2014 Prodecotech Outlaw SS Review

The controversial ProdecoTech Outlaw SS is appropriately named… It’s an outlaw in the world of ebikes because it can only legally be operated in off-road or private spaces in most states. They do sell two street legal version of the bike in the Outlaw EX and SE (both with 750 watt motors and top speeds of 20mph). And I hate to say it, but those are the version I’d go with. I’ve ridden motorcycles, driven cars and even dropped hills on my traditional bicycle at speeds far in excess of 28 miles per hour so what’s the big deal here? In short, it just doesn’t feel stable… none of them do, but the added speed here doesn’t help.

In my experience, the most comfortable place to ride this bike is on flat, smooth tarmac. It’s misleading… When you look at the enormous double crown downhill suspension and that “off road” designation you want to take it off jumps and bomb hills but that’s a risky proposition. The front offers some give but the rear does not and that’s where the motor and battery are… so they’re going to get beaten up inside and wear out faster and they’re also going to impact your ride. Not only is the weight all in the rear, it’s way up high which is the worst place possible for balance. This is true for most of the ProdecoTech bikes and I’ve called it out before but the higher speed only increases the danger here. I am not dramatizing this, I’ve given it a lot of thought, spoken with others who have tested the bike and spent time riding on different terrains (and nearly crashed on multiple occasions despite knowing the risks and being an adept rider). It’s just not very stable, especially when used on sand or dirt. I can guarantee you that crashing on this 62 pound ebike at 25+ mph is going to be awesome in the worst kind of way :)

Okay, end rant! Let’s be honest, people are buying this electric bike because it looks cool, can climb hills and go fast… and they’re riding it on the street or bike paths (hopefully not recklessly, giving other ebikers a bad reputation). Legal liabilities not withstanding, the motor on this thing can really crank. It offers 750 watts of power which is the upper limit in the USA. It’s durable because there are no gears inside… just large magnets. And it’s quiet, even when you’re climbing or cruising at top speed. I had no problem ascending an enormous hill, even starting from a complete stop (see the video review).

The battery pack that comes standard offers 48 volts of power and 9 amp hours of capacity with Lithium-ion cells. It’s good technology, energy dense and long lasting. It’s also removable meaning you can charge it more conveniently and store it inside when the weather gets hot or cold (extreme temperatures will harm the cells). I suggest charging the pack whenever you’ve gone for a ride and topping it off every month or so if you haven’t. The rack that the battery sits on is pretty rigid and without a rear shock the pack can get jolted around as mentioned earlier. The larger tires help a bit and ProdecoTech has reinforced the mounting point with four struts that connect to the rear axle. I’d be hesitant to add more weight to the rear end of this bike but it’s worth noting that there’s no attachment point for adding a saddle bag or panniers.

This bike only comes in one frame size, standard/medium. It’s actually shorter than the Oasis and some of the other models ProdecoTech offers which felt good to me (I’m 5’9″). The grips are solid and I love that they used a trigger throttle on the right because that makes accidental acceleration less of an issue (this can happen if you instinctively squeeze the handles in a tense moment). On the left side you’ve got a standard grip shifter and this works well enough… just don’t accidentally shift gears bearing down. The LED display unit gives you some idea of the battery capacity remaining using red, yellow or green lights but it doesn’t show your speed or distance traveled. The brake levers are high quality, easy to reach and very responsive but they don’t seem to cut power to the motor! One of the times I nearly fell on this bike was rounding a corner at high speed, squeezing both brakes and continuing to throttle the motor accidentally. The rear wheel spun faster than the front (because the motor was pushing through the brake) and the rear end of the bike started forcing my front wheel to skid and slide out. Not a fun moment at all (this coming from a guy who has knocked himself out on two separate occasions while wearing a helmet snowboarding).

I appreciate you reading this review because I don’t feel like the video articulated everything I felt when riding. I don’t want to be a downer, I respect a person’s right to choose and I think the hardware, assembly and support on this bike are superb. I’m not a huge fan of the design and hate to think that the higher top speed could seriously hurt some riders (physically and financially if they are sued). If this bike was more balanced and actually worked well off road I’d be less concerned about the balance… Check out my review of the Stealth Bomber which goes 50mph when unlocked. We were jumping and doing wheelies with that thing but there’s no way I’d try that with the Outlaw SS. The best place to use this thing is on streets… unfortunately, that’s also where it’s illegal. For another independent perspective check out Pete’s review over at ElectricBikeReport.com.

Pros:

• Includes a decent two year warranty (but read the fine print, does not cover normal wear on battery)
• Incredibly strong 750 watt direct drive motor has good acceleration and climbing power
• Front suspension fork smoothes out the ride but is overkill for what this bike can really manage given the rigid battery rack and tendency to slide out
• 48 volt battery uses Lithium Iron Phosphate cells that are average weight but offer a larger number of charge cycles if cared for
• Eight gears is enough range for faster pedaling or climbing and makes pedaling home possible if the battery runs out
• Large Continental tires are durable and somewhat soft when riding over bumps and cracks
• Available in a 20mph top speed edition and the orange 28mph “off-road” edition
• Includes mounting points for a water bottle cage

Cons:

• This bike is illegal to ride on streets in most states without a license, insurance and modification (lights, signals, license plate)
• Rear heavy with battery weight positioned high up, poor balance and compromised stopping ability with tendency to slide front tire at higher speeds
• No display panel consol for determining how fast you’re going, how far you’ve traveled or precisely how much battery capacity remains
• No pedal assist options, just press the trigger throttle on right handle bar
• Limited shock absorption at rear end of bike, jerks motor and battery around when traveling at high speeds and over bumps
• Keys must be left in when riding, they can jingle around
• Battery is not well protected in the event of a crash or slide out situation
• Only available in one size (about medium sized, shorter than some other ProdecoTech bikes)
• Rear pack does not have mounting points for adding a bag or panniers
• The downhill geometry of the frame positions rider weight towards the rear and makes steering touchier on flat surfaces (see header image, fork and seat angle is very steep)