Prodeco Phantom X2

[boppinbob]

I just coughed up a deposit on the 2012 Prodeco Phantom X2. It has a 500 watt dd rear hub motor and is assembled in Florida. In keeping with the tradition of this site I will update the testing and personal review of this ebike. PS I ride my regular bicycle to work every day. Attached (hopefully) is the full specs. of this ebike.
UPDATE:I got my Phantom X today (I would have had to wait to long for the Phantom X2). The good news is I paid for a 2011 Phantom X but got the 2 important upgrades that come with a 2012 X2 model which is a beefy 38.4 LIFePO4 12ah instead of the 9ah and an upgraded charger. The battery is larger than I expected measuring 19x6x2. The DD rear hub motor is very quiet, more so than my wife's Hebb front hub motor with it's planetary gears. Too bad she's at work, I can't wait to smoke her in a race. I have a small car but since the bike folds in half it was no problem getting it home from Revolution Ebikes here in Houston. I'll get into more details in later posts with pics and vids. (Have to get up for work in the morning.) PS I rode it around just a bit and have that Ebike grin. UPDATE:I have a new nickname for the Phantom X and that is "The Tank". If you want a nimble bike the Phantom X is not for you. It's a big bike. If your a big man or woman, this bike would do fine. It needs all 500 watts of Direct Drive to get it's gargantuan frame to 18 or 20 mph. It runs at almost exactly the same speed as my wife's Hebb ebike, and it has a 350 watt 36v planetary gear type front hub motor. Mind you I'm 50 pounds heavier, the bike is heavier and the Phantom X has 26 by 2.125 tires compared to the Hebb's 26 by 1.75 tires. I haven't endurance tested the battery yet, (38.4 12 Ah LiFePo4) but I can tell you it is oddly long and heavy. It rattles in the rack but can be easily shimmed. More updates to follow.
UPDATE:Although I love navigating the neighborhoods with my wife on our production ebikes I have been bitten by the modder bug big time and am aquiring a crystalyte 5304 and a 72v20Ah LiFePo4 battery pack to put on my walmart special bicycle. Don't worry I'll put on the massive torque arms from DocBass.

 

[Microbatman]

Any idea as to who makes the hub motor?

 

[boppinbob]

The info provided states that it is a Prodeco 500w dd rear hub motor which is virtually useless info come to think of it. BTW, it's a lipo battery with a slightly strange voltage of 38.4. If down the line I can't obtain a battery with this voltage can a controller be modified to handle a 36v battery?

 

[sabb]

That battery is a 12s LiFEPO4 so it is the closest equivalent to 36 nominal so you can treat it as a 36v. It will be easy to find replacements if you have problems.

Stephen

 

[boppinbob]

Thanks for the quick reply. as a noob enthusiast i need a forum like this.

 

[emerald_phoenix]

I've been following the Phantom X threads for a while now and am also interested in seeing this thread through. I plan to pick this bike up in the spring. Thanks in advance for all the useful information as yet to come.

 

[gmaiella]

I have an order in for the Phantom x, should I wait for the x2. What's the difference? shorter battery?

 

[Frog]

It's the same bike with 2 very small upgrades. The X2 has a 38.4v 12ah and 2 hour charger. The Phantom x has a 38.4v 9ah and a 4 hour charger. I think $100 for the 2 upgrades is a good deal. If you pm or send a email to that Levy guy on the other Phantom X threads he will send you a 2012 catalog.

 

[gmaiella]

Does the Phantom x2 have a different/shorter? Battery than the x, I need to know ASAP my x is ready to ship.

Do I cancel the x ($1099) and get the x2 ($1199?)

 

[Frog]

YES cancel yes get the X2 yes the battery will go a shorter distance the X2 is a better deal. Now my turn who are you buying from Please pm me the link to get the x ($1099) and the x2 ($1199). that's some very good prices

 

[miro13car]

Microbatman,
very good question - who makes motor for this Phantom???
No wonder they are vague about origins of motor, as far as I know no hub motors other than Eplus hub motors by Electric Motion Systems are made in USA.
Correct if I am wrong here, please!
They Prodeco says build in USA but from what components.
Other than GP NMH cells used in front battery hub,
enire E+ bike don't use any China-brand parts,
obviously some brand name components might be made in China in Western-brand factories but no China brands parts are installed on E+.
For sure E+ motors are made and assembled in USA.
Quick question - are wires on Phantom motor entering it through centre of axle, if yes you have an answer what is origin of motor.
How else would they be able to keep price below 1500dollars?
NOT by installing USA-designed and built motors. E+ kit alone with no bike cost above 2000 dollars for a reason!!

 

[boppinbob]

I got my Phantom X today (I would have had to wait to long for the Phantom X2). The good news is I paid for a 2011 Phantom X but got the 2 important upgrades that come with a 2012 X2 model which is a beefy 38.4 LIFePO4 12ah instead of the 9ah and an upgraded charger. The battery is larger than I expected measuring 19x6x2. The DD rear hub motor is very quiet, more so than my wife's Hebb front hub motor with it's planetary gears. Too bad she's at work, I can't wait to smoke her in a race. I have a small car but since the bike folds in half it was no problem getting it home from Revolution Ebikes here in Houston. I'll get into more details in later posts with pics and vids. (Have to get up for work in the morning.) PS I rode it around just a bit and have that Ebike grin. UPDATE:I have a new nickname for the Phantom X and that is "The Tank". If you want a nimble bike the Phantom X is not for you. It's a big bike. If your a big man or woman, this bike would do fine. It needs all 500 watts of Direct Drive to get it's gargantuan frame to 18 or 20 mph. It runs at almost exactly the same speed as my wife's Hebb ebike, and it has a 350 watt 36v planetary gear type front hub motor. Mind you I'm 50 pounds heavier, the bike is heavier and the Phantom X has 26 by 2.125 tires compared to the Hebb's 26 by 1.75 tires. I haven't endurance tested the battery yet, (38.4 12 Ah LiFePo4) but I can tell you it is oddly long and heavy. It rattles in the rack but can be easily shimmed. More updates to follow. Regard's Bob

 

[cmugler]

I just got my first order of 3 Phantom X bikes, I am a dealer in Santa Barbara, I have dealt with and owned many electric bikes over the last 3 years and can attest to the quality build of these. My only beef which is being corrected with the 2012 version is the length and placement of the long battery but the ride felt very stable and smooth. I also had to put a small plastic shim between the battery and the housing as there was a slight rattle but that should also not be necessary in the 2012 model. This must have the upgraded disk brakes as they look as beafy as on my Kymco motor scooter. I was a little concerned it woudn't be powerful enough with the hills here as the Pedego with the 500 watt direct drive hub motor was too underpowered but was pleasantly surprised that the same size motor on the Phantom X had so much more power. I know I am a bit biased but I can assure you as some long term members of this forum have the chance to put this bike threw its paces you will be pleasantly surprised. I am looking forward to checking out the upcoming 300 watt geared hub motors they are offering on their 2012 models to see how they do on these hills..

 

[miro13car]

cmugler,
since you are Prodeco dealer,
how much does battery weight on Phantom X2 ?
Who makes Phanthom motor? Is it completelt silent on acceleration and low speed?
Thank you

 

[cmugler]

I have no information on the 2012 models other than what is on the website and it won't be until December that I receive my first 2012 order but will ask Steve about the battery weight and motor origin next time I talk with him. The direct drive motor is much quieter than the Ezee geared kits that I also sell. The motor may be discernable if you focus on listening but generally very quiet. The most striking aspect of riding this is how smooth it is and with the oversize tires and shocks it handles rough pavement and bumps with confidence and the disk brakes are quiet,smooth and effective . I did have to do a minor adjustment on the front disk brake but everything else worked properly right out of the box. Have not tried it off pavement yet but think it would do well. Tomorrow I will get it out for a 20 mile spin. I live in the hills above Santa Barbara so anywhere I go entails a few steep climbs.

 

[emerald_phoenix]

CMUGLER - Thanks for posting! I am also interested in seeing how the bike holds up and reading your reviews as I'm looking at potentially picking this bike up early next year. Could you tell me the measurements of the bike while it's folded? I am curious if the bike will fit folded in the trunk of my car. I also had some questions posted for someone else who posted a review that you might be able to help answer: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=33928&p=492802&hilit=phantom#p492802

 

[tuxman]

Microbatman, who makes motor for this Phantom???
How else would they be able to keep price below 1500dollars?

The Phantom X1 and X2 are assembled in the USA from foreign parts. These are assembled to order which is why they always have a 30-60 day turnaround time; less overhead, nothing in stock.

Have you not seen the prices for a custom kit from china? http://ebike-bmsbattery.com/index.php

 

[cmugler]

OK I just folded the Phantom, it has the same type mechanism as the Dahon folding bikes have, a large lever and a secondary lever that operates as a safety to prevent the main lever from opening accidently. It is a fast operation to fold. To get it into the smallest space one has to loosen the stem bolt and rotate handlebar 90 degrees otherwise the width would equal the width of the handlebars,(instead of doing this you could remove the front wheel but I personally think it is easier to go the handlebar route. folded it is about 36" by 12" wide by 42" high. Would be less high by a few inches if instead of rotating handlebar you removed it by lifting out of the headset which is a fast operation and is how it comes shipped. (everything stays connected on handlebar including stem just need to reinsert stem into headset and tighten 1 bolt)

 

[miro13car]

tuxman,
foreign parts means Chinese brands of course, you mean , why not to just say China brand of this Prodeco motor?
Nobody knows?
, is it not in paperwork on assembly floor wherever in USA it is?
I don't know what are you trying to say comparing with bmsbattery kits prices, why do give link to bmsbattery to show what?
Does Prodeco uses bmsbattery motor?

 

[Mtek]

It's the same bike with 2 very small upgrades. The X2 has a 38.4v 12ah and 2 hour charger. The Phantom x has a 38.4v 9ah and a 4 hour charger. I think $100 for the 2 upgrades is a good deal. If you pm or send a email to that Levy guy on the other Phantom X threads he will send you a 2012 catalog.

I have the phantom X - 10 charges - 300 miles and it takes every bit of 8 hours to fully charge a dead battery

 

[tekillah]

Do you know when the 2012 bikes will ship out ? Last I heard it was supposed to be end of Nov ? I hope they don't delay shipping the 2012 ones out.
I have a deposit on one and am hoping I get mine by mid DEC. If anyone is interested in a good deal on a 2012 pre-order PM me and I can tell you where I ordered mine from. I have no affiliation to this place and I will be just passing on a potential lead to a good deal

 

[tekillah]

I hope someone from Prodeco replies in this thread, I would like to see if they can provide an update on 2012 models and the shipment schedule.

Myself and I am sure quite a few others have "pre-ordered" the 2012 bikes from Prodeco. Although the history of delivery from Prodeco has been extremely spotty, I did go ahead and place my order about 8 weeks back for a 2012 Prodeco model. The initial shipment of 2012 bike deliveries was supposed to start end of Nov (as per my dealer) and a few days back I was informed by my dealer that the 2012 shipment has been held up because Prodeco is waiting from some components to be delivered.....

I am now like REALLY....... AGAIN.......

Can someone from Prodeco give us and other potential buyers some heads-up on whats going on and when the actual 2012 deliveries will start ?

 

[anthony_prodeco]

Good Day Endless-Sphere readers:
Prodeco is experience delays on our 2012 product line. 90% of all bike parts in the industry are produced overseas. If you look at our models, we use Shimano gear sets and Promax brake systems. Promax also produces for Sram’s product line. Our frame is our own design just like Treks frame is there design. The interlocking mechanism is not our design.
All the materials to build the bike are shipped in, and all bikes are built and tested carefully in the United States to assure quality control as much as possible. Like any growing company, supply is limited to demand. Microsoft, Sony and many other companies have faced supply issues when product demand has been great. The 2012 delay is due to our new battery and bracket molds taking much longer than expected. Our entire product goes through an extensive testing process.
We apologize for any delays our dealers or customers might be experiencing. We are shipping 2012 models at this time with all the 2012 upgrades. 200 - 250 watt models will ship only in 24 volt at this time. The only bikes shipping with 36+volt systems will be anything 300watt and above. These bikes will be on limited production until our new 36 volt bracket’s and molds become available. The Phantom X will now be offered in 200-250 watt motors.
A lot of customers have asked about our price increases. It is much more expensive to product 36volt systems then 24 volt systems. Having a 36volt system only effects the charge times on our bikes and is not associated with speed and power output of our motors.
I hope this answers some of our customers concerns. It is not common practice for us to respond to threads.
Have a Great Day
Anthony Ciulla
Prodeco Dealer Sales

 

[Alan B]

Really nice to see some manufacturer/dealer info on here.

Thanks for posting it Anthony et al.

We really need some good quality not too expensive ebikes to recommend to friends and to make the ebike business successful. We can't make custom modded ebikes for everyone.

Looking forward to the 2012 models. I need a couple more ebikes.

 

[R.Stevens]

Alan,

I ordered a Phantom X2 back in early November. I was initially told I would receive the bike in late November or early December at the latest.
Then after early December came and went, everything was pushed back to late December, post Christmas. Now I'm being told the due to battery issues it is being pushed back to late January or beyond.

I wish Prodeco would just be straight with us. This was originally going to be a Christmas present. If I had known there was going to be just procrastination at the time of my order, I would have canceled my order and gone with the competition instead.

Prodeco may build good e-bikes, but their customer relations are anything but good. Just be straight with us and stop the BS.

Robert