Santa Monica Ebike

After speaking with two AIMA reps, I was told there is a firmware update available to fix the battery "sleep mode" issue after charging. They were eager to solve any issues. Hoping this works as I love the bike.

The bike is great. I swapped the tan seat and grips for black like the Big Sur. But, like another reviewer mentioned, if you charge it and leave it plugged in after fully charging, you have to remove the battery and push a button to wake it up. I only left mine for about 15 minutes after fully charging and had to wrestle the battery out, reset it and reinstall it. Not happy with that. Customer service said they're aware but there is no fix as of now.
Not sure I want to deal with that for the life of the bike. The plug/unplug "fix" didn't work for me.

I am in my late 60s, and have been road riding on my Trek bike for many many years. My typical ride in the afternoon is around 10 miles and on the weekends I do a lot more.

With age, comes infirmities. And my left knee began making an unusual sensation when peddling hard like up a hill. I’ve been to a doctor and there’s nothing serious just some minor wear.. Certainly not worth doing any intervention.

A friend of mine at work mentioned an E bike. I was completely unaware of how they operated. I did some research, and the more I read the more I felt this might be a solution.

I found a local dealer, who had fabulous reviews. So I went down and visited and rode several bikes with the Santa Monica being the top choice by a country mile.

Once I learned of all of the phenomenal seamless operations, combined with the lengthy test ride I had, I purchased it on the spot.

In all of my riding days, I have not had as much fun as with this bike. I still burn the same number of calories as I always have, but travel three times the distance. You will see on multiple YouTube videos review after review singing the praises of this bike, and they are all true.

I live in a rural area and most of the errands I run are 4 to 5 miles. I always had used my conventional bike, but down here in Florida you arrive sweaty and hot. With this bike, I have run virtually every errand instead of using my car and arrived comfortable but yet still have a good workout. Basically, you can dial in as much effort as you want to expend. If I’m going on a simple errand, I used more pedal assist to keep me from getting overheated.

The features on this bike are absolutely fantastic. I did see another review where the owner was displeased with the charging feature requiring the removal of the battery. I have two battery batteries, and I charge one out of the bike inside where I am available to monitor it. When it’s time to ride, I simply place it in the Bike, remove the other one for its charging cycle when it’s convenient for me.

I cannot believe how much fun these bikes are, and this one in particular is fabulous. Of the many features that I like, I believe the torque sensor is a superior method of gauging how much pedal assist is needed.

I cannot recommend this bike more highly.

The is only day 4 with the Santa Monica and we like a lot of things about it. It's a beautiful bike with many useful features. Unfortunately, we are going to exchange it for a different brand. If you leave this bike plugged in after it has reached full charge, the bike does not wake up by pushing either of its two power buttons (yes. it has two) on the handlebar. You either have to unplug as soon as it reaches full charge or you will have to completely remove the battery, push a button on the battery to reactivate it, reinsert the battery, and then power on the bike. If you are like me and charge while you sleep, you will need to go through this "wake up" routine every time that you unplug (if you reached full charge). This is a terrible design that is not published anywhere and comes as a deal breaker surprise to us, after buying the bike and bringing it home. I had to figure out the workaround on my own before the very first ride as the bike wouldn't power on. This is sad because it's an otherwise great bike, hopefully Aima will change this less than practical battery management design.

Beyond excellent customer service! A few months ago, we test-rode a Santa Monica Ebike at Orange Cycle and fell in love with its comfort, style & accessories. We knew we’d have to wait for the size and colors we wanted, but we were willing to wait. During our wait, AIMA corresponded via email, keeping me updated on the arrival of our Ebikes, and even asked which dealer in the area would be most convenient to have them delivered to. AIMA responded to all my inquiries regarding these bikes in record time. Once we had our two beautiful new Santa Monicas and took them out on the road; we realized right away we needed some racks. I emailed AIMA again to see how we could get AIMA bike racks. They responded immediately that they would ship them to Orange Cycle for us to pick up, and we did. I was in shock when I picked them up & Armando from Orange Cycle said AIMA said they were free of charge, thank you. I have to say the quality & fit of these racks are excellent. Also, I love that they offer this Ebike in two sizes as I’m 5’2”, and the small fits me perfectly, and my hubby is 6’1”, so the medium is just right for him. We’ve been out on the trails and to the beach, and these bikes climb hills perfectly & ride great! Thank you to the AIMA support team for providing an excellent product & excellent customer service. So far, anyone who hops on our Ebikes for a test ride also loves them.