2020 BULLS DESERT FALCON EVO Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by BULLS North America. 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.

Pros:

• Hydraulic disc brakes are easier to actuate than mechanical, especially the rear brake due to longer line distance, and the large 180mm rotors with heat sink ICE-TECH style calipers offer excellent stopping power for a heavier platform going at high speeds
• The electronic shifting is very crisp and quick, it won’t require as much time or money for tuneups because there won’t be cable stretch
• In general, there aren’t many road style ebikes with drop bars, these provide multiple hand positions and offer a fast sporty ride… it’s great to see a higher speed Class 3 e-road bike because many from the past have been Class 1 limited to 20mph vs. 28mph
• Available in three frame sizes, so you can really dial in fit and comfort. That’s hugely important for road bikes since they have limited suspension and comfort options and riders tend to travel faster and for longer distances
• BULLS is integrating the real wheel speed sensor into their disc brake rotors so you don’t have to worry about a spoke magnet and chain stay electronics that can get bumped out of place, it’s a great setup
• I love that the Desert Falcon EVO has two sets of standard bottle cage bosses and also comes with a magnetic Monkey Link bottle adapter
• Great battery cover design from BULLS for 2020, they made this standard black plastic shield that weighs less and is much easier to swap between models, it’s less expensive to replace as well… you can ride their bikes as acoustic with the PowerPack battery removed and the shield on if you’d like
• The Gen 4 Bosch Performance Line Speed motors are smaller, lighter (6.3lbs vs. 8.8lbs), use standard sized chainrings vs. a reduction gear (so no drag here), deliver more power (75nm vs. 63nm of torque), and support over 120 RPM (pedal strokes per minute) so they won’t struggle as you downshift in preparation for a climb
• E-bike specific tires rated to 50km/h mated to DT Swiss mid-dish rims and aerodynamic bladed spokes, both wheels have sturdy thru-axles with quick release for easier transport and maintenance… awesome setup, and part of what you get for the higher price tag here
• The Bosch Kiox display panel is intuitive, tough (uses Gorilla glass), removable (disables the bike and won’t get stolen), and even offers Micro-USB charging at 5v 1amp… Bosch has a nice Bluetooth app if you want to mount your smartphone to the stem cap and use it for more feedback while riding (maps, heart rate etc.)
• The Bosch motor controller measures rear wheels peed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque over 1,000x per second for very fluid ride feel (even better for generation 4 here), and you also get shift detection, so the motor backs off a bit when it detects gear changes to reduce drivetrain wear
• Great attention to detail, comfortable grip tape, saddle, and they included a clear plastic slap guard on the right chain stay vs. letting the paint get chipped up
• Many of the 2020 BULLS ebike models are going with a straight 1-1/2″ head tube vs. straight 1-1/8″ or tapered 1-1/8″ to 1-1/2″ which might add a touch of weight but provides increased stiffness and durability
• Excellent battery charger, Bosch has designed a compact, relatively lightweight (1.7lb) charger that delivers fast 4 amp charging and uses a durable proprietary plug interface that won’t get mixed up with other chargers in your house and also plugs into the battery and frame charging port without the use of a dongle… it’s one of my all time favorite chargers in the entire space
• The locking core that secures the battery pack is made by ABUS and includes a special type of key with a code that allows you to match locks and other ABUS accessories… so you won’t have to deal with multiple keys
• I really like how the display shows battery percentage instead of just five or ten bars, and there’s a dynamic range estimator that updates based on the last mile of riding, the current level of assist, and the remaining battery capacity

Cons:

• It’s a bit heavier than some competing e-road bikes, because the frame is aluminum alloy vs. carbon fiber, the fork and seat post are carbon fiber however, which offers some vibration dampening… overall, the bike had some momentum and a different steering feel than a traditional road bike to me
• BULLS opted for the lower capacity Bosch PowerTube 500 vs. the new 625 watt hour, so it costs less and isn’t as heavy, but won’t go as far and cannot maintain the higher speeds for as long. You can’t upgrade to the PowerTube 625 because it’s physically longer… I was told that they use the 500 because it fit into the more compact frame
• As with most electric road bikes, the button pad is most usable when steering with the flat portion of the handlebar, if you’re in the hoods or drops, you can’t really change assist levels or interact with the display
• I don’t think that the bike comes with pedals, they expect most people to use clip-in or buy their own, it’s a minor thing but worth mentioning, this is how many high-end bikes are sold
• As with most road bikes, there’s no kickstand here, but unfortunately there’s also no kickstand provisions! Given the weight of this bike and the nature of an electric road bike (maybe used more recreationally than pure performance acoustic road bikes) I would have liked the option to add a kickstand, especially since the frame is aluminum alloy vs. carbon fiber
• The multi-step battery removal process can feel a bit precarious, especially because the battery comes out of the downtube in the down direction and you’ve got that shield to deal with and the front wheel and tire being close and no kickstand… consider getting help or maybe laying the bike down on its left side so you don’t drop the battery or the bike
• This is a pure road bike, there are no provisions for adding fenders or a rear rack, you could pay a shop to wire in lights from the Bosch motor controller but that will cost extra and there aren’t obvious locations to mount them
• Minor consideration, the tires are not reflective and do not include additional layers of puncture protection… since ebikes are heavier and tend to be ridden for longer distances and across more varied terrain (according to bike shops I’ve spoken with) these two tire upgrades would be nice to have

Useful Resources:

• Official BULLS North America website
• Bosch KioX display panel overview
• Bosch 4th Gen Motors (including the Performance Line Speed)
• Kinekt suspension seat post (carbon fiber model)
• Fazua motor on a different model of BULLS ebike for comparison vs. Bosch