Bike Forums - Electric Bikes https://www.bikeforums.net/ en Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:20:29 GMT vBulletin 60 https://www.bikeforums.net/images/misc/rss.jpg Bike Forums - Electric Bikes https://www.bikeforums.net/ Garmin and Bosch might be speaking to one another https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321447-garmin-bosch-might-speaking-one-another.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:48:26 GMT My Edge (840) had a firmware update and per Garmin, one change is compatibility with "Bosch smart system."

If you ride a compatible eBike with a Bosch smart system, you can now wirelessly connect your Edge cycling computer to view your bike’s battery status and smart range routing as well as your power and cadence data.
The topic has come up before and while I don't have a Bosch bike, those who do might give connecting it to their Garmin computer another try. ]]> Electric Bikes Rick_D https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321447-garmin-bosch-might-speaking-one-another.html Has anyone bought from 4bike.net? Is it legitimate? https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321418-has-anyone-bought-4bike-net-legitimate.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:35:34 GMT I'm looking to buy an e-bike and came across this relatively new Italian supplier, 4bike.net. It gets only a 25% score from online scam detection sites, and its prices are rather low - although the bikes I examined seem to be end of line models. It would be helpful if readers who have bought from the site could report on their experiences. ]]> Electric Bikes This Wreckage https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321418-has-anyone-bought-4bike-net-legitimate.html <![CDATA[E-bikes' potential speed always judged by motor wattage. I don't get it.]]> https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321411-e-bikes-potential-speed-always-judged-motor-wattage-i-don-t-get.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:19:45 GMT I really don't get it. It always appears that people are quick to judge an e-bike's potential speed by how many watts it's motor is. As an example, there are people that act as if all e-bikes with a 1,000 watt motor go 50 and 70 miles an hour. My own e-bike is 1,000 watts, and it has a top speed of only 25 mph. At the same time, too, my favorite cruising speed in wide open areas is around 18 mph. ]]> Electric Bikes conserve https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321411-e-bikes-potential-speed-always-judged-motor-wattage-i-don-t-get.html Renting E-bike in Salzburg https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321316-renting-e-bike-salzburg.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 18:50:18 GMT Any recommendations for where or from whom to rent a high quality, long range touring e-bike in Salzburg Austria for a 4 week period? Thanks, Mike Any recommendations for where or from whom to rent a high quality, long range touring e-bike in Salzburg Austria for a 4 week period?

Thanks,

Mike ]]> Electric Bikes Hibonite https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321316-renting-e-bike-salzburg.html Velotric Discover M https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321111-velotric-discover-m.html Wed, 27 May 2026 19:58:08 GMT Here it is, Velotric's first mid-drive ebike. It has a 500-watt mid-drive with 100 Nm of torque and that above average amount of torque gets me up any hill! The ebike feels very balanced since the motor is centered and low. Of course, the mid-drive requires proper gear shifting unlike hub drive motors, but that doesn't bother me. Overall, I'd say they did a pretty good job and I'm enjoying every second of riding it.

]]> Electric Bikes Roll On1 https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321111-velotric-discover-m.html NJ may backtrack on new e-bike restrictions and regulations https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321067-nj-may-backtrack-new-e-bike-restrictions-regulations.html Mon, 25 May 2026 21:16:20 GMT https://www.nj.com/news/2026/05/a-sweeping-nj-law-that-will-change-how-thousands-of-people-use-e-bikes-is-facing-growing-opposition.html Pandemonium as nobody knows what to do. Time and money has already been spent on rolling out the new regulations. https://www.nj.com/news/2026/05/a-sw...pposition.html

Pandemonium as nobody knows what to do. Time and money has already been spent on rolling out the new regulations. ]]> Electric Bikes ScottCommutes https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1321067-nj-may-backtrack-new-e-bike-restrictions-regulations.html FX+ 7S Tuning and Other Stuff https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320978-fx-7s-tuning-other-stuff.html Fri, 22 May 2026 01:11:35 GMT Hello all! I picked up my new FX+ 7S Monday and thought I could report on what I have discovered so far, especially as regards tuning. My plan for riding an electric bike was to call for additional assist from the motor to handle hills or wind while maintaining a constant speed and pedal effort. I... Hello all!
I picked up my new FX+ 7S Monday and thought I could report on what I have discovered so far, especially as regards tuning. My plan for riding an electric bike was to call for additional assist from the motor to handle hills or wind while maintaining a constant speed and pedal effort. I found the default tuning to not support that plan for reasons that will become apparent. Here is a comparison of both the factory tune and my custom tune in both table and chart form:





The default tune has the unexpected characteristic of little change in assist level as you step through the levels. In fact, you could be pedaling along at a leisurely 80 Watts in Level 1, shift into Level 2 and there would be no perceptible change in motor output. I don't understand the strategy here, but it didn't work for me, so I came up with a custom tune based on doubling the motor assist for each step. The max motor power for each level is simply the assist level times the assumed rider output of 120 Watts when the next assist level is triggered. I also changed the motor response to medium (50) for levels 2 and 3. The bike now does what I need. When encountering wind or a hill, I can trigger the next level and get more help from the motor without changing my speed or gearing while reducing pedal effort significantly. Typically, this would involve me responding to the increased load by first increasing my output to around 140 Watts to maintain speed, then toggling the next motor level to bring my output back down to around 100 Watts.

My first ride with the new tune was 16 miles on rolling terrain in moderate winds. Over the course of that ride my cardio output was split about evenly between Zones 2 and 3, which made for a comfortable workout. Motor Levels were split about 60/40 between Levels 1 and 2, with Level 3 used only once on a steep but short hill. Speed hovered around 14 mph, which I consider a comfortable pace. Battery charge level dropped from 88% to 54% over the course of the ride, which works out to around 2% per mile. That provides around a 30 mile range if the battery charge levels are kept between the optimum low of 20% and high of 80%. The battery charge rate was about 8% per 10 minutes, so around 75 minutes charge time to go from 20% to 80%.

Big picture, the bike seems to be what I was looking for, a well made and comfortable bike that will take the sting out of hills and wind, while supporting my exercise goals.

Chuck
]]> Electric Bikes ChuckM77 https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320978-fx-7s-tuning-other-stuff.html Cyplore, Anybody in? https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320970-cyplore-anybody.html Thu, 21 May 2026 20:43:59 GMT Just wondering if anyone else is interested in the new Cyplore kit for road/gravel through axle bikes? I have been following them for the past several months as I can see the need at 77 for a little extra help with wind and hills. However, I love both my current bikes, Canyon Roadlite 9 LTD and a... Just wondering if anyone else is interested in the new Cyplore kit for road/gravel through axle bikes? I have been following them for the past several months as I can see the need at 77 for a little extra help with wind and hills. However, I love both my current bikes, Canyon Roadlite 9 LTD and a Canyon Roadlite 8CF. This looks to be just the thing. Only 3 lbs or so and very easy to assemble. I pledged for two of their Cyplore One kits ( for me and my wife). In the past I tried the Swytch systems on a couple of older bikes and really didn't like the look or the feel. Sold them on eBay. Hoping the Cyplore system will work for me. ]]> Electric Bikes DowneasTTer https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320970-cyplore-anybody.html BBP290 battery upgrade https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320928-bbp290-battery-upgrade.html Tue, 19 May 2026 23:20:14 GMT Hi has anyone upgraded the BBP290 625 WH battery or added a second battery to the Cannondale MT Neio series bike Hi has anyone upgraded the BBP290 625 WH battery or added a second battery to the Cannondale MT Neio series bike ]]> Electric Bikes Bernie308 https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320928-bbp290-battery-upgrade.html Anyone who rides e-bikes on sidewalks in the Chicago suburbs must ride responsibly. https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320866-anyone-who-rides-e-bikes-sidewalks-chicago-suburbs-must-ride-responsibly.html Sat, 16 May 2026 21:43:01 GMT Must read to the end. Part of the reason for Chicago suburbs cracking down on, and criminalizing, e-bikes, is due to those few bad apples confining themselves to just one speed, collisions with cars, and so forth. Those kinds of people are the ones that go way too fast, they don't watch where they're going, they're too busy listening to music on their earphones, and all too often, they end up crashing. It has resulted in a number of Chicago suburbs cracking down on e-bikes and has caused a number of Chicago suburbs to basically hit the brakes on e-scooters and e-bikes, and when people can't trust e-bike riders on the street, they wouldn't trust them on the sidewalk, either. Understandably, most cyclists and e-bike riders choose to ride on the sidewalk so they don't get smashed in the rear by some reckless car driver, hurled through the air and into the curb, and killed or even paralyzed. And many of us know that even a helmet wouldn't protect you from a rear end collision, which is like a steel wall hitting you from behind like King Kong's sledgehammer. Actor Christopher Reeve (Superman movies) was wearing a helmet when he was thrown off his horse, and he was still paralyzed and rendered quadriplegic.

Now Florida has this new law that when you're riding an e-bike on the sidewalk, you're supposed to slow down to 10 mph or slower when you're within 50 feet or less of a pedestrian and/or kids on the sidewalk. Anyone in the Chicago suburbs that chooses to ride their e-bike on the sidewalk needs to practice that in the Chicago suburbs, too. That way we don't have people paranoid of e-bikes, and we can slow or possibly stop the crackdowns. Now 50 feet is about equal to or slightly longer than the length of an average CTA bus. Also, use your bike bell or horn to let pedestrians and anyone ahead of you know that you're coming through! If you don't have a bell or horn on your e-bike, Wal Mart and most bike shops carry those easily.

E-bikes technically could be ridden in the street, but only in the middle of the night, especially between 11:30 pm and 5:00 am, as during those hours, most suburban streets are pretty much empty of car traffic to where you more than less have the entire street to yourself. During the daytime, streets are crowded with cars, and more than 90 percent of e-bike collisions happen in the street during the day.

If you're going to ride an e-bike on the sidewalk, you need to simply learn some common sense rules. Ride slowly, for the safety of pedestrians and people that are on the sidewalk. Don't be going 20 or 28 mph on the sidewalk, save those kinds of speeds for more wide open rural areas. A more modest speed of between 7 and 10 mph, 12 maximum, is a lot more reasonable on average sidewalks than going at extreme high speed such as 20 or 28 mph. I actually would recommend riding no faster than about 8 mph when passing within 15 feet or less of buildings, such as what you might find, for example, on parts of St. Charles Road near Villa Park. On sidewalks alongside streets like Roosevelt Road going through Villa Park, Lombard, and so forth, where buildings are usually pushed back about 50 feet or more, you could do maybe 10 or 12 mph. You might be able to do maybe 15 mph on those kinds of sidewalks that run alongside fenced areas, like for example along Woodward Avenue between 87th Street and Interstate 55, where there are fences and usually trees and bushes between the houses and the sidewalk, and where anyone stepping onto the sidewalk there from the fences and bushes is very unlikely. On bike trails, you could do up to 18 mph. Going 20 or 28 mph is best done either on rural roads or on suburban streets between 11:30 pm and 5:30 am, but be aware that higher speeds put more torque on the motor than slower speeds and will drain the battery faster than slower speeds will. Remember, the higher the torque, the faster the battery drains.

In most suburban neighborhoods, it also makes no sense to be accelerating to 20 mph or more and then slam on the brakes about 300 feet later due to cars coming into the intersection, especially in typical suburban neighborhoods similar to like Berwyn, Cicero, Forest Park, Elmwood Park, and so forth, where intersections occur about every 300 to 660 feet. Doing that just causes too much wear on the brakes and also the battery as fast accelerations use a lot of excessive torque which will wear down the battery much faster than slow and steady accelerations, which can be a problem if you are taking like a suburban field trip, for example, if you're taking a trip from Forest Park to, say, Wheaton or St. Charles, or even from Brookfield to Joliet, and you need that charge in the battery to make it back home.

Riding slow on the sidewalk is also wise when dealing with street intersections when you have to cross the street. Hitting those curb ramps and curb cuts faster than 12 mph can potentially cause damage to your e-bike, including but not limited to bent wheels, a broken or snapped spoke or two, and possibly a flat tire. Hitting those curb ramps and curb cuts under power (not coasting over the curb ramps instead) also causes heavy torque surges in the motor that can drain the battery much faster than riding on flat ground. Some of those curb ramps and curb cuts also tend to be steep to where hitting them at 15 or 20 mph can possibly even bump you off your bike and cause you to crash. Also, the slower you ride on the sidewalk, the less likely you are to get stopped by some rogue police officer from New York (where regular bicycles and e-bikes are completely illegal, on both street and sidewalk).

Now on the other hand, anything capable of 40 mph or faster belongs in the street, I will say that. No class of e-bikes is ever capable of 40 mph, those kinds of speeds are e-motos, which do not have functioning pedals, hence can not be pedaled like a bicycle and are not true e-bikes. It also would be well to avoid crowded areas on an e-bike. If the sidewalk ahead looks crowded with pedestrians, such as in a business district, or if you see signs that say no bicycle riding and/or that display that bicycle symbol with the red slash through it, it would be well to find another route.

Going through intersections when there is a lot of cross traffic is a very bad idea. Cars travel much faster than e-bikes, are much bigger, heavier, and more powerful than e-bikes, and will crush you on your e-bike. It is also well to avoid going through an intersection when the light ahead of you is red and the lights to the sides are both green.

And as also clear, never ever cross railroad tracks when the gates are lowered, the red lights are flashing, and you see a train coming in. If even an 18 wheeler or a bus doesn't stand a chance against a train, neither would an e-bike.

Also, I actually find Class 2 e-bikes (the ones that have the throttle) to be much easier to ride than other classes where you have to petal to go forward. When you have the throttle, it is much easier to control your speed and slow down when riding on the sidewalk, especially if you start getting into a sort of busy area where higher speeds would be unwise. And with the throttle like on Class 2 e-bikes, you can easily go at 5 or 6 miles an hour. It especially comes in handy in those kinds of areas where, for example, you have restaurants, bars, and a few offices that are right next to the sidewalk, which can occur even outside of downtown areas. It also comes in handy in areas where you might have apartment or condominium buildings about 3 feet from the sidewalk and you don't want to cause any collisions with anyone. Another area where the throttle comes in handy is if you are riding on sidewalks that are narrow or are in disrepair and are bumpy, making higher speeds unsafe. Class 2 e-bikes are also the best for bike trips in excess of 20 miles.

Wheelies of course are totally unsafe regardless of location, street or sidewalk, even in empty parking lots, as they result in falls which cause injury to you and also damage to your e-bike. A lot of e-bike riders doing wheelies have fallen over backwards and have sustained major injuries, and in some cases, also totaled their e-bikes. And especially if that battery gets damaged, it spells enormous trouble! It is best to keep both wheels on the ground.

There are also e-bikers like myself that prefer not to ride at high speed through residential and business areas. In congested residential areas (example, Chicago's west suburb of Berwyn), I prefer to keep my speed at around 8 mph due to the close proximity of intersections, and I like to save the higher speeds for more wide open areas, especially such as sections of bike trails where intersections with roads, sidewalks, and other trails are more than a mile in between. Also, people shouldn't be quick to judge the speed capability of an e-bike by how many watts the motor is. My own e-bike has a 1,000 watt motor, and yet has a top speed of only 25 mph.

Unfortunately as is clear, it's more than less too late for Orland Park, Fox Lake, Glenview, Burr Ridge, Norridge, Hinsdale, Elk Grove Village, Carol Stream, Oak Park, and Chicago proper, as e-bikes are completely illegal in those specific suburbs, on both street and sidewalk. E-bikes are also completely prohibited on the Joliet Junction Trail.

E-bike riders ride responsibly, and it would slow down if not possibly even halt or possibly reverse some of the e-bike crackdowns that have occurred in some of the Chicago suburbs in 2025. ]]> Electric Bikes conserve https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320866-anyone-who-rides-e-bikes-sidewalks-chicago-suburbs-must-ride-responsibly.html Reusing a used e/RAD 36V Bafang Mid-drive E-bike Kit https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320746-reusing-used-e-rad-36v-bafang-mid-drive-e-bike-kit.html Tue, 12 May 2026 16:16:10 GMT Background: I recently bought a semi-recumbent tandem bike that had been frankenbiked with a Xtracycle Leap Cargo Bike addition and an eRAD e-bike conversion kit in an estate sale (franken-builder not available for information). I have stripped the parts off to return the tandem to close to its... Background:
I recently bought a semi-recumbent tandem bike that had been frankenbiked with a Xtracycle Leap Cargo Bike addition and an eRAD e-bike conversion kit in an estate sale (franken-builder not available for information). I have stripped the parts off to return the tandem to close to its mid-1980s configuration (it is fantastic!) and now I am thinking about how to put to use the e-bike parts with an old steel bike frame. I know this is not the latest equipment (it appears to be a 2016 build), but I want to give it a try to see what I have.

Main E-bike Kit Components: eRAD controller, Bafang BBS02 36V 25A 500W motor with Hailong 36V 23Ah Battery

My limited e-bike experience:
I built a hub-motor based e-bike in 2008 (for my then-spouse to pull my youngest to daycare until he learned to ride well enough to take the back seat on my tandem), but I have not kept track of the e-bike world since, so I would welcome any suggestions about my plans, which are as follows:

I never tried the e-bike as purchased, because I had to drive 3 hours home with the purchase and the total frankenbike was too long and heavy to fit in the car. I carefully separated the parts and packed the car. The kit was installed on a steel frame with a 68mm bottom bracket, so I will install it on a steel road frame with 700C wheels and 32mm tires.

What equipment is involved:
As received, my kit did not include a brake lever cut-off switch, so I am planning to at least test without this component, and there is a power switch for the handlebars to turn off power if things go wrong. The kit includes:
a speed sensor for the rear wheel,
a GSD gear shift sensor (that was not connected on the bike as received),
a FT-21X thumb throttle,
button controls, and
an e/RAD LED display.

The functions of these parts seem pretty obvious, and also I have a charger, but I did not receive any documentation nor cables for programming the controller (just guessing that this is a step I may want in the future). It also has front and rear lights, but I am expecting those will not present significant complexities. The seller said that the battery seemed to accept charging, so I am planning to put it all together and see what happens.

Questions:
1. Does anyone have access or can direct me to information about eRAD e-bike conversion kits? Was there an install guide, a user manual, software, etc?
2. Is this just a re-badged Bafang e-bike kit (if so, is there a model or reference number)?
3. Is there any electrical testing that I should do before installing the parts on a bicycle?Bafang BBS02 Mid-drive Motor
Bafang BBS02 Mid-drive Motor
e/RAD Controller and Buttons
e/RAD Controller and Buttons
Hailong 36V 23Ah Battery
Hailong 36V 23Ah Battery
Speed Sensor
Speed Sensor
Thumb Throttle
Thumb Throttle
Kill Switch
Kill Switch
Headlight
Headlight
Taillight
Taillight
Gear Sensor
Gear Sensor ]]> Electric Bikes Random Tandem https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/1320746-reusing-used-e-rad-36v-bafang-mid-drive-e-bike-kit.html