OHM City E Bike Review

The OHM city is an urban friendly e-bike, a total package with fenders, a rear rack and integrated lights. It comes with four frame size options and also comes with two motor choices.

The primary $3k version with an efficient 350 watt gearless hub motor reaching 20mph. For $1k more, you get the secondary version, a high-torque 500 watt gearless hub motor reaching 20mph or 28mph.

Both drive systems use an advanced torque sensor that’s built into the hub motor itself. The e-bike moves smoothly and feels natural to ride. Both motors offer regenerative braking to reduce wear and tear on brake pads. This e-bike is good for commuting and grocery getting.

Because of the low standover height and lower minimum saddle, the bike is good for small people. And also because of the sturdy frame, you have options carrying different things. What also makes this bike special are the upgraded components and reasonable price point.

For roughly $3k, you’re getting tubular alloy fenders that won’t rattle, name-brand lights with metal housings, mountain bike grade hydraulic disc brakes with quad piston calipers and tool-free adjustable reach levers, comfortable Ergon locking grips and saddle, double wall rims with reinforcement eyelets for strength, a highly adjustable lightweight air suspension fork with thru-axle wheel mount, magnesium pedals with adjustable pins, and a sealed headset and bottom bracket that won’t rust or creak when they get wet.

You can also see the attention paid to detail in parts like the narrow-wide chainring that reduces potential for chain drops, the handlebar-mounted headlight (that points wherever you steer, won’t bounce around, and is positioned below the removable color LCD display panel), the double-tube frame that doesn’t flex as much as competing step-thru designs, the Shimano Deore XT drivetrain with one-way clutch and upgraded shifter mechanism for responsive gear changing, the sturdy alloy bash guard and performance-grade hollow spindle at the bottom bracket, the high-volume puncture resistant tires with reflective sidewall stripes, and the lightweight 3.45 amp charger that is smaller and faster than most.

With peak torque output at 50 Newton meters on the D-Series and peak wattage around 750, this is one of the strongest legal hub motors.

This extra power should be useful for people encountering steep hills or moving heavier loads. But it does cost $1k more as an upgrade. And it certainly looks unique.

The casing of the large diameter on the D-Series motor is a sort of composite plastic that is lightweight, durable, and unobtrusive in black. It won’t get scratched or nicked up the way that painted alloy casings might, and the spokes connect closer to the center of the wheel, which improves comfort.

However, with such a large diameter, this motor does catch some wind from the side. By comparison, the less expensive 350 watt motor is encased in an alloy hub that actually weighs more despite being physically smaller.

It doesn’t offer as much torque, but is still very capable. Both motors are near-silent and both offer regeneration. Also remember that the trigger throttle only becomes active once the bike has reached 2mph.

So, it’s not as helpful when starting after a stop sign or traffic signal. You’ll have to kick off and pedal for a second before the throttle will work. Still, the trigger throttle and control pad buttons are easy to reach and simple to understand.

Powering the bike, the backlit display, two integrated extra-bright LED lights, and an optional USB power port, is a high capacity Lithium-ion battery pack from BionX. It offers efficient 48 volts and 11.6 amp hours for a total of 556.8 watt hours of capacity. That’s over half a kilowatt hour.

The battery will provide a range between 25 and 70 miles, but that depends on which motor you opt for and how you ride the bike. High speed operation takes a big toll on efficiency because of air resistance.

Throttle mode, while fun, is a battery drainer because both motors offer above-average torque output and acceleration. The trigger throttle is ramped, so you can press gently for less power, but the actual button movement is small, so precise throttling takes some practice.

Unlike many other throttles, this one is easy to reach and not tiring to press constantly. It is a trigger throttle that means you can really grip and handle the bike well. In contrast, some twist throttles can compromise hand grip and position.

You can use the throttle at full power to override assist. There’s no need for clicking up and down through different menus to get the throttle active, the way some other products require.

Anyway, the battery can be charged on or off the bike frame and uses a quick 3.45 amp charger vs. the standard 2 amp I see elsewhere. You can fill the battery quickly and get back out onto the road for more fun or extended rides.

The removability of the display, battery, quick release front wheel, and seat post, make the bike easy to transport, protect, and store. Note that the battery does not have an obvious handle and would definitely get scratched and possibly damaged if dropped.

At 7.4 lbs, it’s not the lightest thing so be careful when handling it or use a bag to carry it. There’s a really cool touch-sensitive LED readout on the left side of the battery box which communicates charge level, whether the battery is mounted to the bike or not, and it’s quite handy.

The display options on this electric bike are many, whether you choose to use the minimalist LED readouts on the control ring, the transflective backlit color LCD display, or your smartphone, you can control four levels of assist and four levels of regeneration.

The + and – keys on the control pad are very intuitive. In it’s most basic form, you get to choose how much power the motor delivers or how much drag it introduces through recuperation.

In addition to the plus and minus, there are also left and right buttons on the control ring which can be used to navigate the LCD display; to show different views. Most people prefer the basic view and love that it show 10 bars to illustrate how full the battery pack is.

This is a big improvement over most displays that just show four or five bars, offering less precision. If you arrow to the right twice, you’ll discover an “advanced” or data view readout listing an even more precise battery percentage along with more trip stats and details.

It’s so cool to have this as an option available, in part because data view is black and white compared to color, which could be less distracting for some riders during low lighting conditions. Note that you can also enter into a settings menu to adjust units and other aspects of the display.

This is definitely one of the nicest displays ever and its very flexible. While still being simple. Being able to take it off of the bike and still use the bike (with the control ring) is neat, and potentially very useful if you misplace the display or end up damaging it. You could use the spot where the display is mounted for some other device for longer rides, if you wanted.