Another tall, old, fat guy here, looking for a new ebike ride. Got a pointer from over on
EBR to see this thread. I'm 6'3" and 250#. I've not been riding for a few years now due to complications from ankle surgery (which is fine now). But I've lifelong knee issues that have reached the stage where pedal assist is a much needed feature (it's not pressure in the joint, it's the tendons leading to it). So I can pedal plenty, I just can't crank really hard on climbs lest it aggravate my knees. But standing, bouncing, all day rotating the crank, that's fine.
My riding goal is recreational, with zero commuting. On suburban conditions (pavement, grass, gravel) and light trails. My days of thundering through the woods on downhills and ascending rocky trails and ledges are less likely to happen than past years (basically, zero, for now). So I might not be a 'clydesdale' in the active sense that some of you are. Don't judge, you'll get old too.. sooner than you'll like, trust me.
I much prefer the riding experience of a mountain bike, on 2-2.5"-ish tires. Last most often used mountain bike was a Votec hardtail (Porsche Bike S).
I've ridden several bikes at local shops (MD near DC) and found some things I liked and disliked. Out of several I've ridden the Yamaha setup on a Haibike Allmtn offered the most un-assisted feeling pedaling experience yet. That being a good thing, as it was pretty much like riding a regular mountain bike, but with some subtle assistance when needed. The Bosch experience on a similar Haibike Nduro wasn't to my liking (there was a sense of dragging to the drivetrain). A Bosch gen4 setup on an RM Delite was much better (unfortunately I didn't like the bike otherwise, it handled like riding an anvil). The Brose setup on a Turbo Levo was impressive, but the suspension just ain't up to the task of hauling my ass around (it would rub the rear reflector even under mild street/curb testing). And this was with high shock pressure (or so the shop told me). The Brose setup on it sure didn't disappoint on push, it was impressive (but kinda unnatural feeling).
I have not yet had a chance to try a BH or Bulls.
Nor have I yet tried anything in a frame as large as I'd probably want. I take 35" arm shirts and 34" pants, so I tend to prefer frames on the larger size. But I don't want to be hunched over. I'm prepared to rearrange the stem/handlebars to get the ride position I'd want (assuming the fork allows for it).
I'm willing to spend to get a decent bike (otherwise I wouldn't have been testing Riese Muller or a Levo). I'd prefer to pay less, of course.
I want something well integrated, not a mish-mash of chinesium parts. I'd prefer a LBS for purchase, if just to avoid shipping shenanigans if something's dramatically wrong. Warranty isn't a huge concern, as I'm not anticipating buying something that isn't going to have decent components (the motor/battery, that is).
There will always been new models, I'm fine with missing out on the next best thing. So I don't want to wait until late summer/fall. I'm ready to buy now and would very much like to be riding by June.
So this thread and the one over on EBR are reading just like what I'm after. If there's another thread/forum here I should review, point me to it. Thanks!
