re: My son wants an e-bike for Christmas, and I know nothing about them

I have had a Lectric ebike for 4 years, they are a great company and brand. Different models have different specs and range on battery. Also I peddle mine whole time I am riding and you can set the Pedal assist and gear to where you get whatever stress of workout you want.

Lectric

They are a bit dangerous. Some of them go really fast. My 12 year old wiped out on his just the other day. I thought it was good for him to feel that pain of falling off a bike. Good scrap on his knee and complaining he broke his finger (he did not). I just smiled. He has ridden his regular bike many of times and never had a good wipeout. I've had plenty in my life growing up.

We got this one last year for my then 11 year old. Going to get another one for my 14 year old.
amazon

I don't think it matters what "brand" you get, it's coming from China.

A common issue with the majority of these bikes, especially the ones with 14 or 16" wheels, is you can't even fill the tires with air b/c there's no room. Such a stupid design. You have to buy a new tire that has a curved valve. Some of them may have started making that change, if they have decent customer support and want to satisfy their customers.



I think the thing to remember is these things aren't going to last long. I have no proof or anecdotal evidence, but i seriously doubt these batteries make it to year 4-5. If they are like any other battery we use, that's about its life. Your kid will likely be interested in something else by the time the battery goes out anyway. My point is, i wouldn't go buy a $1500 ebike for a kid who's goign to ride it for about 2 years, when there's $300 ebikes that'll last long enough for him.

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Get a Tuttio

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This.

Or a Surron.

E-Bike is a pretty wide segment. Pedal assist. Throttle. Dirt bike style. Mountain bike style. One made for the road? The problem with most of the cheap Chinese made ones is they use crap components especially the brakes. I wouldn't even begin to consider one that didn't have good name brand reliable 4 piston brakes and 203mm rotors.

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They’re gay and the kids that ride them are lazy as frick

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So get that lazy punk a wheelbarrow.

frick all that. Kids need real bikes for exercise, that’s more like a motorcycle for a child.

My kid had a $300 kind of bike that has over *3,000* miles on it in two years.

There are different classes of e-bikes generally limited by max speed. Different municipalities have different rules on which can be ridden on a sidewalk and which can't. It's illegal, but we have kids riding them on 4 lane roads, going through drive-thrus, etc.

You need to be HARD and FAST with the rules, such as no wearing earpods when you're riding, you will stop at every single intersection, etc. The way the junior high kids ride these things, cutting through parking lots, not stopping at intersections, not paying attention at all is completely retarded. Remember, your kid's muscle memory is dirt bikes on trails where there are no cars or stop signs.

We had four kids at one junior high get hit by cars the FIRST WEEK of school. All four kids were found at fault by the popo.

My son (33) had a Stark Varg. Looks like any other dirtbike. You can set the “horsepower” at whatever level you want up to 80 hp. At full power it’s faster than a 450. On my backyard track, which is 1/2 mile long, I think he rode it at the 30 hp setting and it ripped. Pricey (around $11-12k) but a solid bike. Top speed is around 75 mph.



If he’s wanting something more the size of an 85, my grandson (12) was tearing up the track on an Altis Sigma 98v. Easily jumps all the doubles he jumps on his GasGas 85. Around 27 hp and tops out at 70-75 mph. Costs a little under $6k.

I'd say get one from a local dealer definitely. They can service them which will at some point be needed. (Not sure if you're from BR but the shop next to Brew haha in mid city services their bikes) It's not as easy as swapping a tube or a chain on a regular bike if course. The Chinese made ones on Amazon will work for a while until something goes wrong on it.

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I assume he wants a E mountain bike.

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That's for old people.