This review was provided for free using a demo bike. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of BULLS products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the BULLS electric bike forums.
Observations:
- The bike is purpose built with good weight distribution. It’s rare to see a full suspension urban model complete with fenders, rear rack, and integrated lights. Like many other BULLS models, it comes in four frame sizes, one color scheme, and is generally sold through dealers.
- Boost hub spacing means the spoke bracing angle is sturdier, and thru-axles improve stiffness and overall strength. The tires are 2.45″ wide which is wider than average, offering improved stability, traction, and float. While the tires did not appear to have puncture protection lining, they are e-bike rated to 50km/h high speeds, and the tread was thick and appeared to be durable.
Pros:
- Feature complete electric bike including everything you’d need for adventure touring or daily commuting. The platform includes sturdy matching fenders, a custom rear rack, an adjustable kickstand, and premium integrated lights.
- The fenders and rear rack are aluminum alloy, so they won’t rust like steel if scratched. They actually connect in three places for improved strength. I appreciate the spring latch, bungee loops, and positioning of the rack (it’s clear of the saddle so you can use trunk bags on top without making contact or impairing the dropper movement).
- The drive system hardware is top of the line, and the newest generation from Bosch. You get increased range from the PowerTube 750 and responsive high power from the Performance Line CX motor. I especially like the Kiox 300 display panel (which can be removed), and ergonomic Bosch LED remote button pad.
- Excellent two year warranty from Bosch, their hardware is UL certified, highly water and dust resistant, and I was told that they provide support on retired products for 10 years.
- The battery pack locks into the frame using an ABUS locking core with XPLUS Code keys that can be matched to ABUS locks (like folding locks, u-locks, and frame locks), so you don’t need multiple keys! They seem to be high quality locks in general that would be more more difficult to defeat.
- Outstanding battery charger that’s relatively light weight at 1.6lbs, compact with removable wall-side plug, and puts out 36 volt 4 amps vs. just 2 amps on many competing chargers. It has a sturdy plug design that connects directly to the battery as well as the plug port on the bike.
- The battery offers extremely high charge capacity, 36 volts and 20.1 amp hours for roughly 750 watt hours of capacity. That means you can use higher assist levels without range anxiety, and just go farther in general.
- BULLS is a large company with a good reputation, they sell through dealers who can help with fitting and service, their products are sold internationally including Europe and North America.
- Excellent positioning for the headlight, it’s high up and points where you steer, and has side cutouts so you’re visible from more angles! The light beam that comes out the front is rated at 100 LUX and has a flat top so it won’t shine up into the eyes of oncoming traffic.
- I also appreciate the reflective sidewalls on the tires here, especially since the frame and other hardware are all black, this keeps you visible from the side and really enhances your visual footprint.
- Clean aesthetic with satin black paint on the frame. Black fork stanchion and lowers, rims, spokes, posts, and handlebar all matching for a more premium look.
- The seat post dropper is a nice addition here, because it allows for easier mounting of the frame and supports body movement if you take the bike off-road and need to stand and squat to absorb bumps. This is a component I usually only see on mountain bikes, but it’s relevant for adventure touring!
- A large 203mm hydraulic disc brake rotor up front offers a great mechanical advantage for continuous descents and control over the larger plus sized tire. It’s especially relevant given the higher weight of this build and potential for hauling cargo on the rear rack. The rear brake size is 180mm, which is pretty standard. Note that you may see Shimano or Tektro hardware depending on supply chain.
- Decent resin platform pedals with rubberized tread from Wellgo, comfortable co-branded Selle Royal saddle, and locking Velo grips with rubberized ends that won’t scratch your car or wall as easily. I love the ergonomic shape of the grips, so your hands won’t get numb as easily.
- I love that the frame includes a bottle cage mount on the downtube, despite being a full suspension frame with extra hardware crowding the seat tube area.
- Solid drivetrain with 38 tooth sturdy steel chainring that has a narrow-wide tooth pattern for improved grab. Plastic chain guard ensures you won’t snag your pant leg on the right side. The 10-speed 11-46 tooth cassette provides enough range for steep climbs and comfortable pedaling at speed. It’s light, durable, offers a clutch to keep the chain tight, and is one of my favorite drivetrains (Shimano Deore with clutch).
- Sturdy 120mm air suspension with lockout, rebound adjust, and thicker 34mm stanchions up front. The stanchions are steel vs. anodized aluminum alloy that would be lighter, but the action was smooth and satisfying during my ride tests (both front and rear).
- Bosch LED remote is easy to reach with your left thumb, the buttons are consistent and satisfying. The 5 LED lights actually communicate 10% charge level increments for more precise readings (blue is a 20% chunk and white is a 10% chunk). The four assist levels are matched to colors, so you don’t need to read anything, just memorize the colors Green = Eco, Blue = Tour+, Purple = eMTB, Red = Turbo.
- The included Bosch Kiox 300 LCD display panel offers more precise battery readouts, current speed, trip distance, heart rate, range estimate and more. The free Bosch eBike Flow smartphone app offers many of the same readouts and lets your phone act as a display in Ride Mode.
- I love that the Bosch Flow ebike app offers trip planning with GPS and gives you three options for direct, casual, or mountain routes. It dynamically updates your route depending on your ride preferences! It also lets you adjust Eco and Turbo assist settings (power output, acceleration, top speed, max torque). You can update your own firmware without visiting a shop, track rides, and connect to other cycling apps like Strava, Komoot, Apple Health, and Apple Watch all with this free eBike Flow app.
- The Tour+ assist setting allow you to focus on gear selection, pedaling, and steering while the drive system responds naturally to a wider range of pedal pressure. It dynamically provides more power based on how hard you’re pedaling, which improves efficiency. Think of Tour+ as the efficient dynamic setting, while Eco, Sport, and Turbo are bands of power output that are more fixed.
- The Bosch Performance Line CX motor is super smart, measuring rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque over 1,000 per second! It’s extremely responsive and quick, is quieter than I remember, doesn’t weigh a lot at just 6.4lbs because of the magnesium housing, and supports over 120 RPM pedal cadence. That means you don’t have to adjust your pedaling or ride style to the bike, it adapts to you… and even provides shift detection to reduce wear on the chain and sprockets.
- BULLS has positioned the magnet for measuring rear wheel on the wheel hub near the disc brake rotor mount vs. a spoke. This means that your wheel can stay more balanced and you won’t end up with a loose spoke over time, it also improves reliability because this tucked-in position isn’t exposed to mud and debris as much.
Cons:
- The fenders are well done, but might restrict the size of tires you can use with the bike. Tires that are too wide or have large knobs might make contact with the fenders… and then you’d have to remove them and the rear rack (since the fender supports the rear rack).
- Due in part to the mountain bike level hardware: Boost hub spacing, thru-axles, larger suspension, and the addition of fenders, a rear rack, and lights… the bike weighs a lot. At least the weight is positioned low and distributed well across the frame.
- The rear rack did not have a weight rating stamped on it, but I’m guessing it could be 20kg which is roughly 44lbs because of how it is attached to the stanchions and fender vs. directly to the seat stays. It might not be sturdy enough for child seats, and is unsprung. This means it will bounce around if you’re riding on rough terrain, and it increases the work and slows the actuation of the rear swing arm.
- I love that the tires have reflective sidewalls and are e-bike rated for higher speeds (50km/h) but did not see puncture protection labeling. Given the commuting or touring applications that would fit for this ebike, it would be nice to have extra durable tires, especially given the heavier weight of the bike and potential for hauling cargo on the rear rack.
- The suspension fork offer less refined compression adjustment, it’s more like open and 80% locked out. The good news is that it’s still nicer than an entry level fork and looks great on this frame, I especially like the black colored stanchions.
- The battery cover seated well and provides good protection from dust and water, but it doesn’t lock to the frame. As a result, I feel that it could be easier to lose or have taken off, but at least it’s probably affordable and easy to replace because it’s just black plastic… and it’s not as heavy as a metal shield that some other ebikes use.
- I wish that the USB-C port on the Bosch LED remote was active for charging smartphones and other devices, especially since the Bosch eBike Flow app has a ride mode that shows realtime stats and mapping. This is less of an issue than some other models because you already get the Kiox 300 with many readouts. The bike has such a high capacity battery, and I love that it can run the included lights… just wish it could do the same for other accessories.
- The Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System motor is very responsive and powerful, but it uses energy faster and produces more noise than a lower powered variant, and some of the competition. It’s gotten a lot better, so this is more of a “high powered motors make noise” comment than a Bosch specific critique.
- When mounting the battery pack back onto the frame, you have to actively twist the key to unlock the latch or the pack won’t go in. It requires two hands and just isn’t as convenient as a ramped latch that I’ve see on other interfaces where you just push, especially because the battery is heavy at 9.4lbs. At least the bike has a kickstand so interacting with the battery is easier than on some of the mountain models without kickstands.
- Be careful when lifting and transporting the PowerTube battery because it does not have an integrated handle like the PowerPack mid-frame and rear-rack models. I do appreciate how it clicks down one step when unlocking, before completely coming off the bike because you are less likely to drop it when removing.
- None of the Bosch Smart System hardware is backwards compatible, so you can’t use a PowerTube 500 or 625 on this ebike, you cannot use the original Kiox, or other displays like Purion, Intuvia, or Nyon.
- This is a minor thing, but the chainring doesn’t cycle backwards when you backpedal, this changes how drivetrain service is done… you basically need a bike maintenance stand or a friend to lift the bike and pedal to clean and lubricate the chain (and the bike is heavy at 65.87 pounds, so lifting in general can be a challenge… be careful with the dropper seat post). One positive note here, is that Bosch has setup the bottom bracket with some resistance so the cranks won’t spin as freely backwards, which could lead to more shin scrapes and shin bumps if your foot slips off when pedaling.
- I noticed that small rocks and pebbles would occasionally get caught between the tire tread and flung off into the fenders while riding on gravel trails. I show this in the video, and it makes a ting rattling noise.
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