Popeye Gordon
Member
- Region
- USA
Hello, I just signed up to participate here after a conversation with the EBR editor, Court is friendly and was concerned when I told him his two Youtube ELF reviews are getting outdated due to continued product refinements of the factory in Durham NC. They have shipped over 800 units now. I am also very concerned about the small number of reviews here and the very bad experience shared in the last entry.
I got rid of my car in retirement, the ELF is much more affordable since there is no insurance or gas or license required. Every day I roll it out from under my carport to charge in the morning and I rarely use the plug-in charger. Recently I bought two LunaCycle 17.5 AH 'Whale' packs with locking mount, switch, USB plug and power meter. After over two years my original equipment German made upgrade 15 AH lithium pack was beginning to age and I wanted to have increased range to reach places farther from my small town in central Florida. I mounted the new pack forward between the pedals like they do in the latest ELF versions. I then took the longest trip so far, 25 miles to the local state park. I'm old and weigh 300 lb so I really test the system's limits. If I still drove a car I would accrue a little more cardiac damage every day I did not exercise.
I like to tinker so I have made numerous upgrades on my own that are similar to or better than OT's options. Rear vent under my solar panel, running/floor boards, rear fender, chain grease ankle shield, high performance armored drive chain for the motor, brighter headlights and more. I use 3 inch tires in front and am ordering a 2.5 inch Hookworm tire for the rear.
Sure, I have had some down time due to hard to get parts and slow response time from OT but I have also had excellent fast support for some issues especially during the warranty period. It is important to find the closest bike shop that will work on ebikes. The biggest challenge is the ELF won't fit through single doors. I was fortunate to find a local bike shop owner who is willing to make house calls for some issues since it won't fit through his doors and a flatbed tow truck is expensive. I perform many basic service tasks myself but I had the shop do a hub rebuild and some motor alignment/cog replacement.
When everything is working the ELF lives up to its name - electric light and fun! It is a show stopper everywhere I go, I have no doubt spoken to over three thousand interested gawkers who have lots of questions. In my town I get honks of approval, thumbs up and cheers as I roll around town in this sustainable vehicle. I share the road and am treated more like a small car than a bicyclist.
The latest version from OT has so many improvements it is due for another review. Many reliability and servicing issues have been addressed. I'd trade in for the newest model in a heartbeat if it wasn't a thousand miles away. Small light emissions free vehicles are the future that is here now for those who understand they have to be the change they want to see.
I got rid of my car in retirement, the ELF is much more affordable since there is no insurance or gas or license required. Every day I roll it out from under my carport to charge in the morning and I rarely use the plug-in charger. Recently I bought two LunaCycle 17.5 AH 'Whale' packs with locking mount, switch, USB plug and power meter. After over two years my original equipment German made upgrade 15 AH lithium pack was beginning to age and I wanted to have increased range to reach places farther from my small town in central Florida. I mounted the new pack forward between the pedals like they do in the latest ELF versions. I then took the longest trip so far, 25 miles to the local state park. I'm old and weigh 300 lb so I really test the system's limits. If I still drove a car I would accrue a little more cardiac damage every day I did not exercise.
I like to tinker so I have made numerous upgrades on my own that are similar to or better than OT's options. Rear vent under my solar panel, running/floor boards, rear fender, chain grease ankle shield, high performance armored drive chain for the motor, brighter headlights and more. I use 3 inch tires in front and am ordering a 2.5 inch Hookworm tire for the rear.
Sure, I have had some down time due to hard to get parts and slow response time from OT but I have also had excellent fast support for some issues especially during the warranty period. It is important to find the closest bike shop that will work on ebikes. The biggest challenge is the ELF won't fit through single doors. I was fortunate to find a local bike shop owner who is willing to make house calls for some issues since it won't fit through his doors and a flatbed tow truck is expensive. I perform many basic service tasks myself but I had the shop do a hub rebuild and some motor alignment/cog replacement.
When everything is working the ELF lives up to its name - electric light and fun! It is a show stopper everywhere I go, I have no doubt spoken to over three thousand interested gawkers who have lots of questions. In my town I get honks of approval, thumbs up and cheers as I roll around town in this sustainable vehicle. I share the road and am treated more like a small car than a bicyclist.
The latest version from OT has so many improvements it is due for another review. Many reliability and servicing issues have been addressed. I'd trade in for the newest model in a heartbeat if it wasn't a thousand miles away. Small light emissions free vehicles are the future that is here now for those who understand they have to be the change they want to see.
