New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

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Matt_D
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Matt_D » Wed Jan 03, 2018 8:19 pm

Gday Martin.

I have to say it's been a dream run for commuting everyday with the Giant. I scored the very first 2018 model arrival in Brisbane. The power of the Quick E is mind blowing with hills a thing of the past.

Ive seen a few cheaper alternative brand models at my work place and those guys have had a series of issues with theirs. The giant has so many quality components that make the price so worth it. I can safely say it falls within your budget comfortably too...don't think you will pay rrp, there's always plenty of room for movement.

Good luck and make sure you get on as many models as you can for test rides.

Cheers,

Matt

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coolfish
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby coolfish » Tue Feb 06, 2018 8:32 am

Matt_D wrote:...don't think you will pay rrp, there's always plenty of room for movement.
Interested in this comment. I would never pay sticker price for a car, but I don't know the protocol with bikes. I haven't bought a new one for a decade, and I can't even remember how that went. I may be about to lay down more than I have ever paid before for a bike, a big investment for me, so would be interested to know purchasing/pricing experience from other purchasers.

Notdoneyet
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Notdoneyet » Sat Oct 13, 2018 4:30 pm

NOVISCOTT wrote:G'day Matt,
Congrats on the purchase, looks like a nice commuter rig.

I've recently converted to the E-bike crowd also and while there was some trepidation at the price, I'm really glad I did. I used to commute on my road bike until the M2 was shut. I don't feel comfortable mixing it too much with cars along the back streets on a carbon clipped in. So as a result I stopped riding just about all together. I have young kids and the wife and I both work, so weekends I don't like spending time away from the family on a solo activity.

The E-bike gives me the confidence to get back out there and being a MTB I can jump gutters and switch between paths and road depending on the safest route along the way. It also opens up the bush tracks though Pennant Hills Park / Lave cove NP for a really pleasant ride away from smelly cages. And if I'm running late, it's not too laborious on the open sections of the M2.

The effort an exercise is still there. Not as much as the roadie, but far more than the car or motorbike. And you can push as hard as you like. Afterall, it is still 50-60km and about 2 hours worth of effort.

I went with the Trek Powerfly 5. Brilliant bike, and awesome to take on camping trips for bashing around state forests or National Parks too.

Cheers,
Paul
How are you doing with this bike? Just looking at the same bike my commute is about 65km each way . My road bike is ok but not more than two days a week. Was wandering how the range and ride was on this bike. Cheers Rob

zebee
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby zebee » Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:54 pm

One thing to keep in mind if using an illegal bike: what happens if you have a crash. You crash into someone or they crash into you.

If you have an illegal bike and you know it then it is quite likely that when apportioning blame for insurance purposes you end up with a lot of it. Which means if you get hurt and speed is anything to do with it at all that your payout will be substantially reduced. I quoted the case of a bod in Canberra a while back who was backed into by a car backing recklessly out of a driveway onto the bike path. He was hurt but his illegal bike meant he was considered more to blame than if it had not been illegal.

People focus on being done by the cops. If you aren't being absolutely stupid and showing off in front of the plod that is unlikely. But a crash and the consequences, that's different.

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Thoglette
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Thoglette » Mon Oct 15, 2018 2:51 pm

zebee wrote: Which means if you get hurt and speed is anything to do with it at all that your payout will be
...zero.

The insurers will run for the hills. Unlicenced motorcycle with an unlicenced rider. No third party injury insurance either*. If you're really unlucky the bureaucracy or minister will decide to "make an example" of you and the book will be thrown your way.

*Actually, if you're really unlucky you'll need long term care but will then fall between the cracks due to the circumstances of your accident.
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

NOVISCOTT
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby NOVISCOTT » Mon Oct 22, 2018 12:07 pm

Notdoneyet wrote:
How are you doing with this bike? Just looking at the same bike my commute is about 65km each way . My road bike is ok but not more than two days a week. Was wandering how the range and ride was on this bike. Cheers Rob
G'day Rob,
The bikes great. Though I must confess to riding not as much as I should. It really is bulletproof given the punishment I have put it through and it keeps on going and going. If your commuting 65km each way you will definitely need a charger at work. I can do the return trip in sport mode with all the hills on a charge, which is about 55-60km depending on route. But even knocking it back to Eco I doubt you would get much more than 80-90km. It feels very heavy without assistance so I would hate to have to far on empty.

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Comedian
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Comedian » Mon Oct 22, 2018 5:04 pm

I've had an e-bike for a while. It's kind of our extra car that the whole family uses. My observation is Bosch is very reliable.

The rest of the bike should be as simple and reliable as possible. preferably with as many "normal" parts as possible. Buy something with the best warranty service backup you can.

You need to be able to get it looked at easily. If the place you bought it from is taking service bookings 1.5 months out try again.

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Matt_D
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Matt_D » Mon Oct 22, 2018 5:23 pm

Well I am just coming up on 12 months of commuting on my Giant Quick-E+. Every day - rain hail or shine!

I could push it out to 1 charge per week (~100kms) but I play it safe and charge it after 4 days. I usually stick to ECO for the flats, and Normal for the hills (with HIGH on the crazy steep hills). But I average about 7-8% batter usage each way (~10.2km).

I had my first service a few weeks ago (essentially an early 12-month service). Why a month early? Well it turns out that the bigger the bike (and it's rider!) the more you wear down your hydraulic disc pads. I had this nasty scraping sound coming from the rear wheel. It turns out my pad was back to bare metal! Front pads were ok.

So at least with the early service, they installed new pads. They even remove the gear cassette and chain a give them both diesel bath. They came out like new, and the rest of the bike is fully lubed and re-assembled and quiet as the day I bought it home :)

As I purchased the bike from a Giant store (Tom Wallace) they gave me the $149 silver service for $99 (plus pads). I can highly recommend the annual service if you want to keep your pride and joy in tip top condition.

Just this weekend I have added a cargo rack to the rear (https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/rack-it-metro-e) and combined it with a black steel mesh rear basket that allows me to simply chuck my backpack (not small!) straight in and not worry about fitting all my work clothes / lunch / toiletries etc into a Pannier bag (believe me I spent hours looking at every bag on the market!).

My ride in this morning was beautifully cool. It's the first time in a year's riding that I haven't had a sweaty back. I couldn't do another summer riding everyday with a backpack again.

Anyway, still a very happy customer and I could not say a bad word for the Giant E-Bike.

Cheers,

Matt

mmgoy
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby mmgoy » Fri Oct 26, 2018 2:03 pm

After lots of research I bought the 2019 Giant Quick E+ last month and I can't talk it up enough. I talked my LBS down to a price of $3500 and I use for a 40km round trip each day. I have a couple of huge hills so if I'm not up for it I can knock 10kms of my trip by taking the ferry part of the way.
I've already derestricted it with the Speedbox2 and it makes it so much more usable. Rather than quick take off then the rapid drop of power at 25km/h it's smooth all the way up now. Cruising at 35km/h is so much safer in traffic than 25km/h. Most countries are lifting the 25km/h limit now too so it won't be long before Aus follows suit (or maybe not?). If you want a less restrictive version from the factory, NZ has the exact same model limited to 45km/h.
I looked at the Merida but all the models at my LBS had suspension which I don't need. Other considerations were that Giant is a name brand with support and warranty, and the bike looks like it was designed, not cobbled together like some of those cheap Chinese ones.

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Matt_D
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Matt_D » Fri Oct 26, 2018 2:18 pm

mmgoy wrote:Other considerations were that Giant is a name brand with support and warranty, and the bike looks like it was designed, not cobbled together like some of those cheap Chinese ones.
Well done and congratz on your purchase. Like you, I was also won over by the designed from the ground-up look. So many other bikes (probably the majority TBH) just looked like battery and motor was tacked on. I like how the Giant is almost a 'covert' e-bike, that is not immediatly apparent there is anything special about it.

First week of riding with the new rack fitted this week, and I can tell you the weight distribution makes the ride noticably different. The bike feels MUCH heavier with all the new weight over the rear wheel. My backpack (not small) sitting in a rear wire mesh cage; whilest keeping my body temperature cooler in Brisbane Summers (36deg today!), adds a substantial weight to the bike overall. I'd say my disc brake pads will probably have a reduced lifespan as a result (the stock pads only lasted 11 months as it was).

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Thoglette
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Thoglette » Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:10 pm

mmgoy wrote:I've already derestricted it with the Speedbox2 and it makes it
...an unlicenced motorcycle.

Without any insurance.
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

mmgoy
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby mmgoy » Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:56 pm

Thoglette wrote:
mmgoy wrote:I've already derestricted it with the Speedbox2 and it makes it
...an unlicenced motorcycle.

Without any insurance.
Sorry that upsets you so much. You need to learn to move on...

zebee
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby zebee » Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:34 pm

mmgoy wrote:
Thoglette wrote:
mmgoy wrote:I've already derestricted it with the Speedbox2 and it makes it
...an unlicenced motorcycle.

Without any insurance.
Sorry that upsets you so much. You need to learn to move on...
If you don't have a crash, your fault or someone else's it probably won't matter.

If you do, then I think you might find that you are in far more trouble than you can handle. Insurance companies don't like paying out and judges in compensation cases tend to cut awards heavily for contributory negligence.

riding an illegal ebike will be contributory negligence in spaces. Already shown in previous cases. So just hope that your luck holds and you aren't looking down the barrel at life as a cripple with your payment cut by half.

Dreams V Reallity
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Dreams V Reallity » Fri Dec 14, 2018 6:49 pm

"First week of riding with the new rack fitted this week, and I can tell you the weight distribution makes the ride noticably different. The bike feels MUCH heavier with all the new weight over the rear wheel. My backpack (not small) sitting in a rear wire mesh cage; whilest keeping my body temperature cooler in Brisbane Summers (36deg today!), adds a substantial weight to the bike overall. I'd say my disc brake pads will probably have a reduced lifespan as a result (the stock pads only lasted 11 months as it was)."

Interesting that the weight distribution was so noticeable. The bike is still carrying, and braking for, the same weight. It is just that when it's in you, that you are balancing it, and moving it separate to the rigid bike frame. I am in no way trying to be negative. I only use the rack, as here in the top end, my commute of 1000metres gets me hot and sweaty. And I'm only trying to maintain 25km/h, to keep in front of the 40km/h speed limit cars. Yes, I don't have an E-bike - as I can't afford the price.
D V R
Still Dreaming.

Mike Ayling
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Mike Ayling » Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:34 am

Matt_D wrote:
First week of riding with the new rack fitted this week, and I can tell you the weight distribution makes the ride noticably different. The bike feels MUCH heavier with all the new weight over the rear wheel. My backpack (not small) sitting in a rear wire mesh cage; whilest keeping my body temperature cooler in Brisbane Summers (36deg today!), adds a substantial weight to the bike overall. I'd say my disc brake pads will probably have a reduced lifespan as a result (the stock pads only lasted 11 months as it was).
What do you carry in that heavy backpack Matt?

Mike
Recreational e bikes - for the sick, lame and lazy!

Mike Ayling
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Mike Ayling » Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:43 am

Matt_D wrote:
I had my first service a few weeks ago (essentially an early 12-month service). Why a month early? Well it turns out that the bigger the bike (and it's rider!) the more you wear down your hydraulic disc pads. I had this nasty scraping sound coming from the rear wheel. It turns out my pad was back to bare metal! Front pads were ok.

Matt
Matt,

Try using your front brakes more, they give more stopping power than the rear anyway.
One thing about the "old fashioned" rim brakes is that you can perform an easy visual check of the pads before each ride but everyone likes discs now and it is hard to find a new bike without them.

Cheers

Mike
Recreational e bikes - for the sick, lame and lazy!

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Matt_D
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby Matt_D » Tue Dec 18, 2018 10:00 am

Mike Ayling wrote: Matt,

Try using your front brakes more, they give more stopping power than the rear anyway.
One thing about the "old fashioned" rim brakes is that you can perform an easy visual check of the pads before each ride but everyone likes discs now and it is hard to find a new bike without them.

Cheers

Mike
Thanks Mike,

I have been making a conscious effort to squeeze the front brakes a little harder, but usually I apply equal pressure to both brakes. I agree the old rim pads were much easier to do a quick visual inspection on. But as this is my first bike purchase with disc brakes, I don't think I could ever go back to the old style :) The disc brakes are so efficient at braking in all weather conditions - just love 'em!

As for my heavy backpack...yes I probably pack way too much crap. But I'm a tall guy and pack a lot of food in every day, then work clothes and toiletries for the EOT facilities, thongs (footwear!) to get me from the lockers up to my office where my shoes live...then small pump (can't go on the bike), and a heap of misc bits in the front of my pack. So yep - she's pretty heavy most of the time.

Matt

zebee
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Re: New Commuter - Ebike advice before purchase.

Postby zebee » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:19 am

If you take a big backpack, get a big pannier. I use an Arkel Shopper which takes all my crap and the top up shopping on the way home. Ain't cheap but is huge, sturdy, easy to manage off the bike and has a lifetime guarantee. Greenspeed in Melbourne might have some onshore I ordered from Arkel direct.

ONe thing you might like to think about with a backpack. According to the trauma surgeons who talked to the Motorcycle Council of NSW backpacks are a major cause of spinal injury in motorcyclists. If you come off your motorbike and land on your back or close to then your back extends over the backpack and your spinal soft tissue gets damaged by the stress of the position. As in paralysis sort of damage.

A cyclist is risking the same injury although probably not as high a chance due to the speed differentials but the risk is there.

Get a rack, get an Arkel shopping pannier. I forgot to get the rain cover for it but a backpack rain cover handed out on ride to work day works perfectly.

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