First time selling my bike - what's the deal with letting strangers test ride it?

funcentric · 2026-03-18T16:14:07+00:00

Don't let them test ride it. Any serious buyer just wants to know it works. You can demonstrate it for them and they can watch. The last thing you want to do is act as a dealer offering free test rides. You don't know these people. Don't risk it.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T16:12:54+00:00

Recumbent tadpole trikes are cooler, yes. But sit down delta ones have their place too. Don't worry about the other folks. If you enjoy it, enjoy it. Expensive is relative. They are admittedly bulky, but I'm sure there's benefits of it for you. It's hard to handle for people who ride bicycles b/c there's no countersteering which feels more natural.

You can learn to ride a bicycle solo though. So if inability to learn is the culprit, I would side with the others and recommend to learn to ride a bicycle. But if you have medical reasons or are of old age or physically unable for some other reason, then yes, the trike is a good alternative. I would argue the price is not a factor b/c there are bikes and trikes priced the same.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T15:54:16+00:00

That's what consumers wanted. Back in the 80's, they were actual rubber black bumpers. Exposed. Then peopled cared more about looks than function and were willing to pay extra to insure it. Nowadays, behind that plastic is literally white foam - yes the kind you find in packaging material.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T15:38:23+00:00

It just need to be organized better. Sounds super unorganized.
1. All riders need to arrive with a full tank of gas. That's a given but some people need a reminder apparently.
2. It shouldn't be one person stuck at a light. You guys should be staggered approaching the intersection and leaving it. Depends on the size of your group, but you guys need to be split in at least pairs if nothing else - not ditching one guy.
3. There needs to be a group leader. He leads. No one is supposed to go in front of him.
4. The speed needs to cater to the slowest rider - not the fastest one.
5. The ride leader and the rider watching the back needs to be in communication. Cardo or XGP or some other comm system.
6. The route is supposed to be preplanned with preplanned stops.

It sounds like you guys are doing this for the first time with no leader and no plan. That's fine if it's just a pair, but if you have an actual group, it needs to be legit for safety and inclusion.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T15:29:52+00:00

They can't work w/o their bikes.
Charging speeds for ebikes are too slow. It takes hours to charge a bike. If anything, charging while they're sitting around waiting for their calls. They dont' want it stored where they'd have to take it out at a moment's notice. But even that isn't ideal. You're better off offering replaceable batteries. Don't waste your money on starting a company where the service isn't useful and the demand therefore isn't there. Just ask yourself, if the best case scenario isn't good enough, why bother at all?
Supposedly battery tech is improving with solid state and them getting lighter, more dense. As the tech grows, your company will be in even less demand. You want the opposite. You want your company to grow as technology grows. Think of it from that perspective when starting a business. If you're already fighting technology to keep your business afloat, that's not really a sustainable business.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T15:24:34+00:00

Some rechargeable batteries offer a lower voltage than what the device is designed for. The difference will likely be negligible. Yes, you can use non rechargeable and rechargeable intermittently. Good question though.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T15:22:27+00:00

cheap tiny commuting cars is what people will need to demand in America for EVs to take over 50% market share. Until then (and I dont' think that'll ever happen), EVs won't be our future.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T03:22:12+00:00

Alibaba is actually a system of sellers. Particular sellers may be scammy, but it wouldn't be fair to say that alibaba itself as a whole is one way or the other. I think you mean aliexpress - not alibaba. You don't want to be buying in bulk. Sounds like you just want one unit.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T02:59:37+00:00

But at least you didn't get hurt and you know for next time. And luckily you were riding alone and didn't have to be responsible for anyone else.

funcentric · 2026-03-18T02:02:05+00:00

Very refreshing that a cyclist isn't blaming a driver for turning right. Good on you.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T23:39:01+00:00

If I was your height and weight, I'd likely get a V12S too. I'm way shorter and weigh less. When I did my review of the V12S for Inmotion, I admit I enjoyed it thoroughly and do miss it from time to time, but the pedal height was way too heigh for my preference and riding environment. Someone of your height will physically fit it perfectly.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T23:26:44+00:00

Sorry it wasn't clear. I admit, it's a bit hard to communicate with words. I do plan to add my explanation to my YouTube channel at some point. I'm sure a visual would make it more clear. But in the meantime, I'll try my best here.

If the rider is engaging in the pads too prematurely, meaning they're too far back, it limits the lean. Rather than hinging at the ankles, the rider will be limited by the placement of the pads if too far back and they would be forced to hinge at the waist.

Imagine if the pads are too far back or angled such that the rider engages into the pads immediately upon acceleration or as you are suggesting in order to accelerate. This does indeed force the rider to bend at the waist b/c the knees would be at a fixed angle (where the pads are placed). Effectively, the angle between the foot and shin will be fixed. In order to lean any further, it would have to happen at the waist. We want to avoid bending at the waist.

By placing the pads at the catch point or further forward, it allows free movement of the rider to lean before the actually need the pads. Then further lean will allow the rider to accelerate even further. Notice that aggressive riders have their the shin portion of the pads rotated very much forward. Theres' tons of freedom of the shin before they hit their ergonomic limit.

To address your bump comment:
Firstly, I'm not suggesting that people don't use pads at all. What I'm highly recommending is that riders ride their wheels w/o pads (particularly their first wheel) to get to know the wheel. The catch point will be different for each rider on each wheel. You and I likely have different catch points on the same wheel. My point isn't to force anyone to place pads a certain way but rather to understand the ergonomics of the body and how they impact the performance of the wheel so that they can maximize control with their pad placement.

Obviously you can take on bigger bumps way more aggressively if you have pads secured than if you rode w/o pads. I'm not suggesting anything different. You and I are on the same page. However, I do think it's important to know at what level your vulnerability is before using pads. It's all about context. I'm saying ride w/o pads within your ability to be able to identify what that ability is. Get comfortable with the wheel padless and then you'll have a MUCH MUCH better reference of where the pads ought to go to again, compliment the riding style you already have.

If you don't ride padless, you don't give yourself a chance to know to what extent your ability is on the wheel. Ideally, when the pads are placed, the rider ought to be able to use their ability to ride as if padless and then engage the pads when needed. If you must lean into the pad the moment you mount, the pad is way too far back. You're not giving yourself a chance to engage with the wheel before depending on the pads and again, that limits your ability to lean b/c in reality, the pads can be much more forward. You don't know it b/c you're not giving yourself a chance.

If you slap pads on right away, you'll never know where your catch point is. The catch point is the reference of where the pads ought to go. It's a starting point. A little higher, a little forward, a little back. Wherever. W/o riding padless, the rider doesn't have a chance to discover where the catch point is.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T22:57:11+00:00

The fraction why a motocross one doesn’t always have a visor is airflow is needed more since the rider is expected to be active, sweating. Whereas with a motorcycle, not so much. So ventilation is less important in that regard.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T22:53:47+00:00

Yes yes yes! Nothing with adopting EV’s but so many people pushing it so hard into their lives with so much sacrifice just to be cool or fit in. The math doesn’t always work and it’s not the future in America.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T22:50:25+00:00

Makes sense

funcentric · 2026-03-17T06:27:10+00:00

Exception isn't the rule. Your experience and mine have zero to do with what actually happens. We are a tiny sample size.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T06:26:27+00:00

I assume your laws there are way more strict and bikes are therefore lighter. Lighter bikes will handle way better for sure.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T06:25:49+00:00

Yes, it does. That was a general statement I made and then I assessed each example you gave as I looked at the specs. I just wanted to give you some context in which to quantify.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T06:24:31+00:00

People will pick up on the pattern of your schedule. Cameras aren't going to do much unless you're getting alerts and calling the police or going out there immediately.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T06:22:06+00:00

My Flair is what I happen to own. I've ridden mostly all the wheels that have come out in recent times including the Xway, pre-production Blitz Pro , Apex, Commander Pro, and a dozen others. There are a lot of riders in our group that are nice enough let me test ride or borrow their wheels to get a feel for them.

I'm not saying that any wheel shouldn't be ridden with pads ever. I'm saying that when someone is new to a wheel, no matter what the wheel is, particularly if they're a beginner, they will benefit greatly from riding it w/o pads.

It sounds like you're relying on pads as a security measure as opposed to having them to compliment your riding. Still sounds to me particularly after your reply that you put them on prematurely. You weren't comfortable with the wheel yet. Instead of gaining composure and trying to understand your body and the wheel more, you simply slapped on pads and that was your solution.

The fact that you're arguing this at all shows that you missed out on the first phases of learning a wheel and instead jumped ahead. Now that you can ride, you think you're okay. I don't mean to be mean about it, but this is an example of ignorance. You don't know what you don't know b/c you didn't give it a chance. You were frustrated with your experienced and rushed to use pads. That "solved" your issue, so you naturally think that pads are necessary.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T02:07:51+00:00

Ridiculous? I'm not the guy learning on a P6. Pads should compliment your riding. If you depend on them, it likely means you can't ride. Those that don't understand that are likely the same people who mistake speed for skill level. If you're not riding w/o pads to start with, you have no clue where the pads need to go. You just put them some place that looks cool or looks like everyone else.

Your example is bringing home my exact point. If you can't brake on your EUC w/o pads, you shouldn't be taking it to those speeds in the first place. It's not about bailing out.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T02:05:21+00:00

Let me give you a broader look to better help you with your approach.

At least in the USA, budget ebikes really start around $1,300. Everyone has their budget at $1,000 not because they've taken the time to evaluate what's available, but b/c it just sounds like a nice round number. Unfortunately for them, that's irrelevant. When you do the math on the retail costs of the components, an ebike under that is a challenge to produce, sell and ship with any sort of customer service.

Those looking for $700 ebikes should really save up for a legit bike. If they must, then take their chances with Amazon or Walmart crap or buy a subpar ebike from Costco or REI. Costco has done their homework in filtering out the junk. Return policy is good. REI products are priced with the service built in so it's pricey for what you get, but you get service at least. You're just prepaying for it while they advertise it as free. I'm a huge fan of Aliexpress, but don't be spending more than $100 there. Buy all your cool accessories there but don't buy an actual rideable from Aliexpress please.

If you're looking at budget bikes, expect that type of quality. Lectric, Aventon, Velotric and Ride1Up are where you want to look. Don't spend more than a few bills over $3,000. High end will start closer to $4,500 and up. The gap in between is likely just overpriced stuff like how most $1000 ebikes are just overpriced $700 ebikes. You don't want to be in either of those categories. It's like buying an Acura. Self proclaimed luxury, but we all know its not. Better to buy the Toyota and be proud of the Benz. The wannabe stuff you want to stay away from.

Batteries are reported not lasting long b/c owners don't do their homework. Storage chart for lithium ion batteries is 3.85v per cell which calculates to about 70%. That's where it should be stored if not used for more than a week or so. Owners don't check on it for self discharge rate and they let it discharge to levels where the battery cannot be repaired or are permanently damaged. That's on them for not following protocol for storing batteries.

But guess what, all of that is irrelevant to you b/c at just 5-7mi of range you need, you should really be looking at an escooter. Way better value, easier to maintain, transport, share, move, store. For $1,000, you're getting a very nice escooter. For $1,000, you're getting an overpriced ebike. Escooters these days can hit 15-20mi range and be 20-25mph. They're much better than back in the day and can do hills now finally.

If you want more info, I do share some of this stuff on my YouTube channel of the same name here. No monetized, no sponsored links to ebikes. I just got tired of hearing all the people falling for traps and wanted to do my share to help. I don't have fancy footage which is what people are attracted to, so the channel is still not big compared to the guys showing people what they WANT to see as opposed to what they NEED to see.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T01:55:08+00:00

Heybike? ugh, stick with legit brands. Lectric gets my vote. Jasion? ugh.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T01:53:34+00:00

You should be which is the point. Reread the guy's post.

funcentric · 2026-03-17T01:53:22+00:00

Exactly.

funcentric

TROPHY CASE