The eFlow series of electric bikes offer high performance, upgraded technology and balanced frame design. The E3 Flight is a less expensive version of the E3 Nitro and cuts cost (and weight) by removing the headset shock absorber, decreasing the size of the battery pack and removing one of the front chain rings. The end result is a bike that’s designed for urban riding, built like a road bike, but doesn’t offer quite as many pedal cadence choices. That said, with the twist throttle and pedal assist modes to help you out, it might be worth saving $500 over the upgraded E3 Nitro model.
Driving this bike is a strong, silent and sophisticated 500 watt gearless hub motor. It’s capable of moving larger riders, scaling moderate hills and it even offers regenerative braking to extend range. I’m a big fan of gearless hubs and appreciate the fact that eFlow integrated regenerative braking because it saves your brake pads! The truth is, it doesn’t offer a lot of actual “regeneration” but if you have a long hill, it’s nice to recoup some while reducing the heat and wear on your discs.
Speaking of stopping power, this bike has disc brakes front and rear, though not hydraulic. The overall weight of ~50lbs (depending on frame size) is decent but not as light as I would have liked for a road style city bike. I do like the fact that they offer three frame sizes in the high-step and two in the low-step because it means you can actually enjoy riding this bike vs. just zipping around. This truly is a “riding” bike and the time I spent on it was mostly with pedal assist mode. Still, it’s nice to have a twist throttle sometimes when coasting around. The computer display ties the two modes together well and is easy enough to figure out though not quite as intuitive as some of those by Easy Motion or BionX. I like that you can twist it off for safe keeping and that this disables the bike for security.
The battery pack powering the E3 Flight is a standard 36 volt 11 amp hour Lithium-ion configuration. The design is what really stands out (and sets this bike apart). It’s built right into the seat post tube, which is oversized. This configuration helps to balance weight evenly from front to rear on the bike but doesn’t keep it especially low to the ground. In my opinion it’s a step up from a rear-battery design but a step down from a downtube or bottom bracket design. Overall, it works well enough and can be charged on or off the bike… It also means you’re less likely to get your seat stolen! I like that there’s a spring-loaded plastic piece that covers the seatpost tube when the battery is off because that ensures water and debris stay out.
It’s nice to see a true “bicycling” type of ebike that’s enjoyable to pedal and really designed around pedal assist. The sophistocated LCD, regenerative braking, smooth torque sensor and overall balanced design work well together. If you plan on using this bike for commuting, eFlow offers a “city kit” with fenders, lights and a rear rack all designed to work perfectly with the bike (or the upgraded E3 Nitro). For me, 9 speeds is enough and the rigid fork design is pretty standard for city bikes. This would be a good choice for someone who wants to get around town with a bit of boost and perhaps take on longer rides and commutes that an ebike could enable.
Powerful 500 Watt gearless rear hub motor offers regenerative braking, paired with strong 36 Volt battery for smooth acceleration and climbing. Purpose-built frame distributes weight well front to rear but positions battery weight higher than downtube…...
Adam Zickgraf
9 years agoHello Court-do you know the “NM” number on this bike? – thank you
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Adam, I have access to an eFlow E3 Flight where I’m at right now and looked all over the frame for an “NM” number but didn’t see anything besides a serial number. I spoke with an eFlow rep and he said you can reach the company with questions directly using this contact form. I hope this helps, if you reply quickly I might be able to check the Flight I am near again for you to figure out what number you’re looking for.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoOkay Adam, I received your email and it sounds like you wanted the Nm (newton meter) torque rating for the motor… I’m digging into the details but checked the outside casing for both the Flight and Nitro as follows:
eFlow E3 Flight Motor: Made by TDCM Model HDB5-F, 36 Volt 500 Watt, 305 RPM, F13-0600006
eFlow E3 Nitro Motor: Made by TDCM Model HDF6, 36 Volt, 395 RPM, F13-0800002
Hope this helps :)
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