Need opinion and advice (Newgen Bike)

[skym00th]

Hello Guys,

I have been looking at this bike: https://www.newgenbikes.com/product-page/the-345
and I was wondering if you could help me with your experience and give me advice an though about the specification of the bike.

I am desperetly looking for advice considering that this is a young company and product and that there is not a lot of review available online.
I was looking for a stylish city ride kind of ebike that I can use to go on ride around london over the weekend.
I was looking for bikes such as Super73 products https://eu.super73.com/collections/all-products

What I like about the bike is that the sit is much higher compared to other products in the same range. the battery look alright for what I want to do with it and it is a stylish product like the one I was lookking at.

Thanks
Simon

 

[jaizon]

250 watt motor???

 

[skym00th]

250 watt motor???

Yes EU regulations

 

[OmNomNomDeGuerre]

Yeah, EU regulations suck. You can at least use the Off Road mode in Super 73.

You're right that Newgen is quite a new company. It's up to you if you want to spend that much cash on an untested startup. Parts might be harder to come by than an established brand, especially with that handmade wooden shelf bit. There's always the chance that they'll go bust too, then you'd have no support.

On the other hand, Newgen appear to be London based so you might be able to get in contact with them easier. Have you had any test rides for either the 345 or any of the Super73 ones?

I can't really provide any technical help, but just looked at how legit Newgen looks.

This is the only actual review of the 345 I could find, that didn't read like a paid hype video or spam. The reviewer appears to have loved it:

Also, the 345 features in this random music video set in London if that's what you like:

It was also written about in a Telegraph article that reads like a stealth advert, so take with a pinch of salt:

I hate cyclists, but the roads are empty so I finally joined them

From a driver's perspective, cyclists are like wasps:

www.telegraph.co.uk

​

Early into my venture, I noticed a lot of people staring. Was I doing it wrong? Possibly. Is cycling frowned upon at the moment? Not that I know of. No, they were staring at the bike; a stylish, unusual-looking model with chunky tyres that somewhat resembles a classic motorcycle. I was stopped a total of six times during my seven-mile ride by passers-by enquiring as to the brand, each time panicking that I was being approached instead for committing a traffic crime (which I more than likely was). This is possibly what it feels like to own a rare vintage car.

Aside from Super 73, there's the Ruff Lil Buddy, and various Urban Drivestyle bikes for EU-based retro moped makers. Have you seen if any of those suit you?

 

[skym00th]

Hey mate, thanks for the reply.

I did see all these link you provided while searching myself. I quite like the review from the bearded guy which seems to have had a lot of fun with it.
I also talked to one guys that owns one. He said as they are london based they are able to provide very quick help and assistance when he had an issue. They even came to his place lol. He also loved the bike and only had good things to say about it.

The main reason I was looking at this brand compared to Super73 or the Ruff Lil Buddy was the size of the bike ( higher than the ones in my price range), the price (cheaper for what looks like better specs) and that it comes with full equipement such as lights and throttle.

I did not have any test ride, I contacted newgen and they will organise some in london end of August so I think I'll probably wait until then.

Could you advice me on the different censors that can possibly be mounted?
I see that they offer 2 kind, Torque and cadence and I was wondering what should I concider when chosing one or the other? Concidering that I will get the throttle if I was to buy the bike.

Thanks

 

[dustyaxe]

Hi Simon, I have after many months of researching and saving up I just bought a 345. Hasn’t arrived yet but should be here in about five weeks time. i will be posting all my thoughts on here after a week or two of riding around. Like you I looked at the Super 73 range also the Ruff cycles ”Lil buddy” and the Unimoke but after much deliberation I finally went with the 345.

Reasons being , it already has front and rear lights, aluminium frame (so no rust worries) hydraulic brakes, 7 gears and five levels of assistance, leather saddle, front suspension and the parcel shelf, (very handy for my huge Kryptonite 1415 chain lock. Also having the shelf must add to the frames overall strength I figure. The fact that it is currently the cheapest of all the bikes I thought about also was a big plus. I spoke with Laurie at Newgen a couple of times and he informed me that they will soon be adding to their accessories some alloy fenders, panniers and a rear rack extension sometime soon. I will be getting those fenders ASAP won’t bother with the throttle though unless and until legislation changes. As far as 250 watts goes, personally I couldn’t care less 15.5 mph is plenty for our little UK roads.

 

[skym00th]

Hi Simon, I have after many months of researching and saving up I just bought a 345. Hasn’t arrived yet but should be here in about five weeks time. i will be posting all my thoughts on here after a week or two of riding around. Like you I looked at the Super 73 range also the Ruff cycles ”Lil buddy” and the Unimoke but after much deliberation I finally went with the 345.

That's great to hear mate. Which sensor did you go for?

I think you are pointing out at a lot of good points here, I am actually thinking of ordering now as well, even without trying it out. the main reason being that I want to enjoy it before the summer is over...

Are you going to get an insurance for it as well?

 

[dustyaxe]

That's great to hear mate. Which sensor did you go for?

I think you are pointing out at a lot of good points here, I am actually thinking of ordering now as well, even without trying it out. the main reason being that I want to enjoy it before the summer is over...

Are you going to get an insurance for it as well?

Hi Simon, i went with the torque sensor mainly to extend range also as I understand it assistance kicks in earlier which would be a help when moving off from a stop light. I’m not sure about insurance yet as I don’t envisage leaving the bike for great lengths of time and when I’m home it will be chained up in the garage. I suspect having this bike will be a bit of a game changer for my world though so my habits may well change so I have looked into insurance and it is quite affordable so I think it’s highly likely I will go for it. Like you I ordered mine now so I can enjoy the nicer weather for a bit though I do intend using it year round for commuting. On top of all that they look so damn cool

 

[Oldboy]

Hi Simon, i went with the torque sensor mainly to extend range also as I understand it assistance kicks in earlier which would be a help when moving off from a stop light. I’m not sure about insurance yet as I don’t envisage leaving the bike for great lengths of time and when I’m home it will be chained up in the garage. I suspect having this bike will be a bit of a game changer for my world though so my habits may well change so I have looked into insurance and it is quite affordable so I think it’s highly likely I will go for it. Like you I ordered mine now so I can enjoy the nicer weather for a bit though I do intend using it year round for commuting. On top of all that they look so damn cool

Hi, new poster here. Like you guys I also took the plunge in July to order the standard 345 from NewGen. With such limited online content about it I was delighted to find this chat thread having fired my cash into the ether. I didn’t opt for the throttle, although I may add one at a later date. Mine is also due in early September, so it sounds like they are manufactured in batches.... having ordered at the front end of the month!

 

[skym00th]

I've ordered mine as well last week, throttle and torque sensor. It'll arrive probably later than yours. Don't hesitate to come back here and share your thoughts, I think it'll be nice to have more information/feedback on these bikes for everyone out there that want to buy one.

 

[Oldboy]

Thanks, will do. May even create some YT content... I also went for torque over cadence btw

 

[Elgorgo]

Thanks, will do. May even create some YT content... I also went for torque over cadence btw

Hi all. I ordered the 345lite (cadence) on 19 June. It hasn't arrived yet. I've had the usual feelings of "buyers remorse" of course. Lol. Mainly because there isn't much in the way of reviews etc. The YouTube vid hasn't been up long, indeed I only caught it yesterday. I spoke with Laurie from Newgen the day before I bought the bike and he seems a nice guy so we'll see how it goes. Incidentally I bought a throttle, which appears to be free with the code on the guys YouTube channel.
Regards.

 

[Elgorgo]

Thanks, will do. May even create some YT content... I also went for torque over cadence btw

Update (of sorts!!!!) Just got home from work to find a "sorry we missed you" note from TNT. Its my bike! So scrolling through my emails I find all the tracking details. The bike was sent out yesterday. Drats! I'm kicking myself now like. Anyways I'm making sure I'm in for redelivery on Monday. A point worth noting: I ordered mine 19 June so the 6-8 week wait was on point. Some are still waiting for their super73s ordered in January and by all accounts aren't too happy when they get their bikes.

 

[Oldboy]

Update (of sorts!!!!) Just got home from work to find a "sorry we missed you" note from TNT. Its my bike! So scrolling through my emails I find all the tracking details. The bike was sent out yesterday. Drats! I'm kicking myself now like. Anyways I'm making sure I'm in for redelivery on Monday. A point worth noting: I ordered mine 19 June so the 6-8 week wait was on point. Some are still waiting for their super73s ordered in January and by all accounts aren't too happy when they get their bikes.

Bad luck for missing the delivery; that sucks, but kudos to NewGen for hitting delivery estimates. Probably not easy in this COVID world considering internationally sourced components etc.

Like you I also looked at Super 73, but the main reason not going that direction was the seat height. The 345 seems to have a good margin on it in that respect. I was a smudge away from ordering a z1 - love the styling - but imo at 5’11 the ride height would have been bordering on comical and the s2 / r are a bit too much buck for the bang for me.

One of the original posters also noted rust proofing. Being uk based this was also key in my decision making. Then, the reported S73 issues... motor problems, damaged on receipt, incomplete / laaaaate deliveries etc all started to compound and a new start up started to feel like less of a risk. It also feels good to be buying into a new British brand. I can’t wait to get it!

 

[Elgorgo]

Bad luck for missing the delivery; that sucks, but kudos to NewGen for hitting delivery estimates. Probably not easy in this COVID world considering internationally sourced components etc.

Like you I also looked at Super 73, but the main reason not going that direction was the seat height. The 345 seems to have a good margin on it in that respect. I was a smudge away from ordering a z1 - love the styling - but imo at 5’11 the ride height would have been bordering on comical and the s2 / r are a bit too much buck for the bang for me.

One of the original posters also noted rust proofing. Being uk based this was also key in my decision making. Then, the reported S73 issues... motor problems, damaged on receipt, incomplete / laaaaate deliveries etc all started to compound and a new start up started to feel like less of a risk. It also feels good to be buying into a new British brand. I can’t wait to get it!

My thoughts exactly! The super73 they were promoting on Instagram had the worst welding I've ever seen. There seems to be an issue with the customer service too. Obviously bikes are built to order and fulfilling orders during this crazy pandemic must be difficult but the bikes ain't cheap, so the customer needs to come first. Another thing that bugged me was, the super73 warranty is nullified the moment you attach the handlebars yourself. Which is crazy. I looked at a fair few bikes, there wasn't much on the Michael Blast, the issues with super73, not taking into account the price were putting me off ebikes altogether. Then I spotted the 345 and it was like wait a minute this looks just like the bike I want at a price I'm willing to pay. Fingers crossed for good weather next week!! Lol.

 

[OmNomNomDeGuerre]

My thoughts exactly! The super73 they were promoting on Instagram had the worst welding I've ever seen. There seems to be an issue with the customer service too. Obviously bikes are built to order and fulfilling orders during this crazy pandemic must be difficult but the bikes ain't cheap, so the customer needs to come first. Another thing that bugged me was, the super73 warranty is nullified the moment you attach the handlebars yourself. Which is crazy. I looked at a fair few bikes, there wasn't much on the Michael Blast, the issues with super73, not taking into account the price were putting me off ebikes altogether. Then I spotted the 345 and it was like wait a minute this looks just like the bike I want at a price I'm willing to pay. Fingers crossed for good weather next week!! Lol.

Please post a review here when you finally get it!

Do you know anything else about the startup? Where the bikes are made, components, etc?

 

[Elgorgo]

Please post a review here when you finally get it!

Do you know anything else about the startup? Where the bikes are made, components, etc?

I will do. So far I've been impressed with a) the phone feedback before I placed my order. b) the genuine attitude that Newgen have.
My mate raised the issue of "a new startup company might have multiple problems with service, parts etc". So I weighed it up and went for it. Spoke to them direct. Weighed it up and went for it. I'm only going to be tooting around the village anyways, to help me knees so...
Looking forward to getting the bike and reviewing it.
Should have mentioned before that I've already downloaded the instruction manual and warranty from Newgen. I'll definitely be letting you all know after Monday!

 

[Elgorgo]

So

Please post a review here when you finally get it!

Do you know anything else about the startup? Where the bikes are made, components, etc?

Sorry OmNomNom, I forgot to say... the bikes are advertised as "designed in London". Make of that what you will. They've probably got generic stuff like the Kenda tyres, etc. Made in China. WHat I have got reservations about is the hub. But we shall see! British Leyland and Norton motor cycles managed to ruin themselves. I'm sticking a bit of faith behind Newgen. Let's wait and see!!!!

 

[Oldboy]

So

Sorry OmNomNom, I forgot to say... the bikes are advertised as "designed in London". Make of that what you will. They've probably got generic stuff like the Kenda tyres, etc. Made in China. WHat I have got reservations about is the hub. But we shall see! British Leyland and Norton motor cycles managed to ruin themselves. I'm sticking a bit of faith behind Newgen. Let's wait and see!!!!

... internationally sourced, assembled in the UK, parcel shelf custom made in London

Will have to see what 15.5 mph feels like.

Does the warranty / instruction manual get sent to you with the tracking details? I haven’t seen those yet...

 

[Elgorgo]

Oldboy. You can download the manual from the Newgen website. I'm assuming a printed manual will come with the bike. Now it seems that the warranty is nullified by any "modifications" made to the bike. Which includes ADDING A THROTTLE!!! Surely adding a throttle provided by the seller, as an accessory to the bike it was specifically designed for can't be grounds to void a warranty???!