Name: Stromer ST2 Review
Item: Stromer ST2
Author: Court Rye

PAUL DEGARIE

10 years ago

How can You ride 90 miles within two hours of ride time as stipulated?
I can go 35 miles in two hours at 14mph average (:

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Court Rye

10 years ago

Great question Paul, the Stromer ST2 can reach 28 miles per hour (fairly easily given the powerful motor and 48 volt battery pack) and at these higher speeds you lose a lot of efficiency so the reason I put 2+ hours of ride time is because they say 60 to 90 miles and that 60 pertains to the highest power at the fastest speed vs. the most efficient assist level which will last 30 miles longer and probably run for 3+ hours :)

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Hutch

10 years ago

I really enjoy reading/viewing all your reviews, great job. I noticed you rated the Stromer ST2 as 10 out of 10. Other reviews, you rate bikes based on a 5 rating. Are you changing the way you rate e-bikes or did the ST2 blow you away? Will you be reviewing the 2015 OHM bikes in the near future? Thanks for keeping us up-to-date on the latest greatest e-bikes on the market, much appreciated.

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Court Rye

10 years ago

Hello Hutch! I’ve been adjusting the rating system as well as the specs listed for each bike and am developing sorting and filtering tools. I believe a 10 point scale (with half step increments) for future reviews will provide more space to adequately reward the BEST ebikes while still acknowledging the GREAT ones with scores that are more finely tuned than 4.5 all the time. I’m glad you noticed and I appreciate the feedback! Yes, I plan to review OHM bikes but will likely visit their offices in Vancouver to do so. I saw them at the show but had very limited time to do tests.

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Alan

10 years ago

Hey Court. Thanks as always for the review. This bike is high on my wish list. Did you by chance try the BH neo cross Nitro at the show?

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Court Rye

10 years ago

Hi Alan! Yeah, the ST2 was pretty amazing. I did see the Neo Cross Nitro at the show and it looked sweet as well. You can see some footage from their booth in a video I shot here but no, I was not able to take a test ride. I’m planning a road trip to visit Easy Motion later this year so I can really get the full scoop :)

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Alan

10 years ago

Awesome Court. Thanks so much for the link to the video. I have already pre-ordered the Easy Motion Neo Cross Nitro and hope to have by end of October.

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joe pah

10 years ago

Oh now I think I might have to buy one even thought I don’t NEED one…lol.. Looks super quick and it’s cool all around.

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Joop

10 years ago

Hah, you’ll have to wait until next year, I’m already riding it in the Netherlands :) Bought it for my daily 45 commuter kilometers ( 28 miles ? ) and it’s great ! There were some mishaps, the bike’s communicationmodule (sounds insane…:) appeared to be faulty so I didn’t receive the textmessage with the initial pincode and had trouble connecting to the bike by app. The dealer fixed it so now I can electronically lock and unlock the bike and when it’s stolen I get a textmessage and can locate the bike on a map. The ST2 has 3 levels of assistance, level 1 is like and ordinary pedalassist, level 3 is the full monty and level 2 can be customized with the app. Communcation between the bike and the stromer ‘cloud’ is done bij M2M, it should work worldwide but I found out that it only works outdoors and is rather slow. It can take up to several minutes before the bike responds to f.i. a level 2 customization. Another disappointment is the fact that the bluetoothinterface is not yet active (maybe next year…:) and for some reason you won’t get direct access to the stromer portal by webinterface.

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Court Rye

10 years ago

Hi Joop, thanks for the overview of your experience with the new ST2. Sounds like there have been a few little hiccups to fix, glad to hear it’s riding well and hopefully the bluetooth interface will become active for you soon :)

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Joop

10 years ago

Last 10 years, 4 bikes, more than 10000 km’s per year, I never had a flat tyre, yesterday on my way home on my brand new ST2 I had to call my wife to come and pick me up because of a small stupid nail. Hope it won’t be a bad omen…. :)

On the bluetooth issue: I’m definitely sure that it will work next year because Stromer must be well aware of the fact that you at the other side of the pond have the reputation of being less patient than us…. :)

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hans

9 years ago

Hey Joop,

i would like to buy a ST1 or ST2 for my daily commuting trip (46 km 2/3 along cycle highway, 1/3 through cities) in Belgium. Is it possible and what time would it take to get there? Could an ST1 do the job?

kind regards,

Hans

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Joop

9 years ago

Hi Hans,

full-speed probably not… when my battery was brand new I could get some 45 km’s out of it (or significantly less in strong headwinds…) but now, 10000 km’s later, I’m quite happy if I can get 30 km’s out of it….

The new ST2S has a battery with higher capacity but costs almost €10000…

Regards, Joop

hans

9 years ago

thanks

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Armand

10 years ago

Unfortunately I need to wait until end of December due to issues on the battery slot still waiting 9 weeks now

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Edmond

10 years ago

I have got my ST2 since last friday, incredible machine i only use for commuting! Feels like flying to work, very nice! Just a minor issue, there has been send a replacement lcd display because there is something wrong with tge gps connection

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Mike Stokely

10 years ago

I am looking for the ultimate car replacement bike. The ST2 seems like it would be great for some of my longer commutes here in Los Angeles, but it appears that the bike only communicates with android smartphones and there has been quite a bit of issues with the system according to the EBR forums. Does anyone know if the company plans to support other phones (iOS and Windows) and if the buggy software and hardware has been addressed? If not it sounds like the Specialized Turbo S is a better choice at this time?

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Court Rye

10 years ago

Hi Mike! I wish I could provide some insight here for you but my time with the ST2 has been very limited and I didn’t try to sync my phone (I have an iPhone). I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t support iOS, bummer to hear that people in the forums have been having issues. Might be best to ask those who own in the ST2 forum. I’ve really enjoyed the Specialized Turbo S but also like the IZIP E3 Dash as a city style speed pedelec or the Haibike Trekking if you don’t mind 20 mph top speed. Grace has some nice speed pedelecs coming out, here’s a full list of all the faster ebikes I’ve reviewed. Hope this helps! I’d love to hear what you end up with and I hope whatever it is that it works great!

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Nathan

10 years ago

Too slow. I want to make the switch away from street legal dirt bikes, but 30 mph is not going to cut it. 60 mph minimum {we’d accept 50 mph on first gen models}.

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Court Rye

10 years ago

If you’re looking for something more akin to a street legal dirt bike but want electric (which will make the ride lighter, quieter and less expensive to maintain and fuel) then I’d recommend either checking out Stealth or Zero Motorcycles.

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10 years ago

For the 28Mph ebikes, I’m wondering how well one can adjust the gears with a conventional chain + cassette setup like the ST2 vs. a belt + internal hub like the Grace MX II Urban. With my MX II, I really like the fact that I can adjust the gears at stop — something that would require anticipating the need for a different gear ratio before stopping on a conventional setup. Another thing I’m wondering is how often does one have to tend to the maintenance of a conventional setup on a fast ebike: lubing, adjusting the gears, etc…

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Court Rye

10 years ago

Good questions, I’m usually working with new or gently used ebikes so maintenance is a bit foreign. I do love the ability to change gears at rest that internally geared designs (or continuously variable transmission CVT like NuVinci offer). Traditional cassettes tend to be lighter and easier to work on. Road cyclists also reach higher speeds and shift through gears a lot and nearly all of those use cassette and chain so I think either system can be good but cassette/chain is more proven. I feel like belt drive works nicely on luxury, aesthetically focused, around town type of electric bikes like the Faraday Porteur. It sounds like the belt drive on your Grace MX II is working well and that’s great to hear :)

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10 years ago

Is it true the battery container is loose and allows water and debris to enter the battery? There is a reviewer who found a problem where the case doesn’t enclose the batter in completely from the outdoors elements. Secondly, is the stand really going to kick back and make all sorts of noise when I get back on the bike? Jeez that would be disappointing.

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Court Rye

10 years ago

Great questions, I’m really not sure (my review time was pretty short and conditions were limited). Feel free to link the other review here and also feel free to use your regular name and email so you’ll get reply notifications (it is not shared publicly), nobody is out to get you here :)

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Stewart

9 years ago

The ST2 by Stromer is a well planned and well designed bike. However it does not work. All the technology has failed to make the bike operational let alone live up to the hype created by the Stromer marketing machine. They are pretending that issues are isolated, yet do not stand behind their product by replacing isolated problems. Perhaps the problems are not isolated and the problem is just too costly for the company to swallow?

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Interesting, I have only spent time with this pre-launch unit and don’t know many individuals who own the bike. Can you elaborate on the issues you’ve seen and provide some supporting evidence via links? Feel free to share in the forums and attach pictures, video etc. as well.

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BTB

9 years ago

The Stromer ST2 is pure joy. I took delivery of mine in April. It is as good as the Electric Bike Review says it is, except I have not experienced the brake cutoff switch “con”. On my ST2, there is no lag whatsoever in the cutoff. Since I use my Stromer to commute, the only annoying thing was the new battery prep work, which involves running down the new battery completely through 3 cycles per the instructions before switching over to topping off the battery after each ride once the initial battery prep is completed . The electronics work perfectly, the auto retracting kickstand takes some getting used to but is the best kickstand I’ve ever seen, the bike rides silently except tread noise (and of course wind noise in your ears as you cruise at 28mph), the torque is amazing, and the ability to customize sensitivity and other settings to your riding style makes this a dream bike. The Ergon seat is smart looking on this bike, very comfy, but nothing beats a Brooks (on the Ergon your bottom sticks while a Brooks allows you to slide). The Racktime rack is sleek and works with Ortlieb bags using a Racktime mount (so long as you buy versions compatible with the narrow rack) and makes for a solid combination with the Stromer aluminum City Kit fenders. This bike makes commuting a lot of fun. It cuts down my commute time by a third. Instead of snide remarks from other bikers, I receive big grins from the fast boys who like being motor-paced at 28 mph, except they drop me on the downhills due to the motor drag noted in the Electric Bike Review’s cons. Plan on spending another $600 for a Thule Easyfold to transport the bike. Also plan on spending another $7000 for a second Stromer because your spouse will want one too!

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Great feedback BTB! Thanks for sharing this quick rundown on your experience. Those self-retracting stands have also taken me some getting used to but I believe they are a requirement of speed pedelecs in Europe so we may see more of them arriving in America just so companies can make “one model” to be sold in all geographies. I hope you continue to enjoy the bike and if you have a spouse, I hope they enjoy too!

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Clint

9 years ago

Hi Court, I really appreciate all of the detail you put into all of your bike reviews. I’ve watched most of your bike reviews (the haibike ones a few times each), and I find not only are they wonderfully informative but actually quite entertaining. I wanted to get your thoughts on another video I watched pointing out a possible serious problem with this new stormer st2. The video points out water intrusion into the battery compartment seems likely even in a light rain. I watched your video again carefully to see if perhaps he had an earlier pre-production model, but the bike you had seemed also to have the same quite flimsy looking battery door panel. What do you you think?

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Hi Clint! Thanks for sharing that video, it does appear that the door is flexible… I wonder how much it moves during riding vs. actually pulling out from the side like we see in the clip. They may have reduced the rigidity of materials used there while trying to cut weight? I noticed that the door has a rubber seal going around it and I’m sure this is designed to limit dust and water that might otherwise leak in. Even if some does make it through, my guess is that it would be minimal (especially given the full length fenders that are not included on every bike). Given the rigid frame and street tires, I think I’d mostly use this around town vs. trail and might actually ride slower in wet conditions which could reduce frame flex and thus limit water getting into the downtube. This is all just a big guess but I’ll look into the door a bit more the next time I visit a shop with an ST2 and ask the techs if they have any feedback as well :D

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oldRags

9 years ago

I live in Switzerland and had multiple bad experiences with Stromer. I have had their ST2 for two months, but returned it to the store because it was so unreliable. Boardcomputer problems sometimes disabled me from starting the bike, which I found utterly ugly for a bike this class. I brought the bike back to the store and bought a second hand ST1. Worked well for one month and then I had a small accident where the display cable got ripped out. MyStromer AG, who still make this model, told me that they have a new generation of engines and electronics and that spare parts are no longer available, so because of a small cable issue, the entire bike has to be replaced. Very ugly, in particular coming from a brand with the slogan “modular e-bike”. Even though the stromer is the most fun to ride e-bike I have ever tested, I strongly discourage anyone to buy their unreliable, quickly obsolete and high maintenance products.

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Thanks for sharing your experience, sorry to hear it wasn’t such a good one. I wish you well with future ebikes and would love to hear if they perform better for you :)

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Justin

9 years ago

How does this compare to the 2016 Specialized Turbo S?

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Hi Justin, the 2016 Turbo S and ST2 are very similar bikes in terms of speed and ride quality. The ST2 has some great integrated technology (to deter theft and allow you to adjust settings with the touch screen or mobile app) but Specialized is also working on a smart phone app and their simpler interface is intuitive and feels more rugged. The optional cargo rack and fenders are great on the ST2 but you can also fit similar parts on the turbo. There are lots of areas that could be compared but in most cases there’s a great counterbalance in the opposing bike, is there one area in particular that you’re interested in comparing? If I had to choose one bike I’d go with the Turbo X because it has suspension and is more affordable. The downside is less power :)

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Justin

9 years ago

Main interested in performance comparison. Both bikes are expensive, and I am mainly interested in knowing which one is better in terms of power delivery, range, torque, smoothness, ride quality, and reliability?

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Sorry, I can only be qualitative in this regard. There are people in the forums who own both Stromer and Specialized. Brambor in particular owns the ST1 and older Turbo. I’d suggest asking there :)

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Peter

9 years ago

Court, We are a little behind the ebike game here in Australia with very limited or no access to high quality, high speed bikes like the Turbo S or ST2. The Turbo S is on my test ride list and will be available from mid to late 2016 albiet from a very limited number of dealers. Unfortunately there are no Stomer dealers in Australia. Any suggestions of US Stromer dealers who can or are willing to ship the ST2 down under?

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Hi Peter! I feel for you… Sounds like Specialized has been dipping their toes into the AU market but no clue on Stromer. One shop I recommend that seems to do well shipping in the US is Propel Bikes and they are on the East Coast. Maybe reach out to them and see if they could do a special order for you? If you’re buying for private use I believe it won’t matter that the specs are a bit higher than the AU versions. Good luck mate!

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Edvard

9 years ago

Grips on Stromer ST2 are not Ergon GP1 but Ergon GS1.

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Court Rye

9 years ago

Awesome, I’ll update this Edvard… Thank you for pointing it out :D

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Jeff Jones

8 years ago

I love your site, thank you for the insightful reviews! After a lot of research I’m torn between the Stromer ST2 and the 2016 Turbo X. It will be used to commute to work daily, about a 10 mile ride over mixed terrain but mostly paved roads. I’m not an expert biker and I’m looking for the motor assist on a nasty hill on the way home. Any thing specific that you would use to break the tie? Certainly price is in the Turbo X favor but I’m less concerned about price than I am the enjoyment of the bike on a daily basis. Thanks.

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Court Rye

8 years ago

Hi Jeff! That’s a tough call… I like the smaller display interface on the Turbo bar that doesn’t require looking down so far but the touch screen on the Stromer is awesome and keeps the cockpit clean and clear. The recovery GPS thing is cool and the fenders and rack are super useful. As for the Turbo X, the suspension fork is nice to have but the Carbon fork on the ST2 works if you aren’t encountering much bumpy terrain. Personally, I like the look of the ST2 better than the Turbo models and appreciate the regenerative braking and higher top speed (you can get full 28 mph performance on the Turbo S but the X only hits ~26 mph). Either bike is going to be a blast but if you live near a Specialized dealer that could help to push it over the edge in terms of getting service work done etc. Stromer is available at a handful of shops in the US but their network just isn’t as big as Specialized yet. I’d be stoked with either model personally :D

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Jeff Jones

8 years ago

Thank you so much for the advice and additional information. I found a great local shop that had both models for me to demo. I went in ready to buy the ST2 and I really loved the look. In white the bike just really stands out…beautiful with nicely integrated components. After riding both of the bikes I felt pretty strongly that the Turbo X was for me. More nimble, much lighter and so much more comfortable for me. The ST2 was a tank and while you don’t feel that at all at higher speed, at slow speed or when you kill the motor assist the bike feels more like a motorcycle than a bike and slow speed turning was tough. The Turbo X by comparison felt (and looks) much more bike like. Plenty fast but I was able to kill the motor assist and still move the bike with ease. They had a totally different feel and I’m glad I was able to test them back to back. I walked out with the Turbo X. Of course I have to deal with the fact that Specialized doesn’t have a great integrated solution for the X. There is no integrated front light and the fender kit isn’t a perfect fit (you can’t wire up the back light into the battery). Hopefully some early adopter pains that will get better with time. Thanks again.

Robert

8 years ago

Hello, I just recently purchased this bike in all black, BEAUTIFUL bike. Love it~ Curious what lock would you recommend for it? Since the frame is a bit thicker not sure which bike lock will offer the best security, portability and peace of mind. Thanks~

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Court Rye

8 years ago

Cool! I’ve bought the Blackburn U-Lock like this before and like that it’s light, rubber coated to reduce scratches and comes in a long size so you have room for the frame and a pole or other object. It also locks at the end of both bars so a thief has to do more work than just cutting one side. Hope this helps :) I also use a cable and run that through the wheels and sometimes a seat leash too if I have a quick release on it.

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Jason

8 years ago

I live in San Francisco and have completely replaced my car with this bike. It’s absolutely wonderful. Whenever I make a run to Ikea (or other errands that necessitate a car) I just rent a car for the afternoon using an app called Getaround. It works flawlessly. The economics are definitely in my favor relative to the cost of owning a car full time.

One item to note, the range of the battery is not as advertised if you always leave the bike in maximum assist. Using the older model battery (yellow casing) I will get around 27 miles. Using the newest model battery (blue casing) I will get around 35 miles. Just a heads up for anyone considering the bike and looking at traveling distances in excess of 35 miles. That said, everything else about the bike is amazing. I often joke its an electric scooter disguised as a bike.

My partner rides a Gazelle Arroyo and loves it. That bike is incredibly comfortable and glides around town. Everyone has their own taste so if you’re considering an ebike first ask yourself what you want to optimize for (range, speed, comfort, cargo, etc) and then find the bike that best fits your needs. You won’t be disappointed!

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Court Rye

8 years ago

Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experience Jason, especially around range. You’ve got the right idea, just rent a car or get help from a friend on those few occasions when it’s really necessary. I feel that way about trucks too, people could own a small efficient car if they really need the range for work etc. then rent a truck vs. owning one that’s way less efficient. Ride safe in SF! Did you get your bikes from the New Wheel? Great shop…

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Kirby Jinnah

8 years ago

Buyer beware. I’ve owned an ST2 now for a couple months. It has been in the shop waiting on parts for at least half that time. Don’t buy this bike. Stromer is a small company, not great on customer service, and my retailer while great, is hand cuffed. Non stop issues since day 1, and still struggling. From OS versions out of date, to motor power engage issues, to design flaws that don’t stand up to the normal commute of 45k a day ride my road bike has no problems with. Shocking.

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Court Rye

8 years ago

Thanks for sharing your experience here Kirby, even if it has been a rough one. I’ve had an ST1 on loan for several months and it has been working well but my time with the ST2 is limited and that bike seems much more advanced. I can only hope your issues get resolved and the bike becomes more stable as it is refined over the years just like the first models.

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Brian Harward

7 years ago

Like Kirby and many others, I purchased an ST2 for commuting, but it has been one problem after the next. I too have a great local shop, but at this point zero confidence in Stromer as a brand. The countless programming and engineering failures are truly baffling for the price. I can understand that for the on-board computer they are a bike company pretending to make technology, and probably just made poor choices in who they chose to write and maintain it. However, I can’t think of a good excuse for a bike in the price range that simply falls apart and has issues with loss of motor power, etc. at a rate higher than cheap bikes. My particular issues have been loss of power, particularly on hills, the bike locked itself completely and became inoperable stranding me at work (had to have the computer replaced as they could not even unlock it remotely), the bolt holding the rear fender on has sheared in half twice causing the fender to fall onto the wheel and then off, the battery cover fell off, and if I inflate the tires to their proper settings they rub on the fenders, and not enough adjustment is allowed to make them work. So, yes I too have had a bike with half its time in the shop, that can only be operated with under-inflated tires, and always seems to be falling apart .No fix for the power loss was ever found, only the hope that it won’t happen again and trying to select different gears. The people at Stromer were super nice when I’ve been in contact with them, they just aren’t competent at what they do.

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Court Rye

7 years ago

Hmm, that’s sad Brian. Thanks for sharing your story here, perhaps it will help Stromer think hard about the issues that are being reported back and guide others in how to best spend their money. I do my best to be thorough when “reviewing” products here but am only given brand new stuff… so it ends up being more of an overview. We all rely on feedback from real customers, like you, to report on performance long term. I’m sorry that it hasn’t been a great experience :(

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Rasmus

7 years ago

Thanx for the many comment on the more longterm feedback which I often find really hard to find on most Speed Pedelecs.

I chilled down with concern to buying a 2nd hand Stromer and are returning to a 2nd look at the RIESE & MÜLLER SUPERCHARGER HS eventhough it is not as cool and Tesla like as the Stromer bikes …

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PAUL DEGARIE

Court Rye

Hutch

Court Rye

Alan

Court Rye

Alan

joe pah

Joop

Court Rye

Joop

hans

Joop

hans

Armand

Edmond