Joe'sEbike Saga 2015, seventh bike

In autumn 2014 I had decided to let Ilia built a bike from scratch, selecting each component without compromise or cutting corners. We started with a $400 CroMoly frame from SURLY to accommodate a NuVinci internally geared hub. and hydraulic disk brakes. I choose the smallest size frame so the finished bike could fit inside my mini-van without disassembly. For the motor I choose the 500w 36volt BAFANG BBS02 instead of the 350 watt version I had used before. It was scheduled to be ready for Christmas 2014, but some delays and eventually a fire postponed the delivery until June 2015. It was worth the wait. The performance is so outstanding that I gladly accept the two drawbacks: the high cost and weight. At close to 60 pounds it is no lighter than most other e-bikes and the cost of the components alone added up to almost 3.5k getting the cost with Ilia's work to more than 4k. But riding this bike is the closest thing to not just flying, but soaring. It has all the speed and power I would want. While vendors like NEW WHEEL in San Francisco offer high quality German bikes at the same cost, none of them have all the features I like on this bike and also all the parts, including the motor and battery, are readily available, replaceable and interchangeable. It is important for me to be able to take care of any problem as my home is 125 miles from any good e-bike service facility. Of course I could not have put this bike together without the expertise of Ilia Wouk of EBIKESSF.COM.