It's amazing how many electric bike options are out there these days - how did you decide this one was the best?
The number of companies and options out there right now is crazy extensive. I've not gotten mine yet, so time will tell if I made the right call. On paper anyway what I liked about the Riide version was:
-Simple. I'll be doing my own maintenance and wanted something without many options and gizmos to break or maintain. I don't want or need an LCD battery meter, speedometer, a billion gears, ten different pedal assist options, etc. I like that the Riide is a single gear simple direct drive with a throttle and a battery. I just need it to go and stop.
-More "bicycle like" and lighter weight. On the spectrum of bicycle to moped or motorcycle, I wanted something that felt and worked more like a bicycle. Some of the e-bike options on the market have massive batteries and higher top speeds that put them closer to the moped category. The Riide is lighter weight than most ebikes and seems to handle more like a bicycle. If I had to carry it up a few stairs, put in on a train or bus (the public transport in my area has bicycle racks), or ride on bicycle paths or campus sidewalks I can do those things without much fuss because it just looks like a bicycle. An 80lb rig with a 40mph top speed and a massive brick of a battery would make it more difficult to handle and illegal to ride on sidewalks and bike paths.
-The price point. While not the cheapest option, the Riide comes in on the moderate end of the price spectrum. Converting an existing bicycle or going with a Chinese made version would have saved me money. I'll cop to the fact that I am taking the easy way out by not just building my own. DIY would be much more badass.
-It seems compatible with some accessories I already own. As I mentioned in the other post, I plan on moving lights and a rack I already have to the Riide. If I didn't already have those accessories I may want something with integrated lights and racks like the iZIP.
It seems like there is an electric bike out there to cater to most any needs right now. This just seemed like a good fit for me.