Reviews

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LightSpeed DRYFT e-Bike review

Rugged MTB e-Bike with superb comfort!
The e-Bike uses steel frames which makes it heavy. Spokes and Disc brakes can be improved.

By Kamlesh Malick on June 3, 2017 4:37 pm

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Video Review

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We review a new branded eBike called - DRYFT, sent to us by LightSpeed eBikes, a company based out of Ahmedabad. 
This company was formerly known as Indium Design but have rebranded as LightSpeed eBikes. 
After our raving review of Milltex Spero e-Bike, we feel that there can be other branded e-Bikes that can set the bar higher.
Like the Spero, the DRYFT is also a crowd funded e-Cycle. Link here.

​The PluginIndia team was given the DRYFT with 50 km range, which had a uber cool bottle battery which was removable. 

We have been using the DRYFT in hilly Pune city, under various conditions during peak summer weather! We also rode it during pre-monsoon showers. We rode it mainly in the city for over a month now.

Here are some photos of the DRYFT!

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Specifications & Details

• MANUFACTURED BY:
  LIGHTSPEED MOBILITY PVT LTD
• MODEL:  
  LightSpeed DRYFT
• PRICE:
  Currently crowd funded between INR 37,999.00 – INR 39,999.00 and likely to be available on demand at prices between INR 40,000.00 – INR 50,000.00. 
• SUGGESTED USE:
  Commuting with cities / towns 
• WARRANTY:
  Battery     - 1 Year
  Motor       - 3 Years
  Charger    - 1 Year
  All electronics - 1 Year
• AVAILABILITY:
  First crowd funded DRYFT's will be delivered in mid July and further deliveries planned by September 2017.  
• MOTOR TYPE:
  Rear-Mounted Geared Direct Drive Hub Motor
• MOTOR OUTPUT:
  250 Watts
• MOTOR TORQUE:
  32 Nm
• BATTERY VOLTAGE:
  36 Volts
• BATTERY WATT HOURS:
  Watt Hours = Volts x Ampere Hours
  36 V x 10.4 Ah = 374 Wh = 0.37 Units (KWh)
  BATTERY CHEMISTRY:
  LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC) - This is standard for most e-Cycles.
• CHARGE TIME:
  3 hours with a regular charger
• ESTIMATED RANGE:
  50 km
• DISPLAY TYPE:
  Removable Backlit Monochrome LCD
• READOUTS:
  Speed, Odometer, Battery Level, Average Speed, Top Speed, Pedal Assist Level (1-5), Regen indicator, Temperature, Cruise / Walk Assist indicators.
• DRIVE MODE:
  Pedal Assist configured with Cadence Based Pedal Assist
• TOP SPEED:
  25 kmph capped as per statutory regulations
• TOTAL WEIGHT:
  22 kg
• BATTERY WEIGHT:
  2 kgs
• MOTOR WEIGHT:
  3 kgs.

• FRAME MATERIAL:
  Steel
• FRAME COLORS:
  Orange
• GEARING DETAILS:
  None provided with Stock variant.
• PEDALS:
  Plastic
• BRAKE DETAILS:
  Disc brakes
• SADDLE:
  Gel support
• RIMS:
  Alloy
• TIRE BRAND:
  Kenda imported from Taiwan
• WHEEL SIZES:
  26 in 
• TUBE DETAILS:
  Kenda
• ACCESSORIES:
  • Helmet
  • Mudguard
  • Lock
  • Bell
  • Rearview Mirror
  • Carrier
  • Bag

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So here is our take on the LightSpeed DRYFT e-Bike:

Styling & Ride : 8 out of 9

• [+1] The cycle looks exactly like a regular MTB cycle. The only difference is the bottle shaped battery. Quite attractive! 
• [+1] The color combination of Blue and Orange does attract attention. The e-Bike looks like a traditional MTB.
• [+1] There aren’t many wires and cables hanging around and that lends itself to it’s sleek look.
• [+1] The handling and balance feels perfect, owing to the placement of the battery pack and controller at the center. One would certainly consider it as a daily commute option.
• [0] ​ The frame is made with steel and thus the DRYFT feels heavy
  • Riding a single speed DRYFT without the motor’s assist is not easy due to the extra weight of the steel frame. 
  • There is no such issues on the weight once Pedal Assist or throttle is used.  It's a breeze.
  • The frame feels a bit rough when you touch it. The polish can be smoother.
• ​[+1] Nice touches by LightSpeed team on the gel based seat and ergonomic grips.
• [+1] The seat bar is nice and long. Adjusting the seat height is very easy and you don't need any tools.
• [+1] The backlit digital LCD display is nice and large. It’s very easy to read. It has a lot of detailed information about the motor and batteries as well, along with the speed and temperature.
• [+1] Superb suspension on the front wheel. The rear wheel is a hardtail but the DRYFT is extremely comfortable to ride and takes roads bumps in its stride.

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Performance : 6 out of 11

• [+1] The e-Bike feels like an MTB while riding and the balance is perfect (neither too heavy nor too light). We attribute it to placement of the bottle battery in the downtube - giving it a low centre of gravity and hence better handling.
• [+1] Upon using the throttle knob on the right hand side of the handle we don’t feel the sudden surge that is the characteristic of most EVs. Instead a slow and gentle acceleration takes you up to the rated maximum speed of
  ​25 kmph quite quickly. The cycle is said to have a torque of 32 Nm, which is quite high considering other e-Bikes. 
  • From a traffic signal the pick-up is not zippy but one gradually gains speed.
  • The acceleration profile is enough to overtake slow moving traffic like auto-rickshaws, tempos, and even some cars.
  • The throttle definitely feels under powered compared to the pedal assist. This is a good decision as the throttle consumes more battery power.
• [+1] The DRYFT sports a cadence sensing pedal assist feature. This takes a bit of getting used to for newbies as it requires one not to push too hard and just roll with the flow.
  • Pedal Assist feels natural with a 12 magnet Cadence Sensor. 
  • Once the speed maxes out at a specific pedal assist setting, we can always use human power to go faster.
    This is what i expected, but it does not work that way!  The single speed gear system is locked into a constant speed setting.  Thus once we reach the threshhold of 25 kmph, no matter how hard you try pedaling, there is no response to make the e-Bike go faster.
• [+1] Another very interesting feature is the cruise control mode. When we are at a constant speed for six seconds or more the cycle stays at the speed until we press brakes or accelerate. This can also be activated by a button on the keypad. The value of this feature can really be felt on a longer drive and we ended up using this more than any other feature!
• ​[-1] Wish LightSpeed provided a gear system as an accessory for the DRYFT.
  • With physical gears the performance of the e-Bike can be enhanced, both while climbing hills or while zooming through flat roads. 
  • Pedalling does help the bike to perform well and gearing is very crucial for that to happen. 
  • There is no option to even add gears as an accessory, which is disappointing.
• [0] For the pure pedalists, who just want to cycle without the motor's assist, the steel frame and
  ​weight (~22 Kg) ensures that you need to make an effort to push off and to sustain speed.
  • For those who are interested in pedaling long distances (50 to 100+ km) and only wanting to get help for short bursts or on difficult inclines, this is not the e-Bike.
• [+1] The performance is consistent even when the SOC is low
• [+1] ​The 26" Taiwanese Kenda tyres are really nice and have a good grip even on wet roads. The alloy rim will maintain it’s shape and give good service for a long time.
• ​[0] The spokes in the rear wheel where the motor resides is not strong enough for an e-Bike. We received the DRYFT with bent spokes. The spokes need to be thicker and luckily the team is listening to our feedback and they have assured us the production version will have thicker spokes.  Benefit of the doubt given to LightSpeed!
• [0] The disc brakes needed constant attention, almost once in 2 weeks, i had to tune it.  I'm used to quality cycles where we don't need constant tuning. This indicates a poor quality disc brake system in the DRYFT. Luckily the team is listening to our feedback and they have assured us the production version will have better disc brakes.  Benefit of the doubt given to LightSpeed! Again!
• [+1] The walk mode is performs well as advertized (watch video to learn more)

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Efficiency & Range : 5 out of 7

• [+1] The battery pack is 2 kg in weight which is lighter compared to competitor products. This of course is much lighter and more efficient than a comparable lead acid battery pack.
• [+1] The DRYFT only consumes 0.5 units (kWh) of electricity to fully charge and goes 50 km
  • Very good economy for those who decide to use it as a means of daily commute.
  • We regularly achieved more than 50 km per charge by using a combination of Throttle and PAS
• [0] The cycle frame, wheels, drive train, handle bars, and seat weigh 22 Kg. Any accessories would add to the weight. This extra weight does impact the range, especially on hilly roads.
  • ​The weight is a bit much compared to other better quality frames available.
  • For purists and long distance pedallists every gram more than it needs to be, is a gram too much.
  • On flat roads you can expect to get the range specified. Once you encounter hills, you see the voltage rapidly plummet on the LCD screen, as you twist the throttle. Not a good feeling. 
• [0] The DRYFT does not come with physical gears
  • With a single speed geared e-Bike, pedaling from a standstill at 0 kmph is tougher and you tend to use the throttle right from the start, and that drains more power from the battery. With a geared e-Bike you can use the lower gears to pedal easily and use the electric throttle when you reach a certain speed. Thus having gears with help your e-Bike go further, as you are seeking the motor’s assistance more efficiently. Which means more range per charge.
• [+1] Test ride 1: Baner to GreenDriveIndia office - Cinchwad
  • Distance - 16 km
  • Time, road & traffic condition - Early morning, regular roads
  • Verdict - Ripped across the city with pedal assist mode 5 and never used the. Reached a top speed of 31 kmph while descending flyovers. Very comfortable even at those speeds.
  • Climbed flyovers easily at PAS level 5. Anything less would mean some human effort!
• [+1] Test ride 2: Baner to Amanora Park Town
  • ​Distance - 25 km
  • Time, road & traffic condition - Evening. The traffic had gotten quite dense. 
  • Used PAS level 3 for 80% of the ride and 15% with the level 5 setting and 5% of the ride using the throttle.
  • Verdict - Very easy. The best way to use this kit during start and stop traffic is to use the throttle. When you get long stretches of roads with no traffic, we recommend pedaling and enjoying using pedal assist in '5' mode.  We still observed 2 and half bars on the battery SOC meter at the end of the journey.
• [+1] Test ride 3: Hinjewadi to Kalyani Nagar - Cinchwad
  • Distance - 20 km
  • Time, road & traffic condition - Afternoon
  • Verdict - Very impressed with the stability and the firmness with which the bottle battery held its position.
    This time used the throttle (which is not fun!) for 80% of the ride and PAS level 5 during the remaining 20%.
    We observed 1 and half bars on the battery SOC meter at the end of the journey. 

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Charging : 3 out of 4

• [+1] The charge indicator is on the LCD display and gives a fair idea about the SOC (State of Charge).
  • The LCD does not report the SOC % rather it shows a voltage value. It is left to the user to figure out the SOC %.
  • One would also like to see a DTE (Distance to Empty) reading in KM.
• [0] 3 hours is a tad slow with the slow charger provided with the LightSpeed.
• [+1] The e-Bike battery can be detached. This allows us to charge conveniently at home and not have to maneuver the cycle to a spot close to an electrical outlet. However if an electrical outlet is available it seems easier to just plug it in in the garage.
  • The charger does make some sound of the fan running while charging​​.​
    
• [+1] The bottle battery is so awesome compared to frog battery systems or a center triangle boxes!
  
  • Very easy to remove the kit with the key provided.
  • No need to place the key while riding.

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Pricing and Availability : 3 out of 4

• [+1] DRYFT is a crowd funded e-Bike via Fuel-A-Dream website [Link here]
• [+1] Great introductory prices!
• [0] After the funding campaign ends, the DRYFT model is said to cost INR 49k/-, which is expensive.
• [+1] LightSpeed have arranged for experience centers even during the campaign!
  • You can try the bikes before buying. First time during a campaign so many experience centers are available across many cities! Good job LightSpeed!
  • As of June 2017, they sell only on the fuel a dream website. 
    
  • ​​​​From September 2017 onwards, there will be experience centers and dealers in major cities.

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Extra Features : 7 out of 8

• ​[+1] Electric control key
• [+1] Intelligent display LCD panel
• ​[+1] Powerful & very adequate LED headlamp.
  • ​It is able to illuminate the road at night, even when there are no streetlights.
  • Being connected to a large battery means
    • ​Lasts a long time.
    • It stays bright unlike dynamo or battery based cycle lights.
• [0] No Tail & brake lights
• [+1] Password protection for the digital features
• [+1] Walk Assist mode is a cool feature, where the DRYFT cruises at 5 kmph to enable you to walk with it.
• [+1] Colourful bell and electric horn.
• [+1] Extra accessories purchased separately
  • Helmet
  • Mudguard
  • Lock
  • Bell
  • Rearview Mirror
  • Carrier
  • Bag

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Long Term Ownership Details

• The battery may need replacement every 2.5 years depending on usage. 
  • The cost of an extra battery is Rs 10800 (current price, might come down after 3ish years).
• At 0.5 units per full charge we spend INR 2.5/- for 50 km (if 1 unit costs INR 5/-). 
• Dealers and service provided is still an unknown. The company assures us that ​​​by September 2017 onwards, there will be experience centers and dealers in major cities.

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This is one e-Bike that would appeal to cyclists and commuters!  Go LightSpeed!

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Thank You!
The PluginIndia review team would like to thank the following people for being very nice and co-operating with us in order to work on this review.

• Mr Rushad Rupawala partner at LightSpeed Bikes.
  
  

Other Links
LightSpeed Fuel a dream campaign

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