BlackBird Step Thru

I love the setup of this bike. Only issue that holds it from 5 stars is with 27.5 tires it liners the pedals 1 1/2 inches so the hit the ground on corners unless you stop pedaling.

Most importantly, the customer service has been excellent at Area 13 ebikes! It's an advantage that I live in the town where the bikes were purchased, but, while we were ironing out the wrinkles that come with many new ebike purchases, my experience suggests that the kindness and professionalism of the staff will be extended to all reasonable customers. Also importantly, of course, the Blackbird stepthrough is an awesome ebike, with quality features expertly designed for the rugged mountain streets and trails of the Sierra Nevada. In the 12 miles the bike has now been ridden (I've only had it one day!), here are my observations: Pros * An amazingly smooth ride relative to the four other fat tire ebikes that were test-ridden. The higher quality front forks, and the hug-the-road stability of the bike's design, make for an exceptionally smooth ride over our snow-broken and pot-holed streets and trails * The many adjustable features built into the bike's design allow the bike to be almost custom fit with: a firm but comfy saddle with up, down, forward and back adjustments; high-end, adjustable handlebars which, for $35, I chose to have replaced with equally high-quality, adjustable swept back ones which better fit the special needs of my back (perhaps surprisingly, as a woman with a 5'6" frame and 32" in-seam, I got this large bike to fit me like a glove) *The easy-to-read-even-in-bright-sun, colored display (whose manual can be found here https://electricbikecompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DZ-Display-User-Manual.pdf) * The higher-quality disc brakes (203 mm, 4 piston, instead of 180mm, 2 piston) are great for coming down steep slopes * the large 52V, 20Ah battery is still fully charged after 12 miles of heavy throttle use on steep hills * The smooth-as-butter throttle: no jerks or sudden starts that shoot you out into traffic or into immovable objects * The torque sensor pedal assist: this was a mandatory, ebike prerequisite for me, and it's delightful. Even with a low-level pedal-assist I'm able to get a great work-out. If I use 0 pedal assist, the smooth turn of the bike's axels allow the ebike to be ridden as a regular - if heavy - non-ebike. And if I'm too tired to work out, pedal-assist levels 4 & 5 speed you along like there's no tomorrow! * The very low step-thru (16" from the ground), allows easier "get on and off" access for achy or stiff backs and hips * The lighter weight: oh, it's still a heavy, fat tire ebike, but relative to most other ebikes in its category, at 67 lbs - with battery installed - it's one of the, noticably, lighter ebikes * The power: with the 750W Bafang hub motor and a torque of 80, this bike, if not the fastest, is more than adequate in climbing the long, steep hills in our town, averaging 12 - 14 mph with throttle only, and 15 - 16 mph with pedal assist - and people would pay good money for the thrill of its smooth, zippy ride DOWN those hills (in fact, I guess, I did, and I'm loving every minute!)! Oh, there is one Con: * The position of the sporty front fender makes the battery difficult to get in and out. There's probably a fairly easy fix for this, but, since the battery - with its long charger chord - can be charged on the bike, there's no need for frequent removal So, I can, confidently, highly recommend the Area 13 Blackbird, step-thru ebike for all of the above reasons. Should my long-term experience prove otherwise...well, I guess I don't think it will?!