The Magnos State of the Art Folding Electric Bike (or just Magnos) is truly impressive and probably my favorite model in the ElectroBike line. That’s because it delivers above average performance, includes great accessories like fenders, racks and integrated lights and is built around cast wheels vs. using spokes. All this for ~$1,300 and you get a year long warranty! ElectroBike is a Mexican ebike company that started in 2012 and has since expanded to 25 stores in Mexico and ~5 in the USA. I visited their flagship store in Santa Monica for this review and had the opportunity to test ride the smaller, lighter weight Alfa+ and came away convinced that the additional $300 for the Magnos is well worth it… unless you really want the smaller frame because you’re a shorter more petite rider.
While the Magnos electric bike opts for a smaller 250 watt geared motor (verses 350 on many of the newer folding e-bikes I’ve been reviewing), it performs quite well and is actually into the rear wheel which adds a lot of protection and improves the aesthetic. The battery is average sized with 36 volts of power and 9 amp hours of capacity and while not fully integrated into the frame, still handsome in black sliding just behind the seat tube. Taking it off is quick and easy with the cool flip-up Velo Comfort saddle. Adding more comfort is a Top Gun suspension fork… it’s pretty basic without lockout but way better than nothing and the ergonomic grips are nice.
This bike offers pedal assist, throttle mode and has a nicer LCD display panel showing battery level, speed, odometer and other stats. It’s not removable but the small size and black bezel blends in with the frame. The Magnos model comes in two colors and I was riding the metallic gray with red accents, the other is matte black like some of the other ElectroBikes. I tend to prefer white for increased visibility but love that this bike comes with two integrated lights that both run off of the main battery. that’s a huge deal to me, something that’s difficult to accomplish with aftermarket parts. You also get a seven speed drivetrain which is plenty for a small folder and the derailleur is an entry level Shimano Tourney. For the money, you get a lot with this bike and it could perform well around the neighborhood, through the city or as a short-distance commuter.
Pros:
- Even though this is not the cheapest folding bike from ElectroBike I still consider it to be very affordable and appreciate the upgraded display panel, extra gears and much nicer wheelset vs. the Alfa+ model
- Cast metallic wheels (not sue if they’re Magnesium or Aluminum?) add a lot of strength for heavier riders or rough environments including transport of the bike
- The battery pack is locking and removable, I found that it was much easier to take off of the bike than the Alfa+ model and appreciate the flip-up swivel design of the Velo Plush saddle
- The display panel is small, easy to reach and backlit for use in dim or dark environments, you get two integrated LED lights as well so this thing could work well for commuting when seasons change and you want to stay visible
- Comfort is improved with a basic TopGun suspension fork and a pair of ergonomic grips, neither are super high quality but they do improve the ride substantially in my opinion
- Increased utility with full length plastic fenders (lighter and less likely to bend than steel) and a rear carry rack with standard sized tubing and a spring latch for small cargo, consider a trunk bag like this for more room and carrying a water bottle
- Awesome pedals for a folding electric bike! these are oversized Aluminum alloy Wellgo brand pedals that improve traction and power delivery vs. the more standard, basic plastic pedals I see a lot
- Several nice little extras including a bottom bracket guard, plastic chain guide and flick bell… the charger they include is compact and light weight at less than one pound for easy transport along with the bike
- The 12 magnet cadence sensor is much more responsive than the 5 magnet design on some of the other ElectroBikes, it starts and stops quickly as you pedal and the brake levers also feature inhibitors so you can override the system and stop effectively
- Mechanical disc brakes with good sized 160 mm rotors (good for a folding bike), this is a huge upgrade from the v-brakes and drum brakes on some of the other ElectroBikes such as the Alpha+
- The cockpit stays very clean with the smaller display and trigger throttle vs. half-grip twist, I like that they included a bell and prefer the upgraded Shimano shifters that are black to match
Cons:
- The key has to remain in the battery pack in order to power it on and use the electric drive systems and lights which bugs me because they can jingle or snag on your feet/leg when pedaling
- The battery has a second locking core near the base on the left which has to be unlocked to be removed from the frame and I found that sliding it up with the key still inserted can lead to bending the key so make sure you take it out… at least you use the same key for powering the bike and unlocking the battery here vs. the Alfa+ which uses two separate keys making it easier to lose etc.
- For some, the 250 watt motor might be weaker than desired given that there are now more 350 watt rated folding ebikes but this one performed well for me when climbing hills
- The folding mechanism on the stem is more basic than some of the other bikes I’ve tested recently that have secondary locks, it still felt solid to me and was intuitive to fold
- No throttle-only model in assist level zero, you have to be using one of the five levels and that also impacts how much throttle power you have access to which is a bummer given the variable-speed nature of the trigger interface
- This is one of the heavier folding electric bikes I’ve tested… though it feels tougher due to the metal wheels, I think the suspension fork, rack and fenders just add those extra few pounds
Resources:
- Official Site: http://store.electrobike.com/products/magnos-state-of-the-art-folding-electric-bike
- More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/EgB3YMAQWbLfspfG9
Gerardo Lopez says
Hey, great review! According to Electrobike dealers they have updated this bike to 350W, what do you think about that?
Court Rye says
Nice! Thanks for the update Gerardo, I really liked the cast wheels and fenders on this bike and I’m sure some larger riders will appreciate the power upgrade from the motor :)
Gerardo Lopez says
Just bought one, and I must say that thing is powerful indeed. I am a pretty big guy and the bike rides very nicely even on hills!
Gerardo Lopez says
I was thinking about the lifespan of a motor like this bike has, do you know anything about it?
Court Rye says
Hi Gerardo, I believe it runs a geared hub which means there are more moving parts than a gearless design but given the cast metal wheel casing I think it could last several years… unless you try to force it to carry heavier loads or climb very steep hills all on its own. I have never had a planetary geared hub motor go out on me personally. You could ask in the forums, specifically ask Ann M. who used to run an ebike shop what her experiences have been :)
Juanelo says
If I get a flat tire with this bike, is it easy to remove the tire to fix it?
Court Rye says
Hi Juanelo, I believe that changing a flat tire on this ebike would be about the same as any other. Though it does not have quick-release, you could easily remove the wheels using a wrench and then pull the tire off using tire levers. From here, you’d pull out the old inner-tube and replace it with another of the same size and type (20″ with Schrader valve). I hope this answers your question and helps!
Richard says
Geat review and much appreciated. Here in the UK it’s called a Commute by Eco Volts and I’ve had problems finding independent info on this model. I’m very pleased with it. Great bike and love it to bits. Cheers, Richard.
Court Rye says
Well, cool! Thanks for the feedback Richard, I am so glad that my work here on EBR has matched your experience and provided a good resource for reflection or feedback on the bike. Enjoy the ride :D
Eddie Podolsky says
I see other e-bikes that mention a rating scale for the amount of pulling power the bike puts out. I have not seen that information for the Magnos
Court Rye says
Sorry about that Eddie, I was not given any information from the company (actually, never even reached them). So I cannot say for sure, but would guess that it’s between 25 Nm and 40 Nm (probably the lower end) because it’s such a small efficient hub motor :)
William says
I suspect that I am having a problem where the battery connects to the frame, causing unexpected loss of power turning the bike off as if I had switched off the key. Do you have a remedy for this? Thanks, William
Court says
Hmm, since this ebike uses the silverfish style battery pack, you could search around using that term. I have noticed that these packs can bounce around and create noise while riding (since there’s so much weight in the pack, all pushing down onto the base where the pins are). Maybe the interface has simply gotten loose over time? Perhaps there’s also some corrosion or dust/dirt/mud in there that could be cleaned out. I don’t have any particular recommendations, but you could search online for electronics cleaner or other advice for cleaning batteries on lawn mowers, jet skis etc. that get exposed to outdoor use. These are my two thoughts… hope it helps William!
SILVIO GARCES says
Hello I need to buy the battery of this bike, you can help me with this requirement. or they can direct me to whom I can contact to buy the battery.
Court says
Hi Silvio! I don’t sell parts, but you could try to reach ElectroBike, or contact a battery repacking company such as FTH Power in California. I hope this helps!
SILVIO GARCES says
Hello, your help would be very good for me, please if you can give me that information.