The Stylish C3Strom ‘Astro Pro’ goes like an Ebike scooter, but still has pedals

Xiaomi C3Strom Astro Pro Electric Bicycle eBike

_{With the speed that this ebike can achieve, I highly [+] C3STROM}

Many people are quite pleased with the performance of the Class III eBike, which can run at a speed of 28mph with a pedal assist – the quickest clip on City Riding.  But beyond that speed there is a grey area of ​​machines that pack speed and power similar to a scooter or moped – or even a small motorcycle.  C3Strom’s new Astro and Astro Pro eBikes are definitely part of an interesting mix and I’ve been riding around the Portland area for a couple weeks now.  The bikes will first be available through the upcoming Indiegogo campaign, which will go live on May 25.  Starting prices on Indiegogo are $ 1,699 for the standard 52V15AH 780 watt-hour version and $ 1,899 for the “Pro” model.  Large capacity 52V20AH 1040 watt-hour battery.  Otherwise, all other specs are identical between the two models, according to data from C3 Strom.  After the promotion, C3 Storm says the bikes will go up by $ 800.

Astro and Astro Pro share pretty much the same specs outside the battery, which are removable and slot the train under the spar on the frame.  As you can see, this bike is not intended to be an exterior utility bike;  It is focused on having some terrific fun.  It is available in two colours – my bike was dark grey but I think the lighter “Future Silver” finish with its increased contrast looks good on both.  But overall, if you are into this kind of urban road machine, this is a terrific option in any finish.

Technical Overview

Electric Bicycle: Xiaomi C3Strom Astro Pro e-Bike

_{The “Future Silver” colour option looks great [+] C3STROM}

Power for Astro bikes comes with a 750-watt Bafang motor in the rear hub.  It also has a solid 80 nm of torque.  The wheels feature a good looking pair of Buffang 20×4.25-inch thin-spoke types and slick but wide road-type tires.  The large monochrome backlit LCD display is more similar to a motorcycle display than most eBikes and reads relevant data including speed, assist level, battery level, trip metre and so on.  There are the front suspension forks with compression and preload adjustment, however no rear suspension. The long, banana-style seat is soft but supportive and allows riders to move a little while riding.

The Shimano connects the 7-speed shifter pedals to the rear hub and is designed with an upside-down right bar coupled with a left-hand grip shift, while the Astro’s twist throttle grip resides somewhat with flip buttons and signal switches.  You get used to shifting back gear after a few rides but really, most of the time you’re going to turn the throttle in the right grip on this speedster anyway.  Techtro 4-Piston Hydraulic Disc Brakes Stylish Anodized Red Piston Covers Squeeze 180mm Discs Front and Back, Slow Things with Better Power and Feeling.

Electric Bicycle Xiaomi C3Strom Astro Pro

_{There is no problem with forward vision with bright LED [+] C3STROM}

Lighting is a strong element in Astro, with an LED hollow light always on and a very bright, motorcycle-style trapezoidal headlight with low and high beam projection.  Front turn signals are small “chaser LED” types for even greater visibility, and the rear LED tail light is integrated into the rear frame loop.  At first I thought they had forgotten or decided on past turn signals but I was wrong – they are integrated into the train light and have a nice cool chase pattern to draw attention to.  Horn like a motorcycle rather than a bell warns drivers and pedestrians near you.  My review bike also includes an optional rear rack that accepts standard panniers.  Plastic fenders are included as standard.

Astro Pro Xiaomi C3Strom e-Bike

_{The large LCD display showed a lot of information [+] C3STROM}

The variety is distinct as 50 miles for the bottom Astro and seventy eight miles for the Pro with a bigger battery.  It varies widely depending on throttle use, pedal input and hills, but I never got less than 30 miles from full fare, including a throttle-heavy cruise across town.  Wait about 5 hours for a full recharge.

Riding experience

Astro Pro Xiaomi C3Strom Electric Bicycle

^{Easy to ride and comfortable, Quick Astro [+] is C3 STROM}

 It took a while to build Astro Pro out of the box with the included tools, and the instructions are good but more obvious.  Things like fenders and turn signals add to the task list but I ran the Astro Pro in about 30 minutes.

 When charged and checked, I was out on the street outside my house and started pedalling the Astro in “No Assist” (“zero” setting but all electronics are turned on) and you can definitely pedal the Astro with reasonable effort, which is not the most fun way to get around – but at least you can  Can pedal with some degree of effectiveness, which is more than I can say for some e bikes offers like this.

 With the help of being involved, the fun began.  Steps 1 to 5 increase power from 20mph to 28mph, and up to 32mph specified in “off-road” mode if you unlock the capability.  Speed ​​settings and data points on the bike and battery are in the integrated C3 Strom app that connects via Bluetooth.

 Tires

With the tires circulating up to about 30psi, the handling is sharp and I have dialled in the front preload for maximum preload (no lockout I can tell) so the suspension action is minimal but the Astro is a smooth-ride bike overall.  Speed.

C3Strom Astro Pro Xiaomi Electric Bicycle

_{Low profile rear LED taillight is very bright [+] C3STROM}

As a larger and taller rider, the Astro is a bit smaller for me, especially in the seat-to-pedal space, and the seat is not adjustable, but is about 32 inches tall, so even small riders should know this is no adjustment.  But it doesn’t matter, the pedals are comfortable enough to travel with my feet for long periods of time and most people fit in well.

In my compulsory Hill test, the Astro Pro had no trouble setting the pedal and pedal assist at 4, which I would call “light” when sitting and pedalling my 220-pound Large.  And looking at speeds close to 40 mph, this made for some tense moments on some pedestrian fluctuations because the Astro used a hardtail frame and I was seated (I usually sit out of the bike with the “normal” frame configuration).  The Astro Pro tracks at high speed sweeper turns as long as it does not dodge objects (such as the critical squirrel.) Given the solid squeeze, the four-piston brakes scrubbed quickly, and I got a stop sign at the bottom of a long slope.

I used the Astro Pro for some light-duty work, including running a bike with panniers on the optional rear rack, and high-speed antics, as well as the Astro scooter in this mode.  A bicycle.  I have generously used the throttle to hop from the bike lane to the sidewalk to the traffic lane, so in addition to having fun to ride, the Astro can also earn its keep (a rear rack is recommended).

Conclusion

Xiaomi C3Strom Astro Pro eBike

_{This is the colour my bike came from;  Anodized [+] C3STROM}

Astro Pro is a fun, stylish, hard-built and powerful eBike that delivers tiptoes to the scooter / moped field.  In some countries, you may need a driver or scooter / motorcycle licence to join car traffic, and with built-in lights and signals, it is ready for duty out of the box.  Here in the United States, riders can pilot the Astro Pro without a licence because in most places, the law is still unclear as to the obvious difference between an electric scooter, eBike, moped and bicycle.  And those definitions depend on what state you are in – or what city you are in and if there is any clarity for law enforcement in that space (more places: not more).  The Portland police I passed by didn’t give me a second glimpse, though I didn’t ride in the car traffic lanes on the busy streets.

Nitpix?  Not many: The open front chainring can try to eat a wide pants leg or dress, and the shifter controller is inverted by necessity, but you get used to it.  I’d love to see a mirror or two added for such a fast bike, but it’s easy to add.  Otherwise, Astro Pro was a reliable and solid performer.  Wear components are common, so management should be simplified as you go forward.

The C3Strom Astro ebikes is launching on Indiegogo on May 25th, and early buyers can save about $ 800 on what will eventually be an MSRP, so if you’re looking for fun with a small scooter with a dash of style and technology, get your deposit sooner rather than later.  I really enjoyed my time at Astro Pro and would recommend it.

_{Credited BillRoberson, via Forbes / Xiaomi C3Strom}