HumanitiesHaze
Active Member
This is a 500 mile review of the 1st generation Currie E3 Dash ignoring any mechanical issues I have had in the past. This is just strictly about the bike, and how all the components work together as a whole.
As we know the E3 Dash is one of the few 48v 500w Ebikes out there to offer a 20mph twist throttle mode and a 28+mph pedal assist mode (I’ve gotten it up to 30mph doing some very fast pedaling). And some people are curious of how they hold up over time. I've had my bike for about 45 days and expect to get around 1500 miles out of this bike by the end of the season at my current rate.
Starting with the battery:
I do wish the 48v 8.7Ah 417WH battery had a higher capacity, or the anemic 2amp charger was a faster 4amp charger. The 4+ hour recharge time on an almost dead battery is one of the longest in the industry. (Stromer has an 11Ah battery design which takes 4 hours, but they use a 4amp charger). But it’s a slick battery, good attachment to the frame and easy to take on and off. I will more than likely buy another battery/charger at some point.
Pedal Assist and Throttle:
I can kill a fully charged battery using pedal assist level 4 (the highest level) in 30 minutes (or around 11-13 miles @ around 28mph), so I tend to stick to PA3. Speaking of which, pedal assist 4 will top out around 28mph+, pedal assist #3 will do 20mph+, #2 is around 15mph.. I don’t think I’ve ever used #1. Twist will last around 13+ miles helping it pedal up hills and not running it at 100% all the time. I do love the Cruise Control as well (one of the few bikes to offer that). The torque sensor works well at picking up the pedaling and starting. It will continue to power the motor for about a half of second after you stop pedaling however.
Frame:
At 6’4” 190lbs I needed the large frame but it's neat that they also offer a medium. It fits me well, and is very well balanced, cruise control with no hands is easy to do. The bike offers an aggressive stance that leans you forward, but it’s not awkward. Due to my height I wish the pedals were spaced a little wider, but that’s just me. The front shock work well and I love the quick adjust, the seat took a lil bit to break in but it's comfy now. Frame mounts up to an external bike rack with no problem due to the standard diamond shaped bike frame with straight top tube (some Ebikes use a fancy frame that makes it hard to mount). I like the kick stand in the back, you can kick it down and just sit on your bike with ease, but the slightest bump and the spring isn't enough to keep it from clicking it against the frame. (A small rubber bumper fixed that). Clean cabling throughout the bike adds to the overall good looks of the bike. (It’s a head turner) With the battery and rear hub, the bike tends to be rear heavy but makes for popping the front wheel over obstacles easy. The easy disconnect for the rear wheel helps too. Overall a solid frame, no squeaks or rattles have developed yet.
Brakes:
The brakes are one of the weaker points. Using a cable system instead of hydraulic, stopping 250lbs+ @ 30mph quickly takes some effort and the plastic brake handles offer little confidence on a hard brake. I’ve had to readjust the cable at the wheels 3 times already as the cable does stretch out with initial use. There is some squeaking that has dissipated over time, but it’s still there. I would have loved to see the braking system from the E3 Peak used on the Dash. But I still feel larger pads/rotors, or a hydraulic system would be a benefit.
Computer:
Works as expected, I like the controls on the left hand, the backlight at night is great. All the info is there at a glance and it’s pretty quick. I would have loved to see time and temperature on the display. The 8 seconds to power the bike up is annoying, as I live in the city and hop on and off the bike frequently, the computer will shut off in about a minute of non-use. But very functional otherwise.
Motor/Wheel:
Strong and silent. You’ll need to assist more on steeper gradients but overall plenty of power on tap. Something like 42Nm of torque (30 ft.lbs). The E3 Peak offers 20+ more Nm of torque, but that’s due to the nature of the direct drive leveraging a rear cassette over a hub motor. The spokes needed constant tweaking until the bike shop used Loctite glue on them. I’ve driving this bike hard on 90+ degree days, the motor doesn’t overheat. The wheel and tires are the perfect size/width with good traction. If you ever saw an Emotion bike like the Neo Cross, they tend to stick skinny tires on their bikes which wouldn't be as good for debris on the road.
Overall:
I would recommend the E3 Dash to anyone looking for a solid built bike knowing that Currie technical support stands behind the product. I’ve had to use them and they respond fast, ship parts out ASAP and communicate well with the dealers. It’s one of the better looking, faster Ebikes on the market right now at a price point that you can’t argue with. Hope this helps with any choices you're considering.
As we know the E3 Dash is one of the few 48v 500w Ebikes out there to offer a 20mph twist throttle mode and a 28+mph pedal assist mode (I’ve gotten it up to 30mph doing some very fast pedaling). And some people are curious of how they hold up over time. I've had my bike for about 45 days and expect to get around 1500 miles out of this bike by the end of the season at my current rate.
Starting with the battery:
I do wish the 48v 8.7Ah 417WH battery had a higher capacity, or the anemic 2amp charger was a faster 4amp charger. The 4+ hour recharge time on an almost dead battery is one of the longest in the industry. (Stromer has an 11Ah battery design which takes 4 hours, but they use a 4amp charger). But it’s a slick battery, good attachment to the frame and easy to take on and off. I will more than likely buy another battery/charger at some point.
Pedal Assist and Throttle:
I can kill a fully charged battery using pedal assist level 4 (the highest level) in 30 minutes (or around 11-13 miles @ around 28mph), so I tend to stick to PA3. Speaking of which, pedal assist 4 will top out around 28mph+, pedal assist #3 will do 20mph+, #2 is around 15mph.. I don’t think I’ve ever used #1. Twist will last around 13+ miles helping it pedal up hills and not running it at 100% all the time. I do love the Cruise Control as well (one of the few bikes to offer that). The torque sensor works well at picking up the pedaling and starting. It will continue to power the motor for about a half of second after you stop pedaling however.
Frame:
At 6’4” 190lbs I needed the large frame but it's neat that they also offer a medium. It fits me well, and is very well balanced, cruise control with no hands is easy to do. The bike offers an aggressive stance that leans you forward, but it’s not awkward. Due to my height I wish the pedals were spaced a little wider, but that’s just me. The front shock work well and I love the quick adjust, the seat took a lil bit to break in but it's comfy now. Frame mounts up to an external bike rack with no problem due to the standard diamond shaped bike frame with straight top tube (some Ebikes use a fancy frame that makes it hard to mount). I like the kick stand in the back, you can kick it down and just sit on your bike with ease, but the slightest bump and the spring isn't enough to keep it from clicking it against the frame. (A small rubber bumper fixed that). Clean cabling throughout the bike adds to the overall good looks of the bike. (It’s a head turner) With the battery and rear hub, the bike tends to be rear heavy but makes for popping the front wheel over obstacles easy. The easy disconnect for the rear wheel helps too. Overall a solid frame, no squeaks or rattles have developed yet.
Brakes:
The brakes are one of the weaker points. Using a cable system instead of hydraulic, stopping 250lbs+ @ 30mph quickly takes some effort and the plastic brake handles offer little confidence on a hard brake. I’ve had to readjust the cable at the wheels 3 times already as the cable does stretch out with initial use. There is some squeaking that has dissipated over time, but it’s still there. I would have loved to see the braking system from the E3 Peak used on the Dash. But I still feel larger pads/rotors, or a hydraulic system would be a benefit.
Computer:
Works as expected, I like the controls on the left hand, the backlight at night is great. All the info is there at a glance and it’s pretty quick. I would have loved to see time and temperature on the display. The 8 seconds to power the bike up is annoying, as I live in the city and hop on and off the bike frequently, the computer will shut off in about a minute of non-use. But very functional otherwise.
Motor/Wheel:
Strong and silent. You’ll need to assist more on steeper gradients but overall plenty of power on tap. Something like 42Nm of torque (30 ft.lbs). The E3 Peak offers 20+ more Nm of torque, but that’s due to the nature of the direct drive leveraging a rear cassette over a hub motor. The spokes needed constant tweaking until the bike shop used Loctite glue on them. I’ve driving this bike hard on 90+ degree days, the motor doesn’t overheat. The wheel and tires are the perfect size/width with good traction. If you ever saw an Emotion bike like the Neo Cross, they tend to stick skinny tires on their bikes which wouldn't be as good for debris on the road.
Overall:
I would recommend the E3 Dash to anyone looking for a solid built bike knowing that Currie technical support stands behind the product. I’ve had to use them and they respond fast, ship parts out ASAP and communicate well with the dealers. It’s one of the better looking, faster Ebikes on the market right now at a price point that you can’t argue with. Hope this helps with any choices you're considering.
