The ebike that's basically an e-moped – Cyrusher Kommoda 3.0 review

Calling the Cyrusher Kommoda 3.0 a "bicycle" almost feels a little dishonest. Sure, it has pedals and technically fits into the ebike category, but when you twist the throttle, the whole experience leans a little more towards an electric moped that just happens to have pedals. The fat Arisun 20x4-inch tires, the 6061 aluminum step-through frame, and the 750-watt rear hub motor with nearly 63 lb-ft (85 Nm) of torque ... yeah, that all supports what I'm trying to illustrate here.

And it's not some lightweight commuter bike that you casually sling onto a bus rack or easily stuff into the janitor closet when you get to the office ... this thing is built for having a good time, just like a minibike.

The *ahem* ebike is powered by a removable 48-volt, 20-Ah battery (around 960 Wh) that Cyrusher says will net you about 68 miles (~110 km) of range on a charge – and another 6-7 hours to recharge. That's not too shabby, considering that battery is feeding a 750-watt rear hub motor. I would say "1 horsepower motor," but 750 of anything sounds much better than 1 of something. My real-world experience was more like 50 miles (80 km) on a charge, but I am not a small man ... and I like throttle. If you're into actually pedaling, the Kommoda uses a torque-sensor pedal assist system that you can turn off entirely, or choose levels ranging from Eco to Sport.

All of which, might I add, is UL 2849 & UL 2271 Certified. That seems to be the latest buzzword in the ebike world, so I'm letting you know, for good measure and keyword placement. ;)

Cyrusher says the bike tops out at 28 mph (45 km/h), which, if I'm not mistaken, is the federal limit (in the US, at least) on assist for a Class-3 ebike. But mine, the Kommoda 3.0 Class-2 ebike, perhaps due to a firmware issue or something that I never intend on formally addressing, will happily cruise up to 33 mph (53 km/h) using throttle alone. Maybe I just got lucky? But do me a favor and don't tell anyone. If LEO asks, it only does 28, right?

That top speed lands this bike squarely in minibike territory, as far as I'm concerned. The motor has a solid, comfortable punch off the line, but nothing that's going to spin the tire out of control on you, even in the loose stuff. And riding over compact sand, the juicy 750-watt'er still has enough beans to keep chuggin' along with its strong, linear power. I don't have any real hills nearby for a proper hill-climb test, but judging by how it rides on the flats, it should climb respectably for a hub-motor setup. Especially if you've got strong legs.

Despite being a fat-tire bike and tipping the scales at 83 lb (~38 kg), the Kommoda genuinely doesn't feel like a pig when you're riding it. I think its very low center of gravity helps hide the weight. It's surprisingly nimble for something that, at least on paper, might be considered a bit of a chonk. And yes, I can curl it, but not very many times.

The Kommoda 3.0 comes equipped with hydraulic brakes with 180-mm rotors that I'd rate a solid 8 out of 10. They're not high-end, multi-pot Shimano XTRs or anything, but they have decent feel and more than enough bite when you need them. Certainly better than some bikes I've ridden.

Comfort is probably the Kommoda's strongest trait, in my opinion. Those big tires with big sidewalls soak up a lot of the road chatter before the suspension even starts suspending. The big ebike has a 110-mm fork with adjustable compression and a preload adjuster ... and lockout (who uses lockout? Can anyone explain the point of lockout to me?). It also has a rear air shock that you can absolutely adjust if you so desire. That being said, it's no pillow-soft ride. The stock seat, surprisingly, is on the plusher side without being squishy, sweat-inducing, and itchy (I know you know what I'm talking about), making the overall package just nice. Pleasant. Happy. The whole bike just screams "I'M HAVING A GOOD DAY!"

Comfort is definitely 8.5/10 right out of the box. The grips take a little getting used to, though. That's probably my biggest complaint. I prefer round grips, rather than the flappy-patty palm-rest style. I understand why some people might like that, but it's never been something I could get used to. Easy swap with an air compressor though!

The Green Mosheen (or purple, grey, or orange if you choose those colors instead) is IP65 rated, meaning a rain ride should be just fine, but stay away from river crossings and pressure washers.

The step-through frame is legit-easy for riders of all sizes. Cyrusher says, "You're golden, Pony Boy," if you're between four-foot-nine and six-foot-three (145 cm / 190.5 cm). I don't know any adults who are under five-foot-flat, so I can't attest to that end of the spectrum, but I am 6 ft 3 in and can attest that I fit. Comfortably. The seat height is absurdly adjustable, which makes sense given the 18-inch (45.7 cm) disparity in rider height for the machine. And the handlebars also have quite a bit of adjustability forward and back, for finding that oh-so-sweet spot you love.

The cockpit itself is simple, like a bicycle should be. You've got a color dash that shows you which of the five levels of PAS (Power Assist Level) you're in, your speed, your ODO, and there you have it. It's pretty big and bold, so there isn't a whole lot of squinting while trying to make sure you've not broken any local speed laws.

Your left controls are for the headlight – which is massive, but not particularly bright at 250 lumens, a horn, and your PAS. The right side is where your Shimano Tourney 7-speed trigger lives. Shifts are almost always perfectly smooth and exact, but there are times when a little extra tap on the shift lever is needed to stop the clacking of a slightly misaligned derailleur.

The rear rack for storage on the Kommoda is solid. It feels like it's actually part of the frame, rather than just some bolt-on afterthought. I don't know what the rear rack payload capacity is, but I'm going to assume that as long as I don't exceed the 350-lb (159-kg) capacity the bike is rated for, then I'll be okay. I hope. I'm a big fan of milk crates (not pictured). Cyrusher says I can put a child seat on it, but I'm not responsible enough for such things.

I've heard complaints about cable management on the Kommoda, but frankly, they don't interfere with anything when turning lock-to-lock, so I don't give it a second thought. It's a US$1,600 bike that performs more like a $2,600 electric moped, so a bit o' sloppy-cable doesn't bother me. If you like perfectly tidy cables, however, it will bother you.

What does bother me (besides the grips) is the chain noise over bumps. The derailleur isn't the tightest, so the slack in the chain will bounce around a bit, making clanging noises when you're not pedaling. In the grand scheme of things, it's a minor complaint, but jangly stuff that shouldn't jangle is right up towards the top of things that I don't like in life.

Also, if you're really trying to get somewhere fast, ghost-pedaling will rear it's ugly head around the 24-mph (39-km/h) mark as the torque-sensing motor will spin the tires faster than you can pedal, which is fine if you're on throttle only – but toes beware, because the pedal height is pretty low to the ground – and on the ground when you're leaned over just a little bit – so you will have pedal strikes if you're not paying attention.

Overall, the Kommoda 3.0 is a beginner-friendly machine that even advanced riders will appreciate under the right circumstances – like hanging out with friends on a cheerful sunny day, wasting your time doing nothing other than being happy and having fun. The bike is solid bang-for-your-buck, especially as the price has dropped several hundred dollars since its initial release.

The Kommoda 3.0 doesn't excel at any one thing in particular, but it seems to do everything decently well, and it's hard to be mad at that, especially when you realize it's less ebike and more electric moped.

Cyrusher sent me one in green for the review, and the only color I dislike more than green is an even greener green. But even so, I think it has just enough utilitarian-green sheen that I still somehow like it.

Product page: Cyrusher Kommoda 3.0

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