Welcome to the community @techwardbound,
I moved your query to the original ebike thread for continuity. Note that Choice essentially republished tests done by ConsumerNZ with a few subsequent questions posed. As feedback gets passed to Choice staff readers anticipate an update to address many of them.
It may especially of you intend to add a load of shopping or camping gear.
I purchased an e-bike nearly 12 months past.
I found that the Choice reviews were useful in knowing what to look for, but are now limited compared to what the market is offering. With Covid too the market may now be a little out of balance, short supply of some models/brands and increased demand in some areas for R&R.
There are a number of Aussie online suppliers from where you can gain a wider view of what’s available. I can’t recommend any. I did spend time looking on line and visited a number of well known retail outlets. I found it far more practical to purchase in store locally once I had an idea of what to look for. I also have an extended family with several exceptionally keen riders, vs my more casual style who offered some guidance.
I’ve a non specific Chinese made folding bike with a Lithium battery and front hub drive. It’s solid and with smaller wheels best on smoother surfaces. It handles the steeper hills in Brisbane but like most E-bikes does not provide regenerative braking on the descent. Fear factor or adrenaline rush it caters for both.
I suspect that the Choice pricing may also be unreliable given the age of the review you are referring to.
There may be some in the community who can offer guidance if you are interested in sharing what you intend to use the bike for.
My needs were to get to the local shops and back plus use it to get to and from the railway (Both ends) when I travel to Brisbane on my own. And in summer to not work up a sweat on the hills in doing so. Also part of a goal to move from a two car to one car family.
Is there any chance there will be a review in the future of more reasonably priced e-bikes? The cheapest in the review was around $2,500. $2,500 is a lot of uber trips before you even break even.
If anyone wants an electric bike, now you can get a real one.
Might have to ride them only on the road.
Always could get a real one. Zero Motorcycles have been around for a few years now. They used to be sold by a mob in Sydney. Don’t know if they still have an Austraalian distributor. would be a shame, if not.
China has already established the market!
The volume of the electric two-wheeler market, which is just over 90% of the 24 million sales, may seem surprising. This volume comes from China, where the market is not growing. In fact, the S- curve is already over: the market peaked at roughly 30 million sales in 2016 after twenty years of growth and has stabilized at a slightly lower level (some 26 million were sold in 2019).
With the local market potential for 2 wheelers saturated, will China look to export markets?
P.S.
Will a Vee-twin come to mean a motor bike with two electric drives and a large battery in the centre Vee shape of the frame? The ideal near silent city bike for that extra quick lead off at the lights.
Probably not quite on the original topic which implied bikes requiring push pedalling?
Thank you Choice for your review of E Bikes last year. I have owned an Aseako e-bike for about 5 years now. Not terribly well known I suppose. A bit more down spec than some of the newer ones I guess, but not a bad performer all said and done, given the pace of change. They are sold out of Sydney - seems like a one man band but very helpful.
I have read Choice reviews of last year and they are most informative, however perhaps if reviewed again, Choice may want to consider the following.
I think the four major issues I have with this bike (perhaps its similar with most?) are:
After 5 years of an e-bike, I consider these most critical.
When I purchase another e-bike, I will purchase a more recognised brand, with more extensive after sales support, and, most critically get the best battery with the longest range, and the best brakes.
Perhaps if Choice was to review again, they may consider at least these points.
I merged your comments into this existing topic, and will revise the name so it is more obvious. I’ll also tag @MattSteen to be sure your comments reach the right eyes.
Thanks Phil. These things are a sizeable investment (at least for a good one), and increasingly popular as the population ages and we run out of puff and joints pack it in. This is a rapidly expanding and developing market, with a lot of technological changes.
I found that there is also no such thing as a one size fits all e-bike. There are different types of bike designed for different users including some monsters for off road trail riding that are not legal on our public roads. While some may do a long ride for a daily work commute others may have a more casual and shorter need.
Range, I suspect some of us pedal more than others. The battery on mine goes a long way on the flat because I push the pedals at a moderate coast. Most of the benefit and power is used in going up hill. My battery pack is removable, can be charged when removed hence a spare or second pack is an option.
All e-bikes are pretty much the same as a standard bike. There are bikes with rim acting centre pull or side pull brakes and others with disc brakes. E-bikes can have a front hub drive, pedal mount drive or possibly a rear hub. Some drives have a limited set of gears built into the drive. Others can use a standard multi sprocket chain drive, or … the market and designs are continuing to evolve.
For us oldies. A step thru might be the go while the classic seat intended for limited support and comfort is less likely to please.
Hopefully when Choice revisits the e-bike reviews the team can offer some different recommended products based on ‘best for …’ insert intended use.
It is worth reiterating the eBike review was done by ConsumerNZ and edited by Choice for our market.
Perhaps the next iteration could be done by Choice, or ConsumerNZ might accept Choice input.
Hi Phil, and everyone else who has given really good feedback on this review.
We’ve been limited by a number of elements in starting up our own review - budget being primary. As someone noted earlier, some are the cost of a car. We have considered loaning them, but supply chain issues are also getting in the way.
We are going to try to simulate the electric bike methodology from ConsumerNZ and find a route that has the same hills, etc. This is so we could add to the curent bike list. Though to be frank Sydney is a little limited in hills where we are based and the ConsumerNZ home of Wellington does not lack hills.
We’re unable to ship over to NZ so they could test them to the same methodology - we’ve found that shipping lithium batteries of any description is particularly difficult.
And the market in NZ is different to here - we have more selection, unsurprisingly.
The drain issue is one of the most fascinating parts of this test. Draining technically (putting the batteries under simulated load) doesn’t work well due to the sensor technology of many batteries - some can tell when they are being tested.
Testing them would be the most valuable part but we’ve yet to figure a way to do it economically.
There are also a number of loaners starting up - pay $X per month and you can keep the bike at your house and experience it.
So it’s on our list, but other products have had priority (pillows, projectors and a number of other new tests that are to come or have been published already).
Would one of the home training rigs that simulates a particular circuit offer a similar opportunity? The load varies with the distance travelled in a consistent manner.
If I was looking at a review usability, features, range of gears, safety and …. might rate highly. The effectiveness of the power assist however it’s quantified may be a great way to assist in determining which type of rider/purpose the bike suits best. The battery life/range is relative to how hard one pedals and the route taken. For many users is it possible they will not stretch the battery capacity? If range was a need there are options for second or higher capacity batteries with some bikes.
I won one of these Earth step-thru commuter bikes (last year’s model). Earth AIR + Urban Mixie Commuter | Earth Bikes
I just haven’t used it enough to review it thoroughly, and am going to sell it because of not having a garage to store it in, and not using it enough. I have been using an ordinary old treadly just for exercise and local trips for a year or two now, and not being a daily commuter I have decided that I will just never get the use out of the e-bike. A few observations for what it is worth:
It took a while to get the hang of it, and I still find the take-off a bit jerky as I increase the levels. Remembering to reduce back down to 1 after having to stop after sailing along at no. 5 is a trick for young players, and potentially dangerous, I would have thought (taking off to cross a road or into traffic, forgetting that it’s set to 5 and then suddenly jerking forward).
Also, it’s bulkier and heavier than a conventional bike, and the sitting position is a bit odd - very upright, and my arms feel very far apart. On the other hand, more cushioned and comfy; one doesn’t feel every bump in the road as on my other bike. And I like being able to step through it.
I have nothing else to compare it to, and can’t compare battery life because it has been so little used, but it seems to last for ages.
If anyone can suggest a target sale price (nearly new, 75 km), that would be useful.
Similar observations to my folding e-bike, especially the bulk and full power assist on take-off from a standing start. I found the self powered mode with hand throttle a little easier to control when staying slow was safest.
You might be able to ask the retailer/supplier for some guidance.
A US centric site but the dialogue (from 2019) could be interesting.
You might get current trends from gumtree, ebay, or your local FB groups as well as
noting they don’t want competition so the veracity of their answer depends…
A friend seems to think there’s a shortage of some types of e-bike, but I haven’t started investigating yet. Covid has recently reduced my capacity and I need to have the right energy to handle selling!
I feel a bit embarrassed asking my local supplier, as that was whom I won it from. 
Thanks - that discussion is mostly talking about used bikes though, whereas mine is relatively new. I wouldn’t be greedy, but a few more dollars to add my kids’ savings for house deposits wouldn’t go astray!
While some buyers are more astute than others, a relatively new ebike is still a used ebike. There could be shortages driving prices up as with used cars today. It could be worth more than the RRP! The old US discussion is how a used ebike buyer might negotiate the price.
noting most are labelled as negotiable prices, and the rest are usually open to offers.
The reviews I have seen are for expensive ebikes. I was hoping the cheaper boxed bikes like from Leitner could have been done.
