I am looking for an eBike to commute to work and gym. The area where I need to ride is quite hilly so I wanted an eBike to make it a bit easier. I have had a look at Marketplace and Gumtree but where I live (Central Queensland) there is very few listings. I have googled and scoured ozbargain for some options on eBikes around $1500 but there is very limited or outdated information. I have had look at the Fluid mountain bikes at Anaconda and some on Ebay but the reviews don't seem overly positive. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Looking for an Ebike for Roughly $1500
LChrismasacre on 16/04/2025 - 11:23
Comments
It is more the hills around my work. I don't want to be a sweaty mess at work.
Does your work have end of trip facilities? You'll probably get sweaty anyway even on an eBike
This is definitely true. (Legal) eBikes in Australia cannot be fully powered, they are simply "pedal assisted". You still have to pedal decently, even on a fairly powerful motor.
@trankillity: You obviously have a different experience than I do as I'm 79 and I've owned the same ebike for 8 years, a Smartmotion eCity. I don't get "sweaty" using it if I select the highest power assist level.
@iminabrons: Really depends on OPs fitness level, length of commute, number of hills, season etc
I'm just saying I would expect to still get sweaty and have a plan for the end of trip@theguyrules: I did say I was 79. But I do agree that the length of the commute and how often are the steep hills are key.
@iminabrons: Guessing you don't live in coastal QLD. Simply "being outside" here is enough to get sweaty - so any level of pedaling is going to exacerbate it.
@trankillity: "Guessing you don't live in coastal QLD"
Funny you should say that as I live 400 metres from the ocean in Redcliffe. 35 km north of Brisbane.
Dear-oh-dear some people really put their foot in it.
@trankillity: Nope.
In QLD could be fully powered even with a throtle but must do less than 6kmh max.@LFO: Yes sorry, I did know about the 6km/hr rule - but that speed isn't really tenable for commuting. Literal walking speed.
Always wonder why some people associate bicycles with physical exercise.
Haven't they heard of "means of transportation"?
Millions of bike riders all over the world use it to go from A to B. Just that, transportation.
Amazing the preconceptions of some.
I agree with you 100%.
Agree. My bicycles are for recreation or transport. Exercise is just a bonus.
Drop food off at the same time. Make money.
or they can use them to carry their Clif bars, protein supplements and electrolyte drinks…
there
isare very few listings.FTFY
How long have you lost your license for?
I haven't. I am currently driving to work but parking is becoming an increasing issue.
So you're just planning ahead for the date. Are you looking for one that can be reprogrammed so you don't need to pedal and can go faster than the legal limit?
This post reminds me of people on their way to the swimming pool when it rains and they complain because they got wet from the car park to the pool.
I've never understood why they bother putting roofs over swimming pools.
Because the Sun is hot?
Let me help you out here, as it appears that you have a belief your parents were trying to teach you how to swim when they threw you off the boat still in your clothes when you were a child.
Thankfully, somehow you survived but for the rest of us we change into a swimming costume before we dive into a pool as we know our clothes will get wet iff we don't change.I had to be revived, it was a close one.
What style of bike were u thinking? I'd recommend pedal assist / mid drive rather than hub drive.
I have a Giant Talon E+1 which is out of your price range ($3500) but I've found the pedal assist great for fitness. I started out using mine on assist 3 or 4 (of 5) and these days mainly use assist 1 or 2. It's a great "does it all" bike. I've done 1500km on mine, my wife has done 3000+km on hers.At $1500 you are looking at a limited range but as a pedal assist commuter bike maybe the Velectrix Brunswick Commuter?
I was thinking a pedal assist mainly just to help with hills and post gym soreness. I have had a look at the Giant Ebikes in my local store but yeah unfortunately out of my price range. I saw the Velectrix Brunswick Commuter on 99bikes and would have bought it but they don't deliver to my area but will keep an eye on other sites.
By "pedal assist" do you mean torque-sensor, so the motor works harder when you pedal harder?
In theory you can get that with a hub motor, but it seems to be rare.
By "pedal assist" do you mean torque-sensor, so the motor works harder when you pedal harder?
Mid-drive. There's more to it than just a torque sensor. There is also a speed sensor, crank speed sensor and incline sensor.
I rode a few hub drive and a few mid-drive before purchase and preferred the mid-drive.
"The area where I need to ride is quite hilly"
Sounds like you just need to work on your thighs and cardio at this "gym" you're commuting to.
Anything legal (250w) will be fairly useless if you are in a hilly area.
Have a look on marketplace for a bike that has been converted to ebike with a bafang mid drive. 750-1000w is amount of power that's really needed.Not true. Part of the issue is that unlike cars, how you measure power is not legally defined. A 250W nominal motor might put out twice that with a full charge and the right RPM.
Secondly, thanks to the magic of gearing, a mid-drive motor can potentially climb any hill.
With a hub motor, you are limited by the maximum torque (not power!).If you want to go racing, fork out the money for a real, registered and insured motorbike. And kindly f*** off from the bike paths and footpaths.
Fully true cuz!
250w is piss weak.
I got a 21000w ultra bee on the way, I'll see you on the bike paths!
Anything legal (250w) will be fairly useless if you are in a hilly area.
What a load of cobblers.
I ride a 250w mid drive with a 9 speed gear set. I rarely have my assist level above 150w and mostly have it at 50w or 100w. I do most hills at at least 15kph.
What bike do you have that you think you need more than 250w for hills?
I recommend buying from a local bike shop as e-Bikes get afflicted will all manner of gremlins for which you'll receive valuable LBS tech support.
For a new ebike for $1,500 there are going to be some compromises, whether motor type, brand, drive, components, battery etc
Best thing is to do some research, learn a bit about them, and can then decide where to put your money to best meet your needs
Nobody has any suggestions for OP yet?
edit: I missed the above comment. Yes the Brunswick looks perfect for you. Can you not arrange something?
3-speed Nexus with belt-drive, so low maintenance, but still OK for hills. Decent specs, Bafang motor.
I saw the Velectrix Brunswick Commuter on 99bikes and would have bought it but they don't deliver to my area
Nice pick up there. Yes, that is the comment i was referring to.
Yeah, I was pointing out that they said they couldn't get it delivered and I'm assuming there are no 99 bikes stores near them
More hears would be good for hilly areas. Being able to match your cadence to the hills is a gold thing. Reduces load on the motor or your legs.
Of course, ideally. But 7-speed Nexus is expensive, and 3 is enough for an e-bike.
Personally, I'd get a derailleur, but low-maintenance 3-speed and belt suits many. It depends how much you intend to use your legs vs the motor :-)
try Cullenebikes.com.au, had mine 3yrs+, still going strong
+1 for NCM.
I've had one for a few years and love it. Ride it to the beach and back most days, while the motorbike and the pushbike sit and gather dust.
A lot of the food delivery guys seem to use NCM.
I bought a SmartMotion eCity for $2,200 8 years ago and still use it. Recently I saw them on sale at RideElectric for $1,300.
The first battery lasted 5 1/2 years. (Samsung batteries). Let me add here, I don't use my bike everyday like you apparently would though.
SmartMotion are a company in NZ that created the eBikes for the NZ Post Office which are used by their postmen to deliver mail. This was the main reason I bought this brand.I remember the sales assistant at RideElectric instructing me on how to have the seat high up so that I would get full extension of my legs. His face frowned when I explained to him that I'm buying an eBike so I don't have to do that.
He couldn't understand why anyone would buy a bike if they weren't going to use it for exercise!
He also couldn't wrap his head around how awkward a bike is when you have a milk carton sized box on the back filled with 10 kg or more of groceries and/or Bunnings specials. Especially when you have to stop and have this weight up high behind you. That's when you need both feet on the ground for stability. In his head, that's what cars are for.8 years later I see more and more people coming to the same conclusion I did back then
GOOD LUCK!!
walk or ride a bicycle, warm up and more exercise