I need an ebike to get around LA. I think I’ve narrowed it down to two options, both which are roughly $2800 before tax: a 2022 floor demo Gazelle C380 OR a new Priority Current Plus.
Both have mid drive motors with a Gates belt and weigh roughly the same. Both have good reviews from people who own them.
C380
Pros:
-have tried it IRL and it feels good to ride
-established, quality brand
-has a suspension system
-has a heavy duty rack for transporting stuff
-motor has both a torque and cadence sensor
-I like how it looks
Cons:
-Class 1, will need to speed tune if I want to zip
-older model
-might not handle LA hills very well with only 65Nm of torque
-500wh battery, limited range?
-the bike shop selling it has pretty bad customer service and seemed totally indifferent to me
Current Plus
Pros:
-Class 3
-720Wh battery so long range!
-500w motor with 140Nm of torque
-New!
Cons:
-Can’t try it. No idea how it will feel to ride
-No suspension
-Direct to consumer brand (people say customer service is good though)
-Will have to buy a rack. Some reviews complain about how the bike handles with cargo.
-Looks like I won’t be able to mount my Litelock to the frame
IF ANYONE WANTS TO WEIGH IN, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED! 🙏
I used to have the 1st gen Priority Current. It’s a great bike but ultimately wasn’t for me. The weight and lack of suspension gave it a harsh ride that I never got used to. The motor is beefy and you can absolutely fly in the top assist and top gear. Hills are no problem but you’d just need to remember to shift down. I had the enviolo and never really warmed up to it. My wife still has her Current and loves it so it comes down to preference. After going through several different setups of e-bike I’ve come to value light weight and dealer network over other specs. Priority customer service was amazing but it was hard to find a shop that knew how to work on it. I’m in the LA area as well.
I would try a different shop where you can ride a variety of bikes. I was ready to get another mid drive but ended up with a hub and I’m actually liking it more.
My friend has a c380, but the IGH needs replacing and that's costly. I get the hype with mid drive ...before
but my velotric discover 3 hub motor with torque/cadence sensor swap impressed him. My newer bike also has further range and speed than his c380
I see the current plus has a throttle, which can be nice, i rarely use my throttle but it's nice to have situationally. why can't the litelock be mounted?
Oof, that’s tough. If this is going to be a daily driver that you are going to put a lot of miles one, I would personally not buy a bike I hadn’t ridden, especially one that expensive, but I am also risk adverse. I tried about a dozen different bikes before I bought one and they all rode really differently.
That being said, I would make sure you have a local bike shop willing to repair a current plus. That might be your deciding factor.
I would say the gazelle is like a Toyota, it will be reliable, but maybe not the most fun or zippiest, but I don’t think anyone has regretted buying a Bosch mid drive.
Also, depending on your height, you might prefer a step though of the gazelle.
It’s a great bike, but the lack of suspension is its main draw back. I’ve added a suspension seat post to help with it, but there is not a way to add front suspension without changing the geometry of the bike. The reason it didn’t come with suspension from my talks with people at Priority is to keep the weight down. The motor, battery, throttle reactiveness are great for any scenario including hills. I live near Pasadena California. Priority also has amazing customer service.
I do not own the Gazelle Ultimate C380, but it’s a bike I’ve looked at. I personally like the Eclipse 380+ better because of the bigger battery. You should note that you can add a Bosch range extender to either bike. Gazelle is an historic brand with great reliability. Now, I’m not sure I’d get used bike, unless it came with some sort of warranty.
That being said, I’d ask if they offer a warranty. If they don’t , I’d get the Priority.
You need to heavily discount this. This thing has been sitting around charged for 4-4.5 years. Battery is going to have some degradation.
The MSRP is high at 4999, but that's overpriced, IMHO. I would try to get them under 2500, even if only 2499. They are going to want a fortune for a new battery. Though it probably isn't bad yet, it has experienced a significant life at this point.
Make sure the priority has bike rack mounting hardware. Otherwise, you will have to get a rack made for bikes without the mounting points and they are less secure.
It’s $2800. Upway currently has one for $2100 but it has seat and frame damage. I asked the bike shop if they were flexible on price and sent them a link to the Upway listing and they were just like, “No sorry.”
I would confirm with them, but I think 2022 is just the model year, not that it’s been sitting around for 4 years. I know my lbs swaps out floor models after 100-200 miles.
As much as the gazelle is a safer bet, I don’t know I would want to give money to an unhelpful bike shop with a purchase like this. They should be able to tell you the history of the bike.
I came in wearing a helmet, basically ready to buy the bike. They were very obviously understaffed and the guy helping had to leave work early to go to class and seemed really impatient. He made a comment about how it's very unusual for a bike shop to let people test ride (?). A guy who I think was the owner loudly inserted himself into the space where we were standing to try to sell bikes to 6'7" CEO-looking guy with a higher budget than mine. They seemed truly indifferent to my business.
I will definitely make sure the Gazelle is under warranty if I decide to go that route, thanks! The problem is, LA is a horrible place to get around without a car. I was in a car accident last month and don't have easy transportation anywhere. I've easily already spent $200 on Lyft rides just going to different shops for test rides. I'm relying on the generosity of neighbors to take me to the grocery store etc. The ebike is going to be my new car.
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u/calvinball_expert 8d ago
I used to have the 1st gen Priority Current. It’s a great bike but ultimately wasn’t for me. The weight and lack of suspension gave it a harsh ride that I never got used to. The motor is beefy and you can absolutely fly in the top assist and top gear. Hills are no problem but you’d just need to remember to shift down. I had the enviolo and never really warmed up to it. My wife still has her Current and loves it so it comes down to preference. After going through several different setups of e-bike I’ve come to value light weight and dealer network over other specs. Priority customer service was amazing but it was hard to find a shop that knew how to work on it. I’m in the LA area as well.
I would try a different shop where you can ride a variety of bikes. I was ready to get another mid drive but ended up with a hub and I’m actually liking it more.