What local e-bike should I put $1,200-$1,400 toward? (Denver low-income rebate)
New to e-bikes and am in search of recommendations for both reliable (repairable) and affordable brands/local shops.
Note: I'm aware this isn't a lot of money in the world of e-bikes, but as a student I don't have much more than a couple hundred on top of this to spend if needed (I was hoping to put that toward a good lock or insurance). That said, please share your recs even if it's a bit over budget. I'm open to getting creative with the rebate, including floor models/scratch n dent, etc. - whatever you can think of.
Background: Commute is ~8 miles each way mostly on bike paths. Based on this, I'm thinking a hard tail or gravel bike would work well.
Here's a list of participating local bike shops. I'm a little overwhelmed by the number of options.
- What are your recs for a good shop to start with that might have some discount options?
- Are there any specific brands or models you recommend, ones that are mainstream or mainstream-compatible enough to be easily worked on/repaired?
Thank you for your input!