Name: EG Athens 350 Review
Item: EG Athens 350
Author: Court Rye

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EG Athens 350 Review

Eg Athens 350 350watt Hub Drive Motor Shimano Derailleur

Eg Athens 350 Shimano Drivetrain Plastic Chain Guard

Eg Athens 350 Cockpit View Faux Leather Stitched Grips

Eg Athens 350 Display Controls Faux Leather Grip

Eg Athens 350 Front Suspension Integrated Headlight

Eg Athens 350 Angle View Adjustable Quill Stem V Brake

Eg Athens 350 Comfort Saddle With Bumpers Center Mounted Kickstand

Eg Athens 350 Rear Rack 36v Battery Pack Rear Fender

Eg Athens 350 Rear Integrated Light Rear Rack

Eg Athens 350 Double Leg Kickstand Sealed 12 Magnet Cadence Sensor

An extremely affordable and approachable, handsome and feature rich bike with fenders, lights, rear rack, and front suspension
Upgraded from a weak 250 watt motor to a 350 nominal 500 peak watt rear hub motor with a 36v 10ah battery, still an efficient system, this time with a bit more pep
7 speed Shimano Acera system with v-brakes as well as motor inhibitors, both the drivetrain and brakes did well in our video testing
A lot of cost cutting means more basic component quality like the suspension fork, battery cells, brakes, and display, keys have to stay in while you ride

Make:

Model:

Athens 350

Price:

$1,299

Body Position:

Upright, Upright Relaxed

Suggested Use:

Neighborhood, Urban, Commuting

Electric Bike Class:

Throttle on Demand (Class 2)

Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

1 Year Comprehensive

Availability:

United States

Model Year:

2019

Total Weight:

53.2 lbs (24.13 kg)

Battery Weight:

7.3 lbs (3.31 kg)

Motor Weight:

8 lbs (3.62 kg)

Frame Material:

6061 Aluminum Alloy

Frame Sizes:

18.25 in (46.35 cm)

Geometry Measurements:

18.25" Seat Tube Length, 22.5" Reach, 17" Stand Over Height, 33" Minimum Saddle Height, 26" Width, 69.5" Length

Frame Types:

Step-Thru

Frame Colors:

Glossy Arctic White, Glossy Super Black

Frame Fork Details:

SR Suntour CR8 Spring Suspension, 63mm Travel, Preload Adjust, 28mm Steel Stanchions, 100mm Hub Spacing, 10mm Threaded Axle with 15mm Nuts

Frame Rear Details:

135mm Hub Spacing, 12mm Threaded Keyed Axle with 18mm Nuts

Attachment Points:

Rear Rack Bosses, Fender Bosses

Gearing Details:

7 Speed 1x7 Shimano Acera Derailleur, 14-28 Tooth Cassette

Shifter Details:

Shimano SIS Thumb Shifter on Right

Cranks:

Prowheel, Forged Aluminum Alloy, 170mm Length Arms, 40 Tooth Steel Chainring with Smoked Plastic Cover

Pedals:

Wellgo Aluminum Alloy Platform with Rubber Tread

Headset:

Internal Cups, Semi-Sealed, Straight 1-1/8"

Stem:

Promax, Quill Stem, Adjustable Height, Adjustable Angle, 90mm Length, 25.4mm Clamp Diameter

Handlebar:

Aluminum Alloy, Mid-Rise, Swept-Back, 630mm Width

Brake Details:

Generic Mechanical V-Brakes, Four-Finger Levers with Motor Inhibitors

Grips:

KNUS Padded Stitched, Faux Leather, Ergonomic

Saddle:

EG Branded KNUS Comfort, Faux Leather

Seat Post:

Aluminum Alloy, Single Bolt Clamp

Seat Post Length:

300 mm

Seat Post Diameter:

27.2 mm

Rims:

Aluminum Alloy, Double Walled, 36 Hole, 24.4mm Outer Width

Spokes:

Stainless Steel, 13 Gauge, Silver with Nipples

Tire Brand:

Kenda, 26" x 1.75" (47-559)

Wheel Sizes:

26 in (66.04cm)

Tire Details:

40 to 65 PSI, 2.8 to 4.6 BAR, Nylon

Tube Details:

Schrader Valve

Accessories:

Deflopilator Stabilizing Spring, Opaque Plastic Chain Cover, Spanninga Galeo Integrated Front Light, Spanninga Brasa Integrated Rear LED Light (2-LED), Rear Carry Rack with Pannier Blockers and Triple Bungee (25kg 55lb Max Load), Hengli Double Leg Kickstand at Center, Flick Bell on Right

Other:

Locking Removable Rear Rack-Mounted Battery Pack with 5 LED Charge Level Indicator and Integrated Rear Light, 1.4lb 2 Amp Charger

Motor Brand:

Shengyi

Motor Type:

Rear-Mounted Geared Hub

Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

350 watts

Motor Peak Output:

500 watts

Battery Brand:

Unbranded, 2600E, 18650 Cells

Battery Voltage:

36 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

10 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

360 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium-ion

Charge Time:

5 hours

Estimated Min Range:

20 miles (32 km)

Estimated Max Range:

40 miles (64 km)

Display Type:

LED Console by King Meter

Readouts:

Battery Charge Level (4 Dots), Pedal Assist (Low, Med, High), Handler (Throttle Only, Hold Mode), Lights (On/Off)

Drive Mode:

Cadence Sensing Pedal Assist, Trigger Throttle (Sealed 12 Magnet Sensor)

Top Speed:

20 mph (32 kph)

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Make or Model

Model Year

Body Position

Suggested Use

Frame Type

Drive Mode

Availability

Price Range

$0 (0 €)$18,000 (16,920 €)

Total Weight

0 lbs (0 kg)227 lbs (103 kg)

Top Speed

0 mph (0.0 km/hr)50 mph (80.5 km/hr)

Battery Watt Hrs

0 watt3,456 watt

Frame Size

0 in (0.00 cm)432 in (1,097.28 cm)

Motor Power

0 Newton meters250 Nm

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

EG has been popular for a long time for their feature rich yet very value priced ebikes. Although the recent tariffs have raised the prices of ebikes, EG has managed to keep costs low while all the while they have been updating the parts and quality of their offerings. That can be said for the Athens 350, a upright, relaxed dutch style step through. The cost of the bike is just $1,299, but they have upgraded the motor from a 250 watt to a 350 watt power plant. The frame comes in 2 colors and is very approachable from this low main tube. There is only 1 frame size, but there is quite a bit of configuration in the seat as well as the adjustable angle quill stem, so that somewhat makes up for it. I love the extra gusseting and strength on the frame too, it really reduces frame flex and keeps the bike stable. For comfort, you these matching faux leather stitched grips and seat. The seat is relaxing, especially with its bumpers underneath, but you may want to swap out that 27.2mm seat post with a suspension seat post to get more cushioning. Continuing in the comfort department is the SR SunTour front suspension spring fork. This is a more simple fork to keep cost low, but it has about 40mm-60mm or so of travel as well as preload adjust so you can preload those springs based on your rider weight. The tires here are a 26″ x 1.75″, so a little fatter than a city or road bike and that will also offer comfort and stability. I love that they included a deflopilator spring on the front wheel too, this keeps that front wheel stable, also great for loading or unloading the bike. EG also outfitted the Athens 350 with a set of battery integrated lights. The rear light is on the back of the battery casing while the headlight is mounted on the front suspension fork. The features go on and on… like this rear rack that is rated for 55lbs… it has built in bungie setup and pannier blockers too. You also get plastic fenders with mud flaps on the ends to keep you dry. Did I mention the plastic full chain cover as well? So many details here like the flick bell, alloy pedals with rubber tread, double legged kickstand, and internally routed cables… quite a lot for the price.

Driving the bike is a 350 watt planetary geared hub motor with a 500 watt peak. I would describe this motor as kind of a battery sipper… so it is going to be quiet as well as efficient, but not so much a speed demon by any means. It still is a lot stronger than the old 250 watt and feels great. The motor is powered by this trigger throttle on the right, or by your pedaling cadence via this 12 magnet cadence sensor. Mechanically, the bike is using a 7 speed Shimano Acera (so 2 steps up from entry level) system with 14-28 tooth cassette in the rear and a 40 tooth chain ring in the front. Shifting is done with this SIS index thumb shifter… which is not my personal favorite, but a lot of bikes use them reliably and they do work great with gloves. Stopping the bike is done with these cantilever style brakes or “V-Brakes”. Since this isn’t using disc brakes, it will take a little more hand actuation and can grind possible dirt and grit into the sidewalls. On the plus side, it keeps the cost low and they are great for parking at bike racks since they don’t have disc’s to get banged or scratches up. There are motor inhibitors on the brakes too, because of this, the performance for stopping was decent as you can see in the video review.

Powering the bike is a 36v 10ah battery pack mounted under the rear rack. This battery is protected well by the frame and, as mentioned earlier, is where the rear light is housed. The battery is about 6.5lbs or so and is using more generic cells, but Sam says he has sold hundreds of these bikes and hasn’t had any issues from customers. There is a LED charge level readout on the battery and you also operate it with lock and key. The key does have to stay in when you ride though, and it can get kind of annoying jingling around or even be forgotten when you get off the bike, so do be aware of that. Charging the battery is done with this 2amp charger that weighs less than 1.5lbs which is nice for traveling. 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 this ebike is very simple. Once the battery is charged and locked in place, just press the power button on the LED console mounted to the left bar. It lights up, displaying your general level of battery capacity and drive mode (assist or throttle). There are three levels of pedal assist and a 12 magnet cadence sensor activates the motor in a fairly responsive and smooth manner. The trigger throttle near the right grip is also responsive and nice to have if you’re riding through a puddle or rough terrain while trying to balance cargo. I will say that this is the same display they have been using for the past 5 years or so. By todays standards, it is quite basic but it still gets the job done. I just wish it had more than 4 ticks for battery readout, I hate to be on that last tick and have to guess if I have 25% battery left or 1%, it is quite a big difference. I do like that there is a dedicated light button to turn on the lights. Also, if you hold the mode button you get ‘handler mode’ which allows you to disable the pedal assist and only use the throttle.

The Athens seems to be a low cost leader for EG, they really don’t make much of anything off the bike and sell it to get the EG name out there. The strategy has worked as I hear they are usually one of the most popular bikes sold by dealers. But, at $1,299, there are bound to be some tradeoffs. For example, the bike is really rear heavy as many newer bikes are moving toward a mid mounted battery and or motor. The display is pretty long in the tooth as well, some of EG’s other bikes have better displays so that’s why it seems out of place here. The V-Brake seems less premium, but I guess it did do well in our stopping test. So yes, there are some things this bike is without, but it is all done in the name of cost savings. For the money you save on this bike, you could easily spend it on bike upgrades, or leave it as is and put that money anywhere else you please. With all the tariffs going on, I am impressed Wayne was able to keep the bike price low as well as offer upgrades from previous model years. A big thanks for letting me check out the new Athens 350!

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 EG ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)

Pros:

Excellent price point, one of the most feature rich “affordable” ebikes I’ve reviewed to date
Upgraded from a 250 to a 350 watt motor with a peak ratting of 500 watts, still a battery sipper, but a welcome improvement from previous years
Matching faux leather stitched grips and seat, the seat is relaxing, especially with its bumpers underneath
Integrated LED lights (front and rear) for safer commuting at dusk and dawn – the full length fenders and chain guard also add utility
Comfortable upright ride with swept back handle bars and adjustable angle stem – cushioned by the padded grips and a basic suspension fork
Decent 7 speed Shimano Acera drivetrain (2 levels up from basic entry level) with stiff aluminum alloy pedals
More stable double leg kickstand pairs nicely with the built in deflopilator stabilizing spring at the front (both make the rear rack easier to load)
Locking removable battery pack can be charged separately from the bike and also makes the bike easier to move (lighter weight) when taken off

Cons:

The display is a bit dated by todays standards, some of EG’s other bikes have better displays it seems a bit out of place here
Smaller 350 watt motor might not be enough for larger riders or those with lots of hills and rigorous terrain
Rear heavy design with both the hub motor and battery pack as the back of the bike (and higher up), not as balanced or stable as something with a mid-frame battery
More basic hardware including the SIS thumb shifter and cantilever V-brake, no quick release on the wheels, no bottle cage mounts and a cheaper kickstand
It seems like you have to leave the key in the battery pack to activate the electric systems on the bike and it sort of jingles around and could get damaged more easily by panniers or other cargo accessories
Only available in one frame style (step-thru) which isn’t as stiff as a diamond frame, one size (medium) and two standard colors (black or white)

Resources:

Official Site: http://egbike.com/

January 29, 2024 (10 months ago)

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Mike

5 years ago

hard to believe ebikes are still being built with the top heavy rear rack batteries.

Court

It can make sense when low price and step-thru frame are the goal, but it’s wonderful to see more and more ebikes with mid-mounted or internal batteries hitting the market :)

Jeremy Kashif

Is the battery removable or does it have to be charged on the bike?

Great question, Jeremy! Yes, I believe that the battery pack is removable for this ebike. I can even see a locking core and key dangling down in the pictures. I’m sorry this wasn’t specified more clearly when I was filming the bike :) Most electric bicycles do have removable battery packs, especially when they are mounted to the downtube or in a rear rack like this one.

Paul Kvasnovsky

Hi, I have a question, where can I buy this e bike from, I live in Durango, CO. Thank you much, Paul.

Hi Paul! I’ve only seen them at the Electric Bicycle Center in Fullerton, California, but I think they have other dealers. You could email or call the company directly at [email protected] and 1-781-989-7305. Perhaps if they cannot help you, you could just order one and have it shipped from Sam’s shop?

ALAN KIM

Just wanted to know the bike’s resistancy towards water. I have seen your videos with rad bikes being used in wet conditions. Since this bike has mudflaps and wheel fender covers, is it safe to guess that it’s ok to ride in wet roads?

Hi Alan! I feel like most ebikes today are water “resistant” but would actually choose Rad over EG in this case because the Athens is their entry-level model and the support and parts availability just isn’t going to match Rad because the company is much smaller. I hope this helps, please realize that EG is still a great company and the Athens 350 offers great value… especially if there’s a dealer nearby :)

Eli Schrock

Hi, I bought a used Athens 250 EG. Throttle cuts out at half throttle (total loss of power). Until I turn key off then on again. Battery shows only 1 bar when throttle cuts off. Battery shows full after turning key off then on. How do I fix this? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!!

Hmm, nothing comes to mind immediately, this would be a great question for the people at EG or a shop that sells them like the Electric Bicycle Center in Fullerton, CA. Sorry I can’t be more helpful right off the bat here Eli!

James A Appaneal

4 years ago

I’m looking for a bike for my wife who is 5’3″ and needs a comfortable bike easy to get on and off. How is this bike for the shorter women? does the battery get in the way of lowering the seat?

Thanks Jim

Hi James! Yes, I think that this could be a good option for a petite rider who is looking for an approachable frame. It’s a popular one with women, from what I learned from the shop owner who sells them. Notice how low the frame goes, making it easy to step onto. EG seems to sell through a lot of shops, but also direct online, so you might need to assemble and tune it a bit. Alternative ebikes that I have had good luck with that use the same approachable frame designs and are afordable include the RadCity Step-Thru, Surface 604 Rook, and Magnum Ui6

Dave Pahl

3 years ago

My wife’s got a 2019 EG Athens 350 and we can’t figure out how to turn the lights on. Can you help, what is the trick? Thank You

Hi Dave! Does your control pad look like the photograph in this review, or is it a different one? I thought this pad had a dedicated light button. If yours has up and down arrows instead, try holding the up arrow, or tap the power button (when the bike is already on), or look at the light itself for a slider switch on the back side. These are my best guesses :)

Dave

That did it, thanks for getting back to me. Now we can see when we’re going through the tunnels on some of the Wisconsin trails.

MKD

What is the weight limit for this bike?

Hi MKD! Many times I am not told the weight limit for ebikes, but I frequently see 250lbs as the standard. The first thing to come loose and break appears to be the spokes, not the frame. I hope this helps, though it is not official advice :)