The Motiv Shadow is designed for pedaling and offers plenty of speed and efficiency with its narrower tires and 700c aero rims. However, it’s not exactly a road bike considering the softer seat, semi-upright seating position and rack and fender mounts. I’d call it a comfort urban commuter electric bike with great style. Like the rest of Motiv’s ebikes, this one comes with several color choices but unlike the others, you can’t pick the frame color – just the cable, grip and seat highlights. The frame comes in flat black and looks pretty sweet. It’s a bike that rides well, offers great versatility and delivers a range of battery options for more distance or power and the price is decent.
Driving the Shadow is a 500 watt geared rear hub motor that offers great torque but still manages to accommodate disc brakes and a seven speed cassette! This bike climbs especially well because it only offers pedal assist meaning you’ll have to help it along, at least a little bit. The motor runs smoothly and operates relatively quiet but doesn’t offer regenerative braking or anything fancy. Still, it’s powerful, light weight and effective.
The battery pack powering that motor is a Lithium-ion design that fits just behind the seat post tube, protected well by the seat stays. It’s completely removable which makes transporting the bike much easier by reducing weight and it also enables charging on or off the bike – perfect for commuting. You get the choice of spending a bit more to add range or power with optional battery pack upgrades and you can also buy an extra battery pack to extend range. The pack itself is fairly generic but the way it’s integrated makes sense. I don’t love that you have to leave the key in the pack when riding but at least it prevents tampering and secures the pack. This is true of many ebikes and at least the key is somewhat out of the way and won’t be kicked easily.
The LCD computer system is a highlight on the Shadow and it’s one I’ve seen in use on several other ebikes. First of all, the screen is massive and easily adjustable to prevent glare. It’s backlit for night riding (though the bike itself does not come with lights) and it displays your speed, distance, battery capacity and pedal assist level. There are five levels to choose from and a little up/down switch extends from the LCD mounting right next to the left grip for easy access when riding.
Some good thought went into this bike and I really like the little extras including solid metal Wellgo pedals, double water bottle mounts on the downtube and seat post tube, braze-on mounts for fenders or a rear rack and a wonderful little neck-shock that actually works! A few other ebikes try to integrate neck shocks with varying success but this is one of my favorites, it’s very soft and although it doesn’t provide much adjustment, it really smoothes out the ride. Still, I would love the inclusion of a throttle mode, integrated lights and more frame sizes. The existing model is about medium and feels more upright because the seat post tube is moved forward to accommodate the battery pack. It’s a design that works well and offers great value for a solid lineup of features. Motiv also offers good support and an excellent lifetime frame warranty and two year battery warranty.
I like that this bike is kind of normal in terms of locking it up, mounting it on busses or even carrying it on car racks. It feels solid and the trade offs in features and price were all made well. It would be great for commuting to work, riding around town for fun or even as a light-cargo transporter for grocery shopping or to replace your car. The stronger 500 watt geared motor is very capable and can support larger riders or pulling trailers and as a 5’9″ tall person it felt very good to ride.
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Rob
11 years agoHow does the riding position compare to say a Interceptor 2? Is it as comfortable? I’m 6 feet, 210 lbs and am looking for a comfortable ride.
I am very impressed with the battery placement compared to the Interceptor 2, but am concerned about body posture on this frame and handlebar configuration.
Thank you!
ReplyCourt Rye
10 years agoHi Rob, given your height and weight I’d lean towards the Interceptor II. It just has a larger frame with balloon tires that will add some cushion. The Motiv Shadow is more of a city bike designed for someone who will pedal along and be a bit shorter and lighter.
ReplyJan
10 years agoI own a Motiv Shadow. I can say with utmost conviction, it is the worst bike I have ever purchased. I’ve bought 15 non-electric and 3 electric bikes. I have no car so bikes are my only means of transportation. My weekday commute Is over 20 miles and on the weekend, I recreationally ride over 100. I ride home at night through high crime areas, so I really need a reliable bike. I bought the Shadow new at the Laguna ebike shop. The first time I tried to ride it, the bike had an error code. I emailed Kevin at the shop where I bought it, but no response. I contacted Cameron at Motive and he responded right away and helped me troubleshoot the problem, disconnected wire. This was the beginning of the end. I got an error code on the bike about once a month, sometimes I would call Cameron, sometimes I would just look for disconnected wires. The read out would go on and off and the bike rode loose and bumpy. Before I even rode it, I had to have it tuned up, at my expense. Finally the battery wouldn’t charge. It looked like the wires in the battery were never corrected properly. I sent pics to Cameron, who accused me of dropping the bike. I sent pics again, showing the bike and the battery didn’t have a scratch. Finally I had to send the battery back, at my expense, and now I’m waiting. I highly recommend buying a reputable brand from a reputable dealer. These bike are in their infancy and when things go wrong, it’s comforting to know shops will do the right thing, at the very least respond to emails. Cameron should have given me a new bike after the first two error codes. I did receive great service from Log Island ebike and I love my e-Joe bike I bought from them.
ReplyCourt Rye
10 years agoHi Jan, wow… that’s really negative experience and I feel bad for you, especially given the higher rating I posted for this bike. I wonder if the dealer failed to assemble your Shadow correctly initially or if the bike just couldn’t handle the miles you were putting on it. I could tell this was a lower level build when I test rode it but appreciated how responsive the Motiv team was. They are indeed a newer brand and this was the first model year for the Shadow. I’m glad you enjoy the e-Joe because I view them as more entry/mid level as well but agree that Long Island Electric Bikes is a great shop with excellent service. I hope things go better for you in the future and welcome your comments any time. Thanks.
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