OHM Quest 2 Review

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OHM Quest 2 Review

A feature complete commuting platform with sturdy aluminum alloy fenders, bright integrated lights, and a high quality rear rack. The Quest 2 uses top end Shimano EP8 motor and Deore drivetrain with a 10-speed 11 to 36 tooth cassette. Available in two premium colors and three frame sizes for improved fit.
High performance narrow-wide tooth chainring reduces drops, aluminum alloy bash guard protects the bottom bracket, and sturdy thru-axles improve overall strength, making the bike off-road capable. Large 180mm Shimano hydraulic disc brakes with quad piston calipers improve stopping power and cooling.
Clean aesthetic with internally routed cables and wires, purpose built frame positions battery low and center for improved stability and handling, excellent headlight positioning high on the stem, both lights are brighter than average, and the tires offer puncture protection and reflectivity.
Fast 4 amp charger, but it's larger and heavier than average, and requires a dongle adapter to fill the battery directly. Only available in high-step, but the top tube is sloped down for lower standover. Relatively low weight due to high end components, but higher relative price due to quality and frame options. Many racks and cargo options.

Make:

OHM

Model:

Quest 2

Price:

$4599

Body Position:

Upright, Forward

Suggested Use:

Urban, Commuting

Electric Bike Class:

Pedal Assist (Class 1)

Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

2 Year Comprehensive, 5 Year Frame

Availability:

United States, Canada

Model Year:

2023

Motor Brand:

Shimano EP8

Motor Type:

Mid-Mounted Geared Motor

Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

250 watts

Motor Peak Output:

500 watts

Motor Torque:

85 Newton meters

Battery Brand:

Darfon Battery Pack

Battery Voltage:

36 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

14 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

504 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium-ion

Charge Time:

7 hours

Estimated Min Range:

60 miles (97 km)

Estimated Max Range:

120 miles (193 km)

Display Type:

Shimano SC-E5003 Fixed Grayscale LCD with Buttons: Up, Down, Select, Mode, Walk Mode: Hold Down Arrow then Hold Again

Readouts:

Battery Charge Level (5 Bars), Assist Level (0-3 Bars), Current Speed, Range Estimate, Trip Distance, Odometer

Display Accessories:

Power Button on Downtube Near Seat Tube, Independent Headlight Button on Right (Hold to Power On Off and Tap to Flash Off), Independent Button on Left Side of Steer Tube to Power Off Running Light

Drive Mode:

Advanced Pedal Assist

Top Speed:

20 mph (32 kph)

Total Weight:

52 lbs (23.59 kg)

Battery Weight:

5.9 lbs (2.68 kg)

Motor Weight:

5.7 lbs (2.59 kg)

Frame Material:

Premium Hydroformed Aluminum

Frame Sizes:

16.5 in (41.91 cm) 18.5 in (46.99 cm) 21 in (53.34 cm)

Geometry Measurements:

Small 16.5" Measurements: 16.5" Seat Tube Length, 22" Top Tube, 15" Reach, 27.5" Stand Over Height, 32" Minimum Saddle Height, 27" Width, 45" Wheelbase, 74.25" Length

Frame Types:

High-Step

Frame Colors:

Satin Granite, Satin Platinum

Frame Fork Details:

RST F1RST Air Suspension, 100mm Travel, Black Anodized Stanchions, Compression Clicker, Rebound Adjust, 100mm Hub Spacing, 15mm Thru-Axle with 6mm Hex Bolt

Frame Rear Details:

Shimano MT400B Hub, 142mm Hub Spacing, 12mm Thru-Axle with Quick Release

Attachment Points:

Rear Rack Bosses, Fender Bosses, 2 Bottle Cage Bosses, Headlight Mount on Stem

Gearing Details:

10Speed 1x11 Shimano RD-RX817 GRX Di2 Derailleur, Shimano CS-M8000 11-42 Tooth Cassette

Shifter Details:

Shimano Deore Triggers on Right (Optical Gear Display, Two-Way High Lever, Three-Shift Low Lever)

Cranks:

OHM Branded CL50 Custom Specced Crank Arms, Aluminum Alloy, 170mm / 175mm Length, 42 Narrow-Wide Tooth Chainring with Alloy Chain Guard, Shimano Hollowtech II Bottom Bracket, Hollow Spindle

Pedals:

Wellgo MG6 Magnesium Platform with Removable Pins

Headset:

FSA No.55, Sealed, Tapered 1-1/8"- 1-1/2"

Stem:

Promax DA-230, Aluminum Alloy, 70mm / 80mm / 90mm Length, 6° Rise, 31.8mm Clamp Diameter with Custom Light Mount, Four 10mm Spacers, One 5mm Spacer

Handlebar:

Aluminum Alloy, Low-Rise, 670mm or 710mm Length, 50mm Rise, 7-Degree Backsweep

Brake Details:

Shimano MT420 Hydraulic Disc with 180mm Rotors, Quad Piston Calipers, Shimano Two-Finger Levers with Adjust Reach

Grips:

Ergon GP1, Ergonomic Rubber, Single-Density, Locking

Saddle:

Ergon ST Gel Comfort

Seat Post:

Aluminum Alloy, 25mm Offset, Single Bolt Clamp

Seat Post Length:

350 mm

Seat Post Diameter:

30.9 mm

Rims:

Alexrims FR30, Aluminum Alloy, Double Wall, 32 Hole, Reinforcement Eyelets

Spokes:

Sha-Dar, Stainless Steel, 14 Gauge, Black with Brass Nipples

Tire Brand:

Schwalbe Big Ben, 27.5" x 2.0" (50-584)

Wheel Sizes:

27.5 in (69.85cm)

Tire Details:

35 to 70 PSI, 2.5 to 5.0 BAR, K-Guard 3, Reflective Sidewall Stripe

Tube Details:

Schrader Valve

Accessories:

Pletscher ESGE Comp 40 Rear-Mount Kickstand, Nuvo Rotary Bell on Right, Racktime Alloy Rear Rack (25kg 55lb Max Weight, EN14872 Rated), Aluminum Alloy Double-Wall Fenders (50mm Width), Lezyne E-Bike Mini STVZO E65 Integrated Headlight (210 lumens, 65 Lux), Lezyne E-Bike Rear Super Bright STVZO E12 Integrated Rear Light (12 lumens, 2 LED), Optional BodyFloat Suspension Seatpost, Optional ABUS Bordo Combo Lock

Other:

Locking Removable Downtube-Integrated Battery Pack, 2.1lb 4 Amp DARFON Charger, KMC e.10 Sport Chain, ABUS Locking Core and Key

This review was provided for free using a demo bike. OHM split the cost of flights to help make it possible. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of OHM products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the OHM electric bike forums.

Observations:

OHM has been around since 2005, which makes them one of the oldest ebike specific brands in North America. Their products use high quality drive systems, components, and tend to be light and durable.
I reviewed the original OHM Quest in 2020, and now the company has three versions of the Quest 2 including the SUV and SUV Pro with longer suspension travel, and higher capacity battery packs, and electronic shifting.

Pros:

The bike frame is purpose built, keeping battery weight low and center, routing cables internally, and supporting the custom fenders and rear rack beautifully. The front fender is especially long and provides great coverage. It’s available in three frame sizes, offering improved fit, and two premium colors to suit your style preference.
The rear rack offers 10% higher lateral strength than normal bolt-on racks and can support 55lbs (25kg) of weight. The integrated lights are brighter than average, and positioned very well. Notice the double LED rear light and stem mounted headlight that is below the stem so you have plenty of handlebar space for mounting a phone or other accessory. I love the locking Ergon grips, Ergon saddle, and quality magnesium pedals from Wellgo.
While the bike is only available in high-step, it features a sloped top tube for lower stand over height. The diamond frame design is sturdier than a mid-step or step-thru, which makes this an SUV platform that can handle light trails, especially if you swap the city tires for treaded ones.
In my experience, OHM provides excellent customer support, offers a solid warranty, and utilizes reliable components. They also size-match the handlebar, stem, and crank arms to fit the bike frame size. I also appreciate that the frame has two bottle cage mounting points, and the battery lock position is high on the frame vs. low and down where it could get dirty, wet, and require more effort to reach.
To me, this electric bike would make for an excellent commuting platform because of the fenders, rear rack, and lights. I expect that it will get better than average range because of the efficient Shimano mid-drive motor, and the fast charger reduces time between rides.
The RST F1RST air suspension fork is way above average and feels very smooth. The air pressure is adjustable to suit your body weight and gear, there’s lockout adjust, and rebound. It uses a 15mm thru-axle vs. a standard 9mm axle with skewer, adding stiffness and durability. During my ride tests, I did not hear the fenders or rear rack rattling when I took it off-road.
In addition to lights, the tires offer reflective sidewalls and puncture protection. The platinum color choice would further increase your visual footprint, being light and metallic.
The brakes are above average with large 180mm rotors front and rear. This larger rotor size provides a good mechanical advantage and additional surface area for cooling. OHM specced quad piston calipers with increased surface area and stronger grab. Both brake levers have adjustable reach to suit a range of hand sizes.
I love the Ergon saddle, Ergon locking grips, and magnesium Wellgo pedals. I think they offer noticeable improvements in comfort and the 30.9mm rigid post is an excellent candidate for upgrading to a suspension post. Comfort is a big deal when riding for longer periods and over varied terrain. The combination of tough tires, nice suspension, and premium touch points make this a great choice for commuting and a bit of adventuring… but consider the SUV models for longer suspension travel, larger battery, and electronic shifting options.
The cargo options that OHM offers are extensive and high quality. They sell a full range of RackTime baskets and buckets and trunk bags which we showcase in the video review. These click onto the rear rack very easily, and some can even lock! The sealed plastic box is almost like what you’d find on a motorcycle or moped and can fit a helmet inside!
The Shimano motor controller measures pedal cadence, pedal torque, and rear wheel speed for a smooth natural feel. The rear wheel speed sensor is mounted to the hub vs. a spoke, making it more durable and balanced. It’s a small detail that I loved to see. The wheelset is very nice and features black hubs, spokes, rims, and reinforcement eyelets to reduce rim cracking on heavy hits and when truing the wheels.
The Shimano EP8 motor is excellent. Not only does it offer more power and torque (85nm now, on par with Bosch and other leaders), but it’s very light, compact, and fairly quiet. It provides high RPM pedal support and I trust that it will be durable like previous Shimano hardware I’ve reviewed.
Powering the motor, display, and lights is a high capacity battery pack that can be charged on or off the frame. I love that they increased the capacity from the prior generation and stuck with the hidden internal design. The battery charger is a bit large and heavy, but does offer above-average charging speed with 4 amp output vs. 2 amp on many competing electric bikes.
To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing them in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the number of charge cycles. Try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells, and try not to let it run down to zero. This is all easier to do with a removable pack.
Since this is a more active mid-drive model, I’m glad that they chose a high-end drivetrain. The Shimano Deore 10-speed is well suited to off-road use, and even includes a clutch for keeping the chain tight. The trigger shifters offer two-way high lever (so you can use your right pointer finger or right thumb) and three-step low lever. It’s my favorite groupset, apart from the even fancier Deore XT, XTR and similar derivatives from Shimano.
Protecting the chainring is a thick aluminum alloy bash guard that will help keep your pant leg from getting greasy or snagged on the chain. There’s no inner guard, but the narrow-wide tooth chainring helps to reduce drops and pairs nicely with the clutch I mentioned on the Shimano Deore derailleur.

Cons:

The plastic battery cover is very well done, in my opinion. It’s stiffer than many others, has a nice rubber seal around the edge, and connects very securely. However, it does not lock to the bike and could be removed if left at a bike rack. Replacement should be fairly easy given that this design is shared across many models in the OHM line.
The charge port for the battery is located very low near the left crank arm, so you have to bend down to plug it in and the cord could be snagged more easily. To charge the battery off the bike, you need a dongle adapter piece that is easy to forget and misplace.
I like the display panel, but it’s a bit more basic than the other Shimano offerings that have larger removable screens, independent button pads, and deep settings menus. There’s no USB charging port and I’m not sure it’s compatible with the Bluetooth E-Tube apps from Shimano.
When powering on the bike, you have to press the silver circular button on the side of the downtube vs. having one built into the display button pad itself. This requires some reaching down if you forget to turn it on before mounting the bike, but is fairly minor because OHM positioned it fairly well.
The battery charger is very fast, but weighs a bit more and is physically larger than average. As mentioned before, it also has that dongle adapter that is easy to forget or lose but is necessary if you park the bike at a rack and bring the battery inside your house or place of work for charging and safe keeping.
The locking core and keyset used for this electric bike are the ABUS Amparo, which is their more basic model. There are no options for getting a lock that uses the same keyset like on the ABUS Plus Code models.
The bike is feature complete, available in three sizes with scaled hardware, and very well made… but the price is higher than average.
The new lights they chose are super bright, positioned well, and look nice, but the headlight does not have a side cutout for higher visibility from different angles. Thankfully the reflective tires help a lot.

Observations:

OHM has been around since 2005, which makes them one of the oldest ebike specific brands in North America. Their products use high quality drive systems, components, and tend to be light and durable.
I reviewed the original OHM Quest in 2020, and now the company has three versions of the Quest 2 including the SUV and SUV Pro with longer suspension travel, and higher capacity battery packs, and electronic shifting.

Pros:

The bike frame is purpose built, keeping battery weight low and center, routing cables internally, and supporting the custom fenders and rear rack beautifully. The front fender is especially long and provides great coverage. It’s available in three frame sizes, offering improved fit, and two premium colors to suit your style preference.
The rear rack offers 10% higher lateral strength than normal bolt-on racks and can support 55lbs (25kg) of weight. The integrated lights are brighter than average, and positioned very well. Notice the double LED rear light and stem mounted headlight that is below the stem so you have plenty of handlebar space for mounting a phone or other accessory. I love the locking Ergon grips, Ergon saddle, and quality magnesium pedals from Wellgo.
While the bike is only available in high-step, it features a sloped top tube for lower stand over height. The diamond frame design is sturdier than a mid-step or step-thru, which makes this an SUV platform that can handle light trails, especially if you swap the city tires for treaded ones.
In my experience, OHM provides excellent customer support, offers a solid warranty, and utilizes reliable components. They also size-match the handlebar, stem, and crank arms to fit the bike frame size. I also appreciate that the frame has two bottle cage mounting points, and the battery lock position is high on the frame vs. low and down where it could get dirty, wet, and require more effort to reach.
To me, this electric bike would make for an excellent commuting platform because of the fenders, rear rack, and lights. I expect that it will get better than average range because of the efficient Shimano mid-drive motor, and the fast charger reduces time between rides.
The RST F1RST air suspension fork is way above average and feels very smooth. The air pressure is adjustable to suit your body weight and gear, there’s lockout adjust, and rebound. It uses a 15mm thru-axle vs. a standard 9mm axle with skewer, adding stiffness and durability. During my ride tests, I did not hear the fenders or rear rack rattling when I took it off-road.
In addition to lights, the tires offer reflective sidewalls and puncture protection. The platinum color choice would further increase your visual footprint, being light and metallic.
The brakes are above average with large 180mm rotors front and rear. This larger rotor size provides a good mechanical advantage and additional surface area for cooling. OHM specced quad piston calipers with increased surface area and stronger grab. Both brake levers have adjustable reach to suit a range of hand sizes.
I love the Ergon saddle, Ergon locking grips, and magnesium Wellgo pedals. I think they offer noticeable improvements in comfort and the 30.9mm rigid post is an excellent candidate for upgrading to a suspension post. Comfort is a big deal when riding for longer periods and over varied terrain. The combination of tough tires, nice suspension, and premium touch points make this a great choice for commuting and a bit of adventuring… but consider the SUV models for longer suspension travel, larger battery, and electronic shifting options.
The cargo options that OHM offers are extensive and high quality. They sell a full range of RackTime baskets and buckets and trunk bags which we showcase in the video review. These click onto the rear rack very easily, and some can even lock! The sealed plastic box is almost like what you’d find on a motorcycle or moped and can fit a helmet inside!
The Shimano motor controller measures pedal cadence, pedal torque, and rear wheel speed for a smooth natural feel. The rear wheel speed sensor is mounted to the hub vs. a spoke, making it more durable and balanced. It’s a small detail that I loved to see. The wheelset is very nice and features black hubs, spokes, rims, and reinforcement eyelets to reduce rim cracking on heavy hits and when truing the wheels.
The Shimano EP8 motor is excellent. Not only does it offer more power and torque (85nm now, on par with Bosch and other leaders), but it’s very light, compact, and fairly quiet. It provides high RPM pedal support and I trust that it will be durable like previous Shimano hardware I’ve reviewed.
Powering the motor, display, and lights is a high capacity battery pack that can be charged on or off the frame. I love that they increased the capacity from the prior generation and stuck with the hidden internal design. The battery charger is a bit large and heavy, but does offer above-average charging speed with 4 amp output vs. 2 amp on many competing electric bikes.
To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing them in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the number of charge cycles. Try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells, and try not to let it run down to zero. This is all easier to do with a removable pack.
Since this is a more active mid-drive model, I’m glad that they chose a high-end drivetrain. The Shimano Deore 10-speed is well suited to off-road use, and even includes a clutch for keeping the chain tight. The trigger shifters offer two-way high lever (so you can use your right pointer finger or right thumb) and three-step low lever. It’s my favorite groupset, apart from the even fancier Deore XT, XTR and similar derivatives from Shimano.
Protecting the chainring is a thick aluminum alloy bash guard that will help keep your pant leg from getting greasy or snagged on the chain. There’s no inner guard, but the narrow-wide tooth chainring helps to reduce drops and pairs nicely with the clutch I mentioned on the Shimano Deore derailleur.

Cons:

The plastic battery cover is very well done, in my opinion. It’s stiffer than many others, has a nice rubber seal around the edge, and connects very securely. However, it does not lock to the bike and could be removed if left at a bike rack. Replacement should be fairly easy given that this design is shared across many models in the OHM line.
The charge port for the battery is located very low near the left crank arm, so you have to bend down to plug it in and the cord could be snagged more easily. To charge the battery off the bike, you need a dongle adapter piece that is easy to forget and misplace.
I like the display panel, but it’s a bit more basic than the other Shimano offerings that have larger removable screens, independent button pads, and deep settings menus. There’s no USB charging port and I’m not sure it’s compatible with the Bluetooth E-Tube apps from Shimano.
When powering on the bike, you have to press the silver circular button on the side of the downtube vs. having one built into the display button pad itself. This requires some reaching down if you forget to turn it on before mounting the bike, but is fairly minor because OHM positioned it fairly well.
The battery charger is very fast, but weighs a bit more and is physically larger than average. As mentioned before, it also has that dongle adapter that is easy to forget or lose but is necessary if you park the bike at a rack and bring the battery inside your house or place of work for charging and safe keeping.
The locking core and keyset used for this electric bike are the ABUS Amparo, which is their more basic model. There are no options for getting a lock that uses the same keyset like on the ABUS Plus Code models.
The bike is feature complete, available in three sizes with scaled hardware, and very well made… but the price is higher than average.
The new lights they chose are super bright, positioned well, and look nice, but the headlight does not have a side cutout for higher visibility from different angles. Thankfully the reflective tires help a lot.

December 23rd, 2024 12:54 pm