@guybrush01 It’s got a 345 wh (36v x 9.6ah) battery so can take you at least 15 miles without pedaling and maybe 25 with pedaling. Probably won’t show up assembled but should be easy.
@Zachcrius Your brilliant reply isn’t helping. Need to figure out the laws here in TN. This would be perfect for my nephew to ride from his school to our home.
@guybrush01 From the Specs above, “Ships 99% assembled: Simply install the pedals, inflate the tires to 60 PSI and take it from the box to the road in 15 minutes”
What I want is an E bike that I can hook the kid trailer up to and haul them to the park on. Most of the ones like this aren’t conducive to hauling a trailer, and the ones that are cost way too much.
YASSSS FINALLY SOME COOL STUFF. Crummy timing cuz we have a newborn and no money for bikes but hopefully y’all bring another one out in like 6 months when I won’t feel as guilty pulling the trigger.
@connorbush@thechinglish@werehatrack Well you could always eat them when they are big enough… There are good reasons why some species eat their young. I am sure you could find recipes on the internet. At least that is why I told brat child when she told me (as a teen) that I wouldn’t know how to cook her.
@thechinglish I have the previous model of this totem. It is incredibly well bukt and solid. It also is a 20" model. You get what you pay for with the Costco. I will say though that if you anticipate a lot of hills and are on the heavier side, the smaller wheels and 100 watt stronger motor might be good.
@ohhwell@thechinglish
Most of the design looks very similar to the Dahon non-E folder that I have, but the e-assist would be really nice. One possible drawback; my understanding is that this can’t go in checked baggage on airlines because of the lithium battery pack, and the battery is well beyond the size limit for carry-on as well.
@jmbunkin This bike is for light people, unless you’re significantly under the weight limit I’d expect the aluminum frame to crack before you think it should. Maybe I’m wrong, but in general when heavy people ride aluminum bikes or scooters they don’t last long. Google “aluminum fatigue life” for details.
@Alereon@jmbunkin For what it’s worth I have the previous generation of this and I ride it around all over the place in the neighborhood. I’m 6’2" & 260 and I still cruise around at 15mph which is what the previous generation’s top speed is. If you can’t make it up a hill then use the petals and it assists you. Super easy.
@Alereon@jmbunkin If an aluminum bike frame is correctly heat-treated after welding, fatigue cracking should be rare, and occur only after long use. If it’s not heat-treated, the frame will fail adjacent to any weld after a short time. Since this company has been around for a while, I’m going to guess that they pay attention to the issue here.
I’ve bought and tried out a few mini e-bikes now, so here’s my verdict on this one: Ehh. $500 for a folding ebike is very cheap, yes, but you can get the Jetson Bolt Pro for $399 at Costco - a known brand, with a more powerful motor, plus it weighs less.
Weight wise, I can only speak to the Jetson Bolt Pro (350W motor instead of the 250W this has) but how much fun you’ll have on this thing is directly related to your weight. 100lbs, you’ll fly up hills. 150lbs, you’ll accelerate fast on flat ground. 200lbs, you’ll accelerate slowly, and above 200lbs you’ll want to forget hills with any real slope to them.
The only reason to buy this over the Bolt Pro is if you intend to use it as a pedal-assist bicycle, or if you think you’ll run out of battery often on trips. At 44lbs, you don’t want to pedal this thing around without battery, but because it has 7 gears and 20" tires, it’ll be more fun to pedal than the Bolt Pro.
@owenversteeg I think these are 2 different use cases. The Jetson seems MUCH smaller than the TOTEM. The TOTEM also uses Shimano gearsets and has multiple speeds. The Jetson is very much a price point e-bike while the TOTEM is more of an everyday use kind of bike. I also believe the Jetson uses a traditional motor while the TOTEM is Brushless. Just my .02.
@owenversteeg I have the totem Meh sold a few years back. The build quality is excellent and the extra weight is not wasted. It’s an incredibly solid bike. If you are a heavy person and anticipate a lot of inclines and do not wish to pedal, yeah, the Costco bike may be a better buy.
I am 210 lbs 6’ 1" and this totem fits me perfect and pushes me up a very decent size hill with no problems if I help a little. The inclusion of gears and larger tires more than makes up for the few extra lbs on the bike if the battery goes out.
@moofi The Jetson Bolt Pro is definitely a brushless motor, as are all e-bike motors in 2022, so that’s definitely not a differentiator. I’m not sure what would make the Jetson a “price-point” ebike vs this, but some real differentiators would be the larger battery, the anemic motor, the poor quality of welds in this thing, and the (single) set of gears.
@ohhwell If you are a heavy person and anticipate a lot of inclines and do not wish to pedal… do not buy any cheap folding e-bike or you will be deeply disappointed. You’re gonna want a beefy battery and a solid motor at the very least, which 250W (or the Jetson’s 350W) doesn’t come close to.
Don’t get me wrong, I think this bike could be better than the Jetson for some people (if you use pedal assist, if you’ll be running out of battery often, if you want the better battery life.) But especially with something like this it is very important to set expectations. Lots of people think ebikes=fast, but your average American on a 250W motor will probably be moving comically slow on any real incline. If you buy it to use pedaling, or for a lighter person, then you probably will be satisfied, I think.
@owenversteeg Both of these are toy e-bikes ill-suited to steep inclines, heavier riders, or daily commutes. The Totem has higher quality components that are easy to replace at your local bike shop, so it does have that going for it. They’re probably both fine as fair-weather grocery getters (don’t cheap out on a lock) or Sunday riders, but you get what you pay for.
$3.5k e-bikes are a whole other class of bike, and if you have a local bike shop that does test rides, it’s worth taking one just for the eye-opening experience.
@owenversteeg 20" vs 14" wheels is enough of a reason by itself to get the Totem over the Jetson. A bigger wheel will ‘climb’ bumps better and will float over more small cracks and dips in the road. At the extremes, compare something like a Razor scooter with 6" wheels against a regular bike with 26" or 700c wheels - if the front wheel of the Razor falls into a pothole, it’s practically impossible to climb its way out.
When it comes to 41 vs 44lbs, that 3lbs won’t really matter - it’s a 7% difference. Even if you were talking about a 20lbs road bike, 3lbs is relatively marginal for all but the fittest people with money to burn.
A few more days & my membership gets charged $5. & I’ve not bought anything lately. One item in January. One Item in Dec. Six items in November though! How many more months should I give them $5?
@Joedetroit I’ve been thinking about this too, the membership is really only valuable during mehrathons, otherwise I only rarely buy anything from them, even from their other sister sites. And a lot of the stuff I’ve received from side deal and morning save have been such shit that they don’t even work. Not sure it’s worth it anymore
Thanks everyone. I suppose I just didn’t wake up all that well today & was crabby. There is always casemates but that might just make for more crabby mornings.
in August i bought a Jupiter Bike X5, and as somebody who hadn’t ridden a bike in years i absolutely love this thing.
it’s very similar to this one in size, price, and capabilities. it folds in half, has pedal assist and throttle.
when going to Manhattan i no longer wait for the subway or bus. in many respects it has replaced my car, save for long or urgent trips where i have to bring somebody else. high gas prices have only confirmed that i made a good decision.
@Bloodshedder@ohhwell
My understanding is that the lab results say it’s not worth the extra. Regen braking requires a lot of fiddly design mods in order to work even reasonably well, all of which add weight.
@Bloodshedder@ohhwell@werehatrack Regenerative braking can get you a ton of extra power if you do a lot of braking (hilly areas? Accelerating and then stopping for a light?) but yes, it is a feature on more premium bikes, and on a bike like this you probably don’t want to do a ton of hills anyway. If you’re not sitting on the brakes for extended periods of time like in long downhills, you’re right, it wouldn’t get you much anyway.
I bought the previous totem from Meh a few years ago. It’s an incredibly solid well built bike. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the electric portion didn’t have variable throttle. The peddle assist level just determined at what speed the motor would stop assisting.
I bought this one due to the claims of progressive assist.
Also, I can’t say for sure if they still do but on the one I bought, totem offers a free setup at a bike shop in your area. Up to a certain dollar amount. I found that out when I emailed them with a question regarding adjusting the front wheel angle. They also registered me for the factory warranty.
The bike still functions perfectly. I cannot say enough about how solid this folding bike is.
Also, I am 6’ 1" and 210 lbs. I can get the seat shaft up high enough. The 259 watt hub motor is enough to make pedaling up a decent hill rather effortless. I will say that at 20", the top speed will have you pedaling perhaps a little faster than is super comfortable even in top gear but it is way better than those 14" models.
I don’t know anything about foldable, or electric bikes. Can someone help me out here?
Is it better to invest in an electric scooter or is it better to invest in a foldable electric bike? Please suggest.
Thank you.
@aniqueakhtar Scooters that can go anywhere near 20 mph will start around $500 anyway, and I honestly hated my scooter’s narrow handlebars compared to a longer handlebar for bikes because it felt too twitchy. Any scooter in this price range won’t go more than “30 miles” which usually means 20 miles in real life if you go slow.
So is this basically a slimmed down commuter version of the Lectric XP that’s a bit slower, weaker, with less[er] components but lighter and very slightly smaller?
Not saying that’s a bad thing, especially at this price point and weight. The Lectric XP’s 28mph top speed was slightly scary and it was 70 lbs which was heavy as hell. The 4 inch wide fat tires were also overkill for someone in NYC.
How many gears does it have. I see on their site that it has a Shimano derailleur but no mention of gears or teeth. My current ebike is only one gear… The only big ASK I have with it is MORE GEARS!
Argh! I was just considering something like this for quick trips to the grocery. It’s hard to justify when I can simply walk and I can use the exercise. Damnit!
@tlove My order says estimated delivery is Monday, Mar 28 - Thursday, Mar 31, to me in central Tx. Lately my online purchases have actually been arriving a day or two earlier than the window, when scheduled for a week or more later. YMMV, of course.
on my second chinese indiegogo e bike. this a pretty good deal. i’ve pedal powered a compact 14” wheel folding e bike with rear seat/storage & full suspension that weighed just under 60lbs, huge battery but to meet chinese/euro traffic law topped out at 15mph. THAT bike is a torque beast, but heavy, slowish, and unassisted pedaling is practically useless. This Totem retails for about the same as mine did but at $499 is a better bike and I’d buy it in a heartbeat if I didn’t already have two. 44lbs is still a heavy ass bike, but not for an e bike w/multiple gears/rack/20” wheelbase. If your a first time E bike buyer this is a good price point to take the plunge and with the weather warming and daylight savings upon us I say BUY IT!
I guess I’ll have to live with Matt Black (I think I hated his last picture). I was “attracted” to the magnetic one. Looks like the number sold of grey is about half the number of black sold, with black still left, so I cry “discrimination on the basis of color”. You’d think Meh would be beyond that by now.
Wt limit = 230 lbs. Top speed = 20 mph.
But what is the top speed when carrying the 230 lbs?
Hunh? (Inquiring asses want to know.)
After ordering this bike, I decided to find more details about it.
The website for this bike has one interesting review: https://www.totemusa.com/product-page/totem-tc3-folding-electric-bike
The user’s manual for this one: https://www.totemusa.com/_files/ugd/792865_c0ade9e525424ca7a18ac5343765cc00.pdf
Something interesting in the manual:
Free Tune-Up: Your safety is our top priority. TotemUSA offers a free tune-up for your new bike at no
cost to you. … Our Support Team will reach out to your preferred shop directly to leave payment. I.e., you put it together, the bike shop will double-check and possibly improve it, and Totem pays for it!
Hurray for procrastination! I had seriously considered grabbing one of these, but due to other pressures on the budget, I waffled long enough that they ran out. And then I actually went shopping, hit the Overwhelmed With Choices Wall, and rebounded with credit card balance unchanged. Looks like I’ll keep on using the unassisted pedals for the moment.
Now, if somebody just had an e-conversion that was set up to use four or five or a half dozen Ryobi batteries…
I thought about it, but since I work from home, the real use cases for nearby travel for me are 1) making groceries ( pepono & @sillyheathen), and 2) takeaway pickup.
Neither of which is conducive to an ebike like this one.
Display with current speed, boost level, total odometer, trip odometer, and pedaling cadence
And error messages.
Mine got delivered yesterday, and I finished (I think) the setup just a bit ago. As soon as I tried to engage the motor, I got an ERROR 80 in the display. Anybody who got one of these know where the error codes are listed?
They are not in the manual; it just says go to the website for them. Which I did, but found them nowhere. There is no search function on the site. I used the “chat” facility, but it is no more immediate than email. Said they’d get back to me. Then asked for my contact details in a separate pop-up box on top of the chat box, which I gave. Then the chat came back and asked for my contact details. HUNH?
Also used another fill-in contact form under the “Contact” tab. They subscribe to the dreaded Captcha conspiracy with blurred pictures.
I called their phone number listed, which is also for dealer inquiries. Immediately got a “We’ll get back to you” message, no phone tree. (Selling a lot of bikes, are you?)
Other than the error message, which might be for something trivial, the bike looks solid. I’m not sure that’s true for the customer support, though. Looks rather meh. (But not up to Meh standards.)
@phendrick [I got the following in email, apparently just a few minutes after I posted the above]
Thank you for reaching out to the TotemUSA Support Team. We are here to assist you with any questions or concerns you have with your new Totem bike.
Our team has received your correspondence about the error code 80. We are sorry to hear about the trouble with your new TC3. Please rest assured that we will assist you in troubleshooting to find a speedy resolution to this issue to get you up and running as soon as possible.
The error code 80 designates a communication issue between the display and the motor. These larger packages can get jostled around during transit on occasion, potentially causing a loose connection at one of the locations described below. To begin, turn off the display and the switch located on the side of the battery. Using the security key, remove and reinstall the battery within the frame to complete the hard system reset.
The first connection to check is the in-line quick connect style plug located approximately 12" down the cable that exits the back of the display. By disconnecting then firmly reconnecting this plug we can rule out this connector. Please note that these are intentionally tight. The fact that the display is showing you the code tells us that the display is getting power, so at least one pin here is making good contact.
The second connection to check is located approximately 12" down the cable that exits the rear hub motor and is cable tied to the lower frame. Same here, disconnect and reconnect to confirm the connection is tight and secure.
After checking these two connections, turn on the battery switch and then the display to see if the error code persists.
Please let us know the results once this troubleshooting is done and we will follow up with you on the next steps. Again, please rest assured that we will find an appropriate resolution for you no matter the issue. Let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns in the meantime. We are always happy to help.
@phendrick Did any of that solve the problem? Luckily, once you get through to the actual support, it is US based and pretty good. That sucks that it had issues right out of the box.
@ohhwell IDK (yet). Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time since I last posted to get back to work on it. And I have to be up awful early Friday morning. Will try tomorrow afternoon. Seems like a reasonable process to resolve the issue, so I’m hopeful.
For future reference, I had found this on Vinka’s web site. It’s not the same display as the TC3 bike, but software is probably somewhat cut-and-paste between models, so I’m hoping most codes are same. Fact that error code 80 matches is a good sign for that. https://www.vinka.jp/uploads/files/20220312/0d0e5cdfc87d55464e1436267988c8aa.pdf
Last page lists error codes for this (different) controller and display. FWIW.
When I have my problem solved, I’ll see if I can cajole TotemUSA into sending me a copy of all error codes for the TC3 and any explanations.
Mine showed up today and was exactly what I had hoped it would be. The same as the original but with a much better progressive pedal assist and variable throttle. Very happy.
I got mine today too. I was worried that the 250w motor would be a little weak but it has plenty of power. It seems like a well built machine and rides really well
@Ishmel Cool, don’t forget to email them to activate the warranty and claim your free tune-up at a local bike shop if you need one. I had to adjust the caliper on the front disk brake but other than that, mine is set up surprisingly perfect.
I know when I comment on how well built these things are, I probably sound like a shill but they really are crazy solid.
@ohhwell I have a couple of “Lectric XP 2.0” bikes and bought this for the kid. At half the price of my other bikes I wasn’t too hopeful, but I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality. I’ll see what he thinks after he puts a couple hundred miles on it, but it really looks and feels like a solid performer.
See bought two bikes one works one doesn’t, have called, texted, and emailed with my concerns to date never heard back, very alarming since I have never done business with this company and don’t know what recourse I have
Hi @queeniesammy if you’ve already contacted Meh Support and haven’t received a reply (and it’s been a couple business days), please check your Tickets Page for a reply as an email reply may have been filtered to a spam/promo folder by you email client.
My bike is less than two years old, and already it doesn’t work, all ebike places I called told me to call the manufacturer, which I have numerous times, I was told warranty has expired end of story. This is not exceptable I paid over $500.00 dollars for a bike not even lasting two years. This company is a fraud, if you buy from them you better hope it lasts longer than a year because once it dies you have no recourse or help from this company. So disappointed in these people, they have their money, so screw the customers.
Specs
Product: Totem Electric Bicycle 250W Commuter Series 20" Folding Bike
Model: TC3
Condition: New
Features
Four Operating Modes
Dimensions
What’s Included?
Price Comparison
$799 on TotemUSA
$799.99 on TheClymb
Warranty
Frame & Fork – Lifetime Warranty with Product Registration
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Mar 28 - Wednesday, Mar 30
WHAT DAFUQ??
I come here for $5 Bluetooth speakers and stroopwafels not $500 electric bicycles.
@Xieneus
“ Reinforced Rims”
It’s the spanky rims!
I have two ebikes but would easily buy this. Hell of a deal, especially with gas prices up.
Totally redeemed yourself!
We wanted quirky, welcome to Quirky!
Yeah, hi, missing @yakkoTDI, etc, etc.
How far can 250W go? Will this arrive assembled? Do I have to visit the Alamo basement to pick it up?
Damn I’m tempted just because I love zero emission transportation.
@guybrush01 It’s got a 345 wh (36v x 9.6ah) battery so can take you at least 15 miles without pedaling and maybe 25 with pedaling. Probably won’t show up assembled but should be easy.
@Zachcrius Your brilliant reply isn’t helping. Need to figure out the laws here in TN. This would be perfect for my nephew to ride from his school to our home.
@guybrush01 @Zachcrius
/giphy buy it
@guybrush01 People were quoting 12 miles on throttle only up to 75 with pedal assist from Amazon a previous time this went up for sale.
@guybrush01 From the Specs above, “Ships 99% assembled: Simply install the pedals, inflate the tires to 60 PSI and take it from the box to the road in 15 minutes”
@guybrush01 @Zachcrius It’s essentially a bike. Laws regulating bikes/biking would probably apply.
And I’d like to point out that the distance when pedaling is limited only by your fitness and patience.
@guybrush01 @popoi Last time was a different model with different specs.
@guybrush01 @Zachcrius Legal in Tennessee: Class 2 e-bike. Treated as a bicycle, legal on trails/bike paths.
What I want is an E bike that I can hook the kid trailer up to and haul them to the park on. Most of the ones like this aren’t conducive to hauling a trailer, and the ones that are cost way too much.
@fuzzmanmatt I do this with my Ninebot Max
OH MY GOD, THEY SHADOWED GLEN!
YASSSS FINALLY SOME COOL STUFF. Crummy timing cuz we have a newborn and no money for bikes but hopefully y’all bring another one out in like 6 months when I won’t feel as guilty pulling the trigger.
@connorbush another newborn?
@thechinglish 2 under 2 out here putting in work
@connorbush @thechinglish You do understand that if you keep on feeding them, they just get bigger and want more, right?
@thechinglish @werehatrack I wanted 0 wife wanted 8. I consider myself lucky that we’re only at 2
@connorbush Tell her to go for a softball team.
@connorbush
Give yourself a snip job during a “guys weekend with the boys”. Best. Decision. Ever.
Decide for yourself if or when you want to tell the wife.
@connorbush @thechinglish @werehatrack Well you could always eat them when they are big enough… There are good reasons why some species eat their young. I am sure you could find recipes on the internet. At least that is why I told brat child when she told me (as a teen) that I wouldn’t know how to cook her.
@connorbush @Kidsandliz @thechinglish @werehatrack
Rule 34 guarantees there are recipes on the internet.
/image baby food pr0n
250W motor? That’s what my $300 Jetson Bolt from Costco has and it folds too
@thechinglish so costco at 300 vs this at 5?
@thechinglish I only see the Bolt Pro for $399, sadly, and it has a top speed of 15 mph compared to this one at 20.
@thechinglish “Jetson Bolt Pro Folding Electric Bike”
At Costco $400 online $349 in the store and it has a 350W motor.
@jmbunkin @thechinglish And 14" wheels.
@thechinglish I have the previous model of this totem. It is incredibly well bukt and solid. It also is a 20" model. You get what you pay for with the Costco. I will say though that if you anticipate a lot of hills and are on the heavier side, the smaller wheels and 100 watt stronger motor might be good.
@ohhwell @thechinglish
Most of the design looks very similar to the Dahon non-E folder that I have, but the e-assist would be really nice. One possible drawback; my understanding is that this can’t go in checked baggage on airlines because of the lithium battery pack, and the battery is well beyond the size limit for carry-on as well.
Where do I put the ice cream and beer?
@hchavers
Consume before departure.
@hchavers Supports up to 230 pounds
Yikes, that is one heck of an ugly weld line!
@curtise I’m guessing if they were to grind down the weld lines it would cost another $100 more.
Is there a photo of how it folds down? I mean, does it fold down in the biblical sense, or does it fold down in a neat way that is easy to carry?
@guybrush01 the website has a video with assembly and teardown, with it folded. just bought one.
@guybrush01 Photo 3 has it folded:
“Top speed of 20MPH”
At least you won’t have to worry about slowing down at the school zones
/giphy school bus
@Larry1977 went too slow in a school zone once, got accused of being a creep. it’s a Catch-22!
Will a 250 watt motor get a fat guy up a hill ?
@jmbunkin depends, is the fat guy under 230 lbs?
@jmbunkin This bike is for light people, unless you’re significantly under the weight limit I’d expect the aluminum frame to crack before you think it should. Maybe I’m wrong, but in general when heavy people ride aluminum bikes or scooters they don’t last long. Google “aluminum fatigue life” for details.
@Alereon @jmbunkin For what it’s worth I have the previous generation of this and I ride it around all over the place in the neighborhood. I’m 6’2" & 260 and I still cruise around at 15mph which is what the previous generation’s top speed is. If you can’t make it up a hill then use the petals and it assists you. Super easy.
@Alereon @jmbunkin If an aluminum bike frame is correctly heat-treated after welding, fatigue cracking should be rare, and occur only after long use. If it’s not heat-treated, the frame will fail adjacent to any weld after a short time. Since this company has been around for a while, I’m going to guess that they pay attention to the issue here.
Will my wheelchair fit on the seat?
@christianirc Of course.
I’ve bought and tried out a few mini e-bikes now, so here’s my verdict on this one: Ehh. $500 for a folding ebike is very cheap, yes, but you can get the Jetson Bolt Pro for $399 at Costco - a known brand, with a more powerful motor, plus it weighs less.
Weight wise, I can only speak to the Jetson Bolt Pro (350W motor instead of the 250W this has) but how much fun you’ll have on this thing is directly related to your weight. 100lbs, you’ll fly up hills. 150lbs, you’ll accelerate fast on flat ground. 200lbs, you’ll accelerate slowly, and above 200lbs you’ll want to forget hills with any real slope to them.
The only reason to buy this over the Bolt Pro is if you intend to use it as a pedal-assist bicycle, or if you think you’ll run out of battery often on trips. At 44lbs, you don’t want to pedal this thing around without battery, but because it has 7 gears and 20" tires, it’ll be more fun to pedal than the Bolt Pro.
@owenversteeg Specs:
Jetson Bolt Pro: $399, 350W motor, 41lbs, 14" wheels, 1 gear, 6Ah battery, 46.5"x19.3"x23" folded
Totem TC3: $499, 250W motor, 44lbs, 20" wheels, 7 gears, 9Ah battery, 16"x32"x27" folded
Keep in mind the Jetson Bolt Pro is very much a known quantity, while this thing doesn’t seem to even have any real reviews out yet.
This bike does have a rear rack though, which is nice. The Jetson Bolt Pro has a headlight and a carrying handle which this does not.
@owenversteeg I think these are 2 different use cases. The Jetson seems MUCH smaller than the TOTEM. The TOTEM also uses Shimano gearsets and has multiple speeds. The Jetson is very much a price point e-bike while the TOTEM is more of an everyday use kind of bike. I also believe the Jetson uses a traditional motor while the TOTEM is Brushless. Just my .02.
@owenversteeg I have the totem Meh sold a few years back. The build quality is excellent and the extra weight is not wasted. It’s an incredibly solid bike. If you are a heavy person and anticipate a lot of inclines and do not wish to pedal, yeah, the Costco bike may be a better buy.
I am 210 lbs 6’ 1" and this totem fits me perfect and pushes me up a very decent size hill with no problems if I help a little. The inclusion of gears and larger tires more than makes up for the few extra lbs on the bike if the battery goes out.
@moofi The Jetson Bolt Pro is definitely a brushless motor, as are all e-bike motors in 2022, so that’s definitely not a differentiator. I’m not sure what would make the Jetson a “price-point” ebike vs this, but some real differentiators would be the larger battery, the anemic motor, the poor quality of welds in this thing, and the (single) set of gears.
@ohhwell If you are a heavy person and anticipate a lot of inclines and do not wish to pedal… do not buy any cheap folding e-bike or you will be deeply disappointed. You’re gonna want a beefy battery and a solid motor at the very least, which 250W (or the Jetson’s 350W) doesn’t come close to.
Don’t get me wrong, I think this bike could be better than the Jetson for some people (if you use pedal assist, if you’ll be running out of battery often, if you want the better battery life.) But especially with something like this it is very important to set expectations. Lots of people think ebikes=fast, but your average American on a 250W motor will probably be moving comically slow on any real incline. If you buy it to use pedaling, or for a lighter person, then you probably will be satisfied, I think.
@owenversteeg Both of these are toy e-bikes ill-suited to steep inclines, heavier riders, or daily commutes. The Totem has higher quality components that are easy to replace at your local bike shop, so it does have that going for it. They’re probably both fine as fair-weather grocery getters (don’t cheap out on a lock) or Sunday riders, but you get what you pay for.
$3.5k e-bikes are a whole other class of bike, and if you have a local bike shop that does test rides, it’s worth taking one just for the eye-opening experience.
@owenversteeg 20" vs 14" wheels is enough of a reason by itself to get the Totem over the Jetson. A bigger wheel will ‘climb’ bumps better and will float over more small cracks and dips in the road. At the extremes, compare something like a Razor scooter with 6" wheels against a regular bike with 26" or 700c wheels - if the front wheel of the Razor falls into a pothole, it’s practically impossible to climb its way out.
When it comes to 41 vs 44lbs, that 3lbs won’t really matter - it’s a 7% difference. Even if you were talking about a 20lbs road bike, 3lbs is relatively marginal for all but the fittest people with money to burn.
A few more days & my membership gets charged $5. & I’ve not bought anything lately. One item in January. One Item in Dec. Six items in November though! How many more months should I give them $5?
@Joedetroit I’ve been thinking the same thing… not a lot of excitables as of late
@Joedetroit You’re a Mehmber, not a VMP, so it really doesn’t matter.
@Joedetroit I’ve been thinking about this too, the membership is really only valuable during mehrathons, otherwise I only rarely buy anything from them, even from their other sister sites. And a lot of the stuff I’ve received from side deal and morning save have been such shit that they don’t even work. Not sure it’s worth it anymore
@Joedetroit @sum1 Don’t get get free shipping after the first item anyway?
Thanks everyone. I suppose I just didn’t wake up all that well today & was crabby. There is always casemates but that might just make for more crabby mornings.
@Joedetroit 24…
That’s a nonstarter for me, but I appreciate seeing something cool for sale.
@lljk It will carry more than 230lbs… Trust me…
@lljk @moofi yes, the totem is crazy solidly built.
in August i bought a Jupiter Bike X5, and as somebody who hadn’t ridden a bike in years i absolutely love this thing.
it’s very similar to this one in size, price, and capabilities. it folds in half, has pedal assist and throttle.
when going to Manhattan i no longer wait for the subway or bus. in many respects it has replaced my car, save for long or urgent trips where i have to bring somebody else. high gas prices have only confirmed that i made a good decision.
get an eBike, even if not this one.
Any info on replacing the battery when it dies?
@susanrm They have spare batteries available on their website.
https://www.totemusa.com/product-page/tc3-battery
Can I put a combustion engine on this to go father?
@kvs2000 You didn’t say, “Mother May I?”
@kvs2000 Wind turbine. Infinite power!
@kvs2000 @LadyCamille I see what you did there.
Could I do some sick jumps with it?
@Borinkano I’d honestly be disappointed if you didn’t at least try… Make sure to come back and post the video…
So it’s a commuter bike that can’t be used by those who would most benefit by commuting by bike.
Very meh.
@masterhibb huh? Fat people?
@masterhibb @ohhwell That’s not very PC. They are called Horizontally Challenged People these days mmkay?
Does it have regenerative braking? Do e-bikes normally have that?
@Bloodshedder this one will not but some expensive e bikes do.
@Bloodshedder @ohhwell
My understanding is that the lab results say it’s not worth the extra. Regen braking requires a lot of fiddly design mods in order to work even reasonably well, all of which add weight.
@Bloodshedder @ohhwell @werehatrack Regenerative braking can get you a ton of extra power if you do a lot of braking (hilly areas? Accelerating and then stopping for a light?) but yes, it is a feature on more premium bikes, and on a bike like this you probably don’t want to do a ton of hills anyway. If you’re not sitting on the brakes for extended periods of time like in long downhills, you’re right, it wouldn’t get you much anyway.
I bought the previous totem from Meh a few years ago. It’s an incredibly solid well built bike. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the electric portion didn’t have variable throttle. The peddle assist level just determined at what speed the motor would stop assisting.
I bought this one due to the claims of progressive assist.
Also, I can’t say for sure if they still do but on the one I bought, totem offers a free setup at a bike shop in your area. Up to a certain dollar amount. I found that out when I emailed them with a question regarding adjusting the front wheel angle. They also registered me for the factory warranty.
The bike still functions perfectly. I cannot say enough about how solid this folding bike is.
Also, I am 6’ 1" and 210 lbs. I can get the seat shaft up high enough. The 259 watt hub motor is enough to make pedaling up a decent hill rather effortless. I will say that at 20", the top speed will have you pedaling perhaps a little faster than is super comfortable even in top gear but it is way better than those 14" models.
I don’t know anything about foldable, or electric bikes. Can someone help me out here?
Is it better to invest in an electric scooter or is it better to invest in a foldable electric bike? Please suggest.
Thank you.
@aniqueakhtar Scooters that can go anywhere near 20 mph will start around $500 anyway, and I honestly hated my scooter’s narrow handlebars compared to a longer handlebar for bikes because it felt too twitchy. Any scooter in this price range won’t go more than “30 miles” which usually means 20 miles in real life if you go slow.
I don’t see a frame size listed. I’m 5’ 1", would I be able to ride this bike comfortably?
@Ayanami Yes, the seat is very adjustable.
@Ayanami @moofi And would it also be comfortable for someone short to reach the handlebars?
So is this basically a slimmed down commuter version of the Lectric XP that’s a bit slower, weaker, with less[er] components but lighter and very slightly smaller?
Not saying that’s a bad thing, especially at this price point and weight. The Lectric XP’s 28mph top speed was slightly scary and it was 70 lbs which was heavy as hell. The 4 inch wide fat tires were also overkill for someone in NYC.
I don’t need this but I want it so badly
How many gears does it have. I see on their site that it has a Shimano derailleur but no mention of gears or teeth. My current ebike is only one gear… The only big ASK I have with it is MORE GEARS!
@smunsch I think there are 5 gears.
Argh! I was just considering something like this for quick trips to the grocery. It’s hard to justify when I can simply walk and I can use the exercise. Damnit!
Maybe it’ll sellout before I have to decide.
Does anyone know how quickly this will arrive? I see on the site you can only see that info only after making the purchase
@tlove I guess that depends on where you live.
@tlove My order says estimated delivery is Monday, Mar 28 - Thursday, Mar 31, to me in central Tx. Lately my online purchases have actually been arriving a day or two earlier than the window, when scheduled for a week or more later. YMMV, of course.
Does this bike use a torque sensor or a cadence sensor to the pedal assist?
Must have missed it. How much does it weigh?? Doesn’t matter how foldable it is if I can’t heft it.
@mickeefynn I believe it’s 44lbs with the battery
on my second chinese indiegogo e bike. this a pretty good deal. i’ve pedal powered a compact 14” wheel folding e bike with rear seat/storage & full suspension that weighed just under 60lbs, huge battery but to meet chinese/euro traffic law topped out at 15mph. THAT bike is a torque beast, but heavy, slowish, and unassisted pedaling is practically useless. This Totem retails for about the same as mine did but at $499 is a better bike and I’d buy it in a heartbeat if I didn’t already have two. 44lbs is still a heavy ass bike, but not for an e bike w/multiple gears/rack/20” wheelbase. If your a first time E bike buyer this is a good price point to take the plunge and with the weather warming and daylight savings upon us I say BUY IT!
One more question… is the battery removeable to charge in house or does it require a charging station?
@mickeefynn From the manual: (see my link below)
"The battery can be charged both installed in the bike or removed. "
I guess I’ll have to live with Matt Black (I think I hated his last picture). I was “attracted” to the magnetic one. Looks like the number sold of grey is about half the number of black sold, with black still left, so I cry “discrimination on the basis of color”. You’d think Meh would be beyond that by now.
Wt limit = 230 lbs. Top speed = 20 mph.
But what is the top speed when carrying the 230 lbs?
Hunh? (Inquiring asses want to know.)
@phendrick
/giphy cool-tacky-grasshopper
(Seems fitting.)
/image cool-tacky-grasshopper
@phendrick That’s either a Very Big grasshopper, or a Very Low fence.
Would you recommend this for Simon Cowell? He’s recently injured himself in 2 separate biking accidents.
https://www.tvinsider.com/1030946/simon-cowell-rushed-to-hospital-after-another-bike-crash/
/giphy simon cowell
After ordering this bike, I decided to find more details about it.
The website for this bike has one interesting review:
https://www.totemusa.com/product-page/totem-tc3-folding-electric-bike
The user’s manual for this one:
https://www.totemusa.com/_files/ugd/792865_c0ade9e525424ca7a18ac5343765cc00.pdf
Something interesting in the manual:
Free Tune-Up: Your safety is our top priority. TotemUSA offers a free tune-up for your new bike at no
cost to you. … Our Support Team will reach out to your preferred shop directly to leave payment.
I.e., you put it together, the bike shop will double-check and possibly improve it, and Totem pays for it!
@phendrick I saw that as well. That’s solid back-end customer support.
Hurray for procrastination! I had seriously considered grabbing one of these, but due to other pressures on the budget, I waffled long enough that they ran out. And then I actually went shopping, hit the Overwhelmed With Choices Wall, and rebounded with credit card balance unchanged. Looks like I’ll keep on using the unassisted pedals for the moment.
Now, if somebody just had an e-conversion that was set up to use four or five or a half dozen Ryobi batteries…
obligated-jiggly-argon
I’m in. Purchased two earlier in the day. Great price point for entering the e-bike market.
@sl_woodard
But where’s your obligatory giphy?
/giphy obligated-jiggly-argon
@sl_woodard (Don’t we all feel better now?)
I thought about it, but since I work from home, the real use cases for nearby travel for me are 1) making groceries ( pepono & @sillyheathen), and 2) takeaway pickup.
Neither of which is conducive to an ebike like this one.
And error messages.
Mine got delivered yesterday, and I finished (I think) the setup just a bit ago. As soon as I tried to engage the motor, I got an ERROR 80 in the display. Anybody who got one of these know where the error codes are listed?
They are not in the manual; it just says go to the website for them. Which I did, but found them nowhere. There is no search function on the site. I used the “chat” facility, but it is no more immediate than email. Said they’d get back to me. Then asked for my contact details in a separate pop-up box on top of the chat box, which I gave. Then the chat came back and asked for my contact details. HUNH?
Also used another fill-in contact form under the “Contact” tab. They subscribe to the dreaded Captcha conspiracy with blurred pictures.
I called their phone number listed, which is also for dealer inquiries. Immediately got a “We’ll get back to you” message, no phone tree. (Selling a lot of bikes, are you?)
Other than the error message, which might be for something trivial, the bike looks solid. I’m not sure that’s true for the customer support, though. Looks rather meh. (But not up to Meh standards.)
I’m now wondering if the place is run by robots…
@phendrick [I got the following in email, apparently just a few minutes after I posted the above]
Thank you for reaching out to the TotemUSA Support Team. We are here to assist you with any questions or concerns you have with your new Totem bike.
Our team has received your correspondence about the error code 80. We are sorry to hear about the trouble with your new TC3. Please rest assured that we will assist you in troubleshooting to find a speedy resolution to this issue to get you up and running as soon as possible.
The error code 80 designates a communication issue between the display and the motor. These larger packages can get jostled around during transit on occasion, potentially causing a loose connection at one of the locations described below. To begin, turn off the display and the switch located on the side of the battery. Using the security key, remove and reinstall the battery within the frame to complete the hard system reset.
The first connection to check is the in-line quick connect style plug located approximately 12" down the cable that exits the back of the display. By disconnecting then firmly reconnecting this plug we can rule out this connector. Please note that these are intentionally tight. The fact that the display is showing you the code tells us that the display is getting power, so at least one pin here is making good contact.
The second connection to check is located approximately 12" down the cable that exits the rear hub motor and is cable tied to the lower frame. Same here, disconnect and reconnect to confirm the connection is tight and secure.
After checking these two connections, turn on the battery switch and then the display to see if the error code persists.
Please let us know the results once this troubleshooting is done and we will follow up with you on the next steps. Again, please rest assured that we will find an appropriate resolution for you no matter the issue. Let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns in the meantime. We are always happy to help.
Thank you,
TotemUSA Support Team
support@totemusa.com
812.807.1570 TotemUSA
@phendrick Did any of that solve the problem? Luckily, once you get through to the actual support, it is US based and pretty good. That sucks that it had issues right out of the box.
@ohhwell IDK (yet). Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time since I last posted to get back to work on it. And I have to be up awful early Friday morning. Will try tomorrow afternoon. Seems like a reasonable process to resolve the issue, so I’m hopeful.
For future reference, I had found this on Vinka’s web site. It’s not the same display as the TC3 bike, but software is probably somewhat cut-and-paste between models, so I’m hoping most codes are same. Fact that error code 80 matches is a good sign for that.
https://www.vinka.jp/uploads/files/20220312/0d0e5cdfc87d55464e1436267988c8aa.pdf
Last page lists error codes for this (different) controller and display. FWIW.
When I have my problem solved, I’ll see if I can cajole TotemUSA into sending me a copy of all error codes for the TC3 and any explanations.
Mine showed up today and was exactly what I had hoped it would be. The same as the original but with a much better progressive pedal assist and variable throttle. Very happy.
I got mine today too. I was worried that the 250w motor would be a little weak but it has plenty of power. It seems like a well built machine and rides really well
@Ishmel Cool, don’t forget to email them to activate the warranty and claim your free tune-up at a local bike shop if you need one. I had to adjust the caliper on the front disk brake but other than that, mine is set up surprisingly perfect.
I know when I comment on how well built these things are, I probably sound like a shill but they really are crazy solid.
@ohhwell I have a couple of “Lectric XP 2.0” bikes and bought this for the kid. At half the price of my other bikes I wasn’t too hopeful, but I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality. I’ll see what he thinks after he puts a couple hundred miles on it, but it really looks and feels like a solid performer.
See bought two bikes one works one doesn’t, have called, texted, and emailed with my concerns to date never heard back, very alarming since I have never done business with this company and don’t know what recourse I have
Hi @queeniesammy if you’ve already contacted Meh Support and haven’t received a reply (and it’s been a couple business days), please check your Tickets Page for a reply as an email reply may have been filtered to a spam/promo folder by you email client.
@queeniesammy As the manufacturer is not responding, get in contact with meh support to see if they can help poke them:
https://meh.com/support
My bike is less than two years old, and already it doesn’t work, all ebike places I called told me to call the manufacturer, which I have numerous times, I was told warranty has expired end of story. This is not exceptable I paid over $500.00 dollars for a bike not even lasting two years. This company is a fraud, if you buy from them you better hope it lasts longer than a year because once it dies you have no recourse or help from this company. So disappointed in these people, they have their money, so screw the customers.