2017 BULLS LACUBA EVO E45 Review

The BULLS Lacuba EVO E45 is the kind of electric bicycle I’d choose in place of a car. It can go far, it can go fast (28 mph vs. 20 mph on most electric bikes) and it’s fairly comfortable. With full length integrated fenders, a slim chain guard, twenty gears to shift through and integrated lights with a brake mode that goes extra bright anytime you pull the levers… this ebike is fully capable and safe feeling, adding to the LED lights is reflective tire paint that is visible from the sides so you are less likely to get blindsided. Given the longer distances and faster performance from this bike I think it’s important to also feel comfortable and tho that end you get name brand locking ergonomic grips from Ergon, a sturdy adjustable angle stem and a vented comfort saddle from Selle Royale. The battery pack offers 37 volts and a whopping 17.5 amp hours of capacity for extended range and I think that makes it a contender for trekking and touring rides as well as commuting. One feature that really stood out to me when testing this bike was the large display panel that communicates your leg power and the motor power with charts on either side of the dash so you can lear to ride more in sync with the bike and perhaps shift more efficiently. At $4,400 this is not the worlds cheapest electric bike but the Shimano Deore XT drivetrain, multiple size offering and two frame builds (high-step and mid-step) don’t come free. You do get a two year comprehensive warranty and BULLS is an international brand going on its second year in the USA as of 2017 with positive feedback from the consumers I’ve chatted with.

Some things I do not like as much about this bike include the kickstand, which springs back up automatically and makes the frame easier to tip accidentally. The battery can be charged on or off the bike but the rubber flap that covers the charging port on the downtube doesn’t fit into the slot very easily and might let dust and water in over time. The keyhole, where you unlock the pack, is also positioned in a sort of vulnerable spot right where the left crank arm rotates by… so it could get bent or even broken if you’re not careful. And while I love the aesthetic of this and other BULLS models, the battery pack mounts up into the downtube so getting it out requires a bit of extra care and coordination so that it doesn’t drop down and hit the ground. Note that the battery can be left on the bike without being locked on as well, this just adds one more consideration and process to forget or skip. I’m more a fan of other systems like Bosch and Yamaha that automatically lock the pack in once it’s seated. Finally, as with all current gen Brose drive systems, there is no shift sensing so you’ll want to be extra careful when riding and shifting… plan ahead so you don’t mash those gears and chain, just ease off the pedals to de-activate the torque sensor and then shift while spinning more gently.

So coming back to what works on this bike and where it would fit in terms of use. I think there are three big considerations when purchasing an electric bike for daily use and transportation. The reliability is important, the balance and handling and the fit. There are always ways to improve comfort with accessories or adjustments to the existing hardware but the Lacuba E45 already has that nailed down with the adjustable stem and range of sizes. I think I’d strongly consider the step-thru frame here vs. the more traditional “male” diamond high-step because I’d put the rack to use with a trunk bag or panniers and really hate knocking my knee on those things when swinging it over. One thing that impressed me with the frame designs was how stiff and solid they felt, even the mid-step, because of the triangular multi-tube designs. Yes, the low-step isn’t as low as some wave frames but it offers better performance. I was delighted to see that they even managed to squeeze a bottle cage in the triangle and added a second pair of bosses to the top tube! Again, excellent almost necessary additions if you want to ride long distance.

At the end of the day, I see this ebike as true transportation. You don’t have the speed limitations, the safety concerns or the quality questions that some other cheaper bikes present. It was very comfortable and built solid. Even if you did really push this thing and run out of juice before arriving at your destination, the 20 speed drivetrain ensures you could still lug this 61.5 lb bike up a hill without too much effort (though it would be slow). On the flip side, pedaling at full speed also felt comfortable and the frame handled well… no speed wobble here. The motor and battery blend in perfectly with the gray/black color scheme and keep weight super low and centered. The charger is a little larger and heavier than some others I’ve seen but it’s not the worst and you could easily toss it into a trunk bag for charging on the go. The carry rack has excellent pannier blockers on the side and is made by iRack so you can fit their branded accessories (kind of like Topeak does) or you could get something like this for $17 which has a zip-out pannier flaps and a shoulder strap for easy transport when you get off the bike… taking your gear along to keep it safe. The nice thing is, you don’t have to worry about taking the lights with you, the display is removable to reduce exposure and vandalism and the battery locks securely. It’s a great setup in my opinion. Big thanks to Bulls for partnering with me for this review.

Pros:

• Not only does the bike come in a high-step and a mid-step frame style but there are four frame sizes to choose from and all of them have two pairs of bottle cage bosses! Many times I see electric bikes that don’t have these extra mounting points and that makes accessing water or accessories less convenient
• This e-bike would make for an excellent commuting or trekking platform because of the premium rack (with pannier guards and clasp point) and full-length fenders… not to mention integrated lights front and rear and nice bell
• The rear light is setup to get brighter when you activate the brakes, this make you even more visible when riding in low-light conditions and specifically when changing speeds
• Massive 203 mm hydraulic disc brakes for smooth but powerful stopping, they’re designed to reduce the effort needed to brake and stand up to heavier loads if you’re trekking and carrying a lot of gear
• Slim, light weight chain guard keeps your pants or dress from getting greasy and dirty, the kickstand is positioned far back on the frame to stay clear of your crank arms
• Comfortable Selle Royal saddle, slim adjustable suspension fork, ergonomic grips and adjustable angle stem help you ride longer, even the handle bar (which is raised a bit) improves comfort and control
• In addition to the lights, which help you see and be seen, are reflective striping marks on the tires, these increase your visual footprint so cars and other cyclists notice you coming from the side
• The Schwalbe Energizer Plus tires are designed to be puncture resistant, they feature a Kevlar lining that resists thorns, tacks, glass and other sharp objects
• The display panel is bright, easy to read and understand and its casing is sturdy, I love that it can be completely removed from the mount for safe keeping, I also like that they included two power graphs that show you real-time how much energy you are exerting and how much the bike is spending… it might change how you ride and shift the gears and ultimately help you conserve electricity on longer rides
• Both wheels offer quick release making service and transport easier, the battery pack also comes off the frame fairly easily and can be charged separately
• The Lacuba EVO E45 is one of the stealthiest electric bikes I’ve seen thanks to its completely integrated battery and compact mid-drive motor… it’s also very quiet
• I love that the bike can go above 20 mph! This is useful for commuting, keeping up with traffic and just cutting down on the time it takes
• You get an extra large battery pack here that’s designed to make trekking and touring possible or offset the air resistance drag of riding at higher speeds
• Excellent two year comprehensive warranty provides some peace of mind, also, BULLS has been operating in Europe and other countries for years and seems to have a good reputation for quality
• You get 20 gears on this bike so you can really dial in how you pedal, making it comfortable and capable for climbing or riding at high speed… it’s nice having those extra gears if you ride super far and run out of battery just short of your destination because the bike does weigh 60+ lbs, most mid-drive bikes are limited to 11 gears and don’t have a front derailleur like this so that’s one big advantage of the Brose motor system
• The short travel suspension fork and medium width tires offer a good balance of comfort to efficiency and performance but if you’re riding far and hitting bumpy rattly terrain consider a 31.6 mm seat post suspension, SR Suntour (the same people who make the fork for this bike) make a good one called the NCX here

Cons:

• If the bike hasn’t been used for a while the battery enters sleep mode and you have to press the power button on top of the pack as well as on the control pad, this confused me at first when going directly to the display pad as I thought maybe the bike needed to be charged or had an issues
• The rubber charging cover for the battery didn’t fit easily and made me wonder if dust and water might get in over time… I like that the interface is magnetic so the plug doesn’t get bent or tip the bike if you trip over it however
• Be sure to lock the battery to the bike as you can simply connect it without locking (many other bikes activate the lock when the battery clicks in?) also note that if the key is left in it could get bent by the left crank arm which rotates close past the keyhole
• No shift sensing technology on this bike… considering you get 20 speeds to shift through I’d recommend being careful and learning how to ease off pressure when shifting to avoid mashing of the chain and sprockets, the motor uses torque sensing so it’s easy to pedal up to speed then back off while still rotating in order to reduce strain when shifting
• I dislike the Hebie spring activated kickstand, yes it’s mounted in the correct place but the fact that it automatically swivels up makes the bike less stable and this thing is expensive, I don’t want it to tip and in my experience normal fixed kickstands work just fine :(
• At roughly 2.2 lbs the battery charger is a little heavy and large, though I love that it uses the EnergyBus standard (sending data and electricity) because I believe it makes updates easier
• Since the battery mounts up into the downtube vs. sitting on top of it I found that you have to use more care when removing it (so that it doesn’t just drop out and hit the ground)