A viewer sent me the following email about which ebike he should buy;
I’m planning on buying my first e-bike, and was wondering if you could offer some insight in to which might be a good fit.
First off, I plan to ride on backroads and shared use paths, specifically the Airline Trail state park , Pomfret and Putnam sections. I realize it’s a long-shot that you’re familiar with that trail, but I figured you’re in Connecticut so there’s a chance that you know of it.
My goals are recreation and trying to get in shape. Right now I’m overweight- 6’2” 273 lbs- and my cardio sucks. I get winded way too easily
I’m looking at the Velotric Discover 3 and the Summit 2.
For the Discover 3 I like the low step through height, upright riding position, and suspension seat post being included. The thing I’m worried about is if 75nm of torque is enough to get me up hills at my current weight.
For the Summit 2, I really like the pulse mode, since it kind of does the thinking about what pedal assist level I should be in for me. I like the higher torque for hill climbing and longer range is never a bad thing as well. Plus I really like the look of it (stupid reason, I know). I’m a little worried about the step over frame (it’s been years since I’ve ridden a bike). I’m also guessing that I’ll end up having to add a suspension seat post. Finally, I’m not sure how I feel about the more aggressive position. I do know that I added taller handlebars to my motorcycle that put me in a more upright position, but that was mainly for 6-8+ hour in the saddle rides. No way I could go that long on a pedal bike, even with the electric assist, so maybe it doesn’t matter?
And here’s how I answered him;
I defintely recommend a step thru for best fit and comfort for your height and weight.
Have you considered the Velotric Nomad? it has 90nm of torque for a little more zip. And it comes in step thru format with sweptback handlebars for a nice upright ride. I think it might be a good alternative to the Discover 3. You can even get the Nomad 2X with full suspension.
The Discover is a great ebike but you may want to find a local dealer and test ride Discover 3 and Nomad 2 before making a decision. Velotric has 1200 dealers across the USA. Here’s a link to that.
Hope that helps!
~Chris Crossed