Juiced Riders has just announced a major price restructuring for the ODK U500 V3 Cargo Bike. This is in anticipation of a couple of battery size options that will be coming down the pipe sometime this summer.
For now, the good news is that the V3 is now priced at $2599. That’s a $600 drop from yesterday! Time to take another look at the ODK Cargo bike from Juiced Riders.
Its been about a year now that we’ve been in contact with the folks from Mahindra Group, the parent company for GenZe bikes. I’d be surprised if any of you know this; Mahindra in India is the largest tractor manufacturer in the world. That’s no small feat! What that tells me is that we have a solid company with a proven track record of success. This is the most important item that I need to see in place whenever considering a new line of bikes. I’ve seen and listened to Anand Mahindra, the head of this mighty organization, and I’m confident that he and his team have my back regarding their products. In fact, they were ranked as the tenth most trusted brand name in all of India by The Brand Trust Report in 2014. So, on to the bikes:
GenZe offers two styles of electric bikes - the Sport and the Recreational. The Sport has a traditional top tube aluminum frame, a flat mountain bike style handlebar, a thinner, sportier saddle, and knobby tires. The Rec offers a step through frame, upright swept back handlebars, a larger cushier saddle, and road style tires. (The blue tires shown are optional) The bikes share similar motors, batteries, brakes, and 7-speed drive trains. Both manual throttle and 5 levels of pedal assist are present as are solid Shimano mechanical disc brakes.
These bikes are budget priced at $1599. At that price point they are a solid bargain. The basic design with the battery placement low and centered gives the bike a well balanced feeling. It also frees up the rear space for a luggage rack, baskets, and panniers. The motor is remarkably quiet and smooth; these folks know how to make a quality unit. The top speed comes up a bit shy of 20 mph and acceleration is moderate, but they’re both more than I’m used to getting from a 250 watt geared motor. The battery is lockable and easily removable from the frame. A steel center stand keeps things in order while loading and unloading the bike. The smaller motor and battery keep the weight to an enviable 46 lbs…. the lightest bikes in the shop.
The warranty is 18 months on the complete bike and 24 months on the battery. The GenZe electric bikes from Mahindra are well designed, cleanly executed, and mightily worth their value pricing. Whether you keep yours in its no-frills condition or invest a bit more to complement it with lights, fenders, luggage options, etc., you’ll still have an admirable example of Indian technology at a great price. I’ve got high hopes for these newcomers. Come see for yourself what the buzz is all about!
This article 1st appeeared in the March 2015 issue of the Ashland LocalsGuide
Electric Bicycles 101
Winter has been mostly a no-show this year and everyday it becomes easier and easier to shift into a bicycle riding mindset. Ashland is a great place to ride a bike. If only we didn’t have so many pesky hills to climb, right? Depending on where you live, a ride to the grocery store and back can be a mini-epic workout. If you’re up to the task and you have the time, I salute you. However, if you’re like many of us, you do all your around town traveling by car and your bike is reserved for the occasional weekend pleasure/exercise ride. What if there was a way to bridge the gap between these two scenarios? Enter the electric bike!
E-bikes ride and function like regular bicycles with the addition of an electric motor and battery to provide assistance in propelling you forward. The electrical components provide power equal to that of another able-bodied adult helping you pedal. Hills seem to flatten out before you and miles slip by easily. Your bicycle elevates from the level of recreational equipment to alternative transportation. Now you can run the majority of your around town errands on a bike, enjoying all the benefits of open air, smell-the-roses travel without the hot and sweaty, exhausted-at-the-end-of-the-ride outcome.
You still need to pedal to navigate Ashland’s varied terrain but it can take a fraction of the effort that a non-electric bike requires. (Remember the virtual-able-bodied adult sitting behind you helping with the work?) So now you can get as much exercise as you desire or as much assistance as you need depending on the situation. You have complete control over the amount of power that the motor delivers. Imagine running across town to Shop’n Kart in the morning, meeting a friend downtown for lunch, and then zooming out once more in the afternoon on another errand. After all this you still have the energy to go out dancing in the evening. This is what e-biking is all about!
E-bikes are easy to ride, they don’t require a driver’s license, and in a town like Ashland you can make most trips as quickly or faster than you can with your car. Traffic snarls and parking woes no longer affect you. E-bikes operate on just a few cents worth of electricity each day and they don’t require any special maintenance beyond that of a standard bike. If you compute the savings in gas purchases over time, the payback period for the cost of an e-bike is surprisingly short. I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity about e-bikes in general. If so, I invite you to come by the shop, see all the bikes, and take a few test rides. In my world a single ride is worth ten thousand words. Come ride the future…its here now!
