough.? Watching other videos. I have purchased a chain with alarm. Looks like yours works well... Thanks.
Bike theft sucks. That's a fact. My thinking is "keep the bike looking as bad as possible" but even after a few cheap upgrades since this video (less duct tape now), it looks better. That's not great for my plan! I guess I'll make a video guide on "how to prevent bike theft" within the next 6 months! But I'll list a few things here for you: 1. never use a cable lock (chains or u-locks instead) 2. skewer locks for your wheels are key! (ie. pinhead) 3. don't leave your bike where there aren't eyes. ie. not in a parkade where a thief can take as long as (s)he wants and not be disturbed. In your house, apartment, or garage would be best. 4. make it undesirable (previously talked about) 5. take the battery with you (for ebikes) 6. bike/ebike insurance is a thing. I don't have it on this one but I will get it if I ever upgrade to a $2-4k great-looking ebike! Good luck and cheers!
Check out the Amego Infinite as well. It's comparable to the Rad City but Amego's store is in Toronto and I think it's better value for the money. You can get great reviews of them both on Electric Bike Review's website and UA-cam channel.
Great job! Bike is the way to go, especially in big cities. In Scotland taxis and cyclysts are allowed to ride in bus lanes. Idea for a video if you haven't done it already - buy electric bike vs build it yourself; cost, labor calc, is it worth it etc.
Great to hear! I've become a bit less aggressive on the road (lane filtering now instead of lane splitting). How long is your new bike-commuting time when compared to your previous car-commute?
I've been working from home for nearly two years. Before that I commuted about half the time (12 miles one way) on a Juiced (fat tire) bike. We have bike lanes and paths so that my commute is probably a little safer than yours (except for the last mile that is a 45 mpg 1 lane road)
Great video Ben! I've been really into the idea of getting an e-bike, but haven't found the need since I am always DOWNTOWN Montreal, and I just use Bixi, which has the convenience of being able to choose a different commute home/security. But I was curious, how much do you use the throttle vs. pedalling? Also, is it possible to set up your DIY e-bike as a pedal-assist vs. throttle?
Hey John! Yeah Bixi is great when downtown and might easily be cheaper than owning a bike (depending on the monthly plans). When I lived there, I found myself going everywhere around the city... so having my own e-bike was like having a car! I have a full section on my throttle vs peddling in my blog post here: bendurham.ca/transportation/ebikes/diy-ebike-4500km-update-october-2018/ The TL;DR version is I'm peddling all the time and use the motor to help me along. You can install cadence or toque sensors as well, but my bike's gears aren't in good enough condition for that haha. Another comment below mentioned Voltbikes and Sparkbikes which are two Canadian e-bike brands for pretty cheap. RADbikes isn't the only one in the market, they just have great marketing haha!
I have to say upright bicycles really help with visibility but so do front and back lights along with reflectors. As cars approach, I also do a little weave so as to "dodge something in my lane that isn't actually there" but drivers give me a lot of space then!
Rad power bikes definitely has great marketing but there "are" a lot of other options out there too! Do consider supporting a local ebike shop - if only to have better servicing if anything goes wrong! But otherwise, radpowerbikes are really economically priced and hard to beat! :)
informative video. I am on process of getting my own ebike for commute to work. I just want to ask you how long is your commute one way? Im also from Toronto and my work is 29 km one way...
So yours is definitely a bit longer than mine! Mine is 7.3km one-way which takes me about 16-20 minutes while pedalling and motoring along. I just did a round trip from North York to downtown Toronto (a 35km roundtrip) and it was possible on my 13.5Ah battery, but I had to be a lot less aggressive with it than I normally am on my commute. You would definitely want to grab a second charger for your workplace! I found that in the winter, if you carry your charger, the cords tend to crack while in panniers/backpacks because of the cold. One thing to note though: I have a direct drive hub motor which is apparently less efficient than mid-drive motors, so your mileage may vary with other ebike models! Let me know what you end up going with! Cheers.
Nice video Ben. I just bought two new Aventon Level E bikes. They look brand new and will be targets for thieves. I have bought lots of locks but because they are just for recreation and not commuting I should be able to hang on to them.
Thanks! Oooo yeah I was looking at those too! And they look suspiciously similar to the Ride1Up frames 😜 - but I'm assuming with more customer service and actual locations haha! My advice for your situation: make sure you either have ebike insurance or make sure your house/tenant insurance would cover theft of your 2 ebikes! I know that one of my partner's friends was targeted and had their 2 regular bicycle stolen from a locked up shed outside during broad daylight in 2018 when they were out at work! 😢 Two good-quality locks gives you some comfort if you're grocery shopping or stopping in at a cafe or whatnot on your recreational rides! Just be warry if you have quick-release tires and lock both tires up along with the frame 👍
Upgrade to a 52 volt em3ev battery and balance charge to 80% They extend the battery life three times, give more motor rpm and much safer with cell level fuses.
From what other people have said over on the reddit thread of this video, I should probably expect another two years out of this battery. I've eyed the 52v batteries! This one has a bunch of life left in it though, so I'll just kill this one first and THEN look for another one. Great suggestion though!
Oh no! yeah, my spokes came loose and one broke at around 12000km. I just got a whole new replacement wheel off of eBay for CAD $300. Sold the previous one for $50 just so I didn't need to deal with the very specific short eBike spokes. Other than that, hub motors are TANKS and I haven't had the actual motor fail... ever.
The battery was a 14Ah shark pack from LunaCycle. The bike frame was an old department store Raleigh mountain bike I had laying around. I advise using one with disk brakes, though!
Great video and cool to see another commuter as stoked as I am too! Why not ride on the sidewalks where its avalible? I also ebike commute and feel like thats even safer. Laws be dammed, whos enforcing that one anyway? Maybe in Canada they do, im in Illinois and have never had an issue with it.
It's "technically" illegal, but it's also the case that most car-bike collisions happen when cyclists are biking on the sidewalk. I'll have to find that stat's source! But I also find it's a lot slower because there's a lot of foot traffic on the sidewalks and I don't want to injure any pedestrians D:
@@BenDurham Good points! In my case pedestrians are not really a thing, but that will varry depending where you live. I can absolutly understand sidewalks being the place where car-bike accidents happen the most since people almost always pull way out past the sidewalk to see before making a turn. Thinking of when I am driving a car how it never crosses my mind to check for oncoming bikes/people as I cross a sidewalk. Im sure this is the case for most drivers, unless you see someone there, you dont think of it. Having noticed this, I am vigalent to look way ahead for cars. I try to peak through bushes and stuff as I approach to get more notice. Watch peoples body language while they are driving. Dont look at what the cars doing, if you can see their wheel and hand position thats really the thing to watch. I do see how my point of view will not work in some settings though, it very much depends on the route and senario. Bike comuting isnt easy!! I think on lookers see us and think DUI lost his licence or cant afford a car. Not the case with many of us I bet!! I have a perfectly nice Subaru WRX in my garage, I just like money and not spending it on stupid gas!! :D Not only that, like you said its just so dam fun. Every day is like the mindset of going hiking instead of the midset of sitting in traffic! That has to be a win!
@@BenDurham I ride daily in the summer when I can. Where I am I find in residential I am safer on the sidewalks but when I get to the downtown core its better to be on the streets.
I’ve been looking into biking to work and I realize that I work too far away from home. I’d have to bike an hour both ways. By highway it’s only 15 minutes. That might be a lack of bike infrastructure but there’s not much I can do about that.
Awesome video, Ben. I definitely thought about being doored while lane splitting.☺️ I'm going to start ebike commuting soon. Thanks for sharing your experience!👍🏼
Hi Ben: All over the world the same. Traffic jams wherever one looks. How will we ever reach climate goals like that? Congrats to your 10'000 km! Battery, cells, motor, tires, equipment.... all this stuff would be very interesting to know. I doubt if RAD is the right choice. Too many issues. Not so reliable. Hassle with the service. And now 22" wheels for the new RAD Wagon. 22" tires the good and famous brand don't produce in the right dimensions/width. Better go for Yuba Mundo V5 and but your motor, battery and stuff. Nothing comes to steel frames...
I might do that in a few videos! I'm with you on the 22" wheels - they're a weird size. I love having 26" tires because they're cheap and common at every store!
Amazing videos Ben ! I really need to make a diy e bike that looks like trash as i work in random places as a carpenter, looking at the wheel motor on ebay its hard to know if its a good one or not, so many options and low review is your kit still there ? As for battery the Luna seems expensive but you always take it with you so getting it stolen is less of an issue...
Thanks! I've purchased 3 different wheels (links below) on eBay.ca for different builds. The good news is that hub motors are really simple and robust. Luna is good but also just re-branded batteries. If you have 30-60 day for shipping, check out: unitpackpowerebikebattery.aliexpress.com/ My girlfriend and I have purchased 2 batteries from them and they're legit! [2nd wheel, make sure you select "rear wheel"] www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-Front-Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-Conversion-Kit-E-Bike-Cycling-Motor/142603202235 [my 1st wheel, out of stock right now] Hub motor kits that I've purchased and are actively being used right now: www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-E-Bike-Conversion-Kit-Cycling-Motor-w-LCD/192262853830 [3rd most recent wheel but out of stock] www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-26-Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-LCD-Meter-Motor-Kit-ebike-Conversion/371289491857 ............. I should probably make a video on this. Just not sure what I'd call it lol.
@@BenDurham on that 3rd wheel, it says wheel + delevery is canadian 485$ , did you get any more fees with custom and taxes ? Im in Quebec so the shipping price should be similar. What size batterie did you get and what speed do you get ? Tried a mid drive norco ebike but you reach 32km pretty quick, i would not mind riding faster going to work :-) not sure if its against the lax. Is the connection simple with any e bike batterie ? Just plug and play ? Thx much !!
@@pierlucricher3376 Alright, I search up on eBay.ca using these queries: www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=48v%201000w%20electric%20bike%20kit&_sacat=0&_sop=15&_udlo=100&rt=nc&_udhi=600 And if I were to buy a new hub motor wheel now, I'd buy this one here: www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-26-Front-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-Kit-E-Bike-Cycling-Hub-Conversion/293649880207?epid=1340425193&hash=item445ee5948f:g:EKsAAOSwXQ1fD7Qc I didn't have to pay anything more than the price and shipping. Cheers and good luck!
@@BenDurham thx much! I will pick something soon i might even end up buying a Radmission from radpowerbikes as i dont have a proper bike for the the diy kit already. Will be 1400$ instead of 1000$ for the motor and battery but it should be hassle free and theres a rad bike shop in town if something goes wrong. Ill be limited to 32kmh sadly. Cannot unlock it with the basic display. The gear ratio match the hardest one on my road bike so i should be able to pedal a bit past 32kmh
@@pierlucricher3376 I'm all for the rad mission! If I were to do it again, that's what I'd buy (and pick up a spare battery for extended range). It looks like a dream! Just remember to get skewer locks and a good lock ( take it inside your home, even).
This was totaling my last year of biking at the time (including errands, previous commuting, etc). My commute in this video was about a 15km roundtrip, so exactly like yours! And I'm working from home now too... so I've only put about 1000km on in the last year or so. Honestly quite enjoyed that brisk morning commute to wake me up before work!
I totally relate. My ebike has me riding to places and distances I wouldn't achieve on a bicycle. I ride for the commute and chose to give up my car. I don't want to compete with the unknown cyclist in front of me I just want to enjoy riding.
*digital highfive!* EXACTLY! I ride it way more often and way further because I know I can put in the amount effort that I wanna! One less car on the road is totally worth it. How many km have you clocked on yours?
LOL I'm STILL using rim brakes to this day! I replace them every 4 or so months for $12. And for the last few months, my back brakes haven't been working so I definitely need to do some big maintenance jobs ASAP.
I'd seen those guys too. I think the RAD marketing team stole my gaze from other companies. I'll check them out again! Might be less expensive to not have to ship over the border either. Cheers to that!
Ben Durham I was first interested in a Rad Bike as well because they are all over my fb feed. I eventually went with the VoltBike Yukon. The fat tires are great in the snow but take getting used to if you’re accustomed to a regular bike. But the biggest upgrades from the Rad Rover are battery capacity (17ah vs 14ah), hydraulic disc brakes and included fenders and rear carrier.
Oh, and Voltbike has an ambassador program so you can get in touch with someone local who owns the bike for a test ride. So take it for a spin before buying!
Hello Ben. Greetings form Portugal. Since I decided to turn my bike on a e-Bike to my daily working commute I have been watching some UA-cam about the topic. Found you channel. My commute will be around 17km one way with some hill parts. How many kms is your daily commute?
Nice commute video! I know that area of North York well, but I admit I usually drive up, as I live near the lake. Two questions for you: 1) What is all the plastic and er, rubbish, on your bike? Is it just to make it look trashy or does it serve a function? 2) What are you doing with your voltmeters and spreadsheets? Seems a bit OCD, but I'm sure there's a method to it all!
Haha all the rubbish is for weather sealing and YES, definitely for making it look like rubbish as well! Peace of mind when I lock it up outside downtown
You have been able to ebike year round because we have been having exceptionally mild winters. I don't think lane splitting is legal, might want to check into that. Cudos for having the stones to ride Wilson. Have you ever tested your ebike on northbound Dufferin?
That's true because of climate change, yes. I have a few videos explaining how to bike throughout the winter. But even on the coldest of days, I biked every single day in winter 2018/2019/2020. Layers and good mittens are key! I'm STILL not sure lane splitting is legal (I think it's just a grey area). I've since switched to only lane filtering instead of lane splitting. Lane filtering is VERY safe, whereas lane splitting isn't. Wilson isn't horrible, although I would LOVE some cycling infrastructure added for East/West commuting (aside from the Finch Hydro Corridor). Yes! I head up and down Dufferin here and there. It's less than stellar but I've found that the motor makes it safer because I'm able to keep up a solid fast pace up the long, low-grade hill.
Hey mate great video. It's really got me intrigued. I'm not to tech smart with all the volts an amp hour stuff but what would you recommend for a big bloke looking to get maximum range? Is 36v and 13 ah good? With a 350 watt torque motor?
Honestly, there are so many different factors to consider. If you're talking big, like 200-300lbs, then I'd say you might want a 48v motor. But it also depends on your usage, routes (hills), weather, wind, distance, desired speed, and how much you actually want to pedal! Also, depending on where you are in the world, there are restrictions on motor wattages... which is really silly. The in the U.S., the wattage limit is 750W which is fairly reasonable. In the UK, it's 250W which is really silly. In Canada, it's right in the middle, at 500W. I have a 1000W motor but never utilize it all except for acceleration. As for 13Ah, that's what I have and I'm quite happy with it! If I'm pushing hard (like when commuting to work), I get less range out of it (20-30km) but if I'm going for a day-long bike around Toronto with my girlfriend, we made our 13Ah batteries last for over 60km with juice to spare! Totally based on all the factors above. Cheers!
@@BenDurham thanks mate I've been looking at the BBS02 Mid Drive Electric Bike Kit Bafang - B Series. I'm in a Australia and tge limit is 250 watt.. But I'm not gonna be using it for silly reasons like speed it's just for transport. Thanks for the reply Ben
Awesome video. I wondered if I can do the same in York region where motorists are more insane and being less tolerant to cyclist. Any suggestions on riding in harsh weather ?
Thanks! I'm in North York region and had biked every day to work before COVID hit. Taking the lane is something I do all the time now, especially in areas with less tolerance for cyclists. Yes! I have to make a more concise video on this but here are my in-depth tips! ua-cam.com/video/m_52VXDwgHg/v-deo.html
I don't get sweaty unless I want to get a nice workout in (some days)! I used to bike with no e-assist at all and would show up to work sweaty a few minutes early, bring some cloths and wipe down before getting into dress clothes. It somewhat worked but I definitely prefer the e-assist method. My way back home is a different story though. I like getting my sweat on and taking a nice shower when I get back home!
I find it interesting that Canadians call them panniers (which means bread basket) while Americans call them saddle-bags (even though it’s clearly not a saddle). I wonder where the difference comes from. I imagine it has something to do with pannier being a French-origin word and something something American cowboy yeehaw.
I wouldn't entirely recommend this setup nowadays, however, it's what I had at the time! Just a $100 Raleigh bike with rim brakes from around 15yrs ago with a LunaCycle Shark pack (14Ah 48v). 1000w hub motor from ebay. Now we're using some up-right, step-thru ones which are FANTASTIC! Specifically, the Ride1Up 500 step-thru and Natalia's is the Biktrix Swift step-through (I have a review on my channel of this one :) )
Depends on a lot of things (headwind or tailwind, Hills or flat, temperature, how fast I'm going, how much I'm peddling versus throttling, etc.) But I usually got around 50 to 100 km.
"I take the bus lane because there is no bike lane." Exactly why I am so glad I am not in TO but live in Montreal now for 20 years. Different mentality cars vs bikes and excellent bikeways. I feel sorry for you frankly having to commute in heavy traffic. Sooner or later you are going to get whacked. Find better routes if you can. Cheers from Montreal from an ex-Torontonian
Hey mate how long is your commute in miles and how much time does it usually take you to cover that time? We have a very similar riding style and i plan on bying an ebike so yours is going to be a decent measure.
My commute was around 7km (4.35 miles) and took around... 15-20 minutes, depending on stop lights! I have a video where I compared driving to ebiking the same route, too haha: ua-cam.com/video/173Nx-UXQuM/v-deo.html
I've ridden over 25,000 kilometers in 3 years on a low-speed electric bicycle (LSEB ). 95% recreational and 5% necessary transportation. Full suspension mid-drive ebike and trailer evolution: photos.app.goo.gl/wP8vs7T5hLpNjSBX8
Holy fricken bajeepers! I thought my bike was a beast but yours is a true BEAST! How many Ah is that battery pack and what's the wattage of the mid-drive motor? And what sort of range do you get? And its cost? SO MANY QUESTIONS!
@@BenDurham I have 3 30Ah lithium triangle packs. The mid-drive is a BBSHD 1000W 1.34 h.p. motor. The range can vary drastically as I am sure you can understand... there are so many variables. With a single pack on a fully loaded touring bike pulling the trailer I can get 70 miles with a few thousand feet of elevation. The motor, battery, input control, and a Grin Satiator cost about $2000.00 and can be added to almost any bike. Find the perfect bike for you and make it an ebike. My perfect bike cost over 9K to start... and that's without the trailer and any gear. 10 May 20 - 100 miles. www.relive.cc/view/vMv85EGzYNO photos.app.goo.gl/9ZbuKQNWsHtRH3Ft7 prnt.sc/sw0igi
@@BenDurham indeed, let alone £1800 on insurance in a year, £1300 petrol, and likely over £1000 in maintenance and something on repair for sure, and I’m comparing to 125cc motorcycle. I’ve been using motorcycle for the last 2 years, and at the moment I’m really considering converting a bike with a big range and a throttle. All my 13000 miles in a year has been done on a mid drive pedal assist only, having a throttle would make my life so much easier. I’m on the lookout now for a good comfortable pedal bike, and will slowly start making it into a delivery ebike with a huge battery and throttle.
@@LeontheKiller11 consider the Biktrix Swift Step-Thru with a 21Ah battery! It's 1000w and amazing. I have a full video review of that bike on my channel, if ya want all the details! It can hit 45kmph or so!
@@BenDurham thanks I’m in uk so already made ebikes are rubish. 250w max, 15mph max and throttle illegal. Got to build with a kit electric bike if you fancy a good one
@@LeontheKiller11 Hi, I’m in UK as well and I want to get my first ebike this summer. I got a 20 km commute to work one way. I was considering buying an already made ebike like the cannondale one, but it’s only 250w. From your experience what is the best option in UK for an ebike? And can you tell me more about building with a kit electric bike?
This is a 100% custom DIY e-bike (done with a conversion kit off of eBay). It's a regular bicycle with a battery screwed into the water bottle mount and a direct-drive hub motor on the rear wheel. It's purposefully horrible looking because then I don't have to worry AT ALL about theft haha!
My bike is fully DIY and is built on a Raleigh bicycle frame from Canadian Tire that is 12 years old and the 1000w hub motor is off of eBay for about $300 CAD and the batteries (I have two now for fun) are from Luna Cycle and AliExpress (both 48v 14Ah). ONE WAS $500 (2020) CAD and the other was $600 (2018). The fenders were about $50 at MEC.
Yeah I just started commuting on this little scooter the Des about 60 miles an hour too much fun I'm thinking a bike might be safer you might want to check out those helmets with the rear view cameras awesome looking but a little expensive I got to admit but safety first right good luck love the video outstanding pass up that gas station every chance you get.
Wowzers! Are you sure you're hitting 60 MPH / 100 KPH? If so, make sure you're suited up with motorcycle gear otherwise you could end up donating that to the road. A and e-bicycle is less powerful for sure, but allows you to do all the pedestrian things without getting in trouble! Like easily using bike lanes and paths, lane splitting, using the sidewalk (slowly) when there's too much traffic, crossing with pedestrians, etc. As for the rear-view helmet, I've seen them before for motorbikes... but I might just replace my broken Mirrycle mirror (they're great)!
I have a whole other video on that :) the TL;DW is I bike anyway. It's rarely a big deal and often times if it's raining hard, you just wait 30 minutes and BAM - it's all cleared up. Link to that video: ua-cam.com/video/m_52VXDwgHg/v-deo.html I might make a shorter, more concise video in the future but for now, that's what I've got for you :p
Charging to 100% needlessly is actually pretty bad for your battery. Whenever you can, keep your battery charged between 30 and 80%! You'll get a A LOT more life outta your Li-Ion batteries (which includes your cell phones)!
That's where I got my first 14Ah battery (the one in this video)! Once I got a spare duplicate off of AliExpress, I realized that LunaCycle's battery's polarity was swapped resulting in a few short circuits. Luckily both BMS were functioning properly and I was able to take the LunaCycle battery apart and swap the + and -. Other than that, I've had no problems with that battery! As for their actual products, they definitely seem to be a lot more expensive than RADpowerbikes alternatives. As in, everything on lunacycle.com/e-bikes is an additional 1/3 or 1/2 when compared with RAD. Thoughts?
@@BenDurham So are you saying that the RAD bikes are better than the Luna Cycles bikes. I watch a video of a guy that put a newer controller on his rad bike to give it way better power and performance but what is the cost of that. That is something you would have to do to get it anywhere near the power of the Luna cycles bike (2000 watts)
Lol what. Do you realize how much vehicles cost? Why would I want a Porsche when I could invest in the stock market with all the savings? And all that "wasted time" biking is quite lovely, spent in not-traffic.
@@NomadFM I can't tell if you're joking or not but I really, really don't care about cars and would invest that $600 per day into appreciating assets or into my community - not into silly depreciating assets.
All's good! I'd say you don't have to be as "crazy" with the lane splitting etc. If there's bicycle infrastructure on your route, take that! It's so nice to be separated from cars!
@@BenDurham The wierest thing is I hated the idea of riding in traffic, but actually, at rush hour when its heaviest, its barely moving. On the bike, Im the fastest thing on the road so I feel much safer. Just watch out for impatient drivers.
I personally love the idea of commuting by bike, but I would not ride with cars. We need better bike infrastructure or bikes will not catch on with your average person.
Best way to figure out it your commute could be done with seeing the fewest amount of car would be to do a "test bike commute" on a weekend and see how many trails/bike lanes/sidewalks you can find. Let me know if you've figured out a way! If you're in Toronto, maybe I can even help make a route for you, ie. from a nearby landmark to another nearby landmark for privacy reasons (and make it into a video, of course 😜)
I've since figured out the difference between lane splitting (moving along with traffic and passing while traffic is moving) and lane filtering (going past completely stand-still traffic)! I now only filter because, yes, lane splitting is fairly dangerous. Lane filtering is perfectly safe though, and improves traffic congestion.
I too have stacked up more mileage on an ebike then you have over the last few years but 99% of it has been recreational, not a daily work commute. I kind of pity you in a way because you undoubtedly look at riding in a different light than I do, like a daily dose of good-tasting medicine. Another thing you have missed out on is what an ebike can be without the unsuspended hub-motor and micro-batteries, but then your bike isn't suspended at all, or have front panniers, a dynamo-hub, great gearing... I could go on and on. Yes, daily commuting on an ebike can be the best part of the day, but just think what it is for us that have been doing more than riding a bike to work and back. Living off your bike for multiple thousands of miles over months, even years is a totally different world... you should try it and see what you're missing. Ride safe.
I occasionally head out for recreational cycling but 95% of my e-biking is commuting, yep! My girlfriend and I have spent whole weekends biking around downtown Toronto on our e-bikes for recreation though :) Haven't done any touring with them yet though!
I've started being a tad bit safe - only lane filtering, not lane splitting anymore. But biking infrastructure "is" getting better in downtown Toronto now that COVID has instigated it. Unfortunately that's not near my commute! Where are you and what's your cycling infrastructure like?
True say, lane filtering is fine but lane splitting like I was doing is definitely something I've stopped doing. Proper infrastructure works wonders on changing people's behaviors!
According to UA-cam analytics, there are a lot more people watching biking videos in the last few months. If you're one of those people and you want to know more or see more of something, ask me and I'll see what I can do! Cheers :)
ebike advice! is it better to buy a 1999+ $ or DIY route on a 600$ bike. I'm in Toronto!
IMHO, if you're handy and can wait about a month for an eBay hub motor (CAD $300'ish) and an AliExpress battery (CAD $300-600), the DIY kit would save you about $500-1000 (after tax). But if you're a first time e-bike builder, or don't have a garage or place inside that you can build the DIY e-bike, I'd say it might be better to buy a pre-built one. Plus, if anything goes wonky with the pre-build store-bought e-bike, the local shop can usually help you out. That's not the case with DIY e-bikes and you're left to figure it out on your own.
I've had a few issues here and there over the last 3 years with my e-bike (nothing that I couldn't fix though) and if I were to do it over again, I think I'd buy one from a store.
@@BenDurham Thank you so much for the answer! I'm loving your videos! perfect tips!
How much miles/km do you commute one way ?
@@mustafabozan2133 Thought I answered this, whoops! This commute was 7km each way. I now have a similar commute in London, Canada but it's A LOT more chill and there are bike lanes for 70% of it!
I’ve been doing this for months on my ebike it’s a vibe man I hate taking my truck anywhere now I have the bike in to be tuned up and I’m like bummed I have to use my truck for 2 day
I have to admit you are brave in the traffic. I have done 10,000 kms in last 18mths but only on bike paths/footpaths. For me staying away from the tintops relieves all the stress
I've become a bit more cautious but I still bike on the roads only because there isn't often any cycling infrastructure on my routes. Last week had me on 80% cycle paths and trails though! I have to say it's infinitely less stressful!! ♥
Fantastic, love the homebrewn bike. I commute with an e-bike about 12.000 km a year, all year round in southern Sweden. Works well and no serious mishaps.
OMG WHAT. 12,000KM A YEAR? That's SO IMPRESSIVE! What are the biggest mishaps that you've had and what type of e-bike do you ride?
@@BenDurham I'm using a Riese & Müller class 3 bike. Sure costs like a small car but I don't mind, it is a true car replacement. Really had no issues with the bike itself so far, everything just keeps working. It has the Gates carbon belt so it's been truly maintenance free. Worn out some tires but so far no punctures.
How is your self-built bike working in the long term? I like the DIY factor and that you can get a decent bike for a very low cost.
I also only use my bike for commuting. I've been doing this since 2016. I've cycled about 15,000 km.
Wowsers that's AWESOME! So cool how so many people can rack up the km just by biking to work!
I get my ebike in 3 weeks. I just sold my construction company and am left with a dodge ram 2500 and have no need for it on any given day. I have been racing bikes for a long time and think this is the only obvious next step. I ordered the aventon aventure and am super pumped. Enjoyed the video and I am definitely a new sub. Keep it up, I look forward to more videos.
Really enjoyed the video. I got the Rad City last Spring and put 3200k on it commuting and recreational riding during the past year. It’s down in the basement now because we have way too much snow in St. John’s to manage year-round riding. Can’t wait to get back at it this spring!
Storing it away for the winter is fair! I hope you'll be taking it out soon though (if you haven't already)! It's a great way to abide phyisical distancing measures whilst avoiding cabin fever! :)
Nice video Ben, where did you get the dual kickstand?
Our routine is identical! I'm saving for my first ebike but need it to be foldable so I can take it on the tram. I've been car free for 8 months and love cycling my bike to work! Great video!!
Ooo yay! How long is your commute? That's actually been my biggest struggle so far: getting this ebike in the car. Having a foldable one would be amazing and soooo helpful. Especially for two foldable bikes (one per partner) in one Nissan Versa hatchback!
@@BenDurham I'm lucky, I currently only have a 10-15 minute commute but I'm looking for an ebike as I'm moving soon so will be commuting about 30 mins. Keep up the great work and I look forward to watching some more of your videos :)
Last year, I traded in my car park at work, and upgraded my mountain bike with an e-Bike kit. Not as efficient as a dedicated commuter, but I can do trails as well as road (only got road tyres on right now though). My work commute is about 12KM, but I live at the top of a hill. On my "Acoustic Bike" I could ride in to work in about 35 minutes, but riding home took 50minutes+ because of the hill. Our local bus company added bike racks to the bus, which I used on wet days. However, once I electrified, I use the bike ALL THE TIME, my work commute evens out about 20 minutes each way now. Much faster than driving at rush hour. Ive got nearly 3000K on the clock for it now. The only times I generally use the car is when Ive got the family with me, and for trips over 60Km (well outside the bikes battery range) and for my martial arts classes (Historical European Martial Arts) where Ive got a bit of gear to take - padded armour and swords which are impractical to take on my bike.
Ooooo that's AWESOME to hear! And right?! There's a time and place for driving for sure and we obviously drive when it doesn't make sense (going to and from other cities)... but if you've already put 3000km on your ebike, then it has DEFINITELY been worth it!! That's like 7.5 gas tank refills so far (accounting for 400km per tank if you're getting rubbish L/100KM in stop-and-go traffic)!
@@BenDurham And not just the fuel - I was paying NZ$3000 a year for a carpark. Saving that paid for the bike straight away.
@@TheChromeRonin THERE WE GO - huge saveings!! Not to mention associated maintenance, initial purchase price of another car (now delayed by many more years because of fewer KMs put on your car)
I live in Tasmania and , I have similar ideal to You , Love riding past the stopped traffic , and yes I play safe !
I ride and Avanti E Bike so far 5,000 km with no issues !
Just checked out Avanti - they look great! Here's to another 5,000 km! Cheers
Enjoyed. My nephew loved Toronto and biking. He rented a car if necessary. I am moving eventually to Edmonton. Live in a River Valley. Looking forward to the new world of E Biking. Thanks. Fun Video.
I lived in a small town near edmonton in 2014! I definitely needed a car there BUT if you're in core edmonton, you might not need one. There's a lot more cycling infrastructure that's taken shape since I was last there... and ebiking makes distancing much shorter and more doable!
If you're planning on biking in the winter, check out some of my winter biking / frostbiking tip videos - it's totally possible!
I have around 4894 miles on my ebike from commuting into Philadelphia, PA.
Oooo how long is your commute and what are the conditions like typically? 7876 km is A LOT! Gratz!
How do you deal with punctures do you use tyre liners or slime or just change the inner tube ?
So punctures really suck and I always carried a patch kit... but removing the back wheel was actually the worst thing ever 😭 Since getting a Ride1Up 500 and Biktrix Swift Step-Thru (my partner's), we haven't had a single flat for the last 10 or so months! Must be the tires. And knowing that it's possible to have no flats for this long makes any future tire purchase easy: tire liners or super-durable tires! It's worth any cost to me now because of the reliability!
Great video. Where can I buy those cargo bags in the side of your back tires?? How do they hold up in place???
Those are called Panniers! There's a lot of different attachment mechanisms but search up Panniers and have fun hunting!
You probably don't need a waterproof one either. I have a video about that on my channel.
Thankyou for your reply. Appreciated. I should have researched more before the deed was done. Mine was in a bike stand with a lot of other bikes. I guess they liked mine although I thought there were some comparable so less appealing is a thing. I look forward to more you tubes.
Wait, sounds like it got stolen - did it? 😱
Thankyou. I have the trail guide for bicycles and it gets me most places. I have bags now so should be able to do some of my shopping as well. I suppose my biggest concern is bike theft.
How's it been going so far? Is you bike still secure?
Awesome video. I've been bike commuting for the last 3 years and have logged over 8,000 miles. I occasionally drive my car when the weather is really bad. I can't imagine going back to driving. Despite the number of times I've been advised how I'm taking my life in my hands with all of the crazy drivers, I feel like it's very safe. I wish more people would ride their bikes. There'd a whole lot less stressed out people if they did.
Regarding getting a Rad Power Bikes e-bike...oddly enough, I started commuting on a regular mountain bike, then I converted it to a DIY e-bike and about 8 months ago, I bought a RadCity from Rad Power Bikes. I've put about 1500 miles on it to day. It's the perfect commuter bike in my opinion.
That's about the same amount of time and distance that I've been bike commuting now too. Cheers to that!
Safety is always my number one concern and I'm always hoping not to encounter drivers who think they own the road. I would absolutely LOVE not to have to ride with traffic and would 100% take cycling infrastructure if it existed in North York (just North of Toronto). But for now, the electric assist helps me accelerate faster and keep up a high speed so as to not annoy drivers!
I have a video on driving vs biking to work actually! I totally agree with the stress of driving 🎬👉 ua-cam.com/video/173Nx-UXQuM/v-deo.html
Even now I still consider getting something like the RadCity - and now even the RadMission (freshly released). But I just purchased another 14Ah battery so my battery range with both is HUGE. So I'll be sticking with my horrible-looking DIY ebike for quite a long while now. Future video on that coming soon hopefully :)
9:48 that place is right at my house lol. Btw why u only charge your bike for only 30min-1 hours only ?
Same! I live quite close to there. Cheers, neighbor! As for the 30-80% charges, this article explains it quite well (gearpatrol.com/2020/06/17/smartphone-lithium-ion-charging-tips/) but basically, e-bikes use the same lithium-ion composition as you'd find in you phone or laptop. Lithium-ion batteries last longer if you only charge them to 80% and don't let them drop under 30%. AccuBattery (play store app) does a great job of showing your the various "ware cycles" your phone experiences depending on what percentage you charge your phone at - same for big e-bike batteries!
I still charge it to 100% for longer trips though.... but I've been using it for nearly 3 years and it's still going strong with more than 1500 cycles (because of battery maintenance)!
Well done! Incentivises me to ride more.
Glad to hear it! Get out and ride!
In Australia we call lane splitting , filtering ; weird but true fact.
Good work .
I learned last year that “filtering” is the act of riding your two-wheeler between cars when they are parked at a red light. It is not to be mistaken for “lane-splitting” which involves the same activity - again, riding between cars - when traffic is actually moving.
☝ with that in mind, is lane splitting really called filtering in Australia? 😮 just curious!
Source: driving.ca/auto-news/news/motor-mouth-beyond-a-safety-issue-motorcycle-lane-filtering-benefits-everyone
En México le decimos ratonear 🐭🧀
@@BenDurham if the vehicles you're passing are doing less than 30kms an hour it's called filtering, which is legal but if they're doing more than 30kms an hour it's called lane splitting, which is illegal ☺
@@samb2318 Yep! I'm back in London, Canada now (instead of Toronto) and there's getting to be enough bike lanes, paths, and infrastructure that I no longer do this life-threatening trek. And more "regular people" will soon be able to get out of their cars and on to bicycles! :)
Very informative and inspiring! I am considering several commuter eBikes: the Gazelle Ultimate C380+, a Canyon Pathlite:ON model, or possibly a Riese & Muller. Living in Southern California, I am fairly confident that I can ride year-round, though having such a bike during the summer will allow me to get to work--about 6.5 miles one-way--without drenching with sweat!
Ooooo those are some great brands! I've since moved on from this DIY ebike and have riden iGO, Ride1Up, Biktrix, and Rad Power bikes. All of them are great!
But out of your choices, Gazelle and Riese & Muller are my votes! The London Bicycle Cafe carries them here in London, Ontario but I'd recommend test riding them before purchasing just because of the high price tag. I LOVE the internal gear hubs and the slick suspension and low maintenance of the majority of those two brands' lineups.
AMA if you have questions :)
Hi Ben, I live in Montreal and have been using my eBike all year long! I have been filming my rides and will certainly upload some videos soon. I may reach out to talk more about this!
Sounds awesome! Which steed are you riding? And which camera? I've since switched to a GoPro hero 7 and its stabilization is AMAZING!
Your video was very informative. I am waiting for my radcity step thru and I plan to commute. I was thinking I’d only commute during good weather (Wisconsin) but you have inspired me!
You can do it! But even if you only ride on "nice" days, it's still an amazing way to get out of your car, public transit, etc. So relaxing!
We were considering the RadCity step-thru but just went with a Biktrix Swift (my partner's) and Ride1Up 500 series (mine) within the last 3 months. Similar and great! You'll love it!! Have fun!
Nice video and entertaining style! Happy riding!
Thanks - 'twas fun to make! Cheers
I guess having my normal bike stolen out. of our condo parkade. That is the biggest concerns with expensive E bikes. I am not sure of the remedy;. If thieves want it bad enough.? Watching other videos. I have purchased a chain with alarm. Looks like yours works well... Thanks.
Bike theft sucks. That's a fact. My thinking is "keep the bike looking as bad as possible" but even after a few cheap upgrades since this video (less duct tape now), it looks better. That's not great for my plan! I guess I'll make a video guide on "how to prevent bike theft" within the next 6 months! But I'll list a few things here for you:
1. never use a cable lock (chains or u-locks instead)
2. skewer locks for your wheels are key! (ie. pinhead)
3. don't leave your bike where there aren't eyes. ie. not in a parkade where a thief can take as long as (s)he wants and not be disturbed. In your house, apartment, or garage would be best.
4. make it undesirable (previously talked about)
5. take the battery with you (for ebikes)
6. bike/ebike insurance is a thing. I don't have it on this one but I will get it if I ever upgrade to a $2-4k great-looking ebike!
Good luck and cheers!
I E bikes are great I live in Vancouver bc.And in traffic they give you advantage over the car,good video.
Yes, they do! When there's traffic, they're the solution. Especially in Vancouver, where it's so bike-friendly. I'm jealous!
Check out the Amego Infinite as well. It's comparable to the Rad City but Amego's store is in Toronto and I think it's better value for the money. You can get great reviews of them both on Electric Bike Review's website and UA-cam channel.
I'll definitely check them out! Maybe I'll do a "where can you get an e-bike in Toronto" video. Who knows!
Great job! Bike is the way to go, especially in big cities. In Scotland taxis and cyclysts are allowed to ride in bus lanes. Idea for a video if you haven't done it already - buy electric bike vs build it yourself; cost, labor calc, is it worth it etc.
Great idea! I think I'll do that, come the spring :)
This was really helpful to see
Glad to hear it!
Hi Ben, I really enjoyed watching your video. You are inspiring!
Woot woot! Thanks! I'm glad I can inspire others 😊
Great video... I commute by bicycle to work because my car was to expensive to maintain.
Great to hear! I've become a bit less aggressive on the road (lane filtering now instead of lane splitting).
How long is your new bike-commuting time when compared to your previous car-commute?
I've been working from home for nearly two years. Before that I commuted about half the time (12 miles one way) on a Juiced (fat tire) bike. We have bike lanes and paths so that my commute is probably a little safer than yours (except for the last mile that is a 45 mpg 1 lane road)
Great video Ben! I've been really into the idea of getting an e-bike, but haven't found the need since I am always DOWNTOWN Montreal, and I just use Bixi, which has the convenience of being able to choose a different commute home/security. But I was curious, how much do you use the throttle vs. pedalling? Also, is it possible to set up your DIY e-bike as a pedal-assist vs. throttle?
Hey John! Yeah Bixi is great when downtown and might easily be cheaper than owning a bike (depending on the monthly plans). When I lived there, I found myself going everywhere around the city... so having my own e-bike was like having a car!
I have a full section on my throttle vs peddling in my blog post here: bendurham.ca/transportation/ebikes/diy-ebike-4500km-update-october-2018/
The TL;DR version is I'm peddling all the time and use the motor to help me along. You can install cadence or toque sensors as well, but my bike's gears aren't in good enough condition for that haha.
Another comment below mentioned Voltbikes and Sparkbikes which are two Canadian e-bike brands for pretty cheap. RADbikes isn't the only one in the market, they just have great marketing haha!
I wear a safety vest and it’s a game changer, last year I didn’t wear one and it was like cars didn’t see me
I have to say upright bicycles really help with visibility but so do front and back lights along with reflectors. As cars approach, I also do a little weave so as to "dodge something in my lane that isn't actually there" but drivers give me a lot of space then!
Considering a rad , step through. Presently commuting on a Rocky Mountain ,cruiser.
Rad power bikes definitely has great marketing but there "are" a lot of other options out there too! Do consider supporting a local ebike shop - if only to have better servicing if anything goes wrong! But otherwise, radpowerbikes are really economically priced and hard to beat! :)
informative video. I am on process of getting my own ebike for commute to work. I just want to ask you how long is your commute one way? Im also from Toronto and my work is 29 km one way...
So yours is definitely a bit longer than mine! Mine is 7.3km one-way which takes me about 16-20 minutes while pedalling and motoring along. I just did a round trip from North York to downtown Toronto (a 35km roundtrip) and it was possible on my 13.5Ah battery, but I had to be a lot less aggressive with it than I normally am on my commute.
You would definitely want to grab a second charger for your workplace! I found that in the winter, if you carry your charger, the cords tend to crack while in panniers/backpacks because of the cold.
One thing to note though: I have a direct drive hub motor which is apparently less efficient than mid-drive motors, so your mileage may vary with other ebike models!
Let me know what you end up going with! Cheers.
Thanks enjoyed your vid. Got my Tern HSD cargo ebike mid Apr 2021. And so far done just over 600mls cycling Mon to Fri 😀🇬🇧👍
That's AWESOME! We've since gotten two step-thru ebikes and have also put 980km on each as of yesterday! :)
Nice video Ben. I just bought two new Aventon Level E bikes. They look brand new and will be targets for thieves. I have bought lots of locks but because they are just for recreation and not commuting I should be able to hang on to them.
Thanks! Oooo yeah I was looking at those too! And they look suspiciously similar to the Ride1Up frames 😜 - but I'm assuming with more customer service and actual locations haha!
My advice for your situation: make sure you either have ebike insurance or make sure your house/tenant insurance would cover theft of your 2 ebikes! I know that one of my partner's friends was targeted and had their 2 regular bicycle stolen from a locked up shed outside during broad daylight in 2018 when they were out at work! 😢
Two good-quality locks gives you some comfort if you're grocery shopping or stopping in at a cafe or whatnot on your recreational rides! Just be warry if you have quick-release tires and lock both tires up along with the frame 👍
Upgrade to a 52 volt em3ev battery and balance charge to 80% They extend the battery life three times, give more motor rpm and much safer with cell level fuses.
From what other people have said over on the reddit thread of this video, I should probably expect another two years out of this battery. I've eyed the 52v batteries! This one has a bunch of life left in it though, so I'll just kill this one first and THEN look for another one. Great suggestion though!
@@BenDurham Definitely get a spare battery as they can take months delivery and fail with no warning.
Motor just conked out after 9000km but was two weeks within warranty so I got a new one :)
Oh no! yeah, my spokes came loose and one broke at around 12000km. I just got a whole new replacement wheel off of eBay for CAD $300. Sold the previous one for $50 just so I didn't need to deal with the very specific short eBike spokes. Other than that, hub motors are TANKS and I haven't had the actual motor fail... ever.
@@BenDurham Ah ok mine is mid drive so may not be so robust,cool vid by the way dude
Hi Ben, which bike and battery are you using?
The battery was a 14Ah shark pack from LunaCycle.
The bike frame was an old department store Raleigh mountain bike I had laying around. I advise using one with disk brakes, though!
Great video and cool to see another commuter as stoked as I am too! Why not ride on the sidewalks where its avalible? I also ebike commute and feel like thats even safer. Laws be dammed, whos enforcing that one anyway? Maybe in Canada they do, im in Illinois and have never had an issue with it.
It's "technically" illegal, but it's also the case that most car-bike collisions happen when cyclists are biking on the sidewalk. I'll have to find that stat's source! But I also find it's a lot slower because there's a lot of foot traffic on the sidewalks and I don't want to injure any pedestrians D:
@@BenDurham Good points! In my case pedestrians are not really a thing, but that will varry depending where you live. I can absolutly understand sidewalks being the place where car-bike accidents happen the most since people almost always pull way out past the sidewalk to see before making a turn. Thinking of when I am driving a car how it never crosses my mind to check for oncoming bikes/people as I cross a sidewalk. Im sure this is the case for most drivers, unless you see someone there, you dont think of it. Having noticed this, I am vigalent to look way ahead for cars. I try to peak through bushes and stuff as I approach to get more notice. Watch peoples body language while they are driving. Dont look at what the cars doing, if you can see their wheel and hand position thats really the thing to watch. I do see how my point of view will not work in some settings though, it very much depends on the route and senario. Bike comuting isnt easy!! I think on lookers see us and think DUI lost his licence or cant afford a car. Not the case with many of us I bet!! I have a perfectly nice Subaru WRX in my garage, I just like money and not spending it on stupid gas!! :D Not only that, like you said its just so dam fun. Every day is like the mindset of going hiking instead of the midset of sitting in traffic! That has to be a win!
@@BenDurham I ride daily in the summer when I can. Where I am I find in residential I am safer on the sidewalks but when I get to the downtown core its better to be on the streets.
I’ve been looking into biking to work and I realize that I work too far away from home. I’d have to bike an hour both ways. By highway it’s only 15 minutes.
That might be a lack of bike infrastructure but there’s not much I can do about that.
An e-bike might be able to cut that down to half an hour which seems very reasonable!
Awesome video, Ben. I definitely thought about being doored while lane splitting.☺️
I'm going to start ebike commuting soon. Thanks for sharing your experience!👍🏼
Hopefully, where ever you are they start getting bike infrastructure going! It REALLY helps with all the safety!
How did this go did your ebike hold up
Hi Ben:
All over the world the same. Traffic jams wherever one looks. How will we ever reach climate goals like that?
Congrats to your 10'000 km!
Battery, cells, motor, tires, equipment.... all this stuff would be very interesting to know.
I doubt if RAD is the right choice. Too many issues. Not so reliable. Hassle with the service. And now 22" wheels for the new RAD Wagon. 22" tires the good and famous brand don't produce in the right dimensions/width.
Better go for Yuba Mundo V5 and but your motor, battery and stuff. Nothing comes to steel frames...
I might do that in a few videos! I'm with you on the 22" wheels - they're a weird size. I love having 26" tires because they're cheap and common at every store!
What motor do you use?
I maaaaay or may not use a 1000w hub motor! I rarly achieve high speeds because I just use it to enhance my pedal strokes.
Amazing videos Ben ! I really need to make a diy e bike that looks like trash as i work in random places as a carpenter, looking at the wheel motor on ebay its hard to know if its a good one or not, so many options and low review is your kit still there ? As for battery the Luna seems expensive but you always take it with you so getting it stolen is less of an issue...
Thanks! I've purchased 3 different wheels (links below) on eBay.ca for different builds. The good news is that hub motors are really simple and robust. Luna is good but also just re-branded batteries. If you have 30-60 day for shipping, check out: unitpackpowerebikebattery.aliexpress.com/
My girlfriend and I have purchased 2 batteries from them and they're legit!
[2nd wheel, make sure you select "rear wheel"] www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-Front-Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-Conversion-Kit-E-Bike-Cycling-Motor/142603202235
[my 1st wheel, out of stock right now] Hub motor kits that I've purchased and are actively being used right now:
www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-E-Bike-Conversion-Kit-Cycling-Motor-w-LCD/192262853830
[3rd most recent wheel but out of stock]
www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-26-Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-LCD-Meter-Motor-Kit-ebike-Conversion/371289491857
............. I should probably make a video on this. Just not sure what I'd call it lol.
@@BenDurham on that 3rd wheel, it says wheel + delevery is canadian 485$ , did you get any more fees with custom and taxes ? Im in Quebec so the shipping price should be similar. What size batterie did you get and what speed do you get ? Tried a mid drive norco ebike but you reach 32km pretty quick, i would not mind riding faster going to work :-) not sure if its against the lax. Is the connection simple with any e bike batterie ? Just plug and play ? Thx much !!
@@pierlucricher3376 Alright, I search up on eBay.ca using these queries:
www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=48v%201000w%20electric%20bike%20kit&_sacat=0&_sop=15&_udlo=100&rt=nc&_udhi=600
And if I were to buy a new hub motor wheel now, I'd buy this one here:
www.ebay.ca/itm/48V-1000W-26-Front-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-Kit-E-Bike-Cycling-Hub-Conversion/293649880207?epid=1340425193&hash=item445ee5948f:g:EKsAAOSwXQ1fD7Qc
I didn't have to pay anything more than the price and shipping. Cheers and good luck!
@@BenDurham thx much! I will pick something soon i might even end up buying a Radmission from radpowerbikes as i dont have a proper bike for the the diy kit already. Will be 1400$ instead of 1000$ for the motor and battery but it should be hassle free and theres a rad bike shop in town if something goes wrong. Ill be limited to 32kmh sadly. Cannot unlock it with the basic display. The gear ratio match the hardest one on my road bike so i should be able to pedal a bit past 32kmh
@@pierlucricher3376 I'm all for the rad mission! If I were to do it again, that's what I'd buy (and pick up a spare battery for extended range). It looks like a dream! Just remember to get skewer locks and a good lock ( take it inside your home, even).
Really great work ben! Hope you're doing well.
Thanks Alex, I'm doing a lot better now that I'm releasing videos!
Your commute seems long, if 51st ride reached 10k, then each ride is 196 km. That impressive. My commute is 15km rt, but working from home now.
This was totaling my last year of biking at the time (including errands, previous commuting, etc).
My commute in this video was about a 15km roundtrip, so exactly like yours! And I'm working from home now too... so I've only put about 1000km on in the last year or so. Honestly quite enjoyed that brisk morning commute to wake me up before work!
I totally relate. My ebike has me riding to places and distances I wouldn't achieve on a bicycle. I ride for the commute and chose to give up my car. I don't want to compete with the unknown cyclist in front of me I just want to enjoy riding.
*digital highfive!* EXACTLY! I ride it way more often and way further because I know I can put in the amount effort that I wanna! One less car on the road is totally worth it. How many km have you clocked on yours?
@@BenDurham I've only achieved just over 100 kms at the moment. That's why I ride way more often and way further for the same reason as you
I've done the same, over 6000 miles in 2 years. But my God, how did you survive with rim brakes!? 😲
LOL I'm STILL using rim brakes to this day! I replace them every 4 or so months for $12. And for the last few months, my back brakes haven't been working so I definitely need to do some big maintenance jobs ASAP.
@@BenDurham I think it's when they get wet that I really worry and with speed and momentum from the extra weight..... 😬
E.T cycle is also an amazing bike! Their T1000 is my fave
Cool video bro. I use the same rear light as yours 😁. Keep it up🚲
Twinsies! It's bright and I use rechargable AAA batteries with it, so it's gunna stay on my bike for years to come... Hopefully!
Awesome video. Check out Volt Bikes or Sparkbikes. Many upgraded components from Rad Bikes for the same price and they are both Canadian too!
I'd seen those guys too. I think the RAD marketing team stole my gaze from other companies. I'll check them out again! Might be less expensive to not have to ship over the border either. Cheers to that!
Ben Durham I was first interested in a Rad Bike as well because they are all over my fb feed. I eventually went with the VoltBike Yukon. The fat tires are great in the snow but take getting used to if you’re accustomed to a regular bike. But the biggest upgrades from the Rad Rover are battery capacity (17ah vs 14ah), hydraulic disc brakes and included fenders and rear carrier.
Oh, and Voltbike has an ambassador program so you can get in touch with someone local who owns the bike for a test ride. So take it for a spin before buying!
Hello Ben. Greetings form Portugal.
Since I decided to turn my bike on a e-Bike to my daily working commute I have been watching some UA-cam about the topic. Found you channel.
My commute will be around 17km one way with some hill parts.
How many kms is your daily commute?
Nice commute video! I know that area of North York well, but I admit I usually drive up, as I live near the lake. Two questions for you: 1) What is all the plastic and er, rubbish, on your bike? Is it just to make it look trashy or does it serve a function? 2) What are you doing with your voltmeters and spreadsheets? Seems a bit OCD, but I'm sure there's a method to it all!
Haha all the rubbish is for weather sealing and YES, definitely for making it look like rubbish as well! Peace of mind when I lock it up outside downtown
You have been able to ebike year round because we have been having exceptionally mild winters. I don't think lane splitting is legal, might want to check into that. Cudos for having the stones to ride Wilson. Have you ever tested your ebike on northbound Dufferin?
That's true because of climate change, yes. I have a few videos explaining how to bike throughout the winter. But even on the coldest of days, I biked every single day in winter 2018/2019/2020. Layers and good mittens are key!
I'm STILL not sure lane splitting is legal (I think it's just a grey area). I've since switched to only lane filtering instead of lane splitting. Lane filtering is VERY safe, whereas lane splitting isn't.
Wilson isn't horrible, although I would LOVE some cycling infrastructure added for East/West commuting (aside from the Finch Hydro Corridor).
Yes! I head up and down Dufferin here and there. It's less than stellar but I've found that the motor makes it safer because I'm able to keep up a solid fast pace up the long, low-grade hill.
Hey mate great video. It's really got me intrigued. I'm not to tech smart with all the volts an amp hour stuff but what would you recommend for a big bloke looking to get maximum range? Is 36v and 13 ah good? With a 350 watt torque motor?
Honestly, there are so many different factors to consider. If you're talking big, like 200-300lbs, then I'd say you might want a 48v motor. But it also depends on your usage, routes (hills), weather, wind, distance, desired speed, and how much you actually want to pedal!
Also, depending on where you are in the world, there are restrictions on motor wattages... which is really silly. The in the U.S., the wattage limit is 750W which is fairly reasonable. In the UK, it's 250W which is really silly. In Canada, it's right in the middle, at 500W. I have a 1000W motor but never utilize it all except for acceleration.
As for 13Ah, that's what I have and I'm quite happy with it! If I'm pushing hard (like when commuting to work), I get less range out of it (20-30km) but if I'm going for a day-long bike around Toronto with my girlfriend, we made our 13Ah batteries last for over 60km with juice to spare! Totally based on all the factors above. Cheers!
@@BenDurham thanks mate I've been looking at the BBS02 Mid Drive Electric Bike Kit Bafang - B Series. I'm in a Australia and tge limit is 250 watt.. But I'm not gonna be using it for silly reasons like speed it's just for transport. Thanks for the reply Ben
Awsome video!
Thanks man!
Awesome video. I wondered if I can do the same in York region where motorists are more insane and being less tolerant to cyclist. Any suggestions on riding in harsh weather ?
Thanks! I'm in North York region and had biked every day to work before COVID hit. Taking the lane is something I do all the time now, especially in areas with less tolerance for cyclists. Yes! I have to make a more concise video on this but here are my in-depth tips! ua-cam.com/video/m_52VXDwgHg/v-deo.html
Do you get sweaty going to work? I would hate to have to work all day being sweaty personally
I don't get sweaty unless I want to get a nice workout in (some days)! I used to bike with no e-assist at all and would show up to work sweaty a few minutes early, bring some cloths and wipe down before getting into dress clothes. It somewhat worked but I definitely prefer the e-assist method.
My way back home is a different story though. I like getting my sweat on and taking a nice shower when I get back home!
@@BenDurham I appreciate the quick reply :)
Yikes!!! I will never complain about Australian cycle paths ever again. I would never even attempt to commute on those roads you did in this video!
Fair! Glad I'm not in North York anymore! Have 90% bike lanes all the way to downtown Fake London now :)
I find it interesting that Canadians call them panniers (which means bread basket) while Americans call them saddle-bags (even though it’s clearly not a saddle).
I wonder where the difference comes from. I imagine it has something to do with pannier being a French-origin word and something something American cowboy yeehaw.
Huh, I bet you it's totally to do with the cowboy stuff & Quebecers 😜
you are allowed to ride in the bus lane on a bicycle my guy. and wow going through those cars in traffic is ballsy lol. YOu from NYC? lol.
Underrated
What kind of bike and battery?
I wouldn't entirely recommend this setup nowadays, however, it's what I had at the time! Just a $100 Raleigh bike with rim brakes from around 15yrs ago with a LunaCycle Shark pack (14Ah 48v). 1000w hub motor from ebay. Now we're using some up-right, step-thru ones which are FANTASTIC! Specifically, the Ride1Up 500 step-thru and Natalia's is the Biktrix Swift step-through (I have a review on my channel of this one :) )
How much range does your ebike get?
Depends on a lot of things (headwind or tailwind, Hills or flat, temperature, how fast I'm going, how much I'm peddling versus throttling, etc.)
But I usually got around 50 to 100 km.
I do it in iowa
Love to see all the different places people come from and bike! Cheers to cycling 🍻
"I take the bus lane because there is no bike lane." Exactly why I am so glad I am not in TO but live in Montreal now for 20 years. Different mentality cars vs bikes and excellent bikeways. I feel sorry for you frankly having to commute in heavy traffic. Sooner or later you are going to get whacked. Find better routes if you can.
Cheers from Montreal from an ex-Torontonian
Back in London, Ontario since 2020 and it's a lot better! :)
Legend has it, some people click on Riding 10,000 km Everyday
Hey mate how long is your commute in miles and how much time does it usually take you to cover that time? We have a very similar riding style and i plan on bying an ebike so yours is going to be a decent measure.
My commute was around 7km (4.35 miles) and took around... 15-20 minutes, depending on stop lights!
I have a video where I compared driving to ebiking the same route, too haha: ua-cam.com/video/173Nx-UXQuM/v-deo.html
Your place is really cycle friendly.
Is your chainring area really that rusty????
Still is hahaha! It's been a year and a whole winter of frostbiking with it like that. Still rocking it!
You da man awsome
✌️
You have a cubicle?
Had one, yep! Now I'm in London, Canada at a hip social media company with a work-from-home setup! :)
Nice motorcycle
Haha thanks /s
I definitely got a workout on that thing and still do on my new ebike that's 500w instead of 1000w like the one in this video! :)
@@BenDurham I gotta try to add a kit to one of my old bikes too. Thanks for inspiration
@@rahuldasmajumder5121 It's a fun project and if you start to use it as an alternative to your car, you can end up saving $$$$$ too :)
I've ridden over 25,000 kilometers in 3 years on a low-speed electric bicycle (LSEB ). 95% recreational and 5% necessary transportation.
Full suspension mid-drive ebike and trailer evolution: photos.app.goo.gl/wP8vs7T5hLpNjSBX8
Holy fricken bajeepers! I thought my bike was a beast but yours is a true BEAST! How many Ah is that battery pack and what's the wattage of the mid-drive motor? And what sort of range do you get? And its cost? SO MANY QUESTIONS!
@@BenDurham I have 3 30Ah lithium triangle packs. The mid-drive is a BBSHD 1000W 1.34 h.p. motor. The range can vary drastically as I am sure you can understand... there are so many variables. With a single pack on a fully loaded touring bike pulling the trailer I can get 70 miles with a few thousand feet of elevation. The motor, battery, input control, and a Grin Satiator cost about $2000.00 and can be added to almost any bike. Find the perfect bike for you and make it an ebike. My perfect bike cost over 9K to start... and that's without the trailer and any gear.
10 May 20 - 100 miles.
www.relive.cc/view/vMv85EGzYNO
photos.app.goo.gl/9ZbuKQNWsHtRH3Ft7
prnt.sc/sw0igi
Greetings from Finland!
I'm sure your experience in Finland is a "little" different than ours here in Canada haha!
I rode 13000 miles in a year on ebike doing uber deliveries
Damn, that's awesome! Glad to hear that was 13,000 miles not driven in a car, too! Probably saved you a LOT of money.
@@BenDurham indeed, let alone £1800 on insurance in a year, £1300 petrol, and likely over £1000 in maintenance and something on repair for sure, and I’m comparing to 125cc motorcycle. I’ve been using motorcycle for the last 2 years, and at the moment I’m really considering converting a bike with a big range and a throttle. All my 13000 miles in a year has been done on a mid drive pedal assist only, having a throttle would make my life so much easier. I’m on the lookout now for a good comfortable pedal bike, and will slowly start making it into a delivery ebike with a huge battery and throttle.
@@LeontheKiller11 consider the Biktrix Swift Step-Thru with a 21Ah battery! It's 1000w and amazing. I have a full video review of that bike on my channel, if ya want all the details! It can hit 45kmph or so!
@@BenDurham thanks I’m in uk so already made ebikes are rubish. 250w max, 15mph max and throttle illegal. Got to build with a kit electric bike if you fancy a good one
@@LeontheKiller11 Hi, I’m in UK as well and I want to get my first ebike this summer. I got a 20 km commute to work one way. I was considering buying an already made ebike like the cannondale one, but it’s only 250w. From your experience what is the best option in UK for an ebike? And can you tell me more about building with a kit electric bike?
What kind of bike is this?
This is a 100% custom DIY e-bike (done with a conversion kit off of eBay). It's a regular bicycle with a battery screwed into the water bottle mount and a direct-drive hub motor on the rear wheel. It's purposefully horrible looking because then I don't have to worry AT ALL about theft haha!
Ben Durham depends where you leave your bike because if someone will take a bike then they will take a bike with a motor
Name of your e-bike and price??
My bike is fully DIY and is built on a Raleigh bicycle frame from Canadian Tire that is 12 years old and the 1000w hub motor is off of eBay for about $300 CAD and the batteries (I have two now for fun) are from Luna Cycle and AliExpress (both 48v 14Ah). ONE WAS $500 (2020) CAD and the other was $600 (2018).
The fenders were about $50 at MEC.
Greatttt video
Thanks! More to come now that I've put a few thousand more km on this rig!
Yeah I just started commuting on this little scooter the Des about 60 miles an hour too much fun I'm thinking a bike might be safer you might want to check out those helmets with the rear view cameras awesome looking but a little expensive I got to admit but safety first right good luck love the video outstanding pass up that gas station every chance you get.
Wowzers! Are you sure you're hitting 60 MPH / 100 KPH? If so, make sure you're suited up with motorcycle gear otherwise you could end up donating that to the road. A and e-bicycle is less powerful for sure, but allows you to do all the pedestrian things without getting in trouble! Like easily using bike lanes and paths, lane splitting, using the sidewalk (slowly) when there's too much traffic, crossing with pedestrians, etc.
As for the rear-view helmet, I've seen them before for motorbikes... but I might just replace my broken Mirrycle mirror (they're great)!
What if it rains?
I have a whole other video on that :) the TL;DW is I bike anyway.
It's rarely a big deal and often times if it's raining hard, you just wait 30 minutes and BAM - it's all cleared up.
Link to that video: ua-cam.com/video/m_52VXDwgHg/v-deo.html
I might make a shorter, more concise video in the future but for now, that's what I've got for you :p
Buy a side mirror for safety.
Done a long while back! Super handy. I originally had one but accidentally broke it off and hadn't gotten around to getting a replacement mirror.
Why not just plug the batter in and let the charger turn off when it's done. Why read voltage? Unnecessary
Charging to 100% needlessly is actually pretty bad for your battery. Whenever you can, keep your battery charged between 30 and 80%! You'll get a A LOT more life outta your Li-Ion batteries (which includes your cell phones)!
One word, instead of rad power..less bikes check out Luna cycles!
That's where I got my first 14Ah battery (the one in this video)! Once I got a spare duplicate off of AliExpress, I realized that LunaCycle's battery's polarity was swapped resulting in a few short circuits. Luckily both BMS were functioning properly and I was able to take the LunaCycle battery apart and swap the + and -.
Other than that, I've had no problems with that battery!
As for their actual products, they definitely seem to be a lot more expensive than RADpowerbikes alternatives. As in, everything on lunacycle.com/e-bikes is an additional 1/3 or 1/2 when compared with RAD.
Thoughts?
@@BenDurham So are you saying that the RAD bikes are better than the Luna Cycles bikes. I watch a video of a guy that put a newer controller on his rad bike to give it way better power and performance but what is the cost of that. That is something you would have to do to get it anywhere near the power of the Luna cycles bike (2000 watts)
And you think 10000km is a lot? My 1990s Porsche is well beyond 690000km
You're talking a car, right? You realize this video's about an ebike lol?
@@BenDurham e-bike is a scam. And no e-bike will survive above 100,000km. The time you wasted on an e-bike will buy yourself a Porsche already.
Lol what. Do you realize how much vehicles cost? Why would I want a Porsche when I could invest in the stock market with all the savings?
And all that "wasted time" biking is quite lovely, spent in not-traffic.
@@BenDurham if only you made 600 bucks a day and owned 911 within a year
@@NomadFM I can't tell if you're joking or not but I really, really don't care about cars and would invest that $600 per day into appreciating assets or into my community - not into silly depreciating assets.
When it rains, it sucks.
That was great but call me a chook, I'm still afraid to compete with cars!
All's good! I'd say you don't have to be as "crazy" with the lane splitting etc. If there's bicycle infrastructure on your route, take that! It's so nice to be separated from cars!
@@BenDurham The wierest thing is I hated the idea of riding in traffic, but actually, at rush hour when its heaviest, its barely moving. On the bike, Im the fastest thing on the road so I feel much safer. Just watch out for impatient drivers.
@@TheChromeRonin that's kinda really funny but totally true - I find the same thing!
Driving in between cars is insane. I would rather be on the sidewalk. I wouldn’t even own a bike if I had to ride in that.
I personally love the idea of commuting by bike, but I would not ride with cars. We need better bike infrastructure or bikes will not catch on with your average person.
Best way to figure out it your commute could be done with seeing the fewest amount of car would be to do a "test bike commute" on a weekend and see how many trails/bike lanes/sidewalks you can find. Let me know if you've figured out a way!
If you're in Toronto, maybe I can even help make a route for you, ie. from a nearby landmark to another nearby landmark for privacy reasons (and make it into a video, of course 😜)
Going down the middle of stood traffic is dangerous trust me .
I've since figured out the difference between lane splitting (moving along with traffic and passing while traffic is moving) and lane filtering (going past completely stand-still traffic)! I now only filter because, yes, lane splitting is fairly dangerous. Lane filtering is perfectly safe though, and improves traffic congestion.
Are you changing back to your bike clothes? Wont they smell? Haha
Not really! But even so, I'm headed home after work. But I could always bring a separate set of clothes if I cared enough to 😂
I too have stacked up more mileage on an ebike then you have over the last few years but 99% of it has been recreational, not a daily work commute. I kind of pity you in a way because you undoubtedly look at riding in a different light than I do, like a daily dose of good-tasting medicine. Another thing you have missed out on is what an ebike can be without the unsuspended hub-motor and micro-batteries, but then your bike isn't suspended at all, or have front panniers, a dynamo-hub, great gearing... I could go on and on. Yes, daily commuting on an ebike can be the best part of the day, but just think what it is for us that have been doing more than riding a bike to work and back. Living off your bike for multiple thousands of miles over months, even years is a totally different world... you should try it and see what you're missing. Ride safe.
I occasionally head out for recreational cycling but 95% of my e-biking is commuting, yep! My girlfriend and I have spent whole weekends biking around downtown Toronto on our e-bikes for recreation though :) Haven't done any touring with them yet though!
@@BenDurham Well... summer is coming. - ua-cam.com/video/g5XYC4l187M/v-deo.html
You are a vehicle and should be in one lane or the other, not straddling lanes going in between vehicles.
You're correct. Lane splitting isn't great or safe. Lane filtering is fine, though!
This was a few years ago and I guess I was less safety conscious.
You have a lot of trash cans Ben.
Haha that was a rental in North York that I was living at, so I wasn't responsible for filling them 😅
We complain about our biking infrastructure, this is complete thrash (like your bike :p)
I would not do that. That's just asking to get killed.
I've started being a tad bit safe - only lane filtering, not lane splitting anymore. But biking infrastructure "is" getting better in downtown Toronto now that COVID has instigated it. Unfortunately that's not near my commute!
Where are you and what's your cycling infrastructure like?
a thumbs down for your very unsafe riding between cars, not recommended for everyone if you want to stay alive on roads,
True say, lane filtering is fine but lane splitting like I was doing is definitely something I've stopped doing. Proper infrastructure works wonders on changing people's behaviors!