2024 OHM Cruise 3 Review

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:

• The OHM Cruise 3 builds on older Cruise platforms with an upgraded E7000 drive system from Shimano that offers more power and torque (up to 500 watts and up to 60 newton meters). It’s one of the sportier and sturdier step-thru cruiser ebikes I’ve tested over the years. It doesn’t suffer from frame flex because of large gussets and reinforcements. Amazingly, the weight is fairly low considering that it comes with aluminum fenders, a rear rack, and integrated lights! OHM has been making ebikes since 2005, and is headquartered in North Vancouver British Columbia Canada!
• Many parts are shared across the Quest and Cruise line, including the perfectly positioned integrated lights, rear rack, fenders, thru-axles, and battery integration. While the Cruise 3 does not offer a suspension fork, this reduces the overall weight and cost, looks nice because the fork is paint matched and slim, keeps the frame feeling stiffer and more responsive because there's no bobbing, and is perhaps less necessary because cruiser models are generally used in neighborhoods and on smooth paved surfaces. If the Ergon saddle and grips, swept back handlebar, and upright geometry aren’t enough in terms of comfort, consider adding a suspension seatpost to maximize comfort. OHM stocks and sells the adjustable high quality Kinekt suspension posts that are guaranteed to fit.
• I find myself looking at this bike in relation to the high-step Quest 3, thinking it would make a good his and hers setup. Given that any person can develop hip or knee issues over time, or simply prefer the more approachable wave step-thru frame, I appreciate that OHM offers the Cruise 3 in two colors to suit different styles and fit that partner setup so you don't have to both get the same color. The new gloss paint is also easier to clean, and is the major differentiator from the Cruise 3 model from prior years. The frame comes in three sizes to help optimize fit, and I was riding the medium sized during the review.

Pros:

• Beautiful approachable step-thru frame, but it’s also sturdy and rigid thanks to the larger downtube sizing and extended gusset that connects to the seat tube (which is also flared). This is a purpose built electric bike that is well balanced and solid feeling. Notice the smooth welds and internally routed cables, the reinforcement eyelets on the rims, and the rubberized edge surrounding the battery shield.
• OHM includes a fast four-amp charger with the Cruise 3, which means you can spend more time riding vs. waiting. I believe this charger is cross compatible with most of their other models, so you can share with a family member or leave one at work and one at home if you’ve got a couple of bikes.
• The Cruise 3 comes complete with sturdy fenders, a premium rear rack, and integrated lights! It’s ready for any ride conditions that an urban environment could bring, and would make for an excellent comfortable commuter platform. I especially love how long the front fender is, yet how quiet it is when riding on bumpy terrain since it's made from aluminum alloy vs. plastic.
• I really appreciate how OHM designed the rear light to be protected by the rack tubing... and that they chose a light with two LEDs vs. just one to keep you extra visible from the back and sides.
• So many times, companies will mount headlights on the fork, but OHM stuck it up high on the handlebar stem so you’re more visible to cars and other cyclists. It won’t get blocked by the front tire and fender if you aim it steeply down, and it points where you steer. The Lezyne brand is pretty good, and the sturdy housing and bright beam is above average from what I’m used to reviewing.
• OHM is a reputable company that uses high quality brand-name components, offers an above average warranty, and is available for phone and in-person support at their North Vancouver outlet. This bike is powered by a high torque Shimano mid-drive motor and Deore level drive-train. I love that the derailleur has a clutch to keep the chain tight, the chainring uses narrow-wide tooth pattern to reduce drops, and the cassette spread is wide 11-36 tooth. OHM has been in the ebike world since 2005, a lot longer than most other companies I see out there, and they spec their bikes very well. In recent years, the prices have become very competitive considering that their quality is very good.
• OHM is based in Vancouver, B.C. and offers free one hour demo rides at their headquarters in North Van. It's a beautiful area to explore, with bike paths right out front that lead down to the Ferry Terminal Shipyards area. They have several dealers outside of Vancouver, and also sell online.
• The Schwalbe Big Ben high volume comfort tires are sized 27.5” tall by 2” wide which adds stability and makes up for the rigid frame and fork. Wider tires perform well on gravel with their high air volume and a lower attack angle for smooth ride feel. The PSI range is 35 to 70 so you can dial them in for your body weight and intended use. Higher PSI is more efficient for good range but less comfortable. Benefits of the rigid fork include lighter weight, lower cost, paint matched nicer look, and less play in steering and handling.
• The tires are great, but so are the rims. OHM went with ALEXRIMS that have reinforcement eyelets designed to add strength and durability, it’s one of many small upgrades that set the Cruise 3 apart from other similar city/commuter electric bicycles. Notice how the rims, spokes, and hubs are all matching in black.
• I love how the tires have both puncture protection and reflective sidewalls to improve durability and safety respectively. To really maximize your visual footprint! Consider the light colored frame, which will shine brighter at night if car lights are pointing at it.
• This bike has a 30.9mm seat post, so if you were looking to add more comfort to the ride setup, you could get an aftermarket suspension seat post like a Kinekt or SR SunTour NCX to give it cushion. This can actually be more effective than a suspension fork for an upright platform (with the swept back handlebar and relaxed geometry). I am told that the Kinekt suspension post is one of the most popular upgrades that OHM sells on their site, and I enjoyed it during my ride tests due to my sensitive neck, shoulders, and wrists.
• The bike weighs about 49.5lbs (on the medium frame) and that weight includes the battery, motor, and everything on the bike ready to ride. This is very light compared to similarly outfitted products I’ve been testing in the cruiser category. Keep in mind that you can reduce the weight further by removing the 5.9lb battery before mounting on bike racks or performing maintenance and service.
• The bike has a quick release setup in both the front and rear wheels, which is great for maintenance like changing a flat tire or truing a wheel. It also makes for great portability if you are loading the frame into the trunk of a car or other storage situation. Both axles are sturdy thru-axles (15mm front and 12mm rear) vs. the standard 9mm with a skewer, this adds strength and is something you usually only see on mountain bikes! Since the frame is custom designed by OHM, they just share a lot of the higher quality parts across all models. In my opinion, this is one of the sturdiest and most off-road capable cruisers around.
• I was amazed to see that OHM included two sets of bottle cage bosses here, one on the downtube and one on the seat tube! You can see how they position them on the thick gusseted section of tubing so screws won’t hit the seat post or downtube battery. Ultimately, these mounting points allow you to reach your water bottle more easily while riding (vs. a trunk bag holster or handlebar mount) and can also be used to mount a folding lock, mini pump, or storage box for little tools and parts.
• I love the included rear rack, which is rated for 25kg (roughly to 55lbs). It has standard gage tubing to fit all sorts of panniers, really one of the must-haves for a feature complete commuter bike, and Michael mentioned that the base interface increases the lateral stability of the rack by 20% compared with aftermarket rear racks!
• I love the Racktime accessories, which include a canvas trunk bag with zip-out pannier sidebags and a bottle holster at the back! Other accessories include a wide platform tray with insert, a tall metal basket, and a locking plastic box that’s large enough to store a helmet! I show them in the video review above.
• Great mounting position for the kickstand, it’s out of the way at the rear of the bike but provides plenty of stability for a loaded rack. I think it’s lighter and sturdier than some of the adjustable kickstands I’ve seen, and they got the length right. It’s just simple and correct.
• Powered by the Shimano E7000 mid drive motor, you’re getting increased efficiency and power compared to the older E6000 models. It offers over 130rpm pedal support (so you can downshift and “spin” in lower gears to climb steep hills), the motor uses a standard Q factor, offers 250-500 watts of power, and up to 60nm of torque. In my opinion, this is a neat motor that is pretty quiet and very stable, even though it’s a bit less powerful than the Quest 3 E8 motor, that offers 85nm of torque.
• Great display choice here. Shimano has a bunch to choose from, but this one is intuitive, easy to reach, and doesn’t get too complicated or confusing. There’s no USB charging port, and I believe you need additional hardware to use the Shimano E-Tube app with the bike, but I was just fine with it as-is, and I apprecaite the dedicated light button on the left side.
• I believe that the lithium-ion battery uses high quality LG cells, the pack fits nicely into the downtube of the bike, and there’s a two-step release so it doesn’t just drop out when unlocked. Consider turning the front wheel a bit to add more space when mounting or removing the battery pack.
• I appreciate that the battery is removable, because experts in the field have told me that extreme heat or cold can be damaging to Lithium-ion cells. Not everyone has space to store a bicycle inside their house, but the battery isn’t that large, and taking it off to charge is pretty convenient.
• A big win with the Cruise 3 are the large 180 mm rotor hydraulic disc brakes! The increased surface area of the rotors helps them cool faster and provides a great mechanical advantage for heavier loads or larger riders (especially relevant given the three frame sizes). The hydraulic brake levers are easy to actuate and more consistent than mechanical brakes, the brake levers are even adjustable for different hand sizes, and the quad piston calipers provide more stopping surface for the brake pad and even pressure distribution, this is mountain bike level componentry that's carried over from the Quest models!
• Approachable 16″ stand over height! This is one of the most approachable ebike frames around, and that’s great for people with hip and knee issues, or if you’re wearing a dress or skirt, or simply prefer an easy approach.
• Narrow-wide tooth pattern on the chainring reduces the potential for drops, and the aluminum alloy chainring guard will help protect the bottom bracket as well as your pants and dress ends from touching the dirty chain as you pedal.
• Even the bottom bracket, crank arms, and pedals are upgraded here! The bottom bracket uses a stiff hollow spindle design from Shimano that saves weight, and the magnesium Wellgo pedals are also light and have removable metal pins. They’re great for wet weather so you don’t slip off as easily.
• So many times, city bikes will only come with a 14-28, 11-32 or 11-34 tooth cassette, but OHM offers a wider range here with 11-36 toot spread, which makes starting and climbing easier. The Shimano Deore derailleur is reliable and includes a clutch system for tighter shifting and easier rear wheel maintenance depending on whether you click the little grey lever into the up or down position respectively.
• Great choice on the Shimano Deore trigger shifters, the high lever offers two-way interaction and the low lever offers multiple steps, this is performance hardware that makes the bike snappier and fun to ride as an enthusiast... it's more active and engaging.
• Mike showed me how they have upgraded their plastic battery covers to be more rigid and water tight. Note that the battery pack inside is still highly water resistant.
• The bike uses high-quality FSA headset and sealed bottom bracket, which means you won’t get the same rust, squeaking, creaking, and friction over time as lower quality ebikes.
• OHM sells a bunch of upgrades that are guaranteed to fit with their ebikes including a suspension seat post, pannier bags, and a cool basket that interfaces directly with the frame. They also sell spare batteries for a good price, which helps to extend your range or could be useful to leave one at home and one at work.
• The motor controller measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque to give you a fluid, natural feeling of pedal assist… and the speed sensor has been designed to fit into the disc brake rotor, so it won’t mess up your spoke or get bumped out of place as easily. This is a nice little upgrade from older ebike technology.

Cons:

• Charging the battery on or off the bike is a great feature, however, when charging on the bike, you have to remember the charging port is near the crank arm on the left side of the bike. This means that if you had it plugged in and parked in the garage, moving the bike or rotating that crank arm could collide with the charging cord, causing it to snag… It’s also a minor inconvenience to reach down vs. having the port up high on the right side of the downtube.
• I wish the display had a USB charging port built in, so I could maintain a smartphone or additional lights and accessories while riding. It would also be nice if the Shimano E-Tube smartphone app was compatible without needing a hardware upgrade, but at lest it’s an option... and I honestly haven’t used the E-Tube app that much, so maybe it’s not something to feel too bad about :)
• The bike lacks a front suspension fork by default, this is part of what keeps the weight down and price reasonable, but you can add an aftermarket fork (though it might not match the color perfectly) and OHM does sell suspension seat posts from Kinekt. Michael explained that for a more upright cruiser, the suspension fork just doesn’t add as much of a benefit here compared to the Quest models that are a big more active geometry with more body weight forward on the arms and wrists.
• In order to charge the battery pack directly, when not mounted in the frame, you need to use the included dongle adapter. There’s no leash for this adapter, and I could see it getting misplaced or lost easily. Many competing ebike systems don’t require dongles at all, which is simpler. I also noticed that the plastic battery bay cover does not lock to the frame, so it could be taken off if parked at a public rack etc. but at least it’s a shared part across many bikes and probably easy and affordable to replace.
• The E7000 motor is very nice (reliable, lightweight, quiet, and efficient). However, there is no shift detection built in. Be sure to ease off a bit when pedaling as you change gears, this way the chain and sprockets won’t mash and get prematurely worn. Shift detection is a feature unique to Bosch and some Bafang drive systems, and it just means that with Yamaha, Shimano, Brose, and others, you want to ease off a bit if you’re changing gears.
• I was told that the rear rack is setup to be sleek, but it’s still very sturdy! Please note that it’s not officially EN 14872 rated to handle a child seat. Consider the Thule Yepp Nexxt Maxi that mounts to the seat tube instead.
• Minor consideration here, the battery pack is a little tight to get on and off the bike because the front wheel and fender get pretty close to the downtube, you can turn the front wheel to the left or right to create space and make mounting and dismounting it easier.
• I believe that the Shimano motor controller calibrates output each time the bike is turned on... so you need to make sure you aren’t riding the bike or putting pressure on the pedals when you power up. This is not something you have to worry about with most of the other ebike mid-drive systems I've tested from Bosch, Yamaha, and Brose, and it could throw an error on the display in which case you’ll have to power cycle the bike.