Considering one of two mid drive bikes by Sondors. Have a few questions.

[m@Robertson]

Sondors bikes are still stuck in my craw. I watched owners spend significant dollars trying to make Sondors bikes better rides. Sure they were low priced but by the time they were, what I consider, street worthy another couple hundred in upgrades could have gotten a better ride. There are many happy Sondors riders, just not my cuppa.

I bought one of the Originals (the 350w fatty) and it was an excellent gateway drug. I don't think that bike would be the success today it was in 2015. A 350w, 36v fat bike with a 10a controller is just not going to find a market - even at the $599 price point they were at. Still, I placed an order, added $200 shipping and within a week had this thing called an ebike, where that motor allowed me and my bum ticker to get back into cycling. And of course, I upgraded the hell out of it. On the night it arrived I had a 20a controller and a 52v battery in the thing after the first stock-parts test ride.

The 48v 'X' models I bought my daughter and son-in-law had upgraded motors and I put in locally bought (in the EU) Magura 4-pots. The mechanical brakes on those bikes were a remaining weakness. I think Sondors finally, truly turned the corner when they shifted to the XS and MXS models as their flagships, which included all of the upgrades people had been doing on their own, piecemeal. The frames got quite a lot better as well.

They are by *no* means perfect, but I think they serve the market very well in terms of value for the dollar vs. features. Plenty of room for positions on both sides of that fence, though.

 

[Merle Nelson]

I've considered getting one too. Sold my truck and got a Prius. Y'all know if they are they easy to fit into smaller trunks?

Welcome to EBR Ronny. Not sure but I doubt they will fit....and if you could get one in because your passenger seat folds forward or something I doubt you will relish having to put it in the next time.

I do believe I have seen the Sondors SmartStep put into the back of a Prius (small car, not a prius) on a youtube video.

About 12 minute mark.

 

[kmccune]

I bought one of the Originals (the 350w fatty) and it was an excellent gateway drug. I don't think that bike would be the success today it was in 2015. A 350w, 36v fat bike with a 10a controller is just not going to find a market - even at the $599 price point they were at. Still, I placed an order, added $200 shipping and within a week had this thing called an ebike, where that motor allowed me and my bum ticker to get back into cycling. And of course, I upgraded the hell out of it. On the night it arrived I had a 20a controller and a 52v battery in the thing after the first stock-parts test ride.

The 48v 'X' models I bought my daughter and son-in-law had upgraded motors and I put in locally bought (in the EU) Magura 4-pots. The mechanical brakes on those bikes were a remaining weakness. I think Sondors finally, truly turned the corner when they shifted to the XS and MXS models as their flagships, which included all of the upgrades people had been doing on their own, piecemeal. The frames got quite a lot better as well.

They are by *no* means perfect, but I think they serve the market very well in terms of value for the dollar vs. features. Plenty of room for positions on both sides of that fence, though.

Did "YouTube" ever take that negative comparison down, where a Sonders was compared with a bike of much higher specs, the "tuber" kept calling the Sonders a piece of Junk,I would never light into something like that, at the price point the Sonders wasn't a bad deal and I am sure there are plenty of happy Sonders owners.

 

[m@Robertson]

Did "YouTube" ever take that negative comparison down, where a Sonders was compared with a bike of much higher specs, the "tuber" kept calling the Sonders a piece of Junk,I would never light into something like that, at the price point the Sonders wasn't a bad deal and I am sure there are plenty of happy Sonders owners.

I have no idea but I am pretty sure I remember the guy you are talking about. If its the one I am thinking of he was a big fan of the other brand he was comparing it to; ran one of their user groups etc. The internet is full of baloney so it was just another slice.

 

[kmccune]

I have no idea but I am pretty sure I remember the guy you are talking about. If its the one I am thinking of he was a big fan of the other brand he was comparing it to; ran one of their user groups etc. The internet is full of baloney so it was just another slice.

Thank you. I do not run the other Guys' stuff down.