Aurora and Evelo shout out!!

[Jerry LM]

I have had my Aurora now about 5 months and I want to give praise to Evelo for service. These guys go Way Beyond what would normally be expected when buying a product. Since my orig. purchase the service on accessories and communications has been great. When I call or write them a response is normally received anywhere from minutes to a couple of hours at most.
They don't forget about you once you buy your bike! Companies with this kind of service deserve support from us customers and the bike is Super!

 

[Al P]

I would agree, Jerry. Although I haven't had to contact them lately, when I was doing research and after receiving the Aurora, I had the same positive experience.

 

[TWBKR]

Jerry, great to hear you are a happy Evelo customer and that Evelo provides great service. I should be getting my Evelo Aurora within a week or two and am really looking forward to it. I have had numerous email communications with Evelo and so far, my experience echoes yours, with great service and communication. Really excited to get the Aurora. I will be using it for my mode of transportation for both leisurely rides and running errands, going places around town.

Interested to hear what kinds of accessories people have put on their Evelo ebikes. Has anyone put on a thudbuster or seat suspension? What about horns, mirrors, bells, etc?

 

[Jerry LM]

I put a stem extension a Thud Buster and vinyl cover for it, a mountable pump on the seat frame, Ergo grips, Cell phone holder( the one from Evelo, really good quality from Japan) extra lights front and rear, a rack bag and cover for the bike. Also a rear view mirror and bell.

 

[Al P]

I added an inexpensive suspension seatpost, stem riser, swept-back handlebars, Mirrycle mirror and a bell.

 

[Jerry LM]

I actually purchased the swept back bars as well, but when I put on the riser I just left the stock bars on as they seemed pretty comfy then. Still have the new set will see this summer if it's worth changing, they aren't very far from the stock bars in shape.
It's lot's of fun equipping the bike and making it your own.

 

[TWBKR]

Thanks for the responses. I will likely transfer some accessories from my old ebike, like my mirror and bell. I have a loudbicycle horn, but store it in a small side bag, since I was worried someone might steal it and it is still loud enough. Like the loud horn, since I ride in the city and always dealing with cars and buses, it comes in handy. So, will have to see where I can put this on my Aurora.

I also have several bags for the rear rack, a messenger style bag with a clip on, a trunk bag with velcro straps that has dual fold out panniers, and 2 large volume clip on Ortlieb panniers 35L each, but with the larger tubing on the Evelo rear rack, I will have to see if the Ortlieb and the Messenger back will clip onto the rear rack. I need the big volume bags to lug groceries home.

I will probably still use my add on lights for front and rear, since these can be set to flashing. And I will probably add some reflective tape on the spokes and maybe other places.

I may think to add a seat suspension at a later point, but want to see how much spare room I have, since that raises the minimum seat height.

 

[tcr]

I joined the club myself about a week ago: pre-ordered a Fully Loaded Aurora. Accessories ordered include the security package, the stem extender, a bottle holder and the Evelo trunk bag. Separately, I've also purchased a Bontrager Circuit (MIPS) helmet and gloves, Bontrager running lights (for both the bike and on my helmet -- traffic is tough around here), a Busch & Muller Cycle Star E mirror, a black Spurcycle bell, a Quad Lock handlebar mount for my phone and Ergon GP1 grips, as well as a Thule EasyFold XT2 bike rack for my vehicle. I suspect that I'll be looking at an Ortlieb trunk bag too (that adapter system looks pretty attractive, IF it fits the Aurora rack). I also just ordered an Ergon ST Core Prime saddle (I have some familiarity with BASF's Infinergy ETPU foam, so this looks potentially very comfortable) and a Topeak mini-pump and some basic tools and supplies from Park Tool. Depending on how much cushioning the Ergon seat provides, I may also think about a suspension seatpost (maybe a Kinekt). I'm just like a kid in a candy shop lately... I look forward to learning more about what does and doesn't work from you all -- and to getting my new wheels!

 

[evelo-bikes]

Glad to hear you're all enjoying your bikes! @tcr great choice on the Aurora! John is in Taiwan right now while those bikes are being made.

Cheers, David

 

[TWBKR]

TCR, That is quite a list of accessories, but I imagine I wont be far behind you. What is the Evelo trunk bag? I did not see that on the website.

I will let you know about whether my Ortlieb panniers fit onto the Aurora rack, after I get the bike and try to see if it fits.

 

[Jerry LM]

No I got it on Amazon, perfect fit and very secure, I will check later today when I get home on the brand.

 

[TWBKR]

Ah, ok. I got the MaxMiles bag below on Amazon and it is secured with velcro straps, so can fit any bike rack. It is secure enough and hopefully will last and stay secure over many uses. The foldout panniers are really nice, as you can zip them away when not in use and then fold them out when you need more cargo space and they add some nice extra capacity. One small drawback is that it can be stolen easily, since it is only attached to the rack by velcro straps, but to add a little deterrent, I usually put a cable lock through the handles. Someone could just cut the handle straps still, but at least it is a little deterrent.

- MaxMiles Bicycle Pannier Bag Bike Rear Pannier Bag Expedition Rack Bag Waterproof 35liters 2100cubic inches

The MaxMiles bags hold a good amount, so I like them, but there are sometimes I need even bigger carrying capacity, so I also bought the Ortleib panniers (70L) for the big grocery trips.

 

[Jerry LM]

Just went out and looked it is a Cool Change has the saddle bags folded in side compartments nice bag, posting some photos.

 

[tcr]

TCR, That is quite a list of accessories, but I imagine I wont be far behind you. What is the Evelo trunk bag? I did not see that on the website.

I will let you know about whether my Ortlieb panniers fit onto the Aurora rack, after I get the bike and try to see if it fits.

Here is the link: https://order.evelo.com/products/rack-top-pannier-bag-evelo. I found out about it talking with the Evelo guys. It looks like a pretty compact, basic bag, with Velcro straps on the bottom. I'll try it out and decide whether I need something more. I look forward to hearing about your luck with the Ortlieb.

 

[tcr]

Glad to hear you're all enjoying your bikes! @tcr great choice on the Aurora! John is in Taiwan right now while those bikes are being made.

Cheers, David

Thanks, Dave -- I wish John safe and smooth travel, and nothing but good news (both QC and time line) from your production partner in Taiwan.

 

[TWBKR]

TCR, Thanks for the info on the Evelo bag. I think my MaxMiles bag is somewhat similar to that Evelo bag. In fact, my MaxMiles bag looks exactly like the Cool Change bag that Jerry showed in his photos. Must be the same manufacturer, selling it to others with different brand names.

Jerry, thanks for the photos. My bag looks just like the one you have. Also, nice to see your handlebar setup. What is sitting just right of the Evelo readout / controller?

I will probably run out of space on the handlebars, as I will probably add a phone holder, then need to add a bell, a button for my horn and see where I can attach or store my horn and attach a side view mirror, and a flashing headlight. Looks like it may be difficult to add a bell that can sit close enough to the grips, so that it can be rung easily without moving my hand off the handlebar grips.

 

[Jerry LM]

That is my cellphone holder that plugs in the USB under the Evelo display. It's the one Evelo sells on their website , a bit more speedy than many out there but Very nice and secure, mine is a I phone 10+ fits perfect, it adjusts a great deal for different phones. The circular silver thing on the right is the bell, only takes up about a half inch space and rings really well you just tap it.

 

[TWBKR]

Ah, ok thanks. It was your bell that I was asking about. My bell is a simple mechanical one, but looks like there will be no place to get it close enough to the hand grip, so that one can ring it with a thumb, with the hands still on the hand grip, unless i can rig up an extension to the lever that one flicks. The bell is nice as a little pleasant notification for pedestrians, which I encounter all the time, and the loudbicycle horn is great for really letting out a blast that can be heard and recognized by cars.

 

[keithd]

Which bar risers and handlebars are you using?