The BionX Jamis Coda Sport Electric Bicycle

The Jamis  Coda Sport has been our best-selling bicycle for 4 years running. The Jamis Coda is the perfect choice for just about everyone, whether its their only bike, or their second, or possibly third bike. It is a 700c flat bar hybrid with a steel frame, a rigid fork, and a multi-speed drivetrain. Coda's are great for road riding, gravel riding, fitness riding, light touring, commuting, and path or rails-to-trails riding. The only thing the Coda cannot do is go mountain biking. The Coda's versatility made it an excellent choice for a fast, long range, efficient electric bike.

The BionX installed easily on the Coda Sport's roomy steel frame. There was no

need to mount the battery to a rear rack, like we did on the Hudson. The down tube mounted battery fits easily inside the main triangle of the Coda. The control console looks nice and svelte centered on the narrow flat handlebar with a Problem Solvers accessory mount. The connecting cables were barely noticeable once everything was all hooked up. The Coda seemed like it was meant for a BionX. We couldn't wait to test ride it!

The abilities of the Coda during the initial test ride were immediately apparent. It definitely accelerated faster than the Hudson; it was ridiculously quick and easy to reach top speed at 20 mph. The motor was obviously working less with the skinnier 700c high pressure tires. The Coda's riding position is also more aero than the Hudson cruiser, so that also meant less work for the motor, which conserves battery life. Now, the BionX system stops "assisting" the rider after the bicycle reaches 20 mph. On the BionX Hudson, it was difficult to maintain speeds above 20 mph once the BionX assist cuts off. But on the Coda, it was much easier to maintain speeds above twenty mph after the assist cut off. I liked the fact that I could make the Coda go faster if I wanted to really work for it. After longer test rides, it was obvious that the battery was using less charge than the Hudson.

I have been commuting back and forth to work on the BionX Coda demo bike for a few weeks now, and I must say, it has been a supremely pleasant experience. I have a big hill to climb on the way to work, and on the way home, and sprinting uphill at 20 mph is certainly more fun than slugging along at 8 or 10 mph. I love cycling, but sometimes, after a long day at work, I just want to zip on home and relax, and not mash up some hill with my last remaining bit of energy. On especially cold days, its painful to breathe really hard, the BionX has been a lifesaver, giving you that much needed boost. Its also nice when I sleep in, and must make it to work quickly, the BionX is never groggy. Another cool thing about the BionX is using the regenerative braking to slow myself down going downhill, especially in the snow and ice. Braking can cause the wheel to slide, using the regenerative braking allows the ride to slow down the bike without the risk of the wheel sliding. This is ideal for winter riding. Basically, I put the BionX in Generation Mode, and the bike coasts downhill at a very controllable pace. You can control your speed going downhill without using the hand brakes at all. This is good for prolonging the life of your brake pads, and keeping maintenance costs low. Not only that, but you're recharging your battery at the same time. The BionX system is a very intelligent way to travel by bike.

Speaking of traveling by bike, one of the nice things I noticed while riding in traffic is that its easier to keep up with the speed of automobile traffic downtown. I felt that motorists were giving me more passing room out of respect for the obvious speed I was traveling at. I did not feel like I was "...in the way."  Instead, I was keeping up, and sometimes keeping ahead of traffic. This made me feel confident being on the road alongside automobiles. You almost feel like you're in a car on a BionX, except you still have all the advantages of being on a bicycle. Ride on sidewalks, ride around campus, use the bicycle rack, do all the things an unassisted bike can do, but also keep up with cars most of the time, too. 

I took a ride not too long ago right after Christmas, just for fun. It was a brisk, windy day and I ended up doing about 15 miles. I was just looking to get out of the house, get some fresh air, get a little exercise, and have some fun. My ride on the BionX Coda was the perfect choice. I had a beautiful time just zipping along the bike path enjoying the scenery. I went up and over any and all hills with ease, allowing me to just focus on enjoying myself and the beautiful scenery around me. Even though I was riding fast, I was not overexerting myself, even pedaling into a headwind, going uphill. This is great for winter riding, since the last thing you want to do is start sweating under multiple layers of warm clothing. 

I am a strong rider, and I certainly don't need a BionX to get around, or go uphill, but I was really surprised by how much I was enjoying the ride on the BionX Coda. Its not being lazy. That was my misconception. You still have to work. Its just that with a BionX, your work now has a higher output. Its like boosting your return on investment. You pedal your normal amount, except you get a lot more out of what you're putting in. For me, it was nice that day to cover a lot of ground on a cold day, get out of the house, get a little exercise, but not be killing myself to do it. I love the BionX system, and I am saving up for one myself. Hopefully, around tax return time, I'll have my own. I am looking forward to long rides on the fire roads in Rothrock State Forest. I think a nice leisurely ride to Whipple's Dam would be a lot of fun.