jeff3545
New Member
This is my first electric bike. I bought it with the intention of using it as a commuter bike. I live in a moderately hilly area and have a pretty short commute so I wasn't too concerned with battery range but did want to get through a full week without recharging, but with enough power to give me a decent assist on the hills without getting sweaty.
The 604 Colt fit the bill and is reasonably priced for the kit it offers. I've been on it daily now for 2 weeks, enough time to discover what I like and would improve. I'm not riding a lot of miles daily, maybe 7 miles there and back and the occasional jaunt for errands. I rode to the farmers market on saturday and picked up produce.
Pros:
- smooth and powerful, I really like the 22mph advertised top speed and, as has been noted, the torque sensor is a real differentiator on this bike for the price point it is offered at.
- comfortable riding position, and widely adjustable. The provided saddle is more than adequate.
- integrated rack. This was something I was looking for, a welded rack rather than bolted on. Racks also seem to be a source of rattles.
- the big tires are good for a range of city streets
- customer service. I had an issue with the rear light, Sam gave me his direct number when I emailed support and followed up with a replacement unit.
- love the USB port position on the battery. On some other bikes I looked at, the USB pork was down low and not usable at all while you are riding the bike.
- Weight. It's neither heavy nor light. Loaded up with my stuff, it's a pretty good load. I appreciate the frame strength because it gives me confidence when I'm moving along at 20mph with me and my gear.
- Frame construction: the welds are perfect and the finish is excellent.
- chainguard. This is a must have accessory for commuting and I looked for bikes that included this from the manufacturer.
Cons:
- integrated rack. I wouldn't trade it but the effect of that frame appendage is that the frame is really stiff, there is no give from the rear which makes bumps particularly harsh. I added a Crane Creek suspension seat post to take the sharp edge off normal bumps on my route.
- I am riding on the street but after 50 miles I am starting to get the creaking from the rear wheel that I would normally get on my MTB in hard riding. These rear wheels are under a lot of stress and the spoke gauge is already heavier than the front, but maybe it needs a bit more stiffness. it could just be me.
- The front fork is adequate but I really had to crank it down to overcome the bobbing sensation under pedal power. I'm 190 lbs, so neither heavy nor lightweight, I think this fork just needs a lot of dampening.
- This is a specific issue, in diagnosing my light issue I had to remove the controller and then repack it in the frame and with the wires it is one very tight fit. I would not have minded an extra 1/4" of downtube depth to make this a little easier to work on.
- Brakes: I don't have any issue with the brakes but I do think a bigger brake up front would be a welcome upgrade. Fully loaded with me and my work gear, and going down hills, the front brake is working really hard. I also wouldn't mind a little more brake feel in the handles. This might be an adjustment I need to make, but I have to pull back quite a bit before the brake grabs and it doesn't have a lot of positive feel, I would actually like it to be a little grabbier before having to bear down on it.
- A cafe lock would be a nice option. Surface doesn't have to include it with the bike, just weld on the lugs and sell it as an optional accessory. The Colt frame is designed in such a way that a mount for a Kryptonite lock just doesn't work anywhere, I carry it in my grocery panniers but 90% of the time, a cafe lock would secure me well enough (bike goes inside the building with me at work).
- Tires: The bike is black, a reflective strip on the tires would be welcome.
I highlighted some cons to balance out the pros but each of them is a pretty specific thing and nothing is major. I would buy this bike again knowing what I know now.
The 604 Colt fit the bill and is reasonably priced for the kit it offers. I've been on it daily now for 2 weeks, enough time to discover what I like and would improve. I'm not riding a lot of miles daily, maybe 7 miles there and back and the occasional jaunt for errands. I rode to the farmers market on saturday and picked up produce.
Pros:
- smooth and powerful, I really like the 22mph advertised top speed and, as has been noted, the torque sensor is a real differentiator on this bike for the price point it is offered at.
- comfortable riding position, and widely adjustable. The provided saddle is more than adequate.
- integrated rack. This was something I was looking for, a welded rack rather than bolted on. Racks also seem to be a source of rattles.
- the big tires are good for a range of city streets
- customer service. I had an issue with the rear light, Sam gave me his direct number when I emailed support and followed up with a replacement unit.
- love the USB port position on the battery. On some other bikes I looked at, the USB pork was down low and not usable at all while you are riding the bike.
- Weight. It's neither heavy nor light. Loaded up with my stuff, it's a pretty good load. I appreciate the frame strength because it gives me confidence when I'm moving along at 20mph with me and my gear.
- Frame construction: the welds are perfect and the finish is excellent.
- chainguard. This is a must have accessory for commuting and I looked for bikes that included this from the manufacturer.
Cons:
- integrated rack. I wouldn't trade it but the effect of that frame appendage is that the frame is really stiff, there is no give from the rear which makes bumps particularly harsh. I added a Crane Creek suspension seat post to take the sharp edge off normal bumps on my route.
- I am riding on the street but after 50 miles I am starting to get the creaking from the rear wheel that I would normally get on my MTB in hard riding. These rear wheels are under a lot of stress and the spoke gauge is already heavier than the front, but maybe it needs a bit more stiffness. it could just be me.
- The front fork is adequate but I really had to crank it down to overcome the bobbing sensation under pedal power. I'm 190 lbs, so neither heavy nor lightweight, I think this fork just needs a lot of dampening.
- This is a specific issue, in diagnosing my light issue I had to remove the controller and then repack it in the frame and with the wires it is one very tight fit. I would not have minded an extra 1/4" of downtube depth to make this a little easier to work on.
- Brakes: I don't have any issue with the brakes but I do think a bigger brake up front would be a welcome upgrade. Fully loaded with me and my work gear, and going down hills, the front brake is working really hard. I also wouldn't mind a little more brake feel in the handles. This might be an adjustment I need to make, but I have to pull back quite a bit before the brake grabs and it doesn't have a lot of positive feel, I would actually like it to be a little grabbier before having to bear down on it.
- A cafe lock would be a nice option. Surface doesn't have to include it with the bike, just weld on the lugs and sell it as an optional accessory. The Colt frame is designed in such a way that a mount for a Kryptonite lock just doesn't work anywhere, I carry it in my grocery panniers but 90% of the time, a cafe lock would secure me well enough (bike goes inside the building with me at work).
- Tires: The bike is black, a reflective strip on the tires would be welcome.
I highlighted some cons to balance out the pros but each of them is a pretty specific thing and nothing is major. I would buy this bike again knowing what I know now.
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