This review was provided for free using a demo bike, but Bianchi paid for a hotel during my visit to film. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Bianchi products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the Bianchi electric bike forums.
Observations:
- I consider the Bosch drive system to be very proven and reliable. I have tremendous respect for Bianchi, which started in Milan Italy in 1885 and is still a recognized leader in the traditional bicycle space! This is a more premium ebike product, Omnia actually means “everything” in Latin and that is represented by such a feature rich product with high attention to detail. Both wheels are connected by 15mm thru-axles that can withstand the speed and pressure of high performance riding.
Pros:
- I’m always impressed when such a high quality premium ebike is available in multiple sizes and colors. The Bianchi E-Omnia FX-Type GX 12SP comes in three sizes and two colorways. I believe you can also upgrade to a Shimano Deore XT drivetrain and higher capacity Bosch 625 PowerTube battery for just $400 more.
- The PowerTube 500 battery that comes with the bike strikes a great balance of capacity and lower weight. Bianchi designed a special shield for it that includes some extended plastic to help deflect rocks and mud, further protecting the battery inside.
- They created a custom frame for this bike, with integrated wires, unique angles, and asymmetric chainstay that set it apart. The lights are also custom, covering a larger area and shining more brightly and in more directions than the others I see… especially mountain products. Perhaps since the lights are built in, they are less exposed to being damaged or even bumped out of position.
- The SRAM drivetrain offers a wide range of gears, 12 speed with 10-50 tooth cassette. The shifting is setup for ebikes with single click, to reduce the possibility of chain break and bending the sprocket teeth. The Bosch drive system has shift detection, so this further reduces strain.
- I’m a fan of plus sized tires for heavier electric mountain bikes, because they spread the weight out, reduce deflection, and add some cushion and forgiveness. These Kenda tires performed well, and they are actually the narrowest of the Plus size with 2.6″ width, making them lighter and more nimble than some others.
- I love that the frame includes a bottle cage mount! Many times, especially on full suspension eMTB they skip these due to lack of space and battery layout, but Bianchi made it work.
- Bianchi chose to use one of the nicer ABUS keysets for their battery lock, which can be matched to aftermarket security locks. While it takes additional time and money to order one of these matched locks, it reduces the clutter and wasted time of having to carry additional keys.
- Excellent weight distribution with a mid-drive motor and downtube-integrated battery pack. The motor casing is made from magnesium to be light weight, and the battery pack sits as low as possible towards the bottom bracket. Overall, despite being a little heavy at 57.5lbs, the bike handles very well in my opinion.
- The rear wheel speed sensor is integrated into the disc brake rotor mount vs. being tacked onto the left chain stay and requiring a spoke mounted magnet… it’s clean and durable.
- Very capable 203mm hydraulic disc brakes with quad piston calipers! They provide a great mechanical advantage over the larger wheels and plus sized tires, and have adjustable-reach levers to provide easy use for riders with different sized hands.
- Upgraded narrow-wide tooth chainring provides protection against chain drops when riding fast and on bumpy terrain. There is also a plastic guide that surrounds the chain, which might help to clear debris before entering the cassette and derailleur section.
- The Bosch motors used for this ebike are excellent in terms of power, drive modes, shift detection (protecting your chain and sprockets), and high pedal cadence support (over 120 RPM). They are also compact and lightweight at just 6.3lbs vs. 8.8lbs on older models, in part due to the reduced physical size and use of magnesium.
- Bosch battery packs and drive systems come with great support from shops, and a good warranty of 2 years. For optimal use, keep the pack between 20% and 80% full, store it in a cool dry location, and maintain 50% charge if you aren’t using it for long periods so as not to stress the Lithium-ion chemistry.
- This ebike comes with the faster Bosch 4 amp standard charger! It makes perfect sense, given that it ships with a high capacity battery pack. In general, I like this charger because it’s fairly compact, lightweight at 1.5lbs, and quiet compared to almost all of the competition.
Cons:
- The headlight is built into the steer tube. This positions it high up, and I love that it wraps around and is visible from many angles, but it does not point where you steer the bike, and it could be blocked a bit by the wires, cables leading to the shifters, brakes, and display systems up front, and the tiny fender.
- The plastic battery shield does not lock to the frame, it clicks into position but is not as secure as the battery pack itself. Considering that it also attaches from the bottom of the downtube, be sure that it’s firmly in place before riding on rough terrain.
- The charge port for the battery pack is positioned low on the left side of the frame, in the path of the crank arm. This requires bending down to reach, if the bike is standing up. Since the bike doesn’t have a kickstand, and it’s best practice to lay bikes on their left side, this battery charge port location can be difficult to reach.
- The locking cylinder for the batter pack is hidden under the plastic cover. I found it a bit tricky to see and interact with this lock, and wish that the battery could simply click into position when re-mounting it, but you need to insert and twist the key to open the bay fully. It can be tricky considering the weight of the pack, the proximity of the front tire, and the lack of a kickstand.
- Although you could switch the Purion display with a Kiox and get bluetooth and the Bosch eBike Connect app, you’ll have to pay extra and have that service performed. As is, the bike does not have a way to interact with any Bosch ebike apps, and the display readouts are a bit more limited. The Micro USB port on the Purion is also not active for charging smartphones and other portable electronics, just used for diagnostics.
- This model is part of the first generation of ebikes from Bianchi and could have minor issues that haven’t been worked out the way that second, third, or later generations would. That said, they are using premium drivetrain and drive system components, and are a highly respected bicycle brand that is over 100 years old.
- The chainring doesn’t cycle backwards like some of the other Bosch drive systems. This means that in order to clean and lubricate the chain and drivetrain, you may need a bike stand to elevate the rear wheel so you can pedal forward.
- The seat post clamp is kind of unique, and does not offer a quick release lever. As a result, you’ll need to bring a hex wrench Allen key to raise or lower it. This isn’t a huge deal, however, because of the adjustable height seat post dropper.
- The stock pedals are some of my least favorite, because they don’t offer a large platform, the metal can bend easily and sharpen if the bike is laid down or crashed, and the metal surround cage piece is steel, which can rust. I’d consider replacing them with a solid platform like the Wellgo BMX aluminum alloy, magnesium, or even plastic.
- In order to support the three frame sizes and two color options that correspond to the different frame types (high-step and step-thru), as well as the premium Shimano drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes, and premium Bosch motor and battery, the price point on this model is fairly high, starting at $5.5k.
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