A Cargo Bike Bargain (or two) this Month

[Yes, I know, it's a sickness - this desire to use a cargo bike as a tool to burn less carbon. Oh, well.]

So, you've read the 400 or so Mesquite Hugger Cargo Bike (Dreaming) posts, and you, too, want a cargo bike, but you haven't yet found a suitable bargain to reel you into your practical dream. Well, this one might do it - especially if you've already got a nice 26" donor bike that just won't haul enough of your precious stuff.

Find it here

 

Yep, it's $300 off of one of the most-respected longtail frames out there - that puts it down in the Xtracycle Leap (kit) price range. (And, personally, I love the green color too.)

 

Speaking of Xtracycle, they have some nice sales going on, too:

 

Look at all those Xtracycle savings out there!

 

I'd love to have the $1749 EdgeRunner 24D, but not when there's a Mundo LUX frameset out there for $699.

 

Weird Cargo Bike sidebar:

 

If you find yourself looking for a movie where you get to see multiple cargo bikes riding around San Francisco, a tiny house built by a former-football-hero-hobbit, and one of the best cat-turned-human actor portrayals ever, check out the IndieGoGo-ed film Unleashed.

 

 

No, it's not Citizen Kane, but if you are the same particular brand of eco-dork-pet-adopting-nerd-household as we are at Casa de Mesquite Hugger, you might just enjoy it!

 

A still from the YouTube Trailer. (Look for an EdgeRunner and a Boda Boda too.

 

Well, there's your cargo bike fix.

 

May choices better than burning gas be appealingly available. (And may you choose them!)

Fossil Free (Almost) Friday: Back to the Big Electric Mini Bikes

Luna, Super 73, and now Moke - If you're in the market for a Maxi-Mini and have $2000 to $5000 to spend, you are very much in luck these days.

Have you heard about the Moke?

The Moke is the latest of the big minis, and it speaks Spanish. It hails from Barcelona. The Moke is currently finishing up a very successful Indiegogo campaign and they are selling a version for $1990 if you want to pick it up in Spain or $2490 plus shipping if you want it shipped. (There was a $1799 version, but that window has already closed.) After the campaign closes, the price will be 40% more.

The Moke has a rear hub motor and can be had in 250-watt, 500-watt, and 1000-watt versions.

It has a really big seat and some cargo-hauling capabilities.

The Moke seems a really cool machine, but by the time you can get it over here, you're probably better off buying a made-in-California Super 73 (or a Banana -  keep reading.)

After checking the Moke out, I hopped over to the Super 73 site to see if anything new is going on. Sure enough, there were two new, fancier, and more expensive models...

Holy (S)Moke, Batman! That's a $4500 maxi-mini!

(It has an extra battery, lights, and knobby tires.)

And there's a $3500 copper-plated model.

But there was also a model missing -  the $1600 Super 73 Scout:



Yep, it was completely gone (or so I thought.)

Learn more about the MIA Scout here: Follow-up on the Big Electric MiniBike

(If you look at the bottom of the Super 73 Adventure page, a little Scout lingers there.)

Not seeing the budget-model Scout broke my heart a little. This is Mesquite Hugger where we love bikes that are attainable for those on a tighter budget. RIP Scout.

What was that about a Banana?

The other Maxi-Mini out there is the Luna Banana.

This is the 1000-watt version

(with lots of upgrade options)

This is the Super Banana 3000-watt Bad Mamma Jamma!

The Zero-watt Luna Banana (pedal-only)

If you're like me, you're probably thinking, Hey Self, I wonder if we could build one ourself for even less money. It's that kind of thinking that keeps me (and Grizz) in all kinds of trouble, so let's trudge on and see what kind of trouble we can get started.

So, I started plugging along on the LunaCycle website and came up with a few lower dollar options.

  

The lowest dollar option - $1450 plus shipping (which came out to $115 for my house)

The drawbacks to this setup? The battery is only 36 volts (you can upgrade to 48 volts for $80 more) and you will need to pay someone to lace the motor up for you (or wait for Luna to get the $275 1000-watt already laced in a rim version back in stock, which would lower the price $25 too.) 

If you're not a fan of hub motors, you can spend a little more and go mid-drive:

This 48-volt setup would give you pretty similar performance to the other mid-drives we've already looked at.

This 52-volt setup will let you go a little faster, but not quite as far. (By the way, if you're over at Luna, be sure to check out the Rhino, what a cool amount of craziness!)

So, where would I start?

Me, I'm a glutton for punishment. I'd start over at GoKarts USA with this little jewel: 

Find it here

Okay, not really. If I were in the market, I'd pick up one of these:

The $1600 Radwagon

They are offering free shipping on the Radwagon of my dreams right now, and I'm afraid I'll look like a dork on a minibike! (Instead of looking like a dork on a cargo bike.)

Regardless of how dorky you look, I hope you find the low-carbon runabout that makes you smile, saves you money, and treads oh-so-much lighter!

You can't be too cheap or too skinny? Two $800 (shipped!) commuter e-bikes

So, let's say that

• you're cheap
• you're broke
• you live in a not-too-hilly place
• you just can't imagine paying $1000 for any bicycle

(Check, check, check, check. Yep, I fall into all four! If you do too, welcome to the club, my frugal amigo!)

Do I have two bikes for you? Do I have two bikes for you!

So, let's check out the first bike:

Lately we've looked at the Populo, and the before that the Propella. I even got to pick up (it was very light) an Easy Motion EasyGo Race at an electric bike shop in Dallas back in December. And I have to say that they are all gorgeous. I love the look (but not the reality) of a fixie, and these bikes have brought that sleek minimalism into the e-bike world (and have done it at very low prices.)

The Vilano Core

So, let's look at one more -  the Vilano Core. Besides the sleek looks, this bike has one really compelling reason to buy it (price) and one surprisingly upscale and trendy feature (belt drive). You can get one (delivered to your house) for $800 and it has belt drive instead of a chain. Other than those, it is extremely similar to the Populo and the Propella. Strangely, the Vilano seems to be very widely available. I was surprised to see that you can order one from Newegg.com:

See how I managed to squeeze the price, the vendor, the belt drive, and the no-name and slightly underpowered motor all into one pic? (I have mad blogging skills like that.) [Cursor drop and walk away, Mesquite Hugger]

Other than lots of identical vendor sites and the product site itself, I haven't found much online presence or review for this bike. I do wonder why it has a 220 watt motor rather than the industry standard 250 watt and I'd sure like to know who makes the components used in the bike, but hey, it's hard to get too picky at $800, right? So, I am not recommending it (or not recommending it) - just letting you know it's out there. (Me, I would not be brave enough to order one until Pete, Court, and a passel of youtubers checked it out.)

Actually, I do find it a little disturbing how widely available it is:

Yep, you can even order one from Wally World.

On to the other $800 (shipped) bike

This one, on the other hand, I feel qualified to endorse (with a few caveats) even though I've never seen this particular model in person.

Sondors still keeps sending me emails, and each time they make me ponder. I have to say (after getting to know Grizz's sondors Originals) that Sondors offers an impressive bike (for this price range.) The Sondors Thin has me intrigued.

What's red, white, blue, and black all over?

You see, I'm a street commuter, and I just don't feel any need to have the big honking tires. And I would not want to pay for their replacements when it's time. So the Thin makes sense to me. It's 10 pounds lighter, it's thinner, (Duh!) and it has a decent reputation. And this may or not appeal to you, but it has a cult following that can offer lots of tech support and/or hop-up advice. And, it has a 350-watt motor from a well-respected manufacturer. Also, similar to the little speedsters listed above, it's a pretty simple machine. And, of course, you can have one delivered to you for $800.

Grizz's Sondors - in stock form - surprised us both. We did not get to test it with pedal-assist, but we had no problem reaching 17mph (throttle only) and 20mph was attainable with some hard pedaling. For most bike commuters, this machine is plenty powerful, and with pedal-assist installed you should be able to get some fairly impressive range.

One other thing to consider, if you are less than 5'6", this bike will be a stretch for you. The Sondors bikes are tall.

LunaCycle (pictured) and Velomobile Shop offer Sondors aftermarket parts

[A little Sondors aftermarket sidebar - Sondors is the only e-bike I know of that already has brand-specific aftermarket stuff availability, but be careful, most of the aftermarket parts are designed for the fat-tired bike. Threads where Thin owners are frustrated with aftermarket upgrade parts are very common.]

Image from OverVolted

[Another little Sondors Thin/Belt Drive sidebar - when the Thin was originally offered, there was an option to order one with a belt drive, but it added close to $100 to the price. But I have not seen that option available these days. So, if you want one with a belt drive, you may be able to pick up a used one. But be careful, I often see used Sondors bikes for sale at prices higher than the new prices. It pays to do your homework.]

To be honest, in my quest to give up petroleum I have given serious consideration to purchasing a Sondors Thin. If you're looking for a no-frills e-bike on a very low budget, this thing could cover a lot of bases. With the addition of a rear rack, a suspension seatpost, and some lights, it would easily cover my commuter needs.

May you find petroleum-free transportation that covers your needs and does not empty your bank account.

And two more low-cost e-bikes for those of you who like to hang around and watch the credits:

For those of you who want to go super-low price, check out this Treehugger article about the Stark. (Thanks, Derek!)

For those of you who want a high-quality and very capable cargo/commuter for not much more money, check out a refurbished U-350 from Juiced bikes. (If you're gravitationally challenged like me, pony up the extra $70 to go 500 watts.)

Fossil-Free Friday: Bargain Electric BMX? Woohoo!

Yep, you read it right - electric BMX bikes are now hitting the market, and this very promising machine can (temporarily) be bought down in the Mesquite-Hugger price range - $600-700!

 

Short video here

 

And it doesn't even look like an e-bike. Where's the 24 volt battery? (in the frame downtube) Where's the 250/350 watt motor? (in the rear wheel) Where's the 14/18 amp controller? (I have not figured that one out yet.)

A clean little machine! (another short video)

 

Avid brakes? Kenda tires? Samsung batteries? 35 pounds? Yes!

Want to learn more? Check it out here: E-BMX by Life EV and Prodecotech

As cool as this thing is, I have not plopped my money down on the Indiegogo campaign. I fear this would be me:

Find Rondy the Elephant here

 

Even so, it's a very cool e-bike! Now, if they'll just build me a big-boy version in the same price range...

 

May your green transportation get you off the gas and not make you look like a blue elephant!

 

PS. Thanks to electricbikereport.com for the heads-up on the EBMX!

A New E-bike on its way to Lubbock: the Adventure begins!

A few posts ago I mentioned Grizz and a Sondors - so here's the beginning of the follow-up.

A few posts before that mention, I wrote about the Sondors as one of the sub-$1000 e-bikes that are available out there. I even included a review from electricbike.com that mentioned LunaCycle and Sondors upgrades. I also subscribed to Sondors' email updates. (Okay, now we have the groundwork laid.)

Back in February of 2015 when the Sondors was big news on the Indiegogo scene, Grizz fell in love with the bright yellow fatbike and he deliberated and fretted and bit his fingernails over whether or not to take the gamble and order two. He eventually went cautious and did not order the $500 wonderbike. And he has been disappointed with that decision.

I hope he ordered the pink one!

Thursday I got an email from Sondors informing me that they have a "Sale" section on their website. being the cheapo frugal individual that I am, I ran straight to the sale site. Sure enough, they have some Sondors Originals for $499 and some Sondors Aluminums for $599. Neither one has an LCD screen, but that can be added for $150. I shared that with Grizz and his mental juices started flowing:

Should I buy one?
Which one should I buy?
Should I get the LCD?
Will 350 watts be enough?
Where do I get the money?
Which color should I buy?
Wait a minute - is it really cheaper to buy a new one (which has an LCD screen) than buy a closeout model and add an LCD? (The answer is Yes!)

Then Grizz came to a realization. He has been throwing his change in a (really big) jar for years, and it might be time to see how much money was in the jar. Grizz counted the money and found the answer to one question, with a little coin left over.

So, we started researching and deliberating together on the smartest possible move.
And LunaCycle came back into our thoughts. You see, they sell an upgraded controller and LCD screen combo for $100.

So, now Grizz has an empty change jar, and a  fat-tired Sondors Original e-bike (with hop-up parts) on the way. He has entered the foray into electric bike ownership and both of us are all too excited for the thing to arrive. We will keep you posted.

May your second chance pop up and be a blessing for us all!

Even Lower-Priced Electric Bikes (under $1000)

[Blogger disclaimer - this is a no-profit-whatsoever blog written by an overweight-financially-strapped-middle-aged guy who has never actually seen any of these bikes in person - except for the Razor. If you want ride reviews, go to the two EBR's: Electric Bike Review and Electric Bike Report. Both are excellent sites and invaluable to anyone shopping for an e-bike. Please Tell Pete and Court hello from the Mesquite Hugger!]

 

Ok, so you read the two Low-Cost Electric Roadster Bikes posts (1) (2) and thought to yourself This Mesquite Hugger bloke's been smoking too many mesquite beans! He thinks that $1500 is low-cost! Sheesh! Well, this post is for you, or at least it's closer to being for you. This post is all about e-bikes that can be bought for less than $1000. Some of these are even under $1000 with shipping! If this sounds more appealing, then keep reading. There's even one in here that's under $350 with shipping, but it's a little short on pedals.

 

Propella E-Bike Version 1

(Version 2 $799 for a limited time, normally $949)

 

The Propella e-bike is a very simple, single-speed e-bike developed in the Seattle area and very successfully Indiegogoed at $699. The first run is now sold, built, and delivered, but you can sign up to grab one of the Version 2 models for $799 (+ shipping). The new one will have a (physically) smaller battery, disc brakes, and a few other upgrades that improve the value of the bike. No word on shipping costs, but you can sign up to be in-the-know on their email list.  Basic specs: 36 volt 7 amp-hour battery, 250-watt front hub motor, 15-28 mile range, 20 mph, and it only weighs 35 pounds!

Sondors Original Fat-Tire Bike ($598 + $195 shipping)

Sondors E-Bikes is one company you may have already heard of. The Original is the bike that smashed sales records on Indiegogo a little while back and caused a lot of hoopla! When the dust cleared, Sondors did actually follow through and has earned a decent reputation (all things considered) for delivering a better-than-expected-in-this-price-range e-bike. Like the Propella, all of the Sondors models are single-speeds. There is also a custom version available that has longer range batteries and can have front suspension and/or an aluminum frame. A few stats: 36 volt 8.8 amp-hour battery, 350 watt rear hub motor. Around 20 miles per hour and up to about 20 miles of range. It's got some mass at 55 pounds. (Here's a long review for those of you who are Sondors curious.) (If you want something similar but much more powerful and better equipped, check out the RadRover, but it falls out of today's price range.)

An interesting sidebar: Sondors is now working at putting out a $10,000 electric car that looks pretty interesting.

Sondors Thin Skinny-Tire Bike ($598 + $195 shipping)

For those of you who fall into the speed freak side of things, there is some great news that came out today. Juiced Bikes just announced a less expensive model of the CrossCurrent - the CrossCurrent AIR. It's (barely) under $1000 and it still runs 28 miles per hour! And I am a big fan of their bikes - great prices, great reviews, quality components. In my low-cost roadster miniseries, the CrossCurrent is the one I am drawn to the most. So a version that is a full 33% lower in cost - sign me up! Since they just announced it today, I will add too many pics with details.

Free shipping for the first 100!

Find it here

 

That's a whole lotta bike for the money!

Changing gears, are you that person who's still squealing at all the high prices, well check this out:

 

 I never expected myself to be such a big Razor fan, but (1) (2) (3).

 

Razor EcoSmart Metro Scooter Yep, I know that I am both weird and cheap, but at less that $350 I still see this thing as pretty viable transport in the right situation. Today's googling shows one at OfficeDepot.com with free shipping for $334. It runs 18 miles per hour and will do so for 40 minutes.

This is the coolest thing on wheel!

And then there's that other thing: the GeoOrbital Wheel. For the same price as Propella, you can pre-order a GeoOrbital Wheel and convert your favorite bike to electric in a matter of seconds. Stats: 36Volt 8/10 amp-hour battery pack, 500 watt motor, 20mph and 12-50 mile range. Expected delivery before April 2017. Shipping should be much cheaper than having a whole e-bike shipped to you, and the tire is flat-proof.

Why am I so interested in the GeoOrbital Wheel? As I bike more, I find myself wanting a few specialized bikes for different tasks. Specifically, I'd like 4 bikes -  a commuter bike, a cargo bike, a folding bike, and a mountain bike. Let's say I end up with all four of those bikes and then I were able to add a GeoOrbital wheel to the fold. Now I have eight bikes in the garage - four electric and four non-electric. With the easy swapability, a bike can go from electric to non-electric in about a minute. And I only have one battery to keep charged. And my garage isn't (too) overcrowded. And all that just costs $800 (+ shipping). Yep, there's a whole big world of possibilities out there!

Honorable Mention (so that I can squeeze in a cargo bike!)

Good news, Cargo Bike Lovers

(Yes, I know it's a bit out of the price range, but it's very inexpensive by cargo bike standards.)

 

The Juiced Bikes  ODK-U350: One nice piece of e-bike good news lately is the appearance of the new Juiced UDK350. By dropping down to a 350 watt motor (from the 500 watt version) and knocking $500 off the price, Juiced bikes have made electric cargo bikes more accessible. Then they offered it up with free shipping. You know the Mesquite Hugger gets excited when electric cargo bikes get down in this price range.

 

SnagIt, that's a lot of e-bike temptation in one post. I hope you find what you're looking for. Me, I need to go sell some of my old stuff.

 

May your budget, your desire, and your need for eco-friendly transport meet at the right intersection.

Friday Random with Three e-Bikes

The attention span has been a little short this week.

#FossilFreeFriday, is this a real thing like Meatless Monday or Time-Travel Tuesday? (If not, I think I'll take advantage of Tuesday to make it a real thing.) Me, I love Friday, I love Fossil Free, and I am pretty fond of alliteration. Yep, I am liking it.

In the spirit of Fossil Free Friday, let's talk about some electric bikes. (Yes, I know, electric bikes aren't completely fossil free and are sometimes recharged by carbon-fueled sources, but an e-bike carrying an eight-tonner like me is massively more fossil-free than driving a two and a half-ton pickup across town, so there, smarty pants. How did you get to work today?)

By the way, I have been riding the newly functioning electric workhorse some this week. I am even planning some trailer work with it this weekend. Life is better on any bike!

Three bikes have popped up on my e-bike radar this week, an inexpensive crowd-funded roadster, the Porteur's lovely new crowd-funded female companion, and a cool and established workhorse I keep forgetting to include when I drool on about cargo bikes. So, let's start with the cargo bike.

I really hope to test ride a Juiced Rider ODK some day. From all reviews and such, it's an unsung hero in the cargobike world. It looks a little cutesy until you start reading stats. I'd write them all down, but that short attention span - so here goes:

 

For you e-bikers, I'll add that they all use 48 volt electric systems and have scads of name-brand, high quality components. The combo of front hubmotor and 3-speed rear hub should make for an ideal drivetrain. Also, 20" wheels offer easier loading, a lower center of gravity, and more structural strength. Lots of good stuff! (And some of you will be excited to know that it's not orange!)

 

(While you're on the website, check out their new offering - the CrossCurrent, but it's not one of today's three.)

 

Next up is the brand new offering from Faraday. Faraday made its name when the Porteur came out. It is a stylish e-bike that is gorgeous and does not look like an e-bike at all. The only visual indication that it is electric is a very discreet 250 watt front hubmotor.

 

 

 

It is apparently not good for a manly bike to live alone, so Faraday has created a companion for the Porteur, and her name is Cortland. And, if you jump on the Kickstarter bandwagon you can save yourself a cool $800! You will pay ($2000.) Be sure to check out the long list of feature and options - my favorite is the additional battery pack in a tiny saddlebag. They make a beautiful couple!

 

 

At the other end of the spectrum is the promised roadster the Propella. It's fun to say, isn't it? (Especially if you adopt a New Jersey accent!)

 

 

You could have gotten one for only $599 on Indiegogo if this blogger had been a little quicker (that short attention span again), but now you'll have to pony up $699 (+ shipping) or more if you wait longer. You get a pretty sparse bike for your money, but that's not always a bad thing. It's a bike you could fairly easily build yourself, but I don't know that you'd save much money. You can buy the same running gear from greenbikekit.com (+ bigger battery) and a few other places. Don't get too excited until you factor in shipping.

 

So, there it is. Fossil-almost-Free Friday with very few attention span breaks and a bevy of e-bikes to check out.

 

May your attention span be long enough to read an article like this, and may you find yourself fossil free on Fridays and other days that end in "y".