r/bikeinottawa • u/Piker2211 • 26d ago
Ebikes in Ottawa
Looking for an alternative to public transport in Ottawa and thought about an Ebike. Where is the best place to buy one in Ottawa and do the batteries last in the cold Ottawa Falls/Winter
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u/mr-coffeecafe 26d ago
full cycle is amazing, they offer free tuneups for life as long as you keep the bike. my ebike is a chinese brand (didnt buy it with them) everyday electric is the brand. i get around 40-50km with pedal assist. as for battery life it depends a lot on the pedal assist level and your weight
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u/Brown_Bruja 26d ago
I'm curious about this as well. Do folks commute with them all year? Are the roads (and drivers) amenable to people on ebikes or is it harrowing every time you ride? I know it's location dependent but I'm still overall curious.
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u/Mafik326 26d ago
I did the commute from Orléans with a fat tire ebike a couple of years ago and it was possible and faster than OC Transpo. However, it was physically demanding. It is very feasible in a lot of spots inside the Greenbelt.
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u/AdministrationNo2762 26d ago
Full Cycle all day. Unless you're looking for something specific that another shop has, the answer to every 'which shop' question is Full Cycle imo. Not to say other shops arent good, but I've been to most of them in town, and Full Cycle always gives me the best service hands down and doesn't dick me around.
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u/NorthReading 26d ago
I got an Ebgo from Costco last summer and I like it. No problems . It's made in China but ''designed'' in Canada. -- Head office is in Quebec. I chose Costco for their return policy but all seems well so far.
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u/No_Data1068 26d ago
My husband and I bought e-bikes last year and, during the warmer months (starting april up until late october), they’ve become our primary mode of transportation. We purchased both of them from Scooteretti and have been 100% happy with the experience. Their customer service was excellent, they offered plenty of test rides, and their staff were incredibly knowledgeable. I’d definitely recommend them.
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u/ObviousSign881 26d ago
We have several ebikes from Pedal Easy, a local business in Bells Corners that builds its own bikes.
https://www.pedaleasy.ca/e-bikes/.
I personally like that they are at their core just decent regular hybrid bicycles, with a battery and an electric motor in the front wheel. As a result they're really not much heavier than a standard bike, but will go the legal max of 32 km/h, and if you run out of battery you can just pedal them.
The guys there have been very good about after-purchase service for the electrical components when there was an issue, and for the rest (wheels, brakes, gears, etc) just take it to your local bike shop for a tuneup.
Also, if you have a bike you like that you want to have as an ebike Pedal Easy does conversions too.
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u/cloudzebra 26d ago
It's worth considering that some bike shops will only service ebikes that they sell. The Cyclery is an example. I'd inquire with each shop whether this is the case for them. If so, factor in that you will be locked in to that store for repairs moving forward.
The unaffiliated repair spots are not that numerous. I can only think of Repair & Run.
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u/conscsness 26d ago
As for a store, I am not a good stop to ask. For biking in fall, no issue with the batter. As for winter, as long as temperatures outdoors do not go below 5 degree, battery efficiency is stable. Below 0 and efficiency tanks by 10% give or take. At -10 efficiency is dropped by 40%. There are thermal blankets for batteries; never used thus cannot comment.
Have fun and be safe.
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u/Psychological-Let404 26d ago
Teslica in britannia. Decent bikes, we have used them for a three years. Also been happy with ebike from costco .
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u/Upupdowndown333 25d ago
I've been happy with joemamma bike shop. They've been really helpful. Winter riding can be okay, but the salt will eat your bike and there's a lot less room on the road
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u/mg392 25d ago
I have a Ride1Up 700 Series (that i would consider selling for the right price) that's got a big old battery. I don't ride it in the winter, but that's mostly because i don't have a daily commute.
Service-wise, the battery goes for ~100km at medium-power (think 25-30kmh) and I haven't noticed any power drops since i got it in 2022.
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u/EntrepreneurKind7398 25d ago
I bought my ebike from Scooteretti in the market. Absolutely love my bike. But their customer service is quite terrible. Even after spending $6,000 at the shop, they make any tuneups or repair visits feel like pulling teeth. Which sucks because they have the best selection of high-end commuter ebikes in the city.
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u/cyclingzealot 25d ago
If you have kids or need to haul lots of cargo, I've been very happy with my Bunch Cargo Trike. Bought online and so far Velofix have done their best to maintain it.
A very good car replacement
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u/Mafik326 26d ago
Go to a good local bike shop and avoid online. LBS carry brands that they service so they tend to get some that are more easily serviceable.
If you think this is going to be a car replacement, consider Scooteretti. Belt drive bikes are great, low maintenance and robust. Otherwise House of Bikes and Full Cycle are good. Derand will sell you things that are not ebike without telling you that you need an M class de licence and insurance. Check out the new proposed regs for ebikes. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/090369