ElectroBike Cross Review

The Cross is my second favorite e-bike model from ElectroBike (at least at the time of this review) because it looks beautiful, almost like a regular bicycle, and it’s relatively cheap… like most of their products. Cheap means you aren’t breaking the bank but you also aren’t getting the same premium or even mid-grade parts. I have no idea who makes the motor and battery but both offer average performance at 350 watts nominal on the geared hub and 36 volts ~10 amp hours on the battery. Again, that’s average and for an active rider it’s probably plenty in exchange for lighter weight. I love that the battery pack is integrated into the downtube and that it features bottle cage bosses on top so you can add a water bottle rack, folding lock or mini-pump. This electric bike truly is a “cross” in the sense that it’s also setup well for urban riding… there are rear rack bosses, a kickstand, integrated LED headlight and ergonomic grips. The suspension fork and seat post shock improve comfort on or off-road and it has a lock-out adjust so you can reduce bob and energy loss if you’re on pavement the entire way. Great features all around.

I was really impressed with the cross and enjoyed testing it because the frame fit me pretty well (I’m 5’9″ and ~135 lbs) but that’s not going to be the case for everyone. There is only one size available at ~17 which is on the small/medium end. You get two color choices and I’d probably opt for white to improve visibility at night. This is the kind of bike I’d ride to work and have fun cutting across dirt paths and possibly doing weekend trail rides with. The motor felt a bit under powered for steeper ascents but the 10 magnet cadence sensor performed much better than the lower end ElectroBikes that only had 5. The brake levers have motor inhibitors and you get 21 speeds (with shifters on the left and right cleanly integrated into the brake levers). That’s more speeds than I usually see and on the one hand it sounds nice and indeed will provide a wider range of pedaling speeds, but it also means increased maintenance. Given the entry level Shimano Tourney derailleur I’m not sure 21 was necessary vs. 14 but that’s alright.

For me, the biggest trade off with this electric bicycle is that you get both throttle and pedal assist but the throttle is limited by the level of pedal assist that you choose! Why have a variable speed throttle mechanism if you cannot use it to choose your speed and power? For me this meant frequently riding in assist level 5 so I could access all of the bikes power with the throttle but occasionally I’d pedal forward and forget about assist, finding myself destabilized and a bit surprised. My personal preference is to ride in assist level 2 or 3 and use throttle up to the max when passing fellow riders or topping small hills. At least the throttle mechanism is a trigger vs. a half-twist because that allows the grip to be solid and reliable which is important for bumpy terrain. So there’s definitely room for improvement with this ebike but with many hardtail electric bikes Foregoing throttles in 2016 this is still a unique offering and one that’s well priced.

Pros:

• Nice suspension fork, it offered a good amount of travel and rode smooth off curbs and over bumps, I like that it can also be locked out for improved efficiency riding on flat surfaces
• The suspension seat post on the Cross might be a little nicer than the Promax posts used on the other ElectroBike models and adds even more comfort, I also like the locking ergonomic grips which are wider and more comfortable
• Locking removable battery (that does not require the key to be left it!) which is great for reducing weight during transport or charging at the office when your bike is locked outside at the rack
• Trail ready tires, nothing too fancy but the tread provides decent traction and helps to absorb bumps, I like that the front wheel has quick release for doing trail maintenance or making the bike smaller when storing in the back of a car
• This electric bike actually has threaded bosses integrated onto the top of the battery pack for mounting a water bottle cage, mini pump or lock! There are even mounting points on the seat stays for adding a standard rack if you wanted to use this as a commuter
• Utilitarian extras like the kickstand and integrated headlight are useful and make the bike more versatile… it’s not a hard core mountain bike so I’m glad they included these extras because I the extra weight is outweighed by the convenience and safety they offer
• The cadence sensor used on this model has 10 magnets and is much more responsive than some of the other ElectroBikes (that use 5 magnets), this is important for off-road use where terrain might become unstable and the path could be narrow and rigorous
• ElectroBike has 30+ franchise dealers in Mexico and the US where you could rent the Cross e-bike or buy it without having to pay shipping, you can also order online and it’s only $50 to ship within the continental USA
• Nicer Shimano shifters + brake levers with motor inhibitors! This keeps the handlebar area clean compared with some ebikes that have separated system, considering it’s a 21 speed the cockpit was clear and intuitive to use, even the LCD display panel was minimal and stayed out of the way
• This is an electric bike that blends in, the hub motor is fairly small and concealed by the disc brake rotor and cassette and the battery is integrated so it wouldn’t raise suspension the same way some other ebikes might

Cons:

• It’s great that the battery is integrated into the downtube, this is clearly a purpose-built electric bike but I was bummed that the brake cables and electrical wires were not run through the frame – just tacked on along the top tube and down tube
• Generic hub motor and battery cells, I’m not sure who makes them or what kind of longevity they will offer but at least you get a one year warranty
• The pedals are pretty lame, while they do offer a decent area for your foot to press down I felt that they were slippery and possibly made of plastic vs. metal, consider replacing with Wellgos like these if you cycle in a wet environment or plan to go off-road more frequently
• No throttle-only mode on this system, I love that you get pedal assist and throttle mode (and that the throttle is trigger here vs. grip-twist since you might be going off-road and need to really hold on) but was disappointed that throttle power is limited by the assist level you choose
• The display panel was not removable but I like that it’s backlit, the mechanical disc brakes use more generic parts and are on the smaller side (which is alright given the medium-sized frame that only comes in one size), the derailleur is also bottom of the line (Shimano Tourney)
• All of the ElectroBikes I tested out seemed to have their brake levers operating the reverse brake of what I expected, usually the left brake is for the front and the right brake is for the rear in the USA but that was switched here and might take some getting used to or potentially be a hazard for tight situations off-road where instincts kick in
• While the bike is only available in one frame style (high step) and one size, it does come in two colors (and the pedals and light housing are colored to match…) and the diamond frame is going to be stiffer and easier to use with some hanging style bicycle racks

Resources:

• Official Site: http://store.electrobike.com/products/cross-350w-the-electric-mountain-bike
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/TFHVXUgx7rTGWu6P6