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Hi everyone! Brent here. Electric Bike Company has been around for a while, about seven years now, and they specialize in creating super clean, super customizable electric beach cruisers. The owner, Sean Lupton-Smith said a lot of folks have asked him over the years why he doesn’t branch out and create some mountain bikes or more traditional road bikes. His answer? He’s spent years developing the Model C and Model S from the ground up, designing his own frames and painstakingly selecting each component to create the absolute best beach cruisers he can. Basically, this is what Electric Bike Company excels at, and that’s what they’ve stuck to. Court reviewed the step-through version, the Model S, a few months back, and today we’re going to be talking about the traditional frame, the Model C. It should first be noted that while there is quite a bit to celebrate with this bike, it does only come in one frame size and just a handful of colors: 18 inches and black, white and red, respectively. Naturally, this is going to limit who can comfortably ride this frame, and might eliminate extra tall or extra short riders altogether. Still, there is an adjustable angle stem which can help to add or subtract a few inches to the reach, and the saddle does drop quite low, though not all the way to the bottom as the rear rack obstructs it from dropping all the way. That being said, this bike is pretty tricked out. It comes standard with some pretty sweet features like an integrated locking battery that tucks into the rear rack (which also comes stock), a front basket that attaches to the frame so it doesn’t negatively affect steering and items won’t fall out as easily during turns, steel fenders, a really nice adjustable length kickstand, hydraulic brakes, a super plush saddle, integrated headlight and taillight, rigid steel forks and steel handlebars that help absorb some of the vibration, internally routed wires and perhaps my favorite feature… a surprisingly powerful 500 watt geared hub motor with a whopping peak 1300 watts of power. Talk about oomph. Much of the trim here can be customized as well, including the seat post, cranks, stem, handlebar, rims, basket, saddle, grips, fenders and chain cover. There’s also myriad options for upgrades, including a 17.4 amp hour battery, a front basket with a sneaky second battery inside, hand-crafted wood fenders and hand-crafted leather saddle bags, a bluetooth speaker, a seat post suspension… and quite a bit more. But since this is a beach cruiser, there’s only one speed, which does considerably limit how much human power I can contribute to hill climbs. There is space and bosses to mount a derailleur, but after riding this bike for a few miles and feeling how strong the motor is, I definitely prefer the single speed. The Model C comes standard with a 56 tooth chainring and an 18 tooth cog in the rear, but if this were my bike I would probably swap that out for the optional 16 tooth cog in the rear so I’m not beating eggs anytime I try to pedal beyond 20 mph. Still, for most scenarios, the gearing is fine as is.
Electric Bike Company is a direct-order only company that delivers anywhere to the contiguous United States for a flat $225 shipping fee, anywhere in Canada for a flat $599 shipping fee, and anywhere else in the world with a quoted price depending on location. I always take a moment to lay out the potential upsides and downsides to direct-order only. Perhaps the greatest pro to direct-order only is the potential price savings. With no physical brick-and-mortar stores to maintain, the prices are typically quite a bit lower than at dealers. Electric Bike Company is no exception, with a starting price point of $1,950. Of course, with all the bells and whistles, the price can quickly climb above $3,000. But there’s some potential cons to direct-order only as well. With some companies, I’ve experienced a communication barrier and a pretty big delay between emails. With Electric Bike Company, that hasn’t been my experience at all. In part, this is due to the fact the company is located in Newport, California. The staff here is friendly, helpful and quite knowledgeable about their bikes. They also assemble just about everything in the shop as well, and while almost all the parts have been hand selected, they’re still primarily sourced from overseas. The other big potential downside with direct-order only is assembly. In many instances, assembly has been more than difficult, and at times I have had mismatched and even damaged components. As I visited Electric Bike Company in person, I can’t speak to actually unboxing one of their bikes, but I did check out how they package them and I can say confidently that the caution they take is overkill… but that’s a good thing! Last, but certainly not least, ordering from direct-order only companies means I can’t test ride the bike before purchasing it. It seems Electric Bike Company has thought of that as well though and done their best to negate it. They offer a no questions asked 30-day return policy (they’ll even pay the shipping back) so long as the customer has the original box. Furthermore, if I ordered this bike and decided to keep it, they also offer a five-year comprehensive warranty and a 10-year warranty on the motor and frame. In my opinion, this is above and beyond. But to me, what stands out most about this bike is the little details, things that might go overlooked at first blush, but really shine upon closer inspection. This bike is like the Fonz’ hair — nothing is out of place. From the paint finish to the stitching on the leather grips and saddle, the internally routed wires to the matching trim, it’s all just so clean. These guys have really gone the extra mile to create a finely finished electric cruiser and it shows. So, let’s dive into the specs!
Driving this bike to top pedal assist speed of 28 mph and a top throttle only speed of 20 mph is a 500 watt planetary geared hub motor rated at 500 watts of nominal power with 1,280 watts of peak power. And this bike can move! I weigh about 190 pounds and typically carry about 30 pounds of camera gear with me, and even with all that weight I was able to swiftly and easily hit the top speed. I was also surprised at just how easily I breezed up some of the steeper hills in Newport. This is definitely one of the most, if not the most, powerful 500 watt motors I’ve tested thus far. However, and this is a big “however,” out of the box the Model C is a class 3 electric bike and will be illegal to ride in many areas. I strongly advise checking with local and state laws to see where this bike can be legally ridden. Thankfully, it’s not too difficult to limit the top speed in the settings, which I’ll discuss here in just a bit. So this might be an option for those who still want to take this bike on the open road, but maybe don’t feel comfortable with 28 mph top speed. I did test this bike at top speed and even without suspension, the ride is pretty comfortable and incredibly stable. The rigid steel forks and steel handlebars help absorb some of the vibration that would otherwise have to be soaked up by me, and the cushy leather saddle with rubber bumpers and sweptback handlebars make for a confident ride as well. Because the handlebars are so wide though, it’s easy to scrape the side of a car or even a wall when zipping through traffic or along a sidewalk. The motor itself isn’t too loud, but I can definitely hear it humming when it’s under heavy strain. Another potential downside to this more powerful motor is it’s going to be more of a power gulper as opposed to a power sipper, especially if I’m keeping it pegged up near the 28 mph mark. The standard 11.6 amp hour battery already offers higher than average capacity, but the optional 17.4 amp hour battery might be a good upgrade point for those (like myself) who like to ride hard but also keep a distance range. The Model C comes with an 8-magnet cadence sensor, and while I normally like to grip about cadence sensors, this one is admittedly pretty responsive, which is surprising since it’s only an 8-magnet as opposed to a higher resolution 12 magnet cadence sensor. The motor kicks on pretty quickly, but there is a bit more lag when it comes to it shutting off. After a few miles I ended up keeping it in pedal assist level 1 and then just using the throttle to override when I needed it. Pedal assist level 5 is almost too powerful for me anyway. Also, if I need to, I can use the motor inhibitors to instantly cut power by depressing either of the brake levers. I love this functionality as it’s a great safety feature, especially for a bike like this that can travel so fast. Another great safety feature of the Model C are the brakes. They’re hydraulic with 180 mm discs and Electric Bike Company bleeds the lines and calibrates them in their shop. So this means there’s zero rub and they’re pretty much perfectly centered. The stopping power here is quite good.
Powering the integrated headlight and taillight and fixed LCD display is a 48 volt 11.6 amp hour battery with 556.8 watt hours of juice, or 835.2 watt hours for the larger 17.4 amp hour battery. Both batteries are housed in the same case, but the smaller one is a bit lighter. The battery itself is a locking removable battery that slips beneath the rear rack, leaving the rack itself free to be used for cargo. The battery is another of those points where Electric Bike Company really went the extra mile. Not only do they individually fuse each cell, they also have two separate temperature sensors to maximize safety. Aside from the above-average tech, the housing itself is pretty unique and includes a retractable power cord that can be used to charge the battery. The integrated charger has a 1.8 amp output, but they also have a 5 amp fast charger for an additional $99 for those who want to get back to riding more quickly. This is the first time I’ve seen an integrated charger like this and honestly it was pretty cool. The only real downside to this battery is the location. While stowing it in the rear rack keeps the frame looking clean, the weight of the battery in conjunction with the weight of the motor in the rear wheel makes for a very back heavy electric bike. And since this bike weighs in at a hefty 69.2 pounds, carrying it around feels unwieldy and difficult. Thankfully, the throttle is live at 0 mph in assist levels 1-5, so I can use the throttle to feather the Model C up stairs. There’s also a 4-tick battery level indicator on the battery itself, but unfortunately there’s no USB port to power accessories on the go. There is, however, a full size USB Type A port behind the display, so that’s nice. For those who really want juice to spare, Electric Bike Company also offers an additional battery that integrates into the front basket. Not only would this help balance the bike out some, it would almost double the range and offer a ridiculous 34.8 amp hours. Of course, this option would also eat into the available space offered by the front basket. But then, Electric Bike Company also offers a rear basket as well.
Operating the Model C is pretty straightforward. With the switch on the battery turned on, a long press of the power button on the independent control center will bring it life. The display itself is basic, but effective, offering all the pertinent information in a clean and concise way on a screen that’s easily viewable in direct sunlight. However, the display can’t be angled to reduce glare or removed without tools, which could leave it susceptible to getting scratched up at a public bike rack. Oh, on this topic, it should be noted there is an integrated alarm system with the Model C. Whenever the bike is armed, tampering with it will set off an audible alarm. This may not be enough to fend of a would-be thief, but it might help alert me to the fact someone is trying to steal my bike so long as I’m nearby. When the Model C boots up, it reverts to pedal assist level 1. I would prefer it if the display had memory and would save my previous settings — if I leave it in a particular configuration, it’s probably because that’s how I want it. Still, not a big deal. The up and down arrows switch through the pedal assist levels (0-5) and tapping the power button cycles through a few different display options like max speed, average speed, voltage, tripometer and odometer. Holding up activates the lights, and holding the down arrow toggles the pedal assist on and off. Normally holding the down arrow activates walk mode, which it appears this bike doesn’t have. This is unfortunate given how heavy it is. As promised though, let’s talk about editing the to speed. Once the bike is powered on, I have five seconds to hold the up and down arrow to enter into the settings. From there, I can tap the power button to toggle between menus and use the up and down arrows to change the values. The top pedal assist speed can be edited pretty easily from here, but getting to the throttle settings takes a bit more work. If I keep tapping the power button, eventually the screen will stop blinking. From here, if I hold the up and down arrows again, I’ll go a level deeper… bikeception if you will. In this level, if I keep tapping the power button, eventually the screen will stop blinking again and I can hold the up and down arrows again for the third level of bikception. Finally, the fourth menu in this third level is where I can edit the throttle functions. It’s set at level 2, which tops it out at 20 mph. However, if I change it to level 0, the top throttle only speed will match the top pedal assist speed. I can also turn the throttle off entirely from this menu, though I’m not sure which value is needed for that. If you haven’t seen Inception I apologize for this reference, and also urge you to watch it. :)
The Model C is one of those bikes I could just keep talking about until the end of time itself. Aside from the single frame size and somewhat limited color options, there’s quite a bit to celebrate here. The power output alone makes this bike stand apart from the crowd, but it’s the attention to detail and wide range of upgrade options that really makes it shine in my opinion. The Model C not only look beautiful, but it’s also stable and comfortable despite the lack of suspension. Almost all of the wiring is internally routed, and the finish is exceptional. Even the details that can’t be seen, like the sealed cartridges in the cranks and the stem to help with keeping moisture out (a necessity for longevity in places like Newport that are close to the sea with tons of salt in the air) are great. The Model C is supremely fun to ride and excels at what it’s supposed to: being a cruiser. This bike can hit high speeds on flat ground and even tackle some pretty serious hills, despite only having one gear. I felt stable throughout my test ride and loved how comfortable it is. This feels like a great choice for those who are looking to spend a little more money on an cruiser-style electric bike that will last for years to come. The 30-day return policy, five-year comprehensive warranty and 10-year frame and motor warranty are also way above average, especially at this price point. The saddle doesn’t drop all the way, which might make it tough for some folks to place their feet flat on the ground while stopped and still in the saddle, the headlight is located on the basket which means its not going to point where I steer, and the bike is overall quite heavy and also quite back heavy. So loading this in and out of a truck or getting it onto a bike rack might be difficult and could even result in injury. So please be careful! I want to thank Electric Bike Company for partnering with me on this review and especially Sean for having me out to Newport to get to see the shop in person. Please hit me up with any questions here, on YouTube or in the forums and I’ll do my best to answer them. If you’re going out to ride, ride safe and have fun. :)
Pros:
- Extremely clean electric bike with internally routed wires, battery that’s out of the way beneath the rear rack and handsome geometry and paint, with matching trim and tons of upgrade options
- Leather grips are high quality with nice stitching and have double lockers to prevent slipping under heavy torque, a great safety feature to ensure I don’t get hurt during a hill climb
- Handlebars are extra wide and made of steel, they provide a stable ride and help absorb some of the vibration from the road, this feels particularly relevant given how fast this bike can go, stem is adjustable angle and can be raised and lowered to adjust reach and also riding posture
- Display provides pertinent information and is easily visible even in direct sunlight, deep settings provide quite a bit of customization to the electronics, including limiting or increasing the top pedal assist and throttle only speed
- Wire management is on point with nice braided sheathing around exposed wires with connection points covered in heat shrink plastic, cables are also internally routed to help make for a clean looking bike but also helps to protect the wires from getting snagged during use
- Hydraulic brakes are powerful and effective, levers are adjustable and can be let out or brought in to customize the reach, also have motor inhibitors which cut power to the motor whenever the levers are depressed to ensure the shortest possible stopping distance
- Front basket attaches to the frame as opposed to the forks so it doesn’t tilt when turning the front wheel, this helps keep cargo inside the basket as well as eliminates resistance when turning, also the option to upgrade to a front basket with an extra battery inside
- Fron forks are steel to help soak up some of the vibration from the road and are angled forward to help reduce foot strikes when making tight turns at lower speeds, these do a good job of smoothing out the ride since the Model C doesn’t have suspension, seat post suspension can be added on though as an upgrade point
- Tires have silkworm puncture protection and tubes have puncture stop sealant to greatly minimize the risk of getting a flat while riding, 26” by 2.1” feels like a good size, and the smaller wheel diameter gives the motor a greater mechanical advantage as well, spokes are also thicker in the back to provide more support for the extra weight of the motor
- Steel fenders are rigid and don’t rattle at all while riding, they also perfectly match the paint of the frame and add to the overall clean look of the Model C
- Frame was custom designed by the ground up with help from a former NASA engineer, frame is heavy and sturdy with extra thick 3 mm aluminum to add to the rigidity, another important safety point given the high top speed, this also just helps with the overall longevity of the bike, top tube has a nice downward swooping angle to help reduce the stand over height
- Extra large 56 tooth chainring gives the Model C a pretty high gearing to help with pedaling at higher speeds, 18 tooth rear cog can also be swapped out for a 16 tooth cog to increase top pedal speed even further
- Kick stand has a dramatic angle to help keep the bike stable when deployed, kick stand is also adjustable
- Rear rack is welded to the frame as opposed to bolted to it, this makes for a cleaner look and again helps with the overall longevity of the bike
- Battery has integrated power cable that retracts and can be stowed inside the battery housing, this is great as the charger can’t be forgotten, and makes it easy to charge the battery on the go, battery also has integrated taillight that stays visible even when cargo is stowed on the rack
- 30-day no questions asked return policy, 5-year comprehensive warranty and 10-year warranty on frame and motor is far above average, almost everything on the Model C is assembled in the Newport shop ensuring the highest possible quality before being shipped out, ships fully assembled with flat rates in U.S. and Canada
- Integrated alarm system sounds off whenever someone tries to tamper with it, this might help prevent the bike from being stolen and also alert the owner in the instance someone is messing with it
Cons:
- Only one frame size seriously limits who can comfortably ride this bike and might exclude extra tall or extra short riders entirely, only three frame colors (black, white and red) is also somewhat limiting for style preferences
- Electric Bike Company is direct-order only with no physical shops aside from their headquarters in Newport, California, so potential customers can’t ride before they buy and won’t have the option of testing the bike out, direct-order only also means shipping costs can quickly add up especially for Canadian residents who will have to pay an additional $599 to have the bike delivered
- Leather grips and saddle may be offensive to some who might prefer synthetic products as opposed to animal products on their bikes
- Display can’t be adjusted or removed without tools, which means it can’t be angled to reduce glare or removed, this can result in it getting scratched when left at a public bike rack
- Integrated headlight is located on the front of the basket, which attaches to the frame, this means it won’t angle when the handlebars are turned and might make navigating in low light conditions more difficult as opposed to a headlight attached to the forks
- Steel fenders are prone to rusting when scratched all the way through to the metal, this might be especially pronounced in locations like Newport with heavier than average concentrations of salt in the air, forks, handlebars, chain cover and many of the other components are also made of steel and can also rust over time
- Model C is heavier than average at 69.2 pounds and because the battery and motor are located in the rear, it is also unwieldy and unbalanced, carrying this bike is extremely difficult and loading it into a truck or onto a bike rack might be problematic for some
- Kick stand is located in the middle of the frame resulting in pedal lock, this can make removing the bike from storage difficult and frustrating
- Saddle can’t be dropped all the way down, this might make it more difficult for some riders to place their feet flat on the ground when in the saddle and at a stop
- Cadence sensor only has 8 magnets as opposed to higher resolution cadence sensors with 10 or 12 magnets, slight delay between pedaling and motor activation and deactivation
- Single speed significantly limits how much human power can be added when climbing hills, especially at higher speeds when the cadence is super high
- Taillight doesn’t grow brighter during braking, this might make it more difficult for cars and other cyclists behind the rider to know when the bike is slowing down, later visibility is also limited with no no reflectors in the wheel spokes and no reflective sidewall
- Lots of upgrade points means the price can quickly climb from the base model, which costs $1,950
- Rear rack is welded on which means it can’t be removed, no bottle cage bosses and no other mounting options for the battery aside from the basket battery, which is another upgrade point
- Integrated charger in the battery only has 1.8 amp output which is slightly lower than the average 2 amp output, this can increase charging time
- No steel derailleur/power cable cage leave the power cable vulnerable if the bike is dropped on the right side, or if it is caught on something while riding
- Wide handlebars makes navigating between cars and on narrow sidewalks more difficult and increases the possibility of scraping a car or a wall
Resources:
RALPH FRASCONE
6 years agoI received my Model C in August. And, I have to tell you everything about this bike is awesome. It is one of the most high quality pieces of mechanical equipment I have ever owned in my life. The workmanship, fit, finish, and components are first class. The bike is very powerful and extremely comfortable. Most importantly, the customer service is beyond reproach. You will not find a better bike in this class at any price.
ReplyCourt
6 years agoWonderful, thank you so much for sharing this feedback Ralph! I wish you many fun and safe adventures :)
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