Say Hello To Storm

What is encouraging is that the bottle battery, while inexpensive, is being mated to a small motor.. So the battery only has to discharge at 1C to support the motor full load...

Hopefully the owners have learned the mistakes of all the other designs, and will provide a quality controller that will slowly ramp up power when full throttle is applied.. This is known as a "soft start".. It reduces acceleration but it saves the controller from overheating.
 
biknut said:
In this video the founder, Strom Sondors claims a range of 20 to 25 miles.

http://techcrunch.com/2015/02/01/th...52_808646202505127_808646202505127#ToPCdu:tC2

Every eBike company I've seen makes optimistic claims. Maybe riding at 10 mph it might go 30 miles.
Click to expand...

For an offroad bike like this I would have just said to expect one hour of riding fun. Upward of 20 miles.. Since the motor is so small and the tires are so wide, you will on full throttle all the time... That comes out to one hour.

Better to underpromise and overdeliver.
 
They've really picked up on the fat tire trend. And really clever marketing, but if they're selling the bike for $500 then it has to cost them a lot less than that to make, thus some questions about real quality. Just checked the OptiBike website and that is a 37V 10.5ah LiIon battery, but no manufacturer's info. on the battery so can't compare it to the Storm's battery. Both batteries are coming from China and there are many makers there of the same waterbottle style battery casing. Knowing what brand of LiIon cells are inside will tell a lot more about the quality. Nice weight distribution and eye catching design with all the electronics tucked away.
 
At this point the claims are really beside the point. the real story here is the overwhelming response. No one is claiming this bike is more than a entry level bike, and yet look at the response. They're taking in thousands of dollars a minute. No one expected this to happen, I doubt even the founders. They were only hoping for $75,000 to get started.

Does anyone think investors aren't seeing this and chomping at the bit? Consider this. In America this is considered an entry level bike, but in most of Europe, and Australia this bike would be illegally over powered, and has too high a top speed. In a lot of country's 250w, and 15 mph is the rule.
 
Wow, the Storm has really blown up... Thanks for all of the great links and thoughts on this guys. I might have to jump on the band wagon and buy one to thoroughly review ;)

What we know:
  • Motor is a 380 watt gearless direct drive (though there have been some references to 350 watt and the motor in the video at the start of this thread looks much larger than the one in the photos of the Indiegogo campaign. A gearless motor offers lower torque than geared and is usually heavier.
  • Battery is a Lithium-ion 36 volt ~10.55 ah and weighs 2.5 kg ~5.5 lbs (no branding for cell manufacturer as @Ann M. pointed out.
  • Steel frame (reduces vibration, usually heavier than aluminum, may rust but shouldn't compromise frame integrity)
  • Throttle mode only (range may suffer and finger/wrist may fatigue vs. pedal assist)
  • Single speed (simple, requiring fewer tuneups and dropping less frequently, difficult to start from rest, not as efficient for climbing or reaching higher speeds)
What we think:
  • 180 mm mechanical disc brakes with Zoom calipers based on photos (the Yahoo guy said hydraulic but maybe that's just the prototype? The pictures who mechanical)
  • Lower quality Lithium-ion cells that may get ~500 full cycles vs. ~1,000
  • No bottle cage or rear rack mounting points, may be able to fit fenders from Surface 604 like these but will have to customize
  • Large plastic box for storing elicit substances while riding to the beach to chill with homies
I had an hour long phone conversation with someone about this bike today before thoroughly reviewing the post myself on Indiegogo and wanted to share a few things we discussed.
  • I love the awareness this campaign creates for ebikes in general but am a bit concerned about how it might erode perceived value in other models which cost more. Those higher costs go towards demoing, fitting and servicing which also helps the ebike movement.
  • I question the delivery timeframe given past crowdfunding (see Copenhagen Wheel). The website says "Manufacturing begins March 15th, shipping begins May 1st and delivery is estimated at May" so hopefully everything goes smooth at the ports.
  • I question the warranty and support... is there a warranty? it's nice to know that shipping will be less than $194 but if there's an issue, will that also cost $100+ to deal with if you have to send the bike back? Can you send the bike back?!
  • Does it really weigh just 45 lbs... with the battery too? That's what they say but I find it difficult to believe given the steel frame and fat tires. For comparison, here are all of the fat bikes I've reviewed to date with weight listed on the 29th line a bit down. The lightest bike I've reviewed in this category is the $5,800 race-inspired 48 lb Felt Lebowske. This bike claims to be lighter than the lightest fat e-bike available in the US right now from what I can tell.
  • Will 380 watts of gearless motor power be enough torque for sand/snow? Does it matter?!
  • What's the quality of the battery cells? Replacing the Bosch Powerpack 400 is $900... Replacing an Easy Motion battery is $600+ varying by model... Replacing a polaris battery is $800 so what is the quality of the cells used on the Storm if it only costs ~$180?
  • Is the savings worth the trade off in format and weight? I'm reminded of something my grandpa taught me... t's not a good deal if it's not something you actually need. The storm will take up a lot of space and likely perform at a mediocre level, it's a great price but is it something you need? Would that same $500 be better spent towards a city or mountain bike from a local dealer that would get more use, be portable and last longer?
  • The marketing feels... a bit slick to me "The Storm eBike battery can also be charged by solar power for those of you feeling extra green!" I feel like I'm being talked down to... anything electric can be charged by solar :/ "The upgraded thumb throttle..." Upgraded?? Upgraded from what? Who are they talking to here?!
  • Why is most of the post done with images instead of text, this makes it very difficult to search on page, reference via search engine or interpret for screen readers for disabled visitors.
If I was not running EBR I would probably not buy the Storm at this time because:
  • I don't ride on sand or snow very often and I'm not sure this bike would handle it very well, especially if the sand is near a salty beach. that said... This thing is basically disposable at $500, which makes me kind of sad for the people who make it in Asia.
  • Fat tires and tubes are more expensive to fix and replace than traditional, going to be a sad day when you get a flat and try to lug it to the local shop because...
  • No quick release on wheels... big giant wheels that might not fit easily in my car for that ride at the beach or that fix at the shop
  • One speed for a fat bike just doesn't seem like enough, even if it is the world's lightest fat ebike
  • I'd feel like a tool riding it around because it just doesn't look that cool... but at least I wouldn't be poor :D
Lots to think about here, given the single speed drivetrain and gearless motor there shouldn't be too many issues with the bike. The replacement batteries are so inexpensive, hopefully they stay available and cheap in a year or two. Even if it only gets a 10 mile range, that's still enough for fun and short errands and with a couple hours of charging it should be at or above 70% (they claim it would be 100% at this point). In short, I feel like they're stretching the truth on this bike and being overly promotional unnecessarily. The bike appears to be solid at that price as a crappy single speed fatty. Get it and forget it, let it rust and enjoy it in the sand or loan it to your friend. Who cares if it gets dinged at the bike rack or stolen eventually? You could buy three of these (with shipping) for the price of most regular ebikes. It makes me uneasy and reminds me of the bikes from Big Cat which also used steel frames and weighted a lot more (the Phantom and Long Beach Cruiser weigh ~70 lbs!). I hope the bike isn't creating too many negative externalities or gray costs and I hope these thoughts help someone :)
 
Court said:
Wow, the Storm has really blown up... Thanks for all of the great links and thoughts on this guys. I might have to jump on the band wagon and buy one to thoroughly review ;)

What we know:
  • Motor is a 380 watt gearless direct drive (though there have been some references to 350 watt and the motor in the video at the start of this thread looks much larger than the one in the photos of the Indiegogo campaign. A gearless motor offers lower torque than geared and is usually heavier.
  • Battery is a Lithium-ion 36 volt ~10.55 ah and weighs 2.5 kg ~5.5 lbs (no branding for cell manufacturer as @Ann M. pointed out.
  • Steel frame (reduces vibration, usually heavier than aluminum, may rust but shouldn't compromise frame integrity)
  • Throttle mode only (range may suffer and finger/wrist may fatigue vs. pedal assist)
  • Single speed (simple, requiring fewer tuneups and dropping less frequently, difficult to start from rest, not as efficient for climbing or reaching higher speeds)
What we think:
  • 180 mm mechanical disc brakes with Zoom calipers based on photos (the Yahoo guy said hydraulic but maybe that's just the prototype? The pictures who mechanical)
  • Lower quality Lithium-ion cells that may get ~500 full cycles vs. ~1,000
  • No bottle cage or rear rack mounting points, may be able to fit fenders from Surface 604 like these but will have to customize
  • Large plastic box for storing elicit substances while riding to the beach to chill with homies
I had an hour long phone conversation with someone about this bike today before thoroughly reviewing the post myself on Indiegogo and wanted to share a few things we discussed.
  • I love the awareness this campaign creates for ebikes in general but am a bit concerned about how it might erode perceived value in other models which cost more. Those higher costs go towards demoing, fitting and servicing which also helps the ebike movement.
  • I question the delivery timeframe given past crowdfunding (see Copenhagen Wheel). The website says "Manufacturing begins March 15th, shipping begins May 1st and delivery is estimated at May" so hopefully everything goes smooth at the ports.
  • I question the warranty and support... is there a warranty? it's nice to know that shipping will be less than $194 but if there's an issue, will that also cost $100+ to deal with if you have to send the bike back? Can you send the bike back?!
  • Does it really weigh just 45 lbs... with the battery too? That's what they say but I find it difficult to believe given the steel frame and fat tires. For comparison, here are all of the fat bikes I've reviewed to date with weight listed on the 29th line a bit down. The lightest bike I've reviewed in this category is the $5,800 race-inspired 48 lb Felt Lebowske. This bike claims to be lighter than the lightest fat e-bike available in the US right now from what I can tell.
  • Will 380 watts of gearless motor power be enough torque for sand/snow? Does it matter?!
  • What's the quality of the battery cells? Replacing the Bosch Powerpack 400 is $900... Replacing an Easy Motion battery is $600+ varying by model... Replacing a polaris battery is $800 so what is the quality of the cells used on the Storm if it only costs ~$180?
  • Is the savings worth the trade off in format and weight? I'm reminded of something my grandpa taught me... t's not a good deal if it's not something you actually need. The storm will take up a lot of space and likely perform at a mediocre level, it's a great price but is it something you need? Would that same $500 be better spent towards a city or mountain bike from a local dealer that would get more use, be portable and last longer?
  • The marketing feels... a bit slick to me "The Storm eBike battery can also be charged by solar power for those of you feeling extra green!" I feel like I'm being talked down to... anything electric can be charged by solar :/ "The upgraded thumb throttle..." Upgraded?? Upgraded from what? Who are they talking to here?!
  • Why is most of the post done with images instead of text, this makes it very difficult to search on page, reference via search engine or interpret for screen readers for disabled visitors.
If I was not running EBR I would probably not buy the Storm at this time because:
  • I don't ride on sand or snow very often and I'm not sure this bike would handle it very well, especially if the sand is near a salty beach. that said... This thing is basically disposable at $500, which makes me kind of sad for the people who make it in Asia.
  • Fat tires and tubes are more expensive to fix and replace than traditional, going to be a sad day when you get a flat and try to lug it to the local shop because...
  • No quick release on wheels... big giant wheels that might not fit easily in my car for that ride at the beach or that fix at the shop
  • One speed for a fat bike just doesn't seem like enough, even if it is the world's lightest fat ebike
  • I'd feel like a tool riding it around because it just doesn't look that cool... but at least I wouldn't be p
  • oor :D
Lots to think about here, given the single speed drivetrain and gearless motor there shouldn't be too many issues with the bike. The replacement batteries are so inexpensive, hopefully they stay available and cheap in a year or two. Even if it only gets a 10 mile range, that's still enough for fun and short errands and with a couple hours of charging it should be at or above 70% (they claim it would be 100% at this point). In short, I feel like they're stretching the truth on this bike and being overly promotional unnecessarily. The bike appears to be solid at that price as a crappy single speed fatty. Get it and forget it, let it rust and enjoy it in the sand or loan it to your friend. Who cares if it gets dinged at the bike rack or stolen eventually? You could buy three of these (with shipping) for the price of most regular ebikes. It makes me uneasy and reminds me of the bikes from Big Cat which also used steel frames and weighted a lot more (the Phantom and Long Beach Cruiser weigh ~70 lbs!). I hope the bike isn't creating too many negative externalities or gray costs and I hope these thoughts help someone :)
Click to expand...

Great synopsis without actually having one to test.

Look at what Chaupin and Elias, the guys who are marketing this ebike, have done:

Has to be the most successful eBike launch in history.

Cannot just attribute the low price to the popularity

1.. Oversized tires 4.8" vs regular fat bike 4.0" wide.
2. They drilled out the rims
3. They put a color matching cover over the dorky battery pack.
4. Most of the elctricals are hidden or overshadowed by the giant tires and yellow frame.

So you can drop $500 on your garden variety fat bike at your LBS, or you can spend about the same for the electrified version that you cannnot buy in stores.

Then these guys got just enough media coverage to get the ball rolling, and used a crowdfunding website that most of us never heard of before. Brilliant!

I just hope they deliver a bike that is reasonably reliable and safe to ride.
 
Court said:
Wow, the Storm has really blown up... Thanks for all of the great links and thoughts on this guys. I might have to jump on the band wagon and buy one to thoroughly review ;)

What we know:
  • Motor is a 380 watt gearless direct drive (though there have been some references to 350 watt and the motor in the video at the start of this thread looks much larger than the one in the photos of the Indiegogo campaign. A gearless motor offers lower torque than geared and is usually heavier.
  • Battery is a Lithium-ion 36 volt ~10.55 ah and weighs 2.5 kg ~5.5 lbs (no branding for cell manufacturer as @Ann M. pointed out.
  • Steel frame (reduces vibration, usually heavier than aluminum, may rust but shouldn't compromise frame integrity)
  • Throttle mode only (range may suffer and finger/wrist may fatigue vs. pedal assist)
  • Single speed (simple, requiring fewer tuneups and dropping less frequently, difficult to start from rest, not as efficient for climbing or reaching higher speeds)
What we think:
  • 180 mm mechanical disc brakes with Zoom calipers based on photos (the Yahoo guy said hydraulic but maybe that's just the prototype? The pictures who mechanical)
  • Lower quality Lithium-ion cells that may get ~500 full cycles vs. ~1,000
  • No bottle cage or rear rack mounting points, may be able to fit fenders from Surface 604 like these but will have to customize
  • Large plastic box for storing elicit substances while riding to the beach to chill with homies
I had an hour long phone conversation with someone about this bike today before thoroughly reviewing the post myself on Indiegogo and wanted to share a few things we discussed.
  • I love the awareness this campaign creates for ebikes in general but am a bit concerned about how it might erode perceived value in other models which cost more. Those higher costs go towards demoing, fitting and servicing which also helps the ebike movement.
  • I question the delivery timeframe given past crowdfunding (see Copenhagen Wheel). The website says "Manufacturing begins March 15th, shipping begins May 1st and delivery is estimated at May" so hopefully everything goes smooth at the ports.
  • I question the warranty and support... is there a warranty? it's nice to know that shipping will be less than $194 but if there's an issue, will that also cost $100+ to deal with if you have to send the bike back? Can you send the bike back?!
  • Does it really weigh just 45 lbs... with the battery too? That's what they say but I find it difficult to believe given the steel frame and fat tires. For comparison, here are all of the fat bikes I've reviewed to date with weight listed on the 29th line a bit down. The lightest bike I've reviewed in this category is the $5,800 race-inspired 48 lb Felt Lebowske. This bike claims to be lighter than the lightest fat e-bike available in the US right now from what I can tell.
  • Will 380 watts of gearless motor power be enough torque for sand/snow? Does it matter?!
  • What's the quality of the battery cells? Replacing the Bosch Powerpack 400 is $900... Replacing an Easy Motion battery is $600+ varying by model... Replacing a polaris battery is $800 so what is the quality of the cells used on the Storm if it only costs ~$180?
  • Is the savings worth the trade off in format and weight? I'm reminded of something my grandpa taught me... t's not a good deal if it's not something you actually need. The storm will take up a lot of space and likely perform at a mediocre level, it's a great price but is it something you need? Would that same $500 be better spent towards a city or mountain bike from a local dealer that would get more use, be portable and last longer?
  • The marketing feels... a bit slick to me "The Storm eBike battery can also be charged by solar power for those of you feeling extra green!" I feel like I'm being talked down to... anything electric can be charged by solar :/ "The upgraded thumb throttle..." Upgraded?? Upgraded from what? Who are they talking to here?!
  • Why is most of the post done with images instead of text, this makes it very difficult to search on page, reference via search engine or interpret for screen readers for disabled visitors.
If I was not running EBR I would probably not buy the Storm at this time because:
  • I don't ride on sand or snow very often and I'm not sure this bike would handle it very well, especially if the sand is near a salty beach. that said... This thing is basically disposable at $500, which makes me kind of sad for the people who make it in Asia.
  • Fat tires and tubes are more expensive to fix and replace than traditional, going to be a sad day when you get a flat and try to lug it to the local shop because...
  • No quick release on wheels... big giant wheels that might not fit easily in my car for that ride at the beach or that fix at the shop
  • One speed for a fat bike just doesn't seem like enough, even if it is the world's lightest fat ebike
  • I'd feel like a tool riding it around because it just doesn't look that cool... but at least I wouldn't be poor :D
Lots to think about here, given the single speed drivetrain and gearless motor there shouldn't be too many issues with the bike. The replacement batteries are so inexpensive, hopefully they stay available and cheap in a year or two. Even if it only gets a 10 mile range, that's still enough for fun and short errands and with a couple hours of charging it should be at or above 70% (they claim it would be 100% at this point). In short, I feel like they're stretching the truth on this bike and being overly promotional unnecessarily. The bike appears to be solid at that price as a crappy single speed fatty. Get it and forget it, let it rust and enjoy it in the sand or loan it to your friend. Who cares if it gets dinged at the bike rack or stolen eventually? You could buy three of these (with shipping) for the price of most regular ebikes. It makes me uneasy and reminds me of the bikes from Big Cat which also used steel frames and weighted a lot more (the Phantom and Long Beach Cruiser weigh ~70 lbs!). I hope the bike isn't creating too many negative externalities or gray costs and I hope these thoughts help someone :)
Click to expand...


Oh, wow. Now I have to figure out what is cool. This is what Accell Currie offer for $200 more:
Court said:
Wow, the Storm has really blown up... Thanks for all of the great links and thoughts on this guys. I might have to jump on the band wagon and buy one to thoroughly review ;)

What we know:
  • Motor is a 380 watt gearless direct drive (though there have been some references to 350 watt and the motor in the video at the start of this thread looks much larger than the one in the photos of the Indiegogo campaign. A gearless motor offers lower torque than geared and is usually heavier.
  • Battery is a Lithium-ion 36 volt ~10.55 ah and weighs 2.5 kg ~5.5 lbs (no branding for cell manufacturer as @Ann M. pointed out.
  • Steel frame (reduces vibration, usually heavier than aluminum, may rust but shouldn't compromise frame integrity)
  • Throttle mode only (range may suffer and finger/wrist may fatigue vs. pedal assist)
  • Single speed (simple, requiring fewer tuneups and dropping less frequently, difficult to start from rest, not as efficient for climbing or reaching higher speeds)
What we think:
  • 180 mm mechanical disc brakes with Zoom calipers based on photos (the Yahoo guy said hydraulic but maybe that's just the prototype? The pictures who mechanical)
  • Lower quality Lithium-ion cells that may get ~500 full cycles vs. ~1,000
  • No bottle cage or rear rack mounting points, may be able to fit fenders from Surface 604 like these but will have to customize
  • Large plastic box for storing elicit substances while riding to the beach to chill with homies
I had an hour long phone conversation with someone about this bike today before thoroughly reviewing the post myself on Indiegogo and wanted to share a few things we discussed.
  • I love the awareness this campaign creates for ebikes in general but am a bit concerned about how it might erode perceived value in other models which cost more. Those higher costs go towards demoing, fitting and servicing which also helps the ebike movement.
  • I question the delivery timeframe given past crowdfunding (see Copenhagen Wheel). The website says "Manufacturing begins March 15th, shipping begins May 1st and delivery is estimated at May" so hopefully everything goes smooth at the ports.
  • I question the warranty and support... is there a warranty? it's nice to know that shipping will be less than $194 but if there's an issue, will that also cost $100+ to deal with if you have to send the bike back? Can you send the bike back?!
  • Does it really weigh just 45 lbs... with the battery too? That's what they say but I find it difficult to believe given the steel frame and fat tires. For comparison, here are all of the fat bikes I've reviewed to date with weight listed on the 29th line a bit down. The lightest bike I've reviewed in this category is the $5,800 race-inspired 48 lb Felt Lebowske. This bike claims to be lighter than the lightest fat e-bike available in the US right now from what I can tell.
  • Will 380 watts of gearless motor power be enough torque for sand/snow? Does it matter?!
  • What's the quality of the battery cells? Replacing the Bosch Powerpack 400 is $900... Replacing an Easy Motion battery is $600+ varying by model... Replacing a polaris battery is $800 so what is the quality of the cells used on the Storm if it only costs ~$180?
  • Is the savings worth the trade off in format and weight? I'm reminded of something my grandpa taught me... t's not a good deal if it's not something you actually need. The storm will take up a lot of space and likely perform at a mediocre level, it's a great price but is it something you need? Would that same $500 be better spent towards a city or mountain bike from a local dealer that would get more use, be portable and last longer?
  • The marketing feels... a bit slick to me "The Storm eBike battery can also be charged by solar power for those of you feeling extra green!" I feel like I'm being talked down to... anything electric can be charged by solar :/ "The upgraded thumb throttle..." Upgraded?? Upgraded from what? Who are they talking to here?!
  • Why is most of the post done with images instead of text, this makes it very difficult to search on page, reference via search engine or interpret for screen readers for disabled visitors.
If I was not running EBR I would probably not buy the Storm at this time because:
  • I don't ride on sand or snow very often and I'm not sure this bike would handle it very well, especially if the sand is near a salty beach. that said... This thing is basically disposable at $500, which makes me kind of sad for the people who make it in Asia.
  • Fat tires and tubes are more expensive to fix and replace than traditional, going to be a sad day when you get a flat and try to lug it to the local shop because...
  • No quick release on wheels... big giant wheels that might not fit easily in my car for that ride at the beach or that fix at the shop
  • One speed for a fat bike just doesn't seem like enough, even if it is the world's lightest fat ebike
  • I'd feel like a tool riding it around because it just doesn't look that cool... but at least I wouldn't be poor :D
Lots to think about here, given the single speed drivetrain and gearless motor there shouldn't be too many issues with the bike. The replacement batteries are so inexpensive, hopefully they stay available and cheap in a year or two. Even if it only gets a 10 mile range, that's still enough for fun and short errands and with a couple hours of charging it should be at or above 70% (they claim it would be 100% at this point). In short, I feel like they're stretching the truth on this bike and being overly promotional unnecessarily. The bike appears to be solid at that price as a crappy single speed fatty. Get it and forget it, let it rust and enjoy it in the sand or loan it to your friend. Who cares if it gets dinged at the bike rack or stolen eventually? You could buy three of these (with shipping) for the price of most regular ebikes. It makes me uneasy and reminds me of the bikes from Big Cat which also used steel frames and weighted a lot more (the Phantom and Long Beach Cruiser weigh ~70 lbs!). I hope the bike isn't creating too many negative externalities or gray costs and I hope these thoughts help someone :)
Click to expand...

This is what Currie Accell puts out for $700. Are these guying making any effort at the low end of the market? Lead Acid? Really? Currie/Accell can't sell a bike for under $2500. Not really. Prodeco can, and the importers can...

e-zip-2008-trailz-hybrid-electric-bike.jpg
 
Simply amazing, they've now sailed past 1.2 mil in start up money. On the third day! I still contend the real story here is what this says about the potential eBike market in America, which before this most people thought was practically nonexistent. We're still only talking about 2100 funders. I think there's a lot more than that out there that might be in the market for a little nicer bike.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/storm-electric-bike
 
If these guys can build a $500 eBike and it doesn't suck, it will force the high end eBikes to lower their prices to something reasonable. I've always despised the high margins on eBikes (wholesale for a Stromer ST1 is less than $2100, MSRP is $3500+ wtf!) so I hope this makes all the 'major' eBike manufacturers reevaluate their pricing structures.

I'd buy this just to beat the crap out it in the snow or mod it, but the wife will kill me if I buy another bike :(
 
biknut said:
Court said one of these bikes doesn't look cool. Guess which one?
Click to expand...
Sorry! I was trying to make your images thumbnails instead of kiting them in and accidentally deleted. Both of those bikes don't look cool to me :D not a fan of rear heavy batteries or oversized battery boxes that extend wider than batteries. Note that my review of the eZip Trailz (which has gone out of production) rates it at 6/10. Much bigger fan of the IZIP Skyline (though it is not $500... it's very close to the advertised "full price" of the Storm at ~$794 with shipping)
 
Here is a comment on the Storm ebike indiegogo page.
"The name Storm is a trademark of ProdecoTech since 2010. See link https://www.prodecotech.com/storm-series/. This campaign has created a lot of confusion and ProdecoTech has received numerous calls inquiring about this bicycle. We want everyone to be aware this campaign is not related to ProdecoTech in any way. We have tried to reach out but we cannot find any corporate website, address or any other information pertaining to the proprietor of this campaign multiple times."

The Prodeco Storm was already a bargain at $1299... they must be feeling it.

Potential trademark problem here?
 
biknut said:
Here's food for thought for the those thinking the Storm is doing so well simply because of price. Here's an Ebike on KickStarter that's priced under $400. I'm not sure when the project started, but the first post seems to be January 14th. To date it raised a whopping $133,650 and has 252 backers. Not really to bad, but Compare this to Storm.

3 days, 1.6 million $$, cost $100 more, 2924 backers.

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...enger-folding-electric-bike-for-unde/comments
Click to expand...
Having put my $400 down on the Dillenger already, I can tell you if I had seen the Storm first I almost certainly would have gotten that instead. Mostly because I think it would be easier to resell. I think the big difference is the form factor. Folding bikes are for eccentric old folks (guilty). It might be convenient, but no one thinks they look cool on one. I stopped by my LBS this afternoon for a new saddle and they had a $5K fat tire bike right up front and center in the window. There were more of them all over the store and none were under $1K. I bet you can't find a new fat tire bike at many LBS's for as cheap as this one, electric motor or no. Yeah, you can probably find any number of them on Amazon or Alibaba for a lot less, but if you've just got a general idea that this kind of bike is expensive from random stops to get a tube or a pair of shorts you may not really have thought to go shopping for one. And now all of a sudden you can get one for $500 instead of the regular price of $1300 for the next 3 days only! Or the next 200 people only! Hurry! Order it! And cool, it's has an electric motor too! So I can have my usual biscuits and gravy and five bloodies at brunch and still blow past that ripped jerk Billy on the trail after.
 
Matthew Kreger said:
Having put my $400 down on the Dillenger already, I can tell you if I had seen the Storm first I almost certainly would have gotten that instead. Mostly because I think it would be easier to resell. I think the big difference is the form factor. Folding bikes are for eccentric old folks (guilty). It might be convenient, but no one thinks they look cool on one. I stopped by my LBS this afternoon for a new saddle and they had a $5K fat tire bike right up front and center in the window. There were more of them all over the store and none were under $1K. I bet you can't find a new fat tire bike at many LBS's for as cheap as this one, electric motor or no. Yeah, you can probably find any number of them on Amazon or Alibaba for a lot less, but if you've just got a general idea that this kind of bike is expensive from random stops to get a tube or a pair of shorts you may not really have thought to go shopping for one. And now all of a sudden you can get one for $500 instead of the regular price of $1300 for the next 3 days only! Or the next 200 people only! Hurry! Order it! And cool, it's has an electric motor too! So I can have my usual biscuits and gravy and five bloodies at brunch and still blow past that ripped jerk Billy on the trail after.
Click to expand...

Matthew don't worry about it. Unless you've ridden a fat bike,esp a cheap one, and liked it , you've made the right choice. Will say that any electric bike in that price range will have its share of problems.

I rode a Jamis fat bike on the pavement and hated it. On sand it might be cool. Very bouncy and difficult to steer. Forget about pedaling for speed
 
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