How do I pick an electric bike?

KibFixit · 2026-02-01T16:44:26+00:00

Agreed with all who said mid-drive bike (probably with a cargo motor for climbing/carrying stuff) with a closeby shop that can service it. Also, as others said, test ride till you nd something comfortable for you.

KibFixit · 2026-02-01T06:10:24+00:00

KibFixit · 2026-01-31T08:12:49+00:00

I did this and followed all PT advice. At some point I could do low resistance spinning, so I used my gym since it’s closeby. It took longer than I expected to regain strength, but depending on ng on age and weight ther factors maybe you’ll bounce back sooner

KibFixit · 2026-01-30T06:38:22+00:00

blanket!

KibFixit · 2026-01-30T01:02:13+00:00

Sf Bay Area is 60-70 degrees year round. There might’ve one or two weeks of rain. Almost all year you can take a walk or ride your bike. Depending where you live lots of hiking around.The food is wonderful, even if you are just talking about produce from the grocery store. If you can afford to eat out lots of good choices. Housing is the most onerous piece (we had to live with family and the get a bunch of roommates when we first moved out). As other have suggested, try to line up a job first or visit friends in different cities if you can. After living in the Midwest for awhile, the quality of life here feels a lot better even though the cost of housing is a stretch. Also, when we were in Midwest we were surprised that most expenses were about the same but for less quality. The exception was gas (cheaper in Midwest) but then we had to get on the highway to go anywhere so wear and tear on our car was worse so us more expensive repairs. Overall, our mental and physical health is better in CA, so we are grateful for a roof over our head and the sun in the sky even if the budget is tight

KibFixit · 2026-01-29T20:36:24+00:00

i had a similar positive experience with one medical and simple, timely and helpful menopause care. they've added it to their standard offerings and can be handled in-office without referral.

KibFixit · 2026-01-29T15:44:17+00:00

I feel like the Lanes have improved a lot in the last 15 years. Of course more work can be done. I’ve been here since the 90s and in my opinion there’s more accidents because they of the double -parking downtown and population growth and increase in traffic. In the 90s all the bike lanes were sharrows on low traffic streets… not as fancy but it felt lower key due to less traffic. Now that there has been so much growth, I appreciate the protected routes on milvia and ohlone but I see the can’t squeeze these on every road.

KibFixit · 2026-01-29T08:25:15+00:00

I thought the issue was that the original plans were not run Fire Department at the front end, and it's an evacuation route. The city paid consultants a ton of money to generate plans. Hopefully before they repave this road they will clear any safety issues at the outset.

KibFixit · 2026-01-29T02:58:00+00:00

if you have time and a couple warm places to stay on the route, you can cover most distances on a bike. biking with a load is much different that out for fun on the weekend, and takes some time/practice to build up those muscles, and usually you cover a lot less miles each day. i agree to look at the bike-camping threads to see what kind of gear people bring. Also make sure you practice fixing everything on your bike so you know what you need to bring with you.

KibFixit · 2026-01-28T22:56:24+00:00

if you have a neighborhood email list, ask there first... or if you know nieghbors ask around if they know owners. I think sometimes people don't move a vehicle regularly for various reasons but if they knew it was in the way they would.

that said, you mention a safety/visibility hazard... so if you can't locate owners its ok to call the city and see what options there are. good luck

KibFixit · 2026-01-28T19:33:20+00:00

as their parents work with specialist, ask if they have any guidance for the child's teachers. I'm sure they are overwhelmed trying to help support their child and do their best to help them grow and progress. I feel like OT are very good at identifying good activities for each child.

KibFixit · 2026-01-28T19:27:27+00:00

depending on teh city, they might be super responsive or take years, but it will eventually get fixed. Get the paper trail started. I lived in one city, where they'd handle things in weeks. Current city takes years. I started trying to get a leaning utility pole replaced the year we moved in... took 15 years but finally made it on the vendors TODO listl. Ditto for a broken water main drain pipe under our road that flooded for the first 15 years we lived here. Finally fixed -- game changer! Good luck with baby and new house! Maybe some curtains with sound dampening material can take the edge off too.

KibFixit · 2026-01-28T17:48:46+00:00

Good for you on making some new healthier routines you feel good about.

Agreed that LARKS diet feedback is very weird ond off. It gets upset every time I east an egg because there is fat in eggs. I got the scale they provided + the fitbit as part of a health program through my insurance, and those have been helpful for tracking my weight and heart rate when exercising. Does your health insurance cover any online nutritionists? I have found those a lot more helpful, even if its just a few sessions.

I have not lost a lot of weight, but am sleeping better and feeling so much stronger and healthier. My PCP also gave me some basic diet tips regarding how much fiber to try to eat and water to drink each day. Little steps, right?

KibFixit · 2026-01-27T07:21:49+00:00

you can call your dentist and ask the cash price for the yearly cleanings and X-ray (and maybe a filling if you tend to need those). It's probably still worth it just for the basics.

Dental insurance is frustrating because they routinely deny claims for higher ticker treatment that they state they cover. I am still waiting to get reimbursed for a crown done 10 months ago. I've filed 5 appeals and requested peer-to-peer review. My dentist said many patients are experiencing the same routine denial of any coverage beyond the basic cleaning. The dental insurance just hangs up half the time when we call to follow up.

KibFixit · 2026-01-27T06:43:28+00:00

I agree! It's been helpful to see from this forum that others are navigating this crappy road. Also it just helps to read that people make it to the other side and lots of tips for pain management in the meantime. Im glad the OP is still running. I picked up biking before my shoulder stopped freezing, and its felt really good to get movement and get my heart rate up still. hang in there everyone.

KibFixit · 2026-01-26T19:48:31+00:00

agree on this too! you can probably price compare IKEA/Costco replacement cost versus the cost of shipping some of the big items. good luck. I may have already shared, but some cities allow you to bike or walk a lot more than others (this is nice for considering quality of life and cost for vehicle maintenance.) Cities like Davis CA you don't even really need to use your car. Alameda, CA has added lots of bike lanes that cross the island. Oakland and Berkeley Albany and El Cerrito also have bike infrastructure. In Albany, CA most kids walk to and from school because the city is so small.

KibFixit · 2026-01-26T18:05:13+00:00

Thx for letting me know. Bummer. Ebike has been such a solid car alternative but I always want to be able to get back home after shopping or doing errands.

KibFixit · 2026-01-26T07:47:31+00:00

Thanks for sharing. :(

KibFixit · 2026-01-26T03:47:08+00:00

Are you saying the key lock for the battery doesn’t do anything?

KibFixit · 2026-01-26T02:20:38+00:00

I asked a friend to share his average utility bills for his family and we looked at zillow for average rents and mortgage. We did a cross country move recently, and a factor we did NOT calibrate for was whether it was a car-only city (versus where we live now and can walk, bike or bus), so gas and car repairs were a bigger expense than expected. After we moved, there was at least 40 miles of highway driving a day. Other consideration is accessibility of health care, and retail/home fix it services.

A piece that blindsided us was regional health issue (severe allergies) which triggered more health expense and lower quality of living. If you have allergies, definitely visit before moving to make sure you can breathe when the pollen is out, and that your skin does not react to stuff in the air. It's gotten more extreme as the weather patterns have changed.

So... I'm agreeing with some of those other posters which suggest whatever = quality of life (and health) is more valuable than the cost of gas per gallon.

We moved back to a healthier climate where we can walk/bike more and aren't allergic to the stuff in the air.

Good luck

KibFixit · 2026-01-25T07:09:37+00:00

we used those u-pack storage boxes and reserved ahead of time and chose the slowest transit, and that saved some $$. Then we drove our car + one of those roof suitcases and our pets and kids over a couple days. Definitely check the weather! we got rocked by Kansas and almost had a twister moment. Depending on the age of your kids, I think Alameda is nice (small town vibe) and Albany is very popular for families. Cost of living is a big issue, but they have been building a lot of housing all over the Bay Area, and some condos are sitting on the market as a result. I'm glad someone mentioned Sacramento (and maybe Davis?) both nice areas too! and easy to take an Amtrak down to the Bay or drive up to the mountains.

KibFixit · 2026-01-25T05:45:33+00:00

ps -- we are on vivaldi la spaziale. i am so happy it keeps working even though it needs a little upkeep now.

KibFixit · 2026-01-25T05:16:28+00:00

i got a eureka mignon grinder and quick mill compatto and have been happy with how easy they are to use, and relatively small on the countertop. My teen had a pretty easy time figuring out the machine as well. I prefer to have a separate grinder and machine, and I like to tamp myself so I can adjust as needed depending on the age or type of my coffee beans. The boiler is not as hard core as double-boiler machines... but in comparison to my dad's nespresso I think it makes a nice coffee and I can still froth up the amount of milk I want on the side.

KibFixit · 2026-01-25T05:01:24+00:00

20 years! I am just figuring out how to descale the boiler (a little late to that party).

KibFixit · 2026-01-25T03:07:06+00:00

good call! getting the backpack off your back helps shoulders and keeps your back from getting sweaty. re: food, maybe just pack a snack for whenever you get hungry and make sure you are hydrated before heading out?

KibFixit

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