iGo designed one of the first mid-drive electric bike systems sold in North America around 2005 and has since adapted it to several different models (see the Urban and Titan). The design hasn’t changed much over the years but the price has remained affordable and that’s in part due to Chinese manufacturing. The Tour is my favorite bike in their mid-drive line because it features full wrapping fenders, front and rear lights, a solid aluminum alloy rack and efficient hybrid tires on large 700c wheels. It’s a relatively normal looking electric bike with a frame that feels comfortable but rigid, offering the cushion of a basic Suntour suspension fork and padded saddle. I can’t think of any other mid-drive ebikes around that come close to the $1,500 mark and you get a decent year warranty on the frame and motor with six months on the battery. iGo is based in Montreal Canada and has a background in fork lifts and other machinery which I believe also relies on manufacturers in Asia.
The motor driving the iGo Tour is an efficient 250 watt geared mid-drive canister that’s mounted right in front of the bottom bracket. For the most part it stays out of the way and is high enough that you won’t hit rocks, logs or other obstacles without first hitting the chain ring. The beauty of any mid-drive bicycle is that it leverages the rear cassette to provide more torque or speed depending on which gear is chosen. Since the Tour has eight gears, you can expect good climbing ability and up to 20 miles per hour top speed. Of all the mid-drive iGo’s I’ve tried this one is the fastest due to the narrower tires and wider 700c wheels. One downside to the mid-drive this bike offers is the lack of a shift-sensor. If the motor is turning while you change gears mashing may occur (especially if you’re climbing).
The battery pack on the Tour is a better design than the plastic cases used for the Urban and Titan in my opinion because it’s not so noisy when riding on rough terrain. I love that the rack they chose uses standard gauge tubing and has side protectors because it makes larger bags and panniers easier to mount and less likely to get snagged by the rear tire. While iGo only offers a six month battery warranty here the cells used are Lithium-ion that should get ~1,000 charge cycles (they say 750+ officially). The battery can be charged on or off the rack which makes it easier charge if you commute to work or live in an apartment and park downstairs. It’s sleek, decent sized with 36 volts of power and 10 amp hours of capacity and well protected with an aluminum shell.
Even though the Tour is a budget minded electric bike it comes with quite a few accessories and options. The display panel is very simple with LED indicators instead of an LCD display but it still lets you power the bike on, choose from one of three pedal assist levels, activate the lights and approximate remaining charge capacity. Mounted on the left handle bar near the grip shifter, it’s easy to reach and see when riding. A half-grip twist throttle is mounted to the right handle bar and that sort of balances things out. The battery powers the drive system on the bike but also feeds the LED lights which is super convenient because you only have to charge one thing and are less likely to experience theft.
The iGo Tour is what it is… an affordable, entry level electric bike with a unique mid-drive motor system that can work pretty well if you work it right. I’d describe the motor as slow and steady vs. fast and zippy. To really feel its power I had to use higher (harder) gears which meant I was forced to pedal slower than I would have liked. Considering the heavy ~60lb weight of the bike I’m glad they made the battery removable because this makes moving the entire unit easier. I like the classic diamond frame with straight top tube (which makes it easier to mount on car racks) but given the single “medium” frame size this bike may not fit everyone. I love that they included a water bottle cage mount on the downtube and appreciate the clean frame (with wires run through). It’s also nice that you can use the throttle at any time to override pedal assist if you want to stop pedaling.
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