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 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 Geneva 500MX, a comfortable commuting style step through. They also offer a high-step version called the Zurich. Both of these retail for about $2,599 and posses a lot of features that make it a great bike. While the bike comes in a couple different colors, today we are looking at the red step-through (about 65lbs)… and I gotta say, pictures do not do it justice. This is a beautiful bike and in person just looks stellar. The paint matched fork and plastic chain cover work really well against the black accents of the plastic fenders, rack, tires, and spokes. Just a really good looking bike that is tastefully done without going overboard. The frame has a thick downtube that houses the battery and another reinforced downtube on top of that that reduces frame flex and keeps everything tight. The suspension is an SR SunTour fork with roughly 63mm of travel, hydraulic lockout, and a preload adjust under the the plastic cap. For tires, you get a set of Kenda 700c’s, so you should have a pretty smooth and efficient ride on paved roads and trails. After all, this may look like a bit of a cruiser, but it is really going to shine as a commuter since it has features like this rear bolt on rack. It has standard gage tubing, is rated for 55lbs, and is adjustable as well. The Geneva has battery integrated lights as well. The rear light is my favorite, since it acts as an active brake light when you press the brake levers…this even works with the lights turned off! Really cool… however, the headlight is mounted on the suspension fork, so you could get some bounce on that if you’re going up and over bumps. Keeping things commuter friendly is the bottle cage bosses, bell, aluminum alloy platform pedals, a walk mode on the electric system, and a kickstand that is mounted in the rear to eliminate annoying pedal lock when reversing. Going back to it looking like a cruiser, I suppose it could work in that realm as well. After all, the bike also has a lot of comfort from head to toe. I see faux leather ergonomic stitched grips, a comfortable saddle, swept back handle bars, and an adjustable angle stem. Although I should point out that the adjustable angle stem is one of the cheaper parts on the bike, try not to strip the adjustment bolt.
Driving the bike is a Dapu MD250. This is the 2nd generation of the motor and uses about 110nm of torque. The setup has both cadence based and torque based pedal assist, but I love the nice torque sensor, because you get that more natural feeling as opposed to the more basic cadence based pedal assist. The modes of assist go from 0-5 and there is even a thumb throttle on the left which I found to be a lot of fun along with the assist. The throttle acts as an override and can take you to about 20mph while the pedal assist will assist you up to 28mph, so technically, this is a speed pedelec, great for commuting and getting to work if you are running late. Mechanically, the Geneva makes use of a 8 speed Shimano Alivio system. This has an 11-32 tooth cassette in the front with a 44 tooth chain ring in the front. I love the trigger shifters with gear indicator window. Stopping the bike is done with a fantastic set of Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. Hydraulic disc brakes may be a little more difficult to maintain as opposed to mechanical brakes, but they are far worth it in my opinion. The immediate stopping power is a much welcome asset, especially in a 28mph setup such as this. The brakes here are 180mm dual piston disc rotors in both the front and rear, complimented well by motor inhibitors that cut power to the motor as soon as you squeeze the brakes.
Powering the bike is a lithium ion battery at 48v 14ah. With the combination of the voltage and amp hours, I would consider a very high capacity pack. The battery is easy to get in and out of the frame and is protected by lock and key. It also has an LED light on it that shows respective power levels with a 4 dot LED indicator if you are wondering how much juice is left without needing to turn on the bike. I love that it comes with a 1.4lb 2.5amp charger. This is a little lighter than most so it’s easy to carry, and a little faster than a 2amp, so you get a slightly quicker charge versus a 2amp. Still not as fast as 3, 4, or 5 amp, but it will help give the battery cells longer life. 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.
The display on the Geneva is nice, large and easy to read. To begin, just hold the power button on the little control pad near the left grip. It activates the display and you get several readouts including assist level, current speed, and battery capacity. Pressing power one time will activate backlighting on the LCD display and holding the + button constantly will activate walk mode (which can be handy if you need to to ascend a ramp, make your way through a walk-only space, or even climb stairs). The display can show different menus if you press the set button, a nice feature to dive in a little more. I like the size and position of the display, you can even angle it forward and back to reduce reflection glare, but it is not removable. For those who plan on commuting, it might be worth strapping your helmet over the display to keep people from noticing or scratching it, and also protecting it from the sun, while parked at racks. Overall, I would still call this display panel and accompanying button pad above average, I love that it can be angled to reduce glare and feel that it looks beautiful and is well sealed against water… but to clean the bike it is recommended to use a damp cloth vs. spraying it. Don’t ever submerge the bike components or spray them hard.
The Geneva is comfortable and capable, great for both longer stretches of commuting and neighborhood cruising. As with any bike, there are bound to be some tradeoffs. For example, the tires here have no puncture protection or reflective sidewall stripes, something you are seeing in more ebikes, especially commuter versions. I appreciate they added an adjustable angle stem, but it is one of the cheaper parts, so be sure to keep it nice and tight without stripping that adjustment bolt. And finally, the biggest trade off would be no shift detection with this motor. The MD250 is a awesome motor, and I love that this bike is capable of 28mph, however, ease off a bit when you are shifting at high rates of speed so the mechanical system can catch a break. Tradeoffs aside, I loved spending time with the bike and could see it working for a number of people. EG has been around for years now as a family company and they have a real passion and loyal following on their ebikes. 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:
- A speedy and comfortable commuter that has cruiser elements, built for speed with 28mph top speed, 700c tires, and built for comfort with fork, saddle, grips, and handlebars
- This is a beautiful bike and in person just looks stellar, the paint matched fork and plastic chain cover work really well against the black accents of the plastic fenders, rack, tires, and spokes
- The frame has a thick downtube that houses the battery and another reinforced downtube on top of that that reduces frame flex and keeps everything tight
- I love the SR SunTour fork with roughly 63mm of travel, hydraulic lockout, and a preload adjust under the the plastic cap, they work well with the set of Kenda 700c’s, so you should have a pretty smooth and efficient ride on paved roads and trails
- Features a rear bolt on rack with standard gage tubing, it has a max weight capacity of 55lbs, and is adjustable as well
- Has battery integrated lights as well in both the front and back, the rear light is my favorite, since it acts as an active brake light when you press the brake levers…this even works with the lights turned off!
- The MD250 mid-drive has both cadence based and torque based pedal assist, there is a thumb throttle on the left, the throttle acts as an override and can take you to about 20mph while the pedal assist will assist you up to 28mph, so technically, this is a speed pedelec, great for commuting and getting to work if you are running late
- Tektro hydraulic disc brakes are a big win here, the immediate stopping power works great with the 28mph top speed, and it even has motor inhibitors that cut power to the motor when you press the brakes
- At 48v 14ah, the combination of the voltage and amp hours, I would consider a very high capacity pack, comes with a 2.5amp charger so a little faster than basic 2amp chargers out there
- Display is nice and easy to read, center mounted, and can operate the lights, walk mode, and a number of settings
- A number of features like fenders, bottle cage bosses, aluminum alloy platform pedals, and a kickstand mounted in the rear to eliminate annoying pedal lock when reversing
Cons:
- The tires here are nice, smooth and efficient, but they do lack both puncture protection as well as reflective sidewall striping, something a lot of commuter bikes are adding these days
- I appreciate they added an adjustable angle stem, but it is one of the cheaper parts, so be sure to keep it nice and tight without stripping that adjustment bolt
- The MD250 is a awesome motor, and I love that this bike is capable of 28mph, however, there is no shift detection present, so make sure to ease off a bit when you are shifting at high rates of speed so the mechanical system can catch a break
- Integrated lights are a great bonus, but the headlight is mounted on the suspension fork, so you could get some bounce on that if you’re going up and over bumps
- The large display here is not removable, so it can be exposed to the elements or advertise to thieves at a bike rack that you have an electric bike, I would recommend covering it with your helmet when it is parked
Resources:
Sidney Grissom
5 years agoHi! Where can I order one from? Thanks
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHey Sidney! Perhaps you can visit the official EG website to find a local dealer. Alternatively, if you cannot find one, I’d suggest calling Sam at the Electric Bicycle Center to ask if they can ship one to you. He’s really nice and has done that in the past for people, I filmed this review at his shop, so I know they carry them :)
ReplyPat Pitarra
4 years agoMy husband and I recently purchased this bike. We are thoroughly enjoying it but have seen vast differences in the battery meters. The one on the display does not lose any bars even after 25 miles, but on my battery, it will go down 1 bar. I am using PAS and thought display should be down a little according to user guide. Do you think there is a problem with my display?
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Pat! Well, I’m glad that you haven’t been stranded due to a fully exhausted battery. It sounds like the display or battery pack charge level indicator are using different measurement techniques. Usually, there’s a simple voltage meter and it’s set to show full/empty based on voltage. Seeing 5/5 bars or 100% is a conversion from voltage to a readout, and sometimes the cheaper displays aren’t as sensitive or calibrated perfectly. I’m not surprised that there’s a difference… but it doesn’t mean that one indicator is broken. I’d probably trust the indicator on the actual battery pack more than the display itself. Displays can be chosen much further along in the design process and might not be calibrated as precisely because they are often shared across many models. I hope this helps!
ReplyBrian Spilker
3 years agoYou stated: With the combination of the voltage and amp hours, I would consider a very high capacity pack.
What does that mean? You consider that the offered system is a “high capacity pack” or that the consumer should consider adding a “high capacity pack”? What is a high capacity pack? Have you looked at the EG Maui 500 MX? They seem very similar and one I am considering.
ReplyCourt
3 years agoHi Brian! The watt hours for this pack is 672wh which was above average for the time (and is still very good). That means it has a higher than average capacity or size (for greater range). Also, the voltage is very good at 48v vs. many competing products that run at 36 volts. So basically, you get more power and good range here. I have reviewed the EG Maui 500 MX, but it was done in 2017 and I’m not sure how much has changed. Here’s that review if you’re curious!
ReplyBRIAN SPILKER
3 years agoThanks for the reply and clarification. The review you did on the Maui was an EX version. It is all new and more similar to the Geneva MX above and also an MX model. The primary difference I am most interested in is that the Maui has a pedal forward design for better cruising. But almost all other specs are very similar.