Centauri II

I have been looking for a lighter belt drive ebike with a simple transmission and this is it. The Ananda motor with the belt drive is quiet and smooth with plenty of power. The torque and cadence sensing is intuitive and natural. The automatic shifting is a pleasant surprise. I had considered a fixed gear ebike but the 3 speed hub suits the mostly flat roads here well. Moderate hills are managed by moderating cadence below the first gear to second gear shift point (around 11mph) and riding in a higher assist level. The stock stem is adequate but I prefer a more upright riding position so I installed an adjustable stem. Do not expect too much from the mono shock, by nature it has its limits but does work to smooth things out a bit. I spent years on road bikes but now that I'm riding more upright, weight is more directly placed on the seat so I added a suspension seat post for a smoother ride. That meant rerouting the wiring from the rear seat to the back of the rack. You will typically need tools and experience working on bikes to complete this work. Otherwise, a local shop can do it for you. These are all changes to suit my riding style and comfort needs and are not necessary for everyone who chooses this bike. To test the battery range, I rode 20 mi in Sport or Turbo pas. Average speed was 15-16 mph but the last three miles were 20mph in turbo. The display indicated two bars of battery remaining at the end of the ride even though the range in turbo…

Mostly a good experience, outside the irregular response of the boost button to maybe save your life at a busy intersection. Why not spend the extra five cents and get a button that works most of the time rather than once in ten attempts to activate the big powerful motor so as to cause the ebike VVolt to move, propell it self, go rather than sit and die in traffic?

It would be a mercy. Also, what is the secret code for attaching the front fender? Is there a place to find two screws to attach the nich front fender to the bicycle? Or should I go to the Hardware store and ask them to find some way to attach the fender. In Denver we often appreciate the action of a fender to keep the water and ice off the person of the bike rider.

I've been riding the Centauri II for the past month for my daily commute of 12 miles (one way) and I've put a total of 500 miles on the bike. I need to charge the battery at home and at work if I want to keep the bike in sport mode. The winter chill also reduces the battery range, though I can still make it to and from work on a full charge.

Pros:

- Safety, this bike seams to keep rider/battery safety more in mind than other companies

- Removable battery, I carry my bike up and down to the basement every day, and the bike is much lighter without the battery.

- Battery placement on underside of bike, when leaving the bike out in acclimate weather, it's good to know that water/snow isn't going to get into the battery cave

- Upright sitting position is very comfortable for longer rides

- Automatic gear hub is very nice since you don't have to fiddle around with shifters, especially during winter while wearing mittens and pogies

- Integrated lighting, bright enough for city night riding

- Belt drive, holds up to salt better

- Service center responds within 1 working day on my questions

Cons:

- I wish there was a throttle, the boost button 4 seconds is not long enough to go up hills, and the 4 seconds is too long when you need to do an unexpected stop (under 4 seconds).

- The paint, it has chipped in several spots where it leans up against bike rakes

- Belt drive, it's more difficult to take off the rear wheel

- The wheel size limits your…