Zoomi Life

I’m going to state this right up front, so there’s no confusion - it’s impossible for me to be objective about the Optibike, so if you’re looking for a balanced review, you’re probably not going to get that here. That being said, I am now free to stand up on my electronic soapbox that is this blog and proclaim this - the Optibike is the best, most advanced, most high-tech, and straight-up the coolest and funnest electric bicycle I have had the pleasure and privilege of riding.

I got the opportunity to spend a week with the Optibike 800Li, and put it through it’s paces here in San Diego, where I live. The Optibike 800Li, made in Colorado by Optibike, is an electric bicycle driven by an 800 watt motor and powered by a 20 aH lithium-ion battery. But really, it’s much more than that - it’s a work of art.

Each Optibike model is hand-made in Boulder, Colorado, and the company only makes 25 of them a year, so you know these guys are serious about their product. The Optibike was designed from the ground-up by Jim Turner, an ex-motocross racer and lifetime electric bike enthusiast. Jim leveraged his motorcross racing experience when designing the Optibike, and that translated perfectly into an e-bike that is powerful, rock-solid, good-looking, and a heck of a lot of fun to ride.

The Optibike’s motor, integrated into the crank, where it belongs

Let’s start with the technical specs: The 800Li is driven by an 800 watt motor that is, unlike every other e-bike out there, placed in the crank, where it should be. The problem with putting electric motors on the front or rear hub of a bicycle is that you cannot take advantage of your bike’s gears - the motor directly drives the wheel, which means you’ll invariably top out at a low speed and have problems going up hills.

Instead, Optibike did things right and opted to put the motor in the crank, where it can drive your bike’s chain and is thus connected to the bike’s gearing. Hallelujah! This means if you’re going up a mega-steep hill, you can simply switch to your lowest gear, and along with a bit of your own pedaling, make short work of pretty much any mountain that comes up in front of you. I tested the Optibike on the steepest hill I could find, and it had no problem going up on motor power alone; with a bit of my own pedaling, I was actually going about 15mph up that hill. Other bikers were giving me dirty looks, and I was loving it.

Optibike spared no expense when creating this bicycle - each frame is hand-made, and every single part on the bike is race-quality: Fox 32 Talas RLC fork, FOX Float RP23 rear shock, Avid Juicy Carbon hydraulic disc brakes, Schwalbe Marathon tires, etc. There’s not a part on here that’s even close to ‘average’. The bike felt utterly bomb-proof both on and off-road.

The 800Li is throttle-driven, with the throttle being integrated into the bike’s right handlebar, and the twist shifter in the left handlebar. I thoroughly enjoyed flooring the bike as often as I could, and could easily beat most cars off the line at a stoplight. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of starting at a low gear, cranking back the throttle, and then cycling up the gears as you race off - I had no problems going 35 mph on this bike, and it was FUN! Especially seeing the dumbfounded looks of drivers and and spandexed bicyclists as I flew past them.

The 800Li’s lithium-ion battery pack and it’s control electronics are all integrated into the frame, so it’s hard to even tell that this is an e-bike. Surprised looks by drivers and bikers were common, as I was usually the one passing others by - and pretty darn fast, I might add. The 800Li’s battery pack will give you about a 30 mile range, depending on how you drive it. On my own tests, conducted on the SoCal coast between Pacific Beach and Carlsbad, I got about 25 miles - but I was riding it pretty hard and taking every hill I could find.

As most of you regular readers know, I am a big e-bike enthusiast. Heck, I even have my own e-bike brand, Zoomi. And I love my Zoomi Monterey e-bike. It’s fun, dependable, and affordable - like a good Toyota. But it’s nothing like the Optibike, which as far as I am concerned, is the Ferrari of electric bicycles. You actually have to be careful on this bike - accelerate too fast in the wrong gear, and you WILL pop a wheelie, or worse, end up on your back. Slam the brakes too hard, and you’re going to pull a Superman while the Optibike stops exactly where you told it to.

In short, the Optibike is pretty much a perfect electric bicycle. If you’re looking to get yourself the most high-end, performance electric bicycle out there, there’s really no choice - you have to get an Optibike. Be prepared to pay for it though - while the Optibike’s features and performance are legendary, so is the price: expect to pay $8,995 for the base 800Li, or an astounding $13,995 for the new 2009 OB-1. That’s as much as a good used car.

As for me, I had to return the 800Li to it’s owner last week, and my days haven’t quite been the same. For now, I’m hoping for a miracle windfall and a Bro Deal from Optibike, so that I can buy one for myself. I’m not holding my breath, but you never know.. and if I did have the cash to buy one, it would have already been done.

The Optibike is that good.

Check out this five minute video about the Optibike, and don’t forget to visit Optibike’s website for more information and pics.

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