Bought this for my 70s year old father today in Minneapolis. Had to take the front wheel off to fit in p car macan. Just like all my other bikes. Awesome bike I’m so jealous
My wife and I each bought a E1.1 back in September. I really like it except for one issue, and that's fenders. I've never had a bike without fenders in the 50 years I've been riding. I don't ride in the rain if I can avoid it but sometimes the streets are wet and me and my bike gets sprayed with dirt. Getting fenders prove to be problematic.. An outfit in Portland called Portland Motion Works makes fenders that fit the E 1.2. But in order to fit a front fender on the E1.1, the front tire had to be replaced with a slightly smaller tire. There wasn't enough clearance for the fender with the suspension fork. Bit of a hassle. I don't notice much difference in the handling with the smaller tire. But something to think about before you get one of these bikes. When the suspension fork reaches the top of the travel it still hits the front fender a little bit and causes it to rattle. The plus and minuses of a suspension fork on the E 1.1 bike.
Mike- thank you for the super review. I bought the 1.1 a month ago at 47% off. Super happy with the bike at this price. I would have been just as happy at the full price. I already have 320 miles on the bike without any issues/problems. I am glad I bought the bike with the shock absorbers in front. I rode the other one and you could tell a difference. Not huge but a difference none the less. I am 70 and rarely need to take it out of 1 or 2 assist. I get decent exercise while having a great fun time. Your assessment of the bike was spot on.
1.1 is better than 1.2 because of front suspension. This bike rides nicely like no other cadence sensor bike does. Rides like a 5/6k bike from expensive brands like tern and specialized. Replace seat, grips and get a suspension post all for under $200 and this bike is epic.
Front suspension adds weight, complexity & sloppy steering. I don't use one for serious off-roading (search for Stooge bikes made in UK). No one needs a fork for street runabout. You do you and all that, but from an entirely practical engineering standpoint, they don't make sense.
@@soarstar You do you, being a hardcore offroader cyclist and all that. Most normal people want comfort. It is like comparing a racecar to a your daily driver and saying "no one needs soft seats and air conditioning from an entirely practical engineering standpoint - check out my GT2RS race spec". lol
@@TheUnlistedOne I kind of understand, but not really. Tire pressure (and size) also makes a big difference. At over 60, I'm certainly interested in some comfort - but the aforementioned drawbacks are pronounced. The industry went to front suspension on everything beyond mountain bikes to sell more bikes! You mention vehicle choice (which is perfect) consider how many Americans drive their Jeeps to the grocery store. It's very similar.
I didn’t see the sale on these until after ordering my wife a Velotric Go 1, which was on a great sale. A local bike shop in Columbus does carry Velotric so I feel ok about getting service for it, but I like the simplicity and ease of replacing stuff on this REI bike. I don’t have any interest in an e-bike but I’m an avid cyclist and am hoping that my wife will want to join me for rides more often with an e-bike.
Nice review! And the sale has been extended to 08.14.23 so if anyone was on the fence, you still have time. Bikes are fully assembled when picking up at the store and REI says they will provide two year coast to coast service. I grabbed a gen e1.2 when the sale hit and love it. And it WILL fit in the back of my Subaru Forester (with the back seats folded down). I've been commuting to work (9 miles each way) and easily hit 20 MPH in power assist level 2 on the flat with almost no effort at all and minimal battery usage. I've also used it for grocery shopping with a couple of heavy duty panniers and it performed beautifully. Highly, highly recommended.
Yes, I saw that. I really hope more people jump on this deal who are on the fence about an ebike. Thank you for the comment and real world experience with it. I have a Crosstrek, and I think I too can fit it.
@@hupo An ancient version of the Sunlight Grocery Getter Pannier, purchased at least 15 years ago. I have no experience with the current model, but it has some nice features. If I had to buy new, I'd probably go with Po Campo, or Ortlieb.
Thank you for answering how this class 1 cadence sensor bike with no throttle does NOT have a torque sensor ...but rides better than most casence sensing bikes such that some suspect it might have a torque sensor( over the phone with rei bike shop an emploee who works on the bikes assured me that the ALL their bikes have torque sensors because they have no throttles and you must pedal to get power....i guess we were defining torque sensors differently??)
After picking up the bike this past Saturday for my wife the sales man told me REI will be having another great sell on the 28th this month @@MikeMu maybe the bike will be back on sale down to 798.00. Right now its on sale for 1,199.00
I've got the 1.2 and I love the front rack! Between the rack and a pair of panniers on the back, I can do a Costco run. Just a note, the tires are rated for 30-65psi and don't be shy about running on the low end. Makes a big difference for comfort. I run 35/30 (Rear/Front) and 40/35 if I'm loading it up.. I think the e1.1 I test rode at REI must have been pumped up to 65psi and the terrible ride almost scared me off!
Great tips! I didn’t even consider that for test ride as I usually take what they provide as what is recommended. Tire pressure makes a huge difference in ride quality on various terrains. Thanks for the comment. Stay safe out there!
I just purchased two E1.2's last week. Doing some post-purchase research, I found that the battery (48v 14ah 5 pin) is no longer available anywhere. I'm still glad I bought them, and I think they're a great value despite that. REI is now listing these e-bike models as "discontinued".
I was thinking the same thing like a new model was coming out. But... at my local REI I just saw even more getting assembled. I think these were just orders coming in from overseas. I hope the price drop happens again before year's end so myself and others can jump on it and get themselves one or two. The batteries, I'm not too concerned about because Bafang is a household name-brand overseas for ebike batteries. There will always be a way to power these even after they go out of stock in the future.
Hi, thanks for all the info. A friend of mine bought the e1.2 version during the sale, and i just got to test ride it yesterday. So much fun. I'm hoping to save up and purchase later this year. I think it would really change the calculus for me for when i bike and when I don't. Question for you, if youve got space: do you think they might be coming out with an e1.3 version anytime soon, or do you think theyll be sticking with the 1.2 for a while? Thanks again.
My best guess is a revised 1.2 coming out later this year, with minimal changes. But of course it will be sold at a significantly higher price, which still makes this a better deal. I purchased the eCTY 2.2 last year, near the end of it being discontinued. They introduced a new one late last year ( jo.my/2024cty22 ) with a significant bump in price. It appears to be a different bike altogether. Now driven via Bosch motors and no longer awesome in value (performance/price ratio). So its probably better to get this one if it suits your needs now, before they sell out. And the sale is still going on - I just saw an e1.2 at my local REI ready to go. I hope that helps.
@@MikeMu oh, thanks so much. I realize I might not have been as clear as I could have been. I'm talking the small wheeled-utility bike. I see it on the website now, still for sale but about $138 higher than that earlier sale price. Still sounds like a great deal. I'm not in a position to purchase now, but will hope they still have some, and still on sale, this spring. Thanks again!
@@zazeechmoreno No, it's me. I should have been more clear. Both the bikes mentioned here are still on sale. The under $1000 model I'm referencing in this video is this one: go.mikemu.com/reie11 . I talked about the 2.2 series as an example of what might likely happen if they have a 1.3 - It'd be significantly higher priced if introduced is my best guess. I bought the 1.2 model at the $1138 (and that is the sale price) for my wife. Looking back, the 1.1 would have fit her better but I don't mind the extra range on the battery.
@@zazeechmoreno I'm the one that wasn't being clear. Yes, I do hope it goes on sale again before they sell out. I talked about the 2.2 as a reference point of what I think the 1.3 might end up being a lot higher in price.
HI Mike Nice review , I am very interested in buying this bike yet i do not want to pay anymore than $ 600 to $ 900 max as per the sale price , what do you suggest ?
1. Make sure you are a REI member go.mikemu.com/joinrei 2. Look for next sale - last chance this year is going to be late November around Black Friday. 3. If you buy now with membership, you can return up to 1 year later for any reason, but my guess is by next major sale they will sell out of these quick. I think they are gearing up for its replacement for 2024.
It senses some resistance/torque to engage the motor, but does not elevate the assist based on the way a traditional torque sensor does. On a true torque sensor bike the way it is traditionally thought, the bike elevates the power based on how much you put in. This makes the experience feel more natural. This does not change the assist based on your effort put in, but the speed that you pedal and the fact that you are pedaling with at least minimal effort. It’s kind of a hybrid that is better than just a cadence sensor. You can still ghost pedal these up to the speed limitations set for a Class I.
