Easy Motion Neo Carbon Review

The Neo Carbon is one of the very few mass produced electric bikes built around a carbon fiber frame. This keeps it light weight and helps to dampen road vibration while remaining stiff for maximum energy transfer when pedaling. While the other full sized Easy Motion ebikes offer 27 speeds, the Carbon delivers 30. This makes it a capable hill climber as well as a speedy descender. It’s not hard to reach and exceed the 27 mph assisted speed cutoff. When this happens, the bike functions as any normal bicycle would – the rear hub motor simply freewheels. It’s a beautiful machine designed for speed that still remains true to ebike legal standards and doesn’t cost a lot more than a fancy all-carbon road bike might… it’s just a lot heavier due to the battery, motor and sturdy build. With an optional front suspension fork the Neo Carbon delivers a unique combination of performance and comfort. Before I get too much further I want to acknowledge the plastic-wrapped images of the bike. It was a brand new model and I was asked to keep it pristine when testing and shooting.

The motor on the Carbon is no different from any of the other Easy Motion Neo bikes. It’s a 350 watt geared design that’s positioned in the rear wheel hub. Being geared, it weighs a bit less than an equivalent gearless design would but offers greater torque. I’ve had no problem ascending minor hills in twist throttle mode but for larger riders or very steep inclines the pedal assist modes are the best bet. Either way, the motor has an cutoff sensor designed to keep it from overheating. I only weigh ~135 pounds but my 200 lb friend tried the bike with me at one point and was very impressed with its power output. I attribute this to the overall drive system integration. The motor, controller and batteries all work together very well.

The battery pack itself is a very custom design made to mate with the downtube and lock with a key. The big drawbacks are that it does not have water bottle mounting points (nor on the seat post tube) and that the battery must be completely removed for charging. The upside to this design is the low center of gravity achieved and beautiful aesthetic. The pack uses Samsung Lithium-ion cells that are light weight, durable and rated for 1,000+ life cycles. It also comes with a two year warranty from Easy Motion and is compatible across the entire Neo range so finding a spare or even borrowing one in the event of replacement might be a bit easier.

Bringing the motor and battery to life is a small LCD computer mounted on the left handle bar. This is one of my favorite designs out there as it’s so small and completely removable! It only includes three buttons (on, up and down) and is well protected against the elements with sealed rubberized touch points. You get to see speed, battery capacity, distance and pedal assist level (of which there are four to choose). At level zero the twist throttle can be used to power the bike. Going up from there activates pedal assist and more energy is sent to the motor, subsequently draining the battery more quickly.

It’s hard to talk about the Neo Carbon without touching on its beautiful paint job. Flat black graces the entire frame with gloss black accents spelling out the Emotion brand and minor striping. Some would call it a mean powerful look, in some ways it could be more dangerous than a white or neon frame but it’s hard to deny the impact it makes. It’s daring and beautiful, especially for an electric bike which are notoriously ugly and often compromised in terms of style. With standard 700cc wheels and narrow tires, sturdy disc brakes and mounting points for fenders and a rear rack, this bike is still utilitarian but it’s really aimed at road cyclists. Maybe you want to keep up with your friends on the long rides through hill country?

As with any ebike you can still pedal and thoroughly enjoy a workout with the 30 speeds to choose from. Unlike many other ebikes, this model is designed to be pedaled and feels great at speed. The seating position is aggressive and the torque sensor requires you to push in order to activate the motor (in contrast to a pedalec sensor which simply senses pedal movement). The one complaint I have about the bike is that it is only offered with flat handlebars. It would be wonderful to have a drop bar option as that is the standard for road cycling, offering three hand positions instead of just one. You can always add bar ends to the Neo Carbon and I suppose flat bars are more stable when commuting but it still feels like a shame to me. I guess at 45 pounds, this really is more ebike than road bike and you can actually get an even lighter ebike with higher end components in the Neo Race, but there’s no doubt that the motor and battery than make up for that weight and the feel of carbon is wonderful for those long rigorous rides.

Pros:

• Offers twist throttle and four modes of pedal assist
• Higher top speed of 27 miles per hour in assist mode
• Pedal assist uses a torque sensor which is smooth and responsive
• Integrated battery pack keeps weight low and distributed across the frame
• Battery locks to frame with key for security, LCD computer can be removed easily to avoid tampering
• LCD computer is backlit and water resistant
• Ergonomic grips improve comfort along with front shock that includes lockout
• Oversized metal pedals feel great and offer lots of traction
• 30 gears for excellent climbing ability or higher top speeds when ascending
• 700cc wheels with medium sized narrow road bike style tires that coast efficiently
• Hydraulic disc brakes provide great stopping power and don’t fatigue hands as much as mechanical brakes
• Braze on mounting points on fork and seat stays for fenders or a rack
• Integrated wires look great and stay out of the way, great paint job, looks like a regular bike
• Excellent two year warranty covers frame and battery pack, upgrade to five years by registering online (will not include battery)
• Optional suspension fork adds a lot of comfort, especially with the narrower tire setup
• One of the only carbon fiber electric bikes available anywhere, material dampens vibrations but stays rigid and reduces overall weight

Cons:

• Only available in medium frame size
• No mounting points for water bottle holders (battery is mounted on downtube)
• No integrated fenders, lights or chain guard
• Motor is 350 watt vs. larger 500 watt options but is geared for higher torque, weighs less and performs well in pedal assist mode
• Battery must be completely removed for charging
• Considering it’s a carbon fiber bike, it’s not as light as the Neo Race (in part due to the suspension)

Resources:

• Official Site: http://www.emotionbikesusa.com/ebikes/EN793
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/h5EmtGbhwn3ugsxA9