iGO Elite Electric Bike Review Part 1 – Pictures & Specs

The new 2018 iGO Elite powerful step thru is in for testing and review!

iGo has built the Elite with a single downtube for a low step thru height and clean battery integration into the frame. 

The Elite features a high capacity (672 Wh) lithium battery, 500 watt motor, Shimano components, sturdy front & rear racks, integrated lights, and much more! 

This commuter style eBike is priced at $1,799 USD.

In this first part of the review you will get a detailed look at this bike with a BUNCH of pictures and the specifications.

Part 2 of the iGO Elite review will give you info on the ride characteristics, results from the range test, pros, cons, and overall thoughts on this e-bike.

Alright, let’s get into the details!

The iGO Elite is a powerful easy get on and go step thru that is ready for the daily commute and fun rides.

One of the big highlights of the Elite is the easy get on an go low step thru design with the high capacity integrated lithium frame battery. 

The Elite uses iGO’s Ergofit design that will accommodate people of either gender from 5 ft. tall to over 6 ft. There are a lot of adjustments that can be made to the seat height and handlebar height and fore/aft position to fit you and your preferred riding style. 

The Elite has a large 6061 aluminum downtube that houses the 48V 13Ah lithium battery and creates enough structure to provide the low step thru area that is just 16″ above the ground. 

iGO electric bikes are designed and tested in Montreal Canada.

The 48V 13Ah lithium battery with Samsung 18650 cells has 624 watt hours of capacity which is on the higher end of most eBikes on the market.  

The centered and relatively low downtube location is good for weight distribution and overall bike handling. 

There is a USB port on the top right side of the battery so that you can charge your smartphone, tablet, etc. on the go. 

The current battery level can be seen when pushing the button on the top of the battery. The display also has a battery level indicator. 

The battery charging port is on the left lower side of the battery and the battery can be charged on or off the bike. There is a place to mount a water bottle or lock mount on the seat tube. 

After unlocking the pack with the supplied key (2 keys supplied), the battery slides to the side for removal. The battery weighs 8.8 pounds. 

Here’s a look at the bike when the battery pack has been removed. 

The charger is about the size of a laptop charger and it takes 5 to 6.5 hours to fully charge the battery from empty. The battery can be charged on or off the bike. 

A Suntour suspension fork helps to take the edge off of rough roads. You can also see the dual beam LED headlight and sturdy front cargo rack. More on those in a bit. 

This is the iGO 500 watt (650 watt peak) geared rear hub motor that provides pedal assist or throttle up to 20 mph. That makes the iGo Elite a Class 2 electric bike. 

Here is a look at the Tektro disc brake attached to the other side of the motor. 

A Shimano Altus rear derailleur shifts through an 8 speed cogset which provides a nice range of gears for climbing hills and riding on flat land. 

In this view you can see that the motor has a relatively compact size that is almost hidden by the cogset.

Now let’s take a look at the Elite control center. In this view you can see the swept back handlebars that provide a casual and comfortable ride characteristic. 

On the left side of the handlebar is a comfortable rubber grip, thumb throttle, front Tektro mechanical disc brake lever with built in bell, and the LCD display.

The LCD display shows the driving mode, pedal assist level, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, battery level with voltage reading, and error diagnostics. The display is capable of indicating error codes which will self diagnose an issue with a component should one arise. The display is backlit for good visibility both day and night. 

In this view you can see that the brake levers have a rubber surface for solid grip in almost any weather. Both brake levers have sensors that will stop the assist as soon as either brake lever is engaged. 

There are 3 different driving modes that are changed as you go through the 8 total pedal assist levels:

Eco = Low motor power, extended battery range. Pedal assist levels 1-3.

Normal = Average motor power, average battery range. Pedal assist levels 4-5.

Power = High motor power, lower battery range. Pedal assist levels 6-8.

The pedal assist is a cadence sensor type of assist. 

The thumb throttle to the left of the display allows you to ride with or without pedaling and it can override the pedal assist. This is useful if you want a boost of power to get through an intersection quickly. 

There is a walk mode that provides assist up to a few mph and it helps when you are walking the bike up a steep hill or stairs. It is activated by holding the + button on the display.

The display, as well as the left & right brake cut off switches, are wired with weatherproof connectors along with the easy loom to facilitate quick part changes should the display indicate doing so. The controller and the rear motor are also equipped with the same quick connectors making service issues easy.

On the right side is the rubber grip, Tektro brake lever, and Shimano 8 speed trigger shifter. 

In this view you can see that the handlebar has a couple inches of rise and that swept back ride style. Adjusting the height and reach of the handlebars is easy with the Promax adjustable stem with quick release lever.

Here is the Promax stem with the quick release lever opened.

In this view the Promax stem has been adjusted to the highest height and shortest reach. There is a lot of variability in the overall fit and ride positions on the iGo Elite. 

This is the front Tektro Aries mechanical disc brake with 160 mm stainless steel rotor.

And the rear Tektro Aries mechanical disc brake with 160 mm stainless steel rotor.

The cranks have a sleek design and the full coverage chain guard really helps with keeping your pant legs clean. 

The plastic pedals provide a solid rubber grippy surface.

The saddle has a comfortable profile with a relieved section in the middle and the color and style matches the handlebar grips well. 

Here’s a look at the Schwalbe Energizer Plus tire with Greenguard 5 puncture protection, 28″ x 1.5″ (700C x 38). These tires have an efficient smooth design with channels for dissipating water.

The full coverage front and rear plastic fenders have a flexible flaps at the ends to keep the water spray to a minimum. 

The front and rear aluminum racks have a sturdy look and solid bolted connection to the frame. Each rack can be removed from the frame if preferred. The front rack has a large flat platform that can handle up to 20 pounds and the platform area is roughly 10″ x 10″.

A dual LED headlight is located just below the front cargo rack for a sleek design. The front and rear lights are connected to the battery pack so that you don’t have to worry about charging the lights separately. 

The rear rack is capable of carrying a wide variety of bags, panniers, or baskets for commuting or touring. The rear rack can handle up to 55 pounds. 

The rear light is housed in the rear rack and runs off the main eBike battery pack. 

iGO Elite Electric Bike Specifications

Frame: 6061 aluminium frame with low step thru design. Multi adjustable Ergofit system to fit riders from 5 ft tall to over 6 ft.

Fork: Suntour suspension fork

Motor: 500 Watt geared Hi Torque brushless rear hub motor 650 watt peak 

Battery: Integrated frame lithium battery pack with Samsung 18650 cells. 48V 13Ah (624 Wh) lithium battery with USB port for charging other devices (smartphone, tablet, etc.). The battery weighs 8.8 pounds. 

Assist Options: 3 driving modes (Eco, Normal, Power) within the 8 pedal assist levels. Cadence sensor pedal assist. Also a thumb throttle. 

Display: Large LCD display with information on: the driving mode, pedal assist level, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, battery level with voltage reading, and error diagnostics. 

Drivetrain: Shimano Altus 8 speed

Brakeset: Tektro Aries mechanical disc front & rear

Tires: Schwalbe Energizer Plus with Greenguard 5 puncture protection. 28″ x 1.5″ (700C x 38)

Sizes: Ergofit will accommodate people of either gender from 5 ft tall to over 6 feet

Accessories: Front & rear LED lights powered by the bike battery, front & rear fenders, front & rear aluminum racks, bell, and kickstand.

Weight: 61.7 pounds total. 52.9 pounds with battery removed. 

Price: $1,799 USD at the time of this review

Here is a link to the specifications page of the iGO Elite electric bike.

Now checkout part 2 of the iGO Elite review with info on the ride characteristics, the range test, pros, cons, and overall thoughts!

-Pete

Review Note: Each company pays a fee for a review on Electric Bike Report because of the considerable amount of time that it takes to provide an in-depth review of each eBike. A lot of time is spent on the full range test with distance & elevation profile, the wide variety of detailed pictures, in-depth video, and the write up with the specifications, ride characteristics, pros, cons, and overall thoughts. The reviews on Electric Bike Report are focused on providing you with a detailed “virtual” look at each eBike to help you determine if it is the eBike for you or not.

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