2015 Pedego Boomerang Review

The Pedego Boomerang is cruiser style electric bike designed to be extra easy to mount and dismount. Pedego has long offered traditional step-thru designs (even one that’s specifically built for shorter riders) but this model, new for 2015, takes that concept even further by reducing the step height by about one foot. The top tube and down tube have been combined for the Boomerang and while the benefit is convenient mounting the trade off is frame rigidity. The bike is so low you can literally sit yourself on the saddle from one side and turn onto the bike, only having to lift your leg about one foot total. The downside is that the frame is less stiff than the other Pedego cruisers I’ve tried and this is exacerbated by the high and extended mounting point of the rear battery pack. For relaxed cruising it works fine and I love the great accessories including LED lights, full length fenders, large mechanical disc brakes and an integrated bell. Keep in mind that the bike is heavier than some competing models, very rear-heavy and trickier to mount to some bike racks… You’ll probably need a special tray-style rack or a truck to move this thing around (unless you live near a dealer and can ride it home).

Driving this unique ebike is a wonderful 500 watt internally geared hub motor mounted in the rear. I love this thing because it’s so small, quiet and light weight but still capable of accelerating and climbing quite well. With the seven speed Shimano Acera cassette on one side and a 180 mm disc brake rotor on the other, the motor basically disappears. If you put panniers on the rear rack some people might mistake this for a traditional bicycle and that’s kind of neat.

The battery pack powering the motor, display and LED lights on the Boomerang offers 36 or 48 volts of power and comes in 10 or 15 amp hour configurations. This means you can pay more for extra power or range. If you weigh over 180 pounds or do a lot of hill climbing I’d recommend the 48 volt pack but it will add a couple more pounds to the frame. All battery pack options have a built in LED tail light, a battery level indicator that works whether the pack is on or off the frame and indeed, they are removable. Being able to remove the battery for charging, safe storage (to avoid extreme temperatures) or to reduce weight when transporting the bike is very convenient. The battery chemistry used here is top of the line Lithium-ion that’s long lasting and Pedego offers an amazing three year warranty. The only negative to the pack is where it’s mounted on the frame. Ideally you want to keep weight low and centered on any bike so you can see how the high and rear location of these ~8 pounds is less than perfect. Still, it’s surrounded by a custom built metal rack that’s great for adding a bag and has a spring latch built right in for small light weight items. I also want to add that I love how Pedego has removed the requirement to keep the key in the battery when riding!

The cockpit of the Pedego Boomerang is spacious and uncluttered. You’ve got a half grip twist shifter on the left (to switch between 7 speeds) and a half grip twist throttle on the right. I love that you can operate the throttle at any time when the bike is powered on. That includes level zero (when pedal assist is completely turned off) as well as any of the six assist levels. The display panel is activated with a power button and then you can change readouts with a “Set” button. Displayed at all times are your assist level, speed and remaining battery voltage. An up and down button allow you to set assist levels and this bike uses a torque sensor vs. a cadence sensor seen on older Pedego models. The torque sensor offers smooth, responsive power activation and overall it felt good to me during the test. In addition to drive modes you can also activate the lights through the display panel and it is backlit.

Older Pedego models have separated the display from the button pad but the Boomerang and other 2015 models have them combined. It’s still relatively easy to reach the buttons without taking your hand off the left grip when riding and the display is similarly easy to read. I should also mention that this display has a built in female USB charging port that’s can be used to charge your phone, music player, portable speakers or holiday lights. I love the way Pedego refines their ebikes each year and am impressed with their dealer network, solid warranty and support and fun company culture. While the Boomerang doesn’t have the stiffest frame or the best weight distribution it’s beautifully crafted, very capable and enjoyable to ride. I’d love to see a water bottle mounting point in the future but you could always use a rack bag for this and I also hope to see more sizes and maybe a smaller 24″ model (UPDATE! It appears that newer Pedego Boomerang models do have bottle cage bosses and I’ve updated the main image to show this).

Pros:

• One of the easiest electric bikes I’ve ever tried mounting (aside from a trike or recumbent)
• Beautiful frame design, paint job and matching faux leather grips and saddle
• Powerful 500 watt geared motor is zippy, capable of climbing medium sized hills though relatively quiet and small
• Front and rear mechanical disc brakes with larger 180 mm sized rotors provide great stopping power
• Front and rear LED lights, full length fenders with mud flaps, chain guard and welded carry rack add a lot of utility
• Oversized cruiser style handlebars enable an upright riding position and absorb some vibration
• Large plush saddle has built in rubber bumpers and the seat post has a built in shock absorber as well
• New LCD display panel is easier to operate with a “Set” button as well as power on / off and up / down for choosing pedal assist
• Torque sensing pedal assist hardware by Dapu is responsive and smooth, no jerky on / off feeling
• Tektro brake levers cut power to the motor when activated, the left lever has a built in bell that works very well and keeps the handlebars uncluttered
• Optional battery upgrades for increased range or power 36 volt 10 or 15 amp hour and 48 volt 10 or 15 amp hour
• Optional balloon tire upgrade for increased softness and durability with integrated Kevlar lining

Cons:

• Rear-heavy design (motor and battery pack at the back of the bike), battery weight is relatively high and mounted away from primary tubing on the frame which reduces balance and can cause a flexing feeling when turning or leaning abruptly (kind of lick crack the whip)
• Thicker tubing on rear rack may not work with all clip-on panniers, large open space below panniers is not blocked with additional tubing which may allow snagging or rubbing on some bags
• Untraditional frame may be difficult to mount on some car racks, consider a tray style rack that’s rated for higher weight
• No water bottle cage mounting points on the top tube / down tube or the seat post (some newer models do have bottle cage bosses)
• LCD display panel is large, bright and easy to operate but not removable so it may experience increased wear if left outside or parked in public places