Propella 9S Pro V2 review: A great value

Propella doesn’t make a wide range of electric bikes, but the ones it does produce offer a lot of value at a very good price. I’ve previously reviewed the Propella 9S in 2022, which the company has replaced with the Propella 9S Pro V2. 

The original 9S Pro impressed with its simplicity, power, and build quality, which included hydraulic disc brakes at a competitive price. The 9S Pro V2 matches that simplicity, power, and build quality, but it ups the ante with a lower price and more added features that make it a more usable bike overall. Included fenders, a front light, and a step-thru frame option all increase the bike’s allure, and a new battery and motor, as well as a torque sensor promise a better pedal-assist experience. 

Propella largely delivers on its promises, and the 9S Pro V2 is a worthwhile upgrade from the V1 at a better price, making it one of the best electric bikes for those on a budget. 

Propella 9S Pro V2 review: Price and availability

The 9S Pro V2 is available now through Propella’s website. Its retail cost is $1,399, but it’s currently on sale for $1,299.

Propella offers free shipping to the lower 48 states, and it costs $100 to have the bike shipped to Canada. Once you receive the bike, there’s a bit of building to be done out of the box, but not anything you can’t handle if you’ve got basic mechanical skills. 

On top of that, Propella offers a 1-year warranty, and a 14-day risk-free return policy should you decide the bike isn’t right for you. 

Propella 9S Pro V2 review: Design

The 9S Pro V2 shares a lot of DNA with its predecessor. It’s built around an aluminum frame, for example, and it features a rear-hub-based motor. It also comes stock with hydraulic disc brakes, which is a very nice touch on a bike at this price.

A 9-speed Shimano drivetrain complements the pedal-assist, so you’ve got plenty of gears to get you through a variety of terrain. And like the V1, the 9S Pro V2 also rolls on 27.5-inch wheels, which are anodized blue.

From there, the 9S Pro V2 gets some upgrades and changes from its older sibling. For starters, it’s now available in both a step-thru and a step-over design, which accommodates a wider size range of riders. The V2 also features an adjustable stem, once again enhancing the fit options for various rider sizes.

While the V1 also had a removable battery, which was mounted externally, the V2’s removable battery gets integrated cleanly into the down tube of the frame. This protects the battery from exposure to the elements. It also looks a lot nicer.

The battery connects to a 3-hour charger, so you can get topped off fairly quickly. Oddly, however, the V1 boasted a 2.5-hour charge time, so this is actually a slight downgrade. Still, 3 hours is no time at all to fully charge an ebike battery.

The 9S Pro V2 also gets a few key accessory upgrades, like fenders front and rear, and an integrated front light. It comes with a solid, stable kickstand too.

The handlebar-mounted LCD screen and controls are much smaller than the ones included with the V1. But it’s also full-color and super easy to use.

Finally, the 9S Pro V2 features a torque sensor, which measures your pedaling input and adjusts the amount of pedal assist power accordingly.

Propella 9S Pro V2 review: Performance

I opted to test the step-thru version of the 9S Pro V2, since it’s the new design. It makes mounting and dismounting the bike far easier, especially for shorter riders. 

The bike does feel a bit short from front to back, so taller riders (over 5’10”) will probably feel cramped, even with the stem adjusted all the way outward. Short riders, however, will certainly appreciate the ability to adjust the stem back to shorten the bike’s overall reach. 

Using the handlebar-mounted controller is easy enough, though the interface itself is quite small — much smaller than the one that came on the 9S Pro V1. The display is bright, though on the brightest days you’ll get some glare from the sun, making it slightly more difficult to read.

We were experiencing a mid-winter thaw when I was testing the 9S Pro V2, so I was happy to have the included front and rear fenders. The front light is also a nice touch. All of this at a lower price? Seems like a no-brainer.

One of my complaints with the V1 was the externally mounted battery. The mount itself on that bike had a tendency to rattle while you were riding. Having the battery integrated into the down tube on the 9S Pro V2 eliminates that problem altogether, and does a better job of protecting the battery from the elements.

The new motor is also more responsive to your pedaling input. It kicks in more quickly, and disengages almost immediately after you stop pedaling. (There was a bit of a lag on either end with the V1.)

The torque sensor on the 9S Pro V2 increases the pedaling assist power the harder you pedal. The more you put in, the more you get out. That’s great if you want a bike that truly complements your pedaling input; if you’re after a bike that does more of the work for you, consider a bike with a cadence sensor instead.

The 9S Pro V2 was super easy to get started from a dead stop on a hill. I even shifted into some harder gears and was able to get going easily. In the easier gears on the 9-speed Shimano drivetrain, the bike gets up and goes super quickly. And it’s worth noting that the lower assist settings are quite useful, too. You don’t always have to be in the highest assist setting to get the best out of this bike.

Still, I did find myself wishing for a throttle in certain scenarios. If you intend to load up your 9S Pro V2 with a fair bit of weight — say, a full grocery trip loaded onto a rear rack — a bit of added assist not based on your pedaling input would be very useful, especially on hilly terrain.

Propella 9S Pro V2 review: Battery life and performance

I charged the 9S Pro V2 out of the box, and it was topped off within an hour. I then rode the bike for just under 6 miles on my first ride. The terrain was hilly and rolling, with a few steeper pitches thrown in. I used all of the assist levels, though I spent the most time in the highest assist setting.

After those 6 miles, I had burned through about 6% of the battery’s full charge. Keep in mind that the 9S Pro V2 does not have a throttle, so that wasn’t an option on my rides. I often go throttle-heavy on first rides to get a sense of how quickly a battery drains. In this case, spending a lot of time in the highest pedal assist mode accomplishes a similar function.

A few rides later, I had logged 18 miles (again, largely using the highest assist setting) and had lost about 30% of battery life. This is all in keeping with Propella’s advertised maximum range of 55 miles. 

Propella 9S Pro V2 review: Accessories

The Propella website offers plenty of accessories to choose from. And it’s easy to sort which ones work specifically with the 9S Pro V2.

Standout accessory options include a rechargeable tail light ($35), rechargeable head light ($50), Axiom Rear Rack ($65), Kinekt Suspension Seatpost ($250), and a replacement charger ($50). You can also pick up a mirror, lube, lock, and other helpful accessories not necessarily specific to the 9S Pro V2. 

Propella 9S Pro V2 review: The competition

Aventon’s Soltera.2 ($1,399) parallels the 9S Pro V2 in price and simplicity. And both are available with both a step-thru and a step-over design.  But the 9S Pro V2 bests the Soltera.2 in a couple key ways: first, the Propella includes fenders; and second, the motor is more powerful than the Aventon’s and kicks in more quickly.

The Ride1Up Turris ($1,295) also compares closely to the 9S Pro V2. The Turris, however, features a front suspension fork. Personally, I prefer commuter ebikes without the front suspension fork. In my experience, they offer little in the way of additional comfort, but more in terms of complexity and sometimes price.

The Turris also features 27.5-inch wheels, though the tires are much wider at 2.4 inches (compared to 2-inch wide tires on the 9S Pro V2), which increases compliance and traction.

Propella 9S Pro V2 review: Verdict

The 9S Pro V2 shines thanks in large part to its motor and torque sensor, which in tandem deliver smooth and strong power as you apply force to the pedals. It’s a solid upgrade from the previous version with the addition of fenders, a front light, an integrated battery, and the torque sensor. 

While it would benefit from a throttle and its frame might be too small for riders over 5’10”, the 9S Pro V2 is a great choice for riders under that height, especially with the addition of a step-thru frame option. 

It’s inexpensive, solidly built, adjustable, and fun to ride. If you want a bike with pedal-assist that complements your pedaling input rather than overpowering it, the 9S Pro V2 is a one of the best budget electric bikes for commuting even longer distances over hilly terrain.