The ProdecoTech Storm 500 is one of the larger folding electric bikes around and it’s also one of the cheapest. As with most Prodeco ebikes this one uses a large gearless rear hub motor and rack mounted battery that sits just behind the seat post. It’s not the most elegant or well balanced design but it keeps the price low and works well with the simple twist throttle drive system. The Storm comes in one sort of medium size frame and a metallic gold color but is functionally the same as the Storm 500 which comes in gold.
Driving this bike is a 500 watt direct drive (gearless) rear hub motor. It offers decent power and operates smoothly without creating much noise. The drawbacks here are weight and size because the motor relies on big magnets inside to create power. Also, when coasting or pedaling without assist the magnets may create some drag vs. a geared motor with a freewheeling mechanism. It also does not take advantage of regenerative braking which some other gearless systems offer but overall it’s durable and gets the job done.
The battery powering this bike delivers ~36 volts of power and 9 amp hours of capacity. That’s kind of average and the pack is a bit heavier than some equivalent designs because it uses a Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry vs. Lithium Manganese or Lithium Cobalt. The pack is kind of large and you can actually upgrade it to be even larger if you want, just be careful over large bumps given the limited strength of just one pair of support struts vs. higher end ProdecoTech bikes.
Ultimately, you get power and decent range here but only have a twist throttle to take advantage of it. Pedal assist adds cost and complexity but helps when climbing hills and ultimately extends your range while giving your wrist a break. The pack on this bike is removable and feels pretty solid but the rack it mounts to is high up and fairly rigid which creates more strain. I listed “no mounting points for cargo” as a con but with the limited support here and somewhat delicate battery interface I think they made the right call.
The low price point makes it easy to get excited about the Storm 500 but you are trading functionality, range and stability. Prodeco Technologies offers a generous two year warranty but the fine print says it doesn’t cover normal wear and tear on the battery from use which seems misleading to me. There aren’t a whole lot of dealers that carry this bike right now, in part because I believe their margins are very low, but it is available online. If you do get it over the Internet there will be some assembly involved and it can take some effort to work with.
To me this bike is reminiscent of first gen electric bike technology. In the early 2000’s many companies were using rear mounted packs because it’s easy and cheap, they didn’t have fancy pedal assist options and the computers were also very simple or non existent. The Storm 500 brings updated Lithium batteries that are lighter and longer lasting and a variable speed twist throttle that is fun to use. Over time your hand might get tired (and good luck trying to carry it up stairs) but for the money it gets the job done and could be a solid option for someone willing to screw around a bit and who also fits the frame. Note that when I was test riding this bike I bumped my knee on the battery when swinging my leg over the back. Some of the low-step ProdecoTech bikes like the Stride R help eliminate this concern.
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Mike H
8 years agodoes anyone have this bike?
ReplyThomas Woodruff
5 years agoDO NOT BUY THIS BIKE I owned a prodeco storm 500 used it for a daily work commute on paved roads only the Frame failed at the hinge joint coming down a hill and the bike broke in half causing a bad accident resulting in a Broken leg. After 4 to 6 months of constantly calling prodeco they put me through to the manager. I was told the frame has a lifetime warranty and they were surprised the frame failed, after months of phone tag they told me i was going to get a new bike. Months later still playing phone tag they were very bad at returning calls, they told me the bike was shipped, that too was a lie it was a couple more months before i got the bike. The new bike was finaly here well it wasnt the same bike, they sent me the Prodecotech stridematic womans frame bike with the old style cantalever brakes instead of the disc brakes i had, they changed the battery rack to the old style and told me to use my old batteries which were no good due to the accident. so it cost me 800 dollars to have a new battery made for the bike, due to the fact the bikes had been changed to the new battery packs. to make a story short the bike was 1/2 the cost of the bike i purchased. 8 months later the front forks where the tire attaches broke causing the tire to come off while riding yet causing another accident which injured my back and now the process is starting again I have tried to call for 3 months and as usual the customer service is terrible still no call backs after talking to them. When my mechanic saw the forks he told me they were defective when installed of course louis the manager denied that saying his guys would have seen that but after all the lies i have been told I can see this is how they conduct business. My medical bills and repair bills far exceed the value of the 2 bikes combined. I fear this is going to have to go to court as I am tired of waiting for there responses. In my opinion dont buy these bikes I found out the hard way they are not dependable.
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