A full suspension cross-country or all-mountain electric bike with beautifully hidden motor and battery pack, 120 mm suspension from Fox, available in two frame sizes for improved fit
High-end 180 mm Shimano SLX brakes with tool-free adjustable levers, rigid thru-axles front and rear with quick release, removable battery pack and display panel
Nimble Schwalbe Tough Tom tires offer 650b rolling momentum and traction but quicker, lighter steering at 2.35" width vs. plus sized, powerful climber with mountain specific drivetrain and one-way clutch Shadow Plus derailleur
Battery charger requires a dongle interface with the battery which could easily get lost, the display is a little bulky and could get damaged in a crash easier
Speed, Total Miles, Total Hours, Average Speed, Total MPH, Trip Hours, Trip MPH, Distance to Empty, Battery Level (5 Bars), Battery Percentage, Assist Level (0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 100%), Hold - For Backlighting, Hold + For Walk Mode
Display Accessories:
Independent Button Pad on Left, Full Sized 5 Volt USB Port at Base of Display Mount
Drive Mode:
Torque Sensing Pedal Assist
(TMM4 Torque Sensor)
Top Speed:
20 mph (32 kph)
Written Review
Electric bicycle technology is becoming smaller, lighter weight, and smarter. Electric mountain bikes are often on the forefront of new technology because they need to be powerful but also blend in… Nobody wants a loud motor disturbing the natural setting of a trail and most eMountain bike riders that I know, shy away from causing a scene or attracting any kind of special attention. With the Easy Motion ATOM Lynx 4.8 and 6.0 you get one of the cleanest looking, quietest mid-drive products available today. I tested the ATOM Lynx 4.8 27.5 Pro, which is geared for cross country riding with 120 mm suspension. It’s a stand out product thanks to the compact Brose motor system, purpose-built frame with integrated cabling, standard sized replaceable chainring, proprietary downtube battery, and a removable display panel. You get an 11 speed drivetrain with Shimano Deore XT Shadow Plus derailleur, with a one-way clutch for reduced chain bounce. And Shimano SLX hydraulic disc brakes with adjustable reach levers. I was a little surprised that the brake rotors are 180/160 mm vs. 203/180 mm on some of the other Easy Motion electric mountain bikes… but they still performed well during my rides. Perhaps this is another nod to the trail focus vs. all-mountain or nduro which would have longer travel suspension? Fox is one of my favorite suspension manufacturers because I like their logo and trust the quality of their manufacturing process, and you get two air suspension systems here which reduce weight and allow for sag tuning and adjustment with climb-trail-descend (CTD) clickers. My friend Marc Johnson from Ebike Supply was on hand to help with this video and he explained that the rear suspension design is licensed, split-pivot, designed to reduce bobbing and brake interference. It certainly felt good on my rides and I could tell that the pivot points were stiff and trail worthy. Note that the motor casing does hang down a bit below the rear linkage but that this is not uncommon and the Brose system is still one of the most compact options around.
The motor offers 250 watts of nominal power but peaks out above 500 and produces a maximum of 90 Newton meters of torque. That’s more torque than any other mainstream electric bike on the market today beating out the Bosch CX which produces a peak of 75 Nm. As a 135 lb rider, I feel that both systems (most of the mid-drives) I try are plenty good at climbing… as long as I shift down appropriately. And shift sensing is not a feature offered by Brose at this time. For that reason, I usually pedal ahead, ease off, then shift to avoid mashing the gears. With eleven speeds, the steps between the sprockets are smaller and mashing seems to be a limited issue. Still, I find myself riding differently on electric mountain bikes than non-electric. The shifting is one part but so too is the handling and jumping. Weighing in at ~52 lbs depending on which of the two frame sizes you choose, this is not a light ebike. But at least the weight is mostly low and centered along the frame. The battery seats into the top of the downtube and looks great until you scratch the paint. And that’s easy to do given how close it is to the rear suspension clicker. There’s no handle to grab and the bike doesn’t have a kickstand… so unless I was moving the bike, I’d probably just charge the battery on the frame.
The battery pack is large, fairly heavy, and high-capacity offering 600+ watt-hours. Unfortunately, it requires a special dongle to be charged off-bike and that’s just one more thing to keep an eye on and possibly lose. I did notice a winged twist-lock on the dongle connector but there’s no leash for the dongle. So going back to the scenario mentioned earlier, charging the battery on-frame, it’s easy to set the dongle aside when charging only to forget it there later. Consider using a zip tie or rubber band to connect the two parts. And another grip about the charger is that although it is compact and fairly lightweight, it’s just not that fast at 2 Amps. Some other companies are moving to 3 Amps and 4 Amps to cut the time down for larger 500+ watt-hour packs. So the battery pack isn’t perfect in a lot of ways but it sure does look nice. The paint matches the rest of the frame but I have heard from some customers that the paint can fade. The frame is Aluminum alloy while the battery is plastic. And someday, if you decide to replace the battery pack, it might be more expensive or difficult to get a paint matched pack. For a product that is so expensive, this is a difficult reality to stomach… and probably the reason that Bulls opted for a bottom-mount all-black battery on their Brose powered electric bikes. That battery is more difficult to mount and is exposed to rocks and more water from the front tire, but would be easier to replace. For both of these bike designs, the battery charging port and locking core are directly in the path of the left crank arm. This is just one more area to be careful with, you don’t want to bend either. And if you trip over the battery cord, you also don’t want it to pull the bike over. There’s a reason that some companies like Specialized have opted for the magnetic EnergyBus Rosenburger charging interface. It’s designed to pop out without tipping the bike.
Powering the bike on to go for a ride is very straightforward and much improved from the older, basic displays that Emotion offers. Just mount the battery, make sure it’s charged, and press the power button on the control pad near the left grip. Very quickly, the display turns on and lists out your battery percentage, current speed, and assist level. Instead of naming assist levels like Bosch and Yamaha, Easy Motion has gone with percentages including 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. I’m a fan of percentages and like the infographic choices. I also like that the display offers walk mode (hold plus when in an assist level greater than zero) and backlighting (hold minus to activate). You get trip stats like max speed, average speed, total distance, trip distance, and something called miles to go. From what I can tell, this is an attempt at “range” which does not seem to account for the level of assist in real-time. I love going through the assist levels on a Bosch display to see how far the bike thinks I can go… and while I’m sure the Easy Motion system takes these steps into account, they don’t seem to update in real-time and so you’re left guessing. Every electric bike has its trade off’s and perhaps the better battery readout here helps to make up for the limited range estimator readout. I do love that the display can be removed for safe storage. I don’t like how bulky it is compared to some others but I understand that they had to mount it higher to fit a standard sized USB port in the mount. For people who use their smartphone devices, music or lights… this is a sweet addition. I believe it puts out 5 Volts but am not sure on the Amps, hopefully 1+ in order to charge iOS devices.
Easy Motion has been in business since 1909, producing bicycles in Spain. They were a leader in the US ebike space in the early years, starting in 2012, and continue to innovate with products like the ATOM Lynx with Brose. For the price, you get some excellent systems here and there seems to be a healthy network of shops that carry the brand. The warranty is solid, the systems should hold up, and despite a few minor gripes around charging, this is a fun product to use. It climbs and accelerates well without producing much noise. It blends in and balances weight well. And it offers standard 650b wheels with 2.35″ diameter tires vs. the new plus sizes which require longer heavier axles and increase drag and turning time. This is a nimble bike and the slightly higher weight is a testament to the larger battery pack which will take you further. I’d estimate 45 miles or more per charge given the top assisted speed of 20 mph and wide gear range. Big thanks to Easy Motion for partnering with me on this review and inviting me and Marc to their headquarters in Foothills Ranch California. It’s always fun to work with and learn from someone who runs a shop and is an enthusiast of mountain biking so check out Ebike Supply if you’d like to connect with him.
Pros:
Extra large 600+ watt-hour battery delivers increased range, I love how it’s built into the downtube for lower weight and a clean aesthetic vs. being bolted onto the frame like many other ebikes including Bosch, Yamaha and Shimano
The motor is so compact, it doesn’t hang down the way that some mid-drives do (important given the off-road full suspension setup here) and it blends in perfectly with the red and black paint job
The geared mid-drive motor uses a belt transfer to step up from planetary gears to the chainring, this reduces vibration and significantly cuts down on noise
I love how large and easy to read the display is and appreciate that you can easily remove it, this might be prudent if you’re coasting downhill on rough mountain terrain because the display would be easy to damage if the bike crashed
Two frame sizes, so you can dial in fit and comfort, the top tube is angled downwards to lower stand over height… it would have been nice to see a bottle cage interface on the downtube like Bulls has done with some of their full suspension models running the Brose motor
Solidt brakes, large 180 mm front rotor with 160 mm rear using SLX calipers and brake levers (that have tool-free adjustable reach), they provide smooth, powerful stops
Upgraded derailleur has a one-way clutch that reduces chain bounce and slap, the Shimano Deore XT Shadow Plus is mountain bike specific
Uses split-pivot rear suspension which reduces interference for braking and improves traction
Chain retention system (plastic chain guide) prevents drops and may also clear debris like grass and mud since this is a one by setup, I like that the chainring uses narrow wide teeth to reduce slipping
Adding to the clean battery and motor integration are matching grips, saddle, and fork… it’s a minor detail but the bike just really looks good and complete
Full sized USB 5 Volt charging port built into the display panel mount, you could use this to power a smartphone, GPS, or lights
For $4,400 this ebike offers a lot of higher end systems, including the air suspension,
and comes with an industry-leading two-year warranty that jumps to five years if you register
I love the upgraded pro display and button pad in part because they boot up much faster than the old slim design… though I believe that you can still use that with the left mount interface here if you prefer it and already own an Emotion electric bike
Most electric bike display panels right now only show your battery capacity as an info-graphic with like five or ten ticks but the Easy Motion pro display has percentage written out so it’s way more precise
I appreciate having control over the backlighting of the display vs. it always being on like Bosch, just hold the minus key to activate or de-activate display lighting
You can activate walk mode by holding the plus button on the controller pad for a few seconds when any level of assist is active, this is handy for walks on difficult terrain given the ~52 lb weight of the bike
Because the Brose motor works with a standard sized chainring (vs. the smaller rings on Bosch) you can swap in any 104 Bolt Circle Diameter (BCD) chainring to alter how the bike pedals
Cons:
The battery pack doesn’t have an integrated handle so it’s easier to drop and the paint looks nice but is thin which means you can easily scratch it, exposing white plastic underneath
You can charge the battery on or off the bike but it requires a special dongle because the plug interface is different, this dongle is easy to misplace
The charging port and locking core for the battery pack are both located in the rotation path of the left crank arm which makes them easier to bump or break if the pedals get kicked or you back the bike up (which turns the cranks backward)
The Brose mid-drive does not offer shift sensing the way that Bosch and some Impulse motors do… but given the 11-speed drivetrain and higher end derailleur, the jumps between gears are shorter so that helps with mashing, the motor measures pedal torque so just ease off a moment before shifting
At 8.2 lbs, the battery is much heavier than Bosch and some comparable packs that weigh ~6 lbs for the same capacity, this is part of why the bike is ~52 lbs while a lot of the competing models are in the ~50 lbs range
Given the higher capacity 600+ watt hour battery pack, I’d love to have a faster charger… the standard 2 Amp is just that, basic vs. Bosch at 4 Amps and some others at 3 Amps
A feature-complete city electric bike with approachable but sturdy step-thru frame, the all-black paint scheme hides the compact motor and cables (which are mostly internally routed), only one frame size. Comes with durable but lightweight Curana alloy+plastic fenders, a premium rear rack with standard gauge…...
A full suspension electric trail bike with 140mm air shocks by Fox, split pivot rear design isolates pedal and braking power from terrain response, available in two frame sizes. Beautiful aesthetic, matte black and gloss black paint throughout, blacked out anodized stanchions, internally routed…...
A lightweight electric gravel grinder with drop bars, aero wheelset, mechanical disc brakes (using Shimano ICE Tech rotors and heat sinks), and a 22-speed Shimano 105 drivetrain. Blacked-out aesthetic hides the battery and motor casing, internally routed cables stay out of the…...
An efficient, well-balanced, very quiet electric cross bike with the Yamaha PW mid-drive motor and downtube battery, available in three sizes with angled top tube fore fit and stand-over comfort. Sporty but thoughtful color scheme, the fork and downtube are black which hide the motor…...
A well-rounded performance electric bike that blends in, offers good weight distribution, and provides pedal assist and twist-throttle drive mode operation. Upgraded hydraulic disc brakes with integrated motor inhibitors provide quick stops, dynamic TMM4 torque sensor…...
A zippy hub motor driven, hardtail electric mountain bike with 20 gears, upgraded air fork from Fox, large 203/180 mm hydraulic disc brakes. Seamless battery integration creates a stealthy look and low-center weight distribution, high-capacity battery powers an…...
An efficient commuter style e-bike with great safety features like integrated LED lights, reflective sidewall stripes on the tires, and motor-inhibiting brake levers. One of the most beautiful, normal looking, electric bikes around, Easy Motion is known for…...
A comfortable, easy to handle, city-style electric bike with adjustable handlebars... so you can sit upright and rest your back like a cruiser or lean forward and be active. Designed for comfort with a premium gel saddle, coil suspension fork and ergonomic grips, safety…...
An all-wheel drive electric fat bike with adjustable drive modes (rear, front or both with traction control), beautifully integrated battery and compact motors blend in making it stealth. Upgraded quick release and thru-axle design makes the rear wheel easier to remove and the…...
A full suspension trail ready electric bike with beautifully integrated frame-matched battery pack and compact, nimble hub motor offering 500 watts of power, battery can be charged on or off the frame. High quality, light weight air suspension from RockShock with rebound adjust and remote lockout up…...
A speed pedelec capable of 28 mph top speeds in pedal assist mode, also has a twist throttle that can reach ~12 mph for moments when you need a break, extra large 504 watt hour battery pack with Samsung cells. Feature complete with plastic fenders, a chain guard, rear rack with reflectors and bungee cords…...
One of the most popular Emotion bikes in the line because it's easy to mount and handle at rest thanks to the step-thru frame and comfortable to ride thanks to its suspension fork, gel saddle, riser bars and ergonomic grips. Relatively affordable, only $100 more than 2015, and you get a more powerful motor and…...
An elegant looking city style electric bike with several comfort-oriented accessories including suspension fork with lockout, ergonomic grips and larger 2" tires by Schwalbe with puncture resistant layer. Performance level Shimano Acera drivetrain offers 24 gear combinations for efficient pedaling, upgraded hydraulic disc…...
A large electric bike that would work well for taller riders who feel cramped on other models, it only comes in one size but the stem is adjustable and the top tube is angled to make stand-over more comfortable. Perfect for commuting in urban and city environments, rain or shine, night or day because…...
A more powerful version of the original EVO Snow offering 48 volt battery and higher amp controller, delivers two hub motors for improved traction in snow and soft terrain (gravel, sand, mud). Clean integrated battery and wires are hidden inside the downtube, high-step frame is stiff and…...
A light weight folding electric bike at a reasonable price from a leading company (BH and Easy Motion) with an excellent warranty and solid dealer network. Excellent backlit display panel... it's compact and blends in, can be removed for safe storage…...
An all-wheel-drive electric fat bike with a 350 watt geared hub in the rear and a 250 watt geared hub in the front, provides excellent stability on soft terrain. Powerful 48 volt Lithium-ion battery pack built with high quality Samsung cells, it's removable for…...
An all-wheel-drive electric hardtail trail bike with large 29" wheels for improved traction, rolling momentum and clearance. You get a 350 watt rear geared motor and a 250 watt front geared motor…...
A light weight, low-step, city style electric bike with fenders, chain guard, a rear carry rack and independent LED headlight. Short seat tube and reach distance make this a great choice for petite riders, only…...
A light weight, relatively affordable single speed city ebike with a modest 250 watt motor and 208 amp hour battery pack. Available in one frame size with a taller high-step-design, efficient narrow tires and deep dish…...
A full suspension mid-drive powered electric bike with excellent weight distribution, premium suspension from Fox with dual lock out and a two year warranty. Quick release on both wheels, removable battery and display, 10 speed Shimano Deore XT drivetrain...
An efficient, light weight, well balanced active-commuter style electric bike with a solid two year warranty. Quick release wheels, removable battery and display panel, solid kickstand, smooth hydraulic disc brakes...
A full suspension electric mountain bike with beautiful battery integration, internally routed cables and nimble efficient motor. High quality Shimano XT and Deore drivetrain components with 30 speeds to choose from, solid…...
A 29er style electric mountain bike with beautifully integrated downtube battery and efficient, light weight internally geared rear hub motor by dapu. With 30 gears to choose from on a Shimano Deore XT drivetrain this ebike climbs…...
The largest and stiffest city style electric bike from Easy Motion in the EVO lineup, perfect for taller individuals. Excellent utility features including full length fenders, chain guard, sturdy rear rack with bungee cords…...
Great "all around" city style electric bike with twist throttle and four levels of pedal-assist for extending range. Excellent accessories including suspension fork, ergonomic grips, full length fenders and a carry rack, dynamo…...
A feature complete city style electric bike that's well balanced, beautifully designed and easy to mount and ride. Comes with dynamo powered lights, fenders, a rear carry rack, suspension fork and tool-free adjustable…...
One of the most beautiful purpose-built electric trail bikes I've tested, integrated battery pack (charge on or off the bike), quick release wheels front and rear with quick disconnect on hub motor. 650B 27.5" wheel size is efficient and smooth but still nimble, mid-step frame design easy…...
The lightest weight, most efficient electric bike in the Easy Motion Evo series, designed for road cycling on smooth tarmac. Drawing on the 100+ year bicycling heritage of BH, the Race offers 30 speeds on…...
One of the only deep step-thru electric bikes powered by Bosch that's available in the US for 2015. Near perfect selection of accessories including full length fenders, integrated LED lights, carry rack and…...
A premium step-thru only, city style electric bike with seamless battery and motor integration that create a stunning aesthetic and near perfect balance. Locking removable battery pack can be charged on or off the bike for convenience, LCD…...
An commuter oriented speed pedalec capable of 28 mph top speeds - includes fenders, a rear carry rack, LED lights and mirror. Powerful 500 watt motor is compact, light weight and blends in along with the downtube…...
A versatile, well balanced, beautiful electric bike with motor and battery systems that blend in perfectly. Locking removable battery pack can be charged on or off the bike, LCD display can…...
An urban oriented speed pedalec capable of 28 mph top speeds, includes a twist throttle that can reach ~20 mph but cannot be used in pedal assist mode. Great safety accessories including integrated LED lights, bar-end mirror and motor inhibiting break levers...
Polished city style electric bike with matching fenders a rack and dynamo powered LED lights. Offers twist throttle for instant go as well as four modes of pedal assist for…...
Small 20" wheels provide mechanical advantage for the motor and lower stand-over height, easy to mount. Includes matching fenders, rear carry rack and LED light that run off a front hub…...
Hardtail design with 30 gears, hydraulic disc brakes and suspension with rebound and lock out adjust. Offers twist throttle for power on demand and four levels of torque sensing pedal assist…...
Shorter frame is easy to mount and stand over, step-through design is perfect for petite riders. Uses the same high power 350 watt geared motor and removable 36 volt battery as…...
Full suspension electric mountain bike with performance 27.5" wheels for improved efficiency. Rear hub motor design increases unsprung weight (reducing traction) but is quiet and fast...
Purpose built frame is well balanced and aesthetically pleasing, includes lights, fenders and carry rack. Uses the same powerful 350 watt geared hub motor, 36 volt 9 amp hour battery…...
Purpose built frame is rigid and well balanced, the drivetrain features more gears than the standard Neo Volt but doesn't include fenders, rack or LED lights, instead it comes with larger knobby tires and disc brakes for all-terrain use. Uses the same powerful 350 volt geared hub motor, 36 volt 9 amp hour batter…...
Upright commuter style electric bike with large 700c wheels and narrow tires for efficient coasting. Suspension fork, padded seat, ergonomic grips and adjustable stem and handlebars offer comfort...
Designed for cross country riding with 30 gears, suspension fork with lockout, and efficient 27.5" wheels. Responsive torque sensing pedal assist with four levels as well as a twist throttle for…...
Capable road bike with 30 gear range, large 700c wheels, efficient Supersport tires and a carbon frame. Top speed of 20 mph in throttle mode and 25 mph in pedal assist mode…...
Geared for trail riding with a front shock, nimble 26" wheels, knobby tires and 24 speeds with trigger shifters. Twist throttle with a top speed of 20 mph and four levels of torque sensing…...
Approachable low-step commuter style ebike with rear rack, dynamo lights, fenders and adjustable stem. Relatively light weight frame, clean design with hidden wires, lower to the ground thanks to…...
Advanced road bike styling is light weight, stiff and fast but lacks drop bars. Integrated downtube battery keeps weight low to the ground distributed evenly across the frame for…...
Stiff, aggressive and light weight cross-style electric bike with torque sensing rear hub motor. Removable LCD computer interface is intuitive to use and doesn't get in the way when…...
Well balanced full suspension frame with lock-out, smaller 26" wheels provide great manuverability. Beautifully integrated motor and battery pack, this electric bike blends in well and isn't very…...
After literally years of “thinking about it,” months of research, and innumerable test rides, I just purchased my first ebike, a 2017 Easy Motion EVO Cross from Best Ebikes USA in Denver. I plan on using it for commuting (30 mile round trip). I would love to hear your take on this model. Do you have any plans to publish reviews about other Easy Motion bikes?
Cool! I’m in Fort Collins right now visiting family, would love to check out Best Ebikes USA sometime… sounds like they got you setup right. I will indeed be publishing several more easy motion models for 2017 and the EVO Cross is one of them. I enjoyed the bike, it has been one of their top sellers for the past couple of years based on what I hear from shops. Great choice, feel free to share any thought and updates as you ride yours!
How do you think these products compare to the quality of the Big 3 manufactures. Is the quality significantly different? Seems like a lot of value in the easy motion bikes.
Hi Rex! It depends on the level of bike in the lineup… but I’d say that Trek, then Specialized, and then Giant are better than BH… or maybe BH is tied with Giant. The company recently moved headquarters and let go of a lot of staff. They have a huge lineup of models, many of the high-end ones are very exciting and on par (because they run Brose motors vs. the hub motor setup). The bikes look nice and I feel that the ATOM line is pretty solid. Hope this helps ;)
I just rang and spoke to Anthony about something I needed for my Ebike that was purchased from them last year. Very helpful and had an answer for all my question. Highly recommend these guys
That’s fantastic! Thanks for sharing your experience with us here, Paul. I haven’t been in touch with Easy Motion (BH) since they moved their headquarters away from Southern California. I miss them :)
YD51
8 years agoGreat review as always, Court!
After literally years of “thinking about it,” months of research, and innumerable test rides, I just purchased my first ebike, a 2017 Easy Motion EVO Cross from Best Ebikes USA in Denver. I plan on using it for commuting (30 mile round trip). I would love to hear your take on this model. Do you have any plans to publish reviews about other Easy Motion bikes?
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoCool! I’m in Fort Collins right now visiting family, would love to check out Best Ebikes USA sometime… sounds like they got you setup right. I will indeed be publishing several more easy motion models for 2017 and the EVO Cross is one of them. I enjoyed the bike, it has been one of their top sellers for the past couple of years based on what I hear from shops. Great choice, feel free to share any thought and updates as you ride yours!
ReplyRex Vaughn
6 years agoHow do you think these products compare to the quality of the Big 3 manufactures. Is the quality significantly different? Seems like a lot of value in the easy motion bikes.
Rex
ReplyCourt
6 years agoHi Rex! It depends on the level of bike in the lineup… but I’d say that Trek, then Specialized, and then Giant are better than BH… or maybe BH is tied with Giant. The company recently moved headquarters and let go of a lot of staff. They have a huge lineup of models, many of the high-end ones are very exciting and on par (because they run Brose motors vs. the hub motor setup). The bikes look nice and I feel that the ATOM line is pretty solid. Hope this helps ;)
ReplyPaul
4 years agoI just rang and spoke to Anthony about something I needed for my Ebike that was purchased from them last year. Very helpful and had an answer for all my question. Highly recommend these guys
ReplyCourt
4 years agoThat’s fantastic! Thanks for sharing your experience with us here, Paul. I haven’t been in touch with Easy Motion (BH) since they moved their headquarters away from Southern California. I miss them :)
Reply