To go electric or mountain bike?

[maryam]

Hello all, I'm new here and wanted to get some advice. I've started going to the gym and looking to try get a bit fitter. Sold the second car and I am looking to get a bike to get to and from the station everyday (roughly 1.5km). There are some hills so I am thinking maybe an electric bike to help? I also want to take the bike on some cycleways, mountain tracks on the weekend etc (nothing too crazy).

I'm female, 160cm. If I was to go a regular mountain bike, I'd be looking to spend maybe $600-$800. If going electric my max would be about $1500.

Could anyone recommend something that should last me a least a year or two before I need to upgrade Any particular bike shops in Sydney I should go check out? Is my price range realistic? What is the likely hood of my bike being stolen if i park it at the station all day?

Thanks in advance!

[elantra]

I would strongly advise against an electric bike to go to a railway station, I suppose it depends where you live but the risk of theft is prob very high.

I would advise a cheaper bike to go to railway station, but in reality you are not going to get anything worthwhile for less than 600-800 dollars.

So an e-bike is going to be more of a financial and emotional risk, also it will be heavier to lift up stairs or over gates etc.

At this stage I would stick with a mountain bike, but definitely NOT a “dual suspension” one.
It must be as light as possible, and of course a correct fit is absolutely paramount.
But then the next biggest issue is how to ensure that it doesn’t get stolen anytime soon .

[Mr Purple]

1.5km to the station? It doesn't really matter what you buy. You could do that distance on a BMX and it wouldn't be significantly harder.

If you're plan on leaving it locked up at the station I would not buy an e-bike.

At that price range I'd be looking at any one of the new or recently secondhand entry level mountain bikes from the major manufacturers. Hardtail, other features probably don't really matter too much for now because you'll be able to sell if you need to upgrade later.

[Andy01]

A good place to start for an electric or hybrid bike is probably a Giant store. Giant markets their ladies-specific range call Liv, and they should have a couple of options in your price range or even a bit cheaper. I would imagine that you would probably be a size Small - my wife is 165cm and rides a Medium Liv Bliss 2 2019 MTB.

Liv Rove "adventure" bikes - https://www.liv-cycling.com/au/bikes-rove-2022
Liv Bliss 27.5" MTB - https://www.liv-cycling.com/au/bliss-2022
Liv Tempt 27.5" MTB - https://www.liv-cycling.com/au/bikes-tempt-2022 (these also come in 29" models in size Small)

Then there are plenty of other similarly speced bikes like Meridas or Norcos from 99Bikes, Trek (might be a little pricier).

Like the others I would strongly recommend against a ebike, especially if parking at the station all day. Also for $1500 you are likely to get a pretty low speced ebike, whereas for $800 your are getting a pretty decent entry-level MTB.

Realistically 1.5km is really nothing on a bike, barely warmed up, so as mentioned above pretty much anything would do, even a "tip bike". A pretty slow average speed on a bike is around 15km/h, so it is a 5-6 minute trip at most, coming down to 3-4 minutes as you get fitter and start averaging 20-23km/h. Obviously something with some gearing (and any MTB, even a 3x7 speed) would eat any hills. Most MTBs at this level are 3x front gears so most will be capable of riding at anything from 4-5km/h (walking speed) in the lowest gears right up to 35-40km/h on a cycleway or road in the faster gears. They would not be well suited to a rougher MTB track though because the suspension is pretty basic.

The general comment is probably that finding a nice bike that fits you well (you are comfortable on it) and you "like" (ie. you like the look and feel of it) is more important than how many gears it has or whether it has hydraulic disc brakes or mechanical brakes etc. If you like it and feel good/comfortable on it, you are more likely to ride it.

In the end it is likely to come down to availability though, especially at this time of year where 2022 model bikes may well be getting low in availability, and the new 2023 models will only start trickling in around September.

I would strongly suggest allowing space in your budget a very good quality bike lock because the likelihood of some lowlife trying their luck seems pretty high, so the best quality lock you can get will provide some deterrent. See if there is any bike parking spots in front of a camera.

Also allow some budget for lights (front & rear) because as winter approaches, you may be riding to or from work in dim lighting. I would recommend against the cheaper lower-lumen rated sets because the often are not bright enough. Something with at least 400 lumens up front (which still isn't enough to ride in full darkness) and around 200 lumens at the back should keep you visible.

[RonK]

You'll get far greater health and fitness benefits by walking the 1.5 km to the station, and have none of the bike security issues.
Invest in a quality MTB and keep it for the weekend jaunts on the cycleways and MTB trails.

[gsxrboy]

I'm female, 160cm. If I was to go a regular mountain bike, I'd be looking to spend maybe $600-$800. If going electric my max would be about $1500.

My only advice on the ebike is a $1500 jobbie is really a $150 bike with a kit on it. You'll be replacing the battery before you know it at $800+ replacement.

See if you can borrow a bike from a friend first to gauge if 1.5km is more hassle that its worth vs than a brisk walk. After that see how far it is to your work and maybe do a one day a week try (if you have end of ride facilities).

You could even just get a decent non electric kick scooter for not many coffees. Kick push, kick push .. coooooooast.

[maryam]

Thanks so much everyone! I went into 99bikes and had a look and tried some out. I also found a giant ATX in great condition for $200. Not sure if it’s worth it.

[Mr Purple]

Yep. Just buy the Giant if it fits and works.

You can always upgrade later.

[maryam]

Cheers got the giant. It was such a smooth ride, perfect for my height and I just need to change the grips on the handle bars. Everything else looked almost new. I think I will either get it serviced or look up how to do it myself. Thanks everyone!

[maryam]

[Mububban]

Nice one! Love the colour. Happy riding.

Remember to spin an easy light gear up the hills (small front chainring, large rear gears) rather than grind a slow heavy gear and kill your knees

[Mr Purple]

That looks excellent, well done.