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Custom electric recumbent bike conversion - $700 (Clifton Park)
bicycle type:
recumbent/trike
suspension:
none (rigid)
electric assist:
throttle
condition:
good
make / manufacturer:
ActionBent
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I've never run it until empty but I've gone 20-25 miles with light pedaling and the battery still showed a bar or two of capacity. I'd guess anywhere from 15-25 mi with no pedaling but I'm not sure (sorry).
This bike is quite dear to me and was my second ebike conversion. It's quite difficult to find good recumbent bikes, and almost unheard of to find electric ones sadly. It's nothing like riding a normal bike; it's basically a motorized recliner with thick cushioned seat that you can pedal if you want to. It's also a total truck and I used to tow 150lbs in a trailer up very steep hills with negligible loss of speed. (The motor is wound for a larger wheel so you go a bit slower in this than in other ebikes -- 17mph, still faster than I can pedal -- but you have loads of torque.) The basket and rack are awesome for grocery shopping runs too. I made a tall neon flag for extra visibility, but really you're no lower down than a driver in a normal sedan. I feel quite safe riding it.
This bike is great fun and was life changing for me when I was recovering from debilitating chronic illness (Lyme etc.). Would be good for those with PEM and other issues from long covid etc. -- it allowed me to get out of the house and get fresh air even when I felt too bad to drive or ride a normal bike, because I knew the motor would always get me home if I needed it. I could pedal as much as I wanted so it let me ease back into physical activity and was an amazing rehabilitation tool. It would also be great for many disabled or older folks, or those wanting an ebike who can't tolerate a normal bike seat.
If you're new to recumbents: it takes getting used to. It was my first recumbent experience. I rode it around a parking lot carefully for an hour or so then around the neighborhood for another hour or two before I felt confident riding on bike paths or in traffic. You balance entirely by steering, not by shifting body weight so it's definitely different. But you get very comfortable on it in time; it's second nature to me now and I can weave around walkers and their dogs like it's nothing. Seeing the bike in action tends to make people smile and compliment you too. :)
I am 5'11" with 32" inseam and adjusted it to fit my legs. You can slide the boom the crank/pedals are on in and out for taller or shorter folks, but you should add or remove links from the chain if you make any significant adjustments. It's way more annoying to adjust than a normal bike's seat post; plan to set it up for one person (or several who have similar legs) and leave it.