Easy Motion ATOM Diamond Wave Review

In my opinion, Easy Motion has nailed the comfort commuting electric bicycle platform with the ATOM Diamond Wave model. It’s easy to mount and stand over (even with gear loaded onto the rack), it will keep you dry and clean with premium fenders and a unique full-wrap chain cover, and you’ll be safe in low-light conditions thanks to integrated dynamo powered LED lights and durable reflective tires. Where many models sacrifice frame stiffness and balance by positioning batteries in the rear rack (not to mention lower your hauling capacity) Easy Motion has chosen the more difficult and expensive route of a downtube integrated battery. It looks great, can be charged on or off the frame and is reinforced by a sloping top tube. Even the drivetrain is sleek and durable, a Shimano Nexus Inter8 internally geared hub makes shifting at standstill possible, reduces time between tuneups and stays cleaner. If this bike tips to either side it’s less likely to take damage because there’s no derailleur or disc brake rotors to bend… you still get powerful hydraulic braking but it actuates rim brakes vs. disc. Perhaps the only downsides here are the slightly higher price point which goes towards the custom frame and high-capacity battery and a single frame size option… and only one color. For me, this ebike checks a lot of important boxes including comfort. The suspension fork, gel saddle and ergonomic grips take the edge off of bumpy rides and the adjustable angle stem and swept back handlebar allow for relaxed, aware, upright riding.

Powering the ATOM line of e-bikes from Emotion is one of the quietest, most efficient motor systems on the market right now. Don’t let the 250 watt rating fool you, it peaks well above 500 watts and puts out an incredible 90 Newton meters of torque. That’s a lot compared to the ~40 Nm you’d get on a 500 watt hub motor and because it pulls the same chain you do as you pedal, it can benefit from gear shifting. As you shift to a low gear for climbing, both you and the machine gain leverage. Not only is this motor powerful, it’s very compact and well integrated here. The surrounding housing and mount interface are color matched to the rest of the frame and the motor does not drop below the chainring as it does on some other centerdrive systems. Inside the motor, a planetary gearing system converts high RPMs into high torque which is transferred through a carbon reinforced belt (like you’d have in an automobile) to smooth things out and reduce the electronic whirring noise that many other motors produce. The motor, sturdy fenders and smooth tires make this a very quiet bike… but the chain and unique chain cover do produce some plastic clicking noises. And if you try to shift gears while pedaling hard or with a lot of power from the motor, the internally geared hub may click for a second or two, until some tension is released and it can shift into place.

Powering the bike for long-range rides is a new ~500 watt-hour battery, built into a custom pack by Easy Motion. Brose is one of the few ebike motor / drive system makers that allows clients to design their own packs and displays… and Emotion has done great things with this opportunity. The battery is paint matched to the frame, seats solidly and even has an LED power indicator built in so you can see how full it is before mounting it to the bike. This is particularly useful if you store the bike in one place (perhaps a bike rack or garage) and charge the pack in another (the office or your home). Lithium-ion batteries are renowned for being light weight and long lasting… and you can make them last longer by keeping them cool and dry. Extreme heat can cause premature wear and this is one of the more expensive parts of the bike. Expect 1,000+ full cycles and rest easy with Easy Motion’s excellent 2 year guarantee and wide dealer network. The battery works great and I love how it can be charged on or off the bike, but not where the charging port is located (near the left side of the bottom bracket where the crank arm is). If you have the bike plugged in and turn the pedals at all, it could collide with the plug and bend the tip or cause the bike to fall over. Note that you also need a special plug adapter to charge the battery pack independently. It uses a separate interface than the one on the side of the bike… and this presents an opportunity for loss. There’s no leash on this adapter so keep an eye on it. Keep an eye on the keys and also the charger… which is a little slow considering how large the battery is. At 2 Amps, I’d call the charger average vs. 3 and 4 Amp chargers now being released by some brands. One final note, the battery casing is so beautiful that it’s worth taking care of. There is no handle to lift the pack with and it’s a pretty tight fit seating just under the sloping top tube. Ease it out and avoid banging it on the surrounding tubing then set it down gently (and not upside-down) to avoid scratching the paint and exposing the white plastic beneath.

Operating the ATOM Diamond Wave is much like operating most of the earlier Emotion models in the USA (the Neo and Evo models specifically). The display pad is small and incorporates three buttons towards the left end. They are easy enough to reach from your left hand while riding and with a bit of practice, you won’t even need to look down. Hold the center button to power it on then press it again to cycle through trip stats and total stats such as trip distance and odometer. There’s a “m to go” readout as well, and this is designed to help you approximate range, but it’s not as dynamic as some other systems that respond instantly as you select different assist power levels. This system has four assist levels and you can navigate through them by pressing the + and – buttons. The higher levels offer more power and will help you hit and maintain 20 mph (the top assisted speed) but also drain the battery faster. I love that the battery graphic on the display shows percentage in addition to a battery icon because it’s more accurate and easy to use this way. It sort of makes up for the limitations of the “m to go” feature mentioned earlier. Holding the – button will turn on display backlighting but the lights on this e-bike run separately. Many Easy Motion bikes have LED lights that are powered off the battery pack but this bike has them connected to a dynamo hub in the front wheel. It’s compact, low-resistance and puts out 6 volts at 3 Amps so you can get both lights functioning and charging, using small integrated capacitors, so people will see you whether the bike is charged and working or not. It’s a cool feature but likely adds weight and cost to the bike. I believe you can switch from blinking to constant-on with a little slider switch on the back of the headlight. I love that the display itself is removable because it reduces the potential for tampering at a rack but wish it had a Micro or Mini USB port on it as some other companies now have. Those can be useful for powering a phone to use with GPS. The display also takes a bit longer to boot up than others, but that’s a minor gripe.

As exciting as this electric assist bicycle is, it is not quite perfect. For the price, you get a lot of utility and beauty. If I were looking for a commuting platform or cruiser that would be easy to mount, relatively comfortable and long-lasting, this would be on my list for sure. It’s great to see more electric bicycles using high-end mid-drive systems and Easy Motion went above and beyond with their battery design. The weight is low and center, the battery is well protected and the motor is very capable. It will climb well, go impressively far if you shift thoughtfully and pedal along moderately and stay very quiet. Big thanks to Easy Motion for partnering with me on this post and inviting me and Marc Johnson out to their headquarters in SoCal! Marc used to work for Emotion and had some interesting insights to share. He owns a shop in Irvine California called Ebike Supply.

Pros:

• Completely ready for commuting or cruising, you can haul cargo with the rack, stay dry with the alloy-reinforced fenders and be seen thanks to integrated LED lights
• The body position is very comfortable and this ebike is easy to approach thanks to its “wave” step-thru design, tool-free adjustable angle stem and swept-back handlebars
• Adding to the comfort of the relaxed geometry of this electric bicycle are locking ergonomic grips that reduce nerve sensitivity and a suspension fork that can be locked out if you’re on smooth terrain and don’t want any efficiency lost, if you want even more comfort, consider adding a 31.6 mm seat post suspension like this but keep in mind it will raise the minimum seat height a few inches
• A dynamo hub powers the integrated lights so you won’t be left in the dark even if the primary ebike battery runs out… it’s a cool safety feature but the flashing front light was a little confusing at first (it’s a visibility standard from Europe)
• The fenders are made from plastic and Aluminum so you get the best of both worlds…
  strength and rigidity from ally and light weight flexibility of plastic, I also appreciate the fully-wrapped plastic chain cover to keep your pants clean
• You won’t have to worry about dropping the chain or tuning a derailleur with this ebike because there are only two sprockets (a rear cog and the chainring) so the chain is kept tight and all of the gearing is protected in the Shimano Nexus Inter8 IGH
• In addition to lights, this e-bike comes stock with reflective tires! The former help you see and the later help you be seen from the side
• Easy Motion hasn’t changed their display design drastically for several years (just minor style updates and new button types), it works well and is removable for safe storage when the bike is parked in public
• The battery pack is beautifully integrated into the downtube and it blends in perfectly,
  being paint-matched to the frame, it keeps weight low and center and can be charged on or off the bike
• Brose makes the quietest mid-drive motor I have tested for electric bikes but it’s also one of the most powerful! it relies on planetary gears and a strong belt drive to operate smoothly and reduce grinding sounds
• Internally geared hubs allow you to change gears at standstill which can help prepare for climbing if you make an unexpected stop, I would say be careful shifting because the Brose motor does not offer shift-sensing but that’s less important with an internally geared hub… it automatically waits to shift itself until the load is reduced
• Mid-drive electric bikes are excellent climbers and tend to be very efficient if you shift gears thoughtfully to empower the motor, as a Class 1 ebike you have to pedal to make this go
• Hydraulic rim brakes are very strong and don’t overheat easily, the levers are adjustable so you can bring them closer if you have small hands or are wearing gloves
• Shifter cables, brake lines and electrical wiring is professionally routed and some sections are internally routed so it won’t snag or get in the way as easily, it also looks nice
• The rear rack is very impressive, it comes with some proprietary KLICKfix system to use with specific bags and accessories but otherwise has standard gauge rails that would work with clip-on panniers, a triple-bungee and it holds the rear light and connects to the fender to reduce rattling, you get 55 lbs of storage which is at the higher end, the rack could also be replaced with a different design if you wanted because the frame has seat stay bosses
• Many of the other Brose powered electric bicycles I test ride offer just three levels of assist but you get four on the Easy Motion line
• The Brose mid-drive motor is much more responsive than the Dapu hub motors that the Neo and Evo lines use, overall the bike is average in terms of sound due to the fenders and chain cover clicking a bit when riding over bumps

Cons:

• While I appreciate the dynamo hub and durable internally geared hub… they do add weight and given the large size of the battery pack, I’m not sure the former is necessary? LED lights require very little energy
• Only one frame size and colorway to choose from with the Easy Motion ATOM Diamond Wave… it’s such a neat bike, I’m surprised you don’t get at least two sizes
• All of those nice accessories add weight and you end up with a bike that’s about 56 lbs vs. many competing products in the 50 lb range
• For a larger ~500 watt hour battery pack like this, I was disappointed that the charger is a standard 2 Amp vs. many 2.5, 3 and even 4 Amp chargers out now that would fill faster
• The battery looks beautiful but the shell is fragile plastic so be careful taking it off and setting it down or it could scratch and reveal white underneath, there’s no handle
• I love that you can charge the pack on or off the bike but was bummed when I found out you need an adapter plug to do so, be careful not to lose this piece! I wish it came with a leash or rubber connector but appreciate how it can twist-lock to the end of the default connector
• The locking core for the battery mount and the female charging port are both located near the left crank arm and could get snagged easily if the cranks spin backward, be careful with this as it could damage the bike or knock it over if you trip on the cable
• With a double-tube design the stand-over height is raised five inches compared to deep wave designs like this, the upside is that this frame doesn’t flex as much and the battery is protected from the top
• The display requires a longer press on the power button and several seconds to boot up,
  it’s slower than other high-end displays
• Easy Motion has this “miles to go” readout that just confuses me, it’s like a range estimator but it doesn’t update dynamically as you switch assist levels like the other Bosch and Yamaha systems do
• I thought the bike was supposed to have walk assist by holding + but it didn’t work…
  feel free to chime in if you know what we were doing wrong!
• You must be riding to activate the lights on this bike since they run off the dynamo and use a capacitor for brief “standing light” operation for a few minutes when you’re parking, I believe the switch on the headlight changes from flashing to solid
• The wraparound chain cover is cool but produces a bit of friction and noise compared with other systems that mount to the bike directly

Resources:

• Official Site: http://www.emotionbikesusa.com/
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/LDcuSdU2c87p4pbHA