EG Athens 350 Review

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/