The new Stromer ST5

[Nova Haibike]

"
GEARING DETAILS:
11 Speed 1x11 Shimano XTR Di2 with One Way Clutch and Electronic Shifting, Shimano 11-42 Tooth Cassette
SHIFTER DETAILS:
Shimano Di2 Triggers on Right Bar "

The pedant in me says that while it is electronic, it is not wireless. Shimano has not (yet) opted to go that route. Currently only SRAM's RED eTap offers wireless shifting, and as it is a road system, only offers up to a 32T cassette.

 

[JoePah]

Hi guys, I tried to get all of the questions answered and just posted the ST5 review at https://electricbikereview.com/stromer/st5/ and the YouTube video as well.

I still have access to the bikes for a couple of days. Let me know if anything went unanswered or you have other questions, and I will do my best to get some answers Here are a couple of concept art pictures that I got from the Stromer leadership team which show the optional rear rack (that attaches to the back fender) and the Wren inverted air suspension which is said to have 30 mm travel and work with their front fender:

View attachment 21045View attachment 21046

Looks like a nice bike.. Still don't appreciate how this is a marked improvement over the ST2.. Looks sleek and integrated but we are splitting hairs here with the ST2.

I went and checked.. the ST5 is really a no cost upgrade from the ST2 S, which was also close to $10,000... Looking at it that way, the ST5 is a better choice.

 

[Robert Bjoraker]

250 more watts is better markedly to me....

 

[Mr. Coffee]

It looks like a very nice bike.

My first reaction was that for a car replacement, there are remarkably few ways to carry stuff on the bike. Getting a handlebar bag or rando bag on the front of the bike is likely to be a nontrivial engineering project with the built-in lights and the construction of the handlebars and stem. The rear rack looks nice enough but I suspect that it has a very modest weight limit. Y'know, there are lots of companies that build great racks (e.g. Tubus) and rather than designing proprietary racks it makes more sense to me to partner with a company that actually knows how to build a rack.

My other thought is that for the money more exotic drivetrain options ought to be available, like a Pinion P1.18 or an SRAM Eagle.

Again, it looks like a very nice bike.

 

[Nova Haibike]

I'm totally ignorant on this. Please explain to me why I should care about electronic or wireless shifting on a 60lb e-bike.

I dunno. I'm not even sure most people on regular bikes should care about electronic/wireless shifting. It does offer some cool features, but it also adds $$$.

 

[Nova Haibike]

It looks like a very nice bike.

I'm the odd duck that thinks it's just OK. I don't really care for the look of Stromers; to my eye their frames look blocky, heavy, and in a sense rather ordinary. Honestly, I can barely tell the models apart.

On the other hand, my own Haibike, I don't really like its design either. It has one or two too many tubing kinks and bends. But I can ignore that for the price I paid and the components it has.

 

[Stromer2work]

Looks like a nice bike.. Still don't appreciate how this is a marked improvement over the ST2.. Looks sleek and integrated but we are splitting hairs here with the ST2.

I went and checked.. the ST5 is really a no cost upgrade from the ST2 S, which was also close to $10,000... Looking at it that way, the ST5 is a better choice.

If you're paying "close" to $10K for a new ST2S, you're not trying hard enough IMO.

I dunno. I'm not even sure most people on regular bikes should care about electronic/wireless shifting. It does offer some cool features, but it also adds $$$.

I Agree, to me this is needless complexity. My cable shifted gears work in all weather "except" freezing ice/rain, which I would not take a nice ebike out into.

I'm the odd duck that thinks it's just OK. I don't really care for the look of Stromers; to my eye their frames look blocky, heavy, and in a sense rather ordinary. Honestly, I can barely tell the models apart.

I love the 'fast tank' look of the stromer's, always have. That's why there's a nice selection of brands on the market, we're all different.

I would upgrade to that ST5 in a minute if I could get a reasonable trade in./QUOTE] Don't hold your breath for a reasonable trade in. They'd then have to turn around an sell your use bike for a profit (20%~30%) and their sell price would have to be noticeably lower than a new bike. What do you expect to get for it on trade in, if you don't mind me asking. I have a figure in mind, I just want to see if we're close. PM me if you don't want to post it.

 

[fxr3]

It looks like a very nice bike.

My first reaction was that for a car replacement, there are remarkably few ways to carry stuff on the bike. Getting a handlebar bag or rando bag on the front of the bike is likely to be a nontrivial engineering project with the built-in lights and the construction of the handlebars and stem. The rear rack looks nice enough but I suspect that it has a very modest weight limit. Y'know, there are lots of companies that build great racks (e.g. Tubus) and rather than designing proprietary racks it makes more sense to me to partner with a company that actually knows how to build a rack.

My other thought is that for the money more exotic drivetrain options ought to be available, like a Pinion P1.18 or an SRAM Eagle.

Again, it looks like a very nice bike.

Worth correcting.....
The Racktime rack on stromers are not proprietary and they are very useful with the snapit system for mounting different things on rack. I think Racktime and Tubus are related companies.

 

[fxr3]

I'm totally ignorant on this. Please explain to me why I should care about electronic or wireless shifting on a 60lb e-bike.

Its just a tap on button vs. the thumb throw on your shifter now. Seems to be self adjusting too. I've had st2 and now st2s. Its a better way to shift. Shifter and bigger battery are the selling points on st2s over st2. ST5 has 50% more power(500 vs 750watts) vs st2. As long as battery doesn't run down 1/3 faster........

 

[bluecat]

Hi guys, I ... just posted the ST5 review at https://electricbikereview.com/stromer/st5/

Thanks for your excellent written review!

I've spent 1'500km on a ST2s. This bike was much quicker than a ST2, as I've changed the Di2 settings as follows:

The green button becomes the shift down funktion. The grey button, which is closer to my thumb, becomes the shift up button. This allows me to accelerate extreme fast. When the traffic light goes green, I start in low gear, giving force on the pedal, the ST2s adds more force an I had to shift up very fast, as the bike accelerates like a race car.

On the other hand, I've set the motor brake to maximum level. Even as I like to go fast, the Magura four piston hydraulic brakes were only used rarely.

The guys from Stromer told me, the ST5 would accelerate even faster - despite his bigger wheels. Just seen the figures on the paper (bigger wheels, longer wheelbase, smoother steering angle, lower seating position in respect of the hub height), I would guess, the ST2s is still more agile. How was your impression about this?


Regarding the power values of the motors:

The raising power from MY 2017 to MY 2018 was mostly driven by the new measurement method given by law. The testing setup includes the time, how log a motor can keep the same power whilst the temperature inside did not raise over a dedicated level. Some minor adjustment in the controller software were also made. (Clearly, "chip-tuning" would be very easy, but on a daily commuter bike, the risk for motor failure would be too big)

The SYNO sport motor of the ST5 is basically the same motor as in the ST2 / ST2s. But the manufacturing is more accurate. As I don't know the technical terms in english, I go in german: Die Wicklungen sind enger und gleichförmiger ausgeführt. Das ergibt einen besseren Füllfaktor. And this finally results in a plus of 8NM.

Regarding the battery warranty:

I've the impression, Stromer allows the best warranty (75% capacity guaranteed after two years) of the whole ebike industrie. Does this reflect your experiences?

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Worth correcting.....
The Racktime rack on stromers are not proprietary and they are very useful with the snapit system for mounting different things on rack. I think Racktime and Tubus are related companies.

I'm sorry, it isn't clear to me from any of the specs I've been able to read that the rack was made by racktime. Some of the language, in fact, said "racktime compatible" which to me implies that it wasn't made by racktime.

And even if that is the case, it still doesn't look easy to put a handlebar or rando bag on the bike.

Again, it is quite a nice bike.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

... thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Robert Bjoraker]

A 750 watt motor should drain the battery faster than a 500 watt motor. I upgraded to the ST2S battery when I bought my ST2. I average about 1% per mile riding in level 2, so I have almost a 100 mile range. That is a longer ride than my bottom can take. So the battery, even with a 750 watt motor, is not the limiting factor. ;-)

I guess we will all know more when we test ride the ST5 in a couple of months. I may be in the market... but this bike still needs suspension in front.

I believe Court said in his review that a front fork suspension option is due in a few months.

 

[fxr3]

I'm sorry, it isn't clear to me from any of the specs I've been able to read that the rack was made by racktime. Some of the language, in fact, said "racktime compatible" which to me implies that it wasn't made by racktime.

And even if that is the case, it still doesn't look easy to put a handlebar or rando bag on the bike.

Again, it is quite a nice bike.

The “Racktime compatible” is the important part. If it accepts their “snap it”
Adaptor- then you are only limited by your imagination. I can snap on and off saddlebags, baskets, golf club bag, flatbed, etc in seconds.

 

[Over50]

The “Racktime compatible” is the important part. If it accepts their “snap it”
Adaptor- then you are only limited by your imagination. I can snap on and off saddlebags, baskets, golf club bag, flatbed, etc in seconds.

There were older Stromer threads where the bags were discussed at length. My Racktime compatible bags (built in snap it adaptor) purchased for my R&M work really well (Vaude). Only problem is having to order from Europe. Yes, a handlebar bag would be tough on this Stromer because there are two lights to block. Were it me, I might gravitate to the trunk bag or trunk case and a sling bag. The other day I found this sling bag/handlebar bag and I'm pretty pleased with it. I can use it on the bars on bikes where it doesn't block the lights or in daytime and sling it on my back when I need the lights. It is fairly small but is secure and has light mount attachments and looks pretty good:
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Blackburn makes some nice bags.

Sorry to belabor the point, but this handlebar bag thing is one of my big pet peeves.

The ST5 is a beautiful bike obviously meant to be ridden far and fast. And if I'm riding far and fast I strongly prefer a handlebar or top tube bag (also contraindicated on the ST5) to grab things I might need without dismounting the bike -- things like a cookie, a phone, a camera, or sunglasses. It seems like a small thing but great ergonomics is an accumulation of small things. And over the course of a long day those small things can make the difference between Fun and Not Fun. And we're talking about a $10000 bike here and I'd expect them to focus on those little details.

You could partially solve the handlebar bag problem with a small feed bag and a custom frame bag.

More generally there seems to be a pattern in the bike industry (certainly not just e-bikes) of focusing more on what looks cool or what is popular than actually focusing on what the bike needs to be great at its job. A case in point: a friend of mine recently bought a 1x11 mountain bike. Overall it is a very nice bike. Unfortunately whoever designed the bike never thought that someone would actually ride it in the mountains as its granny gears really bog down on even moderate hills. The cycling industry isn't alone in this problem -- both the backpacking and nordic skiing world also suffer from it.

 

[opimax]

not grabbing a cookie or anything while moving , fallen too many times doing things , even little things that distract from "driving", no more ! I will pullover and stop if i need to do something like this.

i would pay more for quality then looks too. why the display is so low should have never been their to begin with and now it is my phone tto make up for that mistake...i guess i shoud be happy I have the option. i would rather have better service then no wires showing.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

not grabbing a cookie or anything while moving , fallen too many times doing things , even little things that distract from "driving", no more ! I will pullover and stop if i need to do something like this.

Who says anything about moving? I just think it is much easier to reach into a handlebar bag or feedbag in front of you while stopped rather than have to contort yourself to reach behind into a seatbag or trunk bag. Or worse yet, dismount the bike completely.

 

[opimax]

Point taken

 

[bluecat]

On the road with the Stromer ST5 (videostill):