2019 Biktrix Stunner-X Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Biktrix. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Biktrix products.

The Stunner lineup from Biktrix has a lot of variation. Today, we will be looking at the Stunner-X. This bike has a lot in common with the regular Stunner, so if you read that review you may see a lot of parallel information. The Stunner-X here is an electric cruiser bike with a super powerful mid-drive motor, capable and comfortable knobby fat tires, and a a relaxed seating style. Everything works together quite well, but let’s go over some of the bike features before we get straight into that. So as I mentioned, it is a cruiser bike with a relaxed style and upright riding position. It comes in just one size and one frame style (step-through), 2 different colors, and a number of battery options. Today we are checking out the Caribbean Green step-through with the entry level battery. It retails for $1,999 and has a lot of comfort features like swept back handle bars that kind of meet you as you sit in the lower seat. This comfort is extended from the adjustable angle stem and front suspension fork. The front fork is a RST Guide fork with 110mm of travel and helps absorb the bumps quite nicely. For tires, the Stunner-X is equipped with a set of Kenda Gigas 26” x 4” fat tires, so you get kind of higher volume and good grip at the same time which is really nice. These really helped the ride achieve a comfortable feel, especially when combined with that front fork, and the weight is kept low thanks to the punched out rims. The Stunner-X also has a battery integrated headlight as well as rear light. These are a single LED light which is great for visibility, however, the front light is mounted on the front suspension fork, so the light could bounce up and down if you were on bumpy terrain. There are some nice metal fenders here which are nice with a couple of points for adjustment…I love all the little features like the ergonomic grips and integrated bell, but probably my favorite is the included rear rack. This particular rack is set up well for many sizes of panniers, something I really appreciate. This is also color matched to the frame, really a nice touch. An adjustable length kickstand rounds off the bike well, however, it is mounted near the crank. This means you can get pedal lock when reversing the bike with the kickstand down, so do be aware of that when you are moving the bike around the garage or other places.

Driving the bike is a unique mid-drive motor from Bafang. This is a BBS02 motor so you get a 750watt nominally rated mid-drive that has a peak rating of 1000watts and 120nm of torque! Very fast, very capable, and a lot of fun to drive. The bike is electrically powered by either the throttle mounted on the left, or by cadence based pedal assist. Either work great although cadence based systems can have a very pronounced feel of being ‘on’ or ‘off’. The twist throttle here is on the left as opposed to the typical right side, but it still works great. It should be noted however, there is no throttle override here as the throttle moves according to the mode of pedal assist you are in. So if you are in level 5 pedal assist, you will get top speed throttle, where as level 1 will limit that throttle quite a bit. Mechanically, the bike is equipped with a Shimano Altus 7 speed system. I love the trigger shifters and windowed gear indicator. These make for a lot of fun going up and down the gears. Stopping the Stunner-X is a set of 160mm mechanical disc brakes. I do like mechanical brakes since maintenance and adjustment is much easier, but I do think hydraulic brakes would have done well here to stop the powerful motor.

Powering the bike is a 48v 12ah lithium ion battery pack. I would consider this a high capacity battery pack and really necessary for that super powerful motor. But in case you wanted more juice, Biktrix offers battery upgrades on the battery to either a 16ah or a whopping 21ah… very cool! Anyway, the battery is mounted via lock and key, however, you don’t need the key to start the bike, it is just for battery security. The battery has a power button and I love the LED display read out on it so you can check to see round about how much juice is left. To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the life and try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells. Try not to let it run down to zero, because that’s really hard on the cell chemistry.

Operating the Biktrix Stunner-X is straightforward and easy. The LCD is large, backlit (if you hold the up arrow), and adjustable angle to reduce glare. It is not removable, but there does appear to be a disconnect spot for easy replacement if you experience damage at some point down the line. All of the standard readouts about current speed, battery capacity, and assist level are shown, and if you tap the power button (the little rubber button on the remote pad) it will cycle through advanced readouts like average speed and max speed. Holding down on the button pad activates walk mode, and double tapping the power button opens a menu where you can adjust the maximum speed of the bike, though you’ll need a password from Biktrix to do so. This cold be handy for people who want to ride slower for safety reasons… but you can always just arrow down on assist for less power. The real consideration is how fast the throttle will get you going, because it’s always offering up full power when pushed all the way down. I was able to reach just over 20 miles per hour in the highest assist level during my tests. After a bit of practice, it’s easy to click up or down without even looking at the display for feedback. The one thing I have noticed about this particular button pad is that if you snag the buttons with fabric or somehow bump them when parking, the plastic cover can get bent up and become vulnerable to breaking off. I have only seen this once, but I have never seen the rubberized buttons get broken, so I consider it a point of consideration and extra care.

When it is all said and done, I found the Stunner-X to be a ton of fun. The reason I like this bike is due to the comfort of the saddle, relaxed position, front fork, and fat-tires to eat up the bumps. However, there are some tradeoffs here so I did want to call those out. For example, the fat tires may inspire you to do some hard core off roading, but it is much more at home on the pavement and very light trails. Also, the integrated headlight is a nice touch, but having it mounted on the fork means it can bounce up and down with visibility if on rough terrain. Probably the biggest tradeoff though is having such a powerful and fun system without hydraulic brakes. Hydraulic brakes provide more immediate stopping power, but the mechanical brakes here are still sufficient while being easier to maintain, adjust, and keeping cost down. It should be noted you can upgrade to hydraulic on their site for $249 extra. Overall, the bike is really a blast and well put together, I would like to thank Biktrix for inviting me up to come check it out.

As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Biktrix Ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)

Pros:

• A comfortable cruiser ebike with capable knobby fat-tires, a mid-drive motor, throttle, and comfortable riding position as well as a suspension fork
• This is an extremely comfortable bike thanks to all the touches like centered weight distribution, relaxed seating position, plush saddle, front suspension fork, ergonomic grips, and bump absorbing fat tires
• Lots of included features like a bell, aluminum alloy fenders, chain guard, adjustable length kickstand, and some internally routed cables
• It comes in a step-through as well as 2 different colors and a number of battery options like 12ah, 16ah, and a massive 21ah!
• Features swept back handle bars that kind of meet you as you sit in the lower seat, this works great wit the adjustable angle stem
• I love the RST Guide front fork with 110mm of travel which helps absorb the bumps quite nicely, also you have a higher volume fat tire with good treat for comfort as well
• You get a great battery integrated headlight and rear light, these are a single LED light which is great for visibility and safety, I love that more companies are including it
• Rounding off the features is an included rear rack, this is paint color matched to the frame and has setups for varying pannier lengths
• Features a powerful 750watt nominally rated mid-drive that has a peak rating of 1000watts and 120nm of torque! …very fast, very capable, and a lot of fun to drive
• Large, easy to read display with a lot of information and features you can deep dive into

Cons:

• The controls for the display have a groove in them that can catch cloth and other material, so if you are wearing gloves for example, be aware of that
• The throttle is not an overriding throttle, which means that level 1 pedal assist will give you level 1 throttle power and so on, this has benefits for control, but I wish in the moment you need it, you could throttle past an obstacle or oncoming danger
• Has an LED headlight which is great for visibility, however, it is mounted on the front suspension fork, so the light could bounce up and down if you were on bumpy terrain
• For having such a powerful and fun system, you may expect hydraulic brakes, however, they are not here, hydraulic brakes provide more immediate stopping power, but the mechanical brakes here are still sufficient while being easier to maintain, adjust, and keeping cost down, you can add them to the bike for $249 more
• Control center can’t be removed, leaving it vulnerable to theft and scratching when the bike is left at a public bike rack
• Only one frame size and style may limit the range of rider heights the bike can accommodate