linberl

I've now had my 1M for a little over a week or so. It can be mounted on any bike (or scooter) and has multiple mount options for front or rear mounting. Onemotor.co for more info.


I'll try to discuss it in a logical sequential manner. First, packaging was excellent, everything had a cut out in a padded box.
There were no instructions in the box, but that's because Jeff hasn't completed them yet and early backers are getting them
in an email (as I did). Some of the images in the emailed instructions could be clearer as I made some minor mistakes with
the installation process at first, however, someone more experienced mechanically might do better. In any case, emails to 1M were answered quickly and completely and all my questions were answered.

Build Quality, Accessories, Parts: Having backed other crowdfunded projects only to find they came up well short of what I was promised or envisioned, I had moderate expectations. I was delightfully surprised to find that the build quality on the battery enclosure and motor far exceeded my expectations. The battery case is....well....just beautiful. The handle collapses and locks firmly and securely, the metal on/off button doesn't feel flimsy at all. The Topeak mounting system (which I opted for) works very well, clicks securely in place and releases quickly. The wireless handlebar controller mounts easily on the cat eye system bracket. It can be difficult to view the display in very bright sunshine but my rides are all in and out of shade so not a problem. If you ride in bright sun all the time, you might prefer to mount your phone and use the phone app which will be easier to see. Both the phone app and the handlebar controller provide all the info you need. The controller has 2 selectable physical buttons and tiny joystick; there is a learning curve on all the functionality (wow, there is a lot!) but it works great once you know how to use it. The wireless PAS sensor attaches magnetically to the crank at the inside by the pedal. Bands are supplied for those who ride in conditions where they are concerned about losing it. It is slim and simple to attach.

A lot of information is provided by various lights on the the various parts of the device. Again, a learning curve to understand
what lights signify is part of the process. Yes, you can put it on and just ride...but you get more out of it once you learn the details.

Now - the motor. It attaches to the mount quickly and easily with retracting magnetic "bolts". When you install it, you set the
correct distance and from time forward, the software determines exactly how much pressure to apply to the tire. It adapts on the fly as you ride. When I rode a particularly bumpy road, I could feel the motor reset the pressure to maintain contact and I
never felt any tire slippage. Aside from the first time I used it, I have not noticed any tire wear at all (and that first time was my mistake). Friction drives are known for their high pitched RC motor whine - Jeff has done a very good job here in dampening the noise. I cannot hear it at all when I am listening to tunes, and when I'm not, it is a lower pitched sound that blends in with traffic noise easily. Can someone hear you coming? Not from a distance, but when you are close, yes they can hear the motor if you
are going fast. Personally, I think that's a good thing. I want pedestrians to know I'm coming up behind them.

So let's talk about range. I chose the smaller battery, the 130 w/h unit. Jeff rated it at 10-20 miles. Obviously range will be determined in part by the weight of your bike, your weight, and your speed. I can tell you I was absolutely shocked yesterday
when I rode to a doctor's appointment (14.6 miles round trip) and had 40% battery left. I chose to ride in PAS level 1 most of
the time, with occasional bursts up into level 3 for some overpasses and hills, and pedaled at a cadence of 80-85rpm, speed between 12 mph (facing bad headwinds) and 16 mph on my single speed Dahon Mu Uno. Since I was on a designated bike path with 15mph limits, I behaved. However, if you wish, the 1M will move you along without pedaling (wireless throttle) at 20 mph and if you pedal you can cruise at 28mph!
Estimated total range based on that ride is 20-22 miles!

This is my first PAS electric bike; I previous had a throttle only ebike. I was a little reluctant to even get the PAS controller because I didn't think I would use it, but Grace convinced me. I am so grateful to her for that! Riding with the PAS is seamless and so easy - even for someone like me who only wants to use the motor during parts of many of my rides. Push one button on the controller and the PAS is paused, push again and it resumes, so you can ride manually and just flick it on for hills or headwinds, or you can just run it on any one of the 9 levels to get a workout or give yourself a break. You don't even feel it connect and retract from the tire, as the software adjusts perfectly.

Jeff has been working diligently with me on developing a custom mount for my Bike Friday pakiT and I will add to this review once I've had a chance to ride with 1M on the pakiT. As a geared bike, the experience should be even better, I think.

Last thing to mention is convenience. At the doctor's office, I locked up the Dahon. In 10 seconds I had removed the motor, battery, controller, and PAS unit and connected them all together magnetically. I dropped the entire thing into my bike bag
and took it with me into my appointment. No worries about theft of my electric system. If I came out and my Dahon had been stolen, I would have been sad, but I would have the expensive part to put on any other bike. Installing it back on the bike after
the appointment was just as quick as removing it. It's never going to be a problem taking it into a movie, restaurant, or anywhere else =). Living in the Bay Area (or any urban setting) bike theft is always going to be an issue - being able to separate
the expensive components from an inexpensive bike is such a great solution!

Total weight of bike & electric system: 25 lbs!!! Motor & battery = 4.5 lbs. With my pakiT, the whole thing will weigh 23.5 lbs =).

If I didn't address some question you have, please let me know and I will respond. Otherwise, I'll update the review in another week or so. OneMotor = highly recommended!

Rear stealth mount on a Bike Friday pakiT.

Front mount on a Bike Friday pakiT.



Easily carried off the bike by the built in handle or put into a bag. For size reference, that is a Bern size small helmet. The One Motor battery and motor connect together and the PAS and controller are magnetically connected on top.

Schwinnsta

Good review. I wonder if I could mount the motor, under the rear wheel of the Brompton. Hopefully since it is detachable it would not interfere with the fold.

linberl

Email Jeff @ info@shareroller.com. He rides a Brommie so I am sure he knows already. He does make a Brommie custom mount for the front wheel, though.

slomoshun

Your feedback would be appreciated concerning the OneMotor's ability to climb San Francisco and Seattle type hills, and how much roller slip you get on those hills when the road is wet.

Schwinnsta

It looks like it could be able to mount under the Brompton chain stays.

linberl

Might be a while before I can tell you what it is like in the wet -- we probably won't see any until November now. I took it up to Tilden and Grizzly Peak and it had no problem whatsoever charging up the hill. I believe it is 750watts peak so it is pretty strong. The grade on that route varies from 14 to 25 degrees. The only comment I can make on slippage at the moment is to relate what happens on severely potholed roads (which we have waay too many of). I was riding down one pathetic excuse for a street, practically knocking my teeth out, and I felt the motor adjust a couple times to dig in to the tire better. The experience did not feel like slippage, rather it was as if one had taken their foot off the gas pedal for 1/10th of a second and then floored it. It was the software resetting the engagement degrees. (which are shown on the readouts). I hope that explains the sensation. I never lost my sense of forward motion or felt like the motor was struggling. Jeff had designed some very sophisticated software (detailed on the onemotor.co page) to adjust on the fly to different conditions. He also mentioned he has in the works a second belt (belts are user changeable in 10 minutes with basic tools) for primarily wet riding. I hope that helps to answer your question, please let me know if there's any more. I will probably ride Mt. Diablo for the first time ever, for me, this summer. That's an 11 mile ride up to 3250 feet - which I absolutely couldn't do with a motor; I wouldn't be able to make it or walk after an attempt due to my knees. But that won't be until September probably.

linberl

It does, but like I said email them and ask. Even if Jeff doesn't have a mount for this, if it is possible and there's a demand, he can make one (like he did for the rear
of my pakiT). Especially since you are both Brompton guys.

linberl

Some more detailed pics of the rear and front mount. Video (of motor in use) - https://youtu.be/N_OJhOvTHDo using the PAS system. Video of motor in use using only throttle: https://youtu.be/WYnyK3WIORs
nts .

linberl

For anyone interested, I'm continuing to update my experience: https://electricbikereview.com/forum...eroller.28504/

Numerozero

Having installed a Tong-Sheng TSD-Z2 on my Downtube 8FH, I'm very impressed with the thinking that has gone into the OneMotor system. For example, I also used the Rosenberger magnetic power connector to also be able to quickly remove/reinstall the battery pack. This makes the bike that much lighter to hoist unto a bus bike rack. In addition, I've had bus drivers say "no e-bikes allowed" until I point out the battery is on me, and not on the bike : )

OneMotor's wireless connections eliminates having to route wires. And having a phone app means one less stealable item - the display.

The variable-length cords are simply brilliant.

linberl

Yes, the more I use it the more I appreciate all the thinking that went into the design. It's made to run with just the phone app, or the PAS and phone or handlebar controller, or just the controller. The flexibility is amazing. And not having to worry at all about theft is huge - I can lock up and know my pricey e-bike is safe (and installable on any other bike) even if my locked bike gets ripped off. Every time I ride with it I discover something else to like =). I love that, when I'm not riding motorized, I'm not having to store a separate e-bike, too. It's no mid-drive, but it climbs really well for me as I'm fairly light and so is my bike. And you made a good choice with that battery connector - it certainly is ROBUST!

fishgirlcycles

Thanks for the updates, Linberl. I'm considering this setup for my Brompton. I like using the foldie as an errand bike, but attempting to make it up 10-15% grades while also laden with groceries has limited what I'm willing to do with the bike. The pause feature on the 1M is interesting--you said you haven't noticed it draining the battery? My intended use would be to only rely on the PAS to get me up the steeper hills.

linberl

I've been getting better at my technique, lol. So here's an example of a ride today that sounds like your kind of ride....I went out for a second ride because it was a lovely evening, did 6 miles, not a lot of time for more. I started off by turning on the motor, the PAS sensor and the controller, then I "paused" the PAS/motor by a single press on one of the controller buttons. I rode sans motor about 2.5 miles, then decided to detour off the Greenway path and go up a couple hills. Part of my learning curve has taught me that (1) if I know a hill is coming and I am in the lowest PAS levels, which is where I normally ride, then I want to increase my speed before the hill and (2) use the throttle simultaneously with the low PAS as a burst since the motor is more efficient at high speed on climbs. So - push the button to "arm" the PAS and then drop down one gear while giving the throttle joystick a push. Sounds like a lot but it's super easy once you practice a bit. Now, if I don't know a hill is coming (it happens) then I can just throttle while pedaling without the PAS being on. Anyway, I went up over two hills around 14 degrees each, then put the PAS back on pause. I rode a bit then realized I didn't have my lights so it was time to hustle home. I unpaused the PAS, set it at level 1 (my go to), and jammed. With a cadence of 85 I was moving along at around 15mph on fairly flat terrain. I can go faster by going into a higher gear, but I tend to spin more for a lot of reasons. If you're brave enough you can get up to 28 mph speed-wise.
The inventor of the 1M is a Brompton owner/lover, so he has made a special fitting just for Brommies, custom designed. You guys are lucky that way, ha. And yes, your intended use is perfect for something like 1M where the weight doesn't slow you down when not using the motor (like some of the behemoths out there). I also use it on my Dahon when pulling my Burley travoy with 40 lbs of dog food from Costco to get across a big overpass. I've been "documenting" my experiences at another site, feel free to read along, or ask any questions you have. https://electricbikereview.com/forum/forums/onemotor/
Oh, and no, it doesn't seem to use the battery hardly at all when in pause mode.

linberl

I'll be removing the front bracket and putting my Shimano 105 brake back on today =).


Just an update - I have decided I much prefer the rear mount over the front mount. Maybe it's just in my head, but if feels like the rear mount is much smoother and more integrated into the pedaling of the bike. I feel like the front mount is actually pulling the bike rather than pushing it. The rear mount also works well for parking and folding the bike now that the battery is stored in my Revelate feedbag instead of on the tube bracket.

fishgirlcycles

Sounds like the 1M is what I'm looking for. The throttle plus PAS (and the moving the joy stick description) does sound a little complicated on screen, but it also sounds like something I'd need to just do to get a feel for it rather than trying to visualize it from the text

linberl

1M has a lot of functionality - I had a tiny cheat sheet taped to the battery for a few days as I learned the combinations, lol. It's actually very easy and natural once you do it a few times. Turn everything on, hit one controller button to pause it all. Go ride and enjoy. When ready to use PAS, just hit that same button one time again. Now you have assist. Going up hills you have two options (I find it depends on whether I know the hill is coming). If you have a few seconds of advance notice, you can flick the joystick to a higher level of PAS and then down flick after the climb. If you don't anticipate, then you press the joystick which adds throttle boost and then hit the button to turn PAS on...or hit the button first and then hold the throttle. Harder to explain than it is to do. Today I had a shorter ride, 12.6 miles, with 2 miles using the assist on a climb. I absolutely LOVE that I was completely unaware of the motor system while riding without it - the bike felt exactly as it always does. The 4.5lb addition doesn't degrade the natural ride at all.

linberl

A pic of my "1M cargo bike"....a Dahon Mu Uno with motor. Battery is in the rack bag. To shop, I retract the cable and put the little motor in the bag with the battery, then clip the bag to the top of the Travoy. 5 seconds and I'm off to Costco to load up on stuff.

New

linberl

So today I spent some time admiring how Jeff enabled software on the controller (and app) that calculates range on the fly. As I was coming down the Bay Trail the wind just came up and about knocked me sideways. Since I needed to get home and walk the dog (poor thing is getting old and time matters) and I needed to have the energy to walk her, I turned on the motor. Since i hadn't charged up recently, I had about half battery left. Range at PAS 1 said 12 miles. I only had about 6 miles to go so I knew I was fine. I was on my single speed Dahon, so there was a limit to how much I could assist the motor, and with the wind, my speed was soon cut down to about 11 mph. I was able to push the controller to various levels of assist and watch the range projection change while I was riding. PAS 2 would give me 10 mile range, and so on. Armed with this info, I was able to determine exactly how much boost I could use and still be sure to get home. Now I am kind of a weenie, speed-wise, so I'm not going to go much more than 16mph (even though the bike can actually hit up to 28mph!). I settled on PAS 4, which with the wind felt like PAS 2. I rode home at a pretty consistent 15mph, and still had a little "gas in the tank".
Having this kind of information readily available, and easy to understand (please spare me the watt hour calculations while out on the bike) makes a huge difference in how comfortable and confident I am riding with 1M. It is so easy to adjust your speed to the distance required.

linberl

Link to another review from another user: https://electricbikereview.com/forum...-review.28536/

chas58

UR my hero! Looks great.

Now you need to get a second one to make it 2WD!

linberl

Haha. Wouldn't you need to have them in sync or something? It's working great so far, i've hardly tapped the capability. My son said he'd come by eventually and take it for a "hard" ride and push it into the 20+mph range. i may have to frisk him before he heads home, though, so he doesn't steal it for his Jamis ;-).

2old

I don't think synchronization would be difficult, but might need to have one system throttle-only unless the motors were really "in tune". I tried a 350w geared front motor with PAS and 1000w rear DD motor with throttle and they worked fine together. Acceleration was pretty rapid for me.

linberl

Lol, that sounds crazy fast! I think a 1Motor with a rear hub would work great, but that's for someone else to do. I am no speeder. Even with my motor, I rarely exceed 16mph. Maybe a little more if I am riding to keep up with my son so he doesn't have to constantly wait for me, but even when I'm riding on the street I don't go super fast - too many crazy nuts in cars and I need to be able to haul it in quickly. But I would love to see someone else with a dual drive system =).

linberl

Well, Jeff is working on software upgrades now. The most recent is Manual Mode. [QUOTE]
Manual Tighten Control mode. Basically, it’ll be a five position selector (Auto, Low, Med, High, Max) that allows you to override the Automatic control of tighten/optimize and choose the level of motor-tire pressure that best suits your ride and bike. You’d still be able to retract and reengage as normal of course, but it would return to the pressure level you have selected if in manual mode. This could be great for situations where you know it's gonna be wet (the auto system takes a couple minutes to figure out it is raining and adjust).

linberl

Excited to hear that 1M is going to be getting a unit off to EBR for a review in the next several weeks. Also, they are looking into a color 3D printer, so their mounts can match your bike! Sweet =). If you wanna be stealth, it will blend right in. I'll be taking my single speed with motor to Costco tomorrow to grab that 40 lb bag of dog food - looking forward to not having to walk up the over pass on the way home.