By
MrHatAndClogs
Hi All,
I’ve been riding my new XS for about a month now and let me start by saying this is definitely the funnest bike I’ve ever ridden in my life. This was an upgrade from my older Sondors Original fat tire bike that I purchased last year, and the difference has been night and day.
Let’s begin with ride comfort. The addition of the air suspension has by far been one of the best upgrades. My arms thank me every time I go for an extended ride, especially on particularly rough terrain. The factory air adjustment was luckily perfect right out of the box for my bodyweight of around 200 lbs. It really does an amazing job at absorbing the full brunt of major bumps in the road and trail.
And likewise, the addition of the suspension seat post has also been a welcomed upgrade. On my Original model I opted for a spring loaded saddle to assist with ride comfort. But I’ve found that the suspension post works much better overall. While the stock suspension post was pretty good at smoothing out my rides, about 2 weeks ago I decided to go a step further and purchase the Cirrus Cycle Kinekt 3.1 Carbon Fiber Post. While pricey, I definitely have zero regrets, my lower back is also thanking me after every ride. There is a very noticeable improvement over the stock post, it takes smoothing out the ride to another level. And I was able to repurpose the stock suspension post as a new upgrade to my Original bike.
I was never a huge fan of the stock saddle on the Original bike and was disappointed that the XS came with the same one. I initially tried a Brooks Flyer saddle, but found that to be just as uncomfortable. They both kept pinching and making my groin go numb. So after doing some research, I decided to go with the Bontrager Boulevard Bike Saddle. So far this saddle has been excellent. Most of my rides are 80+ miles long and have been infinitely more comfortable, no more pinching or numbness.
Next up, battery life and performance. One word can describe both…insane! Talk about a night and day difference coming from a 350W motor with a 7.8Ah battery to 750W with a 17.5Ah battery. The acceleration from a dead stop is incredible, it just takes right off and climbs up to max speed in just a few secs. The max speed hovers at around 21.8 mph, where as the Original as around 19 mph. I also really like how the pedal assist feels in comparison with the Original, I rarely ever need to go past level 2 or 3, even on steep hills. And the XS laughs at steep hills in full electric mode, keeping a steady speed of around 18-20mph.
The battery life has been the most significant upgrade of all, it literally lasts 3x longer. It has now made long distance riding possible and I couldn’t be happier for it. I also decided to purchase an additional 17.5Ah battery during the initial bike purchase. With both batteries I’m now able to ride for 100 miles switching between assist levels 2 and 3, while keeping a steady pace of around 18–20 mph. Hell, the other day I did 20+ miles on full electric and only lost 2 bars! Just incredible. Plus the additional battery fits perfectly in the rear bag. The charger is also more robust, the brick actually has a small fan built-in to help with heat dispersion. The only downside is the additional weight of the battery, it weighs about 3x more.
The upgraded LCD screen has also been a welcomed feature. It seems to be much more precise than the old ‘calculator’ screen model. So far it as held up just fine in light to steady rains without issue.
Brakes. The brakes have been noticeably better as well. Their stopping power seems more aggressive, which really helps with the increased acceleration. Although, I’m still hearing a bit of brake noise, like a metallic rubbing. I’ve been adjusting them for a few weeks now, but so far I’ve only managed to make the noise happen less frequently.
Lastly, accessories. What’s a bike without accessories? The trails that I ride on are mostly flat gravel and unfortunately are usually quite crowded, because of this I decided to invest in a Spurcycle Bike Bell. This has made my rides so much better and has saved my voice from yelling out “On your left!” 300+ times. I opted for the Bontrager Flare RT Rear Bike Light, which lasts for around 14 hours on a single charge on the dimmest strobe setting. For night riding I have the BrightRoad Rechargeable 800 Lumens Front Bike Light. And for additional storage I use the Opamoo Front Frame Waterproof Bag.
Overall I just love love love this bike and cannot recommend it enough. It has been so much fun to ride, and easily one of the best investments for my health I’ve ever made. Thank you Sondors for continuing to make such awesome bikes! Feel free to ask me any questions that you might have.
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