iGO Electric Core Extreme 2.0 Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by iGO. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of iGO products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the iGO Electric bike forums.

Observations:

• iGO Electric has been selling ebikes since 2006, way before EBR had even launched! I considered their products when I bought my first ebike in 2011 because they used purpose-built frames, offered free shipping in the US and Canada, and were available to answer questions via email and phone. They’re still doing a great job, and have expanded the lineup quite a bit in recent years. The Core line is their most affordable, and features an external battery packs called Kirin from Reention
• There are three Core models, all priced under $2k USD ($2.4 CAD). The Core Extreme 2.0 and Core Elite II utilize the same battery pack, which is cross-compatible. The Core Fat Freddy uses a cheaper silverfish battery pack that is fairly universal, but not cross compatible with any of the other iGO bikes. All three Core models have fenders and lights, but the Extreme 2.0 and Elite II have integrated lights front and rear as well as bottle cage bosses and adjustable angle stems. The Extreme 2.0 is a fat tire bike, while the Elite II is a more traditional 28″ x 2.75″ hybrid city tire that will be lightweight, quiet, and more efficient.

Pros:

• 100% feature-complete with everything you’d need to ride in the rain, mud, snow, or commute to work… day or night! Great plastic fenders, above-average integrated lights
• Even with the downtube mounted battery pack taking up some of the space on the frame, iGO made sure to include a set of bottle cage bosses on the seat tube! This is great, whether you use it for fluids or an accessory like folding locks or mini pumps, because you might not always want to bring a trunk bag or panniers… or wear a backpack
• iGO was definitely trying to keep this product affordable, but none of the parts are entry-level. The Shimano Altus drivetrain is one step up from base, and the Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes utilize large 180mm rotors and top-end rubberized brake levers with an integrated bell. I love these brake levers because they keep your fingers warmer than all metal, the bell is durable and happy sounding, and they both levers have motor inhibitors for extra safety when stopping
• Even though the frame only comes in one size, the adjustable height seat post and adjustable angle stem provide a wide range of options for different body sizes. Overall, the diamond frame is sturdy and stiff, which is what you want for off-road riding, the additional weight of fat tires, and especially a loaded rear rack
• At first, I thought that maybe this was a mid-drive electric bike because of the black box thing at the bottom bracket. This is actually just a storage compartment for wires and the powerful 22 amp battery controller. Separating the controller like this makes it easier to replace, keeps the battery cooler, and makes additional battery packs much less expensive because the electronics in each pack are simpler
• Inside that bottom bracket box is 32 pulse cadence sensor that is VERY responsive and durable. Most of the cadence sensors that I see and test utilize 6 or 12 magnets. They can get bumped around easily because they are external… but the electronic sensor that iGO is using seems like an upgrade and it worked well during my ride tests
• Great hardware choices on the Velo locking grips and adjustable suspension fork. You get preload and compression with lockout to really dial things in for your body weight (pre-load the spring for heavier loads) and the terrain (lock out the suspension to reduce bobbing and perform more efficiently on hard or paved surfaces
• The short stem and multiple spacers (two 10mm and one tapered 20mm) create an upright body position that allows riders to spot traffic and reduce back and neck pain… especially if the stem is set to a more upright angle
• Great attention to the little things: adjustable kickstand positioned perfectly at the rear of the bike (won’t get kicked or cause pedal lock and will support a loaded rack), rack is far back so it won’t block the seat coming all the way down, all hardware is black and matches beautifully (rims, spokes, hubs, fork, seat post, cranks, stem, handlebar etc.)
• This is a purpose-built frame with completely internal cable routing. Note that iGO is using threaded connectors with little rubber washers that are more durable and water resistant than press-fit
• The charger is pretty average, offering 2 amp output, but the fact that you can charge the battery on or off the bike means that you can store the bike in a hot or cold environment (or outside) while taking better care of the battery (store in a cool dry location and keep at least half full). This will help the battery last longer, it also means that you can reduce the weight of the bike by 3.94kg (8.7lbs) if you have to lift it onto a car rack or do repairs
• The battery connects to the frame without requiring the key, it clicks on securely and makes a sound so you know it’s safe. I like how the battery comes in from the side vs. down, because this puts the battery pack at less risk for bumping other parts of the frame… but do take extra care when handling it so it doesn’t tip all the way off and tumble to the ground. There’s a semi-handle type thing at the top, but it’s not a full handle like the Bosch PowerPacks, which is oen of my favorite designs for external ebike batteries
• The display is easy to use and fairly intuitive with only three buttons. Use the + and – buttons to navigate through the nine levels of assist and hold + to activate or de-activate the lights. Hold the – button to activate walk mode if you’re struggling to push the bike up a hill or through grass. Hold + and – simultaneously to get into settings, and again for deeper settings. This system is very modular, and there’s an area in the settings menu that communicates error codes so you can tell iGO what is wrong and they can honor the excellent two-year comprehensive warranty and send out a replacement part
• It’s nice to have pedal assist that can go slower and be quiet and efficient as well as throttle override with full power on demand and this ebike has both. Overall, I really like the display and trigger throttle operation. For off-road riding, I have found that triggers are less likely to be activated accidentally than twist throttles, which can be twisted faster if you get scared and are just trying to hold on and not crash (it’s happened to me this way)
• The pedals ore open so mud and snow will push straight through if you’re riding off road! That was a good choice from iGO, but if you prefer a sturdier and wider platform, consider something like these Wellgo platforms
• The rear rack was specifically designed to stay out of the way so the seat can drop further down. It’s rated up to 25kg (55lbs) of weight, and seemed securely attached. I appreciate that the rack has standard gauge pannier hangers welded onto the sides (though I wish it had more of a pannier blocker and bungee loop at the base)
• I love that they color-coded the wire connectors at the front of the bike, in case you need to unscrew them someday and aren’t sure which goes to which. I believe that these connectors cost more and are more water resistant than press fit connectors (great for wet snow or dusty sand if you use the bike on these off-road terrains)
• The way that the rear light is positioned on the rack keeps it protected during shipping, it’s under and behind the rack tubing… The bike also ships with a derailleur guard that helps keep the sensitive power cable and derailleur from getting bumped

Cons:

• This is a heavy electric bike, weighing in at roughly 71.5lbs (32.4kg), and the gearing is pretty basic at 14 to 28 tooth freewheel vs. 11 to 32+ so it was difficult to get started and climb without using pedal assist or throttle mode. It could also be difficult to lift, so consider removing the battery and quick-release front wheel to lighten the load a bit. That said, the bike shouldn’t get any heavier because it already comes with fenders, a rack, and lights
• The tires don’t have reflective sidewall stripes, and I didn’t see any icons for puncture protection. I also noticed that the chainring only has a guard on one side vs. a guide (two plates) that could reduce drops on bumpy terrain. There’s also no chain cover or slap guard to protect the paint on the chain stay if the chain bounces around a lot
• Adjustable stems are nice for improving body position, but they tend to be less sturdy than a fixed stem. This one only had one bolt… and given the increased weight of the bike, I’d recommend keeping that bolt tight and re-tightening if you notice it starting to wobble. Given the possibility of off-road use, the stem could easily get loose over time. If it begins to strip, consider replacing it with a rigid stem that’s the same angle and length you prefer, and look for a 31.8mm clamp diameter to fit the handlebar that comes with this ebike :)
• The integrated headlight is pretty bright and protrudes a bit, so should be visible from the sides… but the default mounting position is on the suspension arch, so it could bounce around more than if it was on the stem or handlebar. At least the headlight points where you steer and is wired in to the main rechargeable ebike battery
• The battery design allows the frame tubing to be more stiff, because it sits on top of the flat downtube vs. recessing inside of it like the Reention Dorado design. The downsides are that battery weight is higher on the frame, which is less balanced, and that the battery pack looks more “external” and is much longer than the Reention Dorado battery I saw on the older 2018 iGO Elite. It also does not have a built-in USB charger like the old one
• The mechanical brakes are a step-down in terms of quality and usability when compared with hydraulic… and that would have been a great upgrade for such a heavy ebike! However, the larger 180mm disc brake rotors provide a good mechanical advantage, and it’s usually easier for people to adjust their own brakes when they are mechanical vs. hydraulic… still, no adjustable reach on these, and the right lever may require more hand effort since the cable goes further to reach the rear wheel
• This bike is only available in one color and one size. This helps the company to keep the price down, and I feel like they chose well. The bluish black matches all of the accessories (including the wires and battery) and won’t show dirt and smudges as much as white… but it’s not as safe if you’re riding at night, especially without reflective tires
• iGO really tries to support dealers by dedicating any online sales in their region to them, shipping the bike to them for assembly and support… but if you buy direct, there’s some work to do unpacking, assembling etc. These bikes come 95% assembled: just attach the front rack with 4 bolts, put the stem onto steer tube, add the pedals, the front fender and the headlight. This can take some time, and the tools they include are pretty basic
• This is a very minor point, but the throttle doesn’t work in assist level zero. This means that you’ll have to arrow up to 1-9 levels of assist in order to activate, but then the throttle offers full power! For me, five levels of assist would be enough, it’s a lot of clicking to get all the way up to 9, and the menu doesn’t cycle back to zero, so you click down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down to get back to level 1
• The trigger shifter component that iGO chose from Shimano doesn’t offer two-way high shifting, you have to pull back on the lever with your right index/pointer finger. This is a very small consideration, but it’s something I notice because Shimano also sells a two-way trigger that allows shifting with your thumb for high and low, which is more comfortable to me because I can keep my hand gripped more securely at all times while dedicating my index and middle finger to braking
• The display panel is not removable and doesn’t have a password setup. If you park at a public rack, the display could get scratched or tampered with and will take more sun and weather damage. You could probably swivel it to reduce glare if you don’t over-tighten the clamp screw
• Supply may be limited, I was told that this ebike has basically sold out for the Spring season in 2020 but they should be getting more in eventually, and iGO plans to carry the bike forward for future years

Useful Resources:

• Official iGO website
• Local iGO bike shop directory to find an iGO dealer near you for fitting and test rides