Cheapest emtb that is worth it?

[ThisIsNotaTrialRUn]

Hey everyone :=)

New member and first post so cheers for having me!

As the title of this thread suggests I am looking for the cheapest emtb that is actually worth it!

Bit of a back story without going into great detail. I used to be really into bikes both mountain bikes and motocross bikes as a kid ( from about age 4 ) and fell in love with the sport but as I got older my health deteriated to the point where I have spent much of my adult life confined to bed and now at age 35 and with the support of all my Docs and therapists it really is now or never for me to get back on a bike.

There is absolutely no chance of getting back on a normal bike. I have had my legs thrown over quite a few with help and I practically am unable to peddle on flat ground. During a once in a lifetime trip to Slovenia 2 years ago I happened to cross a bike festival on lake bled and I was wheeling may way around the bikes in my wheelchair talking to the representative of Haibike and before you know it I was being lifted onto one of the bikes ( unfortunately I am unsure of the exact bike but it was a full sus ).

In turbo mode I was actually able to ride! Any lower mode and it did not make much help whatsoever which i guess is worth pointing out. Was unable to tackle any hills but was able to go for a few minute ride on my own around the lake on flattish ground which is something I have not done in yearrrrrrs.

I was the happiest I have been until they told me the price..... I thought they where taking the piss! But since then it has rekindled my love from the sport even from afar and have been catching up on all the latest tech and youtube channels etc etc which was not a thing back in the day!

This is made me go on the search for an affordable emtb. I know "affordable" is different for everyone but for the long term unemployed affordable is hundreds not thousands. Without fail every single bike under 1k I have been to see in Halfords and the likes may as well not have a motor and the lack of rear suspension is no gamer for me due to pain.

When i read posts or see new videos of the best new affordable emtbs they are all 3k or so with the decathlon one that everyone is raving about just shy of the 3k mark but that is sooo out of my reach it is not funny.

I am just hoping there is something I have missed?

I know everyones first option may be to look second hand but even still its over budget and I am unable to get any kind of finance to pay something of.

So really all those cheap and for me affordable bikes are just not worth it but at what price point do things change and who is the cheapest manufacturer hitting that price point?

Thanks for reading! Cheers

 

[blancysteve]

I think your only option is a used full suspension ebike. Congrats on getting back on a bike, inspiring. Well done

 

[Gary]

If going secondhand and low budget I'd suggest looking for a good condition 26" FS mtb for around £500 and a DIY motor for around £700.
it'll be way more reliable than any S/H Ebike for the same outlay and you'll have a warranty on the motor and battery.

 

[ThisIsNotaTrialRUn]

I think your only option is a used full suspension ebike. Congrats on getting back on a bike, inspiring. Well done

Thanks very much! I have been looking for a long time for a decent used bike to come up on ebay and never manage to find anything at my price point. Even used I have yet to see a decent bike to sell for under 1k. Any particular brands or models that you may know of that sell cheaper than others? That do not hold their value as much as the big boys?

 

[ThisIsNotaTrialRUn]

If going secondhand and low budget I'd suggest looking for a good condition 26" FS mtb for around £500 and a DIY motor for around £700.
it'll be way more reliable than any S/H Ebike for the same outlay and you'll have a warranty on the motor and battery.

Cheers for your input! Can you recommend any DIY motors? I kind of stopped looking down that route when I delved into the topic as I was unsure about the whole process but I could have my mind changed!

 

[Mteam]

Gary is right, a second hand full sus regular mountain bike plus a new e bike kit is the way forward if on a really tight budget.

 

[ThisIsNotaTrialRUn]

Gary is right, a second hand full sus regular mountain bike plus a new e bike kit is the way forward if on a really tight budget.

Yeah maybe! Have you any experience with kits yourself? Thanks!

 

[Mteam]

Yeah maybe! Have you any experience with kits yourself? Thanks!

No I'm afraid I don't, just see them being discussed on various forums every now and again.

I think bafang is the kit most people use

 

[Waynemarlow]

Bafang if you want peddle and go, TSDZ2 if you want the bike to feel like a bike, Bafang for reliability, TSDZ2 for a huge amount of info, cheap parts and a software hack/ upgrade which puts it in among the commercial EBikes. We have now 6 bikes in teh group all with TSDZ2 and loving them, typically on our old full sus that was relegated to the back of the sheds but were top dollar in their day or more latterly on early Whyte T129's or M109's

 

[steve_sordy]

The wife of an an acquaintance of mine has totally shot knees, and arthritic ankles. He bought her a rigid ebike and had it modified to operate with a hand throttle. She is delighted and they now both go out riding tarmac together around the local villages. He knows that the conversion is illegal, but you would have to have a heart of stone to frown on what he's done.

With a hand throttle, the lack of leg strength would not be an issue and hills could be attempted.

 

[Gary]

He could also use that heart of gold to legally register and insure it for her.

jus' sayin'

 

[steve_sordy]

He could also use that heart of gold to legally register and insure it for her.

jus' sayin'

I will suggest that to him next time I see him.

But if it is as simple as that then there is no barrier to the OP doing the same quite legally.

 

[Gary]

But if it is as simple as that then there is no barrier to the OP doing the same quite legally.

Nope. Who said there was?

 

[wepn]

Bit of a back story without going into great detail. I used to be really into bikes both mountain bikes and motocross bikes as a kid ( from about age 4 ) and fell in love with the sport but as I got older my health deteriated to the point where I have spent much of my adult life confined to bed and now at age 35 and with the support of all my Docs and therapists it really is now or never for me to get back on a bike.

WOW that's really an amazing & inspiring story and the best way to get back on a bike. Anything is possible !

Bafang if you want peddle and go, TSDZ2 if you want the bike to feel like a bike, Bafang for reliability, TSDZ2 for a huge amount of info, cheap parts and a software hack/ upgrade which puts it in among the commercial EBikes. We have now 6 bikes in teh group all with TSDZ2 and loving them, typically on our old full sus that was relegated to the back of the sheds but were top dollar in their day or more latterly on early Whyte T129's or M109's

View attachment 41025

Very good advice!
I do mention Grin Technologies in Vancouver quite a lot - I've only ever bought a charger from them but they are e-bike pioneers & have been around since 2004. Have a look at their kit info page especially the Bafang rear wheel RTR kits. So much information there and the kits are the best available anywhere I have absolutely no doubt. Even if you purchase a kit from elsewhere, the entire website is a wealth of information.

I hope you can get a kit on a FS bike asap & post the details here!

Hub Motor Options - Getting Started

 

[ThisIsNotaTrialRUn]

WOW that's really an amazing & inspiring story and the best way to get back on a bike. Anything is possible !

Cheers buddy

Very good advice!
I do mention Grin Technologies in Vancouver quite a lot - I've only ever bought a charger from them but they are e-bike pioneers & have been around since 2004. Have a look at their kit info page especially the Bafang rear wheel RTR kits. So much information there and the kits are the best available anywhere I have absolutely no doubt. Even if you purchase a kit from elsewhere, the entire website is a wealth of information.

I hope you can get a kit on a FS bike asap & post the details here!

I will be doing a lot of research over the next few weeks on these motors but ideally I would need to test before I committed to it. The thing with alot of these motors is that they are not pedal assist which is want i really want. I need to get my legs moving or i am going to loose the use of them forever...i just need to be able to do it as easy as possible and with the least amount of strain if that makes sense!

Hub Motor Options - Getting Started

 

[wepn]

Also have a look at Grin's extra special motor, charge & trip simulators in their Tools section.

In this case have a look at their motor simulator especially the Bafang G310 & GMAC motors. Input your weight added to total weight of your bike, wheel size (maybe 27.5), MTB upright, battery voltage (maybe 36V), controller (maybe 20A) then play around with various Human power & grade (as in steepness of gradient) then hit Simulate.

It'll plot torque, power efficiency, load, speed at max efficiency, time to overheat, range & so much more. It'll help you decide what's best for you. Also in the motor drop down, scroll to the bottom & hit SHOW ALL to display a huge range of motors.

Motor Simulator - Tools

 

[wepn]

The thing with alot of these motors is that they are not pedal assist which is want i really want. I need to get my legs moving or i am going to loose the use of them forever...i just need to be able to do it as easy as possible and with the least amount of strain if that makes sense!

You can still put in as much effort as you like with a throttle but if pedal assist is good for you then check out one of several Bafang mid-drives. Have a look at High Tide Cycles in East Sussex. They do conversions starting from £900 though a dual susser conversion is likely to be more.

Bafang e-bike conversions at High Tide Cycles

 

[Waynemarlow]

You may want to investigate the downsides of hub motors in mtb mode and workout what you want as far as pedal assist ( basically you peddle and the motor will add what ever your setting is ) and torque assist ( where the motor adds a percentage dependant on your effort at the peddles ).

The TSDZ2 engine hacked has an option for the user to select what mode you want it in plus has a throttle if you need it ( the throttle actually is a good option for those with knee / leg problems )

If you have loads of time to read up about the TSDZ2 or Bafang it maybe worth a look at EndlessSphere where you can resarch ebikes at what level you may want.

EBike Non-hub Motor Drives - Endless Sphere

 

[ThisIsNotaTrialRUn]

You can still put in as much effort as you like with a throttle but if pedal assist is good for you then check out one of several Bafang mid-drives. Have a look at High Tide Cycles in East Sussex. They do conversions starting from £900 though a dual susser conversion is likely to be more.


Wow! Thanks loads for all the info! Going to take awhile to get through it all and understand it! Had no idea you could peddle with the throttle ones, worth looking into for sure! :=)

Bafang e-bike conversions at High Tide Cycles

 

[ThisIsNotaTrialRUn]

You may want to investigate the downsides of hub motors in mtb mode and workout what you want as far as pedal assist ( basically you peddle and the motor will add what ever your setting is ) and torque assist ( where the motor adds a percentage dependant on your effort at the peddles ).

The TSDZ2 engine hacked has an option for the user to select what mode you want it in plus has a throttle if you need it ( the throttle actually is a good option for those with knee / leg problems )

If you have loads of time to read up about the TSDZ2 or Bafang it maybe worth a look at EndlessSphere where you can resarch ebikes at what level you may want.

EBike Non-hub Motor Drives - Endless Sphere

Thanks alot for the info. I have soo much now i am not sure where to start haha. I guess that is a good thing! Just wish there was someway to try out all the options!!!

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

.

Hey everyone :=)

New member and first post so cheers for having me!

As the title of this thread suggests I am looking for the cheapest emtb that is actually worth it!

Bit of a back story without going into great detail. I used to be really into bikes both mountain bikes and motocross bikes as a kid ( from about age 4 ) and fell in love with the sport but as I got older my health deteriated to the point where I have spent much of my adult life confined to bed and now at age 35 and with the support of all my Docs and therapists it really is now or never for me to get back on a bike.

There is absolutely no chance of getting back on a normal bike. I have had my legs thrown over quite a few with help and I practically am unable to peddle on flat ground. During a once in a lifetime trip to Slovenia 2 years ago I happened to cross a bike festival on lake bled and I was wheeling may way around the bikes in my wheelchair talking to the representative of Haibike and before you know it I was being lifted onto one of the bikes ( unfortunately I am unsure of the exact bike but it was a full sus ).

In turbo mode I was actually able to ride! Any lower mode and it did not make much help whatsoever which i guess is worth pointing out. Was unable to tackle any hills but was able to go for a few minute ride on my own around the lake on flattish ground which is something I have not done in yearrrrrrs.

I was the happiest I have been until they told me the price..... I thought they where taking the piss! But since then it has rekindled my love from the sport even from afar and have been catching up on all the latest tech and youtube channels etc etc which was not a thing back in the day!

This is made me go on the search for an affordable emtb. I know "affordable" is different for everyone but for the long term unemployed affordable is hundreds not thousands. Without fail every single bike under 1k I have been to see in Halfords and the likes may as well not have a motor and the lack of rear suspension is no gamer for me due to pain.

When i read posts or see new videos of the best new affordable emtbs they are all 3k or so with the decathlon one that everyone is raving about just shy of the 3k mark but that is sooo out of my reach it is not funny.

I am just hoping there is something I have missed?

I know everyones first option may be to look second hand but even still its over budget and I am unable to get any kind of finance to pay something of.

So really all those cheap and for me affordable bikes are just not worth it but at what price point do things change and who is the cheapest manufacturer hitting that price point?

Thanks for reading! Cheers

Hi there. I'm glad you posted here and thank you for sharing your background. So glad that you're looking at ways to start cycling again. I was trying to see if there's anything else I could add to what's already been said... but after reading this thread, I couldn't help but think that our knowledge is woefully limited regarding the kind of advice you're looking for.

Have you been to the EBR forum (Electric Bike Review)? I occasionally visit there as well and they have many relevant subjects akin to your situation. I can only assume that their long-time members will have a wealth of experience in assisting you to find the right eBike. I actually went in there just now and was surprised to see a specialised category dedicated to 'eBiking with disabilities' which I hadn't noticed before.

Try posting your background on the welcome thread over there and see what they say.

Here's the link:

Ebiking with Disabilities

This is a space for discussing how electric bicycles can benefit people with different disability challenges. It could be an intellectual disability, physical limitation, mental health diagnosis, or other accessibility related challenge.

electricbikereview.com

 

[Rich_H]

Hi there. Can't help with the cheap e-bike business, but as someone who is still recovering from an incident that destroyed both my hips 2.5 years ago, I can recommend ddpyoga. The app has hundreds of workouts that start from people who are confined to bed, then those that use a chair and so on to some pretty extreme stuff. I've been doing this since May and along with physio am making gains. It sometimes feels slow, but then one day I'll notice some major improvement. Like today, I put up a new curtain pole and was able to easily step up on to a chair. My wife said "you made that look easy" and she was right, I didnt even think about it. 3 months ago I wouldn't have been able to lift my foot high enough without a grimace. Anyway, if you're interested, check it out. Not a sales pitch, its just been a great help to me. Cheers. P.S. Here's the video that got me interested:

 

[peterk]

You are obviously a good writer with a good story to tell. What about setting up a GoFundMe page and asking for a little financial help or the donation of a bike? If you do, post the info here and EMBN etc.

 

[BTTB]

This maybe a site worth checking out if you go down the route of bolt-on motor

Welcome to Custom Built eBikes - High performance electric bike upgrades

We can either convert your existing bike to an electric ebike, or supply the parts and advice so you can do it yourself. Less money, more performance.

custombuilt-ebikes.co.uk

Unsure of what you need? Call them for advice - 01392 580040

HTH

 

[Surrey Hillbilly]

Why are you going for a mtb? There are e-hybrid bikes out there which are much more reasonably priced and if you can’t bash it up and down trails they’d do you fine...