Pedego City Commuter Lite Edition

“The City Commuter Lite Edition is comfortable for both your butt and your wallet.”

Affordable

Secure, compliant trip

Powerful motor

Broad seller community

Heavy body

Lacks pedal help or LCD show

I used to be most likely doing 25 miles per hour once I locked eyes with the cop. Immediately, I tapped on the brakes and, after a brief distance, casually regarded over my shoulder to see if his Ford Explorer had leaped out of its parking area.
It hadn’t, in fact. I used to be doing the velocity restrict, pedaling away on an electrical bike that regarded like several mundane cruiser. I wasn’t doing something mistaken. I simply felt like I used to be.
That mischievous feeling always got here again as I cruised round Portland on Pedego’s City Commuter Lite Edition. Not as a result of I used to be out of line, and never even as a result of the bike is that fast — it’s sluggish and heavy, even for an ebike. Yet my mind couldn’t gel the heft of the bike with the easy cruise it could preserve. It made scooting round city easy and left various fellow cyclists sweating via their bib shorts in a futile try and sustain.
Heavyweight cruiser
The City Commuter Lite Edition, beginning at $1,895, will get its title from its value and never weight. The traditional 28-inch mannequin I rode weighs 55.8 kilos. That’s excessive for an electrical bike on this class; the Trek Verve+ is 45 kilos, and the Specialized Turbo Como weighs 46 kilos. You’ll have a tough time hefting the City Commuter Lite Edition up a set of stairs or perhaps a tall curb. The battery, mounted beneath the rear rack, may be eliminated to barely scale back weight and enhance stability.
Its weight may be felt on the highway. Lycra-clad cyclists worshiping on the temple of carbon may have a foul response to the City Commuter Lite Edition’s tepid, relaxed highway method. Telepathic steering? Hah. You ask the City Commuter Lite Edition to do one thing, and like a very good pal baked on half a bowl of edible brownies, it’ll comply. Eventually. After it finishes the final season of Friends.
Of course, rest has perks. The bike doesn’t twitch or jerk whenever you flip the bars, however wafts in your meant route. Bumps and potholes are noticeable, because the bike has no suspension, however the hefty body and thick tires isolate most jolts. You’ll solely discover it ponderous when you purposely dive right into a nook at excessive velocity. Competitors from Specialized and Trek really feel extra responsive.
The bike doesn’t twitch or jerk whenever you flip the bars, however wafts in your meant route.

This isn’t a sports activities coupe. It’s a truck – and I imply that as a praise. Most Americans drive vans or SUVs. Not as a result of they want the cargo room, however as a result of they like how a truck feels on the highway. Trucks are massive, snug, hefty machines. Their sheer mass is reassuring. The City Commuter Lite Edition offers comparable pleasure, all with out belching a ton of carbon each month.
Don’t trouble pedaling
Though it’s Pedego’s most simple City Commuter mannequin, the Lite nonetheless has a 500-watt motor. There’s no pedal help right here. Just twist and go. On flat terrain, the bike glides to cruising velocity in a couple of seconds. Keep the throttle open and also you’ll finally hit the highest velocity of 20 miles per hour.
Yes, that’s proper. You don’t should pedal. State legal guidelines typically require an ebike to maneuver underneath pedal energy however don’t demand the rider should pedal. It’s totally attainable to deal with the City Commuter Lite like an electrical moped, and I’d argue you’re higher off for it. The bike’s hefty body, upright place, and broad seat make pedaling a severe chore. I’m a every day bike commuter, using 12 miles round-trip on a meat-powered bike most days, and even I discovered the City Commuter Lite difficult to push round by myself energy.

Stick to the throttle, although, and the bike’s convivence is addicting. Want to satisfy mates for dinner after work? No drawback. Just hop on and hit the throttle. You received’t have to a change of garments because you’re not placing in actual effort, and you should utilize bike lanes or sidewalks to bypass visitors (sidewalk use is authorized in Oregon – verify your state legal guidelines). The City Commuter Lite Edition is a fantastically fast solution to navigate city America throughout rush hour.
Yes, that’s proper. You don’t should pedal.

You can wander as much as 45 miles, in keeping with Pedego’s advertising and marketing supplies. I’d say that’s a charitable declare. I ran the battery all the way down to 1 / 4 with two 12-mile journeys, which meant I needed to cost as soon as each three days. Most riders will see between 30 to 40 miles on a cost. That’s a tad lower than you would possibly anticipate from a Specialized Turbo Como 2.0 or Trek Verve+ underneath comparable situations, and the City Commuter Lite Edition is tougher to trip when out of juice due to its heavy body. Charging the Lite’s battery from near-empty to full took about 4 hours.
The options are lacking. But will you miss them?
The costliest ebikes may be advanced, and a few even have smartphone apps. The City Commuter Lite Edition strips most of that out within the title of reasonably priced, dependable transportation. Pedal help? Not right here. LCD display screen with velocity and vary? Nope. It has a throttle, disc brakes, a rudimentary cost gauge, a taillight, and that’s about it.
Stripping out options does rob the bike of pleasure. Sitting atop a $5,000+ Specialized Vado or Riese and Müller Charger seems like an occasion earlier than you begin transferring. Pedego’s City Commuter Lite Edition is only a bike. It seems like a cruiser however, not like most cruisers, it’s not obtainable in thrilling colours (a minimum of, not in Lite Edition trim).
You can discover extra options on inexpensive ebikes. The GenZe 200, which we reviewed final 12 months, provided pedal help and a fundamental LCD display screen. Other choices embody the Sondors Thin and Propella 3.0., each of that are inexpensive however have a couple of further options. Those bikes are additionally a bit lighter.
The City Commuter Lite Edition has a extra highly effective motor, nonetheless. While many opponents have 250- or 350-watt motors, Pedego features a 500-watt unit. The distinction is noticeable from a standstill, and the bike can (finally) haul itself up steep hills that reasonably priced electrical bikes normally can’t deal with with out assist out of your quads.
It has a throttle, disc brakes, a rudimentary cost gauge, a taillight, and that’s about it.

You’ll additionally discover a rear rack built-in into the body. It’s a useful commonplace function that’s hardly ever inventory on competing ebikes. The rack’s thick tubing means sure pannier baggage received’t match, however that’s solely an issue when you already personal a pair.
Pedego has one function that’s uncommon amongst electrical bikes: a nationwide retail community. Pedego, which has operated for a decade and calls itself the most important electrical bike model in America, operates over 100 shops throughout the United States and guarantees a two-year guarantee. You’ll discover Pedego shops not solely within the traditional coastal bike havens but in addition in Boise, Indianapolis, and Santa Fe. Only the biggest bike manufacturers, like Specialized and Trek, have comparable attain.
Our take
Pedego’s City Commuter Lite is extra electrical moped than electrical bike, and that assertion alone ought to enable you to resolve when you’re . Looking for an ebike that’s nice for train or overlaying lengthy distances? Skip it. Want an ebike you may zip throughout city with out arriving sweaty and exhausted? The Pedego City Commuter Lite is for you.
Is there a greater different?
You’ll discover even inexpensive bikes from reasonably priced manufacturers like Swagtron and Ecotric that may get you from level A to B, however they’ve much less highly effective motors and infrequently skimp on disc brakes.
Major bike manufacturers provide electrical commuter bikes at comparable however barely greater costs. Trek’s Verve+ and Specialized’s Turbo Como 2.0 are good examples. They’ll enchantment if you’d like a traditional metropolis bike that’s enjoyable to trip by yourself energy however may also provide a lift when wanted.
How lengthy will it final?
The City Commuter Lite Edition’s heavy body may final many years if maintained properly, and all of the elements may be repaired or changed. As with so many electronics, the battery shall be your principal impediment to longevity. While replaceable, there’s no assure {that a} appropriate battery shall be broadly obtainable in 2029.
Pedego gives a two-year guarantee and has a broad seller community. The seller community is nice, however the guarantee is so-so. Major bike manufacturers provide tiered warranties that normally cowl electrical bike elements for 2 years and canopy the body for all times.
Should you purchase it?
Yes. The Pedego City Commuter Lite Edition is a straightforward, reasonably priced electrical bike that may navigate dense cities a minimum of as rapidly as a automotive.