The BULLS E-Stream EVO 45 FS combines some of my favorite features of electric bikes. It allows you to travel in full suspension comfort without concern for lost efficiency because it’s electric… and has an extra-large battery pack. It allows you to travel faster, in this case much faster, with advanced pedal assist up to 28 mph in a way that feels natural and blends in. And, it keeps you safe and visible with smart integrated lighting systems. Not only are they sleek and light weight, the rear light has a large reflective surface and gets extra bright when the brakes are activated (as with an automobile). This is one of the most purpose built and stealthy electric mountain bikes I’ve tested in recent years and while the price tag isn’t low, I think it’s reasonable given the limited options in this niche. If you’re someone who commutes by week and could appreciate the speed and lighting features but loves to hit the trails on the weekend and doesn’t want a flexy frame with cheaper suspension and touch points then this is one of your only options. You get an upgraded saddle, grips and capable hydraulic disc brakes (208 mm front rotor and 180 mm rear). The only accessory I felt was missing is a dropper seat post. I love the traditional diamond frame and appreciate how the battery interfaces with the downtube (from the bottom up), keeping it open for hanging on car or bus racks. With the exception of a few European mandated quirks like a spring loaded kickstand and oversized brake levers, this thing is exactly what it should be… and it even has bottle cage bosses. You won’t be distracted by a large display or overly noisy motor and with five frame sizes to choose from, it’s more likely to fit the tall and short riders alike. I had a blast testing this ebike and found myself subconsciously comparing it with the other leaders in the space, it left me a little envious.
Interfacing directly with the core of the frame, completely replacing the bottom bracket, is a 350 watt mid-drive motor from Brose. This thing peaks with 90 Newton meters of torque and can reach 530 watts when climbing in the highest level of assist. The compact black casing hides behind two chainrings and has a nice neoprene pad stuck to the bottom to reduce nicks and scrapes picked up on the trail. While you can definitely hear it operating at the highest levels, especially when pedaling with a higher RPM, it’s one of the quieter geared mid-drive motors I’ve tested. Inside, there’s a collection of gears and a belt transition that takes the edge off and reduces some of the mechanical vibration and sound. When riding on a dirt trail, especially with larger knobby tires, it almost disappears completely. One thing you won’t find here is a shift sensing controller. It measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence and torque but relies on you to shift consciously while backing off on pedal pressure (I usually ramp up my speed then ease off pedaling to switch smoothly). All in all, this motor is very capable and a lot of fun in the higher levels when paired with the wide range of gears. Brose and Yamaha are two of the only mainstream mid-drive systems offering this right now and while they aren’t quite as responsive as Bosch (winding down more slowly) they work quite well and tend to produce less noise. In short, the motor is great but it’s up to you to operate properly and empower it while avoiding damage to two derailleurs, the chain and sprockets. I believe in you…
Powering the motor and both integrated LED lights is a high capacity Lithium-ion battery pack. Inside are BMZ cells offering 37 volts and 17.5 amp hours of energy… enough to top 100 miles per charge if you’re willing to slow down a bit and use lower assist levels. Note that anytime you’re riding above 20mph, air resistance produces drag exponentially. People aren’t super aerodynamic when sitting up straight riding on a bulky mountain bike frame with wide knobby tires. And on those occasions where you throw efficiency to the wind and max out to 28 mph I’d suggest taking those turns very carefully lest you slide out and whack your chin as I have done on occasion. Wet grass is a big danger… but you may find yourself going from sidewalk to grassy hill to catch air. This bike feels a lot like flying because it can handle almost any terrain comfortably and won’t leave you breathless to maintain higher speeds. Back to the battery itself, the mounting interface is solid but a little tricky to work with. You have to push the pack up from beneath the downtube (latching the bottom and snapping the top). There’s a key and sliding lever thing which lets you unlock the pack. I do wish the keyed locking core was spring loaded and defaulted to locked vs. making you twist the key each time and I was being extra careful not to drop the battery when using the slider lever thing. The pack weighs about seven pounds which isn’t bad, but you’re actively pulling it down out of the downtube and the weight plus gravity plus trying to keep the bike from tipping can make it awkward at times. Thankfully, there’s a kickstand included with this bike (most e-mountain bikes don’t have them) but it’s spring loaded and constantly wants to slap back up. This is due to some European regulations… which also mandate large knob-ended brake levers, reflectors on the suspension fork and a license plate mount. Stepping back from the bike, once the battery is mounted properly, it looks just beautiful. And underneath the battery you’ve got another strip of foam padding to keep it protected. In short, the battery weight is positioned well and the quiet motor plus near-invisible battery result in a more normal looking electric mountain bike, one that won’t turn heads or ruffle feathers.
Operating the EVO 45 FS feels simple because the display panel is very basic and limited. Once the battery is charged and mounted (either charged on or off the bike) you sometimes have to press a power button on top of the downtube to get it to wake up. Next, you press the top edge of the button pad which is mounted within reach distance of the left grip. This brings up a nice display with speed, assist level and battery level readouts. It’s a transflective display, designed for easy reading in light or dark scenarios and it’s unique to Bulls from what I can tell. You click up or down to change power level (filling three boxes for full power) and pedal along, the drive systems kick in automatically from there. It’s very simple and easy to adjust without taking your eyes off the trail and there’s less to get scratched, broken (if you fall) or noticed as being “electric” by fellow riders. On the left side of this display button pad thing is another switch to activate the LED lights and as mentioned earlier, the rear light goes extra bright when braking. I love that they managed to squeeze in a Micro USB port on the display pad (near the base) for those who like to mount portable electronics to their handle bar cockpit area. Back to the go-anwhere speed commuting scenario, you could mount your phone and use GPS for longer rides without completely draining it. Just get the correct adapter off Amazon.
Not everyone cares about speed, full suspension or comfort the way I do. I’m not looking for a motorcycle here but I do enjoy the extra boost when riding in traffic and I only have the space and budget for one ebike. In so many ways, the BULLS E-Stream EVO 45 FS satisfies that vision. An ebike that blends in, is fun to ride and useful in a range of scenarios without being ridiculously expensive. Yes, $5,500 is far from cheap but it’s way less than some of the competing electric bicycles out there with similar designs like the Specialized Turbo. I like that Bulls went with Boost Technology (wider axles) and the sturdy thru-axle design front and rear. That’s a big deal when you’ve got large knobby tires, off-road and high speed. A dropper seat post would be easy to add yourself aftermarket and while I’m not sure where the cable would end up, the original brakes, shifter wires and electronics are all internally routed reducing snags and keeping the bike clean. Depending on how and where you’re riding, note the throttle lever on the rear derailleur which tightens the springs and reduces chain bounce and slap. It also makes shifting harder but is worth experimenting with as you go from streets and trails to bouncy rocks and mountains. The tires are tubeless ready and that’s one way to cut down on the heavier build (this is a 56 lb ebike) and that makes riding with lower PSI possible too… but do check on the pressure regularly given the weight of the bike slowly squeezing air out. Some people might want to explore a single sprocket up front given the 11 speed cluster in the rear (for even more weight savings and simplicity), Bulls is sold at a growing number of US dealers that could help you set it up and the two-year warranty is solid. This is a larger company with International distribution and a good reputation, I’d like to thank Bulls for partnering with me to make this review possible. We filmed on an access road in Southern California with some great views and had a blast.
Pros:
- One of the very few full suspension, higher-end, electric mountain bikes that is also a speed pedelec capable of 28 mph top speed!
- Integrated LED lights front and rear including a bright mode for the rear when you pull the brake levers… this increases safety if you’re using the bike to commute or jog around town during the week
- You get a few little extras from European standardization including a license plat mount at the back, larger brake levers with ball ends and a flick bell
- The battery blends in perfectly with the frame, it’s mounted up into the downtube and has a nice rock guard on the bottom (along with the motor) for protection off-road
- I love that the screws used to attach some plastic housing on top of the downtube (for the battery, charge port and controller) can be used to mount a bottle cage
- While you don’t get as many readouts with the Bulls display panel, I love how compact and easy to use it is, I also like the transflective readout technology which is easy to read in dark or super bright situations
- Built into the display ring is a Micro USB port that could maintain your phone, Garmin or other portable electronic device… it’s conveniently located and blends in
- 22 speed drivetrain with Shimano Deore XT Shadow Plus (has a tightening lever to reduce chain slap), offers plenty of range for climbing or reaching and maintaining higher top speeds… just awesome and perfect for a speed pedelec, I also like the chainring bash guard on it
- I love the adjustable air suspension components here, both from RockShox with 150 mm travel, but would consider adding a dropper seat post for added versatility transitioning from climbing to descending
- You can get the E-Stream EVO 45FS in five frame sizes which is really impressive to me, I’d consider four to be a lot but that makes this bike even more accessible to a range of body types
- Both wheels offer quick release and use thicker longer axles (with Boost technology) for strength and stiffness with the larger tires
- I like that the battery us removable to reduce weight and that the top triangle on the bike is more traditional because it’s much easier to hang from some racks
- Very nice hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro, these are ebike specific (with the light integration) and offer great stopping power with a 203/180 setup vs. just 180 mm rotors on both
- Super-fast 5 Amp charger compared with more standard 2 Amp or 4 Amp, nice to have given the larger capacity… I also like the magnetic EnergyBus plug style that will pop off vs. bending or tipping the bike
- The motor is smooth and quiet, apparently there’s a rubber belt inside transferring power between standard gears and this reduces vibration and abrasion
Cons:
- The little rubber cover flap meant to protect the charge port from dust and water doesn’t stay put very well, I had to work with it a bit each time which was frustrating
- The locking core on the left side of the downtube is directly in the path of the left crank arm which means it could get snagged or bent easily… be careful not to leave the key in and make sure the battery is fully secure, I believe you have to manually turn again to lock the battery vs. just having it always locked when clicked in
- Unlike Bosch and some of the nicer Yamaha display panels, this setup lacks a range estimator and battery percentage readout which makes it difficult to gauge distance at times, you just have a five bar battery info-graphic
- No shift sensing technology with the Brose motor controller but the advanced assist makes shifting crunch-free if you just ease off a little and practice
- I was surprised to find out that the bike weighs 56 lbs because many other premium FS ebikes are in the 52 lb range but this one has a larger capacity battery and reinforced top tube so that’s probably what does it
- The kickstand has this automatic spring action that I really dislike… easy enough to remove the stand if you want (I believe this is a requirement for European speed pedelecs but I feel that it’s unstable and bikes tend to tip more with it)
Resources:
- Official Site: http://www.bullsebikes.com/
- More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/awiY9pQbePWqWxQL9
Jay says
Nice video overview it’s a good looker I really wanted to like it a lot more but the lack of shift sensing would stop me from considering this as a 2nd ebike. Its been around now for a while so I don’t see why Brose, having achieved pretty much a premium product positioning aren’t inclined to incorporate it. If you appreciate shift sensing as I feel most people who have experienced it do then it’s not something you want to downgrade from. A bit like going back to dial up. Ok maybe a little harsh but you’ll know what I mean. Stopped me from moving to the Specialized Turbo Levo. Of course this isn’t Bulls fault so maybe manufacturers are a better voice to apply some pressure on what is otherwise a best in class motor option.
Any idea if the shift sensing ‘tech’ is patented or limited in some way? It can’t be that tricky to incorporate.
Court Rye says
Hi Jay! I feel you… it’s interesting that Bosch and Impulse can do shift sensing, even some more generic Bafang mid-drive systems can add a bit of hardware to make it possible like e-RAD does, but I haven’t heard anything from Brose or Yamaha. My Turbo Levo is still working great but I never ever mash the gears. Admittedly, I don’t get to ride as much as I’d like to but I always shift carefully and it hasn’t posed a real issue. On the flip side, my Uncle owns a Haibike with Bosch and has gone through five chains and two derailleurs over a two year daily ride period. I am not sure if he shifts differently than me or it’s just the added forces of electric. You CAN mash on Bosch, their shift sensing is software driven but to me, it’s better than nothing. I am careful regardless of the platform. If you’ve got a mid-drive, you will be putting more pressure on some components it so it’s important to take that into consideration ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Nicolas says
Great in-depth article! I test rode this bike at the last Long Beach Expo and was really impressed with it. It handled the obstacle course with such brio and aplomb that I’m smitten with it :) You can sense how well put together it is and oozes quality built. I’m looking forward to a more in-depth test ride and finding out more.
Court Rye says
Hey Nicolas! I’m looking forward to more comments from you because your vocabulary rocks… Perhaps an update on this bike if you decide to buy one?!
Nicolas Zart says
Thanks Court, looking forward to this amazing community. Decide to buy one? Hum, that’s a tough one. More like, two, three, four… I wish, and I’m working on it.
The good problem with modern e-bikes is that they are so good. I’m not sure if most people remember what was available 10 years ago? Crickets… OK, one or two brands and a lot of DIY conversions and modifications. It was slim picking. Today, you have such a wide choice of availability. It’s truly impressive!
Ken says
Thank you for the great review on this as well as so many other bikes Court! I must admit that I have been binge watching your reviews and they have literally been keeping me up at night and I am so sleep deprived right now… I am so excited to get an e-bike and want to pull the trigger and get one ASAP, but am doing my best to take a step back and make sure I make a good choice and wise investment. I’m basically considering two completely different categories and price points. I’m considering a couple of significantly less expensive options (E-Glide ST and Magnum Peak), but I’ll comment on those separately as I’m guessing that would be more appropriate and useful for others.
The Bulls EVO 45 is clearly at the upper price point and I am very intrigued by it. I know you ended up getting a Specialized Turbo Levo FSR Expert and I know it was important for you to have a class one bike to open up as many riding options as possible, but I’m curious if you can share any other thoughts between these Bulls and the Specialized that led you to go Specialized as I know they have class one Bulls versions as well. I’m personally leaning towards this Bulls EVO 45 because I want to use this as a commuting bike as well as a multipurpose bike as well as an off-road mountain bike. I like the idea of the 28 mph from the perspective of getting to work quicker and staying with traffic better, but I’m also a bit concerned that the state of Oregon may decide that this is not legally considered a bicycle… I also like the integrated lights, bigger battery = longer range, and lower price point. With all that said, I like the idea of the Specialized (I would likely be considering the Comp instead of the Expert) better because I’m familiar with the brand and dealer network (but have never heard of Bulls before), I like the idea of a bit wider tires, and I really like the look! The only thing I wish these bikes had was a throttle as that would be even more ideal from my perspective… Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Also some more specific questions with respect to the Bulls EVO 45 – Is the motor really a 350 watt or was this a typo and should it be a 250 watt? How wide are the tires on this bike? I’m sorry for the long comment, but thank you again for all of your work and any thoughts you may have! Ken
Court Rye says
Hi Ken! Great questions… I chose the Turbo Levo Comp but it was sold out so I ended up with an Expert. I paid over $6,500 with it after a discount from Specialized (since I was going to review it, they’re an advertiser and they didn’t have the cheaper Comp model). The reason I chose Specialized and paid a premium was because this was one of the first ebikes in the USA to offer the Brose motor. I wanted to get one, test it out and do some long term review/feedback videos. ALSO! I wanted to learn from the experts at Peloton Cycles in Fort Collins. They let me film and everything so I got like three videos out of the experience along with a great bike. So I guess the short feedback would be that Bulls is a solid brand, I didn’t avoid them but just didn’t have the option AND wanted to get some great support and learning. I hope this helps you with the decision and sorry I’m a bit short of time or would elaborate further… feel free to connect in the forums or ping me with other comments. I’ll do my best to help ;)
Ken says
Thank you for the initial response Court; I appreciate it. As much as I’d like to try one of the Haibikes with the new Yamaha pw-x motor, which really sounds interesting to me, it doesn’t sound like that will happen for another year at this point according to my local dealer… Have you been able to ride anything with this motor yet? If not and assuming it would be another year wait, that brings me back to Bulls and Brose for now I think. I’m now down to 2 bikes, the Bulls EVO 45 and the Bulls EVO FS3 Plus… I’m really (I mean REALLY and SERIOUSLY!) having a hard time making up my mind between these two bikes. Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to ride both of them, so I’m hoping maybe you could share some thoughts given you reviewed both and appeared to have ridden both back to back on the same day on the same terrain. What I’m really really curious about is aside from the obvious differences in top speed, tire width, lights, bell, kick stand, seat, brakes, etc., is there any noticeable difference in power between the two under 20mph based on the 350 watt rating vs. the 250 watt rating? Any other differences or thoughts would be most welcome! Thank you again for all the great work and help!!! Ken
Court Rye says
Hi Ken! I can tell you’ve been digging deep on these two. Sounds like you’ve identified the main differences and indeed, the bikes are very similar. For many people, the high speed option is a big deal and it’s something you cannot add once the bike has been purchased. The feeling of both motors is similar… but you end up going faster and perhaps accelerating faster on the 45. I like how that bike looks, appreciate the kickstand and larger brake rotor at the front. I’d probably pay more for that one because I ride in and around town frequently and it’s very easy to hit 20 mph with either bike but then you’re basically stuck at 20-23 mph with the slower motor because of air resistance and bike weight. Note that you will drain the 45 battery faster due to the higher speed but these packs are big. Most of my riding is on streets but I love dirt paths and jumps… where speed helps again :P
randy says
Has anyone heard whether or not BULLS will update the BULLS E-STREAM EVO 45 FS for 2019?
court says
Hi Randy! I haven’t heard from them about this. Seems like companies are holding products for two or more seasons with these updated systems… maybe opting for very minor tweaks or color adjustments. Bulls has been easy to work with in the past and I plan to review their 2019 models at some point, maybe in the fall of this year? Keep an eye out, maybe someone else will chime in to help :)
Randy says
Thanks for the quick reply. Your reviews are a big help in the e-bike world. Glad you’re doing them!! Keep up the good work..
Haakon Hoelseter says
Is it possible to mount fenders on this bike? And a rack?
Court says
Hi Haakon! Yes, it is technically possible, but the solutions are limited because of the full suspension design and lack of bosses. There’s a neat rear rack called the Tailfin that might work, but otherwise you’ll need a beam rack from Topeak or another company like this and the fenders will be similar. I’ve seen ones that mount to the base of the steering column and one that connects to the seat post (like the beam rack, which might already be enough of a fender on its own) or you could get some plastic mud guards like these instead (that’s what most mountain bikers use). Hope this helps you out a bit :)
Haakon Hoelseter says
Yes, This is what i was looking for. I wanted to use this bike off road and to work. It can get weary cold here in Norway, during winter. So I don’t want to get wet and freeze. Thanks for the response! :D
Haakon Hoelseter says
Is this min and max range, the range you guys have tested? Or is it the range the manufacturer specified? I have bought a lot of electrical vehicles, and they always go about 50% of the estimated range that the manufacturer has specified. Even if I try to save as much power as possible. Do you guys know the range you are actually going to get in real life?
Court says
Hi Haakon, I haven’t fully range tested all of the models that are reviewed here but I do have a sense of what each motor is capable of. The Brose drive system is extremely efficient and the high capacity 17.5 amp hour battery here is way above average. I provide a wider estimate of min/max range because there are so many factors to consider… such as weather, terrain, tire pressure, rider weight, level of assist, how effectively gears are used to empower the motor. I hope this serves as a reliable reference point, but it’s just an estimate and I do welcome real world feedback in the comments from people who own and ride the bikes :)
Haakon Hoelseter says
Hello again. I am about 183cm / 6 feet tall. Somebody know what frame size I need?
Court says
Hi Haakon, I think you’d fit either the 19.29 in (48.99 cm) or 21.26 in (54 cm) frame size. It seems like you’re right in between the two, so it might come down to reach. Some people prefer a slightly smaller frame size for their body which reduces the reach and creates a more upright body position. Either frame will allow you to pedal comfortably by raising the saddle. There really isn’t that much of a difference, it would be cool if you could demo the two back to back, but I realize that this is not always possible. I hope this helps! I’m 5’9″ (175cm) tall and fit between the 17.32 in (43.99 cm) and 19.29 in (48.99 cm) frame sizes for this ebike but usually opt for large because I like the sporty forward body position with longer reach for mountain biking :)
Haakon Hoelseter says
Does anybody know what ip rating this bike has? Is it ip67?
Court says
Hi Haakon! I reached out to the leaders at Bulls and was told that “Brose components are all IP56 and Bosch components are all IP54 rated”. I hope this helps in your buying decision :D
Marty says
I have a Bulls E-Stream Evo 45 FS. I can’t figure out how to use walk mode, and their instructions were clearly not written by someone whose first language was English! When you get stopped on a steep uphill climb, Walk assist is essential, but I don’t see how to enable it.
Court says
Hmm, I’m not sure if this ebike has walk mode? It’s usually a separate button on the top or bottom of the control pad, but some ebikes initiate it by holding the + or – keys. This is called the BLOCKS display, maybe there’s a YouTube video or someone can help you out in the BULLS forums here.
Alcino Major says
**A simple question: WHERE I CAN BUY A ORIGINAL BMZ SECOND BATTERY FOR THIS BIKE?**
Court says
Hi Alcino, I think you could get some feedback on this in the BULLS Ebike forums, or ask the company directly… or get your existing pack re-filled with fresh battery cells using a service provider like FTH Power. I hope this helps! Have to be brief because I’m traveling and filming right now ;)