2015 Focus Aventura Impulse Speed 1.0 Review

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