Anyone have experience with / opinion on the Benno Boost E mid-tail? Just found out that I’m eligible for the local university’s discount e-bike purchase program and that’s on the list. Looks interesting, other than maybe the weirdo size tires (24 x 2.6) and the weirdo size seatpost (31.2mm).
TC I know crap about cargo bikes, but did a test ride on a Supermarché last year.
We have one in the shop I’m working in now, and it’s alright. If you’re willing to holdout, go for the Tern GSD (if it ever gets into production.) The Benno Boost rode fine, it just doesn’t get me excited like the GSD/Xtracycle/Yuba do.
It’s probably fine as long as you just want a bike to ride around rather than tinker with.
this was posted in the “should i” thread but should be reposted here for those that don’t wander into marketplace often
Rode the Boost today and I’d give it a solid alright. Took it out for about 30 minutes, did a little climbing, and just general messing around. It was fun with the assist on, but pretty turdly with it off, not sure if that’s a tire thing, a pressure thing, a headwind thing, an almost 60 lbs thing, or what. Definitely not as fun to ride as the Supermarché. Can’t imagine wanting a non-e cargo now. The seat on it was pretty great tho, firm, not squishy.
Dropped by the local Yuba dealer hoping the had a Sweet or Spicy Curry to ride (they have in the past), but no luck.
That Tern GSD looks very interesting.
The Orbea Katu E-10 mini basket bike is also on the discount list, and like 1.1 bongs cheaper than the Benno, probably worth checking out as well since I could do pretty much all my cargoing on something like that (grocery store runs would be the main use). Hell if I can find out what the weight limit for its basket is, though. Going to check it out on Saturday probably, and ask the Tern dealer about the GSD.
What about cero? If/when I get a e-cargo it will almost certainly be one.
How did I not know about this beautiful creature?
Friend bought the non-e katu (hub gear, dyno, hydros), quite likes it. Will probably end up on the e version soon for long commutes.
Oh man, I had no idea this even existed, but it looks pretty great. Bummer there’s no dealer near me.
Oh man, I had no idea this even existed, but it looks pretty great. Bummer there’s no dealer near me.[/quote]
They haven’t really started a dealer network yet, but they’re very nice and may be willing to setup a demo through a local shop.
Oh man, I had no idea this even existed, but it looks pretty great. Bummer there’s no dealer near me.[/quote]
They haven’t really started a dealer network yet, but they’re very nice and may be willing to setup a demo through a local shop.[/quote]
Splendid is listed, 100% sure I could get the wife to go up to Portland with me for a weekend just to test ride a bike.
This page is showing the rack rated at 15 kg. They also show a rear rack and suspension fork(!).
… oops
Rode the Katu E-10 and met a tarcker at the shop(!), would be a pretty great bike for urban lyfe. No non-assist Katus though, sort of a bummer. Other dealer said they are supposed to get their GSD order sometime the end of May and let me take out a Vektron S10. That was fun as well, but all these ebikes are turdly as hell with the assist off. Reminds me of the time the cone on my rear hub started auto tightening until I could barely pedal.
Were you riding ebikes with direct drive or geared freewheel?
Direct drive is gunna feel terrible because its actually pushing watts back into the system via regeneration.
All three bikes were fancy pants Bosch mid-drive stuff, Performance on two, Active on the third. The Katu seemed the worst of them all, which was surprising because of tinywheels, but it also had tinycranks (152mm).
Not like I’m seriously considering e-assist but today I rode my bullit for 10 hours. I’d say a full 6 hours were actual riding time at full capacity. I am basically fully laid up in recovery for tomorrow. I’ve joked about getting an e-assist wheel but now I’m taking that joke seriously.
How do I retrofit a bullit to an e-assist front wheel?
My main thought is that I could basically have an e-assist system that I don’t use all the time. I already have a front wheel, obviously. If I get e-assist I plan on storing the battery under the cargo bay. If I can come up with a system to switch wheels and drop the battery that would be fucking dope. Anyone know of a quality 20" disc brake wheel front drive system?
Also very interested in this for the future. My work is thru axle, which I imagine is an even rarer beast. Longest I’ve ridden the cagro is about 4 hours with a couple hours of walking in the middle, and yeah, next day I was fucking wrecked.
My xtracycle has a large eZee hub motor in the rear 20" wheel. The spokes are very short and have very sharp angles so wheel strength is pretty compromised. I busted a lot of spokes on it at first, so the shop rebuilt it with better spokes and the wheel is mostly true a couple years later. I imagine you would probably have more issues. But it seems like an okay solution for the most part (the deadman switch brake levers are garbage).
One thing to keep in mind is that I’m not sure how easily switchable the wheels may be. Mine is hardwired to the controller with a massive cable so removing the wheel is not possible. I’m sure something could be figured out.