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’ve covered the Quest platform several times in the past, the SUV PRO model is the fanciest and most expensive configuration. The highlights include a longer travel 120mm suspension fork with Boost hub spacing and upgraded tires, a higher capacity 630 watt hour battery pack vs. 504wh, and an 11-speed Shimano Deore XT Di2 derailleur and shifter groupset with 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 one premium metallic color.
- This ebike is capable as a hybrid or cross country mountain bike given the unique knobby tires that are fairly smooth down the center but grippy on the sides. The adjustable 120mm air suspension fork, wide Boost hub spacing up front, and sturdy thru-axles make it trail capable and the fenders, rear rack, and lights did not rattle during my ride test going off road.
- The rear rack offers 10% higher lateral strength than normal bolt-on racks and can support 55lbs (25kg) of weight, which is above average. The integrated lights are brighter than average with the rear light having two LEDs, and positioned very well. I love the premium touch points including locking Ergon grips, Ergon gel saddle, and wide 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. The diamond frame style also provides more spacing for mouting water bottles, folding locks, or other accessories in one of two spots (seat tube and downtube bosses).
- In my experience, OHM provides excellent customer support, offers a solid warranty, and utilizing reliable components. They also size-match the handlebar, stem, and crank arms to fit the bike frame. I appreciate how the locking core for the battery and power button are both high on the frame where they can be reached more easily.
- This electric bike would make for an outstanding commuting platform because of the high capacity battery pack, efficient mid-drive motor, included sturdy fenders, rear rack, and lights. The removable battery makes it easy to charge if you park in a spot that doesn’t have electric outlets nearby, and the fast charger reduces time to get back out!
- 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. The wider 110mm Boost hub spacing offers a sturdier spoke bracing angle for taking on rocks, logs, and other off-road terrain.
- In addition to integrated lights, the tires offer reflective sidewalls and puncture protection!. The metallic bronze color further increase your visual footprint and is in style for many hiking backpacks, shoes, and jackets I’ve seen.
- 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 on long descents. 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.
- The 30.9mm rigid seat 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. Just keep in mind that a suspension post will raise the minimum saddle height by about three inches.
- 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 love 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.
- 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 XT Di2 11-speed is well suited to off-road use, and even includes a clutch for keeping the chain tight. The trigger shifters have single click, which keeps the sprockets from mashing when under pressure from the motor. Electronic shifting tends to stay in tune longer, shift quickly, and be very consistent. It’s a neat feature that can be rare to find on ebikes,a nd it works great with the Quest 2 SUV PRO.
- Protecting the chainring is a thick aluminum alloy chainring guard that doubles as a bash guard. It 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 XT Di2 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 pretty easily if left at a bike rack. Replacement should be possible given that this design is shared across many other Quest and Cruise 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 right side of the downtube vs. having one built into the display 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 high up within reach.
- 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, especially this SUV PRO model with the high capacity battery pack and Shimano Di2 electronic shifting.
- 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.
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