While the ProdecoTech Phantom X is not an ideal electric bike, which would keep weight lower to the ground and more centrally located on the frame, it is affordable. The design is very approachable with a three step startup that includes inserting the key, pressing the power button and activating the throttle. A small plastic console displays estimated battery capacity using three LED’s (green, yellow and red) and operation is relatively smooth and quiet. The big downsides include weight, battery pack design, lack of assist and the con’s of buying any ebike online including self assembly and lack of shop support for parts and troubleshooting.
The motor on the Phantom X is a 500 watt direct drive (gearless) design that’s smooth, quiet and relatively powerful. It’s not as nice as some newer direct drive motors that are thinner, lighter weight and more powerful. It only uses three hall sensors, which is standard, but lacks some torque. It also lacks any sort of regenerative braking and may not freewheel as smoothly when deactivated as the magnets inside repel. Still, there are no gears inside or other parts that can wear out. It’s a bulletproof design but less sophisticated than some other options.
The battery pack uses Lithium Iron Phosphate LiFePO4 cells and is rated at 38.4 volts of power and 9 amp hours of capacity. This is pretty standard for electric bikes in America. The chemistry is designed for higher transfer without getting hot and that’s ideal for larger hub motor designs that use energy quickly. The pack itself has a built in LED light and is removable but the plastic casing can be somewhat vulnerable. The rack it’s mounted on does not provide storage options for a bag or panniers and has limited support with just two support arms vs. newer ProdecoTech models. The biggest design flaw here is that the battery is mounted way up high, negatively impacting balance and exacerbating the damage encountered if the bike tips (both to the battery and to anyone or anything situated nearby). Replacement batteries can be purchased for $399.99 from Prodeco.
This is definitely an entry level electric bike with some drawbacks but it’s not all bad and if it’s all you can afford and you take the proper precautions, it can work well. I appreciate the front suspension fork, aluminum bash guard on the front chain ring sprocket and the LED light in the rear that runs off the main battery pack. The seven speed Shimano Deore (on older models) or eight speed Sram X7 provide leverage for climbing or accelerating. At 55 pounds this ebike isn’t far off from comparable models sold by other companies. One questionable feature to me is the folding frame design; for such a large ebike I wonder if the trade offs in stiffness and weight are worth it? The plastic pedals feel soft and even when the bike is folded it’s still rather large due to the 26″ wheels… It’s also still relatively heavy but removing the rear battery does help. It’s a unique bike for sure and the newer X3 does not fold so that’s an option worth considering.
The Phantom X that I test rode in the video review was in for repairs at the Electric Bicycle Outlet in San Francisco. The owner had initially needed help fixing the battery pack but ended up trading it in for a better bike and it was henceforth being sold as used. In a shop environment I’d trust a used ebike like this, especially since they repaired it and could perform further support. If this was a garage sale I’d be very thorough in testing the bike, trying to determine how much charge capacity the battery has left. Batteries like this get around 1,000 charge cycles before they drop off severely and if they are not kept away from extreme temperatures or charged regularly they can degrade faster. Factor that into your price and remember you can always add a used battery on later for ~$400.
Powerful geared hub motor and high voltage battery pack for excellent torque and climbing ability. Compact folding design with removable battery, comfortable suspension fork and seat post shock...
Full sized electric bike with unique mid-frame folding feature for easier transport and storage. 500 watt direct drive gearless motor is quiet and strong but only operates on a…...
Extremely light weight hardtail electric bike with 27 speeds and an efficient friction drive motor. Keyde drivetrain blends in, motor is very small and battery is shaped like a water…...
High speed, off-road only electric bike that's not legal to ride in most states without modification and insurance. Quality SRAM, Truvativ and ZOOM components, hand assembled in the USA, solid two year warranty...
Well priced hardtail mountain bike with light weight titanium frame and larger 29" wheels. Excellent balance and aesthetic appeal with grip drive front hub motor and bottle style battery…...
Inexpensive full sized folding electric bike with 26" wheels and basic suspension fork. Rear-heavy design with hub motor and battery mounted towards the back, single support strut...
Inexpensive full sized folding electric bike with 26" wheels and basic suspension fork. Rear-heavy design with hub motor and battery mounted towards the back, single support strut...
Affordable,highpowerelectricbikewithadecentwarrantybutrearheavydesign. Basicsuspensionforkwithcushyseatandlargertirestosmoothoutthebumps...
Affordable, high power electric bike with a decent warranty but rear heavy design. Limited suspension, relies on cushy seat and balloon tires to smooth out the bumps...
More solid than earlier Phantom ebikes, does not fold and has reinforced battery pack supports. High end RockShox fork with lockout, upgraded pedals (that don't fold) and hydraulic Avid DB…...
One of the most affordable, but still decent quality, entry level electric bikes. Low step design is easy to mount, adjustable neck and shock add comfort, twist throttle…...
Unstable due to steep long travel shock angle and high battery pack position. Relatively low price but tough to test ride as it's primarily available only online...
An affordable, but heavy, folding electric bike with twist throttle only. Available primarily online, offers solid two year warranty including battery pack...
Steve Loar
11 years agoHmmm. According to Prodeco their Phantom X2 was the best selling e-bike in the $1500-2000 range last year. And it’s also designed and assembled in California. It gets great reviews on Amazon. Add all those up and I’m pretty sure I’ll go with a Prodeco bike. You seem to slam them a good bit, even giving the dreaded Currie eZip Trailz a better rating. I just don’t get it, unless you’re being biased towards Currie products, which seems to be the case.
ReplyCourt Rye
11 years agoHi Steve! The big differences in rating for this and the Trailz are price, not having pedal assist and not being able to use the rack for storing and transporting stuff. I try to make these reviews as objective as possible and ProdecoTech is definitely improving their bikes. I really like the Titanio 29er and gave it a great rating.
ReplyClaudio Gonzalez Aravena
6 years agoGood evening here in Chile I have not been able to find the battery of the electric bicycle model Phantom X year 2014, there is some possibility of importing it directly from the USA without having an importer.?? I will appreciate your response
Replycourt
6 years agoHi Claudio, I’m not sure on this but ProdecoTech should be reachable via their official contact page here. Perhaps they can provide a pack or maybe you could have your existing battery re-packed with new rechargeable Lithium-ion cells. I wrote a guide on this here with two example companies that provide battery services.
ReplyEd May
1 year agoI need a replacement battery for a phantom X folding electric bike.
ReplyCourt
1 year agoHi Ed! I’m not sure if this is something ProdecoTech still offers, but you could try to reach them or consider contacting a battery repacking service such as FTH Power in California. They might even be able to expand the power and range with higher capacity cells. I think you’d need the original battery case to do this.
Reply