A crowdfunded electric fat bike designed to be affordable and simple, available in four colors, single speed drivetrain with throttle only
Limited power for climbing, sand and snow applications because the motor is mid-sized at 350 watts, optimal use would be urban or trail riding
You can add a fender and rack thanks to threaded eyelets on the rear section of the frame but you cannot add a gear cluster or internally geared hub, consider a Schlumpf gear or Efneo at the bottom bracket if you want to change your cadence range
Limited 30 day warranty, lower end components (brakes, saddle, wheelset), more involved assembly required than other ebikes I've built
1
Single Speed 44-16T (No Room for Cassette, No Derailleur Hanger)
Cranks:
Prowheel, Aluminum Alloy
Pedals:
Aluminum Alloy Platform
Headset:
1 1/8" with 40 mm Stack Height
Stem:
Mixieer, 85 mm Length
Handlebar:
Low Rise, Aluminum Alloy
Brake Details:
Tektro Mechanical Disc with 160 mm Rotors, 5 Brand Levers with Motor Inhibitor
Grips:
Ergonomic Rubber with Lockers
Saddle:
Generic Comfort with Rubber Bumpers
Seat Post:
Rigid Aluminum Alloy
Seat Post Length:
270 mm
Seat Post Diameter:
28.6 mm
Rims:
Punched Aluminum Alloy
Spokes:
14 Gauge
Tire Brand:
Chaoyang 26" x 4.9"
Wheel Sizes:
26 in (66.04cm)
Tire Details:
Nylon
Tube Details:
Schrader Valve
Accessories:
Single Side Kickstand on Left Chain Stay, Plastic Chain Guide
Other:
Plastic Battery Box with Removable Rubber Plugs Switching the Battery On and Charging While Mounted, KMC Chain, Axle Tensioner, Max Tire PSI 20 (Recommend 10 to 15 for Soft Terrain)
The Sonders Ebike (formerly the Storm Electric Bike) is an ultra-affordable fat tire ebike that was launched through Indiegogo in February of 2015. The name change was a result of conflict with ProdecoTech which offers two Storm electric bike models of their own including the Storm 500. The Sondors, still named for it’s creator “Storm Sondors”, remained interesting due to its extremely aggressive opening price point of $499 plus $194 shipping and the controversial claim that it was the “worlds most affordable electric bike” despite the thousands of ebikes sold in China annually for under $300 USD… Yay for marketing! Having raised over three million dollars within a week, selling over 3,000 units and ultimately reaching nearly $6M total, new concerns were raised by backers about the possibility of delivery delays. The original target for manufacture, shipment and arrival in the US was set just four months out, May of 2015. Further questions were raised about the weight and performance specs of the bike which were eventually updated on Indiegogo to include a heavier overall weight and smaller battery capacity than the initial advertised specs. At the time of this review, those specs were still listed online and they were still far from accurate which is sad because many people are learning about this ebike through word of mouth or one of the myriad ads running on Facebook and Google AdSense. To me, that’s wrong and hurtful to the crowdfunding movement which is built on trust. Perhaps as a means of addressing concerns and validating the product, the Sondors team began a tour of demo rides in mid February 2015 which I attended and filmed. Shortly thereafter, the marketing agency which helped promote the Sondors sued based on fees that they had not been paid. With all of this historical context in mind, I will now focus on the final product which I received in mid July 2015.
Many things changed about the Sondors as it was produced and ultimately delivered. Some of those things were bad (increased weight at ~59 vs. the advertised 45, smaller 160 mm disc brakes vs. the advertised 180 mm, reduced range ~15 miles vs. the advertised 30 to 50 miles, fewer colors, smaller motor size 350 watt vs. 380 watt) and some of those things were good (upgraded ergonomic grips with lockers, improved throttle control and LED readout, the addition of a basic pedal assist sensor). Considering the short amount of time that these electric bikes were finalized, manufactured and shipped internationally I was actually amazed and thrilled with the results… even if the delivery was a month or two late (many people have not received their ebikes at the time of this review, especially those who live outside the US). Compared to many other electric fat bikes I’ve tested and reviewed this one felt a bit under powered but it actually handled the beach riding and hill climbing well (note that I only weigh ~135 lbs). The Sondors is currently only available in one standard size ~18 inches, but for me (a 5’9″ male) it felt perfect. Perhaps the most delighting addition to the frame (in my opinion) is the threaded eyelets on the chain stays! There are two on each side for adding a carry rack and there are bosses at the fork and rear for adding fenders. I also like the solid and oversized platform pedals, cutout rims, plastic chain guide and kickstand. These are inexpensive minor touches but they impact how the bike fits into your life… Perhaps the greatest design decision of them all is the plastic battery box mounted in the main triangle of the frame. It beautifully conceals the battery pack, controller and extra wires and even provides storage space. There were no instructions included with the bike and this resulted in me missing a few of the extra features like pedal assist, I also wasn’t able to discern whether or not it was okay to put items in the battery box for storage while riding. I decided to experiment and was able to fit the keys and charger in there for my test ride, this is not something I can endorse as it could be dangerous if air circulation is required to keep the battery from overheating. Longevity is one of the big question marks for me with this ebike… You get a 30 day warranty (according to my interview with the founder) but representatives from the company are slow to respond to emails if you use the publicly available email forms (they didn’t respond at all to my multiple requests for a delivery address change). If you do end up with some kind of issue you might end up on your own, so proceed with caution.
Powering the Sondors electric bike is a 350 watt planetary geared hub motor laced into the rear wheel. I’ve seen dozens of motors from Bafang (the company that made this one) but none were as wide as this. It’s possible that this is a fat-bike specific design or something new? In any case, it performed as expected and definitely looked nice with the black paint because the spokes, tires, saddle, grips, crank arms and wiring are also black. A few times when accelerating from standstill the motor stalled when I pushed all the way down on the throttle. This might be a built in protection mechanism designed to keep mosfet transistors from failing. For best results, accelerate slowly and help the bike by pedaling for a few strokes. Geared hub motors tend to be light weight and small while remaining zippy. They freewheel efficiently so there’s no drag when coasting but they can wear out more quickly over time because there are plastic gears inside. I like that this motor was wired into the system with a quick disconnect break point because it will make maintenance much easier. Speaking of maintenance… these wheels did require some spoken tightening and truing during the initial build. Compared with some other ebikes I’ve purchased online, this one took longer to build and required more fine tuning. I worked with a professional ebike manufacturer who spent ~27 minutes building it straight from the box and I was thankful for the specialized tools they used and the stand that made it easier to work on. For the $50 to $100 that this sort of service might cost, I think it’s well worth it and could ultimately extend the lifetime of the bike altogether or make it safer.
Powering the Sondors is an average sized 36 volt 8.8 amp hour canister style battery pack that mounts to the downtube inside the plastic box. The sticker says Samsung cells which is reassuring and the Lithium-ion chemistry was chosen to be light weight and long lasting compared with some older Lead Acid types. The pack itself is removable but there are also two circular holes punched into the box surrounding it that allow you to charge it or switch it on without having to take it off. Many times I suggest removing batteries during transport because it helps to reduce the overall weight of a unit but in this case it’s only ~5.4 pounds. One of the big challenges surrounding this battery case/box design is that it completely fills the space beneath the top tube. That means some bike racks simply won’t work with this product, you’ll probably need an oversized platform rack like this and some fat-tire adapters which can add up. People with trucks can use straps or just lay the bike on its side. You could remove the front wheel to shorten the bike but that will require extra tools as there is no quick release here. I like that the battery locks to the frame and includes an LED charge level indicator (useful if you’re storing it away from the bike and wondering whether it’s full). To help extend battery life I recommend storing in a cool dry place because extreme heat and cold can degrade the cells. You should also keep the battery charged between 20% and 80% if it’s not being used and check in on it every couple of months in case it’s slowly going down. Because this ebike is so affordable and there are some questions about the quality of the cells used I feel compelled to remind users only to charge the pack with the included charger. This charger got pretty hot when I used it and I have heard of several ebike fires in the past based on cells that were damaged or improper charging. Be careful with this thing and store it somewhere that won’t burn easily just in case there is some issue. Many electric bike shops have special metal cabinets to store batteries because they deal with damaged packs that customers bring in. I’m not trying to be hurtful towards Sondors or imply that their pack is lower quality, I just know that many people who purchase this product are first time ebike owners and I want to support a positive experience.
Operating the bike is about as simple as it gets. Once the battery is charged and seated inside the box area… you close the door and use a little thumb screw to secure it. From here, you actually have to switch the pack to “on” and this can be done on the right or “starboard” side of the pack through the little circular cutout. Next, press the rubber button at the base of the throttle control module. You should see three LED lights activate (green, yellow and red) communicating that the bike is ready to go and the battery is fully charged. At this point you simply press the throttle and the motor takes you away! Initially, the Sondors ebike wasn’t going to have this LED display (there was a smaller, dimmer one) and the throttle wasn’t as large or smooth. I love the upgrade they went with and I appreciate that they used a thumb throttle vs. a twist throttle because it means they could go with affordable, locking, ergonomic grips. The grips feel great and they sort of match the accent colors on the frame (yellow/gold in my case). The cockpit is clean and simple… probably fairly durable if the bike tips over. You don’t get a fancy LCD display (at least not initially) but there is some discussion that one might be arriving as an optional addon at a later date. During the ride it seemed like I was hitting 20 mph (according to Strava) and even though the LED lights changed from green to yellow fairly quickly, the range wasn’t cut short immediately, even as it went to red. I’m guessing that the display is based on a simple voltmeter because I saw the lights drop to red while accelerating and riding and then go back up to yellow when parked. I parked several times to let the bike rest and I also pedaled part of the time during my tests to simulate real-world riding. I did some small hills, some packed dirt, some wood and a little bit of sand but I was not overly aggressive in the way I rode the bike. Also, there was extra hardware installed at the bottom bracket for use with pedal assist but I didn’t realize it was working (because it was very gentle and I was focused on the throttle for most of my review). Here’s an updated video that explains pedal assist and shows how it compares with using the trigger throttle to drive the bike. I though it was left on as an extra part because one end of the cable was a dead end. It’s neat that they added this extra feature and I was excited to hear that there may be an optional LCD display panel for use with this assist sensor in the future.
In closing, the Sondors electric bike really impressed me but there was drama and disappointment in the way it was advertised and sold. It feels premature to call it a complete success because I haven’t used it for weeks or months of riding (and I’m selling it so I can continue traveling and reviewing). That part is up to the community to share with each other. The build was difficult and long and the limited support was unsettling but that might be a temporary issue because the company is so busy right now. There are probably some legal issues with this bike, I wonder if the importer has manufacturers insurance (or even who the importer officially is?) I was surprised that the bike came with a plastic cadence sensor and extra wiring at first but it’s great that it actually works, the only mention I found of this feature was on the Sondors blog from three months ago and there were no instructions with the bike so I missed it in the video (annotation has been added to help clarify there). If you take this out and get 10 to 15 miles per charge, I’d call that a success! If you want to climb steeper stuff or plan on pedaling, there is some limitation with the single speed drivetrain… I looked for a way to mount a derailleur and add a cassette but there just isn’t room. You could add an Efneo Gearbox or Schlumpf drive at the bottom bracket but the range will still be limited and it might not fit with the wider bottom bracket. The sprocket size they chose feels good, it’s smaller than average which provides more leverage for starting and maneuvering the heavier frame and larger tires. I like the cutout rims because they look cool and reduce weight and that improves steering. For a fat bike, it’s pretty cool and got a lot of smiles and interest. My hope is that everyone else receives theirs and that the drive systems work well or are easy to replace when there are issues. With this many bikes going out it’s impossible to avoid some issues but mine arrived in great shape (aside from a few minor frame scrapes) and I was fairly impressed with the performance I got.
Pros:
Extremely affordable for a purpose built electric bike, I like that the wires are integrated and the custom battery box matches the frame and hides the electronics (while protecting them)
Decent components including Tektro disc brake rotors, levers with motor inhibitors, solid pedals with nice grip and ergonomic grips with lockers that tie into the color options
The chain is tight and short, uses decent hardware from KMC and is kept on track with a plastic guide on the front ring, it should perform well on bumpy terrain
Four color options for a custom look including yellow with gold accents, black with black accents, blue with black accents, yellow with black accents
The larger 4.9″ wide fat tires help absorb bumps when riding, this compliments the steel frame which also dampens vibration, the comfort saddle includes rubber bumpers which also helps
The battery can be charged on or off the bike, this is great if you’re using it for commuting or need to top it off half way through a long trip, the charger is small and light weight ~2 lbs so it’s convenient to bring along
Upgraded rims add an element of style because they are punched out and allow the colored liners to be viewed, punched out rims reduce weight but also allow the inner tube to squish around and add comfort
Optional fenders and rack for improved utility in wet riding conditions or for those who plan on commuting, they fit nicely with the frame and can be attached at the threaded bosses on the chain stays and near the rear dropouts
Includes a basic pedal assist sensor that activates the motor at a low efficient level helping to offset the weight and single speed drivetrain, if you relied on this purely it would significantly increase range
Cons:
Only available in one frame size ~18, I noticed that the seat tube has a cut in the backside to allow the collar to clamp down on the seat tube but most other bicycles have this cut on the front to maintain the integrity of the tube as riders tend to lean back or push backwards on the seat when riding
Assembly was required and much more involved than other electric bikes I’ve purchased online, there are some good instructional videos posted by Sondors but it might be worth getting help from a local shop with the proper tools, grease and stands
Limited use on soft terrain like sand and snow because the motor isn’t especially powerful and there’s only one gear to pedal with… consider adding a schlumpf or efneo bottom bracket to add gears
Very short warranty period of 30 days, difficult to reach the company (at the time of this review) due to high volume of orders and fulfillment through Indiegogo
A couple minor interesting choices in hardware… the kickstand is fairly tall and didn’t seem adjustable so the bike feels a bit tippy (but I love that it has a kickstand)
This is a fairly large bike and there are no quick release options on the wheels which would make it easier to fit into cars or storage areas like garages etc. even though the wheel size is officially 26″ with the giant tires it’s actually ~30″ wide when inflated
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Hi Tom, regarding the bits about a future display and activating assist, Lon McClure on YouTube shared this bit of advice that people might be interested in: Go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sondors-electric-bike/x/4920472#/updates then click “Show more” and search for “pedal assist” and (separately) “add-ons” as they were about three months ago. If you do this it says “Pedal Assist: All Sondors eBikes will have a pedal assist feature included. Pedal Assist ensures easy start if you choose pedals instead of electric power. Also adds another pleasant way to ride the bike with extra help from battery and motor.” So it sounds like the bikes do have it, I’m going to try it out if I can get ahold of the bike again, for some reason it didn’t seem to work for me when testing and I’ve heard this from a couple of other owners in the forum as well.
Thanks Curt! For some reason it just didn’t seem to work on my bike and I’ve heard a couple of other backers express similar results. It’s great that they included it, I found the update on the Sondors blog from a few months back. Did your bike come with instructions or is the blog the best place to get info?
Please correct your misleading comments regarding no pedal assist. There is definitely pedal assist. The cable you describe as disconnected is for a soon to be available display/control that will allow you to select other pedal assist levels rather than the default level. Thanks for the otherwise thorough review, Lon
Thanks Lon, I’ve updated the article to clarify assist and spoke with several individuals who tested the system for me and confirmed that assist works but feels a bit weak. It sounds like at the present time there’s no way to adjust the setting but maybe in the future we’ll see an optional LCD display for this :)
Dude, I’m trying to defend your review, but the issue of your disconnected PAS controller wire is making that impossible. You need to hook that wire up and test your bike again. It may have come disconnected or got pulled during assembly, but it has a connection and you can’t do a proper review without it.
Thanks for the feedback Paul, I’ve heard a few other comments about this and checked out the blog (linked in some comments below). I’ll update the written portion here but the bike is gone now. I’ve heard from a couple of other owners that assist didn’t work on their bikes (perhaps built incorrectly?) does yours work with assist or is this a future thing that will pair with the optional LCD panel I keep hearing about?
Your review was very helpful and thank you for writing it. Can you recommend a low resistance communting tire that I can put on my Sondors. Can I put a basically pick a tire that is larger than 3″? Also can you recommend a decent light weight fender that I can add to this bike? What upgrades would you suggest if any?
Also, a buddy of mine received his Sondor’s and I rode his bike the other day. If there is pedal assist, its very mild, I ended up having to use the throttle. I’m still waiting to receive mine, scheduled for delivery on Monday, and will see if it works on mine. Thanks!
Thanks Carlos! I’ve done some checking and was unable to find hybrids or slicks that would fit the 26″ x ~4″ size that the Sondors uses. The might be out there and hopefully someone else will chime in about it, you could also ask in the forums. Regarding fenders, I did see a neat pair designed for fat-ebikes at the Surface 604 website. They also sell an extra wide carry rack that could work on the rear (I haven’t tested but it appears that it would work).
Thanks for your feedback on the pedal assist with your friends bike! I hope yours gets here soon and I look forward to hearing any updates you have to share. As far as any other upgrades… I’d consider adding a pair of lights, I like these ones because they’re easy to put on and take off, they are also rechargeable.
I see you got PAS figured out Court! Nice update! Yeah, that green connector you thought was the “loose wire” is to attach an LCD display and controller for the PAS so you can set the PAS level. Sondors mentioned in an update that he intends to offer the LCD as an add on upgrade in the future but we have heard nothing on that yet — he’s clearly too busy just trying to get all the current orders filled.
One member of the facebook owners page has ordered an LCD he believes will be compatible. We will wait to hear if it works and what he finds out. It’s coming from China as well so it will be weeks before we hear anything. It this one: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Electric-Bike-Display-3-LCD/1420938192.html which looks identical to the on in the Sondors video. But the backer was told the seller was going to have to modify it and add the correct connect on it to make it work. We will wait to hear how it goes.
No one knows what PAS level the system operates on by default. It may well be on the lowest setting as as you guessed in your review. An interesting feature of PAS is that its not speed limited to 20 mph whereas the throttle control is. So when going down hill, you can take advantage of PAS to help boost your bike to speeds over 20 mph.
I’ve not received my bike yet (only about 26% of all bikes have been delivered as of July 24) so many of us are still waiting. So I can’t report on my own experience. But as you said, the bike comes with NO instructions to help people figure this stuff out. The gosondors.com blog and web site with their assembly videos is all we get for now. We have been giving people help as needed on the Facebook Owners Group page and anyone looking for help, should certainly check that page out. We have over 2000 members on the page now and many with lots of eBike experience.
Awesome! Very constructive comment Curt, thanks :)
Yeah, it was fun to dig into assist and see it in action. The LCD option sounds cool and I’d love to hear how it goes (and how you like your bike once it arrives). The DIY LCD experiment sounds cool as well, hope it works out for that other guy, I built a computer once and had a blast tinkering with the different parts and upgrades.
The Sondors blog and website are very helpful and the Facebook group seems cool too. One of the moderators for EBR joined to get more info and report back about the updates but she was kicked out after a day just for being associated with EBR which was too bad. I’m glad to hear bikes are arriving successfully and have seen more and more pictures popping up. Fun times!
Not only does the PAS work, it appears that level control can be adjusted using the throttle. If the bike is moving faster than the lower level of PAS then it remains off. Moving the throttle forward while peddling increases the PAS level until it kicks in to assist at the current speed.
Interesting, thanks for the feedback Paul. I created a second video with some shots of pedal assist in action here but I’m not sure I completely covered the adjustability you’re talking about.
Great review, thanks! I ordered one during the funding campaign in February. Arrived today, and took about 90-120 minutes to unpack and get set up. The battery is charging now so I came in to check out some reviews. Appreciate your honest and sensible evaluation.
BTW – I did not pay for the insurance, and spent the $$ ordering a second battery, which has not arrived yet. Given other IndieGoGo campaigns I have supported, this seemed to arrive in a reasonable amount of time and while not identical to what was originally described, it is very close and seems like a reasonable value.
Hey Steve! Thanks for the update, glad yours arrived quickly and assembled well! I have to agree with you that the relatively quick delivery, constant updates and multiple improvements to the bike are impressive and uncommon in crowd funding. Obviously I have some sensitivity towards the marketing tactics used here and there but overall I’m happy with the product and very excited that bikes are arriving and people are having fun with them. Ride safe :D
Thanks for your feedback, compared to other bikes I’ve tested with adjustable pedal assist power this is indeed very weak (literally and figuratively speaking) but I’m glad it was included and look forward to an LCD display with adjustment options down the road. My tires started out way too full when my friend assembled the bike (to do our range test) and it was uncomfortable and jarring. I rode like this anyway but didn’t notice assist until I went back to re-shoot the feature (based on feedback).
I’ve been riding my Sonder Bike for a month now with the following upgrades/mods/impressions/results:
1. Go through the entire bike and you can find some adjustments to get more miles/speed out of this bike: a. Front bearings in hub too tight causing resistance…. backed off the nut, b. rear chain too tight causing resistance, adj wheel for proper chain tension, c. lube chain with some good quality syn lube, less resistance.
2. Tire Change – after 3 wks I changed the tires to a less rolling resistance Vee tire from Taiwan. The new tires have less rolling resistance, and a slightly smaller diameter…. which for my 200lb frame seems to put the motor in a sweet spot for assist tq/hp…… without sacrificing too much top speed. I’ve ordered the sonders elec control, so hopefully I can adj the controller to get my top end back.
3. Range testing….. with no pedal assist this bike is pretty weak, and does not have much distance…. you will dissapointed if you want an elec motorcycle. This is not an e-motor-cycle. This is an Ebike.. meaning you pedal to get it started, and the motor is there to assist, and offer a high speed with same pedal effort. You can cover longer distance, in shorter time with same pedal effort. Pretty cool for me since I have a knee rehab situation….
4. Range extension part II – I’ve researched the internet for a spare bottle battery…. and it seems the sonders campaign is closed…. so n/a….. You can get a similar bottle battery from ebay, or dirct china…. but it uses a different elec connect to the base….. so you would have to switch to the new elec connect format. I choose another route to extend range and AH…….. I bought a 2nd battery setup which mounts to my seat-post. It will stick out behind the tire and give me 36v 9ah to power the 350watt motor. I researched running the two batteries in parralel…. but there are challenges there if the batteries are not identical…… so my solution will be installing some deans connectors to each battery,… and half way through my ride…. LIKE and RC car….just swap batteries for the ride home. I have not found a reasonal switching arrangment…. but opening the ebox and connect a couple deans connectors is not too taxing.
5. I will eventually be upgrading the motor/controller/battery system for more power…….. I’m thinking 2 wd….. and dual 1000+watt motors in front rear….. I’m just doing my research on the best set-up…… and I want a stealth install with all contollers in the sonder ebox…. and the batteries in the rear tire cargo holder bag.
On my last trip with the stock tires….. I did 13.3 miles @ avg 17.5 mph and peak 21.5 mpg………. in about 45 mins….. battery was pretty much depleted.
Great Bike. I dont know why anyone would complain about this $850 bike.
could you give detailed instructions how to accomplish 1(a) and (b) you describe above? I’m pretty handy but have not worked on bikes so wouldn’t know where to begin to “back off the bearing hub nut”….
Well it’s now sellling for about the same price as the Radrover ($999 via indiegogo) but it falls miles short in comparison. No shocks, 350 watt motor vs. 750 watt, no LCD, smaller breaks, no gears, the list goes on and on, but I hope it’s enough to answer your question.
Hmm… I believe it’s a variable speed trigger throttle. The further you depress it the more power you should get. I sold mine so I can’t help immediately but I’ll check the next time I see one :)
Hi Raul, I think the best way to get a Sondors ebike right now is to use their Kickstarter campaign here. They are still working on delivering the Indiegogo models and I think that campaign has ended so now it’s up to you to use Kickstarter and it may take until Spring 2016 (maybe January or February) to arrive. If you want the new LCD display with the bike you can get that here. Good luck!
I got two of these from the first Indeigogo campaign. I agree it would be much better with a 500W motor, but that’s really my only complaint. It is at times a bit under powered. But the range I’m seeing at about 50-75% petal is 25 miles. Since I got two, I took an early trip to find out just how much the battery could go. I ran it to about 25 miles before it quickly died. Basically you do not want to be more than five miles or so from your home when the red light stays at red when you are not using the help. Once the yellow is gone with no throttle applied, head home or you are going to be a painful pedal. Beyond that, it’s a blast, love it!
Right on Robert! I just ordered a second Sonders to test from the Kickstarter campaign and this time I got one with a suspension fork and display LCD so I can use pedal assist at different levels. I was impressed with the first Sondors and got similar results in my ride test, great to have your extra data points here. Thanks again man :)
Oh man… That’s such a bummer! You haven’t received your Sondors yet? When did you order it? I heard that some people in Australia had their orders canceled because the motor is not legal there (too powerful at 350 watt vs. 250 watt and 15 mph 25 kph) and that might also be the case for some European locations :(
Hi it was ordered in April 2015 I’m sure it’s not a legal thing in the uk as we don’t have many rules for this sort of thing, I feel really let down as getting any info is impossible no replies, I was told that shipping was in October to the uk and Europe and I’m not the only one that has had this issue.
Gosh, that’s no fun Andy… I hope it comes soon and I’m sorry that they haven’t replied to you. If/when it does arrive please chime in again! All I have is the same contact form on their site, I asked to change the address of my Sondors (for the review) and nobody responded to that either earlier this year :/
Hi Jerry, this is one of the challenges with Sondors from my point of view. They can be very difficult to reach and do not seem to have a warranty in place. You get a lower price but less support. I am not sure about ordering one of these ebikes but if you live in California there is a shop that carries one called Myrons Extreme Machines Electric Bike Center that might sell to you. I also ordered one of the newer models from them with suspension and I would consider selling to you after I review in a month or two but the bike will be in Colorado.
I suggest that you DO NOT PURCHASE this ebike. They have the worst customer service imaginable. It virtually does not exist. I purchased two different bikes with upgrades and received the two of the same bikes, one with incomplete upgrades and another with no upgrades at all. I’ve tried to contact them over and over again but they have NEVER replied.
If anyone else is having similar issues, please email me. I see a class action suit in the making. It’s absolutely unacceptable for them to sell a product, not deliver then ignore all attempts at resolution. Please contact me at yafareed @ hotmail (dot) com
Hi Fareed, first of all I’m really sorry to hear that the bikes you ordered weren’t delivered as specced. That’s a bummer… and I can relate to the limited customer service as I have also struggled to reach the company at times. Thanks for being objective about your complaints here and sharing so others may approach this product thoughtfully as well.
Thanks for your reply, Court, but if you’re a Sondors rep, I expect much more. I received an email about the problem and have received a very half-assed resolution without any follow up. They shipped me two LCD displays and then not a peep about the rest. I’m still waiting for the exchange on my frame, my upgraded battery and front suspension. I’m beyond annoyed. This has not been a positive experience.
Hi Dariusz! I haven’t seen the plastic box for sale anywhere… even the Sondors fat bike is now difficult to find (except for used). Neither one of the crowd funding locations sells it. Maybe you could use a rapid prototype machine like the Maker Bot to create your own battery box to fit your frame! Of course… that might become very expensive, there are some shops in the US called TechShop where you can go and use tools like this to create your own projects and just pay a little bit for time :)
Hello My Name Is David Martinez I Have Purchased My Sondors Bike In early 2015″ PERK ” and Been Since Having Trouble for shipping. i like to have My Bike Black on Black like i said in the purchased but now i my want my refund back if you cant help me its been difficult to contact someone and nobody will take responsibility to contact me playmakerdm@yahoo.com or please contact me or by letter or email or call. i dont want to loose my $499 dollars is there a direct link to pay shipping or call thankyou sign UPSET.
Hi David, I’m so sorry to hear about your situation with Sondors… Unfortunately I’m not affiliated with the company, I just purchased their bike like you (but thankfully received it!) in my experience they have been difficult to reach for support and I received the wrong color which was frustrating. I’m not sure what to tell you besides keep trying to reach them through official channels including their Indiegogo page here.
Thank you Court Rye I wish there was a direct phone number to call owner or Supervisor they should have one posted to call if there is any issues with product …
Yeah, I’m sorry David… I don’t have any contact information for the Sondors company, this is one of the challenges with crowd funded products that are more affordable, they don’t always have the same infrastructure or professional systems in place to offer support. I wish I could help you more, definitely try to reach out through Kickstarter, Indiegogo and their website. They list the official email address as info@gosondors.com and have a support area at http://gosondors.com/support/ hope this helps!
Hello Heizomat! I don’t sell the Sondors ebikes, I just reviewed them and posted the information. I hope you can reach them through the official site here and get your question answered :)
Tim Flint
9 years agoAny comments on the pedal assist feature?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Tom, regarding the bits about a future display and activating assist, Lon McClure on YouTube shared this bit of advice that people might be interested in: Go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sondors-electric-bike/x/4920472#/updates then click “Show more” and search for “pedal assist” and (separately) “add-ons” as they were about three months ago. If you do this it says “Pedal Assist: All Sondors eBikes will have a pedal assist feature included. Pedal Assist ensures easy start if you choose pedals instead of electric power. Also adds another pleasant way to ride the bike with extra help from battery and motor.” So it sounds like the bikes do have it, I’m going to try it out if I can get ahold of the bike again, for some reason it didn’t seem to work for me when testing and I’ve heard this from a couple of other owners in the forum as well.
ReplyCurt Welch
9 years agoPAS was added and included as a free upgrade. It’s working great for other backers. Why didn’t it work for you? Did you try to fix it? Or test it?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoThanks Curt! For some reason it just didn’t seem to work on my bike and I’ve heard a couple of other backers express similar results. It’s great that they included it, I found the update on the Sondors blog from a few months back. Did your bike come with instructions or is the blog the best place to get info?
ReplyLon McClure
9 years agoPlease correct your misleading comments regarding no pedal assist. There is definitely pedal assist. The cable you describe as disconnected is for a soon to be available display/control that will allow you to select other pedal assist levels rather than the default level. Thanks for the otherwise thorough review, Lon
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoThanks Lon, I’ve updated the article to clarify assist and spoke with several individuals who tested the system for me and confirmed that assist works but feels a bit weak. It sounds like at the present time there’s no way to adjust the setting but maybe in the future we’ll see an optional LCD display for this :)
ReplyPaul Williams
9 years agoDude, I’m trying to defend your review, but the issue of your disconnected PAS controller wire is making that impossible. You need to hook that wire up and test your bike again. It may have come disconnected or got pulled during assembly, but it has a connection and you can’t do a proper review without it.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoThanks for the feedback Paul, I’ve heard a few other comments about this and checked out the blog (linked in some comments below). I’ll update the written portion here but the bike is gone now. I’ve heard from a couple of other owners that assist didn’t work on their bikes (perhaps built incorrectly?) does yours work with assist or is this a future thing that will pair with the optional LCD panel I keep hearing about?
ReplyCarlos
9 years agoYour review was very helpful and thank you for writing it. Can you recommend a low resistance communting tire that I can put on my Sondors. Can I put a basically pick a tire that is larger than 3″? Also can you recommend a decent light weight fender that I can add to this bike? What upgrades would you suggest if any?
Also, a buddy of mine received his Sondor’s and I rode his bike the other day. If there is pedal assist, its very mild, I ended up having to use the throttle. I’m still waiting to receive mine, scheduled for delivery on Monday, and will see if it works on mine. Thanks!
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoThanks Carlos! I’ve done some checking and was unable to find hybrids or slicks that would fit the 26″ x ~4″ size that the Sondors uses. The might be out there and hopefully someone else will chime in about it, you could also ask in the forums. Regarding fenders, I did see a neat pair designed for fat-ebikes at the Surface 604 website. They also sell an extra wide carry rack that could work on the rear (I haven’t tested but it appears that it would work).
Thanks for your feedback on the pedal assist with your friends bike! I hope yours gets here soon and I look forward to hearing any updates you have to share. As far as any other upgrades… I’d consider adding a pair of lights, I like these ones because they’re easy to put on and take off, they are also rechargeable.
ReplyCurt Welch
9 years agoI see you got PAS figured out Court! Nice update! Yeah, that green connector you thought was the “loose wire” is to attach an LCD display and controller for the PAS so you can set the PAS level. Sondors mentioned in an update that he intends to offer the LCD as an add on upgrade in the future but we have heard nothing on that yet — he’s clearly too busy just trying to get all the current orders filled.
One member of the facebook owners page has ordered an LCD he believes will be compatible. We will wait to hear if it works and what he finds out. It’s coming from China as well so it will be weeks before we hear anything. It this one: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Electric-Bike-Display-3-LCD/1420938192.html which looks identical to the on in the Sondors video. But the backer was told the seller was going to have to modify it and add the correct connect on it to make it work. We will wait to hear how it goes.
No one knows what PAS level the system operates on by default. It may well be on the lowest setting as as you guessed in your review. An interesting feature of PAS is that its not speed limited to 20 mph whereas the throttle control is. So when going down hill, you can take advantage of PAS to help boost your bike to speeds over 20 mph.
I’ve not received my bike yet (only about 26% of all bikes have been delivered as of July 24) so many of us are still waiting. So I can’t report on my own experience. But as you said, the bike comes with NO instructions to help people figure this stuff out. The gosondors.com blog and web site with their assembly videos is all we get for now. We have been giving people help as needed on the Facebook Owners Group page and anyone looking for help, should certainly check that page out. We have over 2000 members on the page now and many with lots of eBike experience.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoAwesome! Very constructive comment Curt, thanks :)
Yeah, it was fun to dig into assist and see it in action. The LCD option sounds cool and I’d love to hear how it goes (and how you like your bike once it arrives). The DIY LCD experiment sounds cool as well, hope it works out for that other guy, I built a computer once and had a blast tinkering with the different parts and upgrades.
The Sondors blog and website are very helpful and the Facebook group seems cool too. One of the moderators for EBR joined to get more info and report back about the updates but she was kicked out after a day just for being associated with EBR which was too bad. I’m glad to hear bikes are arriving successfully and have seen more and more pictures popping up. Fun times!
ReplyPaul Williams
9 years agoNot only does the PAS work, it appears that level control can be adjusted using the throttle. If the bike is moving faster than the lower level of PAS then it remains off. Moving the throttle forward while peddling increases the PAS level until it kicks in to assist at the current speed.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoInteresting, thanks for the feedback Paul. I created a second video with some shots of pedal assist in action here but I’m not sure I completely covered the adjustability you’re talking about.
ReplySteve Sheppard
9 years agoGreat review, thanks! I ordered one during the funding campaign in February. Arrived today, and took about 90-120 minutes to unpack and get set up. The battery is charging now so I came in to check out some reviews. Appreciate your honest and sensible evaluation.
BTW – I did not pay for the insurance, and spent the $$ ordering a second battery, which has not arrived yet. Given other IndieGoGo campaigns I have supported, this seemed to arrive in a reasonable amount of time and while not identical to what was originally described, it is very close and seems like a reasonable value.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHey Steve! Thanks for the update, glad yours arrived quickly and assembled well! I have to agree with you that the relatively quick delivery, constant updates and multiple improvements to the bike are impressive and uncommon in crowd funding. Obviously I have some sensitivity towards the marketing tactics used here and there but overall I’m happy with the product and very excited that bikes are arriving and people are having fun with them. Ride safe :D
ReplyTim Flint
9 years agoPedal assist is not weak…it’s awesome…consider 20psi on pavement and try again.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoThanks for your feedback, compared to other bikes I’ve tested with adjustable pedal assist power this is indeed very weak (literally and figuratively speaking) but I’m glad it was included and look forward to an LCD display with adjustment options down the road. My tires started out way too full when my friend assembled the bike (to do our range test) and it was uncomfortable and jarring. I rode like this anyway but didn’t notice assist until I went back to re-shoot the feature (based on feedback).
ReplyJ
9 years agoI’ve been riding my Sonder Bike for a month now with the following upgrades/mods/impressions/results:
1. Go through the entire bike and you can find some adjustments to get more miles/speed out of this bike: a. Front bearings in hub too tight causing resistance…. backed off the nut, b. rear chain too tight causing resistance, adj wheel for proper chain tension, c. lube chain with some good quality syn lube, less resistance.
2. Tire Change – after 3 wks I changed the tires to a less rolling resistance Vee tire from Taiwan. The new tires have less rolling resistance, and a slightly smaller diameter…. which for my 200lb frame seems to put the motor in a sweet spot for assist tq/hp…… without sacrificing too much top speed. I’ve ordered the sonders elec control, so hopefully I can adj the controller to get my top end back.
3. Range testing….. with no pedal assist this bike is pretty weak, and does not have much distance…. you will dissapointed if you want an elec motorcycle. This is not an e-motor-cycle. This is an Ebike.. meaning you pedal to get it started, and the motor is there to assist, and offer a high speed with same pedal effort. You can cover longer distance, in shorter time with same pedal effort. Pretty cool for me since I have a knee rehab situation….
4. Range extension part II – I’ve researched the internet for a spare bottle battery…. and it seems the sonders campaign is closed…. so n/a….. You can get a similar bottle battery from ebay, or dirct china…. but it uses a different elec connect to the base….. so you would have to switch to the new elec connect format. I choose another route to extend range and AH…….. I bought a 2nd battery setup which mounts to my seat-post. It will stick out behind the tire and give me 36v 9ah to power the 350watt motor. I researched running the two batteries in parralel…. but there are challenges there if the batteries are not identical…… so my solution will be installing some deans connectors to each battery,… and half way through my ride…. LIKE and RC car….just swap batteries for the ride home. I have not found a reasonal switching arrangment…. but opening the ebox and connect a couple deans connectors is not too taxing.
5. I will eventually be upgrading the motor/controller/battery system for more power…….. I’m thinking 2 wd….. and dual 1000+watt motors in front rear….. I’m just doing my research on the best set-up…… and I want a stealth install with all contollers in the sonder ebox…. and the batteries in the rear tire cargo holder bag.
On my last trip with the stock tires….. I did 13.3 miles @ avg 17.5 mph and peak 21.5 mpg………. in about 45 mins….. battery was pretty much depleted.
Great Bike. I dont know why anyone would complain about this $850 bike.
J S
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoThanks for the feedback J S, glad you’ve found some ways to enhance the ride and are enjoying it :)
Replydan
9 years agocould you give detailed instructions how to accomplish 1(a) and (b) you describe above? I’m pretty handy but have not worked on bikes so wouldn’t know where to begin to “back off the bearing hub nut”….
Reply9 years ago
Well it’s now sellling for about the same price as the Radrover ($999 via indiegogo) but it falls miles short in comparison. No shocks, 350 watt motor vs. 750 watt, no LCD, smaller breaks, no gears, the list goes on and on, but I hope it’s enough to answer your question.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoYeah… I’d definitely get the RadRover myself ;)
dan
9 years agogot my bike a couple of days ago. can’t tell if the throttle is simple on/off or whether it increases power as you depress it more… help?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHmm… I believe it’s a variable speed trigger throttle. The further you depress it the more power you should get. I sold mine so I can’t help immediately but I’ll check the next time I see one :)
ReplyRaul Espiritu
9 years agoHow can I order online?, I want to buy online but I will course through the delivery to my relatives in California. Please help..
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Raul, I think the best way to get a Sondors ebike right now is to use their Kickstarter campaign here. They are still working on delivering the Indiegogo models and I think that campaign has ended so now it’s up to you to use Kickstarter and it may take until Spring 2016 (maybe January or February) to arrive. If you want the new LCD display with the bike you can get that here. Good luck!
ReplyRobert
9 years agoI got two of these from the first Indeigogo campaign. I agree it would be much better with a 500W motor, but that’s really my only complaint. It is at times a bit under powered. But the range I’m seeing at about 50-75% petal is 25 miles. Since I got two, I took an early trip to find out just how much the battery could go. I ran it to about 25 miles before it quickly died. Basically you do not want to be more than five miles or so from your home when the red light stays at red when you are not using the help. Once the yellow is gone with no throttle applied, head home or you are going to be a painful pedal. Beyond that, it’s a blast, love it!
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoRight on Robert! I just ordered a second Sonders to test from the Kickstarter campaign and this time I got one with a suspension fork and display LCD so I can use pedal assist at different levels. I was impressed with the first Sondors and got similar results in my ride test, great to have your extra data points here. Thanks again man :)
ReplyAndy sykes
9 years agoHi has anybody had one delivers in Europe yet ? Getting responses from email is impossible
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoOh man… That’s such a bummer! You haven’t received your Sondors yet? When did you order it? I heard that some people in Australia had their orders canceled because the motor is not legal there (too powerful at 350 watt vs. 250 watt and 15 mph 25 kph) and that might also be the case for some European locations :(
ReplyAndy Sykes
9 years agoHi it was ordered in April 2015 I’m sure it’s not a legal thing in the uk as we don’t have many rules for this sort of thing, I feel really let down as getting any info is impossible no replies, I was told that shipping was in October to the uk and Europe and I’m not the only one that has had this issue.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoGosh, that’s no fun Andy… I hope it comes soon and I’m sorry that they haven’t replied to you. If/when it does arrive please chime in again! All I have is the same contact form on their site, I asked to change the address of my Sondors (for the review) and nobody responded to that either earlier this year :/
ReplyJerry Verdadero
9 years agoplease i am Now Ready to Buy But it Seems i cant call & Talk to anybody to place a Order what should i do ?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Jerry, this is one of the challenges with Sondors from my point of view. They can be very difficult to reach and do not seem to have a warranty in place. You get a lower price but less support. I am not sure about ordering one of these ebikes but if you live in California there is a shop that carries one called Myrons Extreme Machines Electric Bike Center that might sell to you. I also ordered one of the newer models from them with suspension and I would consider selling to you after I review in a month or two but the bike will be in Colorado.
ReplyKyle
9 years agoJerry – Join the Sondors owners group on Facebook. You’ll get all the support you need.
Replykarl
9 years agoi cannot fit the front wheel disk into the brake pads ! it just doesnt fit. Please let me know how to adjust
ReplyFareed Rayyis
9 years agoI suggest that you DO NOT PURCHASE this ebike. They have the worst customer service imaginable. It virtually does not exist. I purchased two different bikes with upgrades and received the two of the same bikes, one with incomplete upgrades and another with no upgrades at all. I’ve tried to contact them over and over again but they have NEVER replied.
If anyone else is having similar issues, please email me. I see a class action suit in the making. It’s absolutely unacceptable for them to sell a product, not deliver then ignore all attempts at resolution. Please contact me at yafareed @ hotmail (dot) com
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Fareed, first of all I’m really sorry to hear that the bikes you ordered weren’t delivered as specced. That’s a bummer… and I can relate to the limited customer service as I have also struggled to reach the company at times. Thanks for being objective about your complaints here and sharing so others may approach this product thoughtfully as well.
ReplyFareed Rayyis
9 years agoThanks for your reply, Court, but if you’re a Sondors rep, I expect much more. I received an email about the problem and have received a very half-assed resolution without any follow up. They shipped me two LCD displays and then not a peep about the rest. I’m still waiting for the exchange on my frame, my upgraded battery and front suspension. I’m beyond annoyed. This has not been a positive experience.
EMAIL ME AND FIX THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY
Dariusz
9 years agoits any chance to bye only Plastic Battery Box ?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Dariusz! I haven’t seen the plastic box for sale anywhere… even the Sondors fat bike is now difficult to find (except for used). Neither one of the crowd funding locations sells it. Maybe you could use a rapid prototype machine like the Maker Bot to create your own battery box to fit your frame! Of course… that might become very expensive, there are some shops in the US called TechShop where you can go and use tools like this to create your own projects and just pay a little bit for time :)
ReplyDavid Martinez
9 years agoHello My Name Is David Martinez I Have Purchased My Sondors Bike In early 2015″ PERK ” and Been Since Having Trouble for shipping. i like to have My Bike Black on Black like i said in the purchased but now i my want my refund back if you cant help me its been difficult to contact someone and nobody will take responsibility to contact me playmakerdm@yahoo.com or please contact me or by letter or email or call. i dont want to loose my $499 dollars is there a direct link to pay shipping or call thankyou sign UPSET.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi David, I’m so sorry to hear about your situation with Sondors… Unfortunately I’m not affiliated with the company, I just purchased their bike like you (but thankfully received it!) in my experience they have been difficult to reach for support and I received the wrong color which was frustrating. I’m not sure what to tell you besides keep trying to reach them through official channels including their Indiegogo page here.
ReplyDavid Martinez
9 years agoThank you Court Rye I wish there was a direct phone number to call owner or Supervisor they should have one posted to call if there is any issues with product …
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoYeah, I’m sorry David… I don’t have any contact information for the Sondors company, this is one of the challenges with crowd funded products that are more affordable, they don’t always have the same infrastructure or professional systems in place to offer support. I wish I could help you more, definitely try to reach out through Kickstarter, Indiegogo and their website. They list the official email address as info@gosondors.com and have a support area at http://gosondors.com/support/ hope this helps!
ReplyHeizomat GmbH
8 years agoHello, please tell me price and delivery date for your Sondors Indiegogo electric bike. Thank you in advance. Robert Bloos Heizomat
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHello Heizomat! I don’t sell the Sondors ebikes, I just reviewed them and posted the information. I hope you can reach them through the official site here and get your question answered :)
Reply