iGo Core Elite 3HD Review, 2023

To evaluate the Core Elite 3HD’s range potential, we tested the bike through the process described above. The bike performed well in this test, where we compared its results to the distance claims advertised by iGo.

The brand advertises a range of up to 56 miles using the bike’s 500W rear hub motor and its 48V, 576 watt-hour (Wh) battery. We were able to exceed that claim slightly and measured between 31 and 60 miles by testing the bike in PAS 2 and PAS 9.

The bike paths we use for these tests cover a fair number of hills – which require more power from the battery to surmount – so it’s likely that in a more flat setting, the bike would have performed even better.

Regardless, we were impressed with this amount of distance in comparison to the size of the bike’s battery; 576 Wh is firmly on the smaller end of the spectrum, although it does meet and exceed the 1:1 battery-watt-hour-to-motor-watt ratio we prefer to see. Compared to similar e-bikes we tested previously, the Core Elite 3HD excelled in its low-PAS/max distance test even when pitted against other models with larger batteries.

This makes sense in terms of motor efficiency, as explained in our guide to e-bike batteries. Based on its motor and battery specs, we expected the Core Elite 3HD to travel roughly an hour and ten minutes in PAS 9, but we were able to get over 50% (37 minutes) more time out of the battery than expected!

31 to 60 miles is a fantastic amount of range that should meet and exceed the needs of most riders even when using the bike as a daily commuter. Those using it for shorter, leisure rides should be able to go many days (and potentially longer) without needing to recharge the battery!

The throttle performance of e-bikes usually falls short of their max PAS tests (due to the addition of human power in those latter trials) and it is also not uncommon for e-bikes to fail to reach the top. I used the throttle on less-demanding hills during my personal testing of the bike, and found that it lacked the amount of power I had hoped for, though it was able to handle small-to-moderate hills albeit with significant speed reduction.

This was not surprising when considering the motor’s max torque output of 48 Newton-meters (Nm); it’s relatively uncommon for an e-bike to produce less than 50 Nm of torque, and many greatly exceed that figure.

The Core Elite 3HD’s speed and time in our PAS 9 test were below that of many of the similar e-bikes we have tested, but we can’t complain – the bike was able to climb the hill effectively with our pedaling effort added to the motor’s power.

In terms of feel, the bike handled Hell Hole Trail (and many other steep hills in our test environments) well. Overall, we learned that the bike does not have the power to set new speed records or blast up hills, but it is certainly capable enough to handle even extreme inclines with relative ease as long as the rider is able to contribute.

In our Brake Test (described above), the Core Elite 3HD performed relatively poorly, which was surprising considering the typically excellent brake system that is included on the bike. In our testing, we measured an average – and very consistent – stopping distance of 26’-6”.

The Core Elite 3HD comes equipped with Tektro E350 hydraulic disc brakes with 2-piston calipers on 180 mm rotors. This system is common, it has performed very well in previous tests with different e-bikes, and it should have been able to provide effective stopping power in this instance as well. For example, on a similar e-bike we tested recently (in terms of weight, style, size, etc.), the same Tektro brake system demonstrated a phenomenal average stopping distance of 19’-11”. The tires on that bike were slightly wider, but that alone cannot explain such a difference.

Since the Core Elite 3HD’s results in this test exceeded the expected range, we plan to bleed the brake lines and perform the test again. Following that re-evaluation, we will update this review to reflect what will hopefully be much better results.

I will save any description of braking feel until after we retest the bike as well; outside of this test, I noticed that the brake system did not have the “bite” that I expected, so while the bike slowed gradually and smoothly, this may change following the aforementioned maintenance.

I am confident that riders gravitating towards Dutch-style e-bikes with swept-back handlebars will find the Core Elite 3HD incredibly comfortable. The handlebars were a bit too narrow to fit my tastes, but otherwise, I found the saddle and the grips to be just about perfect! The Suntour NEX-DS suspension fork felt somewhat stiff, but it did have a noticeable effect on improving the ride.

One feature of the grips and handlebars that I appreciated was their effect on the bike’s handling; it is possible to use them as leverage points to weave and corner a bit more tightly than on bikes with a different setup. In my experience, this gave the Core Elite 3HD fantastic handling on par with some of the best e-bikes we’ve tested!

The few points of critique that we have are minor – and in fact, it was difficult to find much to address beyond the overabundance of pedal assist settings. We do feel that a reduction in the number of those settings would improve the overall ride experience, especially considering that the Core Elite 3HD is a Class 2 e-bike.

It may not be incredibly fancy, feature-rich, or powerful, but this bike is simply a well-put-together machine. It’s fun to ride, easy to use, and comfortable to stay on for longer journeys. It pedals well at the speeds it is made for, it has a full scope of high-quality parts, and its motor doles out enough power to get the bike moving quickly and pedal up even the steepest of hills without struggling.

All in all, we’re extremely impressed with the Core Elite 3HD from iGo, and we’re happy to recommend it to riders looking for a fun, casual, and practical ride!

Happy Riding! Make sure to let us know if you have any questions down in our comments section or if you think we left anything out in this review of the iGo Core Elite 3HD.