You may be familiar with Sonders electric bikes. While they’re now one of the biggest brands on the market – boasting a wide range of eBikes – they began back in 2015, when they launched one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in history.
Later that year founder Storm Sondors launched another two successful multi-million dollar campaigns, and the widely publicized launch has made Sondors an iconic name in the personal electric vehicle industry.
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About the owner
The brain behind the Sondors brand is Storm Sondors – a highly-skilled specialist in design and manufacturing, based in Malibu, California.
He has a special interest in personal branding, and is on a mission to inspire the world to adopt zero emission vehicles, while making eBikes accessible and affordable.
Storm Sondors himself travels the globe seeking the finest, most highly-skilled engineers, designers and manufacturing specialists in the industry.
Today Sondors is currently the largest electric bike distributor in the United States and their bikes are sold in 42 countries around the world.
Manufacturing process
In order to make their premium bikes affordable, Sondors adopt several methods. The brand’s eBikes are designed and engineered from the ground up, while the components are manufactured specifically by Sondors and for Sondors, and undergo strenuous product testing.
As a result, Sonders delivers unparalleled quality and performance at a fraction of the cost of other eBike brands.
There’s one catch though. There’s no next-day delivery available with Sondors bikes, but that’s because they’re made to order and then delivered to your door.
This means you can expect delivery in up to 90-120 days after you place your order. Through this process, Sondors is able to eliminate the expense of the middle man and cut out the added cost of warehousing inventory.
So, while there’s a bit of a wait, you’ll eventually be getting a price-conscious, hand-crafted, premium quality eBike.
You’ll also be pleased to know that some of the Sonders’ range is pre-built and in stock, so you can order these and receive them in just a few days, such as the Sondors folding bikes. For the bespoke, premium Sondors eBikes, the wait is sadly a lot longer, though.
The Best Sondors eBikes
The LX is a premium mid-drive sport utility fat-tire electric bike. It has a 750-watt motor and 21 amp hours of range in Sonders’ biggest battery to date. Offering a boost of 750 watts on continuous power, and 1152 watts peak, the LX’s motor feels just like a non-motorized bike when pedaling because the system can completely freewheel.
The motor is also equipped with pedal assist sensors (PAS), so you can choose the level of motor assistance you require, and at any point you can use the throttle to engage the motor and deliver an extra power boost.
The enormous 26″ x 4.9″ tires provide comfort and stability and are equipped to handle the most rugged terrain with help from an air fork and suspension seat post.
With a 7-speed grip shifter to tackle hills and disc brakes for quick stopping, the LX is perfect for riding on a range of terrains, and the bike also features integrated lighting and brake activation for added safety.
Specifications
- Range: 40-60 miles*
- Speed: 28 MPH+
- Motor: 750 Watt Mid-drive Motor
- Battery: 48 volt, 21 Amp Hour, Lithium-ion battery with genuine LG 3500 cells. The largest battery ever in a SONDORS.
- Controller: Integrated 25 Amp
- Brakes: Tektro Hydraulic Disc Brakes
- Crank Set: Integrated Mid-drive w/ 48T
- Gears: 7-speed with grip shifter
Bold and fearless, Sondors XS is a special edition fat bike with 4.9″ tires and aggressive power to match. The iconic Sondors battery compartment discreetly houses a massive 840wh battery which powers Bafang’s high-torque 750-watt rear hub motor.
The XS’s lithium-ion battery has an estimated range of up to 40 – 60 miles on full charge – that’s up to 40 miles of throttle-only riding and up to 60 miles with the use of pedal assist.
The XS provides comfort and plenty of offroading capabilities thanks to its aggressive tires and 120mm of travel on the MOZO air suspension fork.
It also has 7-speed gear shifters to help you tackle different terrains, and an Exoform suspension seat post and gel saddle to provide forgiveness and comfort on long rides.
Specifications
- Range: 40-60 miles*
- Speed: 20 MPH
- Motor: 750 Watt Mid-drive Motor
- Battery: 840wh
- Controller: Integrated 25 Amp
- Brakes: Hydraulic with 180mm discs
- Crank Set: Integrated Mid-drive w/ 48T
- Gears: 7-speed with grip shifter
Small yet mighty, the Fold XS is Sondor’s most powerful folding eBike. It houses a 750-watt hub motor and thanks to the mechanical advantage of the smaller 20”-diameter wheels, the bike receives an additional power boost meaning it tackles hills with ease.
Despite its rock-solid frame, it’s also super comfortable to ride as upfront you have an air suspension fork with 80mm of travel, and a suspension seat post for another 30mm of travel towards the rear. The bike also features Sonders’ superb pedal-assist cadence sensors, which kick in almost instantly.
The Fold XS features locking ergonomic grips and a Selle Royale gel saddle which boosts comfort further. The eBike-specific hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors in the front and rear ensure powerful stopping speeds, while the large four-finger levers make actuating the brakes a breeze.
The Sonders Smart Step is a thing of beauty and sophistication. The lightweight aluminum frame is the first step-through bike from Sonders, which makes mounting and dismounting incredibly easy and gives you full freedom of movement. That’s not all, however, as this eBike is also foldable, allowing you to stow it away or pack it in the trunk of your car with ease.
While it has a less powerful motor than some of Sondors’ other bikes, its 350-watt motor is still capable of a mile range of 25-40 on a full charge and you can activate the motor via the variable thumb throttle or allow the cadence sensor to kick in. What it lacks in power it also makes up for in comfort, thanks to the relaxed, upright riding position, large tires, and coil suspension fork.
It also features a reliable Shimano Tourney derailleur that shifts smoothly via the RevoShift 7 grip shifter, while the Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes provide excellent stopping power.
The MXS is a hardtail electric mountain bike featuring Sonders’ iconic triangle battery compartment, a Mozo air suspension fork providing a solid 130mm of travel up front, suspension seat post, and Maxxis plus-sized tires with boost hub spacing for strength and stability.
It features smooth and intuitive shifting across 7 speeds from the Shimano Altus derailleur combined with a RevoShift half-grip shifter, the only downside is that the gear range is low for an eMTB and may struggle with steep inclines, though the Tektro hydraulic disc brakes do provide excellent stopping power.
Specifications
- Range: 40-60 miles*
- Speed: 20 MPH
- Motor: 750 Watt
- Battery: 48V 17.5Ah Li-ion battery with Panasonic® cells
- Controller: 25 Amp
- Brakes: Hydraulic with 180mm discs
- Gears: 7-speed with grip shifter
- Crank Set: Premium 48T
Sondors pros
Now that we’ve taken you through the most popular Sondors eBikes, what are the overall benefits of opting for a Sondors eBike over other brands?
- Excellent quality: these bikes are extremely well-made thanks to the premium components and quality-controlled testing they undergo.
- Affordable: Compared to other eBikes, and considering the specs Sondors bikes boast, they definitely offer great bang for your buck.
- Great for off-road: Most of the Sondors eBikes feature massive ‘fat’ tires, disc brakes, and front suspension for ultimate versatility, stability, and comfort when riding off-road
- Iconic designs: from their triangular battery compartments to their step-through cruiser frames, Sondors put a lot of time into their designs and it shows. Each bike looks contemporary and well thought out.
Sondors cons
- We’re not really sure whether this is really a con, but some of the Sondors range is only available made-to-order. While this is one of the ways Sondors cuts the overall cost of making the bike, if you’re looking for an eBike that can arrive on your doorstep in a day, this is not the brand for you.
Final Say
With powerful engines, excellent distance and speed, and superb quality, it’s easy to see why Sondors are now one of the leaders in the eBike industry.
These eBikes are beautifully designed and crafted, and while some of them take up to 120 days to be delivered, with Sondors you’re guaranteed an excellent quality eBike for a very fair price – and in our opinion, that makes the wait worth it!