I mentioned in the intro that this bike covers the traditional Ebike bases, but also offers a lot in the way of tech and innovative features. For the sake of simplicity, let’s start with the more conventional side of the bike first.
Comfort is a big target for the Whim iQ, and Troxus found the bullseye. The stepthrough frame is offered in two sizes; small and medium. Our test bike was a medium, which fits riders from 5’5″ to 6’3″ according to Troxus.
At 6’3″, I found the Whim iQ to fit comfortably. The medium is deceivingly accommodating for taller riders. I was able to get about 90% of the leg extension that I wanted (worth noting – I have long legs), and the upright riding position is intuitive.
The Whim iQ’s personality definitely fits with the “cruiser” label. It’s a very easy bike to get along with, and the handling is relaxed and effortless. The 58 lb weight is generally on target with other cruisers – perhaps even a bit lighter – and it lends itself to an airy and approachable riding style. Remember when I asked if this bike still had the magic of more traditional options? Well, this portion of our testing certainly seems to suggest that it does.
The tires feature a faster-rolling street tread, and are sized moderately at 27.5 x 2.4. This, combined with the fully rigid frame, does result in a bit of a bumpy ride when going over rough roads. This is worth noting, but it’s also not out of the ordinary for this class of Ebike. A suspension seatpost upgrade could also help solve the issue.
There’s also a general sense of quality here. The Whim iQ feels settled and confidence inspiring. There are no strange rattles or obvious roadworthiness issues.
Now, onto the ‘iQ’ part of the bike. As I mentioned, this naming convention signifies smartphone connectivity, which brings a whole host of features – some basic, and some much more in-depth.
The simple stuff is intuitive and easy. Riders can power on and off the bike, activate the headlight, and see their battery percentage on the homepage. In addition to the need-to-knows, the Ride iQ app allows users to tune their ride experience. Each PAS level can be set to specific power output and torque settings, and throttle acceleration is adjustable as well.
The app also enables users to set a password for the bike. The Whim iQ also has a setting that unlocks and turns the bike on when it detects the paired smartphone nearby. You can also set a sleep timer, change the class mode, and view ride statistics in the app.
There’s even more. Safety and security features are key hallmarks of the iQ setup. The Whim iQ can actually detect a bike crash and notify an emergency contact automatically, as well as be disabled remotely in case of theft. A few other security features are offered, but we ran into a few bugs with them.
For example – The bike offers geofence technology, meaning that riders can set a preordained radius where the bike will function. Upon leaving this area, the bike will deactivate until it returns to the “safe zone”. This sounds like a great feature, but the GPS system for our bike/app wasn’t working properly – it listed the bike’s location in China. I can assure you that the bike was definitely here with us in southern Utah.
The location tracking had the same issue. We think these are very useful, great features, but we’d love to see Troxus work out the kinks. It’s worth mentioning that this is normal – many apps have bug fixes sent out via OTA updates. Generally though, the iQ app is a useful addition to the bike.