RV LIFE Podcast
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RV LIFE Podcast
How to Choose An E-bike That’s Right For Me
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How do I choose an E-Bike that’s right for me? is a question we get asked all the time.
Today we talk to E-bike expert of over 20 years and get the answers.
Dan Sobczak E-Bike user and company owner explains what to look for when buying an E-bike, the motor, battery, frame, tires, shocks, seats, and so much more.
It’s great to speak with the owner of a E-bike company because if you decide to buy The Punisher he is offering our RV LIFE Podcast listeners $400 off.
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As a little boy, he loved his bike, often getting in trouble for coming home way after dark. In 2010, he saw his first e-book and he was hooked. Later, he became the distributor for a Florida e-bike company and became the number one rep in his very, very first year. His passion for the industry led him to start his own company. And we are so glad that he did. to Dan Subchak, founder of Kraken Adventure Bikes. And we're so excited. Dan, welcome
DAN SOBCZAK:
How you
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
guys
Dan & Patti:
the show.
DAN SOBCZAK:
doing? Thank you very much. It's great to be here.
Dan & Patti:
We are absolutely incredible here. Now, you know what, let's get right into it, Dan. We're talking about e-bikes, we're talking about how to choose the right e-bike for you. For our listener, how do they choose that just right for them. But let's start out by looking at the industry man. This industry is only about 10 maybe 15 years old, but it is really really blown up.
DAN SOBCZAK:
It really has. I'll tell you, especially
Dan & Patti:
I'm not sure if you can hear me.
DAN SOBCZAK:
looking at like our European counterparts
Dan & Patti:
I'm not sure if you can hear me.
DAN SOBCZAK:
overseas, that's really where,
Dan & Patti:
I'm not sure if you can hear me.
DAN SOBCZAK:
that's one of the biggest markets in the world right
Dan & Patti:
I'm not sure if you can hear me.
DAN SOBCZAK:
now. And we look at a lot of
Dan & Patti:
I'm not sure if you can hear me.
DAN SOBCZAK:
them to kind of see what trends we can expect
Dan & Patti:
I'm not sure if you can hear me.
DAN SOBCZAK:
here in the United States. And I mean,
Dan & Patti:
I'm not sure if you can hear me.
DAN SOBCZAK:
it's following right behind it.
Dan & Patti:
It really, really, really is. Okay, so you've been in the e-bike business for so long, over 10 years I'm thinking, and how did you get started?
DAN SOBCZAK:
I got started, I was a customer. I just thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. I mean, like a bike that propels itself. It was the first time I got on that thing and it made me feel like I was 15 years old, like when I first got my go-kart.
Dan & Patti:
Thank you.
DAN SOBCZAK:
I just thought it was like the coolest thing ever. And it really has changed and impacted my life. Just from riding those things around, I didn't realize how versatile it was having that bike. And when I started getting into business, that bike was a crucial part you know, dragging stuff into trade shows and going back and forth. I mean, it really saved me a lot of time. So and in a world where time is money, right? Anything to save you time.
Dan & Patti:
Yeah, and we feel the same way. I was a little skeptical about needing an electric bike, an e-bike, but we had the opportunity to try them. And it's like you said, I was hooked. For us, it was driving around a campground. It was like a three-mile loop through this forest area that we drove around. And I just thought it was the greatest thing ever. Thanks for watching!
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah, it is really cool. I mean, some of my favorite places, I live in a rural area, a little town called Umatilla. If you sneezed, you blow right through it. And we're right on the edge of the Ocala National Forest. And I mean, I try to get out as much as I can. I know we're pretty busy, but you know, even just going through some of the trails and the forest, I mean, it's, it's really incredible. If you just kind of want to get out, really see it.
Dan & Patti:
Now, Dan, you started in this industry working for somebody else, and you were so good at it, you decided to start your own company. Let's talk about working for somebody else. You sold other kind of bikes as well than what you're working with right now.
DAN SOBCZAK:
I did. That's how we got started. That's how I learned everything. And I learned a lot of stuff about what to do and what not to do. So I started as a distributor. I think over the last couple of years we've really gone and, and pitched, I want to say close to 15 or 20 other e-bike companies that we've worked with over the past. You know, a lot of good companies, but I've learned a lot about their distribution model, learned a lot about their bikes and learned a lot about really how to make a better.
Dan & Patti:
And that's what we're talking about today, a better bike. You know, we have had several bikes from several different companies throughout time. And I'm not going to knock any of them because I got to tell you, all of them are pretty darn good.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah.
Dan & Patti:
You know, the first bike that we had out there is the Rad bike. And I mean, that was, they were kind of like the first to the marketplace in the United States with the electric bike.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah.
Dan & Patti:
and they're bulky and they're expensive. But at the same time, you know, I'm not gonna knock any of the e-bikes, but what I've seen you do with this current version of the Kraken bike, which is called the Punisher, and that's the bikes that Patty and I drive, and there's a lot of pictures of us. Patty, you're gonna put a bunch of them up on social media, so head over to the Instagram page, head over to the Facebook page, over to our YouTube channel. We're working on a short right now that should be up in the next week or so with these Punisher bikes. But, you know, let's really talk about some of the nuances. Can you give me one thing that you have done with this bike that makes it a little bit different than some of the other bikes that are in the marketplace right now?
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah, so one of the things that we really identified, and I like to focus primarily on the battery. The battery is one of the most important things in my personal opinion for these e-bikes. And I've noticed that there's just really not a huge education piece from the consumer side, because all they're seeing is an electric bike
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to go ahead and turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
and they see a price tag.
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
And I can tell you just by speaking to thousands
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
and thousands of customers, they don't know where to start.
Dan & Patti:
And we've been doing that for a long time.
DAN SOBCZAK:
And the issue is they go down what I call the rabbit hole,
Dan & Patti:
The staff has been doing some research on the nature of our research.
DAN SOBCZAK:
research upon research upon research, and you
Dan & Patti:
We have a research project that's been funded by the City of Connecticut on research on the
DAN SOBCZAK:
can never really find that right by because you're not really sure what to ask or what to look
Dan & Patti:
natural resources of the United States.
DAN SOBCZAK:
for. So one of the things
Dan & Patti:
So, the country has been doing research on the natural resources of the United States.
DAN SOBCZAK:
I will tell you, I always start with a battery. They have
Dan & Patti:
So, the country has been doing research on the natural resources of the United States.
DAN SOBCZAK:
different ranges of batteries depending on the e-bikes.
Dan & Patti:
Our research project is called the National Research Project.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Our fat tire folder runs a 48 volt system
Dan & Patti:
And it has three different research projects.
DAN SOBCZAK:
and it has two different flavors of batteries. You'll see a lot of my competitors running what I call low
Dan & Patti:
I'll throw that battery in the air.
DAN SOBCZAK:
end batteries, 10 amps,
Dan & Patti:
And I'll just let you know that I'm not going to be able to
DAN SOBCZAK:
and the amps
Dan & Patti:
do this for a few hours.
DAN SOBCZAK:
is really what's going to dictate
Dan & Patti:
So, I'm going to leave it to the strength of the
DAN SOBCZAK:
the range
Dan & Patti:
air and the power.
DAN SOBCZAK:
of the overall bike. So
Dan & Patti:
So, I'm going to leave it on a minimum of three hours.
DAN SOBCZAK:
we run a minimum of a 14 amp
Dan & Patti:
And now it matters.
DAN SOBCZAK:
hour battery, which allows
Dan & Patti:
It allows my riders to have a reasonable amount of light time.
DAN SOBCZAK:
my riders to have at least a 3 to 4 hour ride time. So
Dan & Patti:
So, my average rider is going to survive.
DAN SOBCZAK:
my average rider is only going to ride maybe an hour, hour and a half before they get tired. So even my lower end bike, that's still going to give you a good two solid rides out of that bike before you need to charge it up.
Dan & Patti:
And I think the battery is really important. It's like you said, when we were thinking about electric bikes, the battery, the amps, the motor, which we're gonna get into more of that, that's not my wheelhouse, I depend on Dan, but I have come to learn the battery is the most important because I wanna be able to ride longer I just wanted the whole purpose of the podcast is to give people information on how to choose an ebike But who is an electric bike for who do you recommend using an electric bike?
DAN SOBCZAK:
Now, obviously that question, because I run a e-bike company, is everybody. But I think everybody should have one. That's just my personal opinion. But my my customer base right now, they're they're like you guys. They're traveling, they're in our views, they're tied on space. Many of my customers have either hip or knee issues that they wanted to rehab. And that's another thing maybe we can go into later. There's a lot of really great uses for the e-bike. And I think that your average customer realize that they may need or want one of their
Dan & Patti:
You know, let's get into those why questions. Why should people have an e-bike? I know for me, you know, a couple years ago, I had a stroke. And that e-bike really got me up and around and I was able to use the pedal assist. And I really think it helped me in my recovery. What are some other whys of the e-bike?
DAN SOBCZAK:
So I know there's been a lot of talk about, why should I use an e-bike? Especially from my regular cycle riders, that's usually where I get a lot of pushback because there's that myth out there that if you ride an e-bike, you can't get exercise. So that's completely false. I just wanna throw that out there right now. I'm sure we'll probably have some comments about that later, which is fine. But I mean, in my personal world right now, I will tell you I have rehabbed two ankles and also rehabbed a knee. and I've lost over 15 pounds riding an e-bike on a consistent basis. It's
Dan & Patti:
I am
DAN SOBCZAK:
a great
Dan & Patti:
so,
DAN SOBCZAK:
form of exercise.
Dan & Patti:
I'm so glad you said that. Dan and I work with a health coach. As a matter of fact, we had her on the show a couple months back. And when I first talked about an e-bike, she said, yeah, but you're not getting exercise. So we got the e-bikes anyway. And we were in Albuquerque at the Balloon Fiesta and did five and a half miles back and forth. twice a day, so four times. I called her up and I said, look, I have pain in areas I didn't know existed on my body. Don't tell me I'm not getting exercise. So for me personally, it is a way to get exercise because I just use the pedals more, but when I'm out three miles or a big hill that I can't handle, I have the assistance. So for me personally, I wanna dispel that exercise, size on an electric bike right from the beginning.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Exactly. So and a couple of things too, especially when you ride a bike, there's two factors that are involved in and really making the ride what I call uncomfortable. So you have headwind where you're getting a lot of wind that's really pushing against you.
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to go ahead and turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
And you got elevation changes
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
when you hit those hills. And especially
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
if you're outside of Florida, you know, there are some places in Florida, but mostly those northern places where you have hills
Dan & Patti:
Absolutely.
DAN SOBCZAK:
and mountains and stuff like that. Even a lot of your state parks. I mean, that's, that's what makes it that point. And it'd be great to just power up those hills and then, you know, continue pedaling later on once you hit flatter ground.
Dan & Patti:
You know, one of the things that really has changed our life with an e-bike, when we were walking before we had the e-bikes with us on our adventures, we had about a mile range radius that we could go and take people to and show them over on our YouTube channel exploring through our lens. But now that we have these e-bikes, I'm saying we have like a 10-mile radius. We went into this little town of Slegmon, Arizona, where before we could only go in the little downtown area, but the second time we went in, we had the e-bikes and we explored all over that town and did a great video. to that video down below in the show notes. But Dan, talk about how having that e-bike and that ability to go 30, 40 miles on one charge of batteries really changes the way people use a bike.
DAN SOBCZAK:
It really does because now you're expanding your radius of what you can travel. And I mean, that's really the the coolest thing about these e-bikes is, especially if you like to explore and you want to really see what that town, that city, that state park, the other parks have to offer. And I mean, those e-bikes can really get you there. And I know for a lot of my customers and me myself, because I've been riding for well over 15 years. bike. I mean, I have a range of about 20 to 25 miles and so does my wife and that's about it, then we're done. It's just too uncomfortable to ride at that point, especially if you're down south in Florida areas where we are, where it's hot. So
Dan & Patti:
Right.
DAN SOBCZAK:
I mean, you definitely don't want to be on a bike, you know, in extreme hot or extreme cold for that long. You just, your body's not meant for it. You'll overheat
Dan & Patti:
Yeah.
DAN SOBCZAK:
and collapse.
Dan & Patti:
Absolutely. I, for us being in the RV, because we started looking at e-bikes before we ever thought about the RV, now that we have an RV, of course, space is tight. But now there's a folding bike, and that's what the punisher is. It's a folding bike. So why? What's the advantage of having that folding bike?
DAN SOBCZAK:
huge advantage. We primarily focus on the RV market, boats and planes are another secondary market
Dan & Patti:
Thank
DAN SOBCZAK:
for
Dan & Patti:
you.
DAN SOBCZAK:
us. Really one thing and the reason why we wanted to focus on the folding models is because we travel too. So and one thing that we found is we're also
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
tight
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
on space
Dan & Patti:
to start
DAN SOBCZAK:
and I can tell
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
you that
Dan & Patti:
a question
DAN SOBCZAK:
it would be almost impossible
Dan & Patti:
from the
DAN SOBCZAK:
for
Dan & Patti:
audience.
DAN SOBCZAK:
me to take
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
my
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
full
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
size
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
electric mountain
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
bike
Dan & Patti:
a question
DAN SOBCZAK:
with me on the
Dan & Patti:
from
DAN SOBCZAK:
road.
Dan & Patti:
the
DAN SOBCZAK:
It's too
Dan & Patti:
audience.
DAN SOBCZAK:
heavy,
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
it's
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
too big,
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
it's
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
too
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
bulky.
Dan & Patti:
a question
DAN SOBCZAK:
And I
Dan & Patti:
from the audience. And one thing that's
DAN SOBCZAK:
around doing
Dan & Patti:
new
DAN SOBCZAK:
trade
Dan & Patti:
now
DAN SOBCZAK:
shows
Dan & Patti:
is that I'm going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
is I
Dan & Patti:
be
DAN SOBCZAK:
have to tow
Dan & Patti:
the
DAN SOBCZAK:
a trailer
Dan & Patti:
the the
DAN SOBCZAK:
and there's
Dan & Patti:
the
DAN SOBCZAK:
just no
Dan & Patti:
the
DAN SOBCZAK:
room.
Dan & Patti:
the the the
DAN SOBCZAK:
So
Dan & Patti:
the
DAN SOBCZAK:
I
Dan & Patti:
the
DAN SOBCZAK:
love the folding option and I know for a lot of my customers we specifically make our bikes to try to fit in the lower cabinets if you have those or even inside or if you're towing a vehicle it fits perfectly in the back seat and you can easily stick two back there without.
Dan & Patti:
Right, we have a four-door Jeep and we have both bikes folded there. What's great for me is the bikes and people always ask how much they weigh and they're about 60 plus pounds. For me, the fact that they fold, I'm not the strongest person in the world, but makes it and get it in and out of the vehicle.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah, exactly. Those bikes can really come up there and weight. What makes our bikes a little special compared to some other bikes out there is we use a magnesium alloy. It cuts the weight down, but it also is stronger than steel, which is pretty cool. So yeah, your average full tire, full size e-bike out there is going to range in the 80 to 90 pound range. They're very, very heavy.
Dan & Patti:
They are very, very heavy, but the Punisher only comes in less than 65 pounds. Let's say it that way.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Perfect.
Dan & Patti:
It's really, really nice. One of the things that people talk to me about is I talk to people about e-bikes, and Patty and I travel around. how to choose that right e-bike for you. We do that lecture at different RV shows around. So if you ever see us out and about, it's Dan and Patty Hunt or the RV Life podcast or RV Life and we're speaking about e-bikes, come on in and say hi to us. But one of the things that, especially at the last show that I did a lecture on e-bikes at, people asked the question is, Folding hinge as strong as a regular bike
DAN SOBCZAK:
I will tell you, we have done all
Dan & Patti:
you
DAN SOBCZAK:
kinds of really crazy, interesting product testing. In fact, I have a neighbor, we call him Bubba, and Bubba is 320 pounds. And Bubba likes to jump our prototype bikes. We always give him the bikes to test because we want to know what breaks. He has wrapped it around a tree. He's jumped off a small ramp. It's actually very entertaining, I think. But don't worry, he's wearing a helmet and safety gear.
Dan & Patti:
I'm sorry.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah, we've rolled this thing downstairs. I will tell you just in my experience that hinge
Dan & Patti:
you
DAN SOBCZAK:
is really, really hard to break because it's also part of the frame, which is nice. And it's connected with a nice solid steel rod. So, I mean, I can tell you in the last, oh gosh, seven years of selling e-bikes, I've never once seen a frame bent or broken at that full point.
Dan & Patti:
You know, and while we're talking about that fold point and that lock, I just real quick want to talk about this locking mechanism that you have. very different than any other one that I've seen or that Patty and I have had. Um, it really is very simple to use, very simple to lock, very simple to unlock. Talk a little bit about why that design came about or how that design came about.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So with the folding action, we wanted to make sure that A, it was super simple. So that's really, really important because if it's too complicated, and I've seen other units in the past, you know, six, seven steps to unfold and fold these things back up. And I mean, I remember when I first got my hands on a small folding unit, it took seven or eight steps to me to unfold this thing. And I think I'm pretty mechanically inclined, but I'm like, there's no way the average customer is gonna be able to be like, oh, let me go ahead and just whip this thing together. something simple. And I mean, even with our bike production, everything that we do is we want everything to be super low maintenance and super easy for the customer to use. So it's a very simple fold mechanism. It folds and locks in place. And there's a secondary lock on the main fold just to make sure it doesn't come loose while you're riding. And we also have on the handlebar too, that breaks down and folds down as well. There's a little class that we had designed to kind of My average customer can do that first time, no problem, less than 10-15 seconds.
Dan & Patti:
I'll tell you what is all the e-bikes that we have had the Punisher really has the best folding design. It is so easy to break this bike down to get it in the back of the car. We're listening to the RB Life podcast. I'm Dan Hunt, your host with my incredible wife, Patty Hunt, and we're going to be back with more about e-bikes. We're going to talk the battery, the motor, the tires, the wheels, the shocks, the seats, all of that kind of stuff. We're going to talk about that right after this. When traveling in your RV, how do you navigate? Do you use a paper map, a GPS, or do you use Google Maps? Our sponsor RV Trip Wizard has the solution, and it just works. It just works. We do not move one single solitary inch in our RV. out first consulting with RVtrip Wizard. Now you've been listening to a lot of great advice on choosing the right e-bike for you and I'm gonna jump in one of the most important things for me was comfort. I've had where I fell and actually broke my tailbone so the comfort for me is most important and comfortable for me. Can you talk about that? What should people look for? Why you chose the design you did? You know what? Let's break these down into each individual section. Since you talked about the seat, Dan, let's go down the list here to the seat and talk about the seat first. Wow, that seat is comfortable is all I have to say. It's bigger, it's got springs, it's cushy. Tell me about why it's got to be a more expensive seat than the standard bike out there.
DAN SOBCZAK:
It is. We were very, very strategic. In fact, I can tell you finding the right seat took me about six months. We had ordered over 25 different samples
Dan & Patti:
you
DAN SOBCZAK:
of seats. We had to put them all on and have people test them. We had about eight or 10 testers and they gave us feedback on all those seats. That seat that we currently have on there really, really good, especially for larger riders. You're talking like 200 pounds plus. you're really going to notice the difference. Not you.
Dan & Patti:
Okay, good clarifying. I'm looking at him. No, I am
DAN SOBCZAK:
I'm
Dan & Patti:
not
DAN SOBCZAK:
talking about
Dan & Patti:
200.
DAN SOBCZAK:
me.
Dan & Patti:
Okay. So I am nowhere near 200 pounds.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah.
Dan & Patti:
But that seat really made a difference when I sat on this bike. It was the biggest difference for me. so many of them, you know, riding around and we'll ride sometimes for two or three hours. I don't want to get off of being pain. So there's also shocks on there which are supporting my comfort of my butt. Can I say that on the bucket? So talk a little
DAN SOBCZAK:
Hehehe
Dan & Patti:
bit about the shocks.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So shocks are actually really, really important. I mean, obviously, you know, we know that, you know,
Dan & Patti:
Thanks for watching!
DAN SOBCZAK:
like a truck, a four-wheel drive truck, you'd want it to have full suspension on it, especially if you go off road. Our bikes specifically are designed to go off road. They do really well on concrete, but if you wanted to take it on a trail or if you were to State Park or just around the campsite, you know, let's talk about the terrain. So you're gonna experience, you know, grass, dirt, sticks, rocks, maybe even snow or puddles. And believe it or not, if you look around on the market, we're one of the only companies that has a fat tire folding bike with true dual suspension. All my competitors that have either sold or ridden, they usually will only have just the front suspension. That's called a hardtail. I will tell you as being a larger individual, I'm about 260 pounds, going off road with only front suspension really doesn't number on you. It's not comfortable. down by at least a good 30-45 minutes, just because I'm so uncomfortable.
Dan & Patti:
You know, and that shock, and let me just say that what I'm What I'll do right now is over on our Instagram page, I'm gonna put a picture of the Punisher, and I'm gonna put arrows at where the shocks are. So let's talk first about the front shocks on the front wheel. Most e-bikes on the market have pretty much the same front shocks that are out there. So let's talk first about those front shocks. And that's what, if you go over to the Instagram page, we will put a picture of the bike, front shocks right now.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So the front shocks, a lot of people don't know, there are a lot of differences between the shocks. We chose an upgraded shock. I will tell you
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
that industry standard, you're only
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
gonna get maybe about an inch, inch and a
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
quarter flex on some of the cheaper front
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
suspension. We have
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
upgraded, so now we actually get two and a quarter
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
just on the front. We also
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
have the ability to lock and unlock
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with a quick question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
our front suspension as well, depending on where you're riding. So a couple things, just doing a regular street ride riding
Dan & Patti:
you
DAN SOBCZAK:
on concrete majority flat surfaces, you know, because you're not always going to be hitting a trail. You'd be able to lock that suspension to give you a little smoother ride.
Dan & Patti:
Yeah, and a big difference in some of the other bikes that I have ridden to this bike, you know, you talk about that one inch of the front shock to the two and a half inches of the front shock, I can really feel a difference. Now I might press the bikes a little more than the average rider does. But I have the front shocks are really great. Now, I wanna direct your attention, and I'm gonna put an arrow up in the picture on Instagram to that shock that's right under the seat. And it's a little teensy fat shock that's mounted between the back wheel and the seat. Let's talk about what that shock does for the rider.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So that one is what I call a compression shock. So it doesn't give a huge amount of flex, but you really don't need to. So it's actually rated
Dan & Patti:
and then we'll go to the next one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
up to 850 pounds. And
Dan & Patti:
And then we'll go to the next one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
you know, there's no way that your average rider
Dan & Patti:
And then we'll go to the next one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
is gonna weigh that much. But especially
Dan & Patti:
And then we'll go to the next one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
for somebody like me that is a larger rider, it's gonna give you an additional inch to an inch and a quarter on that back flex, which really makes a big difference. So with all the front, the rear and the seat upgrades, those are really the mechanics come together as one to really make sure that the rider has a smooth, comfortable ride. Our goal was to try to make that ride kind of like a Cadillac is what I consider. That was really the goal of the whole setup.
Dan & Patti:
It really is like a Cadillac. The previous two, not just the last bikes we had, but the bikes we had before that and the bikes we had before that, they all just had the seat post shock, which
DAN SOBCZAK:
Mm-hmm.
Dan & Patti:
is kind of a standard thing out there in the marketplace. But this shock that you have designed into the Punisher, man, I got to tell you, it rocks because you can when you're going over bumps and rougher terrain, you can really feel that thing move. Such an important piece. Okay, so now the one thing that I'll say that I looked at when I looked at these bikes, and I've heard other people say this, they look really big. I had not really ridden a regular bike much before that, so yeah, when I was a kid, but just life and we haven't really ridden bikes. So when I saw this bike and how large the tires are, it was a little intimidating. And I'm gonna ask you to explain to our listeners what to look for in the tires. What I find for me is having those bigger tires does allow me, I've gone on the sand, I've gone in gravel, I've gone around a campground, and I feel more secure. So let's talk about the Punisher and the tires you know describe that what should our listeners look for.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Exactly. So I think you already kind of answered that question a little bit. The purpose, the reason why we run those fat tires, especially if you're in an area with light sand, gravel or sticks, for example, it's it's important to have those fat knobby tires because they're going to dig into the ground and give you more traction. I will tell you, the majority of the people who, you know, that we wipe out sometimes, it's it's usually because that back tire.
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
It's
Dan & Patti:
happy
DAN SOBCZAK:
usually
Dan & Patti:
to be
DAN SOBCZAK:
because
Dan & Patti:
here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
that back tire going around a quarter a soft sand and that bike is going to slide out from underneath you. That's the most common one I see. Either that or having the small wheelbase, your normal, you know, regular bike size tire is about two and a quarter. So it's not going to have a lot of contact with the ground. So it's just something to be aware of. Even if you're just having intentions of just riding around the neighborhood or just on concrete in general, you're still going to encounter where you're going to hit a puddle or soft sand or going to help you stay on that bike.
Dan & Patti:
You know, we're talking about fat tires. Let's be very, very specific. The Punisher has four inch tires. They are four inch nubby tires, which I think is kind of important as well, especially for some of the things that we do. I have ridden bikes with one inch tires and two inch tires. The stability level is just not there. Talk about... So I'm in the market, say I've never had electric bike, I'm in the market. My personal thought would be I would want a minimum of three inch tires, but I really want that four inch tire.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah, there's not a ton of difference between the three and the fours, but either one is really going to do it. So, I mean, I highly recommend choosing the fat tires, especially if, you know, if you're not a let's call a stable person.
Dan & Patti:
you
DAN SOBCZAK:
I have those customers that will flat out tell me, listen, I'm accident prone. And I said, oh, we need to get you in the fat tire one, because that's where you need to be, especially if your balance isn't quite there or if you just haven't ridden a bike in 10 years.
Dan & Patti:
Right.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Just haven't ridden in a while. So that would be a really good intro bike for you
Dan & Patti:
you
DAN SOBCZAK:
guys to really kind of get in Build your stability and the most important thing is really build your confidence on the bike Kind of like what you were saying Patty, you know the first couple times it was intimidating for you, which is very normal After your first couple rides, you'll be a pro
Dan & Patti:
Okay, let's move on to the wheels. So we're talking about the tires. Let's move on to the wheels. We have 20 inch wheels on the Punisher. I have driven bikes with as small Why is that 20 inch wheel so important for this size of a bike?
DAN SOBCZAK:
Couple things, so we knew one thing. The first thing that we've really come to discover is we didn't wanna go less than 20. So your next step down from a 20-inch rim is typically a 16-inch rim. Those are the types of rim sizes we use on some of our small folders. So now you're going from more of an outdoor rugged bike to more of a transportation bike. So each bike kinda has its own different uses. Now, if on the other side of that scale, 26 inch rim base, what that's gonna do for my customer is it's gonna raise the actual height of the bar to get your leg over. So that was another thing we had to be very conscious of, because the next step up would be a 26 inch rim. Those are what you're gonna find on your larger, heavier, full-size bikes. So, and there's pros and cons to both, but the reason we chose the 20 is I think it's perfect. It's right in the middle.
Dan & Patti:
And then, and then you can go down to that 300 bike that you can buy at some of the big box stores. And
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah.
Dan & Patti:
I gotta tell you, I have ridden those. As a matter of fact, the day that you and I were together, I borrowed a guys that was across from me just to see what the difference was. I almost
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah.
Dan & Patti:
feel like those are dangerous because I think that was a 10 inch wheel.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yeah, those are what I call novelty bikes. And you're gonna find them in that range and you're gonna see a couple of them. I mean, the wheelbase, the combination with the frame, it's really intended for almost a child or a kid. But then again, it's not because I mean, it can get speeds up to 18 miles an hour. So it's like, I know I wouldn't feel comfortable sticking my kid on something like that. So
Dan & Patti:
you
DAN SOBCZAK:
those little rims as well, I mean, now your turning radius, if you go to turn, there's a very good chance go right over the handlebars. So
Dan & Patti:
Yeah.
DAN SOBCZAK:
the other thing is is going to be safety, you know, because if you have anybody that's probably over 150 pounds, like you're definitely not meant for that and you're gonna you're gonna break it real quick.
Dan & Patti:
Right, and that's really good information. I think, and again, in the years that Dan and I have looked for bikes, probably the most important thing is the motor and the battery. It's something we get asked about a lot too. Can you explain what people should look for when it comes to motor and battery of an electric bike?
DAN SOBCZAK:
This is actually the most important topic. I'm gonna spend an extra minute on this, kind of diving in, because there's a lot of things, and this is where a lot of people get confused, especially with the motor, the
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
motor
Dan & Patti:
going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
type,
Dan & Patti:
go ahead
DAN SOBCZAK:
the
Dan & Patti:
and
DAN SOBCZAK:
motor
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
setup,
Dan & Patti:
the presentation.
DAN SOBCZAK:
and also in
Dan & Patti:
So
DAN SOBCZAK:
combination
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
with
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
the battery.
Dan & Patti:
with the first person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Kind of like how
Dan & Patti:
I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
our
Dan & Patti:
to start
DAN SOBCZAK:
suspension
Dan & Patti:
with the first
DAN SOBCZAK:
and seat
Dan & Patti:
person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
kind of work in tangent,
Dan & Patti:
I'm kind of like a first-person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
the battery and the motor
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
also
Dan & Patti:
start with
DAN SOBCZAK:
work
Dan & Patti:
the first
DAN SOBCZAK:
together
Dan & Patti:
person. I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
like
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
that.
Dan & Patti:
start with the
DAN SOBCZAK:
The first
Dan & Patti:
first
DAN SOBCZAK:
thing
Dan & Patti:
person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
you need
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
to figure
Dan & Patti:
going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
out
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
is what
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
size
Dan & Patti:
the
DAN SOBCZAK:
motor
Dan & Patti:
first
DAN SOBCZAK:
do you
Dan & Patti:
person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
need?
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
The first thing
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
I'm looking
Dan & Patti:
with the
DAN SOBCZAK:
at
Dan & Patti:
first person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
when I have a
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
new
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
customer
Dan & Patti:
to start
DAN SOBCZAK:
that
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
I'm speaking
Dan & Patti:
the first
DAN SOBCZAK:
with,
Dan & Patti:
person. I'm going to start with the first person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
and
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
I can
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
tell
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
you
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
especially
Dan & Patti:
the first
DAN SOBCZAK:
if you
Dan & Patti:
person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
know, you're 110
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start
DAN SOBCZAK:
pounds soaking
Dan & Patti:
with the
DAN SOBCZAK:
wet.
Dan & Patti:
first person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
You probably
Dan & Patti:
I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
don't
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
need a
Dan & Patti:
start
DAN SOBCZAK:
big
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
battery
Dan & Patti:
the first person. I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
So
Dan & Patti:
going to start
DAN SOBCZAK:
the
Dan & Patti:
with
DAN SOBCZAK:
battery
Dan & Patti:
the first person.
DAN SOBCZAK:
I'm sorry the motor the motor is really that driving force So the motor actually has towing capacity as well. So we're now when I say towing It's not only the rider, but a lot of those ebikes can also tow additionally. So our our fat tire Punisher mark 5 version actually has a towing capacity of 400 pounds, but that's because we threw a thousand watt motor in there So you're going to see a couple different sizes of motors, depending on the setup of the e-bike. Your small folders usually you're going to range in
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
the 250 to 350
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
range
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
because typically they're
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
not designed for
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
towing and they're
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
not designed for larger
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
riders.
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
You'll typically see those
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
e-bikes in small
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
to medium-sized
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
frames.
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
that means really anybody
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
above six foot,
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
that's not going to work
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
for you.
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Once you kind of step
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
up and
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
industry standard right
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question.
DAN SOBCZAK:
now is
Dan & Patti:
I think that's a great question. I think that's a great question. I think that
DAN SOBCZAK:
the most. The 500 watt motor is a great motor, even for a larger rider. It has a lot of versatility. So I know a lot of people
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
are
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
wanting
Dan & Patti:
to stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
the 750s
Dan & Patti:
here. I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
or
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
even
Dan & Patti:
stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
the thousands,
Dan & Patti:
here. I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
but
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
it
Dan & Patti:
stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
kind
Dan & Patti:
here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
of
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
depends
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
on the
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
application.
Dan & Patti:
stop here. I'm going to stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
So
Dan & Patti:
here. I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
if
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
you're in
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
an area
Dan & Patti:
stop here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
with lots
Dan & Patti:
I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
of hills
Dan & Patti:
to stop here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
or
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
terrain,
Dan & Patti:
going to stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
so let's
Dan & Patti:
here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
talk
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
about
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
that,
Dan & Patti:
to stop here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
especially, you know,
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
me
Dan & Patti:
going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
coming
Dan & Patti:
stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
in
Dan & Patti:
here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
about
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
263
Dan & Patti:
going to stop here. I'm going to stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
pounds,
Dan & Patti:
here. I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
I think
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
I weighed
Dan & Patti:
stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
myself
Dan & Patti:
here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
the other
Dan & Patti:
I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
day.
Dan & Patti:
to stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
I struggle
Dan & Patti:
here. I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
going
Dan & Patti:
going to
DAN SOBCZAK:
up
Dan & Patti:
stop here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
a hill.
Dan & Patti:
I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
And
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
I know
Dan & Patti:
stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
that's
Dan & Patti:
here. I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
one of
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
the most
Dan & Patti:
to stop here. I'm going to stop here. I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
sizes,
Dan & Patti:
to stop here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
is
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
that
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
thing
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
going
Dan & Patti:
stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
to get
Dan & Patti:
here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
me up the
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
hill?
Dan & Patti:
going to stop here. I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
So let's
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
stick
Dan & Patti:
stop here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
me
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
on
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
a 500
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
watt
Dan & Patti:
stop here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
versus
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
my
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
1000.
Dan & Patti:
to stop here. I'm going
DAN SOBCZAK:
Yes,
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
it
Dan & Patti:
stop
DAN SOBCZAK:
will
Dan & Patti:
here.
DAN SOBCZAK:
get me up the hill, but the difference is the 500 watt motor is going to suck more juice out of my battery with my fat butt going up that hill. That's just the reality of it. The 1000 watt is not going to struggle. It has a higher torque base. It is intended for a larger rider like myself. So I would say the best thing that you can do is really kind of assess your situation and say, all right, are you a larger rider? Yes, you're going to need more battery. Same instance, like when you're looking at a truck, you know, it's,
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to go ahead and turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
do you need the V6 or do you need the V8?
Dan & Patti:
I'm already going to turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
How far are you going? What are you
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to turn it off.
DAN SOBCZAK:
towing? You know, what areas do you think
Dan & Patti:
There you go.
DAN SOBCZAK:
you're going to be in? Those questions you kind
Dan & Patti:
There we go.
DAN SOBCZAK:
of need to ask yourself first. And then based on what you come up with, then you need to choose the right bike. That's going to be a good fit for what you need it to do.
Dan & Patti:
Right, and now for us, let me just make sure to get clarity. The Punisher is 1,000 watts, right? That's what it's called, it's 1,000, the Mark V Punisher is 1,000 watts. It doesn't affect me, I'm certainly not 200 plus pounds, I'm not gonna discuss how much I weigh, but it's not gonna hurt
DAN SOBCZAK:
Hehehe
Dan & Patti:
to have that extra. No, I could, with the 1000 watt, I could go further for longer. My battery's gonna last longer. And I could attach a, you know, one of those carts and throw some grandkids in there and pull them as well.
DAN SOBCZAK:
Absolutely. So we actually have two different flavors, is what I like to call them, of e-bikes. We have the 500 watt, that one has a combination battery of a 48 volt, 14 amp. In the e-bike industry, and I know that's a number that confuses a lot of people, they're like, well, what does that mean?
Dan & Patti:
I'm
DAN SOBCZAK:
Again, it's going to equate to ride time, you're right? I mean, you can complicate as much as you want. I have very technical conversations with individuals that have spent the last five years going down the rabbit hole. But at the end of the day, want to make sure you have enough juice to get where you're going, because there's nothing worse than taking a bike
Dan & Patti:
going
DAN SOBCZAK:
out
Dan & Patti:
to
DAN SOBCZAK:
and it dying
Dan & Patti:
stop.
DAN SOBCZAK:
within 45 minutes to an hour, because that's happened
Dan & Patti:
Yes.
DAN SOBCZAK:
to me and it's not fun.
Dan & Patti:
No.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So if you kill that battery, that's still a 60, 70
Dan & Patti:
27,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
DAN SOBCZAK:
pound, 80 pound bike that you're traveling around. Imagine tying a half a cinder block to the back of a regular bike and trying to drive that thing down the road. So it's important that you kind of realize, you know, our minimum standard for batteries is at least a 14 amp We're not going to run anything lower than that because it's just not going to give you enough ride time If a lot of my competitors are running those 10 amp batteries, they're usually China cell batteries The battery itself usually only lasts about two or three years You're gonna see a lot of power drain Usually in year two or year three and it's just not going to give the the quality that that you're kind of looking for
Dan & Patti:
warranty and service. I just want to point out, you know, Patty, you talked about the cart that kind of goes behind. Dan, I saw that you just put that on the website. So you can go at the link that's in the show notes below. You can also go to Instagram, we'll show you a picture of it and give you a link to it from over there. But there's that cart that you can put a pet or a grandchild or something like that in. And that available at KrakenAdventureBikes.com. Now let's talk about service because that might be the number one question that I get. Can I take my ebike into Joe's bike shop at the corner?
DAN SOBCZAK:
So the major driver for us kind of creating this business is because again, like I had mentioned, I've been a distributor for over five years. That's been the biggest pain point for me as a distributor is the servicing side. I will tell you your average e-bike manufacturer out there, it's so important. You need to go through and read on their website
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the first one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
what the procedure is, because
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the second one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
a lot of them, believe it or not,
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the third one. I'm going to start with the fourth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
And a lot of times they won't
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the fifth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
pay for shipping and it will state in
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the sixth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
the notes Customer is responsible
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the seventh one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
for shipping bike back to the
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the eighth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
manufacturer. And if you don't have a FedEx
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the eighth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
account I mean the average person doesn't
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the eighth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
or a UPS account
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the eighth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
That bike can cost three to five
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the eighth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
hundred dollars to ship that back.
Dan & Patti:
I'm going to start with the eighth one.
DAN SOBCZAK:
So I remember