DŌST DROP CVT Review - $4k

[@jeffmpvd7689]

Looks like a very capable premium bike. The motor sounded a bit loud. I hope in the near future there will be places where we can test ride these direct to consumer bikes. Committing $4k on a bike one has never ridden is a tough one. Bikes are very individual things, no way to know if your 100% going to be happy with it without a test ride.

[@kenchow6741]

you can call them to make an appointment for a test ride. I have my appointment for this Saturday November 13th, Glendale California.

[@glenohs8521]

If you live on the Lower Mainland you can arrange a rest drive. Great staff!

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Yeah, as Ken was saying, DŌST has a van traveling around the US offering test rides right now! I think they are striving to keep prices low with direct to consumer while also providing at least some opportunity fir test rides. It is a lot to spend for something you haven’t tried in person, I agree.

[@craigladeroot642]

That is so important what you say. Don't buy something for this much money without a test ride.

[@gary7vn]

Did you even see where the power cable is?

[@davidwarner6755]

Kool bike...relected in the price. I might order one. Only problem I see is the power cables coming out near the bottom braket seem very exposed.

[@andytol1976]

That mid drive, toothed belt, internal style transmission is the future. So much potential reliability and efficiency gained. The more companies have versions of this, the better I say.

[@jps3b]

Thanks Court. I actually had an order pending for the Drop with a shipping time of late November. I just contacted Dōst to see if I could upgrade to the CVT. Great review as always

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Nice! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the bike once it arrives. Will the CVT model ship sooner?

[@PQV-8898]

That is one beast of an ebike, Court with all the bells and whistles yet very clean looking. And 120Nm is just out of this world powerful. Nice review.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

I agree with you, it’s pretty unique and very well done. Thanks for the positive support!!

[@davidquelch4990]

That's a very practical bike. Multi use . looks comfortable. I'd like to see Thailand cut import duty and encourage e bikes of all classes. Import duty now set at 60% which goes against he grain and our pollution problems. Great video. Thanks

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Wow! That’s a lot. I hope you’re doing well in Thailand! One of my best friends moved there to be with his Wife’s family a couple of years ago.

[@johnminichielli8957]

Bike needs an upgrade to the torque-sensing Bafang M600 motor. It will have the same NM of torque but a much more traditional bike riding feel.

[@susy0360]

When I was making some research before purchasing my ebike, I contacted Dost because I wanted to know more about their ebikes, especially when they say that they make a better bike. So I called customer support and the guy named Henry was unable to tell me what are the components that make this bike better. So I went on their FB group wanted to know more about comparing other ebikes and as a result, they blocked me and a friend of mine as well! What a nice way to treat people.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Hmm, that’s too bad Susy. I hope my review and write up help to uncover the components and give you a closer look at the bikes DŌST is making, and I hope you enjoy whichever Ebike you go for :)

[@magnusskallagrimsson6707]

I am leaning toward the Bulls La Cuba, but have been curios to see where Dost is headed. I liked the Drop when I tested it, and *really* liked the guys at Dost - they really put a lot of thought into their bikes, and obviously care about what they are making. This review of the CVT is swaying me, despite my distaste for Bafang. Great job as always, Court. I'll add, we met in 2018 and you were awesome and helpful in answering questions.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Nice! Thanks for the positive feedback, I'm doing my best and always try to be real in person when I meet people. I've been hustling with reviews and trying to keep the site authentic for years now, it's nice to know that it's making a difference and helping people :)

[@SpeedyCotton55]

Very well done review, Thank you.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

You’re so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@TheAsir786]

Have you looked at the Priority Current? I was looking at this bike and the Current. They have a lot of the same features like the Gates carbon belt drive, Enviolo CVT, high torque mid drive motor, dual battery option, etc. The controls for the display are the same too. So both seemed like great options for daily use. I ended up going with the Current because it is significantly cheaper ($2800 if you get the Costco discount), ships right away, and also has a torque sensor.

[@avsthvtic]

Have you tried it yet? What are your thoughts on it so far if you have?? I’m in dire need of a commute and do it all bike

[@TheAsir786]

@@avsthvtic Yeah, I ended up getting it. My biggest concern was the lack of review from EBR, but Micah from Electrek really loved it and ended up buying it for himself. I have ridden it about 150 miles and I really like it. The only thing it's really lacking is a suspension fork, but I don't really ride offroad so it isn't that big of an issue. I might get a suspension seat post. The ride is really smooth, bike feels really well built, and I haven't had any issues with it so far. The customer service is also amazing. They respond to emails and texts faster than pretty much any company I have ever contacted.

[@jennurse13]

@@avsthvtic i also bought the Priority Current. Highly recommend. It is so smooth. My old bike i rode in max power all the time, the current i ride in level 3... so it feels way more powerful without using as much assist. And I'm getting good range on a single battery charge... about 35 miles in level 3 (out of 5).

[@avsthvtic]

@@jennurse13 are you on any kind of hilly terrain or just flats mostly? I’m in a pretty hilly area so that’s a pretty important thing for me

[@Bonjour-World]

The Priority Current has a rigid fork. Not suitable for warped, cracked and pot-holed pavements found in most larger cities these days.

[@whoistheroach136]

As a fellow content creator, recommend you change your audio to mono, the sound imbalance as you change camera position is annoying. Other than that, good job!

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Thanks! This has crossed my mind before, and I appreciate the positive way you brought it up. I’ll look into this :)

[@phototristan]

Dost has had some issues with the DROP model frame cracking at the bottom of the seat tube near the motor. The KOPE model seems to hold together a bit sturdier.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

I think they addressed that a while back, a few of the first batch (non CVT models) had a welding issue and were replaced. The CEO was pretty up front about it, which was refreshing :)

[@goobfilmcast4239]

If this had been available (in this config) in late 2019, this would have been my choice. I will look at DOST when looking add a second bike in late 2022. Nice review!

[@VideoNOLA]

I guess the company has delivered some of these already to customers, but their website says "Pre-order for 2023". Tough to buy a bike sight unseen, especially at this price point.

[@michaelsprinzeles4022]

100 lbs for the rear rack, 25 lbs for the front. With a 250 lbs total capacity only a child could totally pack the racks and still ride the bike under its weight capacity. Still a very versatile and well designed bike.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Yeah, 100lbs is a LOT. It's an impressive number, but I'm not sure there are many situations where it would make sense to load up that much, and I do think it would impact ride quality. In my case, I weigh ~135lbs and could imagine adding 50 or 60lbs on the rear and maybe 20lbs up front for touring. Or, save the money on a front rack and just load the rear up to 100lbs and weigh 150lbs as the rider. It's nice to have options, but I see your point about how it cuts into the rider weight. At some point, a trailer makes more sense than racks because the balance and ride quality suffer. Maybe a rear rack with a child seat and the front rack with some cargo. It's just nice to have at least 50lbs capacity in the rear.

[@3wheelmannc860]

I really like the step over version. Would really like to see a retail network here in the states.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

That would be nice, it’s handy to have a shop to work with and to demo bikes. It seems like more brands are doing the hybrid strategy of shops and online, like Magnum.

[@TeddysVentures]

Great bike and Review however I am disappointed the max payload is 285lbs! I hoped that the cables sticking out on the bottom of the frame would be addressed in the 2nd gen iteration.

[@HungNguyen-jj4cq]

I like the White one . The one you ride .

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Me too, I like the paint job and how approachable the frame is :)

[@Enonymouse_]

Nice review, nice bike, shared to group.

[@dukeloo]

Great review. You need to review the Priority Current bike.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Thanks for the suggestion Alan!

[@cursor1011]

Wow! I've never liked electronic shifters but I never imagined a drive by cable CVT was something that could be implemented on a bike. It doesn't even look terribly difficult to maintain. I'd like to see the patent for that design open up and so I could see it show up on more bikes.

[@jcoats5529]

You're literally in my back yard. Welcome to North Vancouver. Mt. Bike mecca. Enjoy your stay.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Nice! We should go riding some time, I’d love to explore the place with someone who knows it well :D

[@jayw900]

It's a nice bike and i like the dual battery option but for four grand i would expect it to be a bit quieter.

[@Bonjour-World]

The Bafang BBS02 used straight cut gears rather than helical cut gears. Straight cut gears are noisy.

[@savemankind738]

Dost in Indian language means friend , I just love this bicycle and wish I could afford one one day

[@pierrelabbe3173]

Merci Québec Pierre

[@cyclon74]

What is up with those exposed cables hanging below the motor casing? You would think on a bike this expensive they would have worked out how to conceal and protect them. And, it looks stupid.

[@planetearth9321]

Now that a bike I'd want Great review 👍

[@jimji2774]

So the CVT transmission With bell drive is a huge Change from 99% of other E bikes out there. You didn't really say much about it. So how does it perform And how would you compare it to a derailer? It looks like the future to me so how does it work when real Life?

[@Bonjour-World]

Any IGH is a huge improvement over any derailer.

[@Dustinrhoades]

Great review! Is it just me or is that motor really loud?

[@conantdog]

Great review as always very interesting bike it's got all the things I would want, 👍

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Glad you enjoyed it! I agree, lots of great features here :)

[@conantdog]

I've been doing 20 mi group rides in Boston with bikes not bombs on a conventional hybrid bike. That would as you say make it a lot easier and level the playing field I'm in my '60s and most of the people riding are in their twenties and thirties 😵. Also the throttle that's removable is a great option, after 20 miles with back issues it might be nice just not to pedal the last mile or two home 👌

[@BDX55]

That wiring loom at the bottom of the frame going into the motor is just asking to be caught on a branch and ripped out.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Yeah, this is a challenge for many electric bikes but they are more exposed here than some others. I was riding pre-production hardware here… which I don’t love to do, and was told that the final will have the wires positioned a little better. They are adapting the Bafang BBS02 into the frame to look nice and improve protection, but it has some compromises.

[@xieulong]

Dost CRATE shipping soon. You guys getting your hands on that?

[@Svid1701D]

Would have liked to have seen an option for wider tires, otherwise a nice bike with quality parts for the price.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Hmm, like fat tires? Or just wider plus sized tires?

[@eliwol3789]

Good review, are there any other bikes on the market similar to this?

[@4GregF]

Is this the second time this video has been posted? I'm getting a de ja vu watching it.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Hi Greg! I made the video live but unlisted a month or two back, right after filming and publishing the writeup on EBR. Perhaps you saw it embedded on the website even though it hadn't been syndicated on KZbin yet, or perhaps you saw it in a playlist?

[@craigladeroot642]

I was excited when I first heard about electric bikes. Then when I checked them out I was very let down. Before you spend the money.,make sure to take a ride on one. Hopefully in the future they will have more power, and go a longer distance. These videos really don't show what the bikes are to own and to ride.

[@AIR_SPC_OPS]

Help! Cant decide between this bike and the evelo aurora limited

[@Stuntforanything]

I know this might be irrelevant but, my battery got stuck in the frame. it won't open and when I turn the key to try to open the battery there is no resistance like it should be. And another thing to note is that at the top of the battery on the right side there is a little gap like if it is not completely clicked in the frame. Any suggestions/solutions I would appreciate?

[@sawyerpac9878]

Bi how come you ued the throttle can you just ues the pedal access?

[@abbaby555]

Awesome video

[@JohnnieV]

That clunky sounding loud motor takes the peacefulness out of the ride.

[@privateequityguy]

*“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” - Thomas Jefferson*

[@Zetler]

Is that torque rating for real? 120mn will probably let me climb all the way into space.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Lol, that’s what I was told, but it’s not something I really confirm. My goal is to provide the best stats I can while sharing a qualitative perspective and show video. It did have better than average torque when climbing :)

[@dehoedisc7247]

That torque rating is likely more real than the bull-shit ratings given arbitrarily such as "250 watt", 500 watt, 750 watt, and 1000 watt as given by EBR and other sales-oriented double-speakers.

[@notabovebutequal1138]

I'm sold... lol

[@dml5053]

it has everything I am looking for, but man, that motor is just way too loud ...that would annoy me but ya really well thought out bike...I hope they can find a motor with less noise ...next model maybe ??..if it wasn't for that I would be upgrading my Juiced ccx with this bike for sure.

[@dehoedisc7247]

So, did you take into account the fact that a quick appraisal with a less-than-ideal microphone setup that is physically near the motor on a bike in motion might not give a realistic sound as the rider might experience it? I think Not. You are "way too loud".

[@dml5053]

@@dehoedisc7247 i did… I formed my opinion on the third person ride-by.. where the microphone was no where near the motor and the motor noise was recorded by the person filming as he road past… the loud motor… passing… loudly.. very loudly… so the answer is YES… yes I did

[@dehoedisc7247]

@@dml5053 how convenient of you to have gained such perspective in your own personal space without being present at the EBR testing of the DOST by Court.

[@dml5053]

@@dehoedisc7247 ya because thats not what a public review is for or anything… 🤡

[@ElectricBikeReview]

You know, it's all good you guys. Most motors produce some noise, and this was a pre-production build. I think the BBS02 is a great motor, and quieter on the DOST bikes since it's covered by their custom frame, but it does make noise. There are lots of bikes to choose from out there, and that's what makes the world cool. My personal favorite motor right now is the MAHLE that Specialized uses in the SL models... I love the high speed operation, light weight, and beautiful aesthetics there. But, higher price, battery trade-offs, and no throttle. There's always a trade-off, thanks for sharing your input. I'm doing my best to present the bikes as I see them. Perhaps you could compare the noise from this review to the review for the KOPE (same model high-step) here: electricbikereview.com/dost/kope-cvt/

[@johnminichielli8957]

Lots of nice features on this bike, just a shame they didn't go with the bafang m600 motor as it's much more advanced, lighter with the same torque and it has torque sensing for a much more normal bike feel.

[@andiman45]

good review 4k is a bargain

[@anttmann6123]

These high end bikes (well high end for me) are cool to learn about but out of my financial reach.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

I feel ya, and this one is actually less expensive than competing products with the same hardware (belt drive, Enviolo CVT, high speed etc.) the price just adds up.

[@nikos-giorgos]

Internally routed cables! Really? They stands out like a tree logs in front of the bike. First thing you notice, nothing internal about them...

[@ianbone905]

Cable looms look an amateurish mess

[@ciphermatrix]

That exposed cable is a massive no-no for me. They still have more design work to do.

[@wascalywabbit]

I NEED Y'ALLS HELP!! I'm looking for a USED hardshell mobility scooter,CHEAP..UP to $1500.. It can be in rough shape,i don't care about tires, batteries,scratches,cracks or dings,as long as it's complete.. Something like the boomer buggy,with a heater..

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Hmm, I don’t know as much about these. Perhaps you could find a used inexpensive one on Craigslist? Would something like this work? It’s less expensive than most mobility scooters, and much lighter electricbikereview.com/liberty-trike/electric-tricycle/

[@wanderdude3582]

There is no way i would buy a $4k ebike with exposed wires hanging out of the bottom bracket area. Its a deal breaker for me .

[@skaybaltimore]

And this ONE TIME...at BAND CAMP...

[@ElectricBikeReview]

something something spoke wrench...

[@WanderingAroundAZ]

Seemed like my dream bike until you opened with "cadence sensor" 😟

[@emma70707]

Would buy this immediately if it had torque sensing. SUCH a missed opportunity... :/

[@JohnnieV]

Yea. At $3500 id expect a torque sensor. Wow.

[@larrybowers64]

Dream Machine, but the price is a nightmare!

[@ElectricBikeReview]

It seems like all of the bike companies have had to raise prices lately. That said, I haven’t seen a bike with these components and features for much less. You could check EVELO for a similar build, and they also have good customer service :)

[@Svid1701D]

The transmission, belt-drice and mid-drive motor push the price up quickly. You get what you pay for, other premium brands charge a lot more for these features. $4k is a good price for these components.

[@billyrock8305]

Pricey 😢

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Yeah, it costs a lot for the fancy belt drive, enviolo, battery upgrades etc. but this is a good price for those features in my opinion, especially with the higher top speed and throttle.

[@joeloliver7599]

I'm not a "master TIG welder", but those welds look really bad to say the least. Especially the rear rack and the rest of the rear TIG welds.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Hi Joel! I think this particular bike was pre production and might have lacked a bit of the finish you’d see. It’s not something I love to do, reviewing the demo bikes, but sometimes things end up that way if I’m traveling and only in one spot for a limited time.

[@ianbone905]

Cables look an amateurish mess

[@Bonjour-World]

"I love the black spokes, rims, etc..." .... You obviously live in the Frozen North. Anyone that lives where the temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade DESPISE black.

[@Goldendisciple13]

Bankrupt

[@cwebremtecwebremote351]

Too expensive for a chinese motor

[@ElectricBikeReview]

I think that's one of the few trade-offs here, and it's intentional. The BBS02 is one of the most proven Bafang motors from the past five years. It allows DOST to spend more on the drivetrain while still keeping the bike semi-affordable. I see it as one of the few bikes with belt, CVT, high speed, and throttle. Sure, the motor is older, but it's reliable.

[@bobzealand5692]

I bought a sondors love the bike if you don’t mind waiting for shipping they do have a payment program no credit check it’s done with part.ly it’s pretty good I have bought a sondors bike second hand and ordered another so definitely do your research but they make good bikes for way less

[@braxtonperry1981]

WOW everything in one bike Great reviews Bike Week HOBO Be Safe No Fear Beautiful forest 🛵🌄

[@ElectricBikeReview]

It was a beautiful forest to ride in, thanks for your positivity and comments Braxton! I hope you’re doing well :)