I got lucky a couple weeks ago and found the latest generation Gocycle G3 on local craigslist for well below the MSRP. The seller had won the item as a raffle prize, but had no interest in keeping it.
I had heavily researched the Gocycle G2 when I was buying my Stromer ST1 limited edition and decided that it wasn't going to be enough bike for my needs, which include commuting and longer distance trips to appointments in the Greater Seattle area. That said, I loved the design of Gocycle and remained pretty intrigued. Couldn't resist snatching up the G3 when I found it on local CL.
Have had some time with it now and think I'm pretty fluent with the product. Since no one else is in here and I found very little in the way of user reviews about this product when I researched it, I thought I'd provide one.
I'll start with the drawbacks. This bike is just really not that capable relative to its MSRP. You can get a lot more bike for the money. While I'm happy with it for the price that I paid, I am absolutely certain I wouldn't buy this thing at MSRP. Gocycle claims that this bike now has up to a 50 mile range on it, but that is REALLY optimistic. I am 6'2" 190 lbs. Using the bike on custom mode with about a 50/50 split between motor and leg power, and with the speed limit set at 25mph, I can only get 22 miles on one full charge. My average moving speed seems to be around 17 mph on this thing and the low gearing really doesn't allow you to pedal it at much faster than 20mph. That is disappointing only as a matter of Gocycle marketing this thing at a much higher range...I'd be curious to see if anyone can get over 40 miles per charge on it.
Gocycle recommends that you don't ride this bike in the rain. That's kind of weird to me given that it has an enclosed chaincase and disc brakes. The optional fenders are insanely expensive as an aftermarket part. I live in Seattle and thankfully have another e-bike I use most of the time, or else this thing just wouldn't work for me as my only e-bike.
I wish this thing folder faster and smaller. Don't think of it as a folder...it's not convenient enough to do every time you get home or want to jump on a bus/train. I would love to be able to ride this bike to light rail, take the train to the airport, stash this bike into a checked bag, and fly off somewhere with it, but it just doesn't get small enough for that. The folding aspect of this bike is mostly a novelty without practical application.
With all the drawbacks out of the way, this bike does have a LOT going for it. For starters, it looks amazing. Heads turn and conversations start because of this bike. It's a great way to raise awareness for electric bikes and reducing the usage of single occupant vehicles. It goes fast enough for city use and the range (22 miles for me) is enough for me to get into the office downtown, run a couple of errands, and get home. It is almost half the weight of my Stromer ST1. I live in an old house with some stairs to get in and the G3 is way easier to get in and out of the house. It has a slightly smaller footprint than my Stromer thanks to the smaller wheels, so it's slightly less obstructive when stored. At 6'2", I can ride very comfortably on it and I can also set up my girlfriend who is 5'3" on it quite nicely. The automatic shifting and motor operation makes it a no-brainer, which is nice for taking people out on a ride...just have them on and start riding. For a smaller-wheel e-bike, it is VERY comfortable thanks to the rear suspension.
There's no way I would have paid MSRP for it, but I am happy with it relative to the $3k price I paid for it. The ideal buyer of this bike is someone who likes great design, has some disposable income and is not too worried about how much bang for the buck they're getting, lives in a dry climate, and uses it for shorter trips. If having a very light bike is worth paying a premium, the G3 seems like a better value. The frame design combined with the light-duty lock and removable wheels makes locking this bike up outside all day completely impractical, so expect to wheel it into the office and home. I enjoy riding it on sunny days and setting up guests on it for some sightseeing.
Hope that helps...feel free to ask any questions and I'll get back to you.
Tai
