E ROAD BIKES BIKE TEST First A 12.6kg road bike that breezes up hills under power but doesn't drag without The is – in traditional Bianchi colours very much a conventional carbon- stiff road bike, with clearance for 28mm tyres

Tech Spec Biketest BIANCHI ARIA E ROAD Price: £4500 Transmission: rather than openly displayed. with clearance for the and, enhancing its ‘gravel’ Sizes: 47, 50, 53, 55, Ultegra Two drive systems dominate: the 28mm tyres fitted but little credentials, asymmetric 57 (tested), 59, 61cm throughout (52-36t Fazua Evation, driving the bottom more, ’s Gain has chainstays. It’s also Weight: 12.6 kg (57, crankset, 11-28t Amp up bracket axle and secreted within the enough room for fat 40mm available in a choice of no pedals) cassette, 2×11 dual- frame down tube; and ebikemotion’s rubber, and could even colours, like the orange Frame & fork: Aria control levers); X35 drive, housed in the rear hub, which be considered an e-gravel shown the facing page. Disc e-Road carbon, Shimano SM-BB72- is employed on the bikes tested here. bike. There’s plenty of Ebikemotion X35- 41B ; your ride specific, integrated KMC X11-1 EPT chain. Both arrangements have their merits: room for mudguards too, Components battery, integrated 22 ratios, 34"-127". the Evation’s motor and battery can although only the fork has The Orbea rolls on Mavic E-bikes don’t have to be heavyweight hybrids. sensor, IWoc One Braking: Shimano be removed when not wanted, saving threaded eyelets for stays; Aksium rims and Yksion Richard Hallett tests lightweight e-road bikes from compatible; Bianchi BR-R8070 hydraulic some 3.5kg and leaving the bike little the rear end doesn't. tubeless tyres. The front full carbon disc disc brakes, 160mm Bianchi and Orbea heavier than a standard bike; the X35’s The Gain is still the wheel is a standard Aksium fork with tapered rotors hub installation, which leaves the more versatile of the two, disc, while at the back the threadless steerer, Steering & seating: transmission and chainset unmodified, and by some margin the ebikemotion hub is laced thru-axle 12×100mm. 31.8mm Reparto creates zero drag when the motor is more affordable. It’s not into a 32-hole Aksium rim. Wheels: Vision Corse Aero Top: The discreet iWoc ONE turned off. It’s also lighter, weighing obvious why there’s such button is the on/off switch, the Several of the rear wheel Trimax alloy disc, Compact aluminium n e-road bike is essentially a high- a claimed 3.5kg for the system as a significant price gap. mode button, and the charge spokes are short enough to front: 21 bladed alloy handlebar; indicator all in one spokes 14×1 disc performance pedelec. It incorporates installed – battery, motor, charge point, While the Orbea wears the show thread beyond their Reparto Corse 3D Bottom: The Bianchi's carbon side, 7 radial forged 6061 alloy its electric drive system within what switch button and cabling – against the latest Shimano 11-speed 105 fork is on trend with a 12×100 nipples which, given that A thru-axle and a flat-mount disc non-disc side; stem, rise 8°; Fsa looks and, for the most part, rides just like a Evation’s 4.7kg. group and the Aria gets the wheel was fairly true, calliper rear 32×3 single- Orbit C-33 1 1/8"-1 fast, lightweight road bike. A number of major Ultegra, they both feature suggests it was built with butted spokes with 1/4" headset. Bianchi manufacturers have brought out such machines Frame differences full carbon fibre framesets, inconsistent spoke lengths. ebikemotion X35 Aria Full Carbon RICHARD in the last couple of years, aimed presumably Equipped with the same ebikemotion X35 arranged to house the drive system, Furthermore, the choice of one-cross V.2 hub. Vittoria Aero seatpost; Selle HALLETT at buyers looking for a bit of help when needed drive system, the two bikes offer a near- backed up with decent handlebar lacing seems optimistic for a disc-brake Rubino IV 700×28C Royal Seta S1 saddle. Cycle’s without having to abandon the sensation of speed identical powered assistance experience componentry and competent wheelsets. rear wheel transmitting power assist. clincher tyres bianchi.com Technical and efficiency enjoyed by sporting leisure riders – but are otherwise surprisingly distinct. Sure, the Aria’s carbon fibre ‘aero’ It didn’t get much chance to Editor Dimensions riders like ex-pro racer Sean Yates, who sings the Paint scheme aside, and the Bianchi’s seatpost adds a touch of class and demonstrate its durability, since the bike 720 in millimetres 560 praises of Ribble’s Endurance SLe e-road bike. Celeste livery will float many a enhances the aesthetic appeal of what came with a left-hand front brake. It’s and degrees If there’s a common theme among e-road bikes, traditionalist’s boat, the most obvious is an undeniably pretty , but the easy to forget after a few miles that one 73.5˚ 800 43 540 it’s that they're sleek enough to pass, at a glance, for difference is in available tyre clearance. Orbea is itself well-proportioned, with is riding brakes set up the ‘wrong’ way, 680

a regular bicycle. The battery pack is hidden within Where the Aria e-Road is very much fine detailing, a more slender down with potentially lethal consequences, 43 598 410 135 the frame and the motor unit designed for stealth a conventional carbon-stiff road bike, tube that better conceals the battery and it’s non-trivial to swap hydraulic 622 73˚ 172.5 265 28 60 995

66 cycle AUGUST/SEPTEMBER CYCLINGUK.ORG cycle 67 E ROAD BIKES BIKE TEST Go online Read Cycling UK's guide to all kinds of e-bikes: cyclinguk.org/article/guide- electric-bikes First look A keener priced e-road bike with the same hub drive motor as the Bianchi, and clearance for bigger tyres

Tech Spec ORBEA GAIN M30

Price: £3,399 Transmission: hoses around. (Your period. Its Vision Trimax Sizes: XS, S, M, L Shimano 105 Orbea dealer could do this front wheel is nicer than (tested), XL throughout (50-34t for you if you didn’t fancy the Orbea’s Aksium, but the Weight: 12.7kg (L, crankset, 11-32t swapping it.) So I stuck to assisted riding experience no pedals) cassette, 2×11sp a shorter but wickedly hilly is remarkably similar, as Frame & fork: dual control levers); local circuit on the Orbea you might expect given Orbea Gain Carbon KMC e11 Turbo Silver and, to avoid confusion, that the two bikes share the monocoque chain; 22 ratios, used the front brake only. same drive system. carbon frame for 32"-122". flat-mount disc Braking: Shimano On said circuit, the Orbea brakes, 135×9 QR. R7070 hydraulic proved to have a very E-road riding Ebikemotion X35- disc, 160mm rotors. pleasing ride: it’s stable, The bikes’ drivetrains specific, integrated Steering & with precise steering and differ significantly only battery, integrated seating: 31.8mm a stiff bottom bracket. in gearing, with the Aria sensor, IWoc One FSA Gossamer However, the wide top e-Road boasting a semi- compatible; Orbea Compact aluminium tube, a common feature on Top: Look familiar? It’s the compact 52-36 chainset Gain carbon flat- handlebar; Orbea contemporary lightweight same iWoc ONE control rather than a 50-34. If only mount fork. OCIII aluminium button. There’s an app Wheels: Mavic stem, 6º rise, 110mm; diamond frames, rubbed available if you need more because it came fitted Aksium Elite Disc FSA 1-1/8" - 1-1/2" my thighs. A deal-breaker on-ride information with a right-hand front UST front wheel integrated carbon for me, this will be of no Bottom: The Orbea’s fork has brake and is closer in mudguard eyelets but the and rear rim with cup ACB headset. consequence for many. size to my regular ride, it frame unfortunately doesn’t ebikemotion X35 Orbea OC-III There is little to indicate proved the more attractive V.2 hub, 24×2 Carbon 31.6×350mm that either cycle is carrying machine with which to bladed spokes front, seatpost; Prologo a motor and battery. Fitted with complete assess the X35 drive’s performance over 32×1 pg rear. Mavic Space STN Shimano groupsets, both machines longer rides. As ever with a pedelec, Yksion Pro 700×28 saddle. offer impressive performance when the immediate temptation is to select UST clincher tyres. orbea.com shifting, braking or pedalling, with no maximum power and scoot up the discernible difference in feel between nearest hill at some improbable speed. Dimensions 700 in millimetres 569 the 105 and Ultegra components. On test, Which is great fun, but not necessarily and degrees the Aria’s hydraulic discs offered greater the best use of the motor’s capabilities. 72.5˚ 780 68 515 initial bite, no doubt because the bike Having enjoyed my regular commute 680 is a well-used machine and the discs – 15km and 300m of climbing each way 45 605 435 135 have undergone the required break-in – on full boost, I set out on a longer ride 622 72˚ 172.5 270 28 64 1035 CYCLINGUK.ORG cycle 69 BIKE TEST E ROAD BIKES

Cycle’s test promise At Cycle, we are proudly independent. There’s no pressure to please advertisers as we’re funded by your membership. Our product reviews aren’t press releases; they’re written by experienced cyclists after thorough testing.

Above: The charge port for the battery Near right: 52-36 is fine when you have a motor Top right: Drag is zero when the motor’s off Bottom right: A too- short spoke (Orbea)

without recharging (via the port above the Other options This can mean either moderating effort to bottom bracket). Halfway up the next climb, stay below the cutoff – or working harder the top-tube mounted iWoc ONE control than desired. In Eco mode, the ‘transition’ switch’s indicator button turned orange. gradient is shallower and the sensation of Obliged by circumstances to complete what drive cutting in or out almost imperceptible, would be a 60km ride with another 700m of unlike the surge from more powerful modes. climbing (this is west Wales), I felt the first Obviously, Eco mode greatly extends icy pang of range anxiety. battery life, but the iWoc One nevertheless Had I uploaded the Bianchi app (there’s turned red with 10km and a big hill NYTRO a similar one for the Orbea), which allows RED ETAP EROAD remaining. Satisfied that I had some juice the user to integrate the drive with heart £10,000 available should I want it, I tackled the rate and such stuff and offers features like Dogma-based e-road bike climb in Off mode. Riding unassisted, e-road mapping and GPS tracking, I would have had with SRAM's wireless RED pedelecs are very different from heavier a clear picture of battery level. The app isn’t eTap gearing and utility machines; their three or four kilo the Fazua Evation needed to ride the bike, but without it I only weight penalty is barely noticeable. Since drive system. knew that the battery had been depleted. unassisted riding is fine, range anxiety pinarello.com Fear of having to get over a hill or two need not put you off longer rides where without assistance took hold, and I dialled there’s a risk of exceeding battery life. And back to ‘Eco’ – the lowest power setting. This it’s possible to fit one or two auxiliary bottle gives 30% of the available power, or 75W, cage-mounted batteries, which extend the which doesn’t sound much but turns out to assisted range to as much as 250km… be surprisingly welcome on most climbs. It’s not clear precisely how assistance is delivered. Does it vary according to pedal GIANT ROAD E+1 pressure or do you get 75W right up to the Verdict PRO £3,499 Both bikes offer a hugely rewarding assisted-riding 25km/h cut-off? Probably the latter, as soft- Well-equipped and experience, especially in hilly terrain, and work powered by Giant’s pedalling produces pronounced assistance. amazingly well even without assistance. While powerful SyncDrive Pro Turning to Eco mode resolved a burning the Orbea offers keener value and tremendous mid-motor, but with a question. Inevitably, for any rider, there’s a versatility, including all-roads riding, Bianchi’s substantial and obvious specific gradient where they can easily reach offering would not look out of place in a sportive, battery. the speed cutoff with assistance but struggle giant-.com where either might go unremarked – at least until to exceed it by even a small amount without. the first climb!

70 cycle AUGUST/SEPTEMBER