Corratec LIFEBIKE Review

The Corratec LIFEBIKE presents itself almost like a medical device… a product that can improve heart rate, flexibility and even address obesity in a safe and fun way. And in my opinion, yes, it and other electric bicycle products do offer these benefits if used properly. You still get a workout with pedal-assist (you have to pedal along to make it go after all) and the feelings of being outside with other people and nature can improve mood (at least for me). This is a product that could help you to lose weight but not all ebikes are up to the challenge. What Corratec has done here is blend accessibility with ruggedness. The deep step-thru frame makes mounting and dismounting easy. You can stand over the frame easily at stops and control the bike even if the rear rack is loaded with work supplies or groceries. And when you’re on it, even if you’re overweight, the bike feels stiff thanks to a double downtube design and internally reinforced tubing. They call it “Fusion Tube Edge” but basically it’s just an additional layer of perforated Aluminum running through the larger downtube to improve strength. From a utility perspective, this ebike checks the boxes but it goes one step further by addressing comfort. The saddle, for instance, is very unique. Instead of two rubber bumpers or inverted springs, it has one large rubber pad that allows the saddle to flex and almost pivot side to side. This reduces thigh rub and allows people with sensitive hip joints to pedal more comfortably. Many other e-bikes with “comfort” saddles take the fun out of pedaling by positioning you far back and keeping knees bent. This bike is still comfortable and relaxed due to a large sweeping handlebar, suspension fork and medium tires but it can be setup for a more active and enjoyable “cycling” experience and I love that. I actually had a blast riding this bike… Between the adjustable angle stem, ergonomic grips and four frame size options (the medium fit my 5’9″ body very well) it just felt smooth and comfortable, even on the bumpy New York City streets and the Williamsburg Bridge. One other very unique feature on this bike was bar weights. These inserts fit into the end of the handlebar and actually add weight to act as a counter to vibration. They stick out a little at the ends but are rounded and not sharp… certainly not far enough out to make fitting through doors a limitation. If are willing to spend a bit more, this is an electric bicycle product that truly delivers. You get comfort, durable hardware and a solid two year warranty. And while Corratec has limited distribution in the USA right now, it uses the Bosch drive system here on the Life Bike which is widely supported with easy to find battery and display replacements.

The motor powering this bike is a Bosch Performance Line Cruise offering 63 Newton meters of peak torque output. In terms of watts, it offers 250 to 500+, but don’t let that fool you. Yes, in the USA many ebikes tout 500 to 750 watt motors… but they are usually hub motors that aren’t as efficient or zippy as this. Some ebikes have throttles and that might sound appealing too, but the Bosch pedal-assist is so quick and powerful (in the highest level) that it almost feels like a throttle. You get more range and are able to qualify as Class 1 here meaning that the bike can be used in more locations (including New York City where they have a strict law about throttles on unlicensed vehicles due to delivery cyclists). The motor controller measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence and pedal torque one thousand times per second and turns an 18 tooth chainring 2.5 times for every crank revolution. It’s very fast and does produce a bit of electronic whining, but it’s my favorite drive system at the time of this review because it can support up to 120 pedal rotations per minute. This is great for someone like me who prefers to pedal light and fast vs. slow and heavy due to a knee injury. But don’t worry, it does just fine for slow pedaling too. I like that Corratec was able to paint the motor casing silver to match the bike. You can get the LIFEBIKE in black as well but it might not stand out in dark conditions as well and I’m a safety nut. With reflective tires, standard plastic reflector accessories and pedals as well as integrated LED lights. This is an ebike that will help you stay visible and feel safe even if you aren’t a seasoned cyclist.

Powering the bike is a rack-mounted Bosch Powerpack 400 battery. It offers 36 volts and 11 amp hours for nearly 400-watt hours of capacity which I’d call average. That energy is used very efficiently if you shift properly and the Bosch display has a little up and down arrow indicating when you should shift. This can be de-activated by holding reset and i on the display and navigating through the settings (where you can also change from mph to km/h and adjust the clock). The battery is compact and light at ~5.5 lbs and fits inside the rack tubing which keeps it safe if the bike tips. The kickstand is not generic but an adjustable length Pletscher branded stand mounted near the left dropout at the rear. It does not get in the way of pedaling and supports the weight of the bike well. Weight is one area where this ebike compromises a bit… and it really is just a bit. The Medium I test rode with the optional upgraded NuVinci Harmony was about 61 lbs with the pack attached. But you can easily remove the battery, display panel and front wheel to reduce weight. So the pack can be charged on or off the frame and has a solid locking core to keep it from being stolen or tampered with. You don’t need to leave the keys in while riding but I did, just to keep track of them. The battery locks into place automatically when pushed all the way back. Bosch only uses high-quality cells and the Lithium-ion chemistry is known for being resilient and long lasting.

Operating the Life Bike is pretty straight forward, don’t let the large display intimidate you. This thing is actually cool because it’s easy to read, automatically backlit for use at night and has a Micro-USB port on the top right edge. I do wish it put out more than 500 mA though because not all devices can charge with this lower current. Samsung devices seem to work alright and with a phone mount you could cruise the city using GPS without concern for phone life. Anyway, to activate the bike just press the power button at the lower left edge of the display then press the i button on the display or the button pad near the left grip to cycle through trip stats… and hold the i button to get to the NuVinci Harmony settings. This menu allows you to specify a pedal cadence which is automatically matched, no matter the terrain or bike speed. Having tried the Shimano STePs electronic auto-shifting product, I have to say I prefer the NuVinci. What a cool feeling, no more thinking about shifting gears, it automatically shifts and even downshifts when you stop! The handlebar area of this bike is very clean without the need for shifters and you don’t have to worry about mashing gears or losing your chain the way you do with the less expensive 10 Speed Shimano Deore drivetrain. Is it worth $1,000 and ~3 pounds extra for the Harmony? It’s a tough pill to swallow but I’d say yes. It’s just so cool, durable and clean compared to a chain and this is the perfect ebike to have it installed on.

Despite looking kind of average or even slightly ugly… this is one of the more exciting electric bikes I’ve tried recently. It feels great, even compared back to back with the step-thru Kalkhoff Agattu (shown in the video review). Both bikes are step-thru, both have Bosch motors (though the Kalkhoff uses a weaker Active Line version) and both are setup for recreational cruising or commuting, but the LIFEBIKE just feels smoother with its mountain-level suspension fork, large hydraulic disc brakes, zippy mid-drive and handlebar weights. Until this review, I had never heard of Corratec but I love what they’re doing here and I’m excited to see this product in the USA. If you’re a fat person (and I don’t mean to use that word insensitively) or someone with a knee injury or just feeling a little timid about cycling with friends… keeping up and climbing hills, ebikes can be a great solution and this would be one of my top choices. It’s intimidating to spend a lot of money at once but there is a huge potential for buyers remorse from getting a cheap product with a limited warranty, too weak of motor and the possibility of no replacement batteries down the line. Bosch will be there even if the LIFEBIKE evolves and their rear rack battery is used on many models. I do wish they had squeezed in some bottle cage bosses for fluids or a folding lock but that might have compromised the stronger frame. I’m not going to put myself at risk saying the bike can hold more than 350 lbs but it’s probably a better candidate for experimentation given the reinforced rims, thicker spokes and sturdy frame. I hope this helps more people enjoy the outdoors and gain the confidence and fitness to get healthy. Sincerely.

Pros:

• The downtube is extra stiff and sturdy thanks to their “Fusion Tube Edge” design, the downtube is not hollow, there is an extra layer of Aluminum alloy bisecting the tube
• In order to make the bike strong enough to handle ~350 lbs of rider+cargo weight the LIFEBIKE has a supporting top tube that follows the downtube, thicker 12 gauge spokes, reinforcement eyelets on the rims, a tapered steering tube and a thicker seat post
• I had never seen handlebar weights before but they did reduce vibration while riding,
  the handlebar itself is swept back and the ergonomic grips feel good, the weights extended the bars a little but carry inertia and flex the bar vs. transferring all movement into your hands
• Excellent safety features including reflective tires, integrated LED lights at the front and rear, standard plastic reflectors and the option for a higher visibility frame color (silver)
• Wide-coverage fenders and a plastic chain cover help to keep your shoes and pants clean and dry
• Sturdy rear rack with pannier blockers and battery enclosure that offers up to ~48 lbs of capacity (~6 lbs is taken up by the battery pack)
• I Love that you can charge the battery on or off this bike, that you get a fast charger putting out 4 Amps vs. just 2 on most ebikes and that the display is removable and has a little Micro USB port for charging portable electronics
• The suspension fork on this ebike is nicer than most other “city” or “cruiser” products,
  being an air fork vs. coil it weighs less and you can set the compression by adding or removing air to suit a wide range of rider sizes
• With four frame sizes to choose from and a deep step-thru “wave” design, this electric bicycle is approachable for short and tall riders alike, the adjustable angle stem takes it even further by extending or reducing reach length
• Minor detail here but the motor casing is silver! most of the time Bosch centerdrives are black which wouldn’t blend in as nicely as this one does, it also has a plastic scuff guard on the bottom for protection
• The NuVinci Harmony system is very cool… you can choose an “automatic” cadence between 30 to 120 RPM or select from virtual gears all using the Bosch Intuvia button pad on the left… hold the “i” button at any time to get to the NuVinci RPM selector then hold “i” again to switch from automatic to 9 manual gearing settings
• Powerful hydraulic brakes offer the kind of stopping power you need for heavier loads,
  these would be good enough for mountain biking (the front rotor is 180 mm with four pistons vs. two on most ebikes), adjustable reach levers should accommodate large or small hands well

Cons:

• Unfortunately, I have been unable to reach the founder of Corratec Life since this review was created. The founder did not honor a service fee that we had agreed upon to help make the trip to New York possible and I have not been able to reach him since, this gives me pause as to how he will treat customers who may experience issues with the product and of course, it feels bad to have spent so much time and energy trying to make this right, even lowering my service fee, without a response
• The pedals on this bike feel stiff and work okay in dry environments but might slip if your shoes are wet, they aren’t very large or grippy, consider something like this if you’ve got big feet but note that if you slip the knobs can cut your shins more easily
• Owing to its overbuilt frame and optional NuVinci drivetrain, this electric bike can weight a bit more… it ranges from 56 to 62 lbs depending on the options you get
• The fenders were alright but I noticed the front one did not extend past the suspension fork, this surprised me because water can sometimes flick up and get blown back into your face (you could always swap this fender for a different one I suppose)
• The rear-rack battery positions some weight up and back which is not as great for balance and takes some of the carrying capacity while further raising your cargo
• The Micro USB charging port on the side of the Bosch Intuvia display only puts out 5 Volts at 500 milliamps vs. 1 Amp so it doesn’t work perfectly with all devices, like iPhones
• If you get the NuVinci Harmony with electronic shifting, you may need to charge the unit at the plastic housing on the right side of the bike using a Mini-USB (apparently not very often though, like once a year from what Phil told me?!)
• Despite the long top tube and seat tube with plenty of room, there are no bottle cage bosses (perhaps to maintain frame strength), consider using a trunk bag like this with a bottle holster, you could also carry the charger with this very easily to extend your range
• The lalrger saddle is comfortable but could collide with the carry rack if you lower it all the way down… and some short riders might need to lower it for a proper fit, this could require scooching saddle forward or using the rear rack without a trunk bag (side-mounting panniers only)
• Keep an eye on the adjustable angle stem, these can come loose over time with lots of bumpy riding or powerful use, you might want to swap it out with a rigid stem if you encounter this

Resources:

• Official Site: http://www.lifebike.de/en-US/
• More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/79cv5zoZcsDTt1JR8