The Daedalus from Emazing Bike is an efficient, light weight city style electric bike that offers a more aggressive ride but feels great to pedal. That’s important because it only offers pedal assist, no throttle mode. It comes in three flavors including the 72pd and vd (the difference is disc brake vs. v-brake) and 12pv (which only offers one speed instead of seven on the 72 models and uses a v-brake). Each of these models runs on a modest 250 watt geared hub motor and a combination of cadence and torque sensing assist that extend range and offer a smooth ride. It’s a fun bike that’s well balanced and available in four frame sizes for improved fit.
At 250 watts, the geared hub motor design on the Daedalus isn’t the most powerful offering out there but it’s actually quite satisfying to ride. This is because it can only be activated through pedal assist which means you’re helping with torque and acceleration. The fact that it’s geared also increases the sense of power all while keeping it small and light weight. This is a theme that carries throughout the bike; it’s nimble, responsive and feels great for a more active rider who isn’t looking for a scooter so much as an assisted bicycle.
The battery pack driving that motor offers 36 volts of power with about 9 amp hours of capacity. That’s pretty solid, maybe a medium-large size for such an efficient motor. The battery chemistry is Lithium Nickel Oxide, similar to what’s used in laptops and cell phones. Characteristics include high energy density (making it light weight) and good life (meaning it can endure many charge cycles before degrading). In an ideal world the battery would be integrated directly into the tubing on the bicycle creating space for a bottle cage and just cleaning it up a bit (the battery pack did rattle a bit during my test rides). Ultimately, the canister design they chose offers the same low and balanced weight but is easier to remove and more affordable than an integrated design. Considering the low price of the bike I’m okay with this trade off and appreciate that it locks to the frame.
The Daedalus electric bikes from Emazing bike are some of the best budget offerings I’ve tried and the company is super friendly and responsive. I love that they offer a couple of colors (black and white) with so many frame size options. The disc brake on the pd model versus the v-brake on the vd model is a minor upgrade for the $100 price difference (especially since it’s only on the front wheel) but it does improve stopping ability. The kickstand is solid, the aluminum bash guard protects the front sprocket and keeps your pants clean. There are lots of ways this bike could be further improved including a chain guard, fenders, rear rack, lights, ergo grips, metal pedals and a throttle but for the low price it’s very functional. I do wish there were braze ons added to the seat stays so a rack could be easier to add.
If you’re an active individual who doesn’t mind a stiffer ride, more like a road bike, this could be a great fit. Just keep in mind the 27.5″ wheels and narrower tires combined with the road seat and consider the longer distances and higher top speeds that electric bike riders tend to achieve. You could always add a Thudbuster seat post shock to smooth it out a bit.
Pros:
- Extremely light weight at ~36 pounds (depending on frame size)
- Larger wheels, commuter tires and stiff frame and fork are efficient, great range up to 70 miles per charge
- Battery pack is removable for convenient charging on or off the bike
- Relatively affordable with mid-level components that should hold up well
- Available in four frame sizes including S, M, L and XL for a great fit
- Feels good to pedal, designed for active riding and a more aggressive body position
- Frame manufactured in Taiwan, company has 50 years of experience
- High energy density Nickle Magnesium Cobalt battery chemistry offers high energy density, also durable for 1,000+ charge cycles if cared for
- Available in black or white color, clean unassuming frame design looks nice
- Aluminum bash guard on front chain ring protects the sprocket and keeps pants from getting snagged
- Uses a combination of torque and cadence sensing for smoother electric assist
Cons:
- No mounting points for water bottle cage, space is occupied by battery pack
- Disc brake on front wheel only, V-brake on rear (newer models may feature rear disc)
- Canister style battery pack can rattle when riding over cracks and bumps
- The 72pd offers pedal assist only, no twist or trigger throttle
- Larger wheels, harder seat, no suspension fork for an efficient but less comfortable ride
Resources:
- Official Site: https://electricbikereview.com/emazing-bike/daedalus-72pd/
- More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/SzwiMznZFAh9aqof6
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