iGO had a beautiful booth at Interbike 2018, showcasing a portion of thier 2019 lineup. It's a big year for them with a completely new lineup of electric bikes. Some of the standout features include custom integrated batteries and motors, premium Shimano drive E8000 systems, and lightweight carbon fiber models, one with the new compact Bafang motor. This company has been in business since 2006 and entered the United States in 2010, it's a Canadian company that is based in Montreal, Québec. This conversation was filmed with a marketing representative from the company named Damo.
iGO is utilizing several drive systems for their 2019 ebikes in the US and these are the models we looked at during the show:
- iGO Aspire $1,899 (uses a hub motor and hidden downtube battery, has cool pedal foot straps, it's like a hipster city road bike, it can be setup with a cadence or torque sensor, technically the battery is removable through the bottom bracket area for storage and charging indoors during winter months, comes in multiple sizes)
- iGO Discovery 26 $1,999 and Horizon (they use the same integrated downtube battery as all other Discovery line models, they use Samsung batteries, the Discovery Horizon uses a propretary mid-motor vs. the hub motor on the Discovery 26)
- iGO 27.5 Dual Suspension Mid $3,999 (part of the Outland Series, has air suspension and thru-axles, uses the proprietary battery and in-house mid-motor with upgraded 120 Nm torque output, custom display with USB and Bluetooth for a smartphone app)
- iGO Fat Hub $2,699 (part of the Outland Series, has a 500 watt geared hub motor offering up to 120 newton meters of torque, it's even cheaper at $2,399 if you get it without the suspension fork)
- iGO Carbon 27.5 Dual Suspension $5,999 (uses the Shimano STePs drive system with integrated 504 watt hour battery and E8000 motor, Fox air suspension front and rear, Shimano 11-42 tooth cassette)
- iGO Carbon Fat (fully submersible super tough motor MPS 6.1 Drive mid-drive motor)
- iGO Carbon Road $4,299 (lightweight design at ~28.6lbs / 12.97kg, compact Bafang m800 mid-drive motor, comes in multiple sizes)
Feel free to skip ahead with the following timestamps:
- Aspire Series 1:36
- Discovery Series 5:25
- Outland Series 12:34
- Performance Plus Series 16:33
- Carbon Road 19:32
It sounds like all of their hub motor electric bikes can be setup with a torque sensor or cadence sensor, to deliver a different ride experience. This is unique in the world of ebikes, where choice is usually limited... Their proprietary mid-motor measures both torque and cadence together, for the most natural ride. In terms of sizing and colors, most models are limited to keep the price down, but some of the higher-end ones do come in multiple sizes. Even with the single size options, iGO has this "Ergofit" concept where the bike is meant to be highly adjustable. They claim that these models can fit riders between 5' (152.4cm) and 6'4" (182.9cm) comfortably.
It sounds like iGO chose to make their own frames, batteries, and motors so that they could optimize the experience and streamline support for owners... it's easier and faster to get parts if you need them. It's interesting to hear that their motor is rated at 500 watts, while most mainstream drive units are rated at 250 or 350, but they also said that the motor could be 8-12lbs, which is on the heavier side. I was really impressed with some of the smart wire management going on, how they used a rubber cover to make it easier to reach wires. Their custom battery pack has an integrated USB port for charging accessories when it's on or off the bike. I was told that every one of their ebikes would have bluetooth and work with a smartphone app that runs through a diagnostic checklist, so you know the status of everything.
iGO offers a two-year comprehensive warranty for all of their mechanical components and electrical but the battery gets slightly less at 18 months vs. 24 months. Their dealer network in North America has been growing significantly.
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