Purchased New Boomerang Platinums Today

[Eu224]

After 350 miles on my Boomerang (not the Platinum edition) I do NOT feel any frame flex. I saw Court's review and did not get the impression he noted "LOTS of frame flex". Nor do I have a problem with the weight of the battery on the rear rack. 20 mph is fast enough for me. I ride for pleasure and to enjoy the scenery. I'm not in a race. "For hundreds less, one could get something like..." yes there is always something that costs less, and in some people's opinion is "better".

Agree. Same here! After watching several years worth of Court's excellent reviews there are some things he emphasizes. Frame flex and placement of kickstand are two of his foot stompers. After 50 years of bike riding I've never encountered frame flex problems and I've learned to live with kickstands whereever they are on the bike.

 

[Eu224]

Here are our new Boomerang Platinums:

View attachment 94034

We have the extended lengh ramp which is needed because our rack sits a bit higher on the back of our small motorhome. It takes a bit of practice to keep both tires in the ramp as you push up the bike. Yes, I put the 26" on the inside, however the weight difference between the 26" and 24" is minimal. The first bike (on the inside of the rack) I position the handlebrs left as I face the rack, mostly so there's no clearance problem with the rooftop ladder on the right side of the back of the motorhome. The 24" bike then goes on in the opposite direction. When rolling it into place I find I need to lean it toward me to clear the pedals against the first bike. I connect the clamps to the bike frame tube that runs from the seat down to the pedals (on both bikes). It takes a bit of practice to find the positioning that works best. Once I found the proper placement for the clamp rods I made a small mark with a paint pen where the clamp rods need to be positioned, making it easier next time they're loaded. I hope this long-winded description helps. Glad to share my advice.

Hi darksky,

We loaded 2 Boomerang Platinums on Easyfold XT 2 rack for first time today using your suggestions. Rack is well built. Takes experimenting to align bikes with clamp rods for good fit and to figure out where to put pedals so they don't hit the other bike. We ended up rod clamping to the thick front frame tube which comes down from the handlebars. Used a silver Sharpee to mark clamp rod positions. Out of caution and for first use we also used extra tie down straps we use on kayak rack to secure bike frame to the rack bar on which the clamp rods connect. Total of 30 minutes to get bikes loaded, secured, and ready for travel. We found the short load ramp useless and found it much easier for two people to load bikes by simply lifting from the ground up onto to the rack platform. May still get an extended ramp though they are on multi-month back order everywhere.

Drove about 15 miles to favorite bike path and had a great time. Loading to come home took about 5 minutes now that we've broken the code on this rack. Gotta say, we love this Thule rack. It attaches easily and securely to vehicle, is strong enough for ebikes (minus batteries), and doesn't sway much if at all during travel. Best of all for us, having limited stoage space, it folds up and takes up about 1/4 of the space of a normal hitch rack.

Thanks again for your advice.

 

[darksky]

Hi darksky,
We loaded 2 Boomerang Platinums on Easyfold XT 2 rack for first time today using your suggestions.

Glad to hear it's working well for you. Thanks for the follow up.

 

[reed scott]

Glad to hear it's working well for you. Thanks for the follow up.

Thanks for the pics. How about some off the car rack ... and perhaps separately.

 

[Eu224]

Thanks for the pics. How about some off the car rack ... and perhaps separately.

New Pedego Boomerang Platinums (24 and 26 inch): Mirrycle mirror + Toppeak MTS Trunk Bag, both of which I really like. Sorry, photos not up the quality of some on forum but it is 100 degree hot and we'd just tested them on the Thule rack. Note the adjustable handlebars, something which allows us to easily change so we can fit these beasts to our needs. I've mastic taped the inside of the chain guards where they get close to chain and that has reduced noise of chain knocking on chain guard when going over bike path cracks and bumps. It's something Court also noticed during test over grass and bumpy paths.

After riding normal road and hybrid bikes for decades these do require a short period of acclimation. Gotta quit knocking chain guard with shoe when getting on and off. I also keep starting to lift my leg over the back of the bike to get on and off until I remember where I am. Age related muscle memory!

 

[Eu224]

Boomerang Platinum and Thule Easyfold XT Bike Rack Impressions (1 month):

Thought I'd give a short list of impressions, not really a review, after riding these bikes a few times. I won't reiterate what Court said in his review, which I agree with, unless I think it needs emphasis.

24 Inch Boomerang Platinum:

1. Well suited for 5'5", 145lb wife. She also likes that it is lighter weight than 26 inch Boomerang. Very low step thru frame is exactly right for her...gives her confidence and feeling of stability.
2. Chain hitting chain guard over bumpy path but not on normal paved surfaces is a nuisance and doesn't happen on my 26 inch Boomerang. Maybe dealer can do something.
3. Lots of motor torque to get her going. Wife prefers torque pedal assist versus cadence assist after a few rides testing them.
4. Apart from chain hitting chain guard occasionally, bike is rock solid and very quiet. No rattles or any other sounds when riding. Motor emits a soft whir while operating.
5. She can easily pedal, if necessary, with no motor assist in lowest of ten gears over most terrain including some hills. 10 speeds really helps.
6. She's still dialing in handlebar and seat position and has yet to find the right riding position for her. She normally used road or hybrid bikes so using an upright takes time to adapt to.

26 Inch Boomerang Platinum:

1. I'm 5'10", 200 lbs with knee joint leg lift and bend disability so it's well suited for me. Being able to mount/dismount without swinging entire leg over bike is a godsend.
2. Plenty of power for my needs. I've been using it in PAS 1-2 and using 10 speed shifter (usually 5th gear and below) which is working great.
3. Bike is rock solid and built like a tank. Very stable when riding. I have absolutely no rattles, jitter, chain guard knocking, detectable "flexy frame", or any other sounds over paved and well packed gravel roads and paths.
4. Really like the Deore 10 speed system along with shifters on handlebars. These work great and shifting is quick and precise.
5. Front suspension fork is adjustable and works well for me. I can dial in the amount of front suspension give and take with knob on rightside of fork. I can also lock the fork when on paved roads.
6. Suspension seat is just okay. It's hard to tell it's working and not much different than my non-suspension seat bike.
7. Advised to keep tire pressure at 50lbs and this seems about right though I may reduce it a bit to soften the ride.
8. Ebike controls and display work well. Controls are simple to use, i.e., PAS, lights, settings, and USB port activation. Display is easy to read in direct sunlight. We normally ride with lights on so the backlighting is also on when lights are and useful when riding in shaded areas.
9. Few times I've used the throttle it works well and allows adjustment of how much power I need. Small twist yields light acceleration; twist all the way and it accelerates hard off the line.
10. I've found a good riding position using the adjustable handlebars and seat.

Thule Easyfold XT Rack Impressions:

1. Amazingly small footprint for storage which was at top of our list.
2. Easy to install on Lexus RX-350 with two inch bike hitch. Very secure once instructions followed for mounting. Easy access to trunk with or without bikes loaded.
3. Bike loading takes time to initially get right to avoid bike pedals scratching other bike frame. Bikes mount very close together so this is critical to safe and effective bike transport.
A. Front and rear wheel hold down straps must be cinched very tight to avoid bike movement which could dislodge or break frame clamp rods.
B. We also purchased these straps from Amazon which attach to frame and front wheel to keep front wheel from moving around due to wind and rough roads.
(1) Ubenic Bike Rack Strap 29.5 / 24'' Bike Wheel Strap with Buckle Gel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HZ78F1C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
4. Still don't totally trust Thule's clamp rods for securing bikes so we use additional kayak hold down straps between bike frame and main securing bar for rod clamps.
5. No built-in locking cable as some other racks have. We carry a cable and padlock to secure bikes to rack but don't intend to leave bikes on rack unobserved.
6. Bike ramp useless for our needs. Wife lifts front and I lift back to put bikes up onto loading platform. Easy done.
7. Small amount of rack and bike movement during travel but nothing I'd be concerned about having hauled bikes on racks for years.
8. Overall very pleased with this rack for these bikes.

 

[darksky]

Could you please post photo(s) of #4 (Still don't totally trust Thule's clamp rods for securing bikes so we use additional kayak hold down straps between bike frame and main securing bar for rod clamps)
Could the stramp you mentioned (Ubenic Bike Rack Strap 29.5 / 24'' Bike Wheel Strap with Buckle Gel) be used for this purpose?
Thanks

 

[6zfshdb]

Agree. Same here! After watching several years worth of Court's excellent reviews there are some things he emphasizes. Frame flex and placement of kickstand are two of his foot stompers. After 50 years of bike riding I've never encountered frame flex problems and I've learned to live with kickstands whereever they are on the bike.

In re-reading this thread, I came across your 2 week old post which mentions the kickstand placement on the Boomerang. My Platinum Interceptor has the same kickstand. Both models tend to be rear heavy with the rear rack battery and the bikes can tip over if the kickstand isn't placed properly.

I discovered a simple fix for this which in my case, solves the balance issue completely. The problem is, the OEM Pedego kickstand swings too far forward when deployed. It provides little support for weight on the rear of the bike. I found by adding a 3/16" thick aluminum shim to the mechanism, the kickstand touches the ground about 4" further to the rear. This makes a huge difference in balancing the rear heavy bike.

Unmodified


With shim


I cut a piece of 1" aluminum angle as shown and screwed it to the kickstand frame. I used a screw so it could be removed if the experiment didn't work out. It worked so well that used epoxy to hold the shim in place on my other two Interceptors.


The shim does not affect the way the kickstand retracts and otherwise operates normally.

 

[Eu224]

Could you please post photo(s) of #4 (Still don't totally trust Thule's clamp rods for securing bikes so we use additional kayak hold down straps between bike frame and main securing bar for rod clamps)
Could the stramp you mentioned (Ubenic Bike Rack Strap 29.5 / 24'' Bike Wheel Strap with Buckle Gel) be used for this purpose?
Thanks

Hi darksky,
The hold down straps, as configured, are too long as you might see in the photos and must be wrapped several times around the bike frame and rack bar to which the rod clamps connect. I intend to cut them down to a more manageable length and wrap them around the bike frame and bar a couple times. After cutting them, I use a lighter to slightly heat the end of the strap so it doesn't unthread. Also the Ubenic straps and buckle are not strong enough in my opinion to hold the bikes securely should the clamp rods fail. Good enough to keep front fork and wheel from getting wobbly but not strong enough to keep bikes tightly attached to rack should clamp rods fail.

Here are hold down straps on Amazon similar to what I'm using: https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-85243...ywords=hold+down+straps&qid=1627850284&sr=8-8

With 200lb working load limit and 600lb breaking strength they provide a fail-safe backup to the clamp rods and are easy to put on and remove. I'm also still experimenting with best pedal position for transport. I'm now putting both pedals near bottom so they go thru the lowest part of the step-thru frame. Bikes are a very tight fit on Thule Rack but once mounted correctly the system works very well.

 

[darksky]

Eu224:
Thanks for the photos and the info. I have some buckle straps like those which I used for securing a canoe to my roof rack years ago. I'll consider using them as an extra safety measure.

 

[Eu224]

In re-reading this thread, I came across your 2 week old post which mentions the kickstand placement on the Boomerang. My Platinum Interceptor has the same kickstand. Both models tend to be rear heavy with the rear rack battery and the bikes can tip over if the kickstand isn't placed properly.

I discovered a simple fix for this which in my case, solves the balance issue completely. The problem is, the OEM Pedego kickstand swings too far forward when deployed. It provides little support for weight on the rear of the bike. I found by adding a 3/16" thick aluminum shim to the mechanism, the kickstand touches the ground about 4" further to the rear. This makes a huge difference in balancing the rear heavy bike.

Unmodified
View attachment 95070

With shim
View attachment 95069

I cut a piece of 1" aluminum angle as shown and screwed it to the kickstand frame. I used a screw so it could be removed if the experiment didn't work out. It worked so well that used epoxy to hold the shim in place on my other two Interceptors.
View attachment 95072 View attachment 95073

The shim does not affect the way the kickstand retracts and otherwise operates normally.

Thanks. Very interesting. I do see what you mean about the kickstand. I'll look at this mod. Did this require drilling into the kickstand to get the screw in?

 

[Eu224]

The Joy of Boomerang Hanging:

Frankly, I don't think ebikes are meant to be hoisted and hung from the ceiling but we have little choice. We have a townhouse with two car garage and not alot of storage space. Into this garage are shoehorned two cars, two kayaks, a foldup kayak trailer, lots of tools, years of stuff, and many hanging things. We hang our 30lb hybrid bikes by their tire rims upside down from large hooks screwed into the joints of our garage ceiling. They've lived happily there for several years so why not our Boomerangs? We'd just swap them out. Once we thought about it, hanging Boomerangs upside down was gonna be a really dumb idea. Fitting Boomerangs onto this ceiling menagerie was going to be a challenge.

The existing hooks are a non-starter. Not smart and not safe! What to do? We've used GearUp hoists to hang kayaks for years and they are heavy duty capable of lifting over a 100lbs. They are not the $15-$25 inexpensive bike hoists you find on Amazon. So, we bought two for our Boomerangs not really knowing if they'd work. But we're always up for a DIY challenge.

Now to the important stuff:

1. SAFETY...SAFETY...SAFETY. Like I was taught when learning to fly, gravity and the ground conspire to ruin your day. A falling 55lb bike or 55lb bail of hay is gonna break anything under it...like a car.

2. Several things we considered are unique to hanging ebikes; especially Boomerangs:

A. These beasts are heavier than normal bikes; components used to hang them must be heavy duty.
B. These beasts are full of electric wires, hydraulic brake lines, shifter wires, connectors and other electric stuff. Snag one of these while hoisting and we earn a visit to Pedego for a repair.
C. Boomerang adjustable handlebars and Thudbuster seats don't like to carry 50lbs of bike using normal bike hoist hooks attached to them. Confirmed this with our dealer who just shook his head. He said, "these bikes are not meant to fly".
D. Boomerangs have a weird center-of-gravity. Means three-fourths of bike weight is carried by rear hoist bracket, hooks, and straps.

3. Measure then re-measure at what point on the bike the hoisting hooks are going to lift. In tight spaces everything depends on getting this right. Figure out where on the ceiling to mount brackets.

4. Hoist ceiling brackets are screwed securely into ceiling joints with heavy duty screws to hold Boomerangs. Most inexpensive bike hoists come with cheap screws. We use 2.5 inch long heavy duty hex lag bolts/screws from Home Depot. Using a stud finder to ascertain the middle of the joist on a drywall ceiling is an art...an art I haven't mastered but managed to muddle through.

A. Correctly securing ceiling brackets is a foot stomper. Get this wrong and the whole contraption can collapse.

5. GearUP hoists work for us. They mount securely, easily carry Boomerang weight, and have excellent pullys and pully rope jaws to assure the bikes stay where we hang them.

6. Determining how to hang Boomerangs on bike hoist hooks without destroying the bike is a bit of an engineering project. It took several tries to find a solution.

A. I purchased from Amazon Soft Loop Tie-Down Straps, 18in long, with a 3600lb break strength. I looped these through key bike frame structural points where they wouldn't interfere or touch any wiring during lifting. They'd not overly stress or mar the finish of the bike frame. Two straps on the back and two on the front added support and balance to the bike during lift.
B. Not sure this Rube Goldberg contraption would work so I attached additional hold down straps from the existing bike hooks to the Boomerang frame along with some other lines.

7. It works. As you can see. Both Boomerangs now hang securely and safely...we hope.

8. Not easy and not for the faint of heart. Afterall, these are very expensive hanging ornaments.

9. Yes, two SUVs fit in. One under the bikes.

 

[6zfshdb]

Thanks. Very interesting. I do see what you mean about the kickstand. I'll look at this mod. Did this require drilling into the kickstand to get the screw in?

Yes, I drilled and tapped the hole to accept the screw. I did the first of my 3 bikes that way to be able to remove the shim in case the mod didn't work out. On my other 2 bikes, I used gorilla glue to hold the shim in place. The glue works equally well.

 

[Eu224]

Bike to Bike Communications:

For folks wondering how to better communicate between riders on your Pedegos, I recommend Sena Intercom bike helmets. We own two Sena R1s. We've used them on our road bikes for a couple years and they work great with our Pedegos. We got tired of shouting to be heard while riding. These helmets solve alot of problems.

Why We Like Them:

1. Bike to Bike intercom (via strong Bluetooth) without need for pushing buttons to speak. Secure bluetooth communications system doesn't use overloaded public radio frequencies.
2. Connects to iPhone and intercom simultaneously.
3. Built in FM Radio.
4. Dual speakers and mic in helmet don't impede maintaining listening situational awareness as earphones do.
5.. Range to about 600' line-of-sight. Buildings and trees between bikes reduce range. Strictly a line-of-sight communications device like handheld 2-way radios.
6. Allow us to instantly communicate to other rider hazards, restrictions, other bikers coming and going, pedestrians, etc.
7. Great for exchanging location on busy winding bike paths.
8. Sound quality is good -- not great -- but no hiss, crackling or other typical 2-way radio interference.
9. Built-in rechargeable batteries last for about six hours.

 

[6zfshdb]

For folks wondering how to better communicate between riders on your Pedegos, I recommend Sena Intercom bike helmets. We own two Sena R1s. We've used them on our road bikes for a couple years and they work great with our Pedegos. We got tired of shouting to be heard while riding. These helmets solve alot of problems.

Why We Like Them:

1. Bike to Bike intercom (via strong Bluetooth) without need for pushing buttons to speak. Secure bluetooth communications system doesn't use overloaded public radio frequencies.
2. Connects to iPhone and intercom simultaneously.
3. Built in FM Radio.
4. Dual speakers and mic in helmet don't impede maintaining listening situational awareness as earphones do.
5.. Range to about 600' line-of-sight. Buildings and trees between bikes reduce range. Strictly a line-of-sight communications device like handheld 2-way radios.
6. Allow us to instantly communicate to other rider hazards, restrictions, other bikers coming and going, pedestrians, etc.
7. Great for exchanging location on busy winding bike paths.
8. Sound quality is good -- not great -- but no hiss, crackling or other typical 2-way radio interference.
9. Built-in rechargeable batteries last for about six hours.

A few of us here use the Sena helmets. Here are couple of other threads on the subject:

Bike To Bike Communication

Almost any product used to communicate while biking is better than riding two abreast or yelling over your shoulder. My wife and I now use simple FRS walkie talkies worn around our necks. This requires taking one hand off the handlebar to push to talk which my wife finds risky. Also, the wind...

electricbikereview.com

Helmet comms

When we ride together it’s really tough to talk back and forth. I did a general search and saw helmets with mic and speakers built in . One company mentioned was Sena. Has anyone used a helmet system and have any recommendations?

electricbikereview.com

Solution for bike-to-bike communication?

Amazon has the Sena X1 in Grey and Medium sized only for $168 versus $349 for the other colors and sizes. Out of stock but you can order for future delivery. My least favorite of the colors but then that's why they're almost half off...

electricbikereview.com

 

[darksky]

For folks wondering how to better communicate between riders on your Pedegos, I recommend Sena Intercom bike helmets. We own two Sena R1s. We've used them on our road bikes for a couple years and they work great with our Pedegos. We got tired of shouting to be heard while riding. These helmets solve alot of problems.

How much does using a Sena helmet run your phone battery down? And, Is any data used when operating these helmets?

 

[6zfshdb]

How much does using a Sena helmet run your phone battery down? And, Is any data used when operating these helmets?

The Sena helmets have their own internal rechargeable batteries and do not affect the phone battery they are paired with. They also do not use any data except when used to make a hands free phone call. A smartphone is not necessary to use the helmet to helmet intercom.

 

[Eu224]

The Sena helmets have their own internal rechargeable batteries and do not affect the phone battery they are paired with. They also do not use any data except when used to make a hands free phone call. A smartphone is not necessary to use the helmet to helmet intercom.

Totally concur. When our iPhone XS is paired to our Sena R1s (via bluetooth) we see no more drain on our iPhone battery than if it's connected to any other bluetooth device. I'd add that if we choose to send music or podcasts via bluetooth to our Sena R1s to listen while riding we will use phone plan data and drain the iPhone battery a little faster just as if we are using the iPhone to send music to a wireless bluetooth powered speaker.

We see the most drain when we use our iPhone XS mounted on the handlebars for GPS navigation using a bike navigation app or Google Maps with the screen always on. In this case we normally need to use either an external USB battery or plug the iPhone into the Pedego's USB power outlet located below the display panel.

 

[Eu224]

TWO ISSUES FIXED IMMEDIATELY:

We were ebiking near our Pedego dealer on the beautiful Mount Vernon Trail near D.C. this past weekend and stopped by to see if he could help with two minor issues on our Boomerang Platinums. He and his mechanic dropped what they were doing and provided immediate fixes. These issues are not show stoppers but minor irritants.

1. I've mentioned previously the 24 inch Boomerang experienced what sounds like a bit of chain rattling against the chain guard over bumps. Doesn't occur on the 26 inch ebike. The mechanic fixed this quickly by repositioning the chain guard slightly, coating the inside of the chain guard with something, and ensuring the chain was tight and within specs. No more rattle. Court also found on his test ride and Pedego will fix it if it bothers you. Now, this bike rides almost dead silent over smooth and bumpy surfaces except for the low whine of the motor.

2. My 26 inch Boomerang Platinum developed a slight clicking noise coming from the bottom bracket crank axle area when applying moderate pressure to the pedals. It doesn't happen when pedals are turned slowly, i.e., when using higher PAS or when using Throttle only. My dealer duplicated this and replaced the torque sensor spindle inside the axle with a new spindle. This is a self-contained spindle with bearings inside and wiring coming out to the controller. It's all modular and took about an hour to replace. Again, they dropped everything else to assist us. Now the 26 inch Boomerang rides almost dead silent like the 24 inch model.

Considering how complex ebikes and their associated systems seem to us, having a local bike shop is essential. I'm not sure how these would have been handled by an online order company or a bike shop not specializing in our model of ebike or having specialized parts on hand. It's likely we'd just have to live with these issues or have a long wait to get them fixed.

 

[Eu224]

UPDATE: We just passed 100 miles and had our first bike checkup. This 100 mile checkup is free. Wife's Pedego Boomerang Platinum remains in excellent shape and she's really happy with it. My larger Boomerang Platinum, which I'm very happy with, required a full torque sensor replacement. I earlier posted that I had a clicking sound coming from the peddle area and took the bike in after a few miles to get it fixed. They worked on the torque sensor spindle and it stopped clicking...for a while. It started again and while not bad or affecting performance I had them replace the torque sensor at 100 miles. That cleared up the issue and the bike is absolutely silent except for the slight whine of the motor. Except for the torque sensor replacement this bike is in excellent condition.

We've ridden our bikes for a couple months now and have them dialed in for our riding style and conditions. We normally ride in PAS 1 and 2 at from 11 to 14 mph cruising speeds. Remember, we're in our 70s and that's plenty fast for our bones. The motor gets us up some very steep hills, especially those on the Prince William Forest National Park, Virginia, 8 mile paved bike circuit. This park has a few very steep inclines. Roadies use this circuit for pro training. We love it for its' beauty and fine biking trails. This park has the steepest hills we've encountered. We've managed the steepest inclines in PAS 2 with a little pedal effort. These bikes have enough power with plenty in reserve.

We've had no other issues than that I've mentioned. These are solid, stable, comfortable bikes. We continue to receive first class support from our Pedego dealer in Alexandria, Virginia. We would buy them again over other ebikes we considered. Why? Good reliable bikes with exceptional local bike shop support!