Electric folding bike with adult stabilizers?
- Thread starter Dogs
- Start date
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steveindenmark
Legendary Member
How about a recumbent folding trike?
Tigerbiten
Guru
Bad idea.
With a high centre of gravity and a narrow wheelbase they tend to be very unstable.
If the stabilizers are low enough to be stable then the back wheel can be lifted off ground in a dip.
If the stabilizers are high enough not to do that then they tend not to work.
Either learn on two wheels by doing something like ->
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7GKK3liv8M&ab_channel=TomScottplus
Or think about a trike.
Luck .......
With a high centre of gravity and a narrow wheelbase they tend to be very unstable.
If the stabilizers are low enough to be stable then the back wheel can be lifted off ground in a dip.
If the stabilizers are high enough not to do that then they tend not to work.
Either learn on two wheels by doing something like ->
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7GKK3liv8M&ab_channel=TomScottplus
Or think about a trike.
Luck .......
KnittyNorah
Über Member
- Location
- The Frozen North (of England)
What do you mean by 'reasonably lightweight'? What is 'reasonably lightweight' for me, a 75yo, less than 5ft tall woman, will be very different to what is 'reasonably lightweight' for, say, most 40yo men.
Also, what is your budget? For a combination of E- , folding, and lightweight, I can only think of an electric Brompton, which is not going to be cheap (budget around £3,000) and, with its 16" wheels and hence somewhat-twitchy steering, will not be the easiest for a beginner or someone who has poor balance. I don't think adult stabilisers are a 'thing' for Brommies, but you can certainly get adult stabilisers to fit bikes with 'full size' wheels.
However, I would question why stabilisers are needed.
Is it to learn to ride the bike, or because there are long-term balance problems? I have to say that given the size, weight, power and potential speed of an e-bike, I think that stabilisers would be highly dangerous. They are not made for e-bikes, only for ordinary lightweight push bikes, and are only meant for short-term use - such as when learning to ride a bike along smooth surfaces or in an empty car-park!
If you need more than one wheel at the back, because you have long-term problems with balance rather than merely needing to learn how to ride a bike (in which case learn to ride on a pedal-only bike, and get an e-bike when you are competent on the pedals) then the only safe solution is to get a trike - and with balance issues, a recumbent trike is obviously much safer.
Also, what is your budget? For a combination of E- , folding, and lightweight, I can only think of an electric Brompton, which is not going to be cheap (budget around £3,000) and, with its 16" wheels and hence somewhat-twitchy steering, will not be the easiest for a beginner or someone who has poor balance. I don't think adult stabilisers are a 'thing' for Brommies, but you can certainly get adult stabilisers to fit bikes with 'full size' wheels.
However, I would question why stabilisers are needed.
Is it to learn to ride the bike, or because there are long-term balance problems? I have to say that given the size, weight, power and potential speed of an e-bike, I think that stabilisers would be highly dangerous. They are not made for e-bikes, only for ordinary lightweight push bikes, and are only meant for short-term use - such as when learning to ride a bike along smooth surfaces or in an empty car-park!
If you need more than one wheel at the back, because you have long-term problems with balance rather than merely needing to learn how to ride a bike (in which case learn to ride on a pedal-only bike, and get an e-bike when you are competent on the pedals) then the only safe solution is to get a trike - and with balance issues, a recumbent trike is obviously much safer.
