Help requested re: whether to buy an ST2

[Jonah]

I am strongly considering buying an ST2. I like the feel of the bike, the acceleration and power. I hesitate because of problems that have been reported in this forum - I commute with my bike and reliability is a top priority. Will you ST2 owners do me the kindness of considering these 2 questions?

1. Is your ST2 reliable?

2. If you were to go back in time, would you buy this bike again?

Thanks very much!

 

[ChrisL]

I love mine. I've only had it for a short time but have had no issues so far. Stormer support has been great (I've hit them up with a question). I asked a couple of other owners before pulling the trigger myself and both of them had the same sentiment that I now have. That being... it's awesome. I also liked the ST1 quite a bit, but the range of the ST2 combined with the performance is what I needed/wanted. I tried all kinds of e-bikes* and nothing came close in my mind.

*one bike I didn't try was the Specialized Turbo. On paper a very similar bike, but with a shorter range. I have a rather long commute and I wanted to be sure I could do the whole thing in case I wasn't able to recharge at work.

 

[Airliner787]

Nothing is perfect and some of the things you have been reading are meant for those of us who like to follow every detail regarding the bike. The start and stop of an electrical motor can always be detected if this is what you are concerned about. Forums on any product will discuss pros and cons.
Look, both my bikes run flawlessly and my wife and I own both a ST2 and ST1. If a Forum only posted positive reviews I would find that suspect. My friend rents his property on Vrbo and writes his own positive reviews so you need to take things with a grain of salt.
Afterall, you can test ride it before you buy and if the store says you have to pay a deposit to order and has no test bikes, email me and you can try mine if you are ever in Vancouver, BC.
Rgds

 

[Master Blaster]

My wife and I both have ST2 - I have almost one thousand miles on mine, she has around 600 miles. Both been great bikes with no problems, very reliable. I have customized my level 2 settings through the app and really love my new settings. If you can hack the price get the bike, I like it enough I might consider the new 2016 ST2 "S"......... Expensive, but one of the best ebikes out there.

 

[John ware]

@Jonah. I've had my ST2 since late June and absolutely love it. I just crossed over the 1000 mile mark and have had zero problems other than those attributed to "operator error". As for the pulsing I can only say from my experience that yes when I reach speeds around 28 mph or I go from pedaling really hard to letting up substantially I can feel the assist drop off but it's exactly how I would expect the bike to behave. After trying 3-4 different level 2 assist configurations I feel like I've got the bike beautifully dialed in. It's an absolute pleasure to ride and almost 3 months after buying it I still look forward to riding it every time and marvel at just how well it works.

Would I do it again? On hell yes!

Disclaimer: after watching videos and reading all the reviews for the ST2 I have to admit I haven't ridden a single other ebike. I bought mine from New Wheel in SF and they were great. They had all kinds of other beautiful looking bikes which they offered to let me test drive but after one ride on the ST2, for what I was looking for, I didn't feel the need to try anything else. I suppose I could have tried a few other ebikes that might have been cheaper but the combination of performance, design, telematics and build quality, and the desire to avoid the paradox of choice, I stuck with the ST2.

 

[Jonah]

Dear all, your posts are very encouraging and informative. I appreciate the time you have taken to give me your perspectives and to share your experiences. I am off to Croatia tomorrow, but when I return, I will visit my LBS (Bike Attack Electric in Santa Monica), test ride the bike again and make my decision. I am thankful for this forum and to all of you.

 

[Deleted member 803]

My ST2 is filled with problems:

-speeding tickets
-angry peloton riders (that you've just left in the dust)
-fortune spent on accessories
-annoying stares at the coffee shop
-marital problems from sleeping with the bike instead of the wife
-did I mention accessories!!!!!

And on and on...................................................

 

[Jonah]

Too funny! I could use some of those problems.

 

[ChrisL]

Dear all, your posts are very encouraging and informative. I appreciate the time you have taken to give me your perspectives and to share your experiences. I am off to Croatia tomorrow, but when I return, I will visit my LBS (Bike Attack Electric in Santa Monica), test ride the bike again and make my decision. I am thankful for this forum and to all of you.

I just bought mine from there. Great experience! Martin is the sales guy who helped me.

 

[Jonah]

Small world! They have been my bike store for a long time and I have always done well by them. I have an Evo Jet and this will be an upgrade for me.

 

[Frohman]

I have nothing but good things to say about this bike. Ive had mine for a couple months now, so cannot comment on longer term usage, but have had no problems and have loved every second of it. I commute 15 miles to work every morning (so 30 miles total) on full assist and have plenty of battery left by the time I get back to my home (roughly 40% left). I am now regretting spending so much money on a new car last year because now I never use it. I had no intention of replacing my car with a bike but I am now using my car about 90% less than I was. At risk of sounding cheesy this bike has really made my life easier, healthier, more engaging and WAY more fun!

***I highly recommend a suspension seat post because bumps at high speed are no fun. I have no experience with some of the other seat posts on the market like the body float, but my thud buster ST is well made and has really helped. I also got a couple of the Ortlieb back roller classic panniers and they have worked very well thus far, it is nice to not have to wear a backpack and they fit the rack perfectly.

 

[Jonah]

Thanks so much for your response - very helpful!

 

[Cory151]

Just passed 1,000 miles and zero issues. Not even a flat tire.

 

[Ralph]

Just got my ST2. Stepping up from the Dash. This is thing is dead quiet, very fast and speaks quality.

Thanks to all of you for your comments and special thanks to Ravi for his helpful info. Still early days,

but it's a great bike.

 

[Cory151]

Just got my ST2. Stepping up from the Dash. This is thing is dead quiet, very fast and speaks quality.

Thanks to all of you for your comments and special thanks to Ravi for his helpful info. Still early days,

but it's a great bike.

Im curious to know your thoughts on the Dash as I was considering getting one for a friend to ride along with me.

 

[Ralph]

I have had the E3 Dash for about 18 months. It's a great bike. Fast, quiet and looks great. Has a front shock which is very nice.
I highly recommend the Dash and now there are a few dealers closing out the 2015 model which makes it a bargain for what you get.

I have had a couple of issues with the bike that have been immediately corrected by Currie. They have been a great company to work with. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

I am doing exactly what you are thinking about doing: Giving my Dash to my buddy so he can ride along with me. We are both in our early 70's with heart issues so the e bike is, well you know, liberating! Anyone who rides the Dash is blown away. I think they made a few improvements in the 2015 version. The 2016 will be mid drive so it is a different bike.

Hope that helps.

Ralph

 

[Jonah]

Ralph, would you mind elaborating on what you like better about the ST2 vs. the Dash?

 

[Ralph]

Jonah,

It's still early days to answer your question since I have just gotten the ST2, but I will try to help as best I can.

Like you, I did considerable research mostly without the benefit of riding e bikes. With help from reading Court's blog and Currie, they arranged for me to test ride the Peak and the Dash. I didn't like the Peak and the mid drive and the Dash impressed me as quiet and fast but it was and still is a bit large for me in the medium frame. The only dealer within 175 miles was an Izip dealer, so that is what I bought. I raised the handle bars two inches so I would sit more upright which helped a lot with the Dash.

Since I bought the Dash, I have ridden E motion, Pedego, Felt, Stromer, and a few others. I have learned that geometry/fit are obviously very important. Next, for me is a quiet smooth ride and a degree of sophistication with the bike itself. I later learned that range was a key factor as I wanted to take longer rides. I learned from the Dash that I loved being able to go fast! With the Stromer and the Dash, you get up to 28mph+. Once you have it, you will always want it. I like fast cars and now I like fast bikes.

The 2014-2015 Dash is a great bike. If it fits you, there is nothing not to like unless you are on rough roads where maybe bigger tires would be helpful to smooth the ride. After only a few days with the ST2, I can tell you it feels more powerful. The ride, with the body float seat post and about 35psi air in the tires is smooth and the battery life/range is impressive. The bike is a bottom up build that is so clean and simple that it is elegant. The engineering is impressive and the ride is very refined. BUT! If you don't want to spend ST2 kind of money, get a 2015 Dash at close out prices and you will love it. It's a great bike. It even has cruise control!!

You asked the question above...if you had it to do over again, what would you do. If I had it to do over again, understood and could afford the value proposition in e bikes as I do now, and knew what I know now, I would absolutely buy the Stromer St2 over the Dash or anything else available now. That doesn't mean the ST2 is the be all end all, it just means it is a good bike and as you can see from the posts, most are very happy with their purchase.

r

 

[Jonah]

Ralph, would you mind elaborating on what you like better about the ST2 vs. the Dash?

Jonah,

It's still early days to answer your question since I have just gotten the ST2, but I will try to help as best I can.

Like you, I did considerable research mostly without the benefit of riding e bikes. With help from reading Court's blog and Currie, they arranged for me to test ride the Peak and the Dash. I didn't like the Peak and the mid drive and the Dash impressed me as quiet and fast but it was and still is a bit large for me in the medium frame. The only dealer within 175 miles was an Izip dealer, so that is what I bought. I raised the handle bars two inches so I would sit more upright which helped a lot with the Dash.

Since I bought the Dash, I have ridden E motion, Pedego, Felt, Stromer, and a few others. I have learned that geometry/fit are obviously very important. Next, for me is a quiet smooth ride and a degree of sophistication with the bike itself. I later learned that range was a key factor as I wanted to take longer rides. I learned from the Dash that I loved being able to go fast! With the Stromer and the Dash, you get up to 28mph+. Once you have it, you will always want it. I like fast cars and now I like fast bikes.

The 2014-2015 Dash is a great bike. If it fits you, there is nothing not to like unless you are on rough roads where maybe bigger tires would be helpful to smooth the ride. After only a few days with the ST2, I can tell you it feels more powerful. The ride, with the body float seat post and about 35psi air in the tires is smooth and the battery life/range is impressive. The bike is a bottom up build that is so clean and simple that it is elegant. The engineering is impressive and the ride is very refined. BUT! If you don't want to spend ST2 kind of money, get a 2015 Dash at close out prices and you will love it. It's a great bike. It even has cruise control!!

You asked the question above...if you had it to do over again, what would you do. If I had it to do over again, understood and could afford the value proposition in e bikes as I do now, and knew what I know now, I would absolutely buy the Stromer St2 over the Dash or anything else available now. That doesn't mean the ST2 is the be all end all, it just means it is a good bike and as you can see from the posts, most are very happy with their purchase.

r

Ralph, thanks very much for your response. It is helpful to hear how your new bike compares to your old. I have a body fluid on my current bike. I would definitely put it on the ST 2. I am also thinking about using marathon plus touring tires since those are as flat proof as I think I would get with any tire. They may require a higher psi than 35. Anyway just some random thoughts about what I am considering. In any case, thanks again!

 

[Jonah]

I meant Body Float - couldn't edit (Website not responding as per usual in Croatia)