eBike for 14yr Old Kid

[portals]

My son turned 14 last week, over the weekend we both cycled, got train then more cycling to visit his grand parents and I was explaining what an ebike is to them (both in 80s...).

Anyway got a call tonight from them and they asked if he's like an ebike for Christmas, initial thoughts were no chance, too dangerous, however after looking in to it I have somewhat changed my point of view.

I hadn't come across any ebikes for kids but there are plenty of the out there, even Argos is selling them for £800 mark and they look OK for that price I suppose with 250W 15.5mph limit and not great 36V battery.

Given he already rides around on his bike at 15mph and keeps up with me on my ebike (home brew 1500W rear hub/52V 17.5AH battery), I'm wondering if there would be any benefit to him, answer is probably yes, we can go on longer rides together and maybe visit grand parents without having to hop most of it on train. He's quite a sensible lad, been on bikes since he was 4 so it's really other drivers and theft I'm most worried about.

Does anyone have kids that have an ebike, would be interested to hear your experiences?

 

[99t4]

Congratulations on raising a avid cyclist! :thumb: You have my respect for that.

At 14 y.o. he likely has a lot of growing in him so will outgrow the frame size that would fit him now.

Why not get a kit that can be fitted to his currently correctly-sized bike, and then removed and fitted to the next as he grows?

 

[marty]

Think children should pedal until the age of 35.

Nothing good happens with children and motorized vehicles. That is why children are not allowed to drive cars and motorcycles.

 

[portals]

Congratulations on raising a avid cyclist! :thumb: You have my respect for that.

At 14 y.o. he likely has a lot of growing in him so will outgrow the frame size that would fit him now.

Why not get a kit that can be fitted to his currently correctly-sized bike, and then removed and fitted to the next as he grows?

Thanks, I was bike mad when I was a kid too

Leaning towards a 250W rear hub on a donor bike with trickery to get the 25mph so yes it could move with him to a bigger frame, that's a good idea,.

 

[portals]

Think children should pedal until the age of 35.

Nothing good happens with children and motorized vehicles. That is why children are not allowed to drive cars and motorcycles.

In the US you can drive a car at 16yrs, in UK at 17yrs.

I've seen kids as young as 5 on dirt bikes doing easy 30+ mph......not sure I get your point?

 

[Chalo]

Think children should pedal until the age of 35.

Nothing good happens with children and motorized vehicles. That is why children are not allowed to drive cars and motorcycles.

In the US you can drive a car at 16yrs, in UK at 17yrs.

I've seen kids as young as 5 on dirt bikes doing easy 30+ mph......not sure I get your point?

Youths operating dangerous machinery is hazardous for them and hazardous for all other road users. Worse, it conditions them into a ecologically disastrous, socially destructive, physically unhealthy way of life.

The sooner a kid starts using motor vehicles, by the sooner the later adult deteriorates to the point that more wholesome modes of transportation become impossible.

 

[portals]

Think children should pedal until the age of 35.

Nothing good happens with children and motorized vehicles. That is why children are not allowed to drive cars and motorcycles.

c

I've seen kids as young as 5 on dirt bikes doing easy 30+ mph......not sure I get your point?

Youths operating dangerous machinery is hazardous for them and hazardous for all other road users. Worse, it conditions them into a ecologically disastrous, socially destructive, physically unhealthy way of life.

The sooner a kid starts using motor vehicles, by the sooner the later adult deteriorates to the point that more wholesome modes of transportation become impossible.

As far as your concerned anyone 16/17+ who doesn't live in the centre of town and needs transport to get about is unwholesome/unhealthy as they are using a 'motor vehicle', they should just cycle the 10m in to town for some milk...?

In your world we would have no youth so no carting, no F1, no motor racing of any kind....?

The most skilled learn and excel when they are young, I'm glad you're not my dad...you probably wouldn't have let me watch this (or Benny Hill...).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBme5qljiAo

 

[e-beach]

Well, what if you get a second e-bike that he can sometimes borrow?

I don't think an e-bike should be his go-to form of transportation unless pedaling is just too time consuming for the objective. Why? I rode motorcycles as my exclusive form of transportation from about 17 until about 35 and I have to tell you I never got hurt as badly in crashes as I have riding an e-bike.

Get a second e-bike for yourself or your wife and let him borrow it occasionally.

my 2¢

 

[slaphappygamer]

I usually see kids riding against the direction of the bike lane. Pet peeve of mine as I ride in the direction indicated by the lane. Saw one kid who was doing this and he almost got Tboned by a large truck coming out of the driveway. The driveway had a large bush near. Good thing the kid saw the truck first. The driver wasn’t looking for a bike coming from the wrong direction. The kid did have a helmet and was polite towards the truck driver, signaling for him to go first.

Also saw a group of young girls 15-17 ish riding in a huddle. There were about five of them. No helmets and going the wrong direction.

Anyhow, my point is that each rider is different with different habits and common sense (which isn’t always very common). If you believe your kid can safely and confidently ride an ebike, then go for it. Buying a kit with the intention of transferring it to another bike can be tricky. You’ll need to be sure the next bike has a similar width rear drop out. The tire size will be larger, so you’ll have to respond the motor in the new tire. You’ll also need new spikes for that. The idea of having another ebike that your kid can “sometimes borrow” would be a great option. “He kid, if you do the dishes and help with laundry, then you can ride this on the weekend”, or something like that. You can make it a reward. Then, when they put grow the bike, you can sell it or part it out, or whatever and your kid could help convert a bike for themself. It’ll be a nice kid/parent project.

 

[Chalo]

Youths operating dangerous machinery is hazardous for them and hazardous for all other road users. Worse, it conditions them into a ecologically disastrous, socially destructive, physically unhealthy way of life.

As far as your concerned anyone 16/17+ who doesn't live in the centre of town and needs transport to get about is unwholesome/unhealthy as they are using a 'motor vehicle', they should just cycle the 10m in to town for some milk...?

Raising children out where there aren't plenty of people is a form of abuse, and it stunts their social and intellectual development.

But I guess that's rural and suburban life in a nutshell. Buncha socially and intellectually busted folk making more just like themselves.

 

[999zip999]

So what I have 13 to 14 year olds on Sur rons going 40 miles an hour they love to stand on the seat and do wheelies on the bike trail with people with baby carriages and dogs and what not like they know what to do when the front wheels up in the air in the can't and if they were a helmet they never never buckle the chin strap, really really steers or when they are on the phone and both hands are off the handlebars they learn this from their friends.

 

[portals]

Youths operating dangerous machinery is hazardous for them and hazardous for all other road users. Worse, it conditions them into a ecologically disastrous, socially destructive, physically unhealthy way of life.

As far as your concerned anyone 16/17+ who doesn't live in the centre of town and needs transport to get about is unwholesome/unhealthy as they are using a 'motor vehicle', they should just cycle the 10m in to town for some milk...?

Raising children out where there aren't plenty of people is a form of abuse, and it stunts their social and intellectual development.

But I guess that's rural and suburban life in a nutshell. Buncha socially and intellectually busted folk making more just like themselves.

People who choose to live the rural lifestyle are 'abusers'? You're a moron, clearly...and have no recollection of how your forefathers built your country... Vent your abusive childhood memories elsewhere...

I also live in the heart of a city with a population of over 1.5million ...another fail...

 

[pxl666]

i would go for tsdz2 and with osf limited speed and power to something that allows for steep hills and long travels but not much speed . 14yrs in not a baby anymore anyway...

 

[chuyskywalker]

Does anyone have kids that have an ebike, would be interested to hear your experiences?

My 8yo rides a Kent Torpedo (got it on clearance at $150, great deal). It's pedal assist only, she still has to shift gears and put in the work. The motor is pretty minimal (250w) and can only really get up to 17mph which is just marginally faster than she can pedal herself on previous non-motor bike.

What is does do is make it possible to go on much longer (30mi) rides.

 

[JackFlorey]

Raising children out where there aren't plenty of people is a form of abuse, and it stunts their social and intellectual development.

From the NIH:

Urbanization is having profound effects on the health and well-being of infants and children in industrialized and developing countries. This will affect generations into the future. . . . In developed societies there are many other problems, e.g. injuries, poisonings, violence, drug abuse, exposure to industrial and atmospheric pollutants, including pesticides, sexually transmissible diseases, and "lifestyle" diseases including obesity and cardiovascular disease risk.

So now that we've established that everything is child abuse, back to the topic:

I got my 10 year old a 250W front hub motor with a smallish 48V battery on the back rack (the frame was too small to put it in the triangle.) This sort of worked but eventually he took a spill partly (I think) because of the weight back there. I changed out the battery for a 60V Ryobi tool battery in the triangle and he hasn't had any problems.

For my 8 year old I got him an ultra light friction drive for the front wheel. Very simple to use (just a button) and he seems to like it. It doesn't have a power rating but from measurements it's about 200 watts.

 

[pxl666]

26 frame xs size , tsdz2 stock fw , 13s4p 21700 20ah battery , what more would kid want for daily commute ?