Neo Cross Battery/Model Year Situation

[George S.]

I talked to a dealer in St. George about the Cross, via email. I figured out from the UK and Australian BH dealers, their websites, that there is supposed to be a battery upgrade. In this link, the battery offered is simply upgraded:

http://e-motionevc.co.uk

Same deal in Australia:

https://sydney-electric-bikes.myshopify.com

A US dealer (high profile) doesn't even mention model year, and he's selling the old bike:

http://longislandelectricbikes.com/...lectric-bike?gclid=CLX7j6K32LwCFQ-DfgodtG4Acg

I'd like to rent one of these, since the price is reasonable for a couple of hours. I would certainly hold out for the larger battery, if I were ultimately going to buy one. Why decide, though, before the ride? The 2014s still don't seem to be available in the US. They have the larger battery.

As far as the battery goes, I believe this is a situation where higher amp hour cells are being used in place of smaller cells (lower capacity, both the same size). So it's a straight case replacement in the bike.

The St. George dealer said there would be an upgraded battery. The larger battery does not show up on the US website for eMotion, last time I checked. The website doesn't really differentiate any model years, since the new battery is the basic difference for 2014, that I can see. That is why I assume this is a 2013:

https://www.emotionbikesusa.com

Showrooming is definitely not ethical, if you go into a dealer and pretend to be a buyer. You are not being entirely honest. So what about this blurred model year situation? I can see some potential problems with this , where people (like me) just don't know where they stand with eMotion. Do you want to find out you bought last year's model? Seems clear that if it's a 9AH battery it is a 2013, and if it's a 12AH it's a 2014.

If I were eMotion I would put the information about the batteries and the model years on the US website. It would be more informative.

It's a fine bike, everyone seems to agree.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hey George,

I totally understand your frustration. Just want to mention couple of things.

1. BH Easy Motion entered the US market only in 2012 although BH Spain has been around for 100 years. I am sure things will get better.
2. Most people in US tend to start biking only after March but few hardcore ones like us may start earlier. I spoke to Easy Motion guys about outdated website and they said they are updating it. They are yet to receive the complete lineup of 2014 models.
3. Just call the dealer in any case and he should be able help you. If you feel dealers misinformed then check around and I am sure you will get clear info. The rep from Easy Motion is here (Undercover Brother) and he should be able to help you. Probably worth checking with him.

Cheers

 

[George S.]

Hey George,

I totally understand your frustration. Just want to mention couple of things.

1. BH Easy Motion entered the US market only in 2012 although BH Spain has been around for 100 years. I am sure things will get better.
2. Most people in US tend to start biking only after March but few hardcore ones like us may start earlier. I spoke to Easy Motion guys about outdated website and they said they are updating it. They are yet to receive the complete lineup of 2014 models.
3. Just call the dealer in any case and he should be able help you. If you feel dealers misinformed then check around and I am sure you will get clear info. The rep from Easy Motion is here (Undercover Brother) and he should be able to help you. Probably worth checking with him.

Cheers

Ravi,

I saw something about a Bluetooth connection (to an Android app) for the latest Neo? Maybe your bike has something like that?

I also understand there may be changes in the firmware that affect the drive and how you interact with the drive, as a rider.

The dealer gave me the dates for his shipment and said the old bike was retailing for $2699 versus $2899 for the bigger battery. I'm looking for a rental, so the old model is fine. St. George is the outer edge of the Sunbelt, so this is the time of year for 'nice weather'. Same would be true of anything in the Vegas area.

As a general rule saying something is "last year's model" is not a compliment. I don't know what the changes are for the '14 Cross, like under the hood. People are pretty caught up in how much performance they can get, but I'm more interested in whether a Neo really is so refined that you pay for it with a big smile on your face. There are a lot of ebikes I would like to rent for 2 hours. They are available, here and there.

Give yourself some time on the new bike. We aren't all looking for the same thing in a bike, but I hope you find what you want in yours. I'm a big enough fan of normal biking that I hate to make too much of electric motors.

Best

 

[Dave]

I believe the Bluetooth connection takes the place of the display ( console ) and allows you to use a smartphone in its' place. I am not sure it is viable, or that I would even want it.

I think the EM year changes from 2013 to 2014 are model specific. My Carbon is a 2014 but has the 9 amp battery. It also does not, I am happy to say, have the Eco mode change that the other 2014 models have. I am not sure about the 2014 Cross, and what, if any changes were made.

 

[George S.]

I was hoping the Bluetooth to Android app might make the riding modes and characteristics user programmable. Or maybe just figure out what the rider wanted and try to fine tune the ride. Supposedly FlyKly is trying something like this, and they may have an app, but no actual product, yet.

'Viable' might be the word. Even the latest Google hardware and KitKat do not mate all that reliably with Bluetooth, in my experience. Kind of the last thing in the world you want if you need the connection to get home. "Device Not Found".

Best

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hi George,
I did inquire about that and only electriccyclery seems to have it.
Personally, on my mountain bike, I don't wish to carry my smartphone in a pocket. May be in city riding, its ok but if my phone battery runs out or something, I don't wish to get stuck.
It's a very cool gadget to have but it certainly is not a necessary. If you look at the handlebar of any easy motion, there's a lot going on there. I would like to keep it simple and as it is. (I have front shifter, back shifter, remote lock out, console, throttle) etc.

As you mentioned, test riding is the best way to know. Online reviews are helpful but our own experience and intuition can't be beat.

 

[George S.]

Hi Ravi,

Thanks for the link! To me that looks pretty interesting, just the little summary on the site:

BH Easy Motion Neo Electric Bike Bluetooth Set

Now Available - a wireless, bluetooth device than transforms your smart phone into the control panel of your Neo Electric Bike.

Fine tune your ride with slider-controlled assistance levels and enjoy full access to your downloadable ride data.

This gadget also includes Automatic Distance Control. Just enter your trip distance and your bike will automatically adjust the assistance level needed to insure enough battery power to get there efficiently with our running out of power.

I guess the thing that impresses me about smartphones, mostly Android, is how big the scale is, and how low the costs are. You pay a premium for a Nexus 5 or iPhone, but those phones that are selling in the millions in Asia are absolutely amazing for the money. I've owned a couple, the HTC One (old model) and the LG Dynamic II. I never activated the HTC One. ZTE is maybe the lowest cost. If you run one of these with My Tracks, it's like a 75 dollar moving map GPS and cycle computer, all tied back to Google Docs.



Just in pure economic terms, a bike company could throw in a 'free smartphone'. Use an Android app for the display. I'd be happy to lose all the wiring. Even the stuff on the Neo, with the sliders to set the power balances, or the "give me enough power to get me home" feature seems like a great start. Has to be pretty much bulletproof. USB charging port is becoming pretty standard here and there.

Ultimately what is really needed is for every kid in America to want an electric bike, something like that. Tying ebikes to smartphones can't hurt.

Hope the weather cooperates with the bike. Maybe if you go real early you could ride it around a mall. No, probably not...

Best,
George

 

[Chris Nolte]

George,

Just read through your thread. I've never heard of my company (longislandelectricbikes.com) referred to as high profile, but thank you I guess . Regarding the Cross with 12ah batteries, or 2014 as many are referring to them as, they will start shipping at the end of this month. When they become available we will make the 12ah battery a $200 option. We're in the middle of a redesign, which will hopefully be launching in the next week (the development site is http://bayshorebikeshop.com if you're interested). We have plenty of Cross's in stock with 9ah batteries, including a demo that we'll have up on the site soon.

To the best of my knowledge, direct from Easy Motion, the only difference in the Cross with the 12ah battery is the battery. The Cross will continue to be available with the 9ah or 12ah battery, that seems to be the plan currently from the brand until the original models are redesigned, probably spring 2015.

Lastly, a quick comment on the Android Bluetooth set, I have heard some feedback on issues with the connectivity and reliability. This is part of why you haven't seen it out there much. It will work on all Neo models, but I wouldn't be looking to it for an end all. I imagine there is a plan for a future release of a new version, but currently that's all that's available.

Feel free to reach out if there is anyway I can be of service.

 

[George S.]

Hi Chris,

Most of the time when I watch any of these ebike videos I wonder why you guys aren't selling millions of these things. Everyone out here has an ATV, but they are pretty expensive.

This is what I get when I Google “Neo Cross”--- you come up at the very top. You seem to have at least a medium profile.

I guess Neo just thinks it's a change of battery. There have been some discussions of the modes, the Bluetooth. Seems like with cars, a lot of stuff, the model year matters. You know, you can't sell a 2012 Chevy and say it's a 2013. Plus, the values in something like a Blue Book are often dependent on the model year. I know I want the bigger battery. I hope the invoice, if there is one, says “2014 Neo Cross”.

I was looking at some video of the assembly facility that Prodeco Tech has, in Florida, and some photos of the stuff Energie has in Las Vegas. Both are impressive. The Energie plant is kind of a surprise since they have no profile. Apparently the Chinese are willing to bring some financial muscle to this market. Their bikes are quite interesting. This is getting to be a very, very serious business. I assume BH has some pretty decent facilities. I'd like to know a little more. I hope that plants that are built for volume can slowly increase quality and bring down price. The Europeans often build high quality stuff, but they never seem shy about charging for it.

In your video you can tell that bike, maybe a 29er, is high quality. I like your new site. You have a lot of great bikes, but all pretty upscale. I don't know how you make ebikes a form of transportation without some $1200 bikes in there somewhere. I know what rents and salaries can be in NYC. I guess you'll do fine. The American ebike business seems pretty top-heavy.

In your video you talk about how people who are moving up in years can move to an ebike. That's getting to be me. It's great to ride, but if the wind shifts and I'm bucking it coming home, that's getting really hard. I will end up buying an ebike because that is what makes sense.

Best,
George

 

[Admin]

I love the look of your new site Chris! Great colors, beautiful images and it's responsive... I've always been a fan of your logo as well, the little cord thing with electric bikes

 

[Chris Nolte]

George,

Thanks for your comments. It certainly isn't easy surviving in the ebike market, but I work really hard and my girlfriend sometimes gets upset because I'm working too much. It's still somewhat of a subculture compared to other countries, but it's certainly starting to go mainstream. We're a little ways away from NYC, but we're still very involved in the market there. Regarding my higher end selection, it's very difficult to build a quality electric bike to retail at $1200 certainly not one that is supported well, warranty, service, parts etc. We've tested many well known brands in this space and I'd rather not be associated with those products, I am always looking for something to fill that gap, but our criteria to select products is a bit strict and we generally don't work with smaller brands as most haven't proven their viability in the market and if they're not around in a couple of years when you need battery, you have a very expensive non-electric bike. I feel somewhere around 2k is where the quality get significantly better, I sure hope the prices go down as it will certainly impact the market, but that will happen due to the economy of scale. I feel really fortunate to be able to make a living doing this, I never dreamed I would be doing this three years ago, but it's a lot of fun. I don't want to cloud up this thread with all my stuff, but feel free to reach out if there is anyway I can be of service, or if you'd just like to say hello.

Best,
Chris

Court - Thanks, I have been working on it for about 6 months now and I think it's about ready. I've been building it myself in my spare time and I can't wait to get it up. I really dig your site as well, pretty awesome what you created here, certainly a better place for OEM stuff than endless-sphere.com. Do you work on your site yourself? I'm pretty good with Wordpress if you ever need a hand.

 

[Admin]

Thanks for the offer Chris! Yeah, I've been doing the hosting, database setup, responsive designs and theme customizations myself but relying on content management platforms as a foundation. This forum uses Xenforo and the site is built upon WordPress just as yours is. The artistic and programming sides are a lot of fun but I also just really enjoy helping people and want to keep this clean, safe and organized. Excited for your site launch, we'll have to stay in touch so I can visit later this year when I plan to take another road trip

 

[Chris Nolte]

Thanks Court. Good stuff. It's pretty cool what's possible with technology these days. Props to you for getting this going there has definitely been a need. Please do stop by if you're ever in town, if I drank I'd offer to buy you a beer, but I'd definitely buy you a coffee

 

[Admin]

That's so funny Chris! I don't drink either, and that includes caffeine (though I'll have a soda or Jasmine tea on occasion). Clean livin' baby! I'm already addicted to ebikes and beautiful women, I can't afford much more

 

[Chris Nolte]

Good stuff Court. I don't really drink coffee much myself, but I didn't want people to jump to assumptions if I offered to take you out to eat

 

[Brambor]

Test driving ebikes is cheaper and less of a headache ;-)