PatriciaK
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Pacific Northwest and Piedmont Triad
Nice looking bikes! Have you taken one out for a spin? What did you think?
Espin Aero... any firsthand feedback?
- Thread starter nufo
- Start date
This picture is of the back. I'll check the front and maybe send another picture.
Not yet. I finished assembling a bit late and then discovered that the tire valves are Presta. I need to find my pump adapter but I'll get a ride in tonight.
Ok, the thing plugging up the axle is the stem from the large round protective cover. If you don't finesse the covers off, the stem will break inside the axle but it comes out easily by poking the skewer through.
The brake caliper protector has a ring that you grasp and pull.
It only took me about 20-25 minutes each to put these together after the initial issue with skewer. On the last one, I accidentally assembled the handlebar upside down (I was a bit tired by then). The handlebars come with a nice stamped design in the middle to give you a mark to install them evenly.
On the last 3 I figured out that only removing just enough packing to install the front wheel was a better system. Doing it this way kept the handlebars from getting in the way and allowed the bike to stand firmly with the kickstand instead of leaning it. That makes removing the rest of the packing quite easy.
Thanks for the update and tips! I'm sure they will be very helpful. Keep us posted on the front fender mounts. Thanks!
I don't see any front fender mounts. Odd.
Interesting... so the rear has a fender mount but not the front. I wonder why they did that?
Another tip. I emailed support about getting an extra battery charger. I have a grand vision - probably ridiculous - of sometimes commuting to work and back on the Aero. My round trip is about 20-25 miles so I would be cutting it close on a single charge. They do not sell extra chargers but recommended this one from Amazon:
Aero Charger
Aero Charger
I'll email Espin about this fender mounts. Still weird that only the rear has a fender mount. But oh well. Thanks.
I likely will also need an extra charger so this is great! And very reasonably priced... greatly appreciate it!
I took a ride (finally) and here are my thoughts. This bike feels much lighter than my flow. I can easily pick it up with one hand. Because of that it feels very fast. When first powered on, it starts in PAS 0. My flow starts in PAS 1. I rode a bit in 0 and it rides very much like an non-motorized bike. No drag. Then I hit PAS 1 and it was barely noticeable - no sudden surge like the Flow does. I was doing 11 mph. I rode that way for awhile and then shifted to PAS 2. That got me to about 14 mph with normal easy pedaling. I rode that way - back and forth between 1 and 2 and then hit PAS 3. Holy smokes- it was 17 mph barely pedaling and easily got to 20. On this bike that feels faster than I want to go. The YouTube reviewer calls that ”afterburner mode” and I agree. I did some off roading on hilly grass and even with the narrow tires it did great. It just feels nimble. This bike was an absolute steal at the pre-Christmas special. I’m looking forward to giving it a long ride and seeing how the battery holds up.
Awesome! Thanks for the ride update. Can't wait to assemble mine and get some ride time in. I was hoping that it would be easy to ride without assist and it seems like that is the case. So if battery does run out during a trip, I can still pedal back home if needed
Received both Aeros and assembled. Much lighter than previous e-bike. Still have to take them out for a spin. Assembly was fairly straightforward and thankfully the quick release wheel stems were included. The seats definitely do not have any springs. Has anyone reached out to espin about that? I think I'll reach out since some springs I'm sure will help with the ride.
My front brake disk is slightly rubbing against the pad so I'll have to make some minor adjustments. But I'm liking the color, look, and feel so far. I'll update after riding. Thanks for everyone's help!
My front brake disk is slightly rubbing against the pad so I'll have to make some minor adjustments. But I'm liking the color, look, and feel so far. I'll update after riding. Thanks for everyone's help!
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I took a long ride today. While I love my Flow, this bike has made me excited to ride more. Because of it’s weight and minimalist design I feel way more connected to it during the ride. It’s really a better “biking” experience. I rode for about a half mile with no pedal assist and it was fine. Most of the ride was in PAS 2. This was around 10-12 miles. Which leads me to my first con: no odometer. I hope I’m wrong about that and I just haven’t found it yet. The battery still showed 5 bars after I completed the ride.
I’m looking forward to seeing your thoughts after you take a ride.
Hi everyone,
So I finally got a chance to commute to work on the Aero this morning. My commute is about 6 miles each way, fairly flat roads, but plenty of potholes and uneven pavement. Overall, VERY happy with the Aero. Some comments below:
- First off, it actually looks great. The finish (I have the smoke color) is attractive, and I really like the stealthy look; it's difficult to tell that it's an ebike without really paying close attention. Also, the wires are routed well and out of the way.
- Minimal noise: Even at assist level 3 (the bike has assist levels 0, 1, 2, 3), there is minimal noise from the motor.
- Weight: It's significantly lighter than my previous ebike. The decreased weight makes it easier to maneuver and just lift the bike around.
- Ride: The tires are thinner than my previous bike, and I was worried about this. However, the ride was pretty good. I'll have to keep on eye out for the uneven pavement but again, not bad at all. I have a suspension seatpost from my old bike so that helps.
- Brakes: The Aero has disc brakes so that's good. However, the stopping power isn't so great. Not bad though. One just needs to let off the gas a little earlier.
- Other things: 1) I had to adjust the front brake caliper after assembling (very easy), 2) the quick release wheel levers were in the box, 3) I will be adding some wheel fenders tonight so I'll update how that goes, 4) No odometer! At least I don't think there is one. I don't have any instructions for the screen. If someone has any info about this please let me know!, and 5) I think that's it!
If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to reach out. For the $499 sale, this was an absolute bargain!
So I finally got a chance to commute to work on the Aero this morning. My commute is about 6 miles each way, fairly flat roads, but plenty of potholes and uneven pavement. Overall, VERY happy with the Aero. Some comments below:
- First off, it actually looks great. The finish (I have the smoke color) is attractive, and I really like the stealthy look; it's difficult to tell that it's an ebike without really paying close attention. Also, the wires are routed well and out of the way.
- Minimal noise: Even at assist level 3 (the bike has assist levels 0, 1, 2, 3), there is minimal noise from the motor.
- Weight: It's significantly lighter than my previous ebike. The decreased weight makes it easier to maneuver and just lift the bike around.
- Ride: The tires are thinner than my previous bike, and I was worried about this. However, the ride was pretty good. I'll have to keep on eye out for the uneven pavement but again, not bad at all. I have a suspension seatpost from my old bike so that helps.
- Brakes: The Aero has disc brakes so that's good. However, the stopping power isn't so great. Not bad though. One just needs to let off the gas a little earlier.
- Other things: 1) I had to adjust the front brake caliper after assembling (very easy), 2) the quick release wheel levers were in the box, 3) I will be adding some wheel fenders tonight so I'll update how that goes, 4) No odometer! At least I don't think there is one. I don't have any instructions for the screen. If someone has any info about this please let me know!, and 5) I think that's it!
If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to reach out. For the $499 sale, this was an absolute bargain!
Nice review and I agree. No odometer is aggravating but I guess I can use my iPhone to track mileage using a fitness app. Which fenders did you get and how are you mounting them to the front?
I'll probably go with same route and use a fitness app on the phone to track the mileage. I am going to contact Espin though to make sure I am not missing something in the display settings that allows for mileage tracking.
Regarding the fenders: I purchased the SKS Velo 42 fenders along with the SKS stay kit. They fit perfectly. I used the eyelets that are already on the bike and everything lined up perfectly. I like the "look" of the bike better without the fenders but I'll give up some of that look for no water/debris being splashed up
Let me know if you have any additional questionsAttachments
Thanks! I doubt I'll add fenders as I too like the look better without.I'll probably go with same route and use a fitness app on the phone to track the mileage. I am going to contact Espin though to make sure I am not missing something in the display settings that allows for mileage tracking.
Regarding the fenders: I purchased the SKS Velo 42 fenders along with the SKS stay kit. They fit perfectly. I used the eyelets that are already on the bike and everything lined up perfectly. I like the "look" of the bike better without the fenders but I'll give up some of that look for no water/debris being splashed up
If anyone decides to add a rack I'd like to see what you choose.
