To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by e-Joe. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of e-Joe products.
The e-Joe Epik Swan 350 is a value priced and approachable step through electric folding bike with a lot of features and fun. As you might imagine, the bike has a 350 watt rear hub motor, however, it does come in a 500 watt as well. The 350 watt is $1,499 while the 500 watt costs $1,699. Besides motor size and cost, there are a few small differences here and there between the two, (so you may see me call those out as we go along) but today we will be focusing mostly on the 350. The bike comes in 1 color (glossy blue, black for the 500) and 1 frame size, but it pretty configurable and extremely approachable. It can fit a lot of riders due to the low seat height configuration and telescoping stem. The frame weighs 56lbs with the battery, seat, and everything attached. As with most folding bikes, you get a smaller tire size, these are 20” x 2.15” Kenda tires and I love that they include a reflective sidewall for safety. Note the cast rims here on the 350, (unavailable on the 500) it really makes the ride sturdy and the spokes never need to be trued. There are some nice plastic fenders here with these rubberized mud flaps. Not only do these add an additional element to keep you clean, but it can help alleviate toe strikes to the fender if you are making a tight turn. And check out this mono shock up front! The shock offers just 40mm of travel, so it is a little limited, but I am still glad it’s here, it really makes the ride more comfortable regardless. Other comfort touch points would be the Velo saddle, locking ergonomic grips, and the plastic chain guide. I love the battery integrated lights here, they have them both in the front and the rear. Safety has always been a priority for myself and other cyclists, so it’s nice to see that more and more companies are including these on ebikes. There is so much stuff to cover on this bike, it really is fully featured… I can’t forget about this rear rack, it has standard gage tubing to fit most panniers and has a max weight limit of 33lbs. Other features include a rear kickstand to eliminate annoying pedal lock when reversing, plastic folding pedals, a bell, and internally routed cables.
Driving the bike is a 350 watt rear hub-drive motor. As mentioned before, the bike also comes in a 500 watt version. I found the 350 to work just fine for me, I enjoyed the trigger throttle as well as the sealed 12 magnet cadence sensor for the pedal assist. Check out the ride test in the video to see more. Mechanically, the bike is operated by a Shimano Tourney 7 speed system with a 14-28 tooth cassette. Not the largest range for climbing, but it works just fine for riding around the neighborhood or city. It is using an SIS index style thumb shifter for the gears, which is not my favorite, but it does work really well if you are wearing gloves and such. Stopping the bike is a set of 160mm mechanical disc brakes in the front and rear. Mechanical brakes take a little more hand actuation as opposed to hydraulic brakes, but they are easier to maintain and adjust. I should also mention these come with motor inhibitors to cut power to the motor when pulling on the brake levers. I love that more and more bikes are including these.
Powering the display, electrical system, and front and rear lights is this 48v 10.5ah battery. The battery had an LED charge level light for readout and can be charged on and off the bike. One thing I love about this battery pack is that it is sharable. Imagine you are a couple looking to get his and hers bikes, maybe one person gets a 350 and another gets the 500… either way, the batteries are interchangeable which I think is great. Charging here is done with this 1.5lb 2amp portable charger. I love that it is lightweight, but the 2amp rating coupled with this larger size battery means it could take a bit to charge from all the way dead. The charging port is nice and high when the battery is placed on the bike, so that means it is away from the crank arms and less likely to get snagged or tangled when charging on the bike. To really care for this and other lithium-ion packs, I have heard that storing in a cool dry location vs. extreme heat or cold will extend the life and try to keep it about 50% full when not using for long periods so you won’t stress the cells. Try not to let it run down to zero, because that’s really hard on the cell chemistry.
Controlling the Epik Swan 350 is done though this plastic display mounted on the left. It is backlit, but is not removable as far as I can tell and doesn’t seem to swivel either. The controls feature a Power button as well as an Up and Down button for scrolling. Along with the speed here in MPH, it shows a 4 bar battery info graphic, with the outline of the battery logo itself acting as a 5th bar. So basically, it reads out in 20% increments. It also has readings for a timer, distance, and what level of assist you are in. Assist levels range from 0-5, but I did notice that 0 also locks out the throttle, so if you want to use that throttle, make sure to push the assist into 1-5. If you press Power lightly again, you can cycle through current speed, average speed, max speed, voltage, and odometer. Holding down the Up button will get the display to turn on its backlight. This also activates the integrated headlight too. Hold the Down button will active a walk mode. Finally, if you turn the display off, then back on, begin to hold down Up and Down together and you get a deep menu that lets you configure things like top speed, wheel diameter, and MPH to KMH. I did notice that the throttle is limited by the pedal assist level, meaning that lower levels of pedal assist, such as 1, will have a slower throttle response and top speed. Make sure to put it in 5 if you want to take full advantage of that throttle.
I really like the Epik Swan 350, and the approachability, features, and value price point of $1,499 make it that much more tempting for anyone considering it. But, it is time to go over the tradeoffs, so lets get some of those out of the way. When folding, I left the keys in once and it has a potential to scratch the frame, so do be careful of that. Also, there is no folding clasp or magnet or anything to keep it compacted. Other folding bikes are starting to add these and they really can make a difference, so it is sad that it is not here. I also noticed that if you mount certain style bags in the rear, it can get in the way of pedaling, so be mindful. But even with all the tradeoffs, I think this is a great little folding bike. It is very tight when folded and can even be carted around easily like luggage with wheels. I would recommend checking out the video review for a demonstration. This is a cool new bike from e-Joe and I want to thank them for letting me check it out!
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the e-Joe ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- A value priced and approachable step through electric folding bike with a ton of features and fun, comes in a 350 watt ($1,499) version and a 500 watt ($1,699) version as well
- The bike comes in 1 color (glossy blue, black for the 500) and 1 frame size, but it pretty configurable and extremely approachable, due to the low seat height configuration and telescoping stem
- 20” x 2.15” Kenda tires that include a reflective sidewall for safety, these smaller wheels mean a mechanical advantage for breaking, pedaling, and even electric assist
- Note the cast rims here on the 350, (unavailable on the 500) it really makes the ride sturdy and the spokes never need to be trued
- Plastic fenders with mud flaps are always great, these help keep you clean and dry, and I even like how the mud flap can alleviate toe strikes when turning tightly, should your toe hit the fender for a moment
- Has a sleek looking mono shock up front, this has 40mm of travel, this combined with the steel fork (which also has vibration dampening qualities), makes for a pretty comfortable ride
- Battery integrated lights in both the front and rear, I am a big fan of safety for cyclists, so I am happy to see that more and more bikes are including these
- You get a nice rear rack, it has standard gage tubing to fit most panniers and has a max weight limit of 33lbs
- Powered by a 350 watt hub drive with a sealed 12 magnet cadence based pedal assist, thumb throttle, 7 speed Shimano Tourney system, and 160mm mechanical disc brakes with motor inhibitors
- A fairly high capacity 48v 10.5ah battery that is interchangeable with other Epik bikes, has a battery readout level, and a charging port away from the crank arms so it doesn’t get snagged or tangled
- Display is compact yet easy to read thanks to its backlight and simple operation
- It is very tight when folded and can even be carted around easily like luggage with wheels, I would recommend checking out the video review for a demonstration
Cons:
- When folding, I left the keys in once and it has a potential to scratch the frame, so keep an eye out and make sure to be mindful of that
- There is no folding clasp or magnet or anything to keep it compacted, other folding bikes are starting to add these and they really can make a difference, so it is sad that it is not here
- I also noticed that if you mount certain style bags in the rear, it can get in the way of pedaling as your heel can rub up against it, so do be aware of what bags you choose and how you load it
- One of my larger complaints is that the throttle is tied to the pedal assist level, for me, I like to have that full throttle power at all times in case I need to get out of the way of something, luckily, the e-Joe company listens to their riders and I think this is something we could possibly see updated in the future
Resources:
Kenneth Maruska
5 years agoThese “etility” ebikes are going to be a popular segment because they are compact yet powerful enough to be light service cargo capable and good reasonable distance commuters. I like the fact that some hub motor manufacturers are integrating their geared hubs into these 20″ magnesium wheels to eliminate spokes and make the wheels more moped-like in style and durability. If the integrated hub motors get into that 80-100nM torque range expect these to be very serious competition with the mini-retro racers / scramblers / super 73s becuase the riding geometry and utility value is better. Personally I’d like to see the tire widths to be in the 3-4″ range for improved handling and comfort but the 2″ range probably provides a bit better efficiency. Nice design overall!
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHey Kenneth, great observations. I agree with you, these bikes are more comfortable and versatile than some of the retro racer / scramblers. It sounds like you’re describing a hybrid of the two models where comfort is considered but you get some of the style and wider tires. Have you seen the new RadRunner? It’s completely unique and has a seat with adjustable height. Could be perfect for you.
ReplyJohn
5 years agoHi Court, Great review. Just curious if you’re planning to review the Epik Carbon or if you have any experiences with it. Thanks!
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHey John! Yeah, I filmed it and do plan on releasing but am a bit behind schedule on doing so… Keep an eye out in the coming week, it’s a good review ;)
ReplyJohn
5 years agoThanks Court! Looking forward to it. I have a question about the Swan. On E-Joe’s site, they state the net weight is 45-50lbs depending on the battery configuration. I assume the 350w was 45lbs in their estimate. Do the fenders, racks, other accessories really add another 11lbs on your model?
John
5 years agoAfter looking at other folders, I bought this one with the 350w motor. I took it on an initial ride on Saturday up inclines, etc. It was really smooth, and even when I put the assist level at 1 felt good climbing even if it’s a much heavier bike than my previous hybrid. I rolled it over small rocks and bumps and it still felt smooth. Rolling while folded hasn’t been as easy as Sam showed it on the video, but that’s probably something to figure out with more time with it. I did have a question though about the gears and chain. When I down shift, it seems like the gears don’t engage fully (some rattle and then some latching on to a higher gear – say I shifted to 2 and latches onto 4.) Am I shifting incorrectly?
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi John! I’m not sure I fully understand what you’re describing, regarding the shifting. If your derailleur isn’t in the perfect position, it’s possible that the chain will skip or simply not grab when going between cassette sprockets… which could lead to some noise. Perhaps a local bike shop could look at the drivetrain and tune it up for you. There are also easy things you can do, which include turning the barrel adjusters at the derailleur and shifter mechanism (usually to the left, unscrewing it to stretch out the length of the cable housing to balance out cable stretch, which occurs naturally over time).
ReplyPhilipp Pfaeffli
4 years agoHey Court, would you know how to switch the display Km/h to mph?
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Philipp, yes! I believe I do have some feedback for you on this, as long as the display hasn’t changed from when I reviewed it. If you just turn it on, then hold up and down simultaneously, it should enter into a settings menu. From here, you can click through and experiment with the different settings. One of them should allow for units to be changed. Do be careful to remember what the original settings were, just in case you change something that is not units, such as wheel size or battery voltage etc. that should be left alone. If you take stock of each settings screen before pressing any buttons, you’ll be able to go back and fix things if they get changed ;) good luck!!
ReplyNicole C
4 years agoDoes the newer version of this bike come standard with the 500W motor and cast rims? I’m looking to make my first e-bike purchase for city commuting and I’m trying to compare the newer e-Joe swan and the blix vika+. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Nicole! I called the founder to ask about this, his name is Willy and he’s very cool. He said that they only sell the 500 watt version now and that it comes with cast rims! It sounds like it has been very popular, so it’s backordered until September 2021. Check out the official site here for more info. I do like e-Joe, but feel that Blix does a great job too, and they might have the Vika+ in stock at one of their dealers? They also sell direct, as I remember, and I like that their battery packs were all modular and they had a cool consistent style. Here are my reviews of their products, and you can ask around in the forums as well :)
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