A lightweight cruiser style e-bike with classic cantilever frame style, reinforced top tube, good weight distribution, available in two sizes and two colors
Beautiful tubular alloy fenders with matching paint, sturdy chainring guard and plastic guide to keep the chain on track and reduce snags, 180 mm mechanical disc brakes
No suspension but the swept back bars, adjustable stem, ergonomic grips, plush saddle, and medium sized tires feel decent, very little rattling, has bottle cage bosses
Very basic display which is not super accurate, must pedal to activate the throttle (and it only works in assist level 5), smaller than average battery capacity, two-part charger, limited dealer network
The Coeus 73h3h is a lightweight cruiser style electric bike from Emazing Bike. This is a company that is based in the San Francisco, Bay Area, and sells through a network of dealers on the West Coast. I have long appreciated their product because of how lightweight and nimble they are, despite having tubular alloy fenders, the Coeus saves weight with a lower capacity battery pack, average-power 350 watt hub motor, and no suspension fork. My ride tests felt comfortable enough, thanks to the adjustable stem (which allows you to bring the handlebar up and back), the ergonomic grips, and plush saddle. What the Coeus lacks in power and range, it makes up for in efficiency… and a unique throttle design. Offering five levels of assist, the bike responds to both pedal speed and torque. It feels fluid, accurate, and very satisfying. The throttle, on the other hand, is less satisfying because it only works in assist level 5 and you have to pedal while twisting at first in order for it to activate. What this means in practice, is that you have to exert your own leg force when starting from standstill and only then, get additional support. You need to arrow up to five and then pedal and twist to get the support, it’s just not available as easily or immediately as I would prefer. But again, the upside is that you’ll use less battery power and be much less likely to accidentally activate the throttle when mounting/dismounting. The 73h3h label stands for seven speed, 350 watt motor, hybrid frame, 36 volt battery, hi-tech battery. You can use this same interpretation to understand some of their other e-bike products as well. The names of Emazing Bikes are inspired by Greek Gods and the Coeus is named after a Titan. I tested the size medium in blue but they also offer a size large and have a bright green color choice as well.
The electronic systems on this bike are efficient and value-oriented. You get a 350 watt planetary geared hub motor, encased in a black alloy shell, that is lightweight and efficient… but not super powerful. Enabling this hub is a smaller-than-average 36 volt 8.7 amp hour battery pack, also encased in black alloy. This is definitely a purpose-built electric bike and you can see that in how the cables are run through the frame vs. tacked onto the outside, how the controller is built into the base of the downtube for protection, and even how the black wheelset matches the spokes and hub allowing them to blend together. The battery pack does stand out, but it’s nicer than some of the older silver packs that Emazing Bikes used to use. You can easily charge it on the frame, but if you decide to take it off for charging, you will need to use the included dongle adapter that simulates the mounting interface from the bike. Doing this requires extra time and some mental bandwith because I feel like it would be easy to leave the charger in one place (perhaps near the bike) and the dongle adapter in the box or in a closet somewhere. If you lose that dongle adapter, you will only be able to charge the battery when mounted to the bike and that means bringing the bike inside possibly. You might solve this by attaching the dongle more permanently to the battery charger with a zip tie. So, coming back to how these systems work together, you have an efficient motor running off of a smaller battery that works pretty well if you’re alright with pedaling frequently. The combination of 12 magnet cadence sensor and TMM4 strain gauge near at the rear provides a great feeling of control, but there are only seven gears to work with and the derailleur is base-level from Shimano. This in and of itself is not a bad thing, but you cannot do multi-shifts and it just doesn’t feel as crips, the sprocket range is also more limited so the 0 to 20 mph assisted range is where you’ll probably be most comfortable pedaling. All of this considered, I feel that the $1,800 price point is a bit high. The warranty is excellent, with 2 years comprehensive and 5 years on the frame, but many of the parts being used are just old-school or more basic than what’s available now from a wide range of companies.
One such part, is the display panel. This thing is a bit smaller, and therefore more difficult to read, not removable (so it could take wear at the rack and when parked outside), and just not very accurate. Once the battery has been charged and mounted, just hold the middle button on the control pad and the display blinks to life. From here, you can arrow up or down to increase pedal assist, 0 to 5, or you can hold the down button to activate walk mode. In my experience, walk model was zippy, then nearly shut off, then zipped up to speed again when I let go? I discovered that holding up and mode together would turn on the display backlighting, and that if I held up and down simultaneously it entered the settings menu. From here, you can adjust the clock, top speed, units (mph or kph), wheel diameter, and backlight brightness. Perhaps the biggest gripe I have about the display is how it communicates battery level. You only get four bars and they sagged all the way from four to one while I was using the throttle on a flat paved street… and then jumped back up to four when I stopped. I believe this display is measuring battery voltage instead of amp hours used and that means it is far less accurate and could leave you guessing. However, for a bike that rides efficiently and isn’t so heavy at ~45 lbs, it’s not such a big deal to run the battery out and pedal under leg power alone.
There are some things I really like about the Emazing Bikes, the advanced cadence+assist being one of them. So many companies are going for bigger, more powerful, and heavier… but I’m a fit lightweight guy. I prefer this kind of electric bike that can occasionally boost me up a hill or just take the edge off of a windy day. I like that the price is relatively low, but feel that it could be lower given the basic components. The color, the fenders, the two frame sizes are all great! But there seems to be a limited network of dealers to take test rides at right now. Some other highlights for me include the puncture resistant tires, reinforced top tube with plat gussets for stiffness, the adjustable-length kickstand that is rear-mounted to stay clear of the left crank arm, reinforced rims and spokes, and the 180 mm mechanical disc brakes. Big thanks to Emazing Bike for partnering with me on this post and to ELV Motors in Santa Clara, California for letting me review some of their showroom models. They are one of the dealers that carry this line of bikes and the surrounding neighborhoods are perfect for test riding.
Pros:
Weighing in at around 45 lbs, this is one of the lightest cruiser style electric bikes I have reviewed, especially considering it has alloy fenders! I think the doubled top-tube and flat plat gussets near the head tube allow it to be sturdy and stiff but weigh less than some other cruiser designs
Two frame colors and two frame sizes to choose from here, so you can dial in the look and fit to make this yor own or get a complimentary pair… however the frame only comes in high-step so it might be too tall for some riders or people who want to wear skirts or dresses
Some of the other Emazing electric bikes did not have bottle cage bosses, but the Coeus does! this is handy for bringing liquids, a mini pump, or folding lock accessory without having to install a rear rack
The fenders are stiffer and less noisy than most plastic or single-sheet alloy fenders I have tested on other bikes, these are tubular fenders with a double layer for improved strength and durability, I like that they match the frame color perfectly
I like that the tires offer some puncture protection, changing a flat on an electric bike is no fun… it’s nice that the front wheel uses quick release but you’ll need a wrench tool for the rear
The chainring has a sturdy alloy guard and plastic guide piece that will protect your pant leg and keep the chain on track, there’s also a neoprene slap guard on the right stay to protect the paint if the chain bounces up and down on rough terrain
The Coeus 73h3h uses a purpose built frame with internally routed wires and cables, notice the squared design of the lower downtube, this is where the controller is mounted and it seems well protected
You get a higher resolution 12-magnet cadence sensor and strain sensor for fluid pedal assist as well as twist throttle operation at level 5, it’s not a perfect setup for my own preferences however because you need to pedal for a moment to get the throttle to activate… but at least it’s very smooth
The bike frame feels stiff and weight is distributed well, the hub motor doesn’t weigh a lot and the battery is positioned low and center on the frame which improves stability and handling
Nice wheelset, the black rims matche the black spokes and there are reinforcement eyelets to spread weight out and reduce any potential for cracking
This electric bike dos not have suspension, which keeps the price lower and reduces weight, but I like that they included locking ergonomic grips, a swept back handlebar, an adjustable angle stem, and a plush saddle to improve comfort, even the tires are a bit fatter which will reduce vibration, consider swapping the rigid seat post with a basic 31.6 mm suspension post like this if you want to further increase comfort (if you have a sensitive back and neck like me)
Great kickstand, I like where it’s mounted (towards the rear, out of the way of the left crank arm) and appreciate the adjustable length
Cons:
The reason this e-bike is relatively lightweight is that it has a lower capacity battery pack, no rear rack, no integrated lights, uses a weaker more “efficient” motor, and thinner tires than most of the others… these are not bad things depending on how you intend to use it
I love that the battery pack can be charged on or off the bike frame, but it’s a bummer that you need an adapter dongle to do so, be careful not to lose this cable or you will only be able to charge on the bike
The disc brakes are large and powerful but use mechanical actuation vs. hydraulic (which is easier and often has adjustable reach levers), there are no motor inhibitors built in to cut power when braking
Throttle power feels a bit limited and less zippy than some other ebikes, it cannot be activated from standstill which is a bummer because I like to get instant help after stopping at traffic signals
Seven speeds is enough for urban riding and I like the trigger shifter mechanism, but the Tourney derailleur is base model from Shimano and might not shift as crisply as Altus, Acera, Alivio, Deore or SLX
The display panel seemed more basic, you can’t remove it when parking which means that it could take more sun, rain, and scratching wear over time if you commute and I saw the battery readout drop as I rode and then rise again so it wasn’t as consistent or accurate as some other high-end products I have seen and tested which measure energy flow over time vs. voltage, the battery readout only shows four bars vs. 5 or a percentage to give more precise feedback
I have found that only a handful of shops actually carry Emazing bike and they are mostly situated on the West Coast in California, this could make it difficult to go for test rides or get service later if you live far away
I didn’t see extra threaded eyelets on the seat stays or rear droputs for adding a rack, you could still use a beam rack like this but it might get bumped side to side more easily and just doesn’t work as well in my experience
Keep an eye on the adjustable angle stem because it appears to only use one bolt and I have found that over time, depending on how hard you ride it, this could start to loosen up and then the position teeth could wear down
The stock pedals are very basic, made from plastic and not especially wide or grippy, I would probably replace them with some affordable alloy Wellgo BMX pedals like this
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