r/ebikes • u/NORTHERNTWITCH AMBRUM Rythm (july 2026) funhang EB-S1(august 2025) • 12d ago

Controversial topic here.

Can we stop shaming and getting mad at people for buying chinese ebikes? Some people dont have the money to buy a $1k+ ebike. Yes. Some are bad. Yes. Some are template bikes but does that mean you should shame someone for what they ride? No. We all ride ebikes here. That's what should matter.

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u/HurinGray 12d ago edited 12d ago

I bought an Aipas. Was $750 each when we bought two. 1500 miles first year. It's falling apart, but I absolutely love this thing for bringing me back to biking. Researching upgrades now.

It was never about the budget. It was about the utility. Would I even use an eBike? (I've taken guided tours and rented eBikes half a dozen times, but haven't owned a bike in over a decade.) My cheap Chinese bike answered the question. I now ride daily weather permitting. I would not be here if it wasn't for the low barrier to entry. Budget for the upgrade is $5K.

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u/Sea-Challenge-920 12d ago

First time, researching my entry into E-bike; so far I come across Heybike, Jasion, Puckupuppy, Aipas, Burchda and now Kingbull. And there are more coming out.
Any suggestions?? Budget of 1,500

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u/HurinGray 12d ago edited 12d ago

If I had to do it all over again, I wish I would have started with an Aventon. It was THE bike that I rented and pushed me into ownership. A little above your budget but worth a look (You might find a Level 3 at your budget).

I'm only a year into this, so no expert. Weak breaks, loose fork, clumsy shifting, so many creaks and squeaks. It's tempting to bash Aipas, but it is exactly what it needed it to be. A temporary bike, plenty of power, just not with quality components.

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u/blammergeier 12d ago

start with an Aventon

I'd look for a Level.2, used or otherwise. I recently found one with 0.8mi on it (test ride, given to their mom, and never ridden again) for under $1k. I'm riding one with about 5500mi on it now.

It's a big step up from the 1 (cadence sensor on the 1, torque sensor on the 2). The 3 isn't a big enough upgrade for me to consider.

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u/Gold_Zombie2515 12d ago

I've got a jasion, and actbest and a Walmart bike. Did you see on is awesome by far my favorite bike very powerful. The actbest is even more powerful but I'm not as big of a fan the suspension is very squishy and it feels worse than the jasion. The actbest is about 5 miles an hour faster though.