The carbon frame, the fold, and the battery I can pull out have all earned their place. I fold it into the hall cupboard, take the seatpost battery inside to charge, and ride it to the station when the weather is decent. None of that is a selling point anymore. It's just how the bike fits the day.
I didn't know if I'd want neighborhood trips or longer rides, so I kept the extender as an option instead of guessing. Most weeks I don't fit it. Last Sunday I did, because the weather turned nice and I didn't want the battery to decide when I headed back. That flexibility has been worth having.
I checked both before I committed: how small it folds, and whether I could lift it. Folded, it fits the space in the car, and I can get it in on my own if I take it in two moves. I rode it from the trailhead parking lot last Sunday. I'd still tell anyone to try the lift themselves, but for me the answer was yes.
When I think about the weight, I think about turning it around in the hallway and getting it past the coats, not carrying it up a mountain. The carbon frame makes those small moves manageable for me. I still use two hands, but I don't have to plan the whole maneuver. That matters more often than the times I actually lift it.
My partner and I both ride it, and we don't leave it on the same setup. I raise the bars a little and use less assist. He drops them and rides a higher level on the way back from the station. Neither of us had to pretend one position worked for both. Swapping the saddle height takes a minute, and then it's a normal bike for whoever is heading out.
I knew I'd enjoy an e-bike. The question was where it would live. Folded, this one fits in the cupboard I cleared for it, and the carbon frame is light enough that I don't avoid taking it out. I've been riding most clear evenings since it arrived. Storage is what made the purchase realistic.
On weekdays it does the errands and gets folded out of the way. On Saturday I took the longer way along the river because the assist made saying yes easy. Both uses feel natural on the same bike. That's the balance I was after, and I've been riding it more than I planned when I bought it.
I notice fenders when they're missing, usually on the first wet road. These have kept the worst of the spray off my legs on the way to the shop. Not a reason to buy a bike on its own, but on ordinary trips in changeable weather I'm glad they're part of the bike instead of something I meant to add later.
I don't use it for big weekend mileage. I use it to pick up a few things and ride home without making a production of it. The rear rack has carried a small bag of groceries, and the assist makes the trip back easier than walking the same bags. That's a more honest use for me than planning epic rides I don't take.
The rear light built into the frame is one of those details I stopped thinking about because it was just there. I've been riding home after the shop run a few evenings, and having the lights sorted as part of the bike is one less thing to clip on in the hallway. Folding is why it fits my life. Details like this are why the short trips are easy.
USB-C charging isn't why I bought the bike, but I used it on a ride where I was following directions and didn't want the phone dying at the turn. It topped the phone up enough to finish the route. Small thing, and I wouldn't choose a bike for it, but on navigation days it's been a useful extra.
I mostly look at speed, battery, and which assist mode I'm in. The color display shows me those without making me study it, which is what I want when I'm rolling up to a light. I checked the battery before a longer loop yesterday and got back on the pedals. The screen stays in the background, where it should be.
Folding and weight got me to look, but the brakes are what I notice in traffic. The TEKTRO hydraulic discs have been easy to trust at lights and on the downhill into my street. They don't grab unexpectedly, and I can shed speed before the junction without a handful of lever. For the riding I do, that belongs in the same conversation as how small it folds.
I hadn't ridden much for a while, and this got me back out without asking me to be fit first. I started on a higher assist and a more upright bar position, then eased both back as the rides felt normal again. Some evenings I still want the help. The point is I can change the bike to the day instead of waiting to feel ready.
I was looking for relaxed rides, not a racing position, and the adjustable cockpit got me there. I spent a few minutes with the bar height and saddle on the first weekend, and the cushioned saddle has been fine for the hour-long loops I actually take. It isn't a bike I only tolerate for errands. I'm comfortable enough to take the long way home.
Saddle height wasn't enough to get the fit right. My first ride felt a bit stretched, so I changed the handlebar height and angle, then moved the saddle again. That made more difference than I expected. I still think a shop visit would have been useful, but the adjustments gave me a position I can settle into for an easy ride.
Folding solved where the bike goes. Taking the battery out solved where it charges. In our place those really are two different problems. The bike stays folded downstairs, and the seatpost battery comes up to the outlet. It's been an easy routine, and it makes the bike realistic to keep.
I paid attention to which battery the range figure was actually talking about, and I'm glad I did. The included battery covers my usual routes. The second one is optional, and I use it when the plan gets longer. I don't ride to chase the maximum number. I choose the setup around where I'm actually going.
Compared three ebikes to death. Spreadsheets, torque curves, the whole thing. Then I got the invite to the trial and saw the matte carbon finish at the demo - debate over. Took it 45 miles along the river last Saturday- the frame rides lighter than the 58-pound spec has any right to, that was my real surprise. Battery charged back to full before I even finished lunch. Threw groceries on the rack and forgot they were there. By the way, my sourdough starter finally doubled. Small wins.
Okay so here's the thing. Saturday errands used to eat my whole day. Grocery run to Aldi, package drop at UPS, then the hardware store for whatever my husband broke this week. Three trips, half a tank of gas, and I'm wiped by 2 PM. When I got the invite to test this thing, I figured it might handle the light run, maybe the UPS drop. Not the Aldi trip not with groceries for four up that hill on Maple. Honestly I was wrong. The rear rack swallowed two full reusable bags and the motor didn't even change pitch on the climb. Did all three errands on one charge and still had bars left. The ride feels peppier on a full charge versus near empty, I think, but it doesn't quit on you. That first Saturday I was home by 11:30 with everything done. My daughter Kate looked at me like I'd grown a second head. She's already asking how to get in the trial program herself. We'll see how the battery holds up once I'm sharing it �� haven't had it long enough to know. Happy to answer questions about the rack setup. Ask if you want.
Three weeks and 140 miles testing this thing. Clicked a Facebook ad for the trial program, told myself I'd do the minimum and send it back haven't slowed down. When this launches, I'm buying one.
Most of my rides are short, so the battery that came with the bike has been enough. I added the optional extender for the longer loops on weekends, and I've used it twice when I didn't want to think about turning around early. I like that it's a choice. I don't need it sitting in the bike every time I go out.
47 hours of research. Three spreadsheets. I could tell you the torque response time of every mid-drive motor under $8000. I was deep in it. Then the trial invite landed and my wife asked: can I ride it too? My top three candidates couldn't fit both of us. This one has a stem that adjusts 0 to 90 degrees, a seatpost with 127mm of travel. She dialed it in in 27 seconds. I timed it. The 80mm fork eats the gravel path to the school. Pavement? Lock it out and forget it's there. 672 miles on the Kendas, zero flats.Assembly took longer than the video, but the instructions were clear.
About 140 miles into the trial. Two things changed: 1) a rainy forecast went from groan to grin like finding money in an old jacket, 2) my commute stopped being a chore. Battery barely budges. The bell is silly but I kind of like it ??. If they let me keep this thing, I'm set.
About two weeks testing this bike. I thought the suspension was unnecessary for neighborhood paths then I rode that gravel stretch by the reservoir and the fork absorbed everything. My husband adjusted the seatpost to his height and I haven't gotten it back. It is what it is. If the launch price is reasonable I'd seriously consider buying one.
