Populo Sport Electric Bike Review Part 1 – Pictures & Specs

The lightweight and economical Populo Sport eBike has arrived for testing and review.

This 35.7 pound fixie style eBike has a clean look with a focus on keeping things simple and economical with a price of $999!

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 Populo Sport review will give you info on the ride characteristics, results from the range test, pros, cons, and overall thoughts on this eBike.

Alright, let’s take a closer look at the Populo Sport!

The Populo Sport is ready for zipping around town!

To start thing off we will take a closer look at the double butted 6061 aluminum frame that has a very clean look. 

Here’s a look at the headtube area and you can see the welds have been smoothed to create a clean flowing look between the frame tubes. The integrated headset is also a nice touch for a minimalist appearance. 

The seat tube junction also has the smooth welds for the clean look. 

Internal frame cable routing for the rear brake cable in the top tube is a nice aesthetic touch. 

And internal cable routing for the electrical components in the downtube of the frame. 

Here is a look at the double butted 6061 aluminum front forks.

The 36V 8.7ah lithium battery with Panasonic cells is mounted on the downtube of the frame providing a low and centered weight distribution, which is good for overall bike handling.

On the left side is a battery level indicator towards the bottom of the pack. 

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

The battery is removed by unlocking it from the frame with the supplied key and sliding it forward off of the frame mount shown here. 

The battery charging port is on the left side of the battery towards the top of the pack. The battery weighs 4.7 pounds. 

The charger is about the size of a laptop charger. The battery can be charged on or off the bike. 

The alloy cranks feature a 46T chainring and the wide platform pedals provide a solid grip. 

A cadence sensor is used to activate the pedal assist system. You can see this sensor at the bottom bracket of the frame. 

The Populo Sport is powered by a 250 watt geared rear hub motor that has a small minimalist look to it. It provides pedal assist (no throttle) up to 20 mph which makes this a Class 1 eBike. 

A 16T cog is paired with the 46T chainring on the cranks for a single speed drivetrain. You can also see the clean frame details at the dropouts here. 

The top down look at the motor and rear cog; it’s pretty simple and clean!

Caliper brakes are used front and rear and they have a classic look with pretty good stopping power. 

Here is a look at the rear caliper brake. 

The CST 700c x 28c road tires really help the Populo Sport fly! These narrow road tires are all about efficiency and they help the Populo Sport comfortably cruise at 20 mph. 

A reflective strip on the tires is also a nice safety feature for being seen. 

The stem, handlebar, and cable management area is pretty clean. 

On the left side of the handlebar is the LCD display that shows the driving mode, pedal assist level, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, battery level with voltage reading, and error diagnostics. The display is backlit for good visibility both day and night. 

There are 3 different driving modes that can be selected: Eco, Normal, and Power. In addition, there are 8 pedal assist levels for each of those driving modes so you can really fine tune how the bike performs. 

There is also a walk mode that provides assist up to ~3.7 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 has a USB port on the bottom for charging a smartphone, tablet, etc. on the go. 

The brake levers have a built in electronic sensor that will stop the motor assist when either brake lever is engaged. There is a rubber material built into the brake lever for extra grip. 

The saddle has a performance style profile that matches the Populo Sport style very well. 

The Populo Sport in the Matte Black color.

The Populo Sport in the Gloss Blue color.

The Populo Sport in the Polish color.

Populo Sport Electric Bike Specifications

Frame: Double butted 6061 aluminium frame with smooth welds

Fork: Double butted 6061 aluminium

Motor: HL 36V 250W geared rear hub motor, brushless RoHS certified

Battery: Panasonic 36V 8.7Ah (313 watt hour) lithium battery with USB port for charging other devices (smartphone, tablet, etc.). The battery weighs 4.7 pounds. 

Assist Options: 3 driving modes with 8 pedal assist options each. Cadence sensor pedal assist. 

Speed: Pedal assist (no throttle) up to 20 mph which makes this a Class 1 eBike

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. USB port for charging smartphone, tablets, etc. on the go.

Drivetrain: Single speed gear (46T x 16T) with 8 levels of pedal assist

Brakeset: Tektro EL550 Linear Pull Brake Lever With Sensor Control Design

Tires: CST 700c x 28c w/reflective stripe

Sizes: Small, medium, large

Accessories: Kickstand

Colors: Matte Black, Polish, Gloss Blue

Weight: 35.7 pounds. 31.0 pounds with the battery removed.

Price: $999 USD at the time of this review

Here is a link to the specifications page of the Populo Sport electric bike.

Now checkout part 2 of the Populo Sport 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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