Mid drive motor opinion clearance bike

[Itselectric]

does anyone have an opinion on mid drive motor diamond back bike?

36v 350watts. Don’t know if I am missing some more technical info that is impt so will leave link here.

This is not a promotion of any sort. I literally just bought this bike with a bunch of discounts that takes it to about 550 USD. Not too late to take it back.

Bottom line is it worth it? Seems there are so many options out there.

I commute a few kms to work city so I realize this mid motor mount is less relevant.

I like off-road trails but doubt this bike (example front shock) is even good enough. Even when I do trails the the incline is not crazy I am in the east.

Thinking maybe a hub system with a hybrid bike may be the way to go but like this deal due to what I consider a safe battery. If that makes sense. Example charging risks.

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www.sportchek.ca

 

[RunForTheHills]

Literally any bike in good working condition, including analog bikes, would be suitable for commuting a few flat kilometers to work and back. A good commuter will usually feature lights for riding at night and a rack for bringing stuff to and from work. But you can get by with a backpack and cheap rechargeable lights off of Amazon for that short commute. A mid-drive excels at long steep hills over a hub drive, but does put extra wear and tear on the drive train (chain, cassette, and chainring) that a hub drive doesn't.

I am not sure why you think a $550 ebike would have a safe battery. A quality battery made with name brand cells and a good bms costs almost as much as that entire bike. Look for a UL certification for the bike and battery, but that isn't a guarantee that it will be safe. Never charge the battery unattended or while you sleep. Charge it outdoors if you have a place you can do that.

 

[stompandgo]

Which one in that link did you buy? There are significant differences between them.

Diamondback is a well known name that has been around for a while in the entry level off road and road markets. That doesn't mean that they are using quality, safe electronics.

 

[Itselectric]

Thanks guys. Good opinions.
Here is a link to the bike.
It’s called the power line.
on the site I bought it on it’s called the power line 1 but it seems it’s actually the power line 2 according to YouTube.

Anyway it’s all semantics at this point.
Just need to know if this is a decent bike or not.

Powerline - Adult Electric-Assist Bike

Have you wanted to experience the thrill of mountain biking but are not thrilled with the idea of having to do all the work up the climbs? Look no further than the Diamondback Powerline electric-assist bike. With 5 different levels of pedal assist, plus a walk mode, you can choose when and how...

www.sportsexperts.ca

 

[RunForTheHills]

Welcome to EBR! It should work for your stated purpose. It doesn't have a rack, but it looks like it has bosses to attach one. You could just use a backpack, but they get sweaty and uncomfortable on long commutes. For a few kilometers, it won't matter. It doesn't have lights, so you would have to add some yourself if you will be riding to and from work in the dark. It is very important to be visible to drivers.

Look for a safe route to ride to the office, even if you have to ride a little further to avoid busy roads. Make sure you have a safe place to leave the bike while you are working. My current employer lets me bring my bike into the building, but some don't. I have worked in a building where I rented a bike locker on a monthly basis and that worked well. If they have a shared bike cage, you will still want to lock the bike up while in the cage. So you will need a good U lock and a cable to secure the front wheel.

I would just be careful with the battery. The battery is the most expensive component on an ebike in these lower end bikes. I don't know anything about this bike or manufacturer, so it may very well have a quality battery. I was just skeptical at the $550 price point. Battery fires are rare, but they always make the news. Batteries usually catch fire during charging or discharging because the internal temperature of the battery is higher. So charge it where and when you can keep an eye on it. Batteries made with cheap, no-name cells are more likely to have defects in the cells or a low end bms that make fires more likely.

Looking at the bike, it is selling for $1700 normally, so you got a very good deal on it. The bicycle components on it are name brand, but the low end of what those brands offer. 10 speed is all you need because it has a motor. You just want a low enough gear to get over any hills if the motor or battery fails to get home without walking. But you can change the gearing on the bike if you need to. I haven't heard of the brand of fork used though.

 

[stompandgo]

Grok details:

Drivetrain​

• Motor: Shengyi mid-drive with torque sensor (typically rated ~250W nominal; some listings note up to 350W) (no idea about that brand)
• Battery: 36V 10.4Ah (using genuine Samsung cells), removable and lockable (some variants list 17.5Ah / 630Wh) (samsung cells are good, see below)
• Shifter: Shimano Deore M6000, 10-speed (right-hand) (good stuff)
• Fork: Suntour SF19-XCE28, 100mm travel coil-sprung with preload adjuster (good brand, unknown model, probably OEM)
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore RD-M6000, 10-speed (good stuff)
• Cassette: Sunrace CSMS3, 11-43T, 10-speed (OK stuff)
• Chain: KMC X10 (good stuff)
• Crankset: Shengyi forged alloy, 170mm (no idea but not a major concern)
• Pedals: Alloy flat with molded pins (typical
• Brakes: Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic disc (160mm rotors front and rear); some listings mention 180mm (good stuff)

Note: Official Diamondback product pages (e.g., diamondback-canada.ca) emphasize the removable, lockable design and Samsung cells but do not always list the UL certification directly in the specs. However, community reports and retailer context consistently affirm the UL 2271 rating. UL 2271 focuses on the battery pack’s safety (overcharge, short circuit, thermal runaway, etc.). The full bike system may or may not carry the broader UL 2849 certification, which covers the entire e-bike electrical system.

UL 2271 is just the battery certification. Just be wise about charging it and keeping it mid-charge when resting for long periods.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Grok details:

Drivetrain​

• Motor: Shengyi mid-drive with torque sensor (typically rated ~250W nominal; some listings note up to 350W) (no idea about that brand)
• Battery: 36V 10.4Ah (using genuine Samsung cells), removable and lockable (some variants list 17.5Ah / 630Wh) (samsung cells are good, see below)
• Shifter: Shimano Deore M6000, 10-speed (right-hand) (good stuff)
• Fork: Suntour SF19-XCE28, 100mm travel coil-sprung with preload adjuster (good brand, unknown model, probably OEM)
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore RD-M6000, 10-speed (good stuff)
• Cassette: Sunrace CSMS3, 11-43T, 10-speed (OK stuff)
• Chain: KMC X10 (good stuff)
• Crankset: Shengyi forged alloy, 170mm (no idea but not a major concern)
• Pedals: Alloy flat with molded pins (typical
• Brakes: Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic disc (160mm rotors front and rear); some listings mention 180mm (good stuff)

Note: Official Diamondback product pages (e.g., diamondback-canada.ca) emphasize the removable, lockable design and Samsung cells but do not always list the UL certification directly in the specs. However, community reports and retailer context consistently affirm the UL 2271 rating. UL 2271 focuses on the battery pack’s safety (overcharge, short circuit, thermal runaway, etc.). The full bike system may or may not carry the broader UL 2849 certification, which covers the entire e-bike electrical system.

UL 2271 is just the battery certification. Just be wise about charging it and keeping it mid-charge when resting for long periods.

I don't know how accurate that is though. The manufacture's web page shows this for the fork: Vaxa 100 mm fork. It doesn't give any details on the other components except the brakes are Tektro HD-M275 and the drivetrain is Shimano 10 speed. I'm glad to be wrong about the battery if they do use Samsung cells.

 

[indianajo]

I owned a diamondback MTB, a 18 speed. The wheels were too small to seat the tires, which fell off the rim blowing the tube several times. After ~1000 miles the rear axle broke in two under my enormous 180 lb. I do not jump curbs, rocks or picnic tables. The shimano axle was 8 mm thick, inadequate in my estimation. 7 spd cheapo shimanos upgraded to 10 mm axle.
So yeah, diamondback sells an entry level bike. One to be ridden twice after Christmas by a 100 lb kid then left out in the rain to rust.
After I bought an $1800 bike that would actually fit me (a Yuba bodaboda) I was amazed how the cables never needed adjusting and the brakes only needed gap reduction every 1000 miles. Amazing what real steel (instead of grey scrap) will do. The tires never fell off the rim and I didn't have to tighten the spokes every 2 months the way the diamondback (and later Pacific) bikes needed.