Name: Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 Review
Item: Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0
Author: Court Rye

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Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 Review

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Electric Bike Review 1

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Gates Carbon Drive Cdx Belt

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 36 Volt 17 Amp Hour Battery

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Lcd Display Panel

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Fizik Rondine Saddle

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Rear Rack With Led Light And Fender

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Adjustable Kickstand

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Rst Pulse Rl Suspension Fork

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Shimano Alfine Inter 11

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Ergon Locking Grips

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Schwalbe Energizer Pro 700 38c

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Electric Bike

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Trapez Step Thru Frame

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 2015 Models

Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1 0 Trapez Diamant

Long range and high speed (28 mph) capable, feature rich electric bike available in five sizes and two frame styles (high-step and step-thru)
Well priced considering the air suspension fork with remote lockout, premium Ergon locking grips, Fizik Rondine saddle, Magura MT5 Speed hydraulic disc brakes, B&M LED lights, full length fenders and rack with integrated mini-pump and pannier blockers
Smooth, quite, clean and durable drivetrain thanks to a Gates Carbon Drive CDX instead of a traditional chain and internally geared Shimano Alfine 11 hub instead of a cassette and derailleur
Excellent two year warranty, great frame balance (battery and drive are mounted low and center), no quick release on rear, display not removable

Make:

Focus

Model:

Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0

Price:

$4,999 USD

Body Position:

Forward

Suggested Use:

Urban, Commuting, Touring

Electric Bike Class:

Speed Pedelec (Class 3)

Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

2 Year Compehensive

Availability:

United States

Model Year:

2015

Total Weight:

54 lbs (24.49 kg)

Battery Weight:

6.5 lbs (2.94 kg)

Motor Weight:

8.4 lbs (3.81 kg)

Frame Material:

Aluminum Alloy

Frame Sizes:

18 in (45.72 cm)19.7 in (50.03 cm)21.7 in (55.11 cm)23.6 in (59.94 cm)

Geometry Measurements:

Trapez: Small 18” (460 mm Seat Tube, 570 mm Top Tube, 71° Head Tube Angle, 73.5° Seat Tube Angle, 526 mm Chain Stay Length, 60 mm Bottom Bracket Drop, 135 mm Head Tube, 460 mm Fork Length, 45 mm Fork Rake, 1149 mm Wheelbase, 647 mm Stack, 397 mm Reach), Trapez: Medium 19.7” (500 mm Seat Tube, 580 mm Top Tube, 71° Head Tube Angle, 73.5° Seat Tube Angle, 526 mm Chain Stay Length, 60 mm Bottom Bracket Drop, 135 mm Head Tube, 460 mm Fork Length, 45 mm Fork Rake, 1153 mm Wheelbase, 664 mm Stack, 403 mm Reach), Diamant: Medium 19.7” (500 mm Seat Tube, 580 mm Top Tube, 71.5° Head Tube Angle, 73.5° Seat Tube Angle, 526 mm Chain Stay Length, 60 mm Bottom Bracket Drop, 135 mm Head Tube, 460 mm Fork Length, 45 mm Fork Rake, 1153 mm Wheelbase, 619 mm Stack, 397 mm Reach), Diamant: Large 21.7” (550 mm Seat Tube, 695 mm Top Tube, 71.5° Head Tube Angle, 73° Seat Tube Angle, 526 mm Chain Stay Length, 55 mm Bottom Bracket Drop, 170 mm Head Tube, 460 mm Fork Length, 45 mm Fork Rake, 1166 mm Wheelbase, 647 mm Stack, 397 mm Reach), Diamant: X-Large 23.6” (600 mm Seat Tube, 610 mm Top Tube, 71.5° Head Tube Angle, 73° Seat Tube Angle, 526 mm Chain Stay Length, 55 mm Bottom Bracket Drop, 220 mm Head Tube, 460 mm Fork Length, 45 mm Fork Rake, 1182 mm Wheelbase, 694 mm Stack, 398 mm Reach)

Frame Types:

Step-Thru, High-Step

Frame Colors:

Dark Gray

Frame Fork Details:

RST Pulse RL Magnesium Air Suspension with Remote Lockout

Attachment Points:

Rear Rack Bosses, Fender Bosses, Bottle Cage Bosses (1 on Trapez, 2 on Diamont)

Gearing Details:

11 Speed Shimano Alfine Inter-11 Internally Geared Hub, 46 Tooth Front Sprocket, 22 Tooth Rear Sprocket

Shifter Details:

Shimano Alfine Trigger Shifters on Right Bar

Cranks:

Focus, Aluminum Alloy

Pedals:

Aluminum Alloy and Plastic Platform, Rubber Tread

Stem:

Concept EX

Handlebar:

Concept EX Riser, 660 mm

Brake Details:

Magura MT5 Hydraulic Disc with 180 mm Front Rotor and 160 mm Rear Rotor

Grips:

Ergon Flat Rubber with Lockers

Saddle:

Fizik Rondine

Seat Post:

Concept EX

Seat Post Length:

350 mm

Seat Post Diameter:

31.6 mm

Rims:

Concept EX Disc

Tire Brand:

Schwalbe Energizer Pro, 700 x 38c

Wheel Sizes:

28 in (71.12cm)

Tire Details:

Reflective Sidewall Stripe

Tube Details:

Presta Valve

Accessories:

Upright Charging Base (Weighs ~2 lbs) and Standard Wall Charger (Weighs ~1.5 lbs), Shimano XT Front Hub, B&M Lumotec IQ Cyo R Front LED Light and B&M Toplight Flat Rear LED Light, Full Length Fenders with Mud Guard on Back, Plastic Chain Guard, Rear Carry Rack with Pannier Blockers and Spring Latch, Mini Pump on Rear Rack, Adjustable Length Kickstand, Oversized Bell on Left Bar

Other:

Locking Removable Battery Pack, Shift Sensing Controller, Quick Release Front Wheel

Motor Brand:

Impulse 2.0

Motor Type:

Mid-Mounted Geared Motor

Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

350 watts

Motor Torque:

70 Newton meters

Battery Brand:

Impulse

Battery Voltage:

36 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

17 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

612 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium-ion

Charge Time:

6 hours

Estimated Min Range:

65 miles (105 km)

Estimated Max Range:

125 miles (201 km)

Display Type:

Fixed, Monochrome Backlit LCD with Adjustable Angle by Impulse

Readouts:

Speed, Battery Status, Trip Distance, Odometer, Drive Mode (Eco, Sport, Power, Power/Sport), Walk Assist (Hold the + Button)

Display Accessories:

Backlit Independent Button Pad Near Left Grip

Drive Mode:

Advanced Pedal Assist (Measures Wheel Speed, Cadence and Pedal Torque)

Top Speed:

28 mph (45 kph)

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Make or Model

Model Year

Body Position

Suggested Use

Frame Type

Drive Mode

Availability

Price Range

$0 (0 €)$18,000 (16,920 €)

Total Weight

0 lbs (0 kg)227 lbs (103 kg)

Top Speed

0 mph (0.0 km/hr)50 mph (80.5 km/hr)

Battery Watt Hrs

0 watt3,456 watt

Frame Size

0 in (0.00 cm)432 in (1,097.28 cm)

Motor Power

0 Newton meters250 Nm

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The Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 has a long name… and a long list of premium features. Focus and Kalkhoff are both brands that are part of Derby Cycle Werke out of Germany. They are trusted, popular companies offering premium frames, components and drive systems that reached the US in 2014 at select shops. Now in 2015 they are becoming available through more and more independent electric bike dealers and that’s a great thing! There’s an attention to detail with these bikes that makes them worthy of the higher price tags (in my opinion) and at ~$5k the Aventura Impulse Speed feels like a great deal. This is a speed pedelec meaning it can legally go above 20 mph (up to 28 mph) in the highest level of pedal assist. There’s no throttle here so you’ll constantly be pedaling but the system is super responsive and very peppy in the Sport/Turbo mode… which of course drains the battery three times as fast as the lowest eco mode. If you’re someone who commutes longer distances, likes to go “trekking” or touring cross country or just likes to go fast, this could be an excellent fit. It comes in two frame styles including trapez or “step-thru” and diamant or “high-step” and five frame sizes ranging from 18″ to 23.6″. That’s important when you’re potentially riding 100+ miles which the battery and drive system truly are capable of in the lowest assist level. The other unique thing about this model is the Gates Carbon Belt drive which features a CDX pattern designed to stay aligned. The belt is light and stiff and extremely quiet. It’s paired up with an 11 speed internally geared hub in the rear which should require less maintenance than a traditional cassette and derailleur… it’s just a lot more streamlined and protected from bumps and scrapes. One other neat feature of this geared hub system is that it can be switched at standstill.

Okay, so the motor driving this bike is an Impulse 2.0 mid-drive but unlike the lower-speed 250 watt models, this one offers 350 watts of power. I love that it’s mounted low and center because this improves balance and handling and I’m becoming a fan of the larger front chainring compared to the Bosch Gen 2 Centerdrive which uses a smaller sprocket. It just seems quieter because it’s not turning as fast… this might impact power a bit and it seems slightly less responsive but it’s still very impressive. The motor responds to your pedal speed, pedal torque (how hard you’re pushing) and the overall bicycle speed. It’s pretty fancy, even responding to your shifting signals. You can actually go into the settings to tell it how long to delay the motor when shifting which is something that other systems don’t offer. If you’re a seasoned rider with great pedal+shift coordination then you might want a shorter delay. If you’re trying to reduce wear on the bike and maybe less experienced or perhaps carrying heavier loads then lengthening the shift sensor delay could prove useful. One of the big advantages of a mid-drive motor is that it lets you more easily perform maintenance to your wheels and it reduces unsprung weight. I often call out front and rear quick-release wheel systems on Bosch powered bikes but the Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 only offers that on the front here. This may be due to the Alfine geared hub and complexity of the belt drive which requires the right (port side) chainstay to be unscrewed to fully remove the wheel. The mid-drive still offers the major benefit of leveraging the gears in the rear and this helps you climb and reach higher speeds more efficiently, the motor gets to operate at more optimal RPM instead of having to strain at a full range of operational speeds.

The battery powering this ebike is extremely high end… Not only is it large, offering 36 volts of power and a whopping 17 amp hours of capacity, but it’s also relatively light weight at just ~6.5 lbs. It’s also very well positioned (low and center, just like the motor) and easy to charge (on or off the bike). In addition to the standard wall charger that most ebikes have, this one also comes with a “base station” that stands the battery upright, saving space and keeping it from getting scratched. This same pack design is shared across much of the Focus and Kalkhoff line and this probably lowers the cost of production and makes finding replacements easier. I like how it swivels in from the side, locks with a premium “in cut” key, has an LED charge level indicator and features a built-in handle for comfortable secure transport. The cells inside are 18650 size with higher end Lithium Manganese Cobalt chemistry that is energy dense and light weight, lighter than the older Lithium-ion cells. You get a solid two year comprehensive warranty on this bike and that covers the battery which is very handy but I recommend storing the pack between 20% and 80% full and avoiding extreme cold and heat to really make it last. The fact that it’s removable should make this easy and of course, it also lightens the frame for transport (just pop off the front wheel and the battery and you’ve got a ~45 lb frame).

Operating this bike simple but there are lots of cool options to experiment with once you feel comfortable with the bike. The display is large, centrally located, backlit and adjustable to reduce glare. It actually mounts to the stem directly which was custom made for electronic systems, probably reducing weight. The one downside here is that you cannot remove the display and that means more weathering and potentially vandalism depending on where you park. It’s so large and nice, sometimes that makes me less likely to ride to certain areas… which is unfortunate. Consider using a plastic bag or something to cover it up? Okay, so the battery is charged, mounted and locked (the key does not have to stay in the pack to operate the bike which is nice). You press the rubberized power button on the independent pad (which fits snugly next to the left grip). The display comes to life and shows your battery charge level, speed and assist as well as an “other” section which cycles through odometer, trip distance, C02 savings, Dollar or Euro savings and a few other readouts. These little extras are very cool! You can go into the deep system settings by holding the “settings” button for a few seconds and just arrowing through. Enter your electricity cost, petrol cost and even name your bike and all of that gets factored into what you see on the main display. These are features I’ve never seen before on an electric bike… they gently acknowledge how you are polluting less and saving money. Very cool!

Closing thoughts, I really like this bike! It’s definitely a more active and sporty build (that’s what Focus “focuses” on vs. Kalkhoff which is more relaxed). This could truly be a car replacement tool with the full length fenders, premium rack with integrated mini-pump and higher top speed. The tires are hybrids and feature some puncture protection and reflective sidewalls to make them durable and safe. The battery and motor are solid and the suspension fork (which is a light-weight air fork with remote lockout) takes the edge off of longer trips. Sometimes on video reviews people will comment about how you can get a used car for the same price as one of these ebikes and use it to do “so much more” but I feel like they are missing the point. This is a machine that you can ride on bike paths… away from traffic. You get a cardio workout, exposure to the community… new friends! You don’t have to pay for parking and you aren’t contributing to air pollution. Global warming aside, we’ve all seen the health risks of localized pollution in major cities like Beijing China where residents are warned to “stay inside” on particularly smoggy days. That doesn’t happen with an ebike and even though the electricity required to charge it has to come from “somewhere” the grid gets cleaner every day as more wind and solar come online, that is not true of an older automobile and gas pumps. With a full charge costing ~$0.60 (including electricity and an ammortized cost of a new battery estimating 1,000+ cycles at $800) and the ability to ride without a license or insurance, yeah, I think this type of technology can compete with cars for local trips. You could pull a trailer with this bike and you could seriously go 50+ miles using the mid-level assist settings. I’m making this point here and not on some other bike reviews because this is a durable, well warrantied and higher performance model and I think it really stands up to automobiles and scooters. Focus has created something great with the Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 and I recommend it without reservation. I love that they even got the little things right (bottle cages on both the high-step and low-step models), hydraulic disc brakes, standard gauge rack (compatible with most clip-on panniers) and integrated LED lights.

Pros:

High speed 28 mph speed-pedelec cuts the time it takes to go longer distances (keep in mind that higher speeds also drain the battery faster as air resistance increases at the square of speed)
Integrated LED lights by B&M are sleek and improve safety, they run off of the main battery pack which is designed to discontinue motor power before draining completely for safety to power the lights
Excellent range thanks to the efficient Impulse 2.0 mid-drive, eleven speed cassette and large 612 watt hour battery pack, can top 100 miles per charge in the lowest level of assist
The front wheel offers quick release which helps to reduce frame weight (and overall size) during transport, the rear wheel does not due to the Gates Carbon Drive belt which cannot be removed without opening the frame at the right chainstay
Gates Carbon Drive CDX is light weight, grease free and extremely quiet, it pairs nicely with the internally geared Shimano Alfine hub
Excellent utility thanks to the full length fenders, chain guard, rear carry rack (with extra tubing for strength and bag protection) and includes mini air pump
Display panel feels sturdy, is easy to see day or night and offers an adjustable angle for reducing glare, the increment battery readout is more accurate for improved ride planning and the button pad on the left is also backlit and clicks when you press down so you don’t have to look to know it has changed
Great shift detection system, it actually measures the movement of internally routed cables to signal motor cutoff, feels smoother than some others I’ve tried and is adjustable in the display settings (slower or longer motor delay)
Active geometry is more aerodynamic, you tend to lean forward on this bikebut the suspension fork keeps it comfortable, the fork has remote lockout which is convenient to activate (locking the fork reduces bob and may extend your range and create a stiffer, more responsive ride)
The battery pack is mounted behind the seat tube and this opens up the main triangle of the frame for adding water bottle cages or other accessories like locks (the high-step frame has two bottle cage mounts, the step-thru has one)
The battery casing is designed with an integrated handle which makes it easy to take off and carry around reducing drops, the charger comes with a stand for displaying the battery nicely (taking less space, reducing scratches on the pack exterior)
Light weight charger only weighs 1.5 lbs and runs cool and quiet, will easily fit into a bag for extending trips – charging at the office etc.
Stealthy aesthetic, the motor and battery blend in with the chain guard and fenders, it all operates fairly quietly so most people might not even know it’s electric, especially if you add panniers and other gear
Shift interruption can be personalized from 50 ms to 300 ms in 50 ms intervals with the help of certified Focus bike shops (you can do this yourself with other Focus ebikes that use the larger display panel)
Hydraulic disc brakes are easy to actuate and will not tire your wrists out as mechanical disc or rim brakes might, the larger 180 mm front rotor offers a more precise and consistent stop
Available in five frame sizes and two styles (low step and high step) for improved ergonomics and comfort over long rides

Cons:

While the hydraulic disc brakes do stop the bike efficiently, they do not cut power to the motor and you may find that the torque sensor can activate while pushing down on the pedals at rest even though you’re holding the brakes
The display panel is more permanently fixed to the stem which means it will take more sun, rain and other elements when parked outside, it does swivel to reduce glare which is nice
Front wheel has quick release but the rear does not, this might be due to the belt drive which requires more tools to remove (you have to split the right chain stay for maintenance)
The lights on this electric bike are not dynamo powered like some of the other Focus ebikes, they run off of the main battery which means they will turn off if the battery is completely expended
Somewhat limited availability because Focus is relatively new in the US, this is changing as more dealers come online but could make test-rides more difficult

Resources:

Official Site: http://www.focus-bikes.com/us/en/bikes/2015/e-bike-1.html
More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/9nUXM4aKedFk2nvp8

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Art Phillips

10 years ago

This was an excellent review. I purchased this same bike from Tom at Small Planet e Bikes in Denver, Colorado about a month ago. I absolutely love this bike. I love it so much, I am going to buy another one for my wife. I have been researching and riding many different e bikes for about 6 months prior to my purchase of this bike, and no other bike even comes close to this one except for the Stromer ST2. I decided to buy this one instead of the Stromer ST2 for several reasons.
1. The focus is $2,000.00 less money, and it is comparable, if not better quality than the Stromer. I think it is better.
2. 11 speed internal geared hub. Stromer used a derailleur system.
3. The Gates belt drive is stronger than the chain drive used on the Stromer. It is smoother, quieter and much cleaner than a chain drive. No more nasty grease getting on my hands and clothes.
4. The large display is fantastic on the Focus It is so east to see. It is totally customize-able giving me almost any kind of information I want for my ride. It is centered right in front of me on the handle bar. the ST2 display is located on the center bar where it is almost dangerous to look way down between your legs to see it while moving.
5. The on and off switch is very hard to turn on and off on the ST2. It is directly under the display on the center bar, (very hard to push with my fat fingers), where as the on and off switch on the Focus is on the handlebar right next to my left thumb.
6. You only get 3 levels of assist on the Stromer, and the Focus has 4 levels of motor assist.
7. The Stromer has a heavy rear hub motor. The focus has a center drive motor, so it is able to utilize the different gear ratios of the IGH. The center drive also makes the bike much better balanced front to rear for better handling.
8. The weight on the Stromer is a hefty 62 lbs, and the Focus is only 54 lbs.
9. The German made Racktime rack is built like a tank, and it is a perfect match for the same brand Racktime Doubelit panniers. The panniers use a Snap it system that come on and off the rack with just the push of a button, an absolutely perfect combination of rack and pannier. I purchased the panniers at Bike Bag Shop .com
for only $85.00. The panniers are as well made as the rack is.

Court Rye

Hi Art! Great points there, thanks for sharing your excitement for this bike and helping to distinguish what set it apart for you. I hope your wife also enjoys the bike! I love that it comes in a step-thru frame with multiple sizes (assuming she is shorter than you and prefers that style). Have a blast!

David

Your point about the Shift interruption which can be personalized from 50 ms to 300 ms in 50 ms intervals was excellent. The removable piece on the chain stay is truly excellent engineering for the gates belt drive e-bikes! This is the most thorough review I’ve seen on any e-bike! Thanks, Dave

Thanks David! I’m glad you enjoyed it. My time with each bike is often limited but I do research ahead of time and try to squeeze in as much information as I can (in an efficient, logical and entertaining way). I appreciate your appreciation and hope you enjoy this bike if you end up with it :D

Tim Smith

9 years ago

I own the 2015 Raleigh version. A couple of small features not included in the review. The rack has a spring bar that lets you hold a European style basket very securely. The frame on the rear has some additional mounting points for a rear wheel frame lock, very common in Europe for short term security if you duck into a shop. Locks by ABUS and other manufacturers bolt right on. My bike came with a suspension seat post but otherwise looks to be identical to the Focus model reviewed here.

Awesome! Thanks for the additional details Tim, Europe does ebikes right and the extra bolt locations and great accessories really add utility. Maybe we’ll see the Raleigh models like the one you have sometime soon, so far we only have the rear-drive hub motor style and the Misceo with a Shimano STEPS drive system. Does your ebike have the Impulse 2.0 motor or Shimano STEPS?

My bike has the impulse 2.0 motor.

Andy

Court, If you have a chance, would you mind reviewing the KALKHOFF INTEGRALE S11 ELECTRIC? My bike store has a 2015 model. Thanks, Andy

Cool! Thanks for the tip Andy, what’s your bike store called and where is it at?

Bike Attack Electric in Santa Monica – I haven’t been there to see the bike but it is on their website. Thanks for considering this.

Bike_On

Super review Court. I’m looking for a distance, speed mid drive for my commute. For speed pedelecs with lights included, I would like to know the lumens out of the light. When going faster at night, reaction time goes down and more light is needed. I have found that ~ 450-500 lumens minimum as you approach 25 mph speeds. thanks, Dan

Good feedback Dan, I’ll work to include that information on reviews in the future! I’d still love to connect next time I’m traveling through your neck of the woods :)

Rob

Awesome review Court! Very detailed and helped me in my decision to buy mine today. So far I only ride it to work but it’s very comfortable and surprisingly smooth even at the higher speeds. I’ll let you know more as I’ll be using this as my daily commuter to work. One question though (which may seem weird) is, how do you turn off the lights? I don’t see any switches for it or a selection on the display. Maybe I’m missing something? I would just like to turn it off during the day as I would like to try and conserve as much power as possible on the longer rides during the day.

Nice! Great question Rob… depending on the year you purchased it may have a dynamo hub, there could be a rubber button or a slider switch on the light itself or you might have to use the menu for the display. Sometimes it can be adjusted by holding the up arrow but I cannot say for sure, this review was done quite a while back, sorry :/ I’d love to hear back if you find out how!

The light stays on the whole time the bike is turned on. I like it that way myself as it is safer to ride on the streets in the daytime, (like daytime running lights on a car) and it uses very little battery life to have them on all the time.

It’s the 2015 version.

Stephen Bieda

Court, why do you introduce this bike as a Kalkhoff rather than Focus? It appears that Kalkhoff might have made the bike for Focus but it is still confusing since the bike clearly says Focus on the side. Is Focus not offering the Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 in 2016? If so, why do you think?

I would also like to know how this Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 compares to the Kalkhoff Integrale S11. It seems the Integrale is more integrated as the name would imply and the price at $5,899 is substantially more than the $4,999 Focus bike. Is the Kalkhoff worth the extra? I would also like to know the weight of the Kalkhoff as I cannot seem to find it anywhere. I see you have the Focus listed in this review at 54 lbs. Thanks and I love your great reviews!

Hi Stephen! I just screwed up when introducing the bike on video and there was no way to edit once I posted… sorry for the confusion. Regarding weight, I have not checked the new Integrale S11 so I can’t really say. I should be getting some time with these models in the coming weeks or months and will definitely get the weight then :)

Yes Art is correct. I confirmed later at the shop that the lights are on all the time. It seems to be a requirement in Europe. On another note, does any other owners have problems with the charge not lasting? I went on my first commute (about 15 miles round trip) and the charge on the battery barely lasted. I did use the highest setting for the majority of the way, but had to change between the power setting towards the end to conserve power. The shop said that I need to “break in” the battery and until then it wouldn’t hold a charge well. Did anyone else have this issue in the beginning? And if so, how long does it take to “break in” the battery? One more thing I wanted to ask was about the estimated distance based on the different power modes. This is what my bike estimates currently on a full charge: Power Sport = 19 miles, Power = 28 miles, Sport = 33 miles, and Eco = 99 miles. This is way below the estimated range of min. 65 miles to max. 125 miles. Is that the way it supposed to be when it’s new? Although the battery does charge really quickly (in about 2 hours). Lastly what’s the estimated speeds on the different power modes? I definitely hit 28 mph on Power Sport and somewhere over 20ish mph on Power, but I was wondering what the realistic max speeds were on Sport and Eco for other owners.

Hi Rob, thanks for confirmation on the lights, sorry your range wasn’t as high as expected… I’ve heard the battery break-in thing before but only rarely. My estimated range here may be inflated as I took it directly from Focus / Kalkhoff and haven’t actually ridden those lengths myself. These bikes are efficient but my thinking is that the battery is not going to change much with time or full cycling… at least not up to 125 miles estimated range. Eco (in my experience with the Focus and Kalkhoff bikes) is very gentle so you’d be doing most of the work. What does it feel like to you in Eco? I’d love to hear updates as time passes, like if the range does go up.

Reed Harrison

Will be trying one of these out on a trip from Wichita, KS to Winnipeg ( app. 1,000 miles) in about a month. Will post a review.

Awesome! How exciting… thanks for chiming in and offering to share your feedback Reed, I can’t wait to read it :)

8 years ago

Yes I think Diane has a faulty battery. I just fully charged my and my wife’s battery’s and they show an average 133 mile range in Eco mode, 97 miles in Sport mode, 65 miles in Power mode and 37 miles in Power-Sport mode. Our battery’s are over a year old now.

Thanks for the feedback Art!

Diane

I brought the bike back to the bike store and asked about the miles gage on the battery. They showed me how to reset the miles to the original default. They explained that the computer tries to estimate your usage based upon a number of factors. I did the reset, but since my husband also rides it and at full power typically, it re-learned back to the lower number.

Just last week, I went on my first 5-day charity ride, putting in 55-65 miles per day. As long as I used the battery only on the hills, I had no problem with running out of battery power. It performed beautifully, not to mention all the attention I got with having the e-bike on the tour. My only complaint about the bike is that the computer does not have a clock and it is not removable, as Court pointed out in his review.

I was deciding between Stromer and this bike and ultimately decided on this bike because of the carbon belt and the overall value. I envisioned using it for touring and my commute and felt this bike fit the bill. Overall, this e-bike ROCKS!!!!

Hey Diane! Kudos on doing the charity ride, sounds like people were excited to see the fancy technology on your bike, I enjoyed visiting your page and reading your comment. Thanks :)

7 years ago

As a follow up to the battery issue, about a year after initially purchasing the bicycle, the range seemed to reset itself and now it registers 136 mile range at eco mode. Maybe the battery just needed some breaking in. Anyway, still using my Focus on a daily basis for commuting and couldn’t be happier.