EG Bali 500 EX Review

The EG Bali 500 EX is an electric bike that I want to love based on its low price and high specs on paper but have some real hangups with in practice. Yes, you get 28 mph capable speed pedelec with smooth torque sensing operation and a trigger throttle for instant power (up to 20 mph) and yes it offers full suspension for comfort over long distances and at those higher speeds. It looks pretty nice, is available in two colors and even comes with fenders, a rack and LED lights. The drawbacks become apparent as you zoom in and realize that the bike is very heavy at ~65 lbs, the battery pack fits very tightly and can be difficult to take off, there are two key slots (one to lock the battery and one to start the bike) and you have to leave your key in the second one the entire time the bike is being powered. The frame only comes in one size and could be difficult to mount for shorter riders and frustrating for taller people who swing their leg over the rack and clip their shins like I did. In order to offer a nice display panel, remote button pad (for going up or down in pedal assist) and a trigger throttle along with two sets of shifters the cockpit has become overcrowded, making it difficult to use all of the systems and even hold on to the grips (especially on the right side where the grip has been cut short). The shifters required more force to use and even the disc brakes, which are mechanical vs. hydraulic, felt slower and weaker than I’d want on such a heavy and fast electric bike.

Yes, this thing still offers a lot of value and for the right size person it could be a perfect fit… Just be careful in how you use it and what you expect. The frame, being heavy and somewhat altered with the downtube battery, feels a bit flexy and the suspension is springy and heavy. It’s a lower end ebike delivering higher end performance but even that aspect is conditional. Starting out and at lower speeds through grass or climbing the 500 watt electric motor stutters and struggles to get going. It really shines in the higher speeds and that’s a conscious decision on EG’s part which is okay as long as that’s what you expect. I think there’s a lot of room for improvement on this electric bike but that’s usually the case when bikes are priced low with respect to their competitors. EG is a brand I’ve reviewed for a couple of years ongoing now and I like products they offer and support they provide to shops. This is step up from most online bikes but a step down from most in-store bikes and it offers a combination of drive modes that I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else which is coo :)

Pros:

• I love that they offer two frame colors (matte black and silver), you also get front and rear lights by Spanninga though the back is stand-alone and requires AA battery cells, it’s nice that the tires have reflective sidewall stripes painted on them for even greater visible footprint since this is an urban oriented bike
• The EG Bali 500 EX is one of the most affordable full suspension speed pedelecs I’ve ever reviewed… You get a lot of nice accessories as well (fenders, rear carry rack and lights)
• I like that the rear rack is not being used to support the battery pack as with some of the older EG models like the Maui and Athens, this means it can be used to carry more weight in a trunk bag or with panniers, perfect for commuting
• Being full suspension, this bike is more comfortable to ride at higher speeds and for longer trips, the saddle is relatively soft but still active in design (not too fat at the nose where it can chaff your thighs)
• The battery is removable which makes storing it inside easier and charging it separately more convenient, the battery is also fairly heavy at ~7.4 lbs since it’s a large 48 volt 10 amp hour pack (vs. 36 volt 10 amp hour on most average bikes), quick release front wheel also makes transporting easier and lighter (rear wheel is bolted on)
• Plenty of gears here, with three chainrings up front and nine sprockets in the rear, this bike is easy to pedal at low speeds or climbing and when reaching higher speeds, the Shimano Alivo component groupset is mid-level and should perform well
• Four large spacers on the headset with an adjustable angle stem so you can raise the bars and bring them back if you’re someone with shorter arms, you could also put the spacers on top and straighten the stem if you want an more aggressive aerodynamic body position
• For legal reasons the throttle cuts out at ~20 mph and it does so very smoothly, in order to reach the ~28 mph top speed you need to pedal using the highest level of assist

Cons:

• Key must remain in the ignition slot while riding, it’s mostly out of the way up on the top tube near the head tube but it can still jingle or get bumped vs. being able to take it out
• This is one of the heavier electric city style ebikes I’ve tested at 65 lbs, it does have a higher capacity battery and the fenders, rack and lights but it’s still heavy compared to something with similar features like this
• The battery pack is more visible than some (considering it’s frame-integrated) the color is the same on both models so it stick out a bit on the white… the battery is also tight and can be tricky to get off
• The motor is geared for speed so it can feel a bit sluggish at start but is capable of 28+ mph when you contribute (it uses a torque sensor)
• The right grip is super short… it looks like they used a half-twist grip in order to accommodate the trigger shifters, trigger throttle and brake lever which means your hand doesn’t have as much space to hold on, since the grip isn’t locking it might twist more easily which could be a safety issue
• I don’t like that the battery sticks out further on the left side of the downtube than on the right, it’s not symmetrical and may impact handling, like if you tried to ride with no hands it might lean to the left slightly and change your balance
• The added weight of the large battery pack, oil spring suspension fork and rear suspension swing arm causes some frame flex, it’s not as tight and responsive as some competing models
• This ebike is only available in one frame size and it’s high-step and fairly large, given the extra-wide rack and possible cargo there it could be difficult to stand over and mount for some people
• Given the heavier weight of this ebike combined with the higher top assisted speed, the mechanical disc brakes just barely get the job done, I like that they used larger 180 mm rotors but I think hydraulic brakes would be a better choice
• The cockpit is crowded but also difficult to use in some cases, shifting felt hard and required more effort than I’m used to and reaching the button pad on the left was difficult
• Keep an eye on the adjustable angle stem when riding for long periods over bumpy terrain because I’ve found that they can come loose over time, you’ll need two hex wrenches to tighten it ongoing
• There are two locking cores on this bike… one for removing the battery and another for turning the bike on, this adds weight and complexity and might reduce the structural integrity of the frame (more holes going through) and it just seems cheap
• There’s an on/off switch on the battery pack itself that seems to cut power to the LED readout… I think I was able to use the bike with this switch off so in some ways it seems to add a lot of complexity and vulnerability with limited value

Resources:

• Official Site: http://egbike.com/EGUSA/index_files/Page1140.htm
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/FBukvFha53t8YtdT8