Thoughts on Biktrix Roguehawk
Posted by The_Real_Grogzilla@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 11 comments
Hey everyone, new to the hobby here, and I’ve been looking to get my first e-bike.
I live in the Canadian countryside, and wanted a bike that could take me into town about 20km away. For the most part I can take back roads with little to no cars, but there are some very steep and long hills in my area that are pretty much unavoidable. I cannot overstate how steep these hills are.
Being Canadian, Wired isn’t an option for me, but I still want something with power to take me up these hills, and I came across the biktrix roguehawk. I like that they’re a Canadian brand, and they bikes seem off-road capable. I wanted a bike that could handle a leisurely ride through the city, or moderate forest trails, but it’s hard to find much info on biktrix. Anyways what are your experiences with this bike? Max speed, is the torque good enough? Can it handle steep hills? Comfortable for long rides? Is it durable or prone to breaking?
Any info would be appreciated!
KathrineKinkel@reddit
For steep hills, a mid-drive motor is generally more efficient and powerful than a hub motor on an e-bike.
UpbeatAd9896@reddit
so far Biktrix in Edmonton has treated me well. not sure about the Rougehawk,but I bought 2 Juggernaughts from them last year for the wife and I and they have been great bikes, no problems yet. The charger that came with my wife's bike was a little different than mine, it was a bit smaller and different style and didn't seem like it was working properly. The green light indicating a full charge came on as soon as I plugged it in,even though the battery was only at 50%, and they replaced the charger no questions asked. they seem quite helpful and easy to deal with
The_Real_Grogzilla@reddit (OP)
Well that’s good to hear, it’s hard to find what seem like reliable brands in Canada. Hell, it’s hard to tell what’s a quality reliable product from overmarketed junk nowadays.
rossman11@reddit
You want a mid drive for steep hills, not a hub motor. Biktrix has a bunch.
The_Real_Grogzilla@reddit (OP)
Ah so mid drive is better for steep inclines, gotcha 👍
BassesNBikes@reddit
Not just off-road capable. Off-road only.
https://www.favoritebikes.com/blogs/news/canadian-e-bike-laws-by-province-complete-guide?srsltid=AfmBOoqlaFnWFRWN0NLa5sJO5pdSQpafX6V7jxaM8bjoVMQRk-tW1HUK
Before diving into provincial differences, let's establish the federal foundation that applies across all Canadian e-bike laws by province. Transport Canada defines power-assisted bicycles (PABs) – the official term for e-bikes – with these universal requirements: maximum motor output of 500 watts, top speed limited to 32 km/h (20 mph) on motor power alone, and fully operable pedals that allow the bike to function as a traditional bicycle.
The_Real_Grogzilla@reddit (OP)
And a street legal e-bike can’t be more than 500 watts? Why does it seem like every e-bike online has 1000+ watts? There so much mechanical knowledge that escapes my understanding, I’m still not entirely sure what watts and voltage and amps actually do.
BassesNBikes@reddit
They market to suckers, mostly. Check the weight on that Biktrix. Likely 3x or more what an eMTB weighs.
If you want a bike that's legal and efficient on-road and also has off-road capability you want a hardtail eMTB like a Trek Marlin +
The_Real_Grogzilla@reddit (OP)
Will check them out, thanks!
The_Real_Grogzilla@reddit (OP)
So if it doesn’t go faster than 32 km/h then I can ride it on bike lanes in the city? And is 32 km/h enough to take a rider up steep extended hills? Or is that more dependent on torque than max speed?
And lastly am I looking for a unicorn here, in the sense of a street legal that could also handle off road trails and steep inclines? Or do I have to choose between one or the other.
I’m hoping it could become my main mode of transportation, but it needs to be able to handle both terrains to do so.
BassesNBikes@reddit
500W max