Kona Ecoco Review

This review was provided for free, but Cit-E-Cycles supplied a temporary demo bike for me to test. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Kona products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the Kona electric bike forums.

Observations:

• The Ecoco is available in two versions, the standard is available in black and uses an external downtube mounted plastic battery and a 9-speed drivetrain while the DL (which costs ~$800 more) is available in burgundy and uses a more hidden internal downtube battery and a 10-speed drivetrain. The DL also has an upgraded headlight. This review focuses on the less expensive and probably lighter weight external battery version.
• With quick release wheels, an easy to remove battery, and front and rear rack mounting points, this bike is very versatile. No suspension, but the wider 1.75″ puncture resistant tires offer some comfort. You could get a 27.2mm suspension seat post to reduce vibration without adding too much weight, but the swept-back handlebars already provides a relaxed upright body position that isn’t too hard on the back, shoulders, neck, or arms.

Pros:

• Beautiful design aesthetic with matching hardware, the Kona Ecoco has a vintage feel to it due to the double tube top tube and mixte mid-step frame. This is lighter and sturdier than a wave step-thru (single tube design). I like that there’s space between the top tubes to press the power button on the Shimano battery pack to activate the bike.
• Notice the black rims, spokes, hubs, fenders, chainring, freewheel sprockets, seat tube, stem, and handlebars! It’s all black, and it looks amazing… especially with the brown sidewall tires that look more organic and kind of vintage.
• Kona used butted tubing for the frame, meaning that the wall thickness increases towards the ends for increased strength. The wall thickness decreases towards the middle of tubes to help keep the bike weight down
• Style is nice, but this ebike is also very functional. I love that it comes with good quality integrated lights (that run off of the main battery) and plastic fenders with flexible rubber ends (in case they bump a curb or get kicked). The only thing missing is a bottle mount! I do appreciate the fork bosses and seat stay bosses for adding aftermarket racks, which could then be used to hold a water bottle, or you could get a handlebar mount like one of these.
• While this ebike does not come with a suspension fork, the higher volume tires provide both stability and a bit of cushion for gravel trails and dirt roads. The rigid fork decision allows for the optional front rack or pannier mounts, it matches the paint more perfectly, saves money, and handles better… but you could purchase a 27.2mm suspension seatpost to take the edge off of bumpy rides. Note that the official Kona website lists the seatpost size at 31.6mm, but I measured 27.2mm so you might want to double check… I reviewed the 47cm medium size frame.
• This is the less expensive Kona Ecoco, they also have an Ecoco DL model with internal battery tat costs roughly $800 more. The battery size and motor specs are the same between these two models, the biggest differences I observed are how they look visually, the color difference (that one is burgundy and this is black), that the DL had space for a bottle cage on the downtube, and that one has a 10-speed drivetrain vs. 9-speed here. I personally appreciate the cost savings, lighter weight, and ease of battery access on this model. It’s probably easier to replace the battery for this one too someday, since it’s a stock Shimano STePS BT-E8010 part.
• The headlight has a physical on/off twist switch on the back end. This is very convenient vs. going into the settings menu to enable or disable both lights. I could see myself always leaving the lights on and the rear light keeping me safe while turning the headlight on or off depending on the setting. You can enable or disable the lights by holding the the black square “set” button on the control pad, then using the arrow keys to navigate the menus (this only works if you aren’t holding set when you’re on the trip distance readout, on that readout it just clears trip distance).
• I appreciate how the headlight points where you steer and is mounted fairly high. It’s not super bright at 40 LUX but is aimed well. The rear light is positioned well in that it won’t get blocked if you add a rear rack. I also like how most of the wires and cables are internally routed through the bike frame for a purpose-built premium aesthetic.
• This is a minor thing, but they chose a really solid kickstand and mounted it securely with a 40mm standard bolt pattern in a rear position that won’t cause pedal lock. The stand offers adjustable length too. Same great job with the pedals, they could have used narrow metal cage pedals, but these larger nylon pedals offer more stability, won’t get bent or become as sharp as metal (or rust), and they offer great traction. I was delighted with the pedals!
• Good attention to detail with a plastic chainring guard (to keep your pants or dress ends from snagging or getting greasy). Kona also included a clear plastic slap guard sticker to protect the premium paint on the right chainstay.
• The “gull wing” swept back handlebar felt great to me. I didn’t have to lean super far forward or twist my hands to steer the bike. The flat rubber grips aren’t locking, but they feel good and didn’t slip during my ride tests. The two-finger brake levers don’t require much hand strength (since they are hydraulic), and both offer adjustable reach for different hand sizes.
• Hydraulic disc brakes tend to require less maintenance and offer even stopping power (front vs. back wheel, often rear wheel takes more effort for mechanical brakes due to longer cable length and associated friction). Basic 160mm rotor size here is suitable for neighborhood, cruising, and light gravel paths.
• Really excellent gear range on this ebike, the 11 to 34 tooth freewheel provides enough range to start and climb easily or pedal at a leisurely speed at 20mph+ (which is where the motor cuts out support). The 38 tooth steel chainring is pretty average, but at least it’s black and has a plastic guard. I also appreciate the high 130 RPM motor support that the Shimano E6100 mid-drive offers, you won’t lose motor support by pedaling fast.
• The motor is excellent for cruising and city riding! It offers satisfying dynamic support based on pedal speed, pedal torque, and bicycle speed (measuring these signals and responding almost instantly). This particular motor is very lightweight at just 6.35lbs and compact with a standard 168mm Q-Factor (distance between the outside of the crank arms) while other motors weigh more and are wider. Apparently it’s 20% more energy efficient than the previous generation E6000, and is designed to be highly water resistant (along with the battery). It offers between 250 watts and 500 watts of power output.
• The battery pack clicks onto the bike without requiring the key, feels solid where it’s positioned, and is super lightweight at just 5.8lbs (which I measured by hand). It’s a standard pack which can be rented or loaned out more easily than a super fancy paint matched or internal pack. It’s also easier to carry along as a second pack for extended range if you bought an extra… this is not the case for many of the newer internal battery packs.
• It’s nice that the battery is so easy to access. I have been taught that you should store the battery in a cool, dry location at least 50% charged to maximize lifespan. Extreme cold will temporarily stunt your range, extreme heat actually damages the cells.
• I appreciate how compact and lightweight (just 1.4 pounds) the included charger is! This thing is pretty cute, and the wall-plug cord can be removed to reduce the length of the charger if you’re stowing it in a pannier or backpack. This is MUCH better than the older larger charger from Shimano, but it charges 55% slower as well. The battery can be charged on or off the bike frame ;)
• It’s easy to miss or not appreciate, but the bike comes with a Hollowtech II bottom bracket spindle which is hollow! This saves weight, adds stiffness, and improves rotating performance (according to them). It’s a part I usually only see on fancier mountain bikes.
• For me, having a bike that is lightweight makes it much more fun because it’s easier to lift onto bike racks, easier to control, and more fun to ride if I turn off assist or run out of battery charge. This ebike offers incredibly good range because of the “power-sipper” motor, but it’s still nice knowing it’s not that bad to pedal normally. It weighs just 43lbs including the fenders and lights! With the battery off, which is recommended for lifting and transporting, it weighs just 37lbs.
• I like the minimalist branding on the frame, saddle, and fork but I appreciate extra labels on the stem that show the length and angle. I also like the rubber band pieces on the handlebar to organize the wires and cables. Finally, I appreciate the three frame sizes for optimal rider fit and comfort.
• The bike uses high-quality headset and bottom bracket parts that I believe are sealed against water, which means you won’t get the same rust, squeaking, creaking, and friction over time as lower quality ebikes. Given the fenders and lights here, it’s a bike that I expect people would ride in the rain or through puddles, so great that the rest of the hardware is stainless and high quality in general.
• I like that the display has a menu system with lots of options (just hold the little circle button below the display panel to get into settings). One of the options is to turn off the electronic beeping noise in case that annoys you… but it can actually be useful since the display is kind of small and you might want to keep your eyes on the road ;)
• I also like that the display has many readouts including pedal RPM and dynamic range estimate… it helps to make up for its smaller size and basic battery charge level infographic.
• Both wheels have quick release skewers, making them easier to take off for transport, or perform maintenance on the go. Be careful to lock both wheels to the bike using a cable if you’re planning to leave it in a vulnerable area however, since someone could steel the wheels without steeling the frame. Consider wheel locks like these with 100mm front hub width and 135mm rear hub width.
• My understanding is that Kona launched in the mid-1980’s and probably had its first bicycles in 1988 or 1989. They’ve been around for a long time, and their staff was very easy to reach and very friendly even in 2021. Apparently it’s still owned 50/50 by the two original founders and the team has grown to around 75 people. They launched their first three ebikes in 2010, so I feel like they are very committed to the space and stable compared to some newer less proven brands
• Kona launched in Kerrisdale British Columbia (near Vancouver), so if you’re a Canadian or live in the Pacific Northwest like Washington State, these guys are local. They feel authentic to me

Cons:

• The bike was louder than I expected in a couple of situations. The first is when riding across bumpy terrain like grass or gravel. The plastic fenders are resilient, but they do shake and rattle more than some of the thicker aluminum or steel ones I’ve tried. perhaps additional stays would help? The stays (support arms) they chose are kind of basic with metal ends that poke up at the ends. If you lose the rubber caps at the ends, they could become a poking hazard. The second noticeable audible situation is when pedaling at higher cadences, the Shimano E6100 motor creates a high pitched whining noise, as shown in the video review above.
• I already mentioned this above, but the standard Ecoco frame did not have enough space for bottle cage mounts on the downtube, since that’s where the battery pack is positioned. Consider a handlebar mount, a trunk bag with a bottle holster (if you get a rear cargo rack), or the more expensive Ecoco DL with internal battery and bottle cage mount option.
• While gathering specs for this review, I noticed that the official Kona website labeled the seat post diameter as 31.6mm while my review bike used 27.2mm. A couple of other details on their site did not match what I observed… Frustratingly, the seat post didn’t have the diameter stamped on it, so I had to use my digital calipers! This is not a tool that every customer would have and it would be sad to order a suspension seatpost or other part and have it not be compatible with your bike. Kona’s site is very detailed and easy to use, but that inaccuracy threw me off. Perhaps the large frame uses a thicker post? I cannot say.
• The battery pack mounts to the frame from the left side of the bike. This is the side that tips towards the ground when using the kickstand, so it’s not as easy to access. This is also the side where the locking core and key are… it is best practice to put these on the right side of the frame because it’s easier to get at and also more protected if the bike tips over. I think this was a limitation imposed upon Kona due to Shimano’s design… they probably expected most companies to put the battery on the seat tube, which would then allow it to remove from the right side of the bike. The battery charging port is also on the left side, and fairly low near the crank arm vs. up high on the right.
• It appears that Kona chose the ABUS Amparo locking core and key, which is a cheaper design that is not compatible with the “Plus Code” program. This program allows one key to be cloned for use with ABUS locks. I think that these keys are also more secure due to their designs… given the higher price of this ebike, I would like to have the Plus Code keys.
• While you can pedal backwards on this ebike, the chain does not cycle backwards. This is something that can be useful if you’re performing drivetrain maintenance… and it’s not a huge deal. However, the Shimano E6100 doesn’t introduce much friction when cycling backwards so the pedal could spin fast and hit your shin. Other mid-drives produce more friction or do cycle backwards, so I think Shimano could improve here.
• This is a very minor thing, but the chainring only has a one-sided guard vs. a double-sided guide or even a guide plus a chain cover. This isn’t a mountain bike that could encounter lots of big motion and easily drop the chain, so it’s only a minor consideration.
• The display panel is not very large, which could make it difficult to read for some riders. It’s not removable, so it could take more sun and weather damage or scratches at bike racks. It does not feature a USB charging port for your phone (which would be nice for use with the optional Shimano E-Tube ebike smartphone application.
• The button pad for the display is decent, but lacks a lights on/off button… instead, burying that feature in the settings menu. Additionally, the only way to turn the bike itself on is to press the power button on the battery pack which is located on the downtube. This means you have to reach way down vs. having it up on the display panel or control pad. To reach the settings menu in the display, press and hold the settings (black square button) for a few seconds on any menu EXCEPT the trip distance one… or you’ll just reset trip distance. To me, it would have been easier to have holding the up arrow for activating lights and have holding set ALWAYS enter into settings.
• Shimano has vastly improved their chargers, and I love the compact size of this one (with its removable wall side cord), but it is slower than average. Most compact chargers are 2 amp and this one is only 1.8 amp. The big Shimano ebike charger is much larger and heavier than competitors but delivers the standard 4 amps. I’m not sure if that charger would work for this ebike or not.
• I love being able to charge the battery on or off the bike, and not having to use a dongle to do so (like older Shimano chargers), but the battery itself doesn’t have a real obvious handle or ledge to grasp. Compared to the Bosch PowerPack batteries, it’s a bit more difficult to grasp, so be careful not to drop it! I do like the side-mount design however, since it allows for tighter frame designs as we see here.
• The trigger shifters that Kona chose are kind of basic. The high shift lever has to be pulled vs. a two-way lever that can be pulled or pushed. This is probably an affordable hardware upgrade, which I’d like to see at this price point because I use my thumbs to shift and my pointer and middle finger to brake.
• Minor consideration here, the bike only comes in one color scheme, glossy black, unless you pay extra for the Kona Ecoco DL which comes in glossy burgundy or as they call it “Gloss Metallic Pinot Noir with Camel Decals”.
• Kona has grown to a 75-person company since 1988, but might not be as easy to find in shops as some larger brands. They offer a lifetime frame warranty, support the two-year Shimano drive systems warranty, and have a one-year comprehensive warranty on this bike.

Useful Resources:

• Official KONA website.
• Shimano ebike forums.
• Local KONA ebike shop directory and map to find a local dealer for fitting and test rides.