We invited five  e-bike retailers from around Australia and invited them to sit around the cyber-table and discuss a range of e-bike matters. You can read their biographies and get their contact details at the end of this article, but to begin the discussion, allow me to introduce our panel:

• Paul van Bellen from Gazelle Bicycles Australia
• Maurice Wells from Glow Worm Bicycles
• Martin Turner from MR Ebikes
• Luke Ebert from E-Bike Central
• George Kazacos from Reef Bikes

The complete e-bike buyers guide is also available as an App for iPad for free.
Visit iTunes to view and download the e-bike buyers guide.

BNA: The e-bike market seems to be growing in Australia and there seems to be two options consumers can choose from: a dedicated e-bike, or an e-bike conversion. If you were going to give some advice to a new rider seeking an e-bike, which would you recommend and why? (And, why not the other?)

Paul@Gazelle: We only sell the dedicated e-bike, so our attention is purely focused on this. I feel that if you can afford it, the dedicated e-bike has advantages over e-bike kits. Often when someone is thinking about using an e-bike, it’s for the purpose of commuting and utility style trips. A ‘city e-bike’ or bike that is practical needs more than just an electric motor. Does your bike have light systems when you ride in the dark? Does it have chain guards so you can wear pants and dresses without the worry of getting clothes dirty of worse get caught up in the chain and falling? Can you carry panniers easily? Is the sit position comfortable and relaxed? The dedicated e-bike has the advantage of being built from the ground up as an e-bike so the finished product looks, integrates & feels better. This is certainly the case with Gazelle e-bikes.

Gazelle bicycles are completely integrated and ready to go

E-Bike kits have the advantage that you can modify your existing bike to an e-bike and the cost is less. Putting an electric kit on your existing bike may work for some but not for others. We find that people who are interested in Gazelle bikes would not be satisfied with the result of converting their recreation/mountain style bike into an e-bike. But for others it’s a good solution. Some bikes are not suitable for e-bike kits as there can be compatibility and safety issues if your frame, forks and wheels are not up the job.

George@ReefBikes: The e-bike market has gained momentum over the past couple of years, and technology has vastly improved. From Reef Bikes point of view, we would recommend getting a ready made electric bike, and not a conversion kit. As our e bike models are set up perfectly, with hidden batteries inside the frame, hidden wires and components, making our ready made models look like regular bicycles, with high performance without having to do any work yourself. A kit can be messy, and not fit onto your regular bicycle as well. Custom kits are only really recommended for enthusiasts that really know what they want.

Martin@MREBikes: Our advice to the customer would be to experience (ride) as many products as possible and choose a brand, conversion kit or e-bike that best suits their needs, is good quality and well supported locally.

Mr Ebikes import both the BionX conversion kits and Danish (complete) Promovec ebikes

Luke@EBikeCentral: From a retail point of view I will always try and sell the customer a dedicated e-bike. The majority of customers are looking for a commuting bike with all the practical components, i.e. lights, rack, chain guard, lock. Most dedicated e-bikes will come standard with these features. It’s simply easier for the customer and for the seller to deal with these ‘ready to go’ e-bikes. However, e-bike conversions also have some great benefits. Firstly, it’s a lot cheaper to convert an existing bike than to buy a complete E-bike. Secondly, this gives the customer the option of choosing a bike that specifically suits their needs. Thirdly, I find people are a lot more likely to invest in the idea of an electric bike if the price is affordable. Seeing as though the e-bike is a reasonably unknown product, customers don’t want to invest $2000 into something they don’t know much about. The conversion kit provides an entry level e-bike option that the average Joe can afford.

Luke Ebert of E-Bike Central in Melbourne

Maurice@GlowWorm: We were asked about this topic so often that we wrote an article about it on our website about it.

Overall we strongly favour the electric bicycle over the conversion kit as it is almost always better value, a better and safer product and more likely to suit the purpose of day to day transport. I don’t subscribe to the belief that the conversion kit is a more affordable option either. Over 5 years of use you’ll spend less on a nice quality electric bicycle than a bike with a cheap kit. And don’t forget to take into account that you could have kept your bike for other uses or sold it. We actually only recommend a kit for the other end of the spectrum – someone who wants to convert an expensive bike and doesn’t mind that the end product will be more expensive than a similar complete electric bike.

Maurice Wells of Glow Worm Bicycles in Sydney

For a consumer I’d be looking for at a complete electric bicycle that has everything you want on it. For most people that’s well integrated lights, lock, mudguards, rear rack, battery and kickstand so that it’s ready for daily use.

For a retailer I’d recommend against stocking kits as I just can’t see it as a long term strategy – selling converted bicycles where the fork has not been tested for use with a motor, where the usual frame and fork warranties will be void etc. Also with new regulations coming into play in Australia, it’s not as simple as popping on a motor and a battery, the bike needs a speed limiter, pedal assist etc and not all kits offer this and those that do are not always easy to fit onto any given bike.

A few years ago a conversion kit was a necessary compromise as a way of limiting the amount of junk you were buying – a low quality kit on a high quality bike is much better than a low quality e-bike. Now that there’s a range of high quality electric bicycles on the market in Australia, I see kits as becoming less useful – something for enthusiasts to use their time and money on or to convert bikes that are hard to find in electric format (BMX, recumbents, trikes etc).

BNA: When buying any bike, it’s important to buy one that’s a good fit and that’s fit for the purpose. Aside from the standard “rules” for buying a bike, what do I need to be looking for in an e-bike? What’s the most important ingredient in the e-bike recipe?

Paul@Gazelle: I think buying from a reputable brand is a very good start. There have been many e-bike brands come and go over the last few years and most, if not all of them, have been Chinese import brands. Buying an e-bike is the easy step however the next question should be, ‘”What is the back up like from the manufacturer with parts”.

We are fortunate that with a brand like Gazelle all the parts are available many years down the track. Being Holland’s biggest bike company means back up is of critical importance to their continued success.

George@ReefBikes: It is important to only deal and purchase from a quality brand, there are alot of cheap fly by night Chinese models coming into the market, that disappear just as fast. Reef Bikes recommend looking for e bikes that only use quality Panasonic or Samsung lithium battery cells. As the battery is the most important and expensive part of any e-bike, it’s extremely important that your battery and electrics are the best quality and a known brand. Also, don’t be fooled by cheap Chinese e-bikes that advertise a 15-20AH battery for long distances, as our Panasonic 10AH battery will perform even better, last even longer, not fail, and only be half the size and weight.

German brand Stevens has used a number of technologies including BionX

For commuter e-bike, batteries are often integrated in a rear pannier rack

Luke@EBikeCentral: I think the most important ingredient is choosing a brand that will support their product for years to come. I also think it’s important to buy an e-bike from a store who can support the product with parts and servicing (as apposed to Ebay!) And always, try before you buy.

Maurice@GlowWorm: It goes without saying that a high quality product with good backup service will be better than a cheap, low quality e-bike. After deciding you need to get a good e-bike, you still need to decide which one to get.

I think the first thing is to figure out how you want to use your bike and therefore what the priorities are. Every e-bike will have strong points and weak points and not all are related to cost, so if you know what’s important to you and communicate this to a knowledgeable e-bike seller then you’ll have the best chance of getting a bike that works for you. Some bikes are better able to go longer distances by more easily accommodating an extra battery, which is important if you want to commute a long way. Other bikes are lighter or can fold up, which doesn’t help if you want to go a long way, but can be helpful if you need to take your bike on the train daily. Some have space for child seats and panniers, others don’t. The total weight of the bike or the aerodynamics of the riding position are unlikely to be very important when you have a motor to help you along – a touring, hybrid, racing or city style e-bike are all able to go quickly and easily, so use this to your advantage and pick the one that is most comfortable and convenient for you.

Finally, just go and test ride a lot of them! They don’t all feel the same and performance differs, so it’s not a decision to make based on reading specifications. And if you can’t even test ride it, you might have difficulty getting it serviced later!

Martin@MREBikes: Perhaps the most important ingredient for the e-bike customer is “Will the product perform to my expectations over the period of time that I expect?” Unfortunately the e-bike recipe in Australia has been badly tainted by poor quality product. As an importer / distributor / retailer, it is our function to change this perception with brands that are global leaders in product quality and technology.

BionX is used both by brands for complete bikes as well as a seperate e-bike conversion kit

In Part 2 of this article, our experts talk about servicing and supporting e-bikes and talk about the total cost of e-bike ownership. Stay Tuned!

Panelist Biographies

Paul van Bellen – Gazelle Bicycles Australia
I live in Sydney, though was born in The Netherlands, the World’s #1 cycling country. Our business, Gazelle Bicycles Australia, distributes the best bike and accessory brands from The Netherlands. Our interest in e-bikes started around 5 years ago when we visited The Netherlands and saw how the market for this segment was gaining momentum. We believe the e-bike will be a fantastic solution for people in Australian cities who have to deal with hills, heat and less than ideal cycling infrastructure. The beauty of the e-bike is that it makes cycling fun and easy, and if you can get someone to make the step from taking their car to do local trips to the e-bike, then we all benefit from that with less congestion, better health, cleaner air and less noise pollution.

Maurice Wells – Glow Worm Bicycles
I created Glow Worm Bicycles in 2009, motivated by a desire to take electric bicycles into the mainstream. I see bicycles as a unique invention with the ability to transform an individual’s life for the better as well as transform an entire city for the better. For me, electric bicycles are a great way to bring cycling into more people’s lives.

Martin Turner – MR Ebikes
MR Ebikes Pty Ltd was started by my business partner, Rob Brennan and I in 2011 to act as the importer and distributor for Bionx and Promovec. Both Rob and I recognised the potential for e-bikes in Australia given the tremendous growth that has occurred in this sector over the last few years. Our focus is to supply quality products to the Australian market and we believe that the Bionx and Promovec brands offer such quality.

Martin Turner in Syndey with a BionX converted Kona is Mr Ebikes

Bionx is a Canadian company that supplies an Electric Assist Conversion Kit that can be fitted to a traditional bicycle. The Bionx product also powers the electric assist bicycles of OEM’s such as Trek, KTM, Wheeler, Stevens, Smart, Focus and many more.

Promovec is a Danish brand of electric assist bicycle. They are one of the leading brands in Scandinavia and have been supplying e-bikes since 2003. Our business plan is to build and support a dealer network for the Bionx and Promovec brands.

Luke Ebert – E-Bike Central
I’ve been a keen rider since I was a young lad and I manage E-Bike Central in Richmond. I began working with e-bikes when I was 18 for Electric Vehicles Pty Ltd. Whilst at EVS I did a bit of everything including setting up the Australia Post electric fleet bikes. After moving into the city I realised that E-bikes are simply the most efficient form of inner city transport. I wanted to get people out of the drivers seat and onto the bike seat and fitness was no longer an excuse not to ride.  Roughly 6 months ago I set up the retail store in Richmond.

George Kazacos - Reef Bikes
Reef Bikes develops the latest innovative technology in electric bikes, working with Panasonic and Samsung to design and manufacture reliable batteries and electronics, and Shimano to provide top performance in gears, groupsets and hardware.

The team here at Reef Bikes is always on the go with research and development of our products. Producing our own Reef technology with our battery hidden inside frame design.

We produce a huge range of different e-bikes to suit every Australians needs, from the high powered Predator and Bullshark e-bikes, to the classic European commuting bikes, electric tricycles and folding e-bikes.

Reef Bikes enjoys getting Australians back into cycling, back on the roads, and giving people the chance to cycle, commute, exercise at their own pace. We are here to promote an alternative eco-friendly mode of transport, relieving inner city traffic congestion, zero emission electric motor technology, and to keep Australians fit while enjoying the outdoors, while being able to pedal or motor at their own pace.

The complete e-bike buyers guide is also available as an App for iPad for free.
Visit iTunes to view and download the e-bike buyers guide.

Photo Credits:
Bicycles Network Australia (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
Gazelle Bicycles Australia (2)
E-Bike Central (4)
Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious (7)

Before I begin the review, let me set some context for this bike. Start by imagining the most basic idea of a bike, now put that basic bike in an environment where bikes are considered an essential part of the transport infrastructure, where there are more bikes than cars and where bikes are considered just a faster way of getting around than walking. Further, imagine that the bike’s “natural” predators have be tamed by legislation and common sense. What do you get? You get the Orange Plus Innergy XT – it’s a bike that has evolved, and it’s evolved in one of the most bike friendly countries in the world, the Netherlands. A review such as this would be considered crazy over there, why would someone get so excited about a bike? But here in Australia, this bike is a breath of fresh air and it’s definitely exciting enough to review in depth.

The first thing you will notice about the bike is its style. From front to back it’s a well integrated and thoughtfully designed machine. A quick visual tour around the bike will reveal the name Gazelle stamped on almost everything. This is not a hodge-podge of components thrown on a generic frame with a sticker on it, this is a bike where every part of it has been designed to mesh with every other part. Not only is it a synthesised bike, it’s a synthesised electric bike; the front wheel hub motor, battery and controller are as well integrated as all of the other components; the bike was built to be an electric bike.

After you’ve noticed the whole package, your eyes drill down to the details. Swept back handlebars, big comfortable seat, flat pedals, rear rack, built in lock, full chain guard, integrated lighting, mud guards – it even has a skirt guard! Basically, this is a bike designed to be ridden, and ridden without thinking too much about it. You jump on it wearing whatever you have on and you ride it.

All of the styling and careful design of a bike amounts to nothing if the bike doesn’t ride well. I rode this bike to and from work every day and I rode it on the weekends. Each time I rode it I was wearing whatever I had on, usually jeans, a shirt and sneakers. Essentially I used it the way it was meant to be used, and I did this for over a month, riding with the motor off about half of the time, to get the fullest picture of the way the Innergy performs.

When I set off from my house to work, the road is downhill and it’s very easy to pick up speed on any bike. Without turning the pedals over, I will hit 40 kph before I have to make a left into a slight uphill before heading downhill again to reach speeds around 50kph. After that there’s a sharp stop, several traffic lights, a main road and rolling hills. I present all of this detail to demonstrate the types of terrain I tested this bike on, that is, pretty much all of the common terrains in Australia’s major cities. Weekend rides were around Sydney Olympic Park, which is about as flat an area as you get in Sydney.

It took me about a week of riding to get used to this bike, not because it’s a bad bike to ride, rather because it is so very different to ride compared to a drop bar or a flat bar bike. Once my brain adapted to the differences, I was moving the bike around with as much verve as my regular rides.

The most startling thing about the way this bike rides is how well it handles. I was riding the large version of the bike, which puts me a fair way above the ground. Despite this, the weight of the hubs, the long wheel base and the big tyres meant that this bike handled better than my regular commuter. The centre of gravity of this bike is very low and this means you can take corners at speeds you wouldn’t think about taking them on a racing bike, especially when you’re sitting almost upright. The bike sticks to the ground and responds smoothly. The Innergy is also stable and manoeuvrable at low speeds, so it’s perfect for riding along crowded shared paths. The only time it wasn’t stable was when it was stationary, or very near to it; I couldn’t track stand this bike at all, despite trying the whole time I had it (but that’s just me playing silly buggers).

The suspension seat post and front fork suspension absorb all of the minor bumps in the road and even out parking lot speed humps. The hand grips are comfortable and support the heel of your hand to keep that comfort long term. The internal gears in the Shimano Nexus 7 speed rear hub are changed via the right grip with a twist shift; you can see which gear you’re in through a small window in the shifter. The left grip has a similar form factor to the right, but instead of changing the gear, a twist of the left grip rings the bell. Of all of the cool integrated features of this bike, this one made me smile the most. The roller brake in the back and the v-brake in the front give confident and well modulated stopping power.

Engaging the motor on the bike requires a simple button press on the control panel, accessed with your left thumb. The electrical system goes through a number of quick self-checks before the motor smoothly and definitely kicks in. As per Australian law, this bike is a pedal assist set up, so the motor will only work while you’re pedalling the bike. The Innergy has both torque and cadence sensors, so you don’t need to pedal too hard or fast to get the motor to help you along. The pedal assist cuts out after you’re travelling about 25 kph, so it gets you going, but it’s not a motorbike.

The motor works in three modes: eco, normal and boost. I tended to use only normal and boost; normal for flat riding and boost for the hills. If my journey to work is mostly downhill, it stands to reason that the journey home is uphill, and I found myself using boost quite a lot coming home. According to the specs, the battery will give you about 30 kms worth of constant use in normal mode, but I found I got about 50 km worth of use out of the battery using a mixture of normal and boost. This was because of the 25 kph cut-out; I used the motor to get me started on the flats and then kept the speed in the low 30s where the motor doesn’t operate. The battery recharges in about 3 hours and it doesn’t have memory effects, so I could just plug it in at the end of each journey and have it ready for the next.

One of the counter intuitive things about the Innergy is that you don’t really notice your speed. I spend a lot of time on the bike and I’m pretty attuned to how fast I’m travelling when my legs are turning at a particular rate and I’m in a particular gear. On the Innergy, with the motor on, I’d be turning my legs over at a rate that would have me riding at about 10-15 kph, but a glance at the speed on the control panel would show I was travelling closer to 30!

The motor, in boost mode, really makes a difference on the hills. When I found myself struggling up a slope, a quick press of the button on the control panel and the boost mode kicks in with more power. Having that extra power really flattens the ground out and gave me a good 5 kph over the speeds I take these hills at on my normal commuting bike, and the best bit is that I didn’t have to kill myself to do it – I just pedalled the best I could and the motor did the rest.

The best evidence I can give for the quality of the motor is running it along the street I live in; it’s over a kilometre long, has an average gradient of 12% with a “wonderful” 21% section. Running the motor in boost mode got me home easily up sections around 10 and 12%, but continuing up the street to the 21% section…well, it was slow, but I was able to do it without killing myself, as I normally have to do on my other bikes. Yes, it did require significant effort from both me and the motor, but not nearly as much as it should have. It took me around 6 months to get enough fitness to do that climb on my regular bike, a moderately fit person riding the Innergy could do it first go.

About the only thing I have against the pedal assist system is that the mode switch for the motor is located just below the on off switch for the system, and you only need to touch it to turn it off. There were several times where I felt the wonderful helping hand disappear exactly when I needed it most, much like the hot water all of a sudden being turned off during a shower. If only they made you hold the power button down for a few seconds to turn it off, this would all be avoided -take note Gazelle designers.

Without the motor operating, the Innergy rides very comfortably on the flats, a lot better than I expected. The gear range has enough to get you to some good speeds, but the relaxed nature of bike means you’re not going to be standing and sprinting to get there. Cruising along in the mid 20s is an easily achievable scenario without needing to put too much effort into it or use the motor.

Where I found myself really struggling without the motor was when it came to the hills. Even on the lowest gear it’s hard work. If I were buying this bike to ride in my area, I would be getting a bigger cog on the rear hub, something which is trivial to change but which would make a good bit of difference. Of course, that would knock some off your higher end, but it’s not often you’ll be riding in the highest gear, so a bigger rear cog would give you a much more usable range in Sydney.

A lot of thinking has gone into this bike so that the rider doesn’t have to think about it. Ride with whatever shoes you’ve got on? Check, you can even ride barefoot (don’t ask, it’s a long story). Ride without changing clothes? Check, you don’t even need to roll your pant legs up. Bike lock? Built in. Pump? There’s one that fits into the standard rear rack.

And now we come to the point where I have a bit of a problem with the Innergy; it’s only a minor one that requires some thinking around, but it is a concern. Because of the electric motor and the internal rear hub, taking the wheels off the bike to fix a flat is not something that can be done quickly or easily. What this means is that you will either have to learn how to repair a flat without removing the wheels, learn how to remove and reattach the wheels (it takes a little learning) or you will have to work out some way to transport the bike home. Fortunately, Gazelle have thought about this: firstly, the tyres used, Schwalbe Marathons, are the most puncture resistant tyres available; secondly, in the unlikely event you do need to transport the bike, there is a towbar mounted carrier available that will hold the Innergy for a car ride.

There are simply too many features on this bike to cover in an article like this. You can read more about the Orange Plus Innergy XT on the Gazelle website. What’s not mentioned on the web site, but is worth mentioning, is the dealer servicing of the bike and, importantly, the motor. When you take the bike back to the dealer, they can plug the pedal assist system into their computer and get a complete history of how the motor has been used, how the battery has been performing and can diagnose any problems the system has been having. They can work out how the bike is being used and adjust the power profile to better match the terrain you’re covering. This is exactly what they do when I take my car in for a service and it shows just how far from a “normal” bike the Innergy is.

If you’re ready to take bicycle transport seriously, and if you demand utility, efficiency and style, the Orange Plus Innergy XT is highly recommended. It’s not a cheaply hacked together bike shaped object, it’s a well constructed and thought out vehicle; the Orange Plus Innergy XT is a genuine car replacement option. It’s available in a variety of sizes and in men’s and women’s models. At $3000, it’s well priced to recoup its purchase price in insurance, registration, parking and fuel costs within months.

There are Gazelle Innergy dealers across Australia, specialised bicycle shops who sell and service these eBikes. Gazelle bicycles are imported into Australia by Gazelle Australia.

Title photo by Stuart Low.

Bicycle Industries Australia which represents many of the Australian importers welcomed this announcement that will provide consumers with a new generation of well priced and high quality power-assisted bicycles. The changes are expected to provide the opportunity for a people who have previously been unable or unwilling to ride a bicycle to get on and enjoy the benefits. Peter Bourke, General Manager of Bicycle Industries Australia said, the new range will be attractive to those who would like some level of assistance, whether that’s because of age, injury, fitness or those who just don’t want to get too hot on their ride to work. ‘When people are looking to save money, get out of the traffic and improve their health, these bikes will provide a very real alternative to driving a car.’

‘The expected increase in people riding will provide many community benefits, through individual health gains, independent mobility, cost savings from reduced transport costs, as well as savings on congestion and less impact on the environment,’ said Bourke

Main points of the new standard:
• Complements the existing standards
• Covers the needs of most users with a range starting at 40km for most batteries
• Power increase to 250W continuous rated power
• ‘Twist and go’ to 6kph allows easy take off from standing start

The bicycle industry is now looking to the states and territories to amend their laws and regulations to allow them to be used on Australian roads.

Source: Bicycle Industries Australia

Photo: German Winora S3 (Mionic XP HR-hubmotor 36 Volt, 250 Watt)

What makes an e-bike different to a normal bike to ride? It’s no different, you jump on it, push the pedals and it goes just like a normal bike, except it helps you along.

First impressions
I was initially told that I was going to be given a commuting bike to review with a bit of a twist. Prior to this I had ridden almost every kind of bike, but never an e-bike. I gave myself the task of using the Gazelle Innergy for riding to work every day and running errands for a week, using it like a normal bike. On first sight it looked exactly like a normal bicycle, albeit a very Dutch looking one.  The only subtle clue that gives away the fact that it is an e-bike is the battery pack which tucks away very discretely under the rear rack. The electric motor is located in the front hub (i.e. front wheel drive) and combined with a Shimano roller brake, the remainder of the drivetrain uses standard Shimano Nexus parts.

My first ride was around the backstreets near my house, the electric assist only engages when it detects that you are pedalling.  When you are pedalling along it the electric assist makes pedaling feel effortless, you feel like you are gliding along only just barely pushing the pedals. The electric assist is so progressive that you don’t even notice it, from stationary to coasting along it is just perfectly smooth. You can only just feel the motor sometimes, around corners at slow speed you can feel a miniscule amount of torque steer and occasionally you can feel it if you are stopping and starting constantly. The assistance still makes you do some work though, I found myself with a very slight sweat at the end of my journey.

There are two modes of assist which you can choose in the built in display/controller, boost & eco mode. Boost will give you approximately 20-40km on a full charge, eco will give you a 40-70km, however this will vary depending on how much you pedal, how many hills and other environmental factors. The battery takes about 3 hours to charge completely, but because it is a Lithium-Ion battery you can charge it whenever you like and not have to worry about memory effect. The plug is located at the rear corner of the battery which is underneath the rear rack.  It can also be detached by unlocking it with the same key as the wheel lock, this allows you to bring it in to charge it indoors. The rear light is integrated into the battery and also acts as a battery charge indicator.

The handlebar indicator shows current speed, battery charge and switches modes, lights and power.

The bicycle is built in the Netherlands and is built to European standards for e-bikes.  This means that from up to 22km/h you get full assistance, from there it decreases till there is no assistance above 25km/h.  However there is a 10% +/- tolerance so in reality you can start to feel the assistance decrease from about 27km/h.  It starts to get a bit difficult to pedal faster than 30km/h on flat ground, however it is very easy to maintain 25km/h which would be more than satisfactory for most people this bike is intended for.  The drivetrain is the ubiquitous Shimano Nexus system, it features an 8 speed rear hub and crankset which is connected to a twist shifter.  The overall gear range is quite wide and I never found that I ran out of gears.  A nice touch is that the chain is completely enclosed in a chaincase, no more greasy chain marks on your trousers and this cuts down on maintenance and increases the life of the chain several times over compared to a conventional derailleur geared bike with an exposed drivetrain.

What is it like to live with?
The difference between this bike and your average bike store bikes is that the Innergy is a complete system, it features integrated front and rear lights, rear rack & pannier – everything is integrated and has been thought through so you can ride it straight off the showroom floor.  I was impressed by the LED lights and the reflectors as they are completely integrated into the fork and the rear rack which mitigates the chance of theft.  The front uses a LED with an internal reflector which spreads out a wide beam and a reasonably bright spot ahead – this is plenty of light for city commuting.  The rear light is superbly bright, both lights have very good side on vision and the bike can be seen at night from almost any angle.  I own several bikes and share lights between them so I really appreciate the fact that you can just jump on the bike and go without having to bother with charging lights and swapping them around.

The rear rack houses the lithium-ion battery

The handling of the bike is not all that different to other bikes of this style, let me make this clear – this is not a race bike, it is however a serious transport bike.  The first thing I noticed was the weight, at 26.8kg (about average for an e-bike) this makes the bike somewhat cumbersome to move around the house, it’s harder to pick up the thing and manhandle it. The low speed handling also feels slightly unwieldly as well, however once moving at pace the ride is very predictable and safe, the wide tyres and forks make for a very smooth ride.

This was the first time I had tried Shimano’s roller brakes, I was quite impressed; even though the lever felt quite spongy yet it was very easy to modulate. In an emergency stop squeezing hard on the brake lever brings the bike to a predictable and sudden halt. Unlike rim brake bikes, the roller brake will work just as well in the wet and won’t cover the frame in brake dust nor will it need brake pads replaced periodically – again this is part of the overall integration of the bike, low maintenance and reliability. The wheels themselves are solidly built and are shod with equally solid Schwalbe Marathon tyres – these are the benchmark of dependable flat-resistant tyres. The tyres are the reflective version so at night, a car driver will see two large white halos when the tyres catch the headlight. Personally I think all tyres should be offered in reflective versions as they really give other road users a much better idea of the size of the bike at night.

The front electric motor hub with integrated Shimano roller brake

The review bike came with a Basil (a fellow Dutch brand) pannier which clips right onto the rear rack, this pannier was about the right size for picking up some groceries on the way home. There was also a compact bar bag which clipped onto a fitting on the stem and can be used to store your wallet and phone while you are riding. The stem itself uses a novel tool free adjustment system, you lift up a safety catch and then a latch which allows you to adjust the tilt and handlebar height. Strangely the seatpost however requires an allen key wrench to adjust it which could become a hassle if you are regularly sharing the bike with a shorter or taller person. The rear rack integrates a mini pump as well as a skirt guard and also features a traditional wheel lock which is secured by a key.  The wheel lock also features an attachment point for an accessory chain, you loop the chain around a pole and plug it into the attachment point then you lock the wheel lock, remove the key and go. This is quite nifty as it makes securely locking the bike a doddle.

The Gazelle Innergy Electric Assist Bicycle

Verdict
As a bike that is used for transport the Gazelle Innergy succeeds, the design has been thoroughly thought out and integrated into one cohesive package. The electric assist is very smooth and barely noticeable, the integration of the whole bike is what makes it great. It is very easy to just jump on it and ride, other than charging it regularly it will require little maintenance due to it’s enclosed chain, roller brakes and flat proof tyres. At a RRP of $3950 the Innergy is not cheap, however it is evident that you get what you pay for – a refined and solidly built machine which is designed as a whole not as a kit of parts.

Website: www.gazellebicycles.com.au

Today’s heightened awareness of environmental issues is boosting the bicycle business, especially at retail shops. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of people are opting for bicycles as a way to commute to work – and as an enjoyable recreational activity.

Representatives of the association and bicycle companies presented the latest figures from the industry. According to the association, the sector achieved sales of ?1.7 billion with bicycles and an additional ?1.45 billion from repairs, accessories, replacement parts and components, making for a market with a total volume of over ?3 billion.

Trekking bikes are leading the pack with 33 percent of sales, followed by city bikes and mountain bikes. E-bikes are rapidly gaining ground, with strong growth rates in many European countries. Approximately 100,000 e-bikes were sold in 2008. The current trend is also fortunately toward more business for bicycle shops. An increasing number of bicycles are purchased from the specialists, who sell 63 percent of all new bikes. Based on the absolute value, the market share of retail shops is even greater than this percentage.

Photo : Messe Friedrichshafen