Recreational rider's first 100 miles on the Zen Photon – a detailed review

[Ravi Kempaiah]

One of the few items that my wife dislikes about her new Photon is the grips, or more specifically the fact that a bar end mirror can't be added to the stock Photon grips and putting a bar mirror on the bike is near impossible, because the throttle and display take up the bar spaced needed to mount the mirror (another reason to go with a center mounted display).
It's a minor thing, but something that Zen should think about upgrading/changing on future Photon bikes.

Our photon E-bike customers are very creative. This is from a gentleman in Vancouver and he has installed mirrors and customized to his liking. It’s very easy to add mirrors and change grips.

 

[AvalancheRun]

the noise factor has demonstrated itself to be a little bit of a bummer. I can hear the motor quite distinctly at any speed under 15mph. Beyond that speed, wind noise starts to overtake it, but I won't sugar coat it, any close proximity to a pedestrian or fellow biker at any speed will reveal your motor-powered status. To be fair, Zen's motor is spec'd with 100% higher nominal wattage (500W vs. 250W) and 33% more torque (120Nm vs. 90Nm) than say a typical Bosch offering, but in the field, I question whether actual performance of a 250W Bosch motor would differ as much as these numbers might suggest. The problem is, this being my first ebike, I have no reference point to stand on regarding larger class motors. Perhaps the Photon's noise level is on par with other brand motors exceeding 250 nominal watts???

It's pretty normal. Bosch Performance Line Speed (class 3) and CX (class 1), are definitely not quiet, see this example. Those motors have 85 nm of torque, and some unknown peak wattage (higher than 500).
Their Active Line (50 nm) is very quiet, and Performance Line (75) is fairly quiet. All of them are blown away by the quietness of Specialized Brose in the full size Vados (50-90 nm).

In my experience, every e-bike outside of the Specialized Brose (and probably the TQ) makes noticeable noise. With time you can learn to ignore it.

 

[gladiataar]

It's pretty normal. Bosch Performance Line Speed (class 3) and CX (class 1), are definitely not quiet, see this example. Those motors have 85 nm of torque, and some unknown peak wattage (higher than 500).
Their Active Line (50 nm) is very quiet, and Performance Line (75) is fairly quiet. All of them are blown away by the quietness of Specialized Brose in the full size Vados (50-90 nm).

In my experience, every e-bike outside of the Specialized Brose (and probably the TQ) makes noticeable noise. With time you can learn to ignore it.

Thank you for this feedback regarding the motor noise factor. "Noise" is so subjective. I'm glad someone chimed in about the topic and hope others -- especially fellow Photon owners -- share their opinions as well. It would give readers of this thread a much better feel for where on the noise scale the Photon motor actually is, seeing that it's really one of the very few dings I gave this bike. And keep in mind, this is my first ebike, so I'm not exactly sure what a typical high-torque (>80nm) 500+ watt motor sounds like.

Watching the linked video you provided, I will say that the tone is very similar to what I hear when riding the Photon. Maybe the Photon being not quite as loud. In this video, Court has pedal assist cranked up to 5, and my rides are almost exclusively on pedal assist 1-2, so that may explain some of the discrepancy.

I'm in full agreement with your assessment of the Bosch motors' noise levels. I test drove a couple of Gazelles. One with Active Line (very quiet) and one with Perfomance Line (fairly quiet). The Specialized I test drove had these goofy, proprietary, unadjustable handlebars that I detested, but on the plus side, the Brose motor was practically undetectable. Anyway, that's all I had to compare to, and is the reference line I used to base my review of the Photon.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The Specialized I test drove had these goofy, proprietary, unadjustable handlebars that I detested,

A Como?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

mirrors that stuck out far enough to see past my shoulders,..

If the mirror is installed inverted, that is, below the handlebars, you do not need to see past your shoulders...

I have to completely unbolt them to fold them out of the way to get them through my doorway.

That's the bad thing about mirrors that project outside.

Wrong.

Correct.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Our photon E-bike customers are very creative. This is from a gentleman in Vancouver and he has installed mirrors and customized to his liking. It’s very easy to add mirrors and change grips.

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I don't understand the logic of your post. Are you saying that I have to purchase a new handlebar so I can install a mirror?
The Photon is new and I'm sure you'll make changes to the bike as you get feedback from people who have purchased your product, but showing me a way to solve the mirror problem by buying a new handlebar makes no sense to me.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

I don't understand the logic of your post. Are you saying that I have to purchase a new handlebar so I can install a mirror?
The Photon is new and I'm sure you'll make changes to the bike as you get feedback from people who have purchased your product, but showing me a way to solve the mirror problem by buying a new handlebar makes no sense to me.

Hi Ron,
It's easy to attach the Hafny mirror to existing handlebars. See an illustrative image below.
We have done this to a few customers already. Depending on the position, a small rubber pad between the handlebar and the mirror would keep the mirror very secure. You can also install Ergon grips and use bar end mirrors.
So, in summary,

• Install Hafny mirror on the existing handlebar
• Install Ergon grips and use the bar end mirrors
• We will be placing orders for Hafny mirrors and let us know if we can help.

 

[juggernaut]

It's pretty normal. Bosch Performance Line Speed (class 3) and CX (class 1), are definitely not quiet, see this example. Those motors have 85 nm of torque, and some unknown peak wattage (higher than 500).
Their Active Line (50 nm) is very quiet, and Performance Line (75) is fairly quiet. All of them are blown away by the quietness of Specialized Brose in the full size Vados (50-90 nm).

In my experience, every e-bike outside of the Specialized Brose (and probably the TQ) makes noticeable noise. With time you can learn to ignore it.

The sound of that motor is nothing like the Ananda motor in my e-bike, which is barely audible.

 

[AvalancheRun]

The sound of that motor is nothing like the Ananda motor in my e-bike, which is barely audible.

Oh I consider that Speed motor to be annoying. What bike is that Ananda being used in?

 

[juggernaut]

Oh I consider that Speed motor to be annoying. What bike is that Ananda being used in?

Australian distributed Earth e-bikes.