Propella Owners: Feedback Please!

[Biking on Bainbridge]

I'm very intrigued with this bike considering the price point and what appears to be a straight-forward no fuss system. I think this one is really unique in keeping the ebike parts accessible and easily replaced, and without just slapping an elongated black box on any random bike frame (realizing that is a subjective point of view, but I like it). So kudos for that!

However, of the reviews I can find online, many of them seemed to all follow the same story line (almost the exact same order of talking points, as though from a script), and made me wonder if I'm not seeing the entire story. OR....the bike really is stylish, affordable, built with quality parts, etc....and that's why all the reviews are so similar, which would be great to hear!

In all fairness to the reviews, much of what I'm looking for can't be covered in a single test ride. So I'm looking for some help from you, the Propella owners (of any previous version. I'm looking to pre-order the 3.4):

1. How is the durability of the typical (non-electric) bike parts after 3 months, 1 year, 2 years? Are you having any abnormal (outside of normal maintenance) issues with the chain, shifters, brakes, tires, frame, etc. I see in previous posts that the brakes were an issue on version 2. Has this been fixed in version 3+?

2. How is the battery doing over time? What sort of range are you getting, and how much has it reduced over time? (Props to Propella for providing the option to purchase a new battery at low cost, and being upfront about the 2-5 yr lifespan)

3. What kind of support are you getting from the motor on hills? For those in Seattle, think climbing Marion St from waterfront to I-5? Any example will help. This one was tough to find information on. I don't expect a 250w motor to be a hill climber, just want to know what level of support to expect.

4. In all honesty, do you have any buyers remorse? Any bikes that you would have purchased instead? (sticking to this general price range, otherwise I know I'd hop on a Specialized Vado SL if I had the $)

The Luna Stealth was very interesting, but sounds like it has some durability issues and less-than-great customer service when digging in deeper....

Luna Fixed Stealth Ebike

The most Stealthy bike on the market, with a hidden battery and discreet mid drive motor... this bike looks like an ordinary road bike but packs a big punch.

lunacycle.com

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Biking on Bainbridge]

Update: I was able to take a test ride and can say the bike certainly meets expectations! This bike gives a fair level of confidence to become my trusted daily commuter with some regular maintenance. The motor certainly doesn't do all the work, which was expected, but it consistently provided support even on the steepest hills. The power levels stepped up with a natural feeling and gave a smooth transition to pure peddle power once 18 mph was reached. I turned the motor off for a good stretch of the ride and was impressed with how well it rode as a typical bike (at least compared to my Flash Bike, which is a tank without the motor assist). It was raining during the ride, so I did get a little tire skid with some hard braking, but nothing unexpected. I think I'm understanding why all the reviews are so positive. It is honestly a great bike, considering expectations at this price point.

I am still looking for feedback on any of the questions if you have any! Especially what you think after owning one of these over time. Much appreciated.

 

[Hops]

I purchased the version 4 7 speed bike about a year ago for my wife. She is 5'4 116 pounds.

1. How is the durability of the typical (non-electric) bike parts after 3 months, 1 year, 2 years? Are you having any abnormal (outside of normal maintenance) issues with the chain, shifters, brakes, tires, frame, etc. I see in previous posts that the brakes were an issue on version 2. Has this been fixed in version 3+?
I can only say the components seem to be working well. These are mechanical disc brakes and although hydraulic would be better these brakes have stayed aligned. Shifting is easy and has had no problems. The 7-speed is good for a person living in an area that has rolling to large hills. I wish they did not paint the chain white but okay, my wife thinks it's cool. The kickstand is bulky(looks like a muffler), but perhaps needs to be to hold the weight.

2. How is the battery doing over time? What sort of range are you getting, and how much has it reduced over time? (Props to Propella for providing the option to purchase a new battery at low cost, and being upfront about the 2-5 yr lifespan)
The battery is fine. I added a tiny bit of cushion to the rear of the battery because it was rattling a bit and that took care of that. At one point about the battery would not keep the connection going to the computer so it would turn off and not be easy to turn on. Thought is may of been a loose wire etc but it turned out to be a worn fuse on the battery. It was easy to replace the fuse because there is a fuse compartment on the bottom of the battery. I am thinking the fuse got damaged during a period that the bike was plugged in to charge for a loooong time while we were gone on a trip. RANGE - very good. my wife will go 25 miles with 2000 feet of climbing and still have 50% of her battery left. She rarely goes beyond level two of assistance.
3. What kind of support are you getting from the motor on hills? For those in Seattle, think climbing Marion St from waterfront to I-5? Any example will help. This one was tough to find information on. I don't expect a 250w motor to be a hill climber, just want to know what level of support to expect.
You are able to motor up hills easily. This is a rear pedal assist so it is difficult to go slow up a steep hill slowly and get pedal assist.

4. In all honesty, do you have any buyers remorse? Any bikes that you would have purchased instead? (sticking to this general price range, otherwise I know I'd hop on a Specialized Vado SL if I had the $)
No buyer's remorse. I believe this bike will keep depreciate slowly. Yes, if you want to level up The Vado SL is perfect for a longer range and for longer touring. The Vado is a midpoint(at the pedals) power system totally different battery and output. But, if you are looking for just 35 miles and under, cruising, and not touring this is a good bike.

 

[EVDan]

I realize that this question was originally posted 4 yrs ago and that the OP has probably moved on. Yet this seems to be an appropriate place to provide "Propella Owner Feedback.
As a 75 yr old, life long casual bike rider, the hills of Seattle were becoming a deterrent to riding. I decided it was time to get a "dual purpose" ebike to replace my Specialized Carbon Comp road & Specialized Pitch Mtn bike.

I spent 3 months researching for a lightweight (under 45 lbs), dual purpose (road, trails) ebike under $2,000 that I could fit into the back of my Kia Niro. After riding 4 bikes (Aventon Soltera.2, Trek Dual Sport +2, Velotric T1 ST & Propella C9 V2 Pro). All had similar specs in terms of weight and power, were nimble and easy to ride. Honestly, I like them all but I narrowed it down to the T1 ST & C9. Yes, a Vado SL undoubably would have meet and perhaps exceed my requirements but it also exceeded how much I was willing to spend.
The Velotric T1-S1 is a very nice bike but had the shifting felt a bit clunky, there was some resistance while coasting, I wanted wider tires, and I preferred having a screen (rather than using my phone).

The Propella C9 V2 Pro was the only bike of five that I found no fault in for my wants and needs; plus the company store is less than 30 miles from my home. So I bought on of the last C9s V2s Propella had in stock - their May shipment sold out almost immediately.

Given the rough local roads and desire to ride trails, and wanting to minimize fatigue and discomfort, I added a Kinect suspension seatpost & stem.
I now have about 90 miles on the bike, mostly on paved surfaces but also 8 miles on single track. So far, the bike feels very solid. I'm amazed how well it handles both the pavement and "easy" single track (dry dirt with short but steep hills, moderate amounts of roots, & some rock). This 75 year old had not problem with either although I could have used a bit more "oomph" from the motor going up one of Seattle's steeper hills.

My only quibble thus far is that if I'm going uphill with no assist and then go into Pedal Assist, it seems that I need to increase my cadence a bit and it may take a full revolution for the PAS to kick in and when it does, there is a noticeable surge. I'm not sure ,but suspect this may be typical for a torque sensor system. Under most circumstance the Peddle Assist mode kicks in smoothly with a subtle surge of power.

To be sure, the addition of the Kinect Suspension Seatpost and Stem have significantly smoothed out the bumps making it very comfortable while only adding about 3 lbs to the total weight. I thought I might want to change the tires from the street focused CST OEM "cargo bike" tires but they roll really well, and had no problem on the single track so I'm gonna stick with them, at last for now.

So far I'm very pleased with my choice, hopefully it will meet my needs for the next few years and hold up well.

 

[Climb4]

This may be an old thread but nonetheless I'll leave a review of the 9S Pro V2.
With 1000 miles between 2 bikes they have held up well. I've had flat rear tires on both bikes that I find odd considering we've been biking for 25+ years and have experienced 3 flats(other than the Propellas). One bike I had to use a slime tube because I couldn't find the cause of the flat, 2 tubes later...
The bikes are comfortable(ugly as they come), although hitting potholes, or bumps in the road can be a bit harsh, I usually stand up when going over rough terrain to let my knees cushion the impact. The range is great when you are using a low power setting. We rode just over 20 miles last night, used PAS2 and had 85% battery left so range shouldn't be an issue unless you are running in max all the time.
My issue with the bike is that they have a very pronounced "wobble" making the rider hang on to the handlebars tight at all times, there is too much weight toward the back of the bike preventing a proper load on the front wheel.
I'm looking forward to selling these soon and finding a better-designed bike.

 

[EVDan]

I now have 250 miles on my 9S Pro V2, I have not sensed a wobble. Kinect Suspension seat post (available thru multiple outlets including Propella) & Kinect Suspension stem smooth things out quite well. I rarely used battery, instead pedal 90% of the time, it does get me over some very steep hills just fine - I have to pedal but the effort is pretty low. No issues so far, still a very happy camper!

 

[Climb4]

I now have 250 miles on my 9S Pro V2, I have not sensed a wobble. Kinect Suspension seat post (available thru multiple outlets including Propella) & Kinect Suspension stem smooth things out quite well. I rarely used battery, instead pedal 90% of the time, it does get me over some very steep hills just fine - I have to pedal but the effort is pretty low. No issues so far, still a very happy camper!

I have multiple bikes and owned countless bikes over the years. These bikes are simply a poor design. Can you ride without hands? If not, what happens when you ride with "light" hands?
I find myself overgripping to compensate for the wobble. We still ride them, but I'm looking for a better handling ride for my next purchase. Propella is just a middleman for Chinese-made bikes, very little went into "design" and it shows. Quick to market aimed at a specific buyer as quickly as possible. ugh I doubt anyone at Propella is a bike rider with under 10 employees. lol