Gocycle G3 user review

[KidWok]

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

 

[kennyb]

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

Tai:

Thanks for sharing your experience with the G3. I rode a G2 a while back and was very interested in the bike, then the new and improved G3 came out. I wanted to buy one, but not at $4600. I recently saw that GoCycle is on Kickstarter and trying to get in the North American market with an S model. It is basically a G2 and on Kickstarter they have some nice price points. Thinking about jumping on one of those.

One question I have for you is do you think that the motor is strong enough to take people up hills? I am 180 lbs. and will be commuting to the school that i teach at.

Thanks,

Ken

 

[KidWok]

Tai:

Thanks for sharing your experience with the G3. I rode a G2 a while back and was very interested in the bike, then the new and improved G3 came out. I wanted to buy one, but not at $4600. I recently saw that GoCycle is on Kickstarter and trying to get in the North American market with an S model. It is basically a G2 and on Kickstarter they have some nice price points. Thinking about jumping on one of those.

One question I have for you is do you think that the motor is strong enough to take people up hills? I am 180 lbs. and will be commuting to the school that i teach at.

Thanks,

Ken

Yes...I'm almost 200 lbs and live in very hilly Seattle. With the app, you can set how much power kicks in relative to how much power you're putting out. I've got it set up in Custom mode to be less motor power so it's a bit more challenging to get uphill, but I'm sure the bike can handle it if you were to use it in City mode, where full motor power kicks in fairly quickly.

Tai

 

[KidWok]

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

I should also note that the Battery Management System is a bit wonky. There are 10 LED that are supposed to be 10% of battery power each, but it doesn't quite work out that way. The first 50% of mileage typically only results in two LEDs going out, then it drops VERY quickly through the next 6. After it hits two LEDs left (supposedly 20%), it will immediately go low power mode (one blinking LED) and intermittently shut off the motor. You never see only one LED shining solid supposedly indicating 10% left. So in a nutshell, the first two LED's are 50%, the next six are 50%, and then you're limping along with the motor turning on and off saying it is in low-power mode.

Tai

 

[KidWok]

I sent an inquiry to Gocycle about battery life and the LEDs not dropping consistently, aso well aso a link to this review with my other concerns. Wanted to update my review with their response.

I was informed that the battery life I am experiencing is as it should be. Given that I am a larger cyclist and I am using the bike above it it's designed speed limit, the 22-mile range I'm getting is to be expected. Knowing how big the battery is on my Stromer, I didn't realistically expect the Gocycle G3 to have more range. Buyer should just be aware that the advertised 50 mile range is best-case scenario.

They have advised me that there will be a firmware update in the future that addresses the battery life metering and LED display. They also noted that the G3 is perfectly fine for riding in the rain with fenders. The manual indicates that they do not recommend riding the bike in the rain, but those concerns pertain more to the G1.

I'm also really happy to see the Kickstarter campaign, which addresses my concern about value. As noted, I am very happy with the product for the price I paid for it and think that their $1700 price point makes the GS a very solid value. I do recommend that people interested in the GS spring for the kickstand and fenders. You really don't want to worry about dropping this very beautifully designed bike. If you don't need the fenders, please sell them to me!

Tai

 

[Jaladhi]

Love the design of the bike and the technology packed in it.

 

[upguy]

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

 

[upguy]

Thanks so much for your review, you gave Court a real run for the money. I too own an St1 and have over 3500 miles on it. I am in the midst of buying a second E bike (my excuse is for my wife!) and am leaning toward the Hiabike. Your review convinced me that Go Cycle is unique but not for a "daily driver." Safe travels and thanks again

 

[UKebiker]

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.
Tai

Yes, you can get over 40 miles on a full charge. Here in the UK the speed limit for an ebike is 15.5mph unless you register it and take out 3rd party insurance so I have it set with this maximum. I've been using the Gocycle G3 for 8 months now for pleasure purposes and not for commuting, and I'm more concerned with getting a good mileage out of it rather than a high average speed. I have the custom mode set for the battery to kick in at 150 and reach maximum power at 300. With this setting I can get over 70 miles on a full charge with the battery providing around 27% of the power. This mileage included climbing round 5,000ft and my average speed was about 10mph. I'm 5'4" and around 160 lbs.

I agree that the power management system does need to be revised and I understand Gocycle are working on this.

Eric

 

[Derek S-H]

Hi Tai

Good, detailed review and I'm pleased for you that you are enjoying your Gocycle, but I must say that I wouldn't recommend this bike at all.

For starters, the rear "shock" basically doesn't work and isn't fit for purpose. I'll admit that on flat terrain it's just fine, but give it anything resembling real life, badly maintained roads (like we have in the UK) and it just falls apart. The ride is bone-shakingly hard and unforgiving and I used to genuinely fear for my life going down steep bumpy hills, it was like trying to control a wild horse!

Secondly, it is ridiculously overpriced for a 3-speed with a relatively low range. It also has a long list of optional accessories that are similarly wildly overpriced.

It's good to see that they've improved the pedals as the originals had virtually no grip at all, especially in the wet. But disappointing to see they they persist with the rubbish slick tyres that have zero puncture resistance. Also, how are you supposed to lock this thing in public anywhere? It attracts attention, which is good, but it also attracts thieves, which is bad! Yes, you can buy lockable wheelnuts which renders the wheels non-quick release (which means you could then feed a cable lock through the wheels), but then the convenience of having quick release wheels is removed.

To me, it's a case of style over substance. The bike is fantastically designed aesthetically and does have useful practical elements as you've listed, but it also has a long list of cons and really only appeals to a very select group of consumers who can afford it. It is not a workhorse nor a daily machine, it feels more like a luxury purchase and something you'd only use sparingly, like owning a classic convertible or something!

I must emphasise that these opinions are based on my ownership of a G1 for around a year, it's obviously been improved upon since then and for some people it would be the perfect bike. But I wasn't sorry to see it go to another home and am enjoying my BESV PS1 (carbon fibre/aluminium frame, 7 speed, proper shocks front and rear, and beautifully clear centre mounted display) much, much more.

Best Wishes
Derek

 

[Ann M.]

@Derek S-H, as you have noted, there's a perfect bike for everyone! Glad you found the BESV PS1.

@KidWok, thanks for your balanced review of the GoCycle G3; please keep us updated as you spend more time & miles on this ebike.

 

[KidWok]

@Derek S-H I would suspect that the G3 is a more evolved product than the G1, especially since the range was notably increased over the G2. I agree with you that the options are really overpriced. I really wanted a set of fenders for this thing and balked when I heard the price. I wonder if the unit volume for GoCycle has reached a point where they can get more of their bikes and accessories out into the market without being overpriced, especially after that kickstarter for the GS. I have had no issues with the tires yet. Seattle city roads don't tend to have a lot of glass. I think we're in agreement that there are other bikes out there that offer more bang for the buck while still being well-designed.

@Ann M. Will Do...without the aforementioned fenders, I've pretty much set aside the G3 and have been using my Stromer ST1 LE through a wetter than usual Seattle winter.

Tai

 

[RichardThorpeGocycleDesigner]

I’ve been enjoying following the comments on this review and really appreciate hearing the feedback from real ebike owners. I think there are some points raised that we can improve on. What I personally find interesting here is that the Gocycle G3 is being compared with the Stromer and mainly on criteria that are the Stromer's key strengths - high mileage commuting/range/big battery/big motor. As the designer of Gocycle, I’m really encouraged by this given Gocycle is half the weight and also portable! I feel like all of the many years of development and progress made from G1, to G2, G3 and soon our GS is paying off. We are probably closer than ever to delivering a game changing ebike for urban and recreational commuters in value, practical usage, fun, and performance – and in a package that also brings with it many other benefits for the owner simply not found on any traditional ebike currently available.

My sense though in reading is that the Stromer is probably the right choice for most of the reviewers. It’s a very solid and capable ebike.

I wanted to add a few notes though on some of the comments such as “don’t ride it in the rain” which is not true. The G1 was very revolutionary when it launched in 2009 and we wanted to be cautious while we gathered service data from real customers over years and 10,000s of miles. So we had a note of caution in the manual on riding in the rain. I think we also had a note like “if it rains be smart/take your car or the train”, yikes we got stick for that !!! I’ve ridden bicycles all of my life and commuted daily rain/snow/sun – very few times I enjoy riding in the rain – but anyway…we quickly confirmed that the Gocycle design was fine in all weather conditions, and we’ve opened up Cleandrives with 8,000 miles of year round British weather riding and the chain and drive components are immaculate. We sell a lot of product to boat owners and we know that while you can never prevent corrosion, we excel against competitors in that area under salty sea air conditions. Last week it rained most all days and I road my G3 to work throughout. In 2012, we had months of torrential British rain and our test fleet of G2s ran everyday collecting 1000’s of miles of heavy wet weather riding. But results also will vary on how the owner takes care of the product. Following the guidelines of the manufacturer and reading the owner's manual will give you the best and highest possible service life.

This is an interesting recent Gocycle owner story on how Gocycle is used in all weather conditions:

https://gocycle.com/review/the-4-seasons-gocycle-rider/


On the comment on security, the cable lock referred to in the review comes free with the product and is mainly for “coffee shop” security as with any cable lock.

If you want a more secure option, the Gocycle lock holster is super convenient, fast and has a sold silver secure rating.

I use it daily and it works well. We’ve put a lot of thought into how and where it is mounted which goes for all Gocycle’s accessories and design. Gocycle does also have anti-theft capability via the app too and we’ve helped a number of customers recover their stolen Gocycles.


Gocycle accessories are more expensive than traditional bikes because they are bespoke designs for Gocycle. That’s a personal choice for potential customers whether to back a company / product that is taking a clean sheeted design approach with total integration or a pick and mix approach from off the shelf standard bike parts.

On the Gocycle Performance tires, they have very low rolling resistance and are a performance item. If you want more durable tires, there are a wide range of alternatives. I run the Gocycle tires in the summer and Schwalbe Big Ben tires in the winter.

On the battery fuel level - we are currently testing a new version of our fuel gauge. After you live with and get to know your ebike what ever the brand, you become less sensitive to range anxiety and in my opinion, the fuel guage should not be a major driver in deciding what kind of ebike to buy. But we’re trying to consider a totally different approach to range information for the user which could be really interesting in the future. Stay tuned!


On the comment about the folding being a novelty and not of practical value, probably that is not a fair statement. Gocycle is not like a Brompton or a Dahon - meaning it is not designed to quickly fold up to take on a train. There's been no compromise to the riding fit and geometry and so that sort of usage is not really a part of the Gocycle's DNA. But the stow-ability of Gocycle is definitely practical and useful! and is one of the key benefits that comes with owning a Gocycle and something that a Stromer in this comparison review cannot do! There are many many times that I have broken it down to put in the car to integrate with family errands, work, social occasions, weather - it is an added convenience that really highlights the flexibility of the product. Having two Gocycles with one folded up over the winter for example saves space. It's practical not just for commuters, but boaters, caravan owners and light aircraft owners.... But also, the Pitstopwheels are much easier to fix flat tires on than traditional bicycles and you don't even get your hands greasy. What other ebike weighs around 35lbs, can drive a 200 lb guy 20 miles/20 mph - and is small enough to fit four into the back of a Ford Focus or a few with room for the dog?

https://www.facebook.com/2068158594...6815859442009/512326365557622/?type=3&theater


I’m encourage that Gocycle is being compared head to head with Stromer on commuting usages. That says something about the progress we have made as a company and we appreciate the feedback given here by real owners. It is worth mentioning though that my approach to how an ebike should be designed is different. Two main points 1) Lightweight is VERY important for bicycles and Ebikes, and when there has been a design choice to add more batteries and weight to increase range for example, I’ve not compromised at the expense of increasing weight. 2) Gocycle’s philosophy is a hybrid approach, two-wheel / balanced drive – you power the rear the motor powers the front. I've not compromised on my view that human power input and health/well-being benefits that come with exercise/cycling should always be at the core of pedal two-wheelers.

 

[Trail Cruiser]

I would be more interested on a quick replacement of spare battery for extended rides. Also the option of having a body float seat post.

 

[Jan Janssens]

I’ve been enjoying following the comments on this review and really appreciate hearing the feedback from real ebike owners. I think there are some points raised that we can improve on. What I personally find interesting here is that the Gocycle G3 is being compared with the Stromer and mainly on criteria that are the Stromer's key strengths - high mileage commuting/range/big battery/big motor. As the designer of Gocycle, I’m really encouraged by this given Gocycle is half the weight and also portable! I feel like all of the many years of development and progress made from G1, to G2, G3 and soon our GS is paying off. We are probably closer than ever to delivering a game changing ebike for urban and recreational commuters in value, practical usage, fun, and performance – and in a package that also brings with it many other benefits for the owner simply not found on any traditional ebike currently available.

My sense though in reading is that the Stromer is probably the right choice for most of the reviewers. It’s a very solid and capable ebike.

I wanted to add a few notes though on some of the comments such as “don’t ride it in the rain” which is not true. The G1 was very revolutionary when it launched in 2009 and we wanted to be cautious while we gathered service data from real customers over years and 10,000s of miles. So we had a note of caution in the manual on riding in the rain. I think we also had a note like “if it rains be smart/take your car or the train”, yikes we got stick for that !!! I’ve ridden bicycles all of my life and commuted daily rain/snow/sun – very few times I enjoy riding in the rain – but anyway…we quickly confirmed that the Gocycle design was fine in all weather conditions, and we’ve opened up Cleandrives with 8,000 miles of year round British weather riding and the chain and drive components are immaculate. We sell a lot of product to boat owners and we know that while you can never prevent corrosion, we excel against competitors in that area under salty sea air conditions. Last week it rained most all days and I road my G3 to work throughout. In 2012, we had months of torrential British rain and our test fleet of G2s ran everyday collecting 1000’s of miles of heavy wet weather riding. But results also will vary on how the owner takes care of the product. Following the guidelines of the manufacturer and reading the owner's manual will give you the best and highest possible service life.

This is an interesting recent Gocycle owner story on how Gocycle is used in all weather conditions:

https://gocycle.com/review/the-4-seasons-gocycle-rider/


On the comment on security, the cable lock referred to in the review comes free with the product and is mainly for “coffee shop” security as with any cable lock.

If you want a more secure option, the Gocycle lock holster is super convenient, fast and has a sold silver secure rating.

I use it daily and it works well. We’ve put a lot of thought into how and where it is mounted which goes for all Gocycle’s accessories and design. Gocycle does also have anti-theft capability via the app too and we’ve helped a number of customers recover their stolen Gocycles.


Gocycle accessories are more expensive than traditional bikes because they are bespoke designs for Gocycle. That’s a personal choice for potential customers whether to back a company / product that is taking a clean sheeted design approach with total integration or a pick and mix approach from off the shelf standard bike parts.

On the Gocycle Performance tires, they have very low rolling resistance and are a performance item. If you want more durable tires, there are a wide range of alternatives. I run the Gocycle tires in the summer and Schwalbe Big Ben tires in the winter.

On the battery fuel level - we are currently testing a new version of our fuel gauge. After you live with and get to know your ebike what ever the brand, you become less sensitive to range anxiety and in my opinion, the fuel guage should not be a major driver in deciding what kind of ebike to buy. But we’re trying to consider a totally different approach to range information for the user which could be really interesting in the future. Stay tuned!


On the comment about the folding being a novelty and not of practical value, probably that is not a fair statement. Gocycle is not like a Brompton or a Dahon - meaning it is not designed to quickly fold up to take on a train. There's been no compromise to the riding fit and geometry and so that sort of usage is not really a part of the Gocycle's DNA. But the stow-ability of Gocycle is definitely practical and useful! and is one of the key benefits that comes with owning a Gocycle and something that a Stromer in this comparison review cannot do! There are many many times that I have broken it down to put in the car to integrate with family errands, work, social occasions, weather - it is an added convenience that really highlights the flexibility of the product. Having two Gocycles with one folded up over the winter for example saves space. It's practical not just for commuters, but boaters, caravan owners and light aircraft owners.... But also, the Pitstopwheels are much easier to fix flat tires on than traditional bicycles and you don't even get your hands greasy. What other ebike weighs around 35lbs, can drive a 200 lb guy 20 miles/20 mph - and is small enough to fit four into the back of a Ford Focus or a few with room for the dog?

https://www.facebook.com/2068158594...6815859442009/512326365557622/?type=3&theater


I’m encourage that Gocycle is being compared head to head with Stromer on commuting usages. That says something about the progress we have made as a company and we appreciate the feedback given here by real owners. It is worth mentioning though that my approach to how an ebike should be designed is different. Two main points 1) Lightweight is VERY important for bicycles and Ebikes, and when there has been a design choice to add more batteries and weight to increase range for example, I’ve not compromised at the expense of increasing weight. 2) Gocycle’s philosophy is a hybrid approach, two-wheel / balanced drive – you power the rear the motor powers the front. I've not compromised on my view that human power input and health/well-being benefits that come with exercise/cycling should always be at the core of pedal two-wheelers.

I've been interested in this Gocycle bike since mid 2016. Because the bike is so expensive I was hoping there would be a price reduction for overseas countries as the British Pound has devalued 15% since the UK decided to leave the EU. However, here in Holland where I live the price has remained the same. I have literaly no clue how this is possible. If I order it online at UK based shops I get a 15% discount, however, I want to buy it a local shop in Holland. It would be great if you explained why Gocycle has choosen for this strategy.

 

[RichardThorpeGocycleDesigner]

Hi Ian, the G3 was priced at E 4,499, it is now E3,999. I checked today and the exchange rate is 1.14 Eur to GBP. The price for a G3 if you are buying it on our UK store is £3,499. The price on the EU store is EUR 3,999. That's pretty much identical based on today's exrate. But to be honest, we have a really tough time keeping up with FX fluctuations. What we want as a company and brand is consistent pricing for our products and customers globally. But FX fluctuations just prevent that. We can't peg our EUR prices to the xrate as that would create uncertainty for B2C and B2B customers buying in Euro not knowing the price from day to day or week to week and most customers in Europe want to shop in their local currency of EUR. So we try to do the best we can which is to hold our MSRP and pricing consistent for as long as possible within some small range of variation. It's really hard to be honest. But you do have a choice of where you choose to buy your Gocycle which hopefully goes some way towards you finding the right value and store to purchase from. The new V5 app does allow you to configure and setup your Gocycle directly so if you do decide to buy from the online shop, you also get free shipping until the end of May.

 

[Jan Janssens]

Hi Richard,

Thanks for your swift replies.
I live in Breda (NL) and the closest shop I can find is Ecomobielshop (45 miles).
The Gocycle G3 is listed at 4.499 EUR on their website, not 3.999 EUR. I think Jan Tondeur is the importer.

Check out http://www.ecomobielshop.be/gocycle/

Best Regards

Jan

 

[RichardThorpeGocycleDesigner]

Hi Jan, perhaps they have not updated their website materials yet, or they might be including extras or have bespoke service included, pricing in the end is up to the retailer to determine. Maybe worthwhile to call in to the shop. If you need any more help, please contact us on [email protected].

 

[KidWok]

@RichardThorpeGocycleDesigner Kudos to you for being willing to engage consumers in this forum as a product designer! I appreciate that you've addressed every single point of criticism, and much more objectively than I'd expect of someone who knows this product better than anyone.

I would agree with you that my comment about the folding design being not practical is not a fair statement after looking back at it. I have folded it up to put in my trunk before (can't do that with a Stromer) for the sake of taking it places. It is less of a folder than the other folding bikes I mentioned, but you acknowledge that fairly. To be more specific, the folding process does take a bit of time and I don't find it practical to do on a daily basis. I also don't find it convenient enough that I want to do it frequently for the sake of taking it in the car. That the folding design is integrated into rear suspension and an encased drivetrain deserves praise for thoughtful engineering.

A product can't be everything to everyone and the designer oftentimes has to bear the criticism with a grin. I have a design degree and have also had the experience of starting something and bringing it to the marketplace. I'm sure some days you feel like this guy:

We had the wettest winter on record for quite some time here in Seattle and my G3 didn't get ridden much. I've started using it again now that it's dry out again. 75% of the trips I do are my 11 mile roundtrip to my office and most of that is only with a laptop and some lunch. The G3 is great for that and I am fortunate to have the Stromer for heavier duty applications. It's not unlike having a coupe and a station wagon in the garage...some days one is preferred to the other.

Thanks again for engaging in this conversation!

Regards,
Tai

 

[Jan Janssens]

Hi Jan, perhaps they have not updated their website materials yet, or they might be including extras or have bespoke service included, pricing in the end is up to the retailer to determine. Maybe worthwhile to call in to the shop. If you need any more help, please contact us on [email protected].

I ordered mine, a matt black today.
Thanks for your previous feedback at this forum.

Greets,

Jan (Holland)