Ecells Step Star vs Wired Cruiser: detailed side-by-side comparison

[@markborao6144]

I watched your video a second time. Outstanding job. Factual, objective, very clear thinking and points being made. Well done. I appreciate this review. I did not know about the BBB reports - thanks for posting. Kudos to you for holding eCells accountable. Hopefully this gets resolved soon. Please keep us all posted.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Will do. And thanks for the kind words.

[@rayyoung2785]

I ordered the Freedom three days ago and it's being delivered tomorrow. A lot faster than expected. Thanks for your video.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Wow that is fast! Faster than was the case for any of my Specialized bikes!

[@brett7740]

Hold on when you ride it😂

[@Whoadayson]

Holy smokes, alot of us were 3mo plus waiting. Nice for you! That dwell time was the worst, especially so because the 'est delivery date' was always way too early and ever changing as it came and went. Enjoy! and like someone said, HOLD ON, esp in PAS 5.

[@rayyoung2785]

The Freedom is still in the box and stuck in my Durango. We are dealing with a winter storm, including ice and snow.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@rayyoung2785 Well, glad it's not stuck in shipping!

[@nerdsrock243]

This is an important video. E-Cells not giving you your upgrades, no refund and no resolution; to me, the comparison is over. Straight up taking your money is a hard no for me. Just received my Wired Freedom a couple days ago and shipping from Chicago to southern Utah was 6 days. Less than a week and the bike arrived almost perfect. (slightly bent derailleur guard and derailleur a little out of adjustment) The Wired is a spectacular bike from a company that actually cares about resolving customers' issues.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the reply. Sorry about the derailer but at least the guard was in place to take the impact. Ecells ships without this installed. And yes, from what I’ve seen Wired does indeed reply to customers and work toward a resolution when one is needed.

[@christopherc4814]

I only had to hear the beginning about the dispute to make up my mind about not ordering E-Cells. I’m hoping to order the Wired Cruiser soon.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

I'm really happy with the fit-and-finish, and performance of the Wired Cruiser.

[@philhill184]

Very very helpful comparison. I was sold on the ecells but your and other recent videos demonstrate a decline in quality and customer service. Thanks!!!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Glad it was helpful.

[@Slamb68]

Very nice objective comparison, The fact that you purchased both bikes with your own money says a lot!!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Hehe. Not my intention to purchase two bikes ;-) Had Ecells delivered what I actually ordered, that’s the bike I would have used, and likely this video wouldn’t exist! I’ll donate the Ecells to a needy family at the church where I play drums. I’m quite happy with the Wired though.

[@GaryBourassa-ou8ur]

Without question, this was one of the most well thought out and informative reviews I have ever had the pleasure of sitting through. Based on the information provided, it would seem to me that the Wired e-bike is the superior choice. Thanks for the fine review! And I am sorry that you had to gain wisdom from a bad experience to find an appropriately rewarding solution. I look forward to riding along side you one day! Until then, enjoy!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the kudos! I regret that the video was this long, but it is very thorough. Glad you found value in it!

[@brett7740]

I bought the Wired Freedom. Amazing bike. Recomend to anyone. Wired for the win.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Is there a new one with main battery that is integrated more like the cruiser?

[@brett7740]

@@WilliamBennerJr Got mine in July 2024 plus

[@erwinmacabales5121]

I ordered the Wired Predator. I wanted a dual motor e bike. Delivery is March 2025. Great video, very thorough.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes, that bike looks like a real beast!

[@Whoadayson]

Im sure your aware, but just in case, be careful on that front wheel when accelerating in turns. Itll wash out that front wheel then all the rest goes with it, you included! It might be wise to lower the fronts output til you got the feel. Have fun burning rubber

[@erwinmacabales5121]

@@Whoadayson Thanks for the warning. I’ll definitely keep that in mind.

[@kenboyb]

I’m still waiting for a rack for my Ecells triple crown!! David promised a new more heavy duty rack last year. I’ve had two broken racks that have been replaced with the same design!! Bike is down more then it’s operational! I waited 6 months for the bike and it’s been broken for 6 months this year!!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Wow. Sorry to hear that!

[@ericechipman1183]

You did a fantastic job on the comparison of these two bikes. I have owned both. A five-star when they first came out, and a wired when they first came out it was called wicked. I had a few problems with the five star. I wound up selling both bikes at different times. But I like the wired so much that I bought another one. I have a 2023 wired freedom. I am really liking the new version of the wired Cruiser. I am so tempted to purchase. Very good video thank you for doing this.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the kudos on the review. As I see it, the real winner is the consumer. The competition between these two companies has led to very good products with incredible prices. My specialized was much more expensive than either of these.

[@stoffel6348]

Ecells has some sort of weird online group that goes around bashing wired in every video, that really turned me off. I am so happy with my Wired Freedom! I only considered the motor goat other than the wired, at the time motor goat didn't offer the second battery. I got the orange and it's beautiful! Sort of pearl orange, and it's been a blast to ride! I've had it since July 2024, put on over 600 miles with no issues. It's too cold now for me, can't wait to get back on her soon!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes it's certainly getting cold, even here in Florida. Glad you're liking the Wired.

[@bonnandchristine]

As a shorter rider, I was seriously considering the Dual Step Star II. One, I'm surprised that they have no update on their website about the newer products. Two, I'm very concerned about the lack of customer service from ECELLS regarding a very obvious mistake on their part in charging for things that the buyer did not receive. I know a lot of buyers enjoy the ECELLS bike but there are times that their customer service seems to be really poor. I love this comparison. It gives me a something else to consider.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the kudos. Glad you liked the review. As someone who paid for both, I have no conflicts of interest.

[@mellowjammer]

I hope that many people see this and think twice about ordering from a company that would do this to a customer. Unforgiveable...

[@f1dog]

Ecells did not mention anything about 24" wheels on the website when they first started selling it. I'm pretty sure it even said 26" at first, especially since I also ordered the zig zag tires. What upsets me most is that I ordered a front wheel kit from Citizen cycle and had to return the kit since it was for a 26" wheel. The whole point was to get a front wheel motor kit on the bike. Delivery time was a joke. Even they did not know when it would arrive. It went from July to October. Nice bike, but I wouldn't order one again knowing the wait times are way off and you might not get what you were expecting.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Indeed. Sorry to hear that anyone else got caught in the crossfire… At first I thought it was only me, but in speaking with their folks on the phone, I got the impression that they were dealing with many unhappy customers… I guess this is why the website went from offering many options to very nearly zero…

[@mellowjammer]

You're right...at first they showed all kinds of available options for the Step Star which were all bull$hit. Their website had all kinds of errors in it and you couldn't get a straight answer about the bike, basically because they started promoting it before they even knew what the finished product would be. I had to keep contacting them to correct their website, which they finally did, but it took forever....just like it took forever (almost a year) to start delivering Step Stars from the time they first put them on the website.

[@E-Ryders]

Be careful with the Front Tire Quick Release on the Wired, you have it positioned in 20:00 . It looks nice and neat, but I'm pretty sure the tension lever on it isn't fully secure cause it's up against the suspension fork. If you haven't already, maybe position lever upward and you'll probably feel it can clamp even further making it much more secure and definitely safer. Don't want to see a fellow youtuber get hurt.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the comment! I’ve only driven it a few times. I will put a tie wrap on it.

[@georose33]

I've heard so many horror stories about Ecells and delivery screw ups, especially on special orders. I bought a 5 star back in June, I ordered gloss black. I got a phone call from them, black was out of stock, I could wait for the next batch or take what was available, blue or red. I had the bike a week later. I was going back and forth between the Wired and the Ecells, the only reason for my decision was the deal at the time. Thankfully I have had no issues with the bike, seems very good. The only slight hiccup is that I ordered the Dual Star kit, which is the triple front fork, new rear rack and 2nd battery. I was told the battery and rack are on back order, but they could send the fork and headlight. I was okay with that. Still waiting on the battery and rack.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Have you been in contact with them? Are they still promising delivery? If they’ve gone silent with you as they have with me and others, you might want to contact your credit card company and request a partial refund.

[@georose33]

@@WilliamBennerJr I have not as of yet. I have so many ebike projects going on that it's not on a high priority. I'll give them a call after New Years day. Another ebike company offered an upgraded controller for their bike in early August, saying delivery at the end of September, still don't have it. QC delays, fulfillment delays, I cancelled that order this morning.

[@kenboyb]

Great honest video review!!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the kudos.

[@jcolt84]

It may appear as if the wired freedoms charging port is superior because it's a simple barrel style connection, but I learned by owning my Onyx cty2 how important it is to have a secure connection when charging the bikes. You can really mess up a battery, or even worse, you could potentially cause a fire if the charger connector isnt inserted all the way into the port. I've noticed while charging my wired freedoms battery, that it doesn't click or have any kind of indicator to let you know that your charger is connected properly. I often find myself checking the connection over and over again, just to be certain that is plugged all the way in.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Agreed on no tactile indication that it’s plugged and it’s a good idea to make sure, but this is also true of the strange 3-pin plug Ecells uses as well.

[@Ae073001]

Thank you for your review. These are both two good bikes and if one wants, they would be able to find pluses and minuses on either bike, based on what they are looking for and their personal tastes. For instance, when looking for my first ebike, I checked out both Wired and Ecells, but choose the 5-Star. To me, it seemed the better built, studier, and rugged bike. For me, the 2-3 mph speed difference and extra watts are not important, but as a family man, safety is. I've been very happy with my purchase and love my bike. When riding not only do I get looks because my bike looks great, but I feel very secure as it feels like a tank, solid and stable. The 3-mo wait period was agonizing, but when it arrived, and upgraded to the gold rims for no extra charge, it was well worth the wait to me. Personally I have had no issues with customer service when I have called and they have always been great. They were very apologetic for the wait time and as mentioned threw in free rim upgrade and a few other things for my time. There is no excusing the service concerns you have experienced, however, and I hope there can be some type of resolution soon for you.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the comments. As I’ve said, some people have experienced good customer service and others bad. My observation is that they keep happy people happy, but instead of trying to make unhappy people happy, they ignore those customers…

[@Thepulsewidth]

Scam-Cells is a garbage company if they don’t take care of customers, don’t get orders correct and or accept responsibility when it goes wrong. This Dave guy sounds like a tool and hopefully will be out of business soon with crap like not refunding options that weren’t delivered. All these bikes are made in China, so what matters is the guy and company reselling them to consumers. Enough said.

[@EnergizedZonie]

Thank you for pointing out the differences in customer service. I will admit, that surprised and concerned me. For similarly spec’d bikes, Wired has 800 watts more of peak motor power, more torque, and $287.00 less. I would still consider the E-Cells Step Star for a shorter rider who still likes a powerful well built bike.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Agreed. I'm 5 foot 6 and you can see the seat position for me on each bike. Clearly the seat can go a few inches lower. Nevertheless, I'm not sure either of these would be a great choice for a shorter person, since they might not be able to handle a bike this heavy. Both of these bikes are around (or maybe a bit over) 100 pounds! There are many options for electric bikes that are smaller and more portable and no doubt lighter too. Many of the folks in my neighborhood ride bikes made by Lectric: lectricebikes.com

[@BeautyBeastRC]

you have to take into consideration tax and shipping with wired.

[@GingerDogGuy76]

Only 1 battery on the Ecells as well

[@BeautyBeastRC]

@@GingerDogGuy76 good point!

[@benhartland4708]

@@BeautyBeastRC you do but even then it's still going to be cheaper with more power, a higher top speed, hellbender damper and the safety of the thru axle up front.

[@Thepulsewidth]

The fact an owner of a new E-bike (“E-Scam-Cells”) company wouldn’t make their customer happy by sending the missing extra battery, the correct wheels / tires and replacement parts for the shipping damage says all I need to know as a consumer. Heck, the guy won’t even refund the money paid for the options not provided!! I’d sue, or show up at the home office.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Stay tuned for future videos ;-)

[@benhartland4708]

i received my Wired Freedom at the tail end of July, it's a dual battery freedom with just under 2000 miles on it at the moment. Bike is rock solid. Initially i was going to go with ecells but whenever i asked a question i got bashed on youtube reviewers pages (including a guy named Stay Connected with EV's). He also accused me of being Steve from Wired lol! Anyway, ended up going with the Freedom due to the price point, more power, thru axle upgrade and since I'm only an hour or so away from Wired i was able to pick my bike up in person and avoid shipping charges. Wired also answered all my questions via the chat feature pretty damn quick, all within a day. Wired also provided me with the hellbender damper when i heard they will send you one on dual battery models even though i never had any wobble issues however i have to admit i love the fact that it really improved the steering feel. Amazing product and still would do a head to head with any ecells local that's in Chicagoland as long as they agree that we film and place our results on youtube :)

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes indeed, in the comment section of certain KZbin videos, I've seen claims that concerned citizens were really competitors.

[@mellowjammer]

That guy on the website you mentioned is a loud mouthed buffoon. He didn't really know much about the Step Star bike he was slobbering praise all over. He was comparing it to a Velotric Discover which is not even in the same category of bikes. He was telling people that it was a 26" bike and not available in a 24" size until I pointed out that he should read the sidewall of the tires on his own bike in the video which clearly showed 24". It was visible 5 seconds into the start of his video. That dude was trying too hard to be an Ecells Fanboy!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@mellowjammer Interesting. Thanks for the comments.

[@ishgumi44]

I own a 2024 Wired Freedom AND an ECELLS Kings Crown, which is a much more expensive bike. They are both great bikes, but the KC is just a beast in terms of power and comfort. I hear you about ECELLS customer service, but (so far) I've had pretty good experience with them. I guess I got lucky. The fact is that the E bike market is so saturated right now, that competition is cut throat which is good for the consumer and not so good for the companies. It remains to be seen who comes on top at the end.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

My impression is that if you never have an issue with Ecells, then they won’t give you any problems. But if you raise any concerns, that’s when the poor service begins. That’s what it seems like, hearing from some others here on KZbin and reading the BBB complaints. They seem to be happy with happy customers, but not wiling to try to make the unhappy customers happy.

[@ishgumi44]

@@WilliamBennerJr You are correct sir. It's like waking on egg shells around them. The office personnel is fine. It's the owner you have to watch for. However, That does not negate the fact that I actually enjoy the bike Very much.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@ishgumi44yes, I’ve never had a problem getting staff on the phone. They seem conscientious and say they’ll pass the concerns onto David Cleveland. I did receive an email from him stating he’d get back to me November 4, but nothing since then. Their office staff did confirm receipt of my follow ups…

[@leeonthegrass]

Thanks for the comparison. One of the most important factors in a full suspension bike is how well the shocks perform. Hopefully you can post a video showing how the shocks perform. Maybe even a view of you sitting on the bike to show shock movement would be great!. Btw the manual Ecells sent you is for a RST front fork shock. Clearly that is not a RST fork shock on the Ecells.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the note and the watchful eye on the front fork manual. I didn't look at it closely. As for how well the Wired performs, all I can tell you is that it feels very smooth. I put both bikes on the softest setting, but the Ecells still feels heavy and rough while the Wired feels smooth as butter.

[@Whoadayson]

Im confused on what the possible dispute Ecells has with your claims? Do they think you swapped out the wheels and changed the rear rack, removed the rear battery wiring and combiner (Im assuming stepstar reqs a different rear rack for rear battery builds). Sounds fishy, and not on your end...

[@WilliamBennerJr]

There is no dispute per se. During phone call number 6, which took place October 30, they admitted that they didn't ship what was ordered, and that there were several opportunities to correct this before the bike was shipped. On November 4, David Cleveland sent me an email stating he would contact me "tomorrow" to resolve this. Since then, no communication despite several follow-ups from me -- the receipt of which were confirmed. Based on the comments from other KZbinrs, and also their behavior on BBB, they seem to believe if they just "go silent", that customers will just go away.

[@Whoadayson]

@@WilliamBennerJr Thats too bad, but it does sound like theyre hoping you give up. They likely dont have the items to correct this, as clued by the major reduction of options on wbpg, so they are just ghosting you. Its too bad they dont know their customer base better, as we are all quite reasonable in not expecting perfection always, but ignoring us is no bueno, regardless of product! Im glad you chose to not wait for Ecells to go ahead and get the Wired. That would make it worse for your sanity and even more infuriating imo! Its really too bad (Im aware Ive said that 3 times in this short post, but it fits), because Ecells used to have exemplary reputation, but mainly when they were selling the dual motor beasts (with the corresponding beastly price tags, higher profit margin). I still hope they make it right, maybe when stock comes in, but they should never ghost people. As you stated importantly in your video, supporting customer service matters significantly! I accept that I may have to deal with some minor issues from shipping but c'mon Ecells or any other outfit ignoring customer issues! Thanks for the reply!

[@kenboyb]

@@WilliamBennerJrThat’s exactly what David has done to me about the broken rack for the triple crown 3000 !! He just goes silent and hopes you’ll go away !! Then gets mad when you insist he keeps his promise !!!

[@petetoemmes6673]

I, too, am evaluating these two offerings along with the MagiCycle Deer 2.0 ST 26" (liking that cadence or torque on the fly feature - on paper anyway) as I do not care to go 30+mph (or even 28mph for that matter). WRT to tire diameter and leg extension, I believe this E-Cell is advertised as a 16" frame. I am not sure what the Wired is. I am also not sure if how frames are measured is standard or not. But - for instance - the MagiCycle Deer 26" is an 18" frame FWIW. So...point being - maybe - the tire size 24" vs 26" in and of itself makes a 1" diff on ground clearance and so would affect seat position wrt to stand up height. But I am unsure if it makes a difference on fuller leg extension for pedaling. Having said that, I have seen that you should set the seat for proper leg extension and not for being able to "flat foot" stand when stopped to remain seated. For that there are dropper posts or other techniques to dismount at stop - and get going again. Open to comments and corrections.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the comments. My Specialized and Momentum bikes both have 26 inch, and feel about the same as the Wired in terms of stand-over height and leg extension.

[@mellowjammer]

Just FYI: frame size is defined by the measurement of the seat tube from the center of the crank axle to the top of the seat tube.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@mellowjammer Thanks for the info. I will check it out.

[@eagle94haslanded]

If the gearing is all the same, the 24'' tires would make a huge difference on what speeds you can actually pedal at.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes if sprockets were the same, but in this case the sprockets are clearly different too.

[@eagle94haslanded]

@@WilliamBennerJr No im saying the same sprockets on the ecells 24 vs 26 in wheels. If you had gotten what you ordered, you would be able to pedal farther into the high speed range. I bet it would make about a 15% difference.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@ yes indeed. I thought the same thing. In any event, since the 26 doesn’t exist for this bike, Ecells is really doing customers a disservice with this small of front sprocket.

[@eagle94haslanded]

@@WilliamBennerJr Wow, I never even noticed the step star specs say 24'' tires. Just looking at the pictures you can tell 26'' would not fit. The back tire would rub the controller for sure. Even if the rack/fenders were different to fit the bigger wheel, the wheel would still hit the controller. This seems like the issue of shitty sales people just straight up lying to hit their numbers.

[@Bustadhed]

Wow I'm so suprised that e-cells did you like that, I would have returned the whole bike not receiving the rear battery ! As far as the handlebar grips all you have to do is take the locking rings off and turn them in oppsite direction .

[@WilliamBennerJr]

There have been 23 emails and 6 phone calls. During some of them, a return was proposed, but due to their wanting me to pay the return freight, I decided to just donate this one to my Church. The youth minister will find a local family who could really use it. I will take a look at the grips when I get back home. What you have seen is as it was delivered.

[@davidfeador4125]

i cant believe how calm you are for paying for add ons that didn t show up after 3 months and it seems they are going to keep the money somethings not right

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Order placed July 20. Bike received October 8. 23 emails and 6 phone calls. Last one November 27. I've had plenty of time to be upset between then and now! Wired Cruiser showed up 3 days ago. Seemed like a good time for a video.

[@jcolt84]

Wait a second! I wonder why my wired freedoms battery doesnt have an on/off switch?! I'm guessing the batteries are just different between the cruiser and the freedom models? I'm going to have to look deeper into this I guess.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Not sure, but I’m also not sure it matters. I’ve got a lot of E-bikes and none of the others have this. I don’t see much benefit here. Nevertheless this bike was delivered December 23 so it could simply be their latest version.

[@IRail-u7n]

Great video ! Love your review!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-kb8yl2qh3h]

I'm interested to find out if you got any wobbles out of the wired or out of the step star I have a step star and I do get a bit of wobble on the bike because I put stuff on the back rack and I've got wobble on it with approximately 15 lb of weight maybe up to 20 lb and it was a scary wobble with my hands on the handlebars have you noticed that with any of those bikes either one because I'm thinking about buying the wired bike I have the the ecells I'm thinking about the wired but I don't want to buy it if I got the same problem

[@WilliamBennerJr]

I didn't detect any wobble from either bike, but on the Ecells I have minimal weight (only that of the bag and a few tools in the bag) and no rear battery. On the Wired there is the extra weight of the rear battery, which is projected quite a bit rearward, but no wobble there either -- I suspect due to the damping thing they put on the steering wheel.

[@user-kb8yl2qh3h]

Thank you for the answers on the wobble

[@JohnBabcock-qy1cs]

I never heard of an E-Cells step through with 26" wheels. Dual battery comes with version 2 upgraded dual crown forks and headlight upgrade... with torque sensor. The e cells has a huge headlight, torque sensor and double crown forks for that $2,700 with dual batteries.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Regarding 26 inch, by around telephone call number 4 and email number 8, it became obvious that they were not able to provide this. They blamed it on their website being "under construction" and offering options that they could not deliver, but showed no empathy that I was caught in the crossfire. Regarding torque sensor, although I ordered this special, I believe that their bikes normally have a cadence sensor. Do you see a place on their website where it claims these bikes now ship with a torque sensor as standard equipment? (Not that statements on the website necessarily reflect what customers actually receive...)

[@JohnBabcock-qy1cs]

@WilliamBennerJr I've only seen step through versions with 24" and torque sensors.. version 1 with single batteries and normal forks and headlight. Version 2 is upgraded fork, headlight and dual batteries if ordered with dual battery. But still all are torque sensors. I never saw V Speedster tires on 24 inch bikes as an option. No. Rightfully you should have gotten the second battery at least. Looks like you have version one bike

[@JohnBabcock-qy1cs]

New version with dual batteries is $2,799 with dual batteries. Look at the picture . Not your light or forks. Anyway, they owe you a battery if you paid for it.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@JohnBabcock-qy1cs Indeed. This was the focus of phone calls 5 and 6, and emails up to number 20...

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@JohnBabcock-qy1cs On their website, it says "Cadence-based system". ecells.com/product/ecells-step-star/

[@jcolt84]

I was researching suspension seatposts because I was considering whether or not buy one for my current generation wired freedom, but the video that I watched where they were comparing suspension seat posts said that they were unnecessary if your ebike was a full suspension e-bike. Do you find that to be the case, or would you still recommend a suspension seat post?

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes it makes a huge difference - at least with the Kinekt. For my riding, I am considering removing and bypassing the center shock with a fixed linkage. (Easy for me - my company has a machine shop…)

[@davidfeador4125]

ironically yesterday dec 26 i had just finished up informational chat with an ecells phone rep who added we re having website issues thats why the color options and some mechanical options dont appear on the website Also my current bike is 4 yr old Juiced brand. This company closed up abruptly bout 5 mos ago leaving a lot of customers screwed. based on BBB report and your video i m staying clear of e cells. do you think with seat and handlebar adjustments the wired cruiser would be doable for 5ft 5inch who prefers to sit straight up vs a forward lean position thanks

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the comments. I'm 5 foot 6 and the seat could easily be lowered around 3 more inches from the position I have mine in. The handlebars are infinitely adjustable. My preference is "straight up" so you should be all set.

[@GingerDogGuy76]

I went from a Hyperscorpion to a Wired Cruiser. Wired is on a complete other level…so much better all around. And i like my Juiced bikes.

[@GingerDogGuy76]

Great video, IMO both bikes are very similar. The value of the Wired Cruiser and the weird social media behavior from the CEO of Ecells pushed me towards Wired. Mostly the $$ though…I hadn’t heard about the weird customer service issues at Ecells. It seems both companies customer service is a little quirky, I’ve heard a couple of weird stories from Wired. Most good, and I am a happy customer. Will buy again….maybe the predator 😈

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Agreed on all points.

[@GingerDogGuy76]

@@WilliamBennerJr also, you can take the rings off the grips on the ecells and swap them around so the screws are facing downward. I did this by accident once..i suspect it was a mistake in assembly

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@ interesting. I will check it out.

[@user-kb8yl2qh3h]

I'm also interested in knowing the difference in the height of the seat from one bike to the other what's the inches in the top of the seat to the ground

[@nicholasglade4572]

I have a Keteles K800 pro dual hub 2,000 watt 23amp dual suspension for $1,200. Free shipping. Going up a lot of hills dual motor is needed especially on trails.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes I figured that the dual motor is particularly handy for hills and trail riding. In my case, it’s exclusively street riding.

[@garyderoy]

Wow. I was really hoping for an unbiased review but I can understand you being upset. Did you draw the boxes on your invoice?

[@WilliamBennerJr]

My opinion, and those expressed by other viewers, is that indeed this is an unbiased review. And yes, to draw attention to the two items that were ordered but not delivered, I highlighted those with red boxes.

[@garyderoy]

@@WilliamBennerJr Please don't misunderstand me. I appreciate knowing about how e-cells treated you. I was just about to order their AWD Monstar and now I'm not sure it's a good move. I'm doubtful. I've seen CEO David in other videos and if he wore a plaid sportscoat and loud tie I'd swear he was a 1960's used car salesman. It appears that 26" wheels wouldn't fit that bike's 16" frame (not enough clearance) but David didn't know that and gave you bad information. Either way, he lied. I've had a similar buying experience with a (supposedly) reputable store. It's not fun. Anyway, I just meant that your e-cells seat is close to the rear rack because of your seat post; the e-cells controller will run cooler being mounted outside; if you take the bottle cage off the e-cells it'll have more step-through room; rock shox are good quality and you just need to set it for your weight with about 20% compression; how the shock lever is balanced can give it more leverage and more rear wheel travel; if 1 fender screw fits one side of the fork without falling out, the other side should also fit. You know, things like that. The E-cells website doesn't show options when ordering now and it's just not professionally done. The way you were cheated is something everyone should be made aware of and I appreciate knowing about it. I hope it works out for you.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@garyderoy Thanks for the clarification and other comments. Regarding your point about the seat post, yes that does scoot the seat back a bit. Good observation! And I'm not sure it's a situation where David Cleveland didn't know. In email number 3 he correctly stated that "Zig Zags are 4x26 inch". The problem is, this shouldn't have been a selectable option on the website at the time of order, because it wasn't applicable to that bike. It was a problem with the website. But that shouldn't all of the sudden become my problem. They had several opportunities to catch it, during the early order process and just before delivery. During phone call number 6 they admitted it was their fault and they should have caught it. Shortly after that, on November 4, David Cleveland promised to get back to me "the next day" but simply didn't, despite several follow-ups from me, which were confirmed by their people. I'm not sure why they're taking that approach to customers. At no point in my numerous communications with them did I ever raise my voice or act unreasonable. I'd just like a partial refund for the options that were not included.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@garyderoy By the way, Wired has this "Preditor" model which appears to me to be superior to their Monstar. Have you looked at that one?

[@garyderoy]

@WilliamBennerJr yes. My choice was between the Predator and Monstar. There's no tax or delivery on the Monstar so it's $400 or $500 cheaper, probably, but price isn't really an issue for me. I just don't want to throw it away. I'm a retired engineer and architect. The Monstar design looks a little better to me and there have been a couple frame (stress) issues with Predator, especially around the rear rack. The problem is David Cleveland. I've seen reports of him being a hot head. Most people are happy with Wired customer service, but some people reported being mistreated or dismissed with the wobble issue. I'm happy with my Ariel Rider Kepler for most of my riding. It's stable and hits 41 mph. But there are times now that I'll want dual batteries and AWD. I wish Ariel Rider would make that bike and it looks like they will. I just don't know when.

[@VINTAGELIKE]

E cells online has what setting to set the screen too

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Several KZbinrs cover settings for both bikes. They go into great detail on all of the settings.

[@jodythomas]

Aweome video sir. I have a blue Wired Cruiser my self. May I ask what is Ecells saying as the reason they will not either refund you or send you the optional equipment you paid for?

[@WilliamBennerJr]

November 4 the owner promised to get back to me "the next day". Since then, the only communication is from their Warranty department that "they can't refund money without his approval". Based on the BBB complaints and also the experience of one other here on KZbin, it seems their approach is to just go silent and wait out the customer. My next step is small claims court, and the owner was officially served a few days ago.

[@jodythomas]

@ please update us all on the outcome. I’ve have nothing but good service from Wired when things went wrong. I was seriously considering the ecells step star coming soon with dual motors. Now I’m not so sure. I will subscribe to your channel so I can see how this unfolds plus your comparison was excellent.

[@markborao6144]

@@WilliamBennerJrWell done video and its great to see your objective review and sharing your experience. Good for you on holding eCells accountable.

[@eagle94haslanded]

@@WilliamBennerJr Is there a reason you didnt just do a chargeback on you credit card? They literally sent you the wrong item. That bike doesnt look like it can possibly accommodate 26'' tires even if they sent them to you but that would mean sending you tires/wheels/motor etc plus the whole rear battery thing and paying a bike shop to install it all (which probably no bike shop would touch it). They should have sent you a shipping label, said pack it up, someone will be there to pick it up tomorrow.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@eagle94haslanded it took nearly 3 months for delivery in the first place, then another month worth of back and forth before I came to believe they wouldn’t do right by the customer. Ordinary credit card only gives 3 months for a dispute or 120 days max. Nevertheless I’m pursuing several avenues including small claims court.

[@ThomasMincarelli-fj8cu]

Love my WIRED Predator and customer service is 100% solid. 👍😁

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Predator looks amazing, but is too much bike for me ;-)

[@jcolt84]

The wired predator was considerable until Onyx motorbikes started back up their business and now has begun selling an Onyx RCR LTD for only $4300! Trust me when I say, that although they are not two-wheel drive, those motors will blow your socks off! My 60v onyx cty2 tops out at 54 mph, so I can't even imagine how fast the RCR would be with its 72v motor that maxes out at 20 KW!!!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@jcolt84 Yes but at that point can it still be called a bicycle? In my case, I really wanted something that looks like a bike. The Wired Cruiser is at the edge.

[@somewhat.random]

In regards to the "wobble".... it isn't the weight being back loaded that causes the wobble. It's the flexibility inherent in having that central rear shock linkage WITH added weight toward the rear. The cause of any wobble in these type of bikes all boils down to that rear shock linkage and its geometry/flexibility. Personally I wish one of these companies would release a 60v hard tail, so I didn't need to mess with a rear shock that (being a larger rider) I'm probably never going to have unlocked. Until then I'll keep riding my RipCurrent S.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Not sure about your conclusion here. I’m a world renowned engineer. Look me up on LinkedIn. Also, I think it was Citizen Cycle who did a lot of tests in this area - on many bikes from many brands- I think including some without the shock. In my case, I have the shock absorbing seat post so I am considering removing and bypassing the center shock altogether.

[@somewhat.random]

@@WilliamBennerJr Check out the work done by Leonard Zinn in regards to wobble and bike frame geometry. In a general sense these wobbles are caused by frame flex, it's just worse on this particular style, mainly due to the rear shock linkage. It's why they keep adding reinforcements to those linkages. To stiffen them up.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@somewhat.random​​⁠see this video, where he tests several bikes with no shock. As an engineer involved with structural issues every day (see my book and read some of my patents) I doubt the wobble is related to frame flex. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaG9g613rLOorc0si=AglyxHdbb-Qrcuap

[@kademiller1093]

I hear a lot of people complain about the water bottle holder not being on the wired but every time I see it on the ecell bike it’s in the way. Just like your foot getting caught on the shock because of the water bottle holder. And with the other model with the cross bar it racks you in the nuts 🥜 Getting off the bike.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

I will try to add my own and see if I can get it into a place where it’s handy but not in the way.

[@kademiller1093]

I know there is some wires running under there. So be careful I would think standing straight up on end right behind the stem. Making out of the way.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@kademiller1093 Thanks for the note. I'll remove the battery and take a close look in that vicinity before breaking out the drill ;-)

[@kademiller1093]

@@WilliamBennerJr The best review on both of bikes. A great and fair review. Thank you

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@ Thanks for the kind words.

[@jcolt84]

I've had a problem here lately where my wired freedom Lanes way too dramatically, and no matter what I do to try and adjust the kickstand, it still leans over too far. I'm not sure what caused that, but hopefully I can find a way to fix the problem.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Wow that’s weird. I guess the culprits could only be the kick stand itself, or that the suspension has suddenly “grown” the height of the bike when unloaded. I can’t think of anything else…

[@VINTAGELIKE]

I do like the wired bigger frame top bar

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes, it made it less crowded to put my phone up there. I particularly like that phone holder and have it on all of my bikes.

[@J.D.Vision]

I hope WIRED FREEDOM's frame will be updated for 2025, just like the CRUISER.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

AHA I agree. The cruiser looks really nice and "integrated".

[@jfly2249]

I don’t think you mentioned that Wired uses a much safer and secure thru axle rather than a bolt on axle as found on all e cells bikes. Also, Wired is certified to UL 2849 whereas e cells has no certification and uses unbranded Cells. E cells has made and retracted so many promises it’s hard to see how they can stay in business. Anyone remember 75 days or $200 off? How about a Gates Drive or Custom orders? Now I see they are only offering a 1 year warranty as of January 1st. I guess all of the rear battery tray failures, wobble, and other issues have Cleveland running scared. He is also trying to sell the company on Facebook. A couple of fledgling KZbinrs have been shamefully pumping Cleveland’s BS to the detriment of their viewers. Don’t drink the kool aid, you can’t put lipstick on a con.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Regarding the axel, AHA, thanks for reminding me! Indeed I wanted to mention that and forgot. It made a difference in assembly of the bikes -- it took me a few shots to get the tire completely installed right on the Ecells. And yes I was very pleased to see the Samsung cells used on the Wired. And yes I remembered the Gates Drive option on the Ecells website -- wondered how the heck they could do that. I have Gates on my Specialized and love it, but purposely didn't check the box on the Ecells website. Thanks for the note about selling the company. Very interesting!

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Could you provide a link to them trying to sell the company? I only did a quick search but can't find that in the Owner's club. Maybe somewhere else?

[@TheTcat1000]

Ya know Steve its getting boring of your constant ripping e-cells!… totally unprofessional!… you get more bees with honey!… and you’re constantly ripping on the front axle did you forget that all of your bikes previous to this one have the same axle as E cells!

[@Trailtested]

Update my thur axel still has not broke like you said it would I will keep you posted as I continue jumping the bike

[@ericechipman1183]

I purchased a five-star when they first came out. Was really not all that impressed. I had a couple issues with the bike. And the customer service was not that great. They were going through Growing Pains though.

[@eagle94haslanded]

They literally sent you the wrong bike. I would have done a charge back on my card immediately. Then its on them to pay for return shipping if they want it back.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Hindsight is always better than foresight. I must say that didn’t occur to me until recently. Based on Christian notes on both their website and also in the signature of David Cleveland’s emails to me, plus the claim of “unparalleled customer service” on their website, I simply believed they’d do right by the customer. Maybe that’s meant only as a distraction… In the end they can not win in court…

[@eagle94haslanded]

@@WilliamBennerJr Yeah I hear you. But its not like the bike just came with the wrong tires, thats a fairly simple $250 mistake that any bike shop should be able to correct for you. They sent you the wrong bike.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@eagle94haslandedagreed, and this was the subject of the first 10 or so emails and first 4 phone calls.

[@DriverJ-N]

I don’t see how the wheel size would affect your pedal stride 🤔

[@WilliamBennerJr]

I think it's all a part of it. In order to work with 26-inch wheels, the whole frame would be larger, and thus everything expands a bit. I have 26-inch from Momentum, Specialized, and now Wired which allows a full stride for me.

[@ericechipman1183]

The front sprocket on the e-cells bike is higher up off the ground. Which makes you rise your seat up higher to get proper leg extension. Which is hard to do when the sprocket and pedal sit up higher off the ground like that. You can see it in the video.

[@DQ-su6qf]

Anyone who does the slightest investigating would never consider Ecells….

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@DQ-su6qf initially, to me, they seemed like the better company. That’s why I bought from them. And had they fulfilled their obligation to deliver the product I ordered, I’d be a happy customer. It was only through this experience that I see that Wired is the better of the two companies.

[@GingerDogGuy76]

@@WilliamBennerJri thought so too then i saw weird postings on social media…like unhinged mental health issue posts and he released that video shaking a Wired Cruiser like some kind of propaganda. If your product is better it speaks for itself….I get a bad feeling when one company bashes another instead of trying to make their product undeniable.

[@Thepulsewidth]

The fact an owner of a new E-bike (“E-Smells”) company wouldn’t make their customer happy by sending the missing extra battery, the correct wheels / tires and replacement parts for the shipping damage says all I need to know as a consumer. Heck, the guy won’t even refund the money paid for the options not provided!! I’d sue, or show up at the home office.

[@fdjp611]

Wired is also the only bike in it's class to be compliant with the safety of the electronics. Wired is UL 2849 certified means bike won't catch on fire out of the blue. Wired is also quicker and faster and owners aren't a complete %@&#%*@.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Earlier today, while looking for evidence of "torque or cadence sensor" on the Ecells website to respond to one of the comments (website claims cadence by the way), I noticed that the Ecells website also claims that they use Samsung cells. Certainly in the case of my Ecells Step Star delivered in October, they weren't Samsung cells... So I'm not sure if this is another issue of "website under construction" or if Ecells recently switched to Samsung. The UL rating is certainly comforting.

[@bigdaddy1525]

OOhhhhh! Nice...

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Thanks for the kudos!

[@tentman4fun]

There's no use selecting the extra battery you're not going to get it that's a waste of money they're ripping you off

[@WilliamBennerJr]

So far that’s true!

[@BeautyBeastRC]

I'd be so mad if I were you.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes, others have posted something similar. I wouldn't say I was ever mad, just surprised that they said the reason why they didn't deliver what I ordered was because of their website... Since then I've been reasonable -- only want them to give me a refund for the options they didn't deliver and I'll just donate this to the church. But despite many phone calls and emails, they've gone silent, implicitly refusing to issue the partial refund.

[@BeautyBeastRC]

@@WilliamBennerJr time to contact your credit card company and just charge back the whole purchase. Then you can donate it to the church 🥰

[@WilliamBennerJr]

@@BeautyBeastRC Order placed July 20, so it was quite some time between then and now. Nevertheless I am also exploring this, but only for what they actually owe.

[@jcolt84]

I have a matte black current generation wired freedom that would be a great bike if I could actually use the rear battery without it feeling like it was going to bounce out of the bike. I'm constantly afraid that it's going to detach and go sliding down the road behind me. I would like to use the rear battery but unfortunately I've probably only used it enough to get at most six full charges on it. If only I could find someone who was willing to purchase the rear battery and the rear battery assembly and rack etc, I would probably be willing to sell it, or trade it with someone who had an extra front battery that they were willing to part with. I hate having a rear battery not being able to use it equally as much as I do with the front battery. Other than that, the wobble is quite severe, but considering I don't use the rear battery , the wobble is significantly reduced because of the lack of extra weight on the rear of the bike. Another negative thing that i might add about the Wired freedom is that is the battery sag is quite severe, but I've only had experience with one other e-bike so I'm not sure if that's the case or not. When I purchased the wired freedom, I was deciding between it and an Onyx cty2 with less than 200 mi. On it, and I wish I would have went with the Onyx cty2, considering I already own one and I absolutely love it. The Onyx cty2 that I already own tops out at 54 mph and it is a pleasure to ride. The motor is completely silent also. The only downside to the Onyx bikes is that their batteries are inferior and therefore untrustworthy. With an upgraded amorge battery, there would be nothing that would hold me back from buying a used Onyx RCR or cty2. My experience dealing with wired e-bikes has been horrible as the owners are childish in the way that they respond to my messages and will go so far as to belittle me personally for simply asking them questions that are quite reasonable. I think it is a matter of time until someone is injured enough from one of their wobbling e-bikes to sue the company into oblivion. That being said, I do enjoy my wired freedom, and it's a shame that they couldn't have just been civil and helped me with the simple issues that I had with my bike. My personal experience dealing with E-Cells, although I do not own an e-cells bike just yet, has been quite the opposite. The owner has been extremely friendly to me and has reached out to me on this personal cell phone on numerous occasions. In my experience, he's been a very likable guy. It is because of his professional attitude in responding to my questions, and because he is such a likeable guy, that I definitely plan to do business with him and his company in the near future.

[@jfly2249]

Every e cells dual battery bike has a defective rear battery mount kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6DCn3WpnZ53a6Msi=nOZdal0rx0wkLyFk I think you probably are an e cell troll projecting. Cleveland is literally the worst and treats his customers like crap.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

This KZbin system isn't great for completely understanding or communicating well, so I'm not able to understand what's happening with your rear battery. If it's not locking into place, then I'd investigate the locking mechanism. It should be possible to retain it using a hack (tie wraps, bungies, or even tape...) I found a few videos where people were talking about the battery becoming disengaged (not to the point of sliding out, but disconnecting) on Ecells. Regarding your comment about the childish responses from Wired, I think you picked a good word here. In reading their responses to complaints on Better Business Bureau, yes childish is a good description. But my impression is -- at least they respond! And it seems the problem eventually gets resolved, albeit with a few unfortunate hard feelings... And regarding the wobble, my own intuition is that if the angle of the front fork was swept more forward (less vertical), the whole bike would be more stable and it wouldn't wobble, even with the additional weight on the back. I'm a world-renowned engineer. My intuition is often right, but this is not my field of study so I could be wrong about this. In any event, adding damping solves this problem. The initial response from Wired was to tighten the heck out of the front fork. This adds friction, not damping. It will work, but makes the riding experience somewhat unpleasant. So I'm glad Wired took it upon themselves to add this damping thing to the steering wheel. I've seen customers add this in a far less elegant way. It should be possible for you to order this damping thing from a bike supplier. Sorry that yours didn't come with it, but that's a common problem with being an early adopter...

[@VINTAGELIKE]

Too bad about damage.the good thing about flat black fenders mask of and spray with spray paint.

[@WilliamBennerJr]

Yes, although I sent pictures and details, I didn't make a big deal of it. However, neither did they... They never offered to send a new fender or showed any empathy during the nearly three-month ordeal...

[@kenboyb]

@@WilliamBennerJr Horrible customer service!!