The Gogoro Eeyo is an elegantly designed, unbelievably scant E-Commuter with an aggressive character

When the new Eeeyo arrived at my doorstep, the delivery man commented it was one of the lighter bike boxes he’s delivered in recent memory. I proceeded to tell him it was an E-bike, which gave him reason to pause and lift the box once again just for a sanity check. The bike industry has focused on delivering lightweight for decades, and it’s easy to see why; the simple act of lifting the bicycle can transcend words and speak volumes about the benefit of lightweight. 

We’d be remiss if we focused solely on the weight, this bike has much more going for it than that. Let’s dive in.

ORDER & DELIVERY

The Eeyo has a semi-integrated seatpost and is “measured to order” meaning you’ll need to do some homework before completing your purchase. The first order of business is to provide Gogoro with your inseam measurement. This is easily achieved by standing against a wall, putting a straightedge between your legs at the groin area, then measuring from the floor to the top of the straightedge. Pretty simple right? The bike features a custom "made-to-order seatpost that's pre-installed for you, making it easier to go fro box to pathway.

The assembly was a snap, and Gogoro included all the tools needed in the box. Even a pump. The front wheel went on quickly, and the disc brakes were already set up so there was no rub or cable tension to deal with. Pedals go on quickly too, they are a unique lightweight design in their own right. Rear brake was properly adjusted and the belt drive came pre-tensioned. The only part that needed much attention at all was the stem and bar which only needed to be straightened and tightened. I threw the bike on the provided charger and went onto the app. 

Downloading the app and pairing with the Eeyo was simple. The smart wheel already had some charge upon delivery and the little blue light on the hub lit up as the bike and phone paired. It’s worth noting that I was not instantly able to pair the phone and bike in the stem mounted phone cradle. The first time (and subsequent times) I had better luck putting the phone closer to the hub than the stem distance. The final step is putting the phone in the provided cradle, the app becomes like a head unit with your phone, in full view with its' lively colors and responsiveness all accessible at your fingertips. Time to ride. 

THE RIDE

Riding the Eeyo is really exhilarating. It’s lightweight and lively as expected, but what’s interesting is how well the Smart Hub delivers consistent, natural feeling power. I’ve ridden several hub drive systems, even one “Gear of the Year” award winner, that didn’t feel as consistently smooth no matter how much power you put into it. Of course I went straight to Sport Mode and found myself at max speed within just a few pedal strokes. 

Within moments of mounting the Eeyo it’s “Street Fighter” geometry becomes apparent. With it’s slammed stem, steep head angle and long fork offset the bike feels like it’s meant to ride aggressively in traffic. The narrow riser bars paired with a slammed stem isn’t something we’ve seen in the bike industry that often, but it matches the characteristics of the bike nicely and is a nod to fixed gear / messenger culture. It does make the bike more playful on the wide open bike paths of Sun Valley, ID where the majority of my riding was done. Still, I’d prefer a more upright and wide cockpit myself, something with a bit more hands free handling vs fast and agile. I can see the appeal for others though. 

I was impressed with the rear brake mechanism’s power and modulation. Most integrated systems don’t work that well. The rear brake actually outperformed the front cable-actuated disc even after the bed-in period. For what it’s worth, raising the price a bit more to have a full hydro front brake should be a consideration. It did seem odd to me that the Smartwheel wasn’t developed with disc compatibility. Discs save so much hassle. In this 

case you would no longer need a mixed set of carbon wheels; rim brake rear and disc front. That has to be a service consideration for the future. But even design wise, you wouldn’t have needed the integrated low profile brake set if you had a rear disc. I realize the brake provides some of the product ID and aesthetic, but sintered metal on stainless steel will almost always be the preferred brake material choice for best performance. 

I felt the tire width could have been bigger IMHO, there’s plenty of clearance for 33c’s or bigger. The 28’s that come stock are almost road race sizing. A bigger balloon tire, possibly a file tread or center profile would be preferred. With all the weight savings you get from this design could potentially put a heavier tire that offers more flat protection. A larger tire may allow for a tire insert and tubeless set-up from the factory. One could dream. 

All in all a brilliant ride. It was nice to forego shifting. Riding rolling hills, I never felt like I had to gear down. The Smartwheel applied pretty consistent power no matter the terrain. It’s an eye popper too, and I got plenty of compliments onboard this bike.

THE TECH

The Eeyo is built around Gogoro’s “Smartwheel” which puts all the components of the motor, the battery and the sensors into one neatly designed hub. This allows Gogoro to innovate on their own smart platform too, and it means the system can continue to get smarter as updates are pushed to the app and the firmware. 

The “Auto Lock” feature is convenient as an anti-theft deterrent, essentially “bricking” the Smartwheel when locked. Make no mistake, this isn’t a mechanical lock, it feels like the magnets in the hub make the wheel harder to turn like a resistance trainer turned up to eleven, but it can still be moved or even ridden, albeit a struggle. No, you’ll still need a cable lock to keep someone from grabbing your ultralight E-bike and running off with it. I presume a future update might offer location services for the hub if it’s ever turned on after a theft to aid in recovery. All in all I found the hub drive system to be well thought out and the connected app simple and fun. 

SEAT MAST

It’s fairly obvious that the design of the bike centers around the integrated seat mast/shouldering feature, almost as though it was the top consideration beyond the Smartwheel. The design is beautiful, low profile and sleek. You only get a small margin of adjustment with this clamp system, but let's be honest how much adjustment do you need on a townie.

The other central tenet of this design is the “carry” element where there’s a nice place to set the bike on your shoulder. I’m going to come right out and say it; I try to avoid carrying my bike so this feature is less desirable for me. I can see the appeal though and the shape begs to be shouldered. 

The bike does carry very nicely, the weight of the wheel being well balanced when you have the bike on your shoulder, though I’d opt for an even cushier pad for the seat mast if it was up to me. Notably however, you run the risk of getting road scum on your nice shirt when the tire scuffs your back because there's no seat tube between your body and the tire. It does look very cool, though. It’s striking actually the removal of the seat tube, reminding me of the Bowden Spacelander. 

Hits: Lightweight, Cool Looking and Zippy.

Misses: Dedicated phone dock doesn't double as a phone case. Rear brake underpowered. No fender mounts.

CONCLUSION

The Eeyo is a blast to ride, and it’s lovely to look at. It’s not aimed at core cyclists, which is great. We need more people on bikes, and differentiated products aimed at broader segments are healthy for the market. The easy “pedal and go” format the single speed drivetrain offers is excellent, even for seasoned riders who may normally have way too many levers and gadgets on their handlebars. It’s refreshingly simple.

This bike is great for anyone who wants to get around by bike, and given the recent bike boom, that’s a lot of potential riders for the Eeyo.