Is the eCat Motor Upgrade Right for you?

Today Davy takes you through his experience riding the Catrike eCat Dumont and explains why its such a popular upgrade!
Follow along on a 25 mile ride around Utah's West Mountain on the eCat Dumont and get a breakdown of the riding experience.
Also find out about our new Bosch Performance Line Sport electric pedal assist motor that will not be available as an eCat upgrade option!
With the Dumont's awesome suspension and comfortable construction the eCat is an amazing and well deserved upgrade that will make your rides even more enjoyable and effortless. So lets get right into it!
Links:
Dumont Video - • 2023 CATRIKE DUMONT - ...
Old eCat Video (if you want to cross reference info) - • ALL NEW CATRIKE eCAT! ...
Catrike Dumont - www.utahtrikes.com/PROD-11620...
eCat - www.utahtrikes.com/PROD-11620...
Article on this topic:
www.utahtrikes.com/ARTICLE-10...
Content in this video
0:00 Intro
0:34 Overview of Dumont
1:59 eCat Motor Upgrade Overview
3:56 Ride and Review
9:13 Bosch Performance Line Sport
9:51 Motor Class: Laws and Restrictions
12:17 Availibity and Upgrades
13:40 Bloopers

[@stoutdog56]

I'm glad I decided to get the motor option on my Catrike Max. I also selected a Enviolo CVP hub over the traditional derailleur transmission for ease of maintenance. I would have liked a Rolloff IGH but with the motor assist, I could get by without the additional gear ranges and saved over a $1,200. Having a throttle is a feature I was glad to see and have it on all my e bikes and consider it an essential component. There have been instances where I appreciated not having to pedal and frequently use the throttle to get started like on my e bikes. Make sure you get a pedal that keeps you from getting Leg Suck, because I experienced it on my first ride. Fortunately I was going real slow at the time and didn't have a severe injury which could have happened. I also recommend a head rest and rack.

[@thevault5572]

Awesome video guys!

[@stephendufort4154]

GOOD JOB

[@jamesmchugo9422]

I’m Im looking for a trike because my wrists with carpal tunnel syndrome and a bum shoulder are taking the fun out of bicycling. I was looking for a Dumont to take out on a test ride. No one in my area had one. But one shop did have a 559 E Cat it raised the fun factor by about 10. I still would like to try out a Dumont with full suspension just see how it feels, but the Bosch motor does make the ride a lot more fun.

[@JohnSmith-uz3dt]

It’s great to have the PLS, but without additional gearing you won’t be able to use it to its fullest. A Rohloff hub with the PLS would make an awesome combination.

[@kenjileach]

I have the e-cat 559 and added speedbox. I can hold 25 w/o headwind and hit 30 going down some hills with a tail wind. I agree that you need higher gearing. I'm probably spinning 90 to 100 cadence for 28. I live in Tulsa, Ok and we have a fantastic trail system. I enjoy the high speeds doing sprints when no one is around. I feel like I'm in Heaven riding this e-cat. I get my HR up to 160 during the sprints and I'm 71. I've run thousands of miles and biked only half as much, but this e-cat is the best workout and fun. Thank you Catrike and speedbox. :). I have pedaled 12.5K miles in 1.5 years of riding it on the Tulsa Riverpark trails. Come to Tusa. You'll love it. I have another 14k on a giant e-bike, but stopped ridding it because the e-cat is so much safer and fun.

[@Kefoo_]

-- _Thank you._

[@stevefritsch3001]

Will you be doing a review of the Bosch performance line sport on a trike showing its performance on the street.

[@merlinmagnus873]

I have some hills around my area where the rear tire of my trike just spins out unless I hit them at a run. With that heavy motor on the end of the front boom but the battery behind the seat, what's the net increase/decrease weight on the rear tire?

[@DemiGod..]

IF you are on relatively flat ground, you can go along way as the motor not needed on the flats . But if you are on a hilly route, you gonna be lucky to get 30 miles on full assist. Now here is where the range anxiety comes in . As you get tired you increase the level off assist , reducing the estimated range. On ECO you will probaboly get 60 miles estimated range, when you get to Turbo mode, the estmated range will become half if not less, the battery probably gonna die before you get back, but you need the help , that's why you upped the level of assist in the first place - oh dear. Rather than getting e ssist , you can simply get lower gearing. You will take longer to get from A to B , but what's the hurry? You can cycle all day if your gearing is low enough for the hills and you.

[@nigelnightmare4160]

Why is everyone so obsessed with speed? It's not a race. Most recumbent triker's ride for the comfort and pain free experience, so take your time and enjoy the ride.

[@jonschuck5664]

@@nigelnightmare4160 E assist lets you go faster and farther which is a lot more fun. Plus on hot days like these it is noticeably cooler. I'm 76. I used to cruise 8-9 mph, now 12-14. 10 miles used to be a big trip, now 15-20 is normal. (I know these numbers are low, but nobody ever accused me of being an athlete.) I have never met anyone who regretted getting E assist.

[@nigelnightmare4160]

@@jonschuck5664 Nicely put. I'm 59, don't have E-assist. I have a broken neck from 33yrs ago that never healed. I have nerve damage resulting in a severe restriction to my ability to walk and balance which is why I got into recumbent trikes 17yrs ago (kept falling off my road bike after going numb down the right side). Still riding that ICE Qnt from 2006. I ride at an average speed of 10-11mph but because of the ease of riding a recumbent trike 30-40miles is a normal distance for me. My original statement still stands about Speed. They complain that it only gives assistance up to 15.5mph. ONLY! If you can ride faster than that, you don't need an E-bike. The local club rides are at an average of 15-16mph

[@anio1349]

I confess, I'm reading comments, instead of listening to video. LOL

[@havenisse2009]

Class 3 known as "speed pedelecs" in Europe. Do you comply with the rules there, like having fixed mounted lights and horn?

[@SFCRambo60]

To bad you didn't have the Kampway Pedals. They would have made your trip even better. I have them on my Catrike Dumont. I love my Dumont as is.

[@life_in_the_wild2573]

Hi, do you ship trikes to the UK? 😎

[@markfeldman6509]

Does that e assist act as a speed Governor at 20 mph or can one exceed that speed by pedaling when the motor counts out? I ride a 559 and a 700 and quite often exceed 20 mph under my own power. Will I lose that ability with an assist ? Also…why not use a hub drive system that leaves the full gearing intact? Seems quite sensible to me. Folding and moving a trike with the e assist seems like a difficult process due to bulk , weight and it’s awkwardness. I stopped folding mine ages ago. It was a pain in the butt and it’s too easy to damage the derailleur when loading it in my vehicle. A Hitchrider rack is a much better option than folding.

[@kenjileach]

I have an eCat 559. The power assist starts to fade as you hit 20. At that point you are on your own, which causes knee strain. I waited 2 years of ownership and added the speedbox device that removes the 20 mph limit. If you like to ride around 20, it's great. I can hit 25 on flats and 30 on short steep down hills. You use more battery, but I live in Tulsa, Ok and we have great trails that curve and go up and down. It's great fun passing hardcore bikers doing 25.:) I get a great heart workout with doing sprints. I hit 155 HR when I'm sprinting.:)

[@brokenmedic9133]

I have a partial spinal cord injury and need a bike that I have the option to use ONLY electric when I am exhausted and my leg gives out. Is there a good way to get me out of the house and utilize a trike?

[@anio1349]

I'm still hoping you get an answer...

[@brokenmedic9133]

@@anio1349 You and I both. 🤷‍♂️

[@jonschuck5664]

Eco cycles in Nashville has an e-assist that is more than $1,000 cheaper than Bosch. For about $50 they will throw in a throttle. I have had mine for about a year and a half with no problems but I didn't get the throttle. I found him when he was a guest on Laidback Bike Report on youtube. It was titled "Adding low cost e-assist to your trike".

[@brokenmedic9133]

@@jonschuck5664 Thank you so much for helping me. I am gonna check them out.

[@jonschuck5664]

​@@brokenmedic9133 You are welcome. I just wish I had ordered the bigger front sprocket. It is geared very low without it. I keep the boost on high and never use the lowest six gears. The good part is that it does not shut off at 20 mph like Bosch does, although I have seldom gone that fast (and for a very short distance).

[@maxjr758]

Looks like negative comments have been deleted, typical in these days of Media Censorship, dont want to trigger someone with pesky comments pointing out short commings.