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Comment by selectout | Hacker News Reader

Speaking of electric bikes, does anyone have any good recommendation for somebody looking to get started in biking in general for commuting purposes? I'm not a historical biker and not looking to replace the ~20 mile radius I drive with this, but ~3-5 mile radius including smaller grocery trips and going out for dinner/meeting friends/office trips is what I am looking for. If I commit to this happy to upgrade over time, so not looking to go all out now.

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I purchased one of these back at the beginning of spring (https://www.radpowerbikes.com/collections/electric-folding-b...). I got a folding one simply because I keep it inside my apt and folded it fits into the big closet that my in-unit washer/dryer is in. That said if you are particularly tall you'd probably want to get a non-folding model as they have larger wheels and can accommodate taller people more comfortably.

I ride it a ton 1-3 miles, 100% grocery runs and similar 'around town errands'. A few trips further (12 miles round trip) on a dedicated bike/ped cross city trail (the burke-gillman in seattle). I'm still nervous on non-protected bike lanes/city streets. My commute too, if I ever go back to the office, is too long for this bike and the weight of it means I'm right at the edge of what the seattle metro bus bike rack weight limit is so no, first and last mile biking for my commute either.

That said it's a great little 'cargo-ish' neighborhood runner, I picked it mostly because there is a showroom in my neighborhood and talking to people who had them they seemed to like it. They have a similar step-through design that does not fold that I considered.

On the theft side, it's a concern, seattle like many cities has a problem with bicycle theft but so far my use-case means that i'm never far from the bike when it's locked up.

I definitely considered Rad, and may still eventually get one. I ended up going with a Lectric XP 2.0 (https://lectricebikes.com/collections/ebikes/products/xp-ste...) and I've been pleased with it. A bit of lag with the pedal assist kicking in, and there's an awful vibration noise that happens at times, but for the price I've been enjoying the hell out of it. I've put about 140 miles on it in the past month and a half

Rad Power Bikes are having a sale right now until Aug 29, https://www.radpowerbikes.com/collections/ebike-deals. They're generally considered a very solid entry level ebike.

Of the ones on sale, you'll probably want either the RadRunner or the RadCity for the casual style, a good frame for cargo, and a huge rider height range so your friends and family can easily share it.

I'd also want to know how to deal with the worry about someone stealing it while you're in a store or restaurant. I was nervous enough about my regular bike, but an expensive e-bike worries me too much.

When my bike was stolen it was in an underground parking garage. The thief was able to go to a known place with a dozen bikes and not any solid foot traffic and take everything.

Outside a store or restaurant during business hours, however, is a much more risky proposition for a thief from all the foot traffic. They’d rather pursue low hanging fruit like apartment parking garages where their efforts will probably guarantee them a half dozen bikes in one go.

You should also always insure your bike. My renters insurance covers mine for theft with zero deductible.

My renters insurance (Lemonade) "covers 'pedal-assist' bikes, and only models that do not have a throttle option." Subtle point that might catch people out.

Get a U Lock and the cable attachment and lock up to secure posts.

Don't live in California?

I ride bikes a lot. The only way to not have your bike stolen is to bring it in the shops with you, and store it in areas the public cannot see or access it (basically, in your house). It will get stolen if locked up outside, even if there are many people around. It will get stolen from your private parking garage with security guards, and it will get stolen from your second floor balcony.

I also ride a bike a lot in Portland, OR and have never had a bike stolen. Bike theft is not inevitable and there’s a lot you can do to minimize your risk.

Park it near other bikes. Lock it up properly with a good U-Lock (yes, these can be defeated but thieves are more likely to be opportunistic drug addicts than dorky guys with YouTube channels). Add a chain lock around the other tire if you’re super nervous. Don’t leave your bike outside overnight (locked up or not). Bring your bike into your home/apartment - even if your building has a bike room or bike parking area. Add your bike to your renter/homeowners insurance - this is not expensive and adds some peace of mind.

Yes, your bike might get stolen, but a lot of things might happen.

If you live on the North American continent, you can register your bike at Project 529, which can help in retrieving a stolen bike or ensure you don't buy a stolen one.

https://project529.com/garage

Video on the same topic: There's a proven way to stop bike theft. So why are so few cities doing it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48V9Xtpgq9I

I don’t even have to watch the video to tell you the answer when it comes to American cities: American cities don’t care about bikes. Many American cities (and American governments, at the local, state, and federal level) don’t care about much of anything, to be honest.

There’s a proven way to avoid putting innocent people to death by lethal injection (death penalty). There’s a proven way to eliminate the terror of medical bankruptcy. Why aren’t these things being done in America?

In this 10-minute video a bike messenger demos several really useful points abou theft-prevention. (And what he's still nervous about.)

Edit: URL (sheesh) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZkJP9D6fms

Get a fat chain lock and a motorcycle disc lock/alarm. Don't park it somewhere remote.

If I recall correctly quite a few ebikes fold down into something the size of a briefcase. Bring it with you.

That's absolutely a defining feature of the ones that do, and it has significant tradeoffs in cost, robustness, battery life & power, etc. Doesn't make it a bad choice necessarily but it's not really like a nice extra. It's something you decide up front that then drastically changes your buying options.

I use multiple locks when I have to leave mine outside for an extended period. Like 2 U-locks, a cable and possibly a padlock. An angle grinder will still go through all that, but I'm hoping a thief would just pick an easier target.

If bike theft is that much of a problem, might as well remove the front wheel and take it with you. (And/or the battery.) The seat too.

Ulock or chain the rest.

I have Hexlox on all the components, and both wheels will usually get a U-lock or cable securing them.

It depends on the city and neighbourhood. Some places you'll be fine with cheap u-lock. Others are suffer professional criminals, and you should get a Brompton you can hide under a dinner table, or in the coat-check. In the middle, a good u-lock combined with a cable is fine for daylight hours.

I can't tell if you're specifically asking for e-bike recs here or not. But unless there's a health or mobility limitation, or your area has absolutely massive hills, 3-5 miles is not a range where you'll get a lot of the benefits of electric bikes.

Everything you mentioned can be comfortably and easily done on like, a $300 single speed with a front basket. IMO just start there and see how well it meets your needs. Even if it fits them terribly, using it for a few months will give you a very clear idea of what you actually do need from a bike.

I echo this sentiment--you don't need an electric bike for what you describe. I would suggest, however, not starting with a $300 single-speed. Get a city bike with an internally-geared hub, maybe eight speeds. Take your time getting used to it. Around where I live, it took me a couple weeks to get comfortable.

Look at Ride1Up e-bikes as well.

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