Cruise and Compare: Pedego Comfort Cruiser vs Interceptor
We have been proud Pedego owners for two months now, plenty of time to familiarize ourselves with all the features of our ebikes.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, my husband and I are not new to ebikes. We installed ebike conversion kits on our old bikes. It was an affordable way to give electric bikes a try, and it put our old bikes to new use. But bikes whose frames are not made to carry the load of a battery nor the weight of a motor on the wheel forks, are not the same as riding bikes designed for these things. My front wheel fork eventually snapped under the pressure – thank goodness not while I was riding 30km! Hence our purchase of new ebikes.
Pedego has 14 different styles of ebikes to choose from, including a tandem bike and a tricycle! Whether you are looking for fat tires to ride the trails, a city commuter, or a foldable ride for easy storage and transportation, Pedego has a model to suit your needs.
Because we had experience with ebikes, we knew what we wanted. Pedegos are great bikes in many ways, but there were four things that pushed us to choose them over other makers:
Manufactured in California and assembled in Canada. We wanted something made in North American or Europe.
Local dealer (https://pedegoelectricbikes.ca/pedego_dealers/pedego-delta/) who sells only Pedego.
Warranty! There is a five year warranty on parts and the battery, and lifetime warranty on the frame.
Style! I like the look of Pedego bikes, but I fell in love with my coral and aqua Comfort Cruiser (named Fanny) and my husband’s black Interceptor (named Duke).
Pedegos are not the most expensive ebikes on the market, but they also are not the least expensive. I admit to suffering a little sticker shock when paying the bill for two bikes, especially since my husband decided to upgrade from a Comfort Cruiser to the Interceptor, an $1,800 price jump. But I will say the shock was forgotten with our first ride. We are both very happy with our choices and he believes his upgrade was worth it. I will explain the difference between the two in a bit. But let’s start with features.
I stuck with the Comfort Cruiser admittedly because it was the only one that came in coral with aqua rims, and I really could not resist that combo. So, although I was tempted to upgrade too, the price jump combined with the colour were enough to keep me in the Comfort Cruiser. In addition to the fabulous colour, the Comfort Cruiser had all the important features I wanted including:
Wide, high handlebars that allow me to sit upright while riding
A big, comfy, adjustable seat
Step-through frame
Disk brakes
Throttle (as opposed to thumb trigger for electric power)
Fenders (necessary in rainy Vancouver, BC)
Back rack
Long lasting battery
The ability to go up hills without losing too much torque
Both the Comfort Cruiser and the Interceptor include all these features. And both come in step-through and crossbar models. The two bikes have a few minor differences and a few major differences. In the minor category, the Comfort Cruiser does not include these Interceptor features:
Headlight
Padded, decorative handlebar grips
Detailing on seat
The big differences between the two ebikes are found in the motor, battery, and display.
INTERCEPTOR | COMFORT CRUISER |
Motor | |
MOTORBLACK 52V BRUSHLESS GEARED REAR HUB MOTOR | MOTORSILVER 36V BRUSHLESS GEARED REAR HUB MOTOR |
500 WATT NOMINAL POWER RATING | 350 WATT NOMINAL POWER RATING |
60NM TORQUE | 35NM TORQUE |
QUICK DISCONNECT CABLE WITH WATERPROOF CONNECTION | QUICK DISCONNECT CABLE WITH WATERPROOF CONNECTION. |
Battery | |
52 VOLT 17.5 (or 10.5 AMP) HOUR WITH PREMIUM LITHIUM-ION 18650 CELLS | 36 VOLT 10 (or 15 AMP) HOUR WITH PREMIUM LITHIUM ION 18650 CELLS. |
SMART BIKE TECHNOLOGY WITH CANBUS COMMUNICATION | |
AUTO SLEEP FUNCTION | |
Charger | |
52V 2 AMP PEDEGO FANLESS BATTERY CHARGER WITH CHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT | 3 AMP SMART CHARGER WITH INTERNAL FAN AND CHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT |
PEDALSENSE® | |
FREE RIDE MODE (NO POWER), FIVE LEVELS OF PEDAL ASSIST WITH THROTTLE OVERRIDE, AND THROTTLE-ONLY MODE. | FREE RIDE MODE (NO POWER), FIVE LEVELS OF PEDAL ASSIST WITH THROTTLE OVERRIDE, AND THROTTLE ONLY MODE. |
Display | |
3.5” BACKLIT LCD SCREEN WITH CANBUS COMMUNICATION | 2.5” BACKLIT LCD SCREEN |
4 BUTTONS TO CONTROL ELECTRONICS, TOGGLE INFO DISPLAYED, AND CUSTOMIZE SETTINGS | 3 BUTTONS TO CONTROL ELECTRONICS, TOGGLE INFO DISPLAYED, AND CUSTOMIZE SETTINGS |
USB CHARGING PORT | USB CHARGING PORT |
Top Speed | |
32 KM/H MAX, WITH PEDAL ASSIST AND THROTTLE ASSIST | 32 KPH (20 MPH) WITH MOTOR ASSISTANCE ONLY |
| |
So, what does all this mean? In a nutshell, when we are riding together, we do not notice much of a difference. The top speed for our bikes is the same, and we are of equal skill level so we tend to slow down and speed up in the same places. The biggest difference is going up hills. The Interceptor has the clear advantage. Even on steep inclines it can maintain its top speed of 32kph (20mph). Not so with the Comfort Cruiser. On the steepest incline, pedaling with maximum assistance the Comfort Cruiser slows to half the speed 16 kph (10 mph). But being able to ride up a hill at 16 kph with little effort is still pretty darn cool! It’s okay if hubby needs to wait for me for a minute at the top of the hill.
The other advantage to my husband having the Interceptor with the larger motor, bigger battery, and greater torque is that he tows the dogs in the carrier. So, when he adds the extra load, it evens us out a little.
Interestingly, I seem to coast faster downhill on the Comfort Cruiser than my husband does on the Interceptor. I always gain speed faster and get ahead of him, but he always catches up and ultimately ends up passing me. The bikes coast for about equal distance though, which is a long way! We love seeing how long we can coast our bikes. It always amazes how fast and far we can go without pedaling. Great way to save on the battery on a long journey!
As with anything, we all have our own reasons for choosing one thing over another. If you are considering one of Pedego’s cruiser models, perhaps this will help you narrow down your choice. However, regardless of your choice, you are guaranteed to get a great ebike from Pedego. They build a solid bike frame with great style, add topnotch components, and all the little extras needed to make a complete bike. You will turn heads as you zip by admirers on your Pedego. Fun, fun, fun!!!
Stay tuned for my next Pedego blog: Cruising All Terrains on Our Pedegos.
*Please note I received a small incentive for agreeing to blog about our Pedego bikes. However, the opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way by Pedego, its resellers, or representatives.
