bargain priced 9yr old Giant Lafree

[bersh]

I need the pedelectric community to advise: opportunity to purchase barely used 8 year old Giant Lafree (with new batteries)...this model uses two lead acid batteries, has three modes of gear motor engagement, but I have not been able to identify the actual model number other than words: version 1.0...Nor have I seen or driven it-this is an ebay item located a three hours' drive from me and requires a car rental, so I want to do as much preliminary research as possible...the price is $500 dollars, but since there is no nearby dealer, and it is a discontinued model, I will offer less...the batteries are still available and cost $70.00 total...I have been told by the owner that the battery is not removable?! The only paperwork the owner has (he is a friend of the deceased owner's widow and has little if any knowledge of the machine) is a brochure with no data.... ps, I live in San Francisco where the hills may be an issue with this heavy model-about 70lbs with batteries.

 

[flecc]

Hello Bersh

This Lafree series were discontinued many years ago as they were not successful, being replaced in late 2001 with the newer Pansonic motored Lafree which in the USA is known as the Giant Lite, a very different and much lighter bike which I show here. This by contrast is one of the older E models.

The old heavy series was in three models known as the E-Trans, E-Race and E-World, and they sold better in the USA than here in the UK. I believe that no spares are available, but at one time a PDF technical manual was obtainable from Giant in the UK and still may be. Here is the email address to obtain that:

aftersales@giant-bicycles.co.uk

They were moderately powerful but that was offset by the high weight, and personally I'd advise against one of these very heavy bikes. I also think that the one you are being offered is overpriced for it's age. The best source of information on these for you in the USA is possibly Eric Sundin of Electric Bikes Northwest at Seattle, a company you possibly know as you may well have bought your former Quando from their Oceanside branch.
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