A futuristic, small, compact, and lightweight folding ebike with rear suspension, fenders, cast rims, and is said to be approved by the FAA to travel by plane
A lot of comfort and features like comfort gel saddle, rear suspension, ergonomic grips, electric horn, battery integrated lights in the front and rear, and a magnet and roller wheel to keep the bike folded and easily transported
250 watt hub drive, great power and mechanical advantage for a bike this size, reliable single speed drivetrain, 160mm mechanical disc brakes with motor inhibitors
Single speed with a cadence sensor means more pedal actuation to get going, small battery, wheel base, and top speed may not be for everyone, and the rear light is easily blocked
Video Review
Introduction
Make:
JupiterBike
Model:
Discovery
Price:
$1,295
Body Position:
Upright
Suggested Use:
Commuting, Travel, Urban
Electric Bike Class:
Pedal Assist (Class 1), Throttle on Demand (Class 2)
To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by JupiterBike. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of JupiterBike products.
Compact is the first thing that comes to mind when looking at the small JupiterBike Discovery. This bike is purpose built, an almost perfect last mile companion to cart around or even just to have fun with on the weekend. The Discovery is a mini folding ebike that comes in 3 colors, 1 small frame size, and a cool aesthetic to emphasis the slim and lightweight 42lb design. You may notice the shorter wheel base and 16” wheels. This, without a doubt, is to keep the bike trim for folding and carrying around. Those tires are a 16” x 1.9” and offer reflective sidewalls and feature a cast magnesium wheel. The wheels are accented nicely with these stylish plastic fenders… these help keep you dry and it looks like they are not full length, but that is a convenience for folding. Speaking of folding convenience, there are 2 magnetic plates on the front and back to keep the bike more securely folded when moving it around, and there is a little roller on the bottom of the frame to better maneuver it when walking it around if you would rather not carry it. Surprisingly, there is quite a bit of comfort in this small package. You get ergonomic grips, a comfort gel saddle (one of my favorite parts), and even a rear suspension. This rear suspension has a really unique design to it… not a ton of travel, but then again this isn’t meant for mountain biking. It is still pretty comfortable and serves its purpose well running around on paved environments. I love the battery integrated lights here. The front headlight points where you steer, and the rear is designed under the seat. That seat light has an independent button to turn it on and off, so don’t forget to turn it off like I did or you will drain the battery. I should also mention it is near the seat enough that if you were wearing a jacket or backpack, it could potentially cover that rear light. Other features include a kickstand mounted in the rear to eliminate annoying pedal lock, plastic folding pedals, and a loud electric horn.
Driving the bike is a 250 watt rear hub motor. This motor is cast into the rims and while it may seem small, it has great power for a bike of this size. It offers 1-3 levels of pedal assist via the sealed cadence sensor and it moves pretty well given the mechanical advantage you have with the smaller wheel size. You won’t be flying by at Mach 1 however, the top speed is limited to 16mph, which is understandable as any faster would feel unstable on such a small machine. Still, you are plugging away much faster than a regular bicycle. There is a throttle here too, this is tied to the pedal assist, so the top speed will be dictated by which level you are in, 1-3. Mechanically, you have normal sized 170mm crank arms, so the pedaling rotation feels nice and natural compared to other small bikes or trikes that feel more like tip-toe-ing when you pedal. It is a single speed 11 tooth sprocket with a 48 tooth front chain ring. Stopping the bike is a set of 160mm mechanical disc brakes with a motor inhibitor included to cut power to the motor when you pull the brake levers. Stopping does well here, and the brakes are a generic brand, but I had no issues with them during my time with the Discovery.
Powering the bike is a 36v 5.2ah lithium-ion battery pack. The pack is mounted in the frame near the main folding tube. Simply remove the main latch and being to fold the frame in half to access the battery for taking it in and out. 5.2ah may not be the largest range… I suspect a charge would take you somewhere around 14 miles or so, but the small amp hour rating was done for a reason. The 5.2ah rating meets federal regulations with the FAA so you can take the battery with you when you fly! This is nice since as a last mile vehicle, it stows away nicely, so it really makes the ultimate travel companion. To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the life, and try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells. Try not to let it run down to zero, because that’s really hard on the cell chemistry.
The display here is a compact little grayscale display. While the display may not be removable, it does have a backlight to make it easier to read. To power it on, press and hold the M button. Once the display is on, you will see a battery infographic at the top along with a battery percentage. I love that it shows this since it takes the guess work out of how much battery you have exactly left when there is only 1 bar on an infographic. Pressing the M button will scroll through trip-set, odometer, and a timer. The speed is shown in MPH and the + and – buttons will raise or lower that pedal assist level.
Wrapping up, I found that the JupiterBike Discovery was a great little ride and I love that it meets FAA regulations to make it a perfect travel companion. There are some tradeoffs though. I found that the single speed mixed with the cadence based pedal assist means you have to pump it a little more for the electric system to kick in and get going. Luckily, there is a throttle here, so you can use that to get you going if pedaling is difficult. Also, the bike is small in a lot of ways which can be a bit of a negative. Small battery, small drivetrain, small wheel base… but at least all of this somewhat serves a purpose to keep it compact and portable. As mentioned before, the bike has a purpose, and if it fits your needs, this could be a great setup. Thrown in the smaller price too of $1,295 and you have your self a value bike that could check off your boxes. I want to thank JupiterBikes for sending me the Discovery to review and I look forward to future offerings.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the JupiterBike ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
A stylish, small, compact, and lightweight folding ebike with rear suspension, fenders, cast rims, and is approved by the FAA to travel by plane
Quite a bit of comfort in this small package, you get ergonomic grips, a comfort gel saddle (one of my favorite parts), and even a rear suspension
This rear suspension has a really unique design to it, pretty comfortable and serves its purpose well running around on paved environments
The tires are 16” x 1.9” and offer reflective sidewalls, feature a cast magnesium wheel, and have a great mechanical advantage to get the motor going, pedals, and brakes as well
Stylish plastic fenders that help keep you dry and while like they are not full length, the shorter length makes it a convenience for folding
I love the battery integrated lights here. The front headlight points where you steer, and the rear is designed under the seat
A 250 watt rear hub motor, this motor is cast into the rims and while it may seem small, it has great power for a bike of this size, it offers 1-3 levels of pedal assist via the sealed cadence sensor and it moves pretty well given the mechanical advantage you have with the smaller wheel size, there is a throttle here too, perfect if you don’t want to pedal
Normal sized 170mm crank arms, so the pedaling rotation feels nice and natural compared to other small bikes or trikes that feel more like tip-toe-ing when you pedal
160mm mechanical disc brakes with a motor inhibitor included to cut power to the motor when you pull the brake levers, the brakes are a generic brand, but I had no issues with them
36v 5.2ah battery charges quickly and that small amp hour rating was done for a reason, the 5.2ah rating meets federal regulations with the FAA so you can take the battery with you when you fly! This is nice since as a last mile vehicle, it stows away nicely, so it really makes the ultimate travel companion
For folding convenience, there are 2 magnetic plates on the front and back to keep the bike more securely folded when moving it around, and there is a little roller on the bottom of the frame to better maneuver it when walking it around if you would rather not carry it
Cons:
I found that the single speed mixed with the cadence based pedal assist means you have to pump it a little more for the electric system to kick in and get going, luckily, there is a throttle here, so you can use that to get you going if pedaling is difficult
The bike is small in a lot of ways which can be a bit of a negative, small battery, small drivetrain, small wheel base… but at least all of this somewhat serves a purpose to keep it compact and portable
The battery integrated rear light has an independent button to turn it on and off, so don’t forget to turn it off like I did or you will drain the battery, also it is positioned under the seat enough that if you were wearing a jacket or backpack, it could potentially cover that rear light
The top speed is 16mph which is not fast for ebikes, but I understand why it was chosen here, any faster could be dangerous on the smaller wheel base, it still is faster than a regular bicycle and works well
A six-speed folding electric bike made from light weight magnesium alloy, offers pedal assist and throttle modes. Mid-sized hybrid tires and adjustable bumper suspension for the rear wheel improve comfort and make the bike unique. Solid one year warranty.. Cast magnesium wheels are extra tough, and won't go out of true the way traditional…...
Something close to this would be ideal for boaters. Folding bikes for boats have been around for years. But it is uphill usually from where you park your boat to anywhere, so they don’t get used like they might if they were ebike.
Jetson has it fist in the state so I bought one from them around $800 USD. but then after a year, I ran into some problem with the bike; however, Jetson has since discontinued the product. so I contacted Swagtron for a replacement part and fixed my issue. To be honest, since they are all the same bike. I would purchase it from Swagtron at a cheaper price point and purchase the fenders kit from Jupiter bike as an accessories.
Hi Tay! Great tips… thank you so much for sharing this with us. I’m glad you were able to find parts that worked from these other manufacturers and your knowledge and insights are right on ;) I hope it continues working well for you!
I was thinking they are the same exact bike. Do you know for sure if the batteries on the EB7 plus and Discovery X5 are the same? I would rather buy something other than from Swagtron.
These are not the same bikes as the EB7. Not at all. Most of the parts are different. The frame is different (notice where the seat post meets the top of the frame). Many things about them are different. Jupiter has posted a comparative summary here, noting the many differences between this and the EB7.
I am not as certain about the other two bikes mentioned, but given how obvious the differences are between the Jupiter and the EB7, I would be skeptical about this claim that they are all the same. I would like to know the basis for this claim. Also, you can purchase the Jupiter Discovery online for $700.
Thanks for the feedback on this, Dewey! I was wondering about the battery situation here but was not the one who covered this bike. The rules have changed over the years and perhaps there are even some differences between regions of the world or airlines. I appreciate your feedback, and welcome you to share further if you know more details.
difficult to justify the price when the Swagtron Eb7 is the same bike with a more powerful 350w motor and larger 6.4ah battery for $300 less. Here’s an article about it on Electrek.
I purchased this bike directly from the vendor. It was very easy to assemble. It looks sleek and seems sturdy. I like that it includes led lights and one on the seating. I’m 5’2 and I had to remove the stopper on the seating because even at the lowest adjustment, my feet just barely touched the ground when at a complete stop. I will have to probably saw off a couple inches.
I’ve had this bike for less than a week and ridden it 3 times. My rear brake stopped working and the bike started squeaking! When I’m spending almost a thousand dollars on something, I expect it to work seamlessly. I contacted the vendor and no response. Unacceptable! Do yourself a favor and buy a different bike for 400 – 500 dollars less. My previous bike was 300 dollars and I had no issues with it!
Aww, man! That’s a bummer about the brake. Sorry to hear it… Thanks for sharing your feedback about how easy it was to assemble and how you liked the lights. I agree that cutting the seat post just a bit to get it lower could be a great solution for you to feel comfortable and ride safer. I hope you’re able to find some help or parts to get the rear brake fixed. So sorry that JupiterBike hasn’t responded to you yet. If you really struggle after a week and nobody has replied, I can try to connect you with them directly, just comment here again and I’ll email you.
I got one of these sold on Costco.com before they sold out in less than a day. Agreed, the customer service is really awful. My bike was making clicky noises and I sent videos to [email protected], the email where a person named Jacqueline responded to a pre-sales question. I sent two emails, with links to videos showing the problem on Youtube and over two months now and no responses. Luckily I was able to figure out how to fix the problem myself, it is the crank that requires an 8mm hex wrench to tighten it. as this came loose in shipping. You would think they can answer a simple question, but NO. So as long as the bike is working you are fine. Glad to read the Jetson bike is the same one in case I need to buy parts from them, not Jupiterbike. Their website is very scattered with all kinds of outdated information, there’s reference to apps, and preorder information for new bikes. So I guess they just care about making sales no customer service.
Hi Trey, thanks for taking some time to help HellyK (and anyone else who reads the comments). Sorry to hear that they were lacking support, but glad you found some solutions and chose to pass them along. Great work ;)
Bluelightsavings
5 years ago
In your video (starting at the ~19:00 mark) I see that you’re able to hit 19 mph all the way up to 22 mph actually. Were you going downhill or was this just you pedaling naturally on flat terrain? The reason I ask is because it looks like you didn’t have to pedal like a hampster to get to this top speed. On Jupiter’s website, they upgraded the motor to 350 w but it says that on full throttle you can only go 16 mph but pedaling you can achieve 22 mph so I wanted to see if you noticed something similar during your review of the bike.
Great question, I didn’t cover this particular ebike and the person who did, Mikey, is no longer with EBR. I cannot say for sure what the settings were but I hope the video helps to give some idea of what he saw at the time. It’s cool that the company has upgraded the motor! I’d love to hear back if you end up getting the JupiterBike Discovery and can clarify things for us :)
I just took my x5 out for the second time and the handle keeps making some loose, cranky and unpleasant noises whenever I hit little uneven ground. Does anyone know if there is a solution for it? I am thinking about returning it.
Hmm, are there any bolts that could be checked and tightened? Sounds a little sketchy, do be careful when riding! Maybe it is worth calling the company or taking it to a shop to ask for some help?
Mine has the 350w motor. On throttle alone, top speed at level 3 is around 16mph. Pedaling along with it, I was easily able to get to around 20mph. The best way to get more top end on this will be to upgrade the crankset with a bigger chainring. Stock the gear ratio is 48 X 11. I’m planning on switching it to a 58 tooth to get closer to “big bike” gear inches. Going over 20mph at that point will be a breeze!
Hi, I too have a Jupiter Discovery X5. My husband gave it to me. As an engineer who was researching ebikes to pick the one I wanted, my husband surprised me with this one for Christmas. I called Jupiter in Miami to ask specifics on the motor. Specifically I wanted to know the torque for hill climbing and if the 350W motor is continuous (which means it can run continuously at 350W without overheating) or 350W peak power (which it can only handle small sprints at 350W, but will over heat or shutdown if prolong at this Wattage).
Jupiter staff did not know the rating of the motor or its torque output. They said, “Why would we know we live in flat Florida.” Actually, this bike is made by a Chinese company OneBot and is the model S6. This model is purchased by Jupiter bike and relabeled for them. After much digging I have discovered that this bike has 12NM torque, and is only a 250W continuous motor. Jupiter re-labels it 350W for its peak power as a marketing thing. Jupiter is uninformed about their products and they, I believe, are misleading the public. Also, I concur that their customer service is terrible. I sent a message to the customer service email address and received back an auto message that he is out of the office for the next 3 weeks.
Hi Linda! Your comment is awesome, thanks for doing the research and sharing with us here. This is exactly why we allow open comments and have a forum. Thanks for digging around to get the real details on this ebike and posting the motor specs. My team and I do our best to provide great information on what we see, but we often have to take the word of the manufacturer or read the labels due to limited time or lack of deeper information when we first get the bikes. Thanks again! ps. your husband sounds like a great guy, what a cool gift!
Marsha
4 years ago
I just brought the Discovery 5 from Costco. I like it except that the seat is too high for me. If I keep it, I will have to trim the post down. Another problem are the brakes squeak really bad. I called the company, left several messages and also emailed them. So far I have not heard back from them. So if I keep bike, I figure I am on my own. Really trying to decide about keeping bike. Is there any contact number that will get me to a real person at Jupiter?
Hi Marsha! Yeah, the cheaper brakes might squeak, but you can buy special spray cleaner like this that might help. Be careful not to touch the disc brake rotors with oily hands or clean them with random soaps because that can get absorbed into the brake pads and make it worse. Many “one size fits all” electric bikes ship with longer seat posts because they can be cut down with a hack saw for petite riders, but they also want it to work for taller people too. I think most super affordable ebikes that are sold through big box retailers are going to have limited support.
Hi Zoltan! My quick reaction is that yes, it’s going to be on the small side. That said, many tall and heavy commuters will ride on Brompton folding bicycles, and they are very similar to this. If you want a compact ebike with a bit of suspension, good for commuting on paved city streets and then storing in cars, cabs, the office etc. then I think this is one of only a few options. Brompton does offer a new electric folder, but I haven’t covered it yet… just this conversion some shop did in NYC that may not still offer it. Try searching that, then search some pictures of tall guy on a Brompton, read this thread about it, and consider the JupiterBike Discover to be similar but not as proven and possibly not as well made. The biggest concern is the seemingly shorter seat tube and non-adjustable handlebar shaft here vs. what Brompton has designed. Good luck!!
I bought JupiterBike Discovery X5 last August (2020). In general, I was very pleased with the comfort riding and the climbing ability of the bike as I live in a quit hilly area. However, from the very beginning the breaks were producing terrible jerk, and the throttle stopped working after a few months. In early January, I contacted the company through their online form and Jacquelynn Bufkin replied. It took a few email exchanges and misunderstandings to get the RMA number. I sent the bike for repair and didn’t hear from them anymore.
In early March, I contacted them again through the online form and this time Jim Stevens replied only to tell me that they have no information about my bike being received. I sent him the tracking number and the tracking history. Waited a few days for reply – nothing. Emailed him again and received an automatic response that Jim would be out of office for the next 11 days. I turned to the online form again and this time Jacquellyn replied. She said that the bike had been repaired and sent to me on February 1st. I asked for the tracking number – she didn’t provide it. She said that the bike was lost by Fedex and they were going to replace it with another bike. After my terrible experience with the bike showing defects so early, and the awful customer service, I decided that I didn’t want another Jupiter. Jacquellyn offered to refund my purchase price and I agreed. This was 9 days ago. I haven’t seen my money yet. Keeping my fingers crossed!
For comparison, my previous and first electric bike was Swagtron EB5. There were things I didn’t like, especially the VERY uncomfortable seat (I had to replace it), no rear suspension, no fenders, etc., but the bike worked just fine for more than three years regularly commuting to work, even in heavy rain and freezing temperatures. The only thing that I had to deal with was a flat tire once. Unfortunately, the battery of my EB5 was not replaceable and when it died I needed a new bike. I wanted to buy the next model EB7 but they were out of stock and I was in a hurry, so bought the Jupiter.
Wow, my fingers are definitely crossed for you Svetla, what a challenging experience! It sounds like you’ve been extremely patient. Thanks for the feedback about how well the Swagtron worked… Lots of ebikes have been out of stock, so that makes it challenging. I’m just really sorry that you’ve had to go without and the time, money, and patience required for all of those back and forth emails. That’s really difficult :(
I’ve got my money back! It only took a couple more emails and a phone call… Now I’m back to square one, searching for an inexpensive (<$1,000) but reliable electric bike for daily commute to work.
Jeff
2 years ago
My Jupiter X7 battery failed at 14 months (I’m not the only one this has happened too). Turns out the manual provided with the bike had improper battery care instructions in it. For example, the manual says top off the battery after every use and charge to 100% when storing. But now on Jupiter’s website they have changed the care instructions to say wait for the battery to get down to 20% before charging and don’t charge to 100% when storing. Jupiter Bikes admitted the manual is wrong, but they won’t stand behind their products. Instead, they implied that since my attached garage can reach 90 degrees, that damaged the battery. The manual says keep away from fire and “excessive” heat. Nowhere does it define the parameters for excessive heat. They did nothing for me except try to do everything to take Zero responsibility. I warn anyone thinking of buying a Jupiter Bike to think twice if they live anywhere that gets over 90 degrees F, basically the entire US Southwest.
Hi Jeff! Thanks for the feedback about JupiterBike and your battery. I’ve heard similar care tips from other companies such as “store the lithium ion battery pack in a cool dry location” and I learned that fancy electric cars try to keep the charge level of their batteries between 20% and 80% so as not to strain the cells. Some ebikes have smart chargers and controllers to help manage this, but they tend to cost a lot more. Extreme cold can stunt your range temporarily (if the battery is cold) and extreme heat can degrade the cells. I hope this helps next time, and you may be able to get a replacement battery or have yours repacked by a company such as FTH Power in California, but that can sometimes cost more than a new one. Some of the less expensive ebikes also have batteries that use cheaper lower grade cells, so it might not just be the charging and heat, it could just be cheaper equipment. Sorry man.
Doug
5 years agoSomething close to this would be ideal for boaters. Folding bikes for boats have been around for years. But it is uphill usually from where you park your boat to anywhere, so they don’t get used like they might if they were ebike.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi Doug! I agree, this little folder is pretty unique and would be great for boaters and RV travelers :)
ReplyTay
5 years agoThis is the same bike as Swagtron EB7 and Jetson’s Metro folding bike.
They are all based on the same manufacturer from Onebot’s S6 in China.
Jetson has it fist in the state so I bought one from them around $800 USD. but then after a year, I ran into some problem with the bike; however, Jetson has since discontinued the product. so I contacted Swagtron for a replacement part and fixed my issue. To be honest, since they are all the same bike. I would purchase it from Swagtron at a cheaper price point and purchase the fenders kit from Jupiter bike as an accessories.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi Tay! Great tips… thank you so much for sharing this with us. I’m glad you were able to find parts that worked from these other manufacturers and your knowledge and insights are right on ;) I hope it continues working well for you!
ReplyEdward
4 years agoI was thinking they are the same exact bike. Do you know for sure if the batteries on the EB7 plus and Discovery X5 are the same? I would rather buy something other than from Swagtron.
ReplyMatt Miller
4 years agoThese are not the same bikes as the EB7. Not at all. Most of the parts are different. The frame is different (notice where the seat post meets the top of the frame). Many things about them are different. Jupiter has posted a comparative summary here, noting the many differences between this and the EB7.
I am not as certain about the other two bikes mentioned, but given how obvious the differences are between the Jupiter and the EB7, I would be skeptical about this claim that they are all the same. I would like to know the basis for this claim. Also, you can purchase the Jupiter Discovery online for $700.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoThanks Matt! Great link, pretty cool how it highlighted the text on the page. Appreciate your insights ;)
Dewey
5 years agoNo, the battery is not approved for airline travel, needs to be <100wh
ReplyCourt
5 years agoThanks for the feedback on this, Dewey! I was wondering about the battery situation here but was not the one who covered this bike. The rules have changed over the years and perhaps there are even some differences between regions of the world or airlines. I appreciate your feedback, and welcome you to share further if you know more details.
ReplyDewey
5 years agodifficult to justify the price when the Swagtron Eb7 is the same bike with a more powerful 350w motor and larger 6.4ah battery for $300 less. Here’s an article about it on Electrek.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoThanks for highlighting an alternative here, Dewey :)
ReplyHellyK
5 years agoI purchased this bike directly from the vendor. It was very easy to assemble. It looks sleek and seems sturdy. I like that it includes led lights and one on the seating. I’m 5’2 and I had to remove the stopper on the seating because even at the lowest adjustment, my feet just barely touched the ground when at a complete stop. I will have to probably saw off a couple inches.
I’ve had this bike for less than a week and ridden it 3 times. My rear brake stopped working and the bike started squeaking! When I’m spending almost a thousand dollars on something, I expect it to work seamlessly. I contacted the vendor and no response. Unacceptable! Do yourself a favor and buy a different bike for 400 – 500 dollars less. My previous bike was 300 dollars and I had no issues with it!
ReplyCourt
5 years agoAww, man! That’s a bummer about the brake. Sorry to hear it… Thanks for sharing your feedback about how easy it was to assemble and how you liked the lights. I agree that cutting the seat post just a bit to get it lower could be a great solution for you to feel comfortable and ride safer. I hope you’re able to find some help or parts to get the rear brake fixed. So sorry that JupiterBike hasn’t responded to you yet. If you really struggle after a week and nobody has replied, I can try to connect you with them directly, just comment here again and I’ll email you.
ReplyTrey
5 years agoI got one of these sold on Costco.com before they sold out in less than a day. Agreed, the customer service is really awful. My bike was making clicky noises and I sent videos to [email protected], the email where a person named Jacqueline responded to a pre-sales question. I sent two emails, with links to videos showing the problem on Youtube and over two months now and no responses. Luckily I was able to figure out how to fix the problem myself, it is the crank that requires an 8mm hex wrench to tighten it. as this came loose in shipping. You would think they can answer a simple question, but NO. So as long as the bike is working you are fine. Glad to read the Jetson bike is the same one in case I need to buy parts from them, not Jupiterbike. Their website is very scattered with all kinds of outdated information, there’s reference to apps, and preorder information for new bikes. So I guess they just care about making sales no customer service.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi Trey, thanks for taking some time to help HellyK (and anyone else who reads the comments). Sorry to hear that they were lacking support, but glad you found some solutions and chose to pass them along. Great work ;)
Bluelightsavings
5 years agoIn your video (starting at the ~19:00 mark) I see that you’re able to hit 19 mph all the way up to 22 mph actually. Were you going downhill or was this just you pedaling naturally on flat terrain? The reason I ask is because it looks like you didn’t have to pedal like a hampster to get to this top speed. On Jupiter’s website, they upgraded the motor to 350 w but it says that on full throttle you can only go 16 mph but pedaling you can achieve 22 mph so I wanted to see if you noticed something similar during your review of the bike.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoGreat question, I didn’t cover this particular ebike and the person who did, Mikey, is no longer with EBR. I cannot say for sure what the settings were but I hope the video helps to give some idea of what he saw at the time. It’s cool that the company has upgraded the motor! I’d love to hear back if you end up getting the JupiterBike Discovery and can clarify things for us :)
ReplyAli charara
5 years agoTerrible bike. Breaks give out in the first 30 days. My significant other fell off and injured himself badly. Buyers beware.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoOh, I am so sorry to hear that Ali! Thanks for letting us know about the brake issue. I hope your SO heals quickly, that’s too bad :(
ReplyHenry
4 years agoI just took my x5 out for the second time and the handle keeps making some loose, cranky and unpleasant noises whenever I hit little uneven ground. Does anyone know if there is a solution for it? I am thinking about returning it.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHmm, are there any bolts that could be checked and tightened? Sounds a little sketchy, do be careful when riding! Maybe it is worth calling the company or taking it to a shop to ask for some help?
Reply4 years ago
How fast does the upgraded 350w bike go? is there a way to unlock?
ReplyMark
4 years agoMine has the 350w motor. On throttle alone, top speed at level 3 is around 16mph. Pedaling along with it, I was easily able to get to around 20mph. The best way to get more top end on this will be to upgrade the crankset with a bigger chainring. Stock the gear ratio is 48 X 11. I’m planning on switching it to a 58 tooth to get closer to “big bike” gear inches. Going over 20mph at that point will be a breeze!
ReplyLinda
4 years agoHi, I too have a Jupiter Discovery X5. My husband gave it to me. As an engineer who was researching ebikes to pick the one I wanted, my husband surprised me with this one for Christmas. I called Jupiter in Miami to ask specifics on the motor. Specifically I wanted to know the torque for hill climbing and if the 350W motor is continuous (which means it can run continuously at 350W without overheating) or 350W peak power (which it can only handle small sprints at 350W, but will over heat or shutdown if prolong at this Wattage).
Jupiter staff did not know the rating of the motor or its torque output. They said, “Why would we know we live in flat Florida.” Actually, this bike is made by a Chinese company OneBot and is the model S6. This model is purchased by Jupiter bike and relabeled for them. After much digging I have discovered that this bike has 12NM torque, and is only a 250W continuous motor. Jupiter re-labels it 350W for its peak power as a marketing thing. Jupiter is uninformed about their products and they, I believe, are misleading the public. Also, I concur that their customer service is terrible. I sent a message to the customer service email address and received back an auto message that he is out of the office for the next 3 weeks.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Linda! Your comment is awesome, thanks for doing the research and sharing with us here. This is exactly why we allow open comments and have a forum. Thanks for digging around to get the real details on this ebike and posting the motor specs. My team and I do our best to provide great information on what we see, but we often have to take the word of the manufacturer or read the labels due to limited time or lack of deeper information when we first get the bikes. Thanks again! ps. your husband sounds like a great guy, what a cool gift!
Marsha
4 years agoI just brought the Discovery 5 from Costco. I like it except that the seat is too high for me. If I keep it, I will have to trim the post down. Another problem are the brakes squeak really bad. I called the company, left several messages and also emailed them. So far I have not heard back from them. So if I keep bike, I figure I am on my own. Really trying to decide about keeping bike. Is there any contact number that will get me to a real person at Jupiter?
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Marsha! Yeah, the cheaper brakes might squeak, but you can buy special spray cleaner like this that might help. Be careful not to touch the disc brake rotors with oily hands or clean them with random soaps because that can get absorbed into the brake pads and make it worse. Many “one size fits all” electric bikes ship with longer seat posts because they can be cut down with a hack saw for petite riders, but they also want it to work for taller people too. I think most super affordable ebikes that are sold through big box retailers are going to have limited support.
ReplyZoltan
4 years agoI’m 6’2″ and I’d be using the bike for an urban commute. Is this bike too small for me??
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Zoltan! My quick reaction is that yes, it’s going to be on the small side. That said, many tall and heavy commuters will ride on Brompton folding bicycles, and they are very similar to this. If you want a compact ebike with a bit of suspension, good for commuting on paved city streets and then storing in cars, cabs, the office etc. then I think this is one of only a few options. Brompton does offer a new electric folder, but I haven’t covered it yet… just this conversion some shop did in NYC that may not still offer it. Try searching that, then search some pictures of tall guy on a Brompton, read this thread about it, and consider the JupiterBike Discover to be similar but not as proven and possibly not as well made. The biggest concern is the seemingly shorter seat tube and non-adjustable handlebar shaft here vs. what Brompton has designed. Good luck!!
ReplySvetla
4 years agoI bought JupiterBike Discovery X5 last August (2020). In general, I was very pleased with the comfort riding and the climbing ability of the bike as I live in a quit hilly area. However, from the very beginning the breaks were producing terrible jerk, and the throttle stopped working after a few months. In early January, I contacted the company through their online form and Jacquelynn Bufkin replied. It took a few email exchanges and misunderstandings to get the RMA number. I sent the bike for repair and didn’t hear from them anymore.
In early March, I contacted them again through the online form and this time Jim Stevens replied only to tell me that they have no information about my bike being received. I sent him the tracking number and the tracking history. Waited a few days for reply – nothing. Emailed him again and received an automatic response that Jim would be out of office for the next 11 days. I turned to the online form again and this time Jacquellyn replied. She said that the bike had been repaired and sent to me on February 1st. I asked for the tracking number – she didn’t provide it. She said that the bike was lost by Fedex and they were going to replace it with another bike. After my terrible experience with the bike showing defects so early, and the awful customer service, I decided that I didn’t want another Jupiter. Jacquellyn offered to refund my purchase price and I agreed. This was 9 days ago. I haven’t seen my money yet. Keeping my fingers crossed!
For comparison, my previous and first electric bike was Swagtron EB5. There were things I didn’t like, especially the VERY uncomfortable seat (I had to replace it), no rear suspension, no fenders, etc., but the bike worked just fine for more than three years regularly commuting to work, even in heavy rain and freezing temperatures. The only thing that I had to deal with was a flat tire once. Unfortunately, the battery of my EB5 was not replaceable and when it died I needed a new bike. I wanted to buy the next model EB7 but they were out of stock and I was in a hurry, so bought the Jupiter.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoWow, my fingers are definitely crossed for you Svetla, what a challenging experience! It sounds like you’ve been extremely patient. Thanks for the feedback about how well the Swagtron worked… Lots of ebikes have been out of stock, so that makes it challenging. I’m just really sorry that you’ve had to go without and the time, money, and patience required for all of those back and forth emails. That’s really difficult :(
ReplySvetla
4 years agoI’ve got my money back! It only took a couple more emails and a phone call… Now I’m back to square one, searching for an inexpensive (<$1,000) but reliable electric bike for daily commute to work.
Jeff
2 years agoMy Jupiter X7 battery failed at 14 months (I’m not the only one this has happened too). Turns out the manual provided with the bike had improper battery care instructions in it. For example, the manual says top off the battery after every use and charge to 100% when storing. But now on Jupiter’s website they have changed the care instructions to say wait for the battery to get down to 20% before charging and don’t charge to 100% when storing. Jupiter Bikes admitted the manual is wrong, but they won’t stand behind their products. Instead, they implied that since my attached garage can reach 90 degrees, that damaged the battery. The manual says keep away from fire and “excessive” heat. Nowhere does it define the parameters for excessive heat. They did nothing for me except try to do everything to take Zero responsibility. I warn anyone thinking of buying a Jupiter Bike to think twice if they live anywhere that gets over 90 degrees F, basically the entire US Southwest.
ReplyCourt
2 years agoHi Jeff! Thanks for the feedback about JupiterBike and your battery. I’ve heard similar care tips from other companies such as “store the lithium ion battery pack in a cool dry location” and I learned that fancy electric cars try to keep the charge level of their batteries between 20% and 80% so as not to strain the cells. Some ebikes have smart chargers and controllers to help manage this, but they tend to cost a lot more. Extreme cold can stunt your range temporarily (if the battery is cold) and extreme heat can degrade the cells. I hope this helps next time, and you may be able to get a replacement battery or have yours repacked by a company such as FTH Power in California, but that can sometimes cost more than a new one. Some of the less expensive ebikes also have batteries that use cheaper lower grade cells, so it might not just be the charging and heat, it could just be cheaper equipment. Sorry man.
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