UPDATE! It appears that Polaris is no longer working with the manufacturer who designed and built these electric bikes, but that company is now selling their own line as PIM (Power in Motion) and you can connect with them through their official website at www.pimbicycles.com to possibly get replacement batteries, chargers, and other hardware. The following review stands on its own and represents the Polaris bike as I experienced it at the time.
The Polaris Strive electric bike offers a unique combination of efficiency and power. On the one hand, you’ve got a 450 Watt brushless geared hub motor paired with ~30 Volts of power which is on the higher side of mid-level. On the other hand, you’ve got regenerative braking paired with a fancy control system designed to actually limit top speed but extend range and ride time. Compared to bikes with similar motor and battery specs, this one feels a little slow and weak. It’s really meant for efficiency and range, and it accomplishes that pretty well but comes at a high price point that for me left something to be desired.
The Strive weighs just 53lbs including the battery pack which is mounted to a rear rack. That’s pretty light considering all of the features it has along with the front shock absorber. Thankfully, Polaris did not use a bolt-on rack to integrate their battery. Instead, they welded it directly onto the frame. It’s the kind of battery mounting design that many other ebikes go for as well but it does create a rear-heavy feel and makes the bike harder to lift from the middle when mounting to racks etc. The good news is, if you get the high-step version of this bike it’s actually possible to mount to cars and busses. Most of the other models from Polaris lack a straight top-tube so that might be a deciding factor if you’re choosing between the three models.
This bike rides pretty quiet and the sprung seat and front shock smooth out minor bumps in the road. The battery pack is encased in plastic which mounts directly onto the metal rack and because of this, there is some rattling noise. The spring loaded top rack is kind of weak and doesn’t offer a lot of storage capacity but could help with mail or other thin light weight objects. The unique square tubing and battery pack limit what kind of panniers you can use with this bike and I recommend a “slung over” style pannier set for best performance. One of my favorites is the Basil Elements.
A good word to describe this bike is “controlled”. It’s smart, efficient, relatively light and potentially powerful but not directly satisfying. The three modes of pedal assist are the best feature here and really let this bike reach its full potential, they just don’t feel the same as a heavier more powerful ebike. This has actually been described as a benefit to me by Polaris representatives who were trying to design a system that didn’t feel so jerky when pedaling. I tend to like the feeling of torque however and the Strive is a sportier model so it would be nice if the thumb throttle had more kick in it and could reach higher top speeds. Remember, even if you do pedal faster than 18mph the bike actually kicks in regenerative braking so it slows you back down in favor of extending range.
Taking into account the relatively high price point of this bike, the technology and offering may be right for some but it’s definitely not for everyone. For people who enjoy a smoother feel, lighter frame and solid company reputation, this bike could be a fit. But keep in mind, this is the first generation of the Strive and Polaris worked with a third party company to create it. For those who like the idea of a smooth ride but might benefit from fenders, chain guard and upright positioning I recommend the Meridian from Polaris over the Strive. All in all, the Strive is one of the few bikes out there with regenerative braking and its unique torque sensing system is in a class all its own.
A powerful, well balanced fat electric bike with a unique pedal-assist drive mode designed to focus on power or speed and increase naturally as you shift gears. Excellent weight distribution for a hub motor powered electric bike, sturdy frame and components...
A high speed trail ready electric bike with proprietary gearless hub motor that offers two levels of power regeneration. Pedal assist only drive mode measures your chain speed and gear to distribute power efficiently…...
Hardtail mountain-ready electric bike with 650b 27.5" wheels, a well balanced battery location, two-year electronics warranty and support from Polaris. Smart DuoDrive pedal assist measures the gear you choose as well as chain speed for…...
Well balanced speed-commmuter electric bike capable of ~25 mph in pedal assist mode, solid two-year warranty and support from Polaris. Unique DuoDrive pedal assist measures gearign and chain speed to provide optimal power output at…...
Well balanced city-style electric bike with a solid two-year electronics warranty and support from Polaris. Unique DuoDrive pedal assist measures your chain speed and the gear you're in to provide…...
Custom design with integrated cables, controller, and battery plus regenerative braking. Battery mounted in the down tube keeping weight low and stable, looks nice and doesn't…...
Motomanz
11 years agoI wanted to comment about a few things said in the article. Firstly; the written specs are correct where it states it has a 450W motor, but in the video, he says it only has a 250W motor. Also, as far as down hill speed, you can go as fast as you want with no restriction from the motor (while it is charging over 18 mph). During throttling on level ground it has a maximum unassisted (by pedals) “legal” bike path motor speed of 18-19 mph. You can pedal right past that with no restrictions or being “restricted” or held back. I was doing 47 mph down the hill near my house (pedaling/coasting past max motor speed). And when you exceed 18 mph it is charging. He comments that it has speed restrictive “regen braking” at 18 mph speed which doesn’t make sense. It will charge during braking AND when you are going faster than 18 mph. I have a lot of hills where I live, but have never had the battery go below 2/3rd’s of it’s full charge range only requiring about 45 minutes to fully charge at that point. I also like being able to take the battery out of the bike with the key lock and charge it inside with the handy included adapter if you want (you can also charge with the battery in the bike). I have over 500 miles on my Polaris Strive (upper horizontal bar some call “mens” version) and absolutely love it! The model with the lower frame design (some call them a girls/womens model) is the Strive “ST”. Something else I see on the internet on these is that they retail for either $2999 or $2499. They actually retail at $1999! Remember; if an eBike goes faster than 20 miles per hour on motor (unassisted) and has bigger than a 750W motor, it makes them illegal on bike paths and sidewalks across most of the US states. Some states have their own special rules, so check before purchasing. If you are only buying an eBike to use battery power and hardly pedal, you should probably get a scooter or mo-ped. But then you have possible licensing, insurance, tags and no bike path or sidewalk access. Don’t we all need a little more exercise? This Polaris eBike is whipping me into shape using the pedal assist and I’m loving every second! The Polaris eBikes are very nice high quality units and are not near as bad as this review might suggest. Thanks for listening.
ReplyBrent Jareske
11 years agoWe’re glad that you are enjoying your eBike. Let us know if you have anything else you would like to share with us about the bike. We’re always interested to hear! You can email me or you can find us on our social media outlets. Again, thanks for enjoying our bike!
All the best,
Brent
ReplyMike Kelley
9 years agoI need help with my Polaris bikes. I have a Vector and a Strive. Neither works and the Strive has only 57 miles! Please have someone from the factory call me at 757-536-1445. Mike Kelley
Reply