NEW 2015 Prodeco Phantom XR

[Manny]

George, if I decide with the build, I will probably get those laptop batteries. I will have to open the cartridges and solder the batteries into series & parallel to 48V.
Just checked LunaCycle, yes, their prices are pretty reasonable.
Those Laptop batteries comes in different capacities. Most of them are 2200mAh 18650s, but there are some that are more 2600mAh, like this one: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
If the cartridge is labeled 10400mAh, they are 2600s. The 8800mAh cartridges are 2200 mAh each cell.
Then, I'm going to custom build my own battery case, either 48pcs 0r 60pcs 18650s, still debating.
The charger's voltage from eBay is adjustable, and has fuse. The DIY battery pack will be fused as well.
Prodeco set their chargers @ 41V, instead of 42V on my Prodeco XR. So my bike is only 41V @ full charge to extend baterry life.

 

[Manny]

- Fully charged my battery today. Meter showed 41.04V
Then took it for a ride, 'till it hits the voltage cut-off, and stops the motor.

* City riding
* Electric only (no pedal), Normal riding and stops such as intersections. 50% drive on bike lanes. Some slight grade (uphill).
- Full charge, 41.04V before the trip. Battery Capacity is 14.25 Ah
- @ 10miles, Watt meter shows 36.83V, 5.8Ah consumed
- @17.75miles, Watt meter shows 35.14V, 9.7Ah consumed
- @19.44miles, Watt meter shows 34.02V, 10.74Ah consumed
- @19.44miles, battery shuts down, motor stops.
Battery shuts down, to protect the cells & prevent it from over draining.
- Took 6hrs to charge it back to 41V

*Voltage reading recorded during a stop (no load).
* This bike can go 30mile range easily if I pedal a bit.

 

[xllented]

Hey Manny, thanks for posting great info! Just want to get a little more info: Bike looks like it would be an aggressive/leaning forward riding position. How would you rate this riding position/comfort between 1-10; 10 being best? How tall are you (I'm 5'7")? And your overall rating for this bike? Thank you!!!

 

[Manny]

I'm pretty short, 5'3" height, my seat is on it's lowest adjustment so my foot could reach the ground, barely.
As mentioned above, it's a semi relaxed position. As a commuter bike, I would give it 8 on ride comfort. I had to replace the stock saddle with a more comfortable one, and it really made a difference - http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bell-RECLINE-800-SEAT/14003644
I ride it to work around 4 days a week (4mi each way, 8mi total). The bike being a black matte finish, it looks really nice, & I get a lot compliments.

Pros:
- Quality
- Warranty (24months)
- Looks/appearance, it does not look like ebike at a glance. Very clean looking eBike.
- Ride comfort, after replacing the saddle & with the front tire a bit deflated, plus shocks activated.
- Eye catcher.
Cons:
- Price
- Speed is limited to 20-21mph. No "hack" that I'm aware of to increase it's speed. That's a bummer, because this bike can run constant 650Watts, with nothing gets hot at all. But most of the time, I'm running 450Watts constantly because it has already reached the 20mph top speed limit already, on a flat road.
- No LCD display
- No headlights

I really love this bike, but now I have a little bit of disappointment after CA just announced that the speed limit by January 2016 will be 28mph. There are bike lanes on my way to work. But whenever the bike lane ends, I couldn't go with the traffic flow. It would be nice If my bike goes 28 or 30mph just to keep up with the traffic flow.

The RadRover & Voltbike Yukon are nice looking bikes and much cheaper which also goes 20mph, but they are only 500Watts. So that might be an issue going uphill.

So now I'm thinking of building one:
- http://www.ebay.com
- http://www.ebay.com

 

[xllented]

Hey Manny, Thanks for the response. I'm 5'7" and looked at all the pics available on the internet of the Phantom XR and decided it would fit me especially with the 26" tires. The Voltbike Yukon and the Lectric-Cycles e-RAD Mid Drive Electra Moto 3i were also considered. The Phantom won out because of the 2 year warranty, made in the U.S., Prodeco Tech has been around for a while, and of the Black Friday discount of $100 (~5%). PT also threw in some accessories (handlebar bag, headlight) but I doubt if I'll ever utilize them. I ordered the bike yesterday with a scheduled delivery of 12/1/2015 to Long Beach, CA.

The Lectric-Cycles (http://www.lectriccycles.com) was an interesting choice: It's a mid-drive 29" E-bike built on a Electra Moto 3i (3 speed). You have options of upgrading to a 48V 11.6ah motor which could easily reach 30+ MPH. Their bike is set to go 20MPH from the shop but has a 'limiting defeat' option on the bike computer so you 'could' go 30+mph. However, I wasn't sure about their warranty (probably 1 year), the bike had zero reviews, and the bike they had posted on ebay seemed cluttered with the wires; not a clean set-up/look (Phantom XR looks very nice)..... Bikes were built in the U.S. though and the guys that builds them look like they know what they are doing...

I'll probably post a video on YouTube once I have the bike set up just to get more reviews out there... Anyway, ride safe and take care!

Check out this interesting article: http://electricbikereport.com/electric-bike-direct-drive-geared-hub-motors/

Cheers!

 

[Manny]

Here is a quick look of my bike I just recorded. Watt meter, headlamp and tail lights all powered from the bike's battery pack. They are very low on energy usage, so it does not affect ride time/range.
Once the bike is powered ON, all accessories are automatically powered as well. The headlamp & tail lights are USB powered, from the bike's USB output. The vertically mounted LED tail light is pretty bright and could easily be seen from a distance even on bright sunny day. The tail light's cable is hidden & runs inside the seat post. I drilled a small hole where the cable exits, as shown on the last picture.
The bike's main power cable uses Anderson Powerpole terminals. So I purchased a couple pairs from ebay (30Amps), and some 14AWG silicone wires used on the wattmeter, so no stock cables were stripped that may void warranty.
On the video, @55sec, you will notice that all cables runs into the bike's frame (separate) channel, which is pretty cool , hides the cables & makes it neat.
Most of the things I hear from people are: 1. "That's a nice looking bike.". 2. "Is that an electric bike?" Unlike other ebikes, the controller and battery pack is pretty obvious.

 

[xllented]

Very nice, clean setup; wires look tidy and uncluttered. Great pics and video!

I ordered a pair of Gotham 26X1.75" Commuter tires (along with Mr. Tuffy Ultra tire liners) from Performance Bike (30% off this weekend!). I'll also be installing an existing 'Incredibell' and a Mirrcycle mirror when the bike arrives... Can't wait!

 

[Manny]

Wow, looks like you've got most of the stuffs you needed, even before your bike arrives.
I might pick up the incredibell too. I like the size of it.

I'm sure you're gonna love your new Prodeco bike. It actually looks even nicer than on pictures.
FYI, Prodeco now also sells an extra battery pack with bike rack, ready to install on for this XR model for added/extended range. You probably won't need it though.
I just saw this videos on Prodeco's YT channel:

Samsung SDI: https://chargedevs.com/newswire/samsung-unveils-new-higher-capacity-e-bike-battery-packs/

 

[Lance Smith]

Hi Manny, I am a "dual-sport" type of rider... I like to ride dirt/gravel/paved roads 60% of the time and mountain-bike trails the other 40%. Is the Prodeco suitable for a "real"" off-road trail experience? Front shock, weight, maneuverability all come into play off-road.

Thoughts?

Thanx, Lance

 

[xllented]

Hey Lance, the Phantom is suited for more light fire trail, bike trail, and street riding. It is very heavy at approximately 55lbs. While the aluminium frame is guaranteed for life and the welds look super clean; the owner's manual specifically states not to use the bike for 'hard' riding.... Best to look for a mountain bike specific e-bike (Yukon Voltbike?). Hope this helps.

Cheers, Ed

 

[Ann M.]

Actually, @xllented lets get facts straight-- The 500 watt Yukon, which is 100watts less than the Prodeco Tech bike weighs in at 60lbs according to Voltbike's website, 5 pounds heavier than the Prodeco Tech bike. The 350 watt Yukon is not real trail material; it's a great ebike but for light trails, no real power for climbing. I think both the Phantom X5 and Yukon 500 have good trail potential; however, 4" tires on the Yukon don't maneuver the same as a slightly more narrow tire does. The Fat Tire setup is good going over sand and big bumps in a straight line but you pay the price for the amount of tread on the ground.

 

[Manny]

Yes, the VoltBike Yukon is only 500Watts, compared to Prodeco XR which is 600Watts. Based on my wattmeter installed, my XR draws 650 to 680 watts (continuous) going uphill @ 16mph (electric only, no pedal), I'm 155lbs.
I could see the Yukon struggling, if it does not deliver more than 500watts on uphill, grass, sand, & weight. I hope that the VoltBike will also offer a 1000Watt motor in the future even if they increase the price a bit more.

Lance, with that "60%" & "40%" you mentioned, you might be on a wide open throttle mostly if you get the 500W Yukon. And with the Yukon's 10Amp battery capacity, it might not be enough for you. 48Volts is a plus on a flat ground, but it's still 500watts, which seems not enough when you need it.
I do think that what you need is a fatbike, but look into something that is not less than 700watts.
This is a post I found in this forum regarding the VoltBike 500W:
"i then took it up to the mountains to see how it would do on trails and up steep hills. well, it didn't do so well. i had to set the gearing to the easiest it would go and pedal like crazy with the throttle on full and it barely made it up a hill".
- http://electricbikereview.com/community/threads/i-bought-a-voltbike-yukon.2688/#post-37028

 

[John_V]

Hi Manny - I have a ProdecoTech Genesis R, V5. I mounted the same wattmeter as you show in the photos of your bike. Can you tell me where you got the mount for the wattmeter/how you mounted the wattmeter? Very cool bike, by the way. I too am enjoying mine immensely. Your posts here were of great help in installing my own wattmeter. I did just like you did and used Anderson connectors so I didn't have to cut into the bikes wiring at all.

 

[Manny]

Here is the mount that I used. I found it on eBay for $2.79 when I got mine:
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

- Modify/trim the holder as shown on the third picture
- make/cut rectangular plate (such as compact Disc). This will help your installation more solid.
- Open the Wattmeter case (two halves)
- Install the bottom half of the wattmeter case on your bike using the modified holder
- After mounting, install the rest (top) part of the wattmeter back together.

Here are some pictures...

 

[John_V]

Hi Manny -

Your mount for the watt meter is excellent. I just ordered one of those holders myself, to modify as you show in your diagram. I have been trying to think of a mount to use for the watt meter. Up until I saw your idea I was using a modified bicycle speedometer holder - but it didn't work well because it was too weak and would bounce a little during riding. Anyway this is my bike, the Genesis R V5. I think it is mechanically the same as your Phantom X. I've only had mine for about a week.

 

[Manny]

I used dremel tool to flatten the surface of the mount where the bottom surface of the wattmeter sits. I don't remember what material I used for the rectangular plate.

Nice bike. Prodeco is a well made eBike. I'm very happy with mine.

 

[John_V]

I'm very happy with my ProdecoTech bike as well. I really enjoy riding it around town. Mainly I ride it for fun, to explore different areas. The first time I rode it, I found myself wanting to go further and further, and turned back only because it was getting late. I agree, it is a very well made bike. I'd have to say, this bike is one of the best things I have purchased in a long time. I do have a different light than yours, a Niteye B10. I mounted it above the front tire, using a little piece of cork as a spacer. It works really well. The light is a traditional bike light with a separate battery pack, and also has a remote switch, so the high/low/on/off can be easily controlled from the handgrip. It has a very bright, wide beam, which I like.

 

[Manny]

My headlight is USB powered and connected parallel with the tail light's USB power line. The tail lights turns ON once the bike is on, so no more forgetting to turn it ON or OFF. All my lights are getting power from the bike's battery pack, USB output. I run the cables inside the frame, so they're hidden.

 

[John_V]

Hi Manny:

I've been completely enjoying riding my prodeco genesis. In fact the longer I own it the more fun I'm having! I did lose one of the little black plastic/rubber bolt covers that fits over the rear axle bolt. I don't have a rack yet for my car, so when I was laying it down in the back of my car it must have fallen off. The bolt takes an 18mm wrench - but I can't seem to easily find the proper size replacement bolt cover. Seems like the nearest I could find was 17mm plastic ones here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-M6-M8-M...hash=item43e7600e4d:m:mfZ5Ut5IxHDjEszUa_EoH-w

There are ones that will fit 17mm or 19mm ("spanner size"). But no 18mm. Any ideas where I could look. I wrote to ProdecoTech via their web page, but never heard anything back.

 

[J.R.]

Hi Manny:

I've been completely enjoying riding my prodeco genesis. In fact the longer I own it the more fun I'm having! I did lose one of the little black plastic/rubber bolt covers that fits over the rear axle bolt. I don't have a rack yet for my car, so when I was laying it down in the back of my car it must have fallen off. The bolt takes an 18mm wrench - but I can't seem to easily find the proper size replacement bolt cover. Seems like the nearest I could find was 17mm plastic ones here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-M6-M8-M...hash=item43e7600e4d:m:mfZ5Ut5IxHDjEszUa_EoH-w

There are ones that will fit 17mm or 19mm ("spanner size"). But no 18mm. Any ideas where I could look. I wrote to ProdecoTech via their web page, but never heard anything back.

John,

Did you try calling ProdecoTech in Florida and ask if they would send you the axle cover? When I had a few of spokes break on my Phantom X3, I called and spokes were sent to me right away. If you tell them the cover fell off, I suspect they would send you one for free. The nice thing about PT is that all the bikes are assembled in the U.S., so parts like that are readily available. Call on the phone though, I had no luck via electronic communication.

Phone: 800.943.6190

Good luck, glad you're enjoying the bike!