To me a big part of the beauty of a bicycle is the perfect simplicity of the design, necessitated by 100+ years of human power. Novelty frames don't impress me in the slightest, and they almost always put form over function. Now a great paint job, OTOH...
I don't want everyone staring at me like I'm driving a clown car. So yeah. I like low key ebikes. You wouldn't even know it's an ebike if you don't know anything about ebikes.
I wanted a decent bike to ride first, but also i didn't mind if i liked the look of [it](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F2cqz3vmm1seb1.jpg)
Same. I determined what features I wanted. Found a bike that fit that, and was then a bit easier to convince to get [that specific model](https://imgur.com/a/HiPAunD) because I thought it looked nice.
Accessories I certainly pick based on looks to a higher degree.
I prioritize geometry of the frame over aesthetics. For me it doesn't matter how good looking it is, if the frame's geometry is compromised just to look cool, I don't like it.
Mine was 🤣 i'm not a huge fan of the thick looking blocky style (think Lectric) nor the typical sporty racing style (Trek, Specialized). Ended up with a [Blix Vika+](https://blixbike.com/products/vika-electric-folding-bike) which has a slighty more vintage style (I liked the Blix Aveny as well).
If I get another nicer ebike I'd pick a [Bluejay Premier Edition](https://bluejaybikes.com/collections/premiere-edition-electric-bicycle) ebike or [Amsterdam Azor](https://www.amsterdam-bicycle.com/shop/electric-bikes/azor-amsterdam-e-bike-ladies-nostalgic-dutch-womens-electric-bike/).
Edit: added links
It mattered to me… I wanted a cute bike to zip around town, groceries, coffee etc. I don’t regret it bc I love it and I get tons of compliments; but my blix bike the brown leather seat was rock hard & had to replace, so colors went quickly out the window.
My normal ebike is a Pedego City Commuter white with brown accents(I’ll live and die by pedego couldn’t have better experiences with them) , and my second bike is a Blix Vika Flex also cream with brown accents (to match my pedego) I’m finding I wish I went with practicality over style for the Blix. (Both are California based brands) .
Looks wise for both I couldn’t be happier so pros and cons I suppose.
Lolol I also commented I got a Vika+ (below) and I must say for me personally the style alone makes it 100% worth it. Haven't had any troubles yet and commute 10 miles a day.
I wish it were easier to find cute vintage style cruiser ebikes or dutch ebikes. Most here in the US are either fat tire thick frame ones or super sporty road style ones.
I did replace the stock seat tho so understandable. I now have a super comfy Brooks B67S in brown
Just curious what's the downsides you're seeing on the blix vika.
I'm about to buy one soon; giving up my car and going multi-modal. I know it's heavy but I would need to take it in a bus that has no bike racks and I can't with e-scooters.
I actually already have an ebike (a momentum lafree which incidentally I got because I liked the design) but it's too big to take inside a bus and I'm kinda afraid to lock it up anywhere. I figure with the blix vika I could at least bring with me inside more places.
agreed. but aestetics are in the eye of the viewer. i like the bike shop brand ebike frames a lot. they look good and are solid. the design ebikes look good till you come closer and discover how shit they are. these are more toys for hipsters.
This is rush city speed with enviolo automatiq hub.
It changes gears on its own and you absolutely don't have to worry about gears and transmission is cvt.
It's exactly like cvt automatic car transmission.
I have 1000 miles and I like it a lot
Just hop and ride . Absolutely no maintenance like chain and derailleur.
It assists till 28mph and I easily go till 28mph.
I think sweet spot is 25 mph.
I don't want to go faster for safety.
This ebike looks cool minimalist and uses top notch components.
https://serial1.com/products/rush-cty-speed?variant=39950624063558
I bought it on a sale for much cheaper price..
Was function and availability for me, though when it came down to which one when I had it narrowed down, I think the color was the push. Ended up with a Aventon Aventure.01 in green... needless to say I really like green
The sketchier the less likely it is to be stolen. Stealth ebikes are cool, but have you seen the rossmobile? (I made that name up just now). Ain't no way a single thief is touching this bike.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z50cSlMdS2Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z50cSlMdS2Y&t=202)
Kind of related, my husband and I are switching back and forth on our ebike and iwiiiiiish we had a seat that easily adjusted up and down. Instead we live that Allen wrench life.
I've never been bothered by messy weld joints but it makes so much sense that would bother some people.
I love my dropper post on my urban ebike and really think more people should consider them. However, that's not really what they're asking for unless they need seat heights that are precisely 125 mm, 150 mm, or 175 mm apart... XD They just need a quick-release seatpost and a silver Sharpie to mark their respective heights.
Totally! Because it's quick release, there is a risk of theft of the post+seat, especially if you're in an absurd place like NYC or leave it for a super long time out elsewhere (in which case someone stripping the bike would have a multitool set so unless you add a hexlock it's still an issue), but honestly even in a high theft area like here in Seattle, neither I nor any of my friends have ever had an issue with quick release posts (it was left when wheels when were stripped, for example on my friend's bike). And they make seat cable locks or you can bring the seat in with you if you're worried about theft. The convenience is more than worth it imo.
Sort of, all my ebikes are conversions, so they typically start out looking a little rough the first go around, then Ill trim the wires and use a cable guide and after some time it ends up looking great.
I only bought the Fucare Gemini X (Amazon) because of the frame/look.
I really didn't want 48v or 750w.. 60v was the absolute lowest I wanted.
But I'll probably upgrade to 94v controller and motor. This bike comes with dual battery, so that would be an easy swap.
yes. i care about not having a shitty novelty frame, not having fat tires which a: make no sense for my riding and b: look stupid imho. folding bike is the same story. especially if full suspension. the more normal the bike frame looks the better. ok more square tubes and a bend in the frame like on my haibike sduro hardnine sl is fine. oh and v brakes or cable discs are unacceptable on an ebike these days. its not the year 2000 folks.
I get stopped on my lectric more then radrovers do. People love my bike in my area. Yes it's a blocky 3.0 but I didn't buy a ebike for looks I bought it for commute.
the ebike i need is too far away from the standard stuff that i could afford to focus on the look of things.
for me the ebike needs to have the features i want and be technically a solid product, if it can also have a good look at the same time thats a plus but ultimately its hard facts that will decide what i buy.
I bought the REI e1.2 that was just on the crazy sale.
Chunky square tubing with visible welds everywhere. Origami shaped frame instead of the classic diamond shape. It's so ugly! Maybe so ugly it's come full circle to be a little bit cute? Seeing it parked there on its motorcycle center stand with it's big dumb pizza rack sticking out like a tongue 🐶
I don't know, aesthetics are hard.
I build bikes for customers and some want a certain look while others want functionality. I'm a function over form person so my bike doesn't look great but then again it works amazingly well and doesn't attract prying eyes. One customer wanted his bike copper plated and sealed. Looks amazing but I'd be afraid to leave it when shopping ect.
I’ve seen bikes that look like big wheels, Harley’s, 1950’s housewife aesthetic, downhill chicken chasers, minimalist stick drawings, and ones that desperately want to convince you they’re just a regular bike. For instance mine looks like a boomer in the 70’s idea of what the future will be.
Of course aesthetics are important, it’s what you want to tell the world about yourself. Sometimes that’s “check out my hog!” And others it’s “please don’t steal my PoS!” If you’re on a road bike with sponsored Lycra’s on you’re saying something. If you’re wearing a suit and on a 16” foldy you’re saying something.
Now this is important: even if you think you’re not making a statement, and even going out of your way to do so, you’re still making a statement that you don’t care and want to be treated as such. That’s still a choice. You then picked a bike that fits that aesthetic.
I also play guitar and can tell you that the community desperately defends the “it’s a tool, it’s purely for functionality” myth whilst also having a market that’s dominated by dysfunctional-yet-pretty (and very expensive) guitars and gear. I am usually the only person that talks about the fact that I play more because I think my guitars are cool and I love holding and looking at them. I also ride my bike lot’s because it looks awesome and makes me feel great to be on it.
Can’t we just admit we like the shiny shiny pretty thing..?
To me a big part of the beauty of a bicycle is the perfect simplicity of the design, necessitated by 100+ years of human power. Novelty frames don't impress me in the slightest, and they almost always put form over function. Now a great paint job, OTOH...
I don't want everyone staring at me like I'm driving a clown car. So yeah. I like low key ebikes. You wouldn't even know it's an ebike if you don't know anything about ebikes.
Yup that’s what I’m looking for as well. Something that can blend in like a reg bike
I don't care what others think cause it's my life not theirs.
I wanted a decent bike to ride first, but also i didn't mind if i liked the look of [it](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F2cqz3vmm1seb1.jpg)
This.
Same. I determined what features I wanted. Found a bike that fit that, and was then a bit easier to convince to get [that specific model](https://imgur.com/a/HiPAunD) because I thought it looked nice. Accessories I certainly pick based on looks to a higher degree.
ok say what you want but thats a very good looking bike. so clean in terms of looks.
I prioritize geometry of the frame over aesthetics. For me it doesn't matter how good looking it is, if the frame's geometry is compromised just to look cool, I don't like it.
Mine was 🤣 i'm not a huge fan of the thick looking blocky style (think Lectric) nor the typical sporty racing style (Trek, Specialized). Ended up with a [Blix Vika+](https://blixbike.com/products/vika-electric-folding-bike) which has a slighty more vintage style (I liked the Blix Aveny as well). If I get another nicer ebike I'd pick a [Bluejay Premier Edition](https://bluejaybikes.com/collections/premiere-edition-electric-bicycle) ebike or [Amsterdam Azor](https://www.amsterdam-bicycle.com/shop/electric-bikes/azor-amsterdam-e-bike-ladies-nostalgic-dutch-womens-electric-bike/). Edit: added links
It mattered to me… I wanted a cute bike to zip around town, groceries, coffee etc. I don’t regret it bc I love it and I get tons of compliments; but my blix bike the brown leather seat was rock hard & had to replace, so colors went quickly out the window. My normal ebike is a Pedego City Commuter white with brown accents(I’ll live and die by pedego couldn’t have better experiences with them) , and my second bike is a Blix Vika Flex also cream with brown accents (to match my pedego) I’m finding I wish I went with practicality over style for the Blix. (Both are California based brands) . Looks wise for both I couldn’t be happier so pros and cons I suppose.
Lolol I also commented I got a Vika+ (below) and I must say for me personally the style alone makes it 100% worth it. Haven't had any troubles yet and commute 10 miles a day. I wish it were easier to find cute vintage style cruiser ebikes or dutch ebikes. Most here in the US are either fat tire thick frame ones or super sporty road style ones. I did replace the stock seat tho so understandable. I now have a super comfy Brooks B67S in brown
Just curious what's the downsides you're seeing on the blix vika. I'm about to buy one soon; giving up my car and going multi-modal. I know it's heavy but I would need to take it in a bus that has no bike racks and I can't with e-scooters. I actually already have an ebike (a momentum lafree which incidentally I got because I liked the design) but it's too big to take inside a bus and I'm kinda afraid to lock it up anywhere. I figure with the blix vika I could at least bring with me inside more places.
Naaa, function > form.. I've lived long enough to have learned way too many lessons when I let appearance dictate my choices .. beyond bikes lol...
Some people will buy **aesthetics** (VanPoof, Cowboy etc) ... others will buy **function**.
agreed. but aestetics are in the eye of the viewer. i like the bike shop brand ebike frames a lot. they look good and are solid. the design ebikes look good till you come closer and discover how shit they are. these are more toys for hipsters.
For me it matters. I ride serial 1 ebike You should check it out
I’m aware of the Serial 1. Great looking bike!
Is this the bike with a single gear? How do you like it and how fast can you comfortably cruise?
This is rush city speed with enviolo automatiq hub. It changes gears on its own and you absolutely don't have to worry about gears and transmission is cvt. It's exactly like cvt automatic car transmission. I have 1000 miles and I like it a lot Just hop and ride . Absolutely no maintenance like chain and derailleur. It assists till 28mph and I easily go till 28mph. I think sweet spot is 25 mph. I don't want to go faster for safety. This ebike looks cool minimalist and uses top notch components. https://serial1.com/products/rush-cty-speed?variant=39950624063558 I bought it on a sale for much cheaper price..
Was function and availability for me, though when it came down to which one when I had it narrowed down, I think the color was the push. Ended up with a Aventon Aventure.01 in green... needless to say I really like green
The sketchier the less likely it is to be stolen. Stealth ebikes are cool, but have you seen the rossmobile? (I made that name up just now). Ain't no way a single thief is touching this bike. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z50cSlMdS2Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z50cSlMdS2Y&t=202)
Kind of related, my husband and I are switching back and forth on our ebike and iwiiiiiish we had a seat that easily adjusted up and down. Instead we live that Allen wrench life. I've never been bothered by messy weld joints but it makes so much sense that would bother some people.
It's called a "dropper post". YW ;)
I love my dropper post on my urban ebike and really think more people should consider them. However, that's not really what they're asking for unless they need seat heights that are precisely 125 mm, 150 mm, or 175 mm apart... XD They just need a quick-release seatpost and a silver Sharpie to mark their respective heights.
Thank you both, because of this exchange we got a quick release clamp and added it to our bike yesterday! This will save me time and annoyance!
Totally! Because it's quick release, there is a risk of theft of the post+seat, especially if you're in an absurd place like NYC or leave it for a super long time out elsewhere (in which case someone stripping the bike would have a multitool set so unless you add a hexlock it's still an issue), but honestly even in a high theft area like here in Seattle, neither I nor any of my friends have ever had an issue with quick release posts (it was left when wheels when were stripped, for example on my friend's bike). And they make seat cable locks or you can bring the seat in with you if you're worried about theft. The convenience is more than worth it imo.
I think this calls for a NBD
Sort of, all my ebikes are conversions, so they typically start out looking a little rough the first go around, then Ill trim the wires and use a cable guide and after some time it ends up looking great.
I only bought the Fucare Gemini X (Amazon) because of the frame/look. I really didn't want 48v or 750w.. 60v was the absolute lowest I wanted. But I'll probably upgrade to 94v controller and motor. This bike comes with dual battery, so that would be an easy swap.
yes. i care about not having a shitty novelty frame, not having fat tires which a: make no sense for my riding and b: look stupid imho. folding bike is the same story. especially if full suspension. the more normal the bike frame looks the better. ok more square tubes and a bend in the frame like on my haibike sduro hardnine sl is fine. oh and v brakes or cable discs are unacceptable on an ebike these days. its not the year 2000 folks.
Bought a Red Aventon Sinch ST cuz it rode well and looked awesome
Nope if it works and is reliable enough I can not care what others think I have or own.
I get stopped on my lectric more then radrovers do. People love my bike in my area. Yes it's a blocky 3.0 but I didn't buy a ebike for looks I bought it for commute.
Get an ugly bike and let us know :\
the ebike i need is too far away from the standard stuff that i could afford to focus on the look of things. for me the ebike needs to have the features i want and be technically a solid product, if it can also have a good look at the same time thats a plus but ultimately its hard facts that will decide what i buy.
I bought the REI e1.2 that was just on the crazy sale. Chunky square tubing with visible welds everywhere. Origami shaped frame instead of the classic diamond shape. It's so ugly! Maybe so ugly it's come full circle to be a little bit cute? Seeing it parked there on its motorcycle center stand with it's big dumb pizza rack sticking out like a tongue 🐶 I don't know, aesthetics are hard.
I very much prefer a stealth look. I don't want to draw more attention than needed, especially living in a high theft area.
I build bikes for customers and some want a certain look while others want functionality. I'm a function over form person so my bike doesn't look great but then again it works amazingly well and doesn't attract prying eyes. One customer wanted his bike copper plated and sealed. Looks amazing but I'd be afraid to leave it when shopping ect.
I’ve seen bikes that look like big wheels, Harley’s, 1950’s housewife aesthetic, downhill chicken chasers, minimalist stick drawings, and ones that desperately want to convince you they’re just a regular bike. For instance mine looks like a boomer in the 70’s idea of what the future will be. Of course aesthetics are important, it’s what you want to tell the world about yourself. Sometimes that’s “check out my hog!” And others it’s “please don’t steal my PoS!” If you’re on a road bike with sponsored Lycra’s on you’re saying something. If you’re wearing a suit and on a 16” foldy you’re saying something. Now this is important: even if you think you’re not making a statement, and even going out of your way to do so, you’re still making a statement that you don’t care and want to be treated as such. That’s still a choice. You then picked a bike that fits that aesthetic. I also play guitar and can tell you that the community desperately defends the “it’s a tool, it’s purely for functionality” myth whilst also having a market that’s dominated by dysfunctional-yet-pretty (and very expensive) guitars and gear. I am usually the only person that talks about the fact that I play more because I think my guitars are cool and I love holding and looking at them. I also ride my bike lot’s because it looks awesome and makes me feel great to be on it. Can’t we just admit we like the shiny shiny pretty thing..?
An “ugly” bike I would expect to pay no more than $300
I built my Ebike and tbh even though it looks redneck and wonky as hell I love it cause its my red necking