class 3 commuter bikes that can actually go 28 mph with some luggage?

[michaelwoodcock]

Hey guys,
I have a Haibike Urban Plus, with the tranzx 500 watt mid drive but it will never to 28mph as it's class suggests. It's max crusing speed is maybe 23 mph i have hit about 25 with massive pedaling effort. I am currently 210 lbs and dropping but I have let much more fit cyclists try it and they can only hit 25- 26 max at about 160-170 lbs and in very good shape.

I am very eager to explore other options. Does anybody have class 3 bikes that actually go 28mph before limiting the speed? I comute to school and there are a few bumps on the way so a suspension fork would be nice, and no rear suspension is a must so I can put on a rear rack for my pannier bags. I like my urban plus but no front suspension and never being able to reach it's class limitation are a little bit of a negative for me. Also the cobi system recently got an update that has incapacitated it for a while.

Suggestions welcome! I have a Giant dealer nearby, perhaps one of their class III bikes? any experience with them? They didn't have any class III's in stock but i test rode a 20mph limit one and it starts dropping assist at 20 mph but you can actually hit 22. It was very nice how the assist gradually let off. I'm really eager to test ride my next e bike before purchase but we don't have many in Savannah GA. I can always see if a local bike shop would be willing to order one in for me to test.

 

[chriskmee]

A Bosch performance speed motor equipped bike should get you up to 28mph. On my Trek Super Commuter 8 I can go 28mph with some effort. The assist does gradually reduce the closer you get to 28mph, I think around 26mph is when I can tell it's reducing the assist a bit.

In Turbo (level 4/4), it's easy to cruise at 25mph, in Tour (2/4) I typically cruise easily at 20-22mph. I weigh a good bit more than you and carry two saddle bags, so you might actually get better speeds than me.

 

[Trail Cruiser]

Stealth P7, F37
Stromer ST2, ST5
Vintage Scrambler, Cruz, E-Tracker
Juiced bike CCX, Ripcurrent, Hyperfat, Scrambler
FLX Blade (expect accelerated drivetrain wear)
Luna ebikes (expect accelerated drivetrain wear)
HPC (expect accelerated drivetrain wear)

Keep in mind, as you increase your speed to 28 mph, your battery range is cut into half.

Most class 3 can attain 28 mph provided that the rider is strong enough to contribute 150-200 watts of his own pedal power and at the same time, the rider is assuming a more aerodynamic tucked-in position.

 

[6zfshdb]

I have a class 2 Pedego Platinum Interceptor step thru with rear rack battery which is supposed to have a 20 mph max. I'm 260 and usually carry 10 - 15 lbs. of gear. With the throttle open wide and only moderate pedaling, I can hit 25 on smooth level pavement. I get the willies at that speed so I never tried going faster by pedaling harder. My guess is a lighter person in better shape could get the bike up to 28 mph.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

I ride a Juiced Bikes CrossCurrent S. I can do 28 on level ground with normal effort. The motor doesn't kick out until somewhere between 28 and 30. I weigh about 50 lbs more than you so even with a full load of groceries or whatever you should get equal performance. Juiced Bikes has come out with an improved model called the CrossCurrent X which has a slightly more powerful motor and controller, and 52 volt battery. If I were buying a bike today, that's the one I'd get, although I am very satisfied with my CCS. Like Mark Peralta said, speeds that high do cut down on battery range. However, with the 52 volt 19Ah battery available on the CCX (one of the main reasons I want one), we're talking 40 miles or more without significant drop in performance.

 

[paraganek]

TREK PowerFly 5 with Bosch performance speed motor. I weight 155 pounds. Can reach 28 mph quite easily.

 

[Stromer2work]

Here's my Stromer ST1x this morning. I'm 190 and my daily luggage averages about 20# as a guess. It goes 28, as well as the ST2s backup. The ST2s is way more responsive and accelerates faster, in my opinion.

 

[rich c]

Take it to the dealer for a software check. 28mph should be no problem. I weigh 245 and can hit 28mph on both my XDURO Bosch powered Haibikes.

 

[Over50]

I can hit 28 on my R&M Charger GX Rohloff with 2 lightly loaded panniers (165 lb rider). Well I'm supposing I can hit 28 since I was hitting 26 in 13th gear and Sport mode (still had Turbo and 14th available). I haven't actually tried to hit 28 on the bike. I don't ride much past 25-26 (no hills near me). But using Sport and 13th gear riding at 26 mph was definitely a battery drain. Therefore I've been keeping it around 23-24 using Tour mode.

I once got my My R&M Charger with Nuvinci to 28 but I had a nice tailwind, perfect asphalt and I had to work like a dog. Because of the limited gear range, 23-25 with work was the practical limit for that bike.

 

[ebikemom]

I have a class 2 Pedego Platinum Interceptor step thru with rear rack battery which is supposed to have a 20 mph max. I'm 260 and usually carry 10 - 15 lbs. of gear. With the throttle open wide and only moderate pedaling, I can hit 25 on smooth level pavement. I get the willies at that speed so I never tried going faster by pedaling harder. My guess is a lighter person in better shape could get the bike up to 28 mph.

I believe Pedego has limited speed on their controllers for assist to to top out at 20mph. New firmware?

 

[rannyv]

I have a couple of bikes that can maintain 28 or more MPH. First is a home made Novara bike that's quite stout. It has the Luna BBS-HD with 52V battery and I've had it as high as 35. I don't recommend that speed or anything even approaching 30. I also have a Riese and Muller Roadster with Bosch Class 3 motor (can never remember names for various Bosch systems) and while it's not as fast as the BBS-HD equipped bike, it accelerates smartly and can hit 28 without too much effort. Again, I don't sustain that speed. For my in town riding, it's not prudent and would use up the charge quite fast. In tour mode, it will travel 20 - 24 MPH without much effort on level ground. Nice bike. Fast, but not "stupid fast". And a lot more well integrated than the home made bike.

 

[Calicoskies]

I guess I am confused on this one, if the Haibike Urban Plus is a Class 3 why is it not going to 28? This is Voltage times current equals Power/Wattage. If it is not getting to top speed to me it sounds like it is being stopped by a setting and not maxed out from motor or weight. Am I off base here? I have a Class 3 from ElectricBikeCompany with a 500 watt rear geared motor (48v with 26 amp controller = 1300 watts peak) and i reach 28mph with no issue and I am a heavy rider.

 

[Chris Hammond]

I ride a Juiced CCS with the 52V battery. I have a 30 mile each way commute and my cruising speed is ~ 30 mph, but the bike is capable of faster speed (tops out a bit over 35 with a full charge).

 

[chriskmee]

I guess I am confused on this one, if the Haibike Urban Plus is a Class 3 why is it not going to 28? This is Voltage times current equals Power/Wattage. If it is not getting to top speed to me it sounds like it is being stopped by a setting and not maxed out from motor or weight. Am I off base here? I have a Class 3 from ElectricBikeCompany with a 500 watt rear geared motor (48v with 26 amp controller = 1300 watts peak) and i reach 28mph with no issue and I am a heavy rider.

Class 3 really means pedal assist from 21mph up to 28mph, doesn't mean it must hit 28mph.

 

[6zfshdb]

[QUOTE"]I believe Pedego has limited speed on their controllers for assist to to top out at 20mph. New firmware?[/QUOTE]

The original motor controllers that shipped with my Platinum Interceptors did cut out at 20 mph. Due to defects, I have since replaced the originals with a newer version which Pedego claims are programmed to meet new specs. I'm not sure why but the new controllers allow for a 24 - 25 mph top speed before cutting out.

 

[rich c]

Class 3 really means pedal assist from 21mph up to 28mph, doesn't mean it must hit 28mph.

You're right, it doesn't have to. But the last time I looked at the website, Haibike (the bike mentioned by the OP) rated the bike at 28mph, not a Class 3.

 

[Trail Cruiser]

You're right, it doesn't have to. But the last time I looked at the website, Haibike (the bike mentioned by the OP) rated the bike at 28mph, not a Class 3.

Class 3 could mean that it will continue to supply power up to 28 mph and then above that speed, there is power cut off. The big question is: is the combined motor power and the rider's pedal power (and also considering the rider's weight and aerodynamic drag), enough to attain and maintain 28 mph.

In case of geared hub motor, it may have been geared down too much and sacrifice ultimate top speed (25-ish mph) for better hill climbing torque. That's the case with my Magnum Metro+ but I am completely OK with that.

 

[michaelwoodcock]

Class 3 could mean that it will continue to supply power up to 28 mph and then above that speed, there is power cut off. The big question is: is the combined motor power and the rider's pedal power (and also considering the rider's weight and aerodynamic drag), enough to attain and maintain 28 mph.

In case of geared hub motor, it may have been geared down too much and sacrifice ultimate top speed (25-ish mph) for better hill climbing torque. That's the case with my Magnum Metro+ but I am completely OK with that.

According to the cobi app which I can no longer use I was putting out well over 450 watts when I was going for top speed. I put other riders on it as well, who are faster cyclists than I am and same. This was an EX rental bike and I wonder if they had the assist turned down after a certain speed to increase range or decrease liability.

 

[reluctantsuburban]

I ride a Juiced CCS with the 52V battery. I have a 30 mile each way commute and my cruising speed is ~ 30 mph, but the bike is capable of faster speed (tops out a bit over 35 with a full charge).

Hey Chris, how much of your ride would you say that you spend at that speed, and how much effort are you putting in? Looking at purchasing a CCS myself. Thanks!

 

[Trail Cruiser]

According to the cobi app which I can no longer use I was putting out well over 450 watts when I was going for top speed. I put other riders on it as well, who are faster cyclists than I am and same. This was an EX rental bike and I wonder if they had the assist turned down after a certain speed to increase range or decrease liability.

That's interesting since your chain ring and sprocket have the correct tooth count for 28 mph speed. Four fifty watts from the motor plus about 200 watts from the rider would be adequate to reach 28 mph.

I suspect the cut off speed was intentionally lowered by the rental place.