Total Weight:
60 lbs (27.21 kg)
Battery Weight:
7 lbs (3.17 kg)
(9 Lbs for 48 V 15 Ah)Frame Material:
6061 Aluminum Alloy
Frame Sizes:
14.5 in (36.83 cm)16 in (40.64 cm)17 in (43.18 cm)Geometry Measurements:
Small 14.5" (43.5" Axle to Axle), Medium 16" (44" Axle to Axle), Large 17" (47" Axle to Axle)
Frame Types:
Step-Thru, High-Step
Frame Colors:
Black, White, Steel Blue, Taupe
Frame Fork Details:
Rigid
Attachment Points:
Fender Bosses, Bottle Cage Bosses
Gearing Details:
7
Speed 1x7 Shimano Acera M360, 12-32TShifter Details:
Shimano Tourney FT55 SIS Index Shifter on Right Bar
Cranks:
175 mm 3-Piece Aluminum Alloy, 46 Tooth Chainring
Pedals:
Pedego Aluminum Alloy Platform
Stem:
Tool-Free Adjustable Angle
Handlebar:
27" Aluminum Alloy, Gull Wing Style
Brake Details:
Avid BB7 Mechanical Disc with 180 mm Rotors, Tektro Levers with Motor Inhibitor
Grips:
Padded, Stitched
Saddle:
Padded, Oversized
Seat Post:
Aluminum Alloy with Basic Suspension
Seat Post Length:
350 mm
Seat Post Diameter:
27.2 mm
Spokes:
12 Gauge Stainless Steel
Tire Brand:
Schwalbe Fat Frank, Balloon, 28" x 2"
Wheel Sizes:
26 in (66.04cm)28 in (71.12cm)Tire Details:
Reflective Sidewall, Puncture Protection
Tube Details:
Schrader Valve, Pre-Slimed
Accessories:
Integrated Spanninga MICRO FF LED Headlight and LED Backlight, Integrated Bell on Left Brake Lever, Matching Full-Length Aluminum Alloy Fenders with Mud Flaps, Matching Aluminum Alloy Chain Guard, Integrated Carry Rack with Spring Latch, Oversized Kickstand
Other:
Locking Removable Battery Pack, Replaceable Fuse on Battery Pack, Tool-Free Quick Adjust on Brake Calipers (Red Twist Disc)
Luis
9 years agoSo quick question, can you remove the display? If you cant easily do it is it at least possible with a bit of work? Thanks
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Luis, I don’t think the display is designed to come off easily… maybe with a screw driver or hex wrench you could actually unscrew it and use the disconnect point to take it inside (which probably wouldn’t be that difficult) but it’s not like a quick slide on/off like the Easy Motion design. If you live where the weather is an issue (like lots of rain) maybe put a plastic sack over it with a rubber band to keep water out?
ReplyLuis
9 years agoOk, great! Thank you Court.
ReplyMichael Rhodes
9 years agoThanks for a great review. I just bought a City Commuter 28 inch 48V / 10. Will pick it up next week. I had a total knee replacement on my left knee and wanted to be able to ride again, but with the added benefit of the motor should the knee start to hit its limits – to make sure I can get back home. The added assist should be very helpful. One thing I haven’t seen in any of the reviews is how the e-bike performs if the motor is turned totally off and you must peddle full force to get back home should the battery run out or something happens. Guess I will find out next week, as I wanted to have a good feel for what its like to peddle without any assistance. Your reviews are very helpful since you cover a wide range of features, and include riding the bike. I like the hill section and the bike seemed to perform really well. Thanks again, your reviews really helped me come to a decision despite not taking an actual ride before purchase.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHey Michael! Great suggestion… I don’t usually perform an unpowered ride test because my knees are also sensitive, it’s how I got into ebikes actually ;) one thing that is listed here for each review is the bicycle weight. Most are heavy ~50lbs and it’s not fun to pedal them unless you’re in a lower gear to make it easy. Pedal assist is a wonderful feature on bikes like the City Commuter because it almost makes the bike perform like a light weight normal bicycle and then if you need extra help for a hill just twist that throttle! Not all of the electric bikes I’ve tested have throttles but the City Commuter does and in my opinion it’s a great bike! Hope it works well for you, feel free to comment with an update once you’ve tested it out.
ReplyMichael Rhodes
9 years agoCourt, I picked up the City Commuter today from Irvine and am very impressed with it. With power off, I could peddle it, but not without some difficulty. Didn’t appear to be any resistance from the motor, but simply the weight as you noted. But even when only at “Assist Level 1” I was able to peddle just fine, and of course moving to 2 or above was very little effort at all. Amazed at the hill climbing. Now that I have used the Throttle – I couldn’t imagine not having that feature. The bike is very well made, bigger than I was expecting, and of course heavier. About the only complaint I have, is that for $3K I would have expected a better light. I added a 320 lumens USB rechargeable light which solved the problem for $24. But still, Pedego could have included a more powerful light for very little more. The integrated taillight and fender mounted lights are nice, just not bright enough for me and lack a strobe feature. Other than that, the bike is making me smile.
Sue Smith
9 years agoI am keen to purchase a Pedego city community since riding my friend’s city commuter in NZ. Is there a store in Sydney that sells them. I went to Sydney Electric Bikes but they do not stock Pedego
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHmm… I’m not sure Sue? I believe Pedego has been expanding globally and they have a special “dealer locator map” on their website here. Looks like there might be a Pedego dealer in Sydney according to this other map that seems to list more points. Hope this helps! Wish I could be more concrete :)
ReplyMichael M
9 years agoI bought my City Commuter last week and I have to say I am very impressed. It rides more like a moped than a bike, which I love as I use it to commute the 10 miles each way to work and back home. I purchased the 36V/15amp battery and have yet to see an end to its charge on an outing. I spent an entire Sunday just driving along the beaches (Siesta Key Fl) and ultimately put 25 miles on it. Great bike.
My question is at what point do I take it in to have it serviced and tweaked after the breaking in period i.e. spoke tightening and other adjustments to the components? I’m am pretty much clueless with ebikes let alone bikes in general. Also, if I were to upgrade to the 48V/10amp battery, would I really get that much increase in acceleration/torque? I’m pretty lightweight ~150lbs. Thanks Court!
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Michael! Sounds like the standard 36 volt 15 amp hour battery is working well for you… 15ah is actually above average compared to most ebikes I test. You might feel some torque improvement with a 48 volt battery but I’m not sure you can make that upgrade because it requires a different controller and even motor in some cases… can’t say for sure. Batteries are expensive so if you’re doing well with the 36v option just stick with it ;)
As for tuneups, it really depends on the riding conditions you encounter like water, mud and even how you ride like how much braking is happening and whether you shift gears a lot and know to ease off pedaling when shifting so the sprockets and chain don’t get beat up. For me, it’s usually time for a tune when I hear the bike making scratchy or clinking noises as I pedal… the chain probably needs to be lubed in that case and maybe the frame cleaned. I also pay attention to my brake levers and if they are being squeezed way down I try to tighten the cables using the twist wheel on the calipers but eventually new pads are a requirement as well. Tightening spokes isn’t something I do or hear about very often but yes, sometimes the wheel needs to be trued if the bike tips or is being transported in a car on its side. Being proactive about tuneups could make the bike last longer and honestly, the shop should be able to give you feedback about this so if you just stop by and ask (or ask the place you bought it from) about what they recommend that could be a great place to start :)
ReplyJennifer C.
8 years agoHi Court – thanks for the in-depth reviews! I’m considering buying one of these Pedego Commuters, and I actually asked the same question as Michael about upgrading to a 48V battery, and the dealer told me that the whole bike is wired for either 36V or 48V, so you can’t just switch from one to another.
ReplyKeep up the good work!
Court Rye
8 years agoThanks for chiming in Jennifer! That’s my understanding as well, the bike is either setup for 36 volt or 48 volt and that’s it… so you can upgrade on capacity of amp hours but just not voltage which is more of a power thing.
ReplyMike
8 years agoI weigh about 275 and am 6′ tall. Any thoughts or suggestions?
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHi Mike! I really like the Pedego Interceptor for heavier, larger riders because it can have many of the same features as the Commuter here (lights, fenders) but provides a more upright, relaxed layout and you can even get cast rims vs. spokes which hold up better under weight. I also feel like it fits taller riders better without stretching them forward and in my experience the frame just isn’t as stiff which makes it feel smoother.
ReplyKirk
8 years agoThanks for a great and thorough review. Do you have any idea what the replacement cost is for the battery? Thanks again.
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHi Kirk! Thanks, glad the review helped you out. I believe the replacement costs for Pedego batteries varies depending on which size you get ie. 36 volt or 48 volt and the number of amp hours but it might be in the range of $700 just based on what I’ve heard from shops and seen online. I’d love to hear back from you if you figure out a more detailed answer?
ReplyMark
7 years agoHi Court, Wondering if you might be planning to refresh this review of the City Commuter since it was first reviewed over 2 years ago. I’m currently comparing it to the Magnum Metro (and the Metro +) and have benefited greatly from your fantastically detailed recent review of the Metro). Thanks for all you do (including those YouTube videos!)
Reply– Mark
Court Rye
7 years agoHi Mark! Yes, I try to update every model each year… but it has become a bit too much to keep up with, Pedego is an important company and I do plan on visiting their headquarters in Fountain Valley, California again later this year or early next. Thanks for the feedback and support :)
ReplyMichael
3 years agoAny insight no how the CC performs on hills? Would it perform reasonably well on San Francisco hills (not a steady diet of hills but one or two ‘up and downs’ as part of a bigger ride?
ReplyCourt
3 years agoHi Michael! Great question. It really depends on the weight being transported (rider plus cargo), whether the tire pressure is high enough, what kind of speed you have when approaching the hill, and how hard you pedal along. I think Pedego has some of the more powerful hub motors, and this model could definitely handle steeper hills with a bit of pedaling and some momentum, but most ebikes will struggle if you stop completely halfway up a hill and have to restart. In that case, make sure you help out by pedaling and try to shift to a lower gear before you stop the bike, so it’s easier to begin pedaling again. Pedego does produce another model called the City Commuter Mid-Drive Edition that will provide even more torque power when you shift to a lower gear. It’s worth checking out if you haven’t seen it before.
Reply