Gazelle Arroyo C7 HMB Elite Review

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2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Electric Bike Review
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Axa Defender Cafe Lock And Ursus Mooi Kickstand
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Selle Royal Hz Saddle Custom Rear Rack
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Tool Free Adjustable Angle Stem Swept Back Handlebar
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Left Grip With Twist Bell And Bosch Purion Display Panel
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Right Grip And Shimano Nexus Twist Shifter
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Ebike
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Trelock Veo 50 Headlight And Plastic Front Fender
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Tektro Hd T280 Hydraulic Disc Brakes
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Front View Schwalbe Energizer Active Plus Tires
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Back With Spanninga Solo 1 Led Light
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Bosch Powertube 500 Downtube Battery Removed
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Fully Enclosed Plastic Chain Cover 170mm Cranks Plastic Pedals
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Post Moderne Suspension Seatpost 40mm Travel
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Shimano Nexus 7 Internally Geared Hub
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Unbranded Spring Suspension With Preload Adjust Quick Release Skewer
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Bosch Battery Pack And 2 Amp Compact Charger
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Stock Step Thru White
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Electric Bike Review
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Axa Defender Cafe Lock And Ursus Mooi Kickstand
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Selle Royal Hz Saddle Custom Rear Rack
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Tool Free Adjustable Angle Stem Swept Back Handlebar
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Left Grip With Twist Bell And Bosch Purion Display Panel
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Right Grip And Shimano Nexus Twist Shifter
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Ebike
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Trelock Veo 50 Headlight And Plastic Front Fender
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Tektro Hd T280 Hydraulic Disc Brakes
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Front View Schwalbe Energizer Active Plus Tires
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Back With Spanninga Solo 1 Led Light
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Bosch Powertube 500 Downtube Battery Removed
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Fully Enclosed Plastic Chain Cover 170mm Cranks Plastic Pedals
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Post Moderne Suspension Seatpost 40mm Travel
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Shimano Nexus 7 Internally Geared Hub
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Unbranded Spring Suspension With Preload Adjust Quick Release Skewer
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Bosch Battery Pack And 2 Amp Compact Charger
2022 Gazelle Arroyo C7 Hmb Elite Stock Step Thru White

Summary

  • A refined Dutch-style cruiser with adjustable upright stem and swept back handlebar. Available in two premium colors and three frame sizes. The deep wave step-thru frame is extremely approachable and easy to stand over. Sleek adjustable suspension fork and suspension seat post offer improved comfort.
  • Streamlined ergonomic grips, twist bell, and grip shifter make the cockpit beautiful and functional. The saddle and grips match perfectly. Compact display is simple to use and easy to read. Durable plastic fenders with flexible rubber mud flaps and a fully encased chain cover keep you dry and clean.
  • Ebike specific puncture resistant tires also feature reflective stripes for increased visibility and safety. Integrated lights run off of the rechargeable battery pack, and the headlight has side windows. Powerful hydraulic disc brakes are responsive and the levers offer adjustable reach for different sized hands. Custom rear rack looks beautiful with paint-matched supports on the sides and a hidden support below the fender. It's sturdy, has pannier blockers, and comes with a triple bungee strap!
  • Efficient Bosch Active Line Plus motor achieves excellent range, and is very quiet. Bosch PowerTube 500 battery is fully concealed within the downtube, top mounting design is easy to access. Slower 2 amp battery charger, heavier build due to frame reinforcement and internally geared 7-speed hub, only available in step-thru, no smartphone app or USB charging features, no bottle cage bosses.

Video Review

Introduction

Make:

Gazelle

Model:

Arroyo C7 HMB Elite

Price:

$3,299

Body Position:

Upright Relaxed

Suggested Use:

Neighborhood, Cruising, Commuting

Electric Bike Class:

Pedal Assist (Class 1)
Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

2 Year Comprehensive, 10 Year Frame

Availability:

United States, Canada, Europe, Australia

Model Year:

2022

Bicycle Details

Total Weight:

62.2 lbs (28.21 kg)

Battery Weight:

6.7 lbs (3.03 kg) (Including Plastic Cover)

Motor Weight:

7.1 lbs (3.22 kg)

Frame Material:

Aluminum Alloy

Frame Sizes:

18.11 in (45.99 cm)20.86 in (52.98 cm)22.44 in (56.99 cm)

Geometry Measurements:

Medium 53cm Measurements: 21" Seat Tube Length, 22.5" Top Tube, 14" Reach, 17" Standover Height, 36" Minimum Saddle Height with Included Suspension Post or 34.5" with Rigid Post, 42.5" Maximum Saddle Height, 24.75" Width, 44.5" Wheelbase, 74" Length, 68.5° Headset Angle, 69.5° Seat Tube Angle

Frame Types:

Step-Thru

Frame Colors:

Frozen Blue (Gloss White), Matte Saturn Blue

Frame Fork Details:

Unbranded Spring Suspension, 40mm Travel, Preload Adjust, 28mm Steel Stanchions, 100mm Hub Spacing, 9mm Axle with Quick Release Skewer

Frame Rear Details:

135mm Hub Spacing, 9.8mm Slotted Axle with Anti-Rotation Washers, 15mm Nuts

Attachment Points:

Fender Mounts, Rear Rack Mounts, Cafe Lock Mount

Gearing Details:

7 Speed 1x7 Shimano Nexus 7, Internally Geared Hub, 244% Range, 18 Tooth Cog

Shifter Details:

Shimano Nexus Twist-Grip Shifter on Right, Optical Gear Window

Cranks:

Aluminum Alloy, 170mm Length, 38 Tooth Chainring with Fully Enclosed Plastic Cover

Pedals:

Plastic Platform with Rubber Tread

Headset:

VP, Integrated, Sealed Cartridge, Straight 1-1/8"

Stem:

Gazelle Switch, Tool-Free Adjustable Angle, 100mm Length, 100mm Height, 25.4mm Clamp Diameter, 25mm Combined Tapered Base Spacer

Handlebar:

Aluminum Alloy, Swept Back, Mid-Rise, 580mm Width

Brake Details:

Tektro HD-T280 Hydraulic Disc with 180mm Front Rotor and 160mm Back Rotor, Dual-Piston Calipers, Tektro HD-T280 Three-Finger Levers with Adjustable Reach

Grips:

Gazelle Branded, Rubberized Ergonomic, Brown, Outer Lock Ring

Saddle:

Selle Royal Hz, Rubber Bumpers, Brown

Seat Post:

Post Moderne, Suspension (40mm Travel, Preload Adjust), 29.8mm to 27.2mm Shim

Seat Post Length:

290 mm

Seat Post Diameter:

27.2 mm

Rims:

Aluminum Alloy, Double Wall, 25mm Outer Width, 36 Hole, Machined Sidewalls, Reinforcement Eyelets

Spokes:

Stainless Steel, 14 Gauge Front 13 Gauge Back, Black with Nipples

Tire Brand:

Schwalbe 50km Energizer Active Plus, 28" x 1.75" (47-622)

Wheel Sizes:

28 in (71.12cm)

Tire Details:

45 to 70 PSI, 3.0 to 5.0 BAR, P-Guard 5 Puncture Protection, Reflective Sidewall Stripe

Tube Details:

Presta Valve

Accessories:

Gazelle Rotary Twist Bell on Left, Gazelle Branded Plastic Fenders with Rubber Flaps (50mm Width), Custom Aluminum Alloy Rear Rack with Pannier Blockers and Triple Bungee Strap (27kg 59lb Max Load, MIK HD Compatible), AXA Defender Cafe Lock (Keyed-Alike to Battery Lock), Fully Enclosed Plastic Chain Cover, Trelock VEO 50 Integrated Headlight (50 Lux, Side Windows), Spanninga SOLO Rear Light (1 LED, Rack Mounted), Ursus Mooi Rear-Mount Tool-Free Adjustable Length Kickstand (20mm Bolt Spacing)

Other:

Locking Removable Downtube-Integrated Bosch PowerTube 500 Battery Pack, 1.2lb 2 Amp Bosch Compact Charger, Motor Support Continues Pedaling 110 RPM, IP54 Durability Rated Electronics

Electronic Details

Motor Brand:

Bosch Active Line Plus

Motor Type:

Mid-Mounted Geared Motor
Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

250 watts

Motor Torque:

50 Newton meters (Eco: 35nm, Tour: 40nm, Sport: 45nm, Turbo: 50nm)

Battery Brand:

Bosch PowerPack 500 18650 Cells, Top Mount

Battery Voltage:

36 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

13.4 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

482.4 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium-ion

Charge Time:

7.5 hours

Estimated Min Range:

40 miles (64 km)

Estimated Max Range:

55 miles (89 km)

Display Type:

Bosch Purion, Fixed, 1.75" Backlit Grayscale Display, Buttons: Walk, +, i, -, (Hold - to Cycle Through Readouts, Hold - and Press Power to Change Units, Hold + and - to Reset Trip, Hold + to Activate Lights)

Readouts:

Current Speed, Assist Level (Eco, Tour, Sport, Turbo), Battery Level (1-5), Odometer, Trip Distance, Total Distance, Estimated Range, Lights Icon

Display Accessories:

Micro-USB Port for Diagnostics and Software Updates Only

Drive Mode:

Advanced Pedal Assist (Measures Rear Wheel Speed, Pedal Cadence, and Pedal Torque over 1,000x Per Second, Power Output Relative to Pedal Input: Eco 40%, Tour 100%, Sport 170%, Turbo 250%)

Top Speed:

20 mph (32 kph)

Written Review

This review was provided for free using a temporary demo bike and accessories provided by Gazelle USA. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Gazelle or PON Group products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the Gazelle electric bike forums.

Observations:

  • This is a feature complete electric bike, meaning that it comes with fenders, integrated lights, and a rear rack for cargo. Whether you’re riding day or night, rain or shine, casually or commuting, the ebike is ready to go. Gazelle is an above average bicycle brand in my opinion, because they take extra steps to prevent rust, keep paint from fading, they sell through dealers globally, and are owned by a very large long-running company called Pon Holdings. Gazelle itself was founded in 1892 and is based in Dieren, Netherlands.
  • I (Court Rye) was test riding the Medium 53cm sized frame for this review. My weight is roughly 135lbs (61kg), and I am roughly 5’9″ (175cm) tall.

Pros:

  • Everything looks beautiful on this electric bike, there’s a lot of emphasis on matching (like the saddle and grips), and sleek accessories (like the streamlined suspension fork, rear rack, internally routed cables, and tight fenders). Note that all of the hardware is black including hubs, spokes, rims, crank arms, seat post and stem, handlebar, and chain cover.
  • The cockpit is very clean, and feels less overwhelming to me than some competing products. I think this is due to the grip twist shifter vs. triggers, and the twist bell on the left vs. something that’s mounted on top of the bar and positioned further in. The display panel is very reachable and intuitive to use.
  • The tool-free adjustable angle stem allows for a more upright body position if you have a sensitive back, neck, and shoulders like me. Or, you can angle it forward and drop the handlebar a bit for a more efficient and aerodynamic body position.
  • Two premium color choices to choose from, I like the white because it will stand out more in low light riding conditions, but you still get the integrated lights and reflective tires for safety… so the matte saturn blue is good as well. It’s nice that you could get a pair of these bikes with a friend or partner and have them feel unique.
  • The integrated lights are above-average in terms of quality and function. The rear light is positioned well under the rack so it won’t get scratched or cracked when you park at a crowded bike rack. The headlight is designed to keep light from shining up into the eyes of oncoming cyclists and cars, and it has side window cutouts so you’ll be visible from more angles.
  • Another safety and convenience feature worth mentioning is the ebike rated tires, that come with a puncture protection layer to reduce your chances of getting a flat. I’ve learned that keeping the tires inflated between the recommended PSI 45 to 70 will further help to reduce pinch flats.
  • Excellent weight distribution. The battery pack sits inside the downtube and is about as low and centered as you can get. The mid-drive motor blends seamlessly into the frame… aside from being a different color.
  • The bike feels stable and is quite comfortable thanks to the suspension fork, suspension seat post, and taller wheels. The wheels have a lower attack angle that eases into bumps and spans cracks better than a smaller wheel size, and the tires offer a bit of width 1.75″ and roll efficiently and quietly due to their city/hybrid tread.
  • It’s easy to miss that the spokes interface with the rims using reinforcement eyelets. This spreads out pressure and reduces the chance of cracking and scraping when they are being trued or the bike is carrying more weight.
  • Excellent brakes here, hydraulic disc with adjustable reach levers to fit a range of hand sizes, and a larger 180mm front rotor to dissipate heat as weight sifts forward and provide a greater mechanical advantage over the large wheel size. Some older Gazelle ebikes used hydraulic rim brakes, which are less likely to get damaged at bike racks, but they can scratch the rims, heat the rims and damage inner tubes, and tend to be dirtier in general. One takeaway here is that you should avoid touching the disc brake rotors and be conscious of the front rotor when parking at racks, because if it’s bent you will end up with some wooshing noises as the wheel turns.
  • Custom made plastic fenders keep you dry and clean, the front fender goes extra low to protect shoes and pant legs or dress ends. Even the chain cover has been upgraded to be fully enclosed for cleanliness. Plastic is lightweight and durable (won’t bend or rust), but can increase noise as it rattles a bit more.
  • The Shimano Nexus 7 internally geared hub is also very clean. Since there’s no derailleur hanging down on the right side of the bike, it tends to be very durable and the chain is unlikely to fall off. I appreciate that this drivetrain allows you to shift at standstill, which can be useful when stopping unexpectedly.
  • The Bosch motor controller is incredibly fast and smart, it makes riding with assist feel very natural and under control. It measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque over 1,000 times per second and can even back off when it senses shifting, which protects the chain and geared hub from stress and damage.
  • The suspension fork is raked forward a bit to relax steering and keep the fender from being in the path of your feet while pedaling. Even though the suspension travel is fairly limited (40mm travel) it definitely takes the edge off of larger bumps and curb drops, and doesn’t add as much weight as a larger suspension fork would.
  • In addition to the suspension fork, Gazelle has specced an adjustable stiffness suspension seat post to further cushion your ride. It’s a welcome feature for an upright city bike… especially if you have back and neck sensitivity like me.
  • The rear rack is amazing! It’s positioned far enough back that the seat can be lowered all the way down without colliding with a trunk bag. The side support arms are extra strong, made from custom tubing and painted to match the frame color! You get 29kg (59lbs) of cargo capacity here, which is above average and great if you’re using it to mount a child seat. It uses standard gauge tubing to work with most clip-on panniers, has pannier blockers on the sides to keep bags from touching the tires, and even comes with a triple bungee strap for quickly securing lightweight loose items. I also appreciate that some of the support structure is hidden below the fender for a really sleek refined look.
  • The silver support struts that keep the fenders in place are curved at the top and non adjustable. They are perfectly sized and won’t get bumped out of position as easily as some cheaper solutions. Both pairs of struts mount directly to the frame vs. using plastic cuffs, that tend to be weaker.
  • Another cool accessory that Gazelle includes right out the gate is an AXA Defender frame lock to secure the rear wheel for quick stops. It’s keyed alike to match the battery pack, which reduces clutter and the need to carry and fiddle with multiple keys. It’s convenient and works well… but does add some weight.
  • Great kickstand hardware, the length is adjustable without tools (so you can stabilize the bike on flat or angled terrain) and it’s positioned near the back to support the rack with cargo and stay clear of the left crank arm (eliminating the potential for pedal lock).
  • The battery pack is removable to help reduce weight when lifting, servicing, and transporting the bike. It’s also nice that the same charging interface is used for the pack and the bike frame plug so you don’t need a dongle. I’ve read that it’s best to store Lithium-ion batteries in cool dry environments and avoid a full discharge to 0%. Optimal use is between 20% and 80% full, and store at 50% full for long periods of disuse.
  • The Plus motor offers more torque and higher cadence support than the lowest level Bosch Active line. For me, it’s a worthwhile upgrade, but still delivers the benefits of efficient power use and decreased noise vs. the Performance Line products.
  • In my experience, you’re getting a reliable and well supported product when buying from Gazelle and Bosch. I believe that they both offer a two year comprehensive warranty and rely on a network of shops that can provide ride tests, fitting, and post purchase support to help the bike last. Furthermore, Bosch supports their hardware for 7+ years once discontinued, so you probably won’t struggle to find a replacement battery or display the same way you might with a less expensive product. And, the display can be upgraded to one of the fancier models from Bosch if you pay the dealer to special order and install it. This would get you smartphone app compatibility and USB charging for portable electronics.

Cons:

  • The spring suspension fork is sleek, and offers a bit of rake near the bottom for improved stability, but it doesn’t offer much travel or strength (40mm travel, narrower 28mm stanchions). The preload clickers are difficult to reach (positioned below plastic caps on the crowns of each stanchion), and it doesn’t offer lockout so you will lose some efficiency to bobbing. Spring forks also tend to weigh a bit more.
  • Weighing in at roughly 62.2lbs for the medium sized frame, this is a fairly heavy electric bike… especially given the low powered motor and average battery capacity. The weight has to do with the spring suspension, internally geared hub, fenders, integrated rack, lights, cafe lock, adjustable stem, swept back handlebar, and reinforced step-thru frame with cutaway point. The bike looks very smooth and beautiful, but extra metal was used to increase strength and stiffness while keeping this wave design, and it appears to be the same frame used for their belt driven products with that cutaway on the right chain stay… which requires more metal and structure for strength.
  • The Bosch Purion display panel is effective and easy to reach, but it isn’t removable and some menus have been removed as compared to the larger Bosch Intuvia, remember to hold plus to activate or de-activate the lights and hold minus to cycle through menus. The Micro-USB port on the right side of this display is only for diagnostics and not charging portable electronics. Consider paying a local shop to help upgrade the Purion to Kiox if you want charging Bluetooth for their smartphone apps.
  • I love that the battery lock core and AXA frame lock use the same key, but discovered that the key gets locked into place when the cafe lock is disengaged. This means that you basically have to lock the bike every time you stop or someone could lock it and steal the key and or battery. If you’ve got the key attached to a keychain, it will rattle as you ride, but if you do not have it on a keychain, it could get lost more easily when you take it off. I just wish they let you remove the key from the AXA Defender frame lock when unlocked as well as locked so this wouldn’t be an issue.
  • In order to lock the battery into place, you have to insert the key and unlock the core before seating it down, whereas some competing designs I’ve seen from BULLS just allow you to push hard and the battery will click into place without the key. I appreciate that design because I feel it makes dropping the battery pack less likely, as you don’t have to simultaneously fumble with a key.
  • The Bosch PowerTube 500 battery pack weighs more than the older PowerPack 500, is longer and sharper (making it less easy to transport additional batteries for long range use), and has a custom plastic shield mounted to match the downtube… so it’s less interchangeable here. At least the shield is generic black, so easier and cheaper to replace… but it doesn’t look as seamless on the white colored frame.
  • There’s plenty of room for bottle cage bosses on the downtube (on top of the battery pack) and seat tube, but Gazelle didn’t include any. You could always get an SKS Anywhere adapter for mounting a bottle cage to the seat tube with straps, or get a trunk bag and panniers for cargo and accessories, but it’s nice to have a bottle within reach. Perhaps their decision has to do with frame strength and cost savings on the plastic battery shield vs. something more like Cannondale has done with a mounting point.
  • The Bosch Active Line Plus motors have a bit of “clunk” feeling when you stop pedaling, I think this relates to the gearing inside. It may smooth out and reduce with continued use, but I didn’t notice this same behavior when testing the Bosch Performance Line motors.
  • Perhaps to save money, and due to the standard battery capacity here, the Arroyo C7 HMB Elite ships with the slower Bosch Compact 2 amp charger vs. their faster standard 4 amp. It saves a tiny bit of space and weight, but not much given the 2x slower fill rate.
  • As much as I enjoy internally geared hubs for being durable, reducing chain drops, and allowing shifting at standstill… they do add weight, slow shifting a bit, and this one doesn’t offer as wide of gear range as many cassettes would. You get a 244% spread vs. 291% on an 11-32 tooth cassette.

Resources:

Review Updated On

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Comments (4) YouTube Comments

Dewey
3 years ago

In 2016 I got to test ride a 1st gen Gazelle Arroyo in Virginia at the traveling E-bike expo. Comparing it to these next gen Arroyo models, the design changes make sense. Moving the battery to the down tube keeps weight on the bike centrally balanced. The Bosch Active Line Plus motor 50nm torque rating pairs better with the Nexus-8 IGH than the Bosch Performance motor on the 1st gen. A Canadian bike shop owner reports the torque rating of the Inter-8 IGH at 48nm (source here) and that jibes with my experience trying to use Inter-8 with a Bafang BBS01a motor, I’ve since upgraded to an Enviolo Cargo CVT that can handle higher torque. The tall stem and upright riding position remain very comfortable. The brake upgrade is great. I am pleased to see Gazelle continue the Arroyo model in N. America, it’s a great Dutch town bike, like the Azor Ameland and Workcycles FR8.

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Court
3 years ago

Wow Dewey! You really know your stuff and communicate so well. Thanks for sharing these insights and perspectives from years in the space. I agree with your comments and appreciate the Twitter source. You’re awesome :D

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Herb Brayton
3 years ago

Wow again. Thank you for your comprehensive review. It is helpful to us older folks buying their first E-bike.

I do have one question regarding axle hub construction. Does this model have dust seals to protect the wheel bearings from road and trail dust. In the West, we ride a lot of dirt and compact gravel bike paths, as well as paved surfaces and consider this an important feature.
Regards H

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Court
3 years ago

Hi Herb! Great question. While I do not have the bike in front of me to check, and am not trained on how to do this visually… I suspect that the hubs, headset, and bottom bracket all used sealed cartridge bearings that tend to be dust and water resistant. They should hold up better and not squeak or creak over time, but the would still benefit from regular cleaning and care. I use Muc-Off pretty regularly after hosing a bike down (being careful not to spray with high pressure or flip the bike). That spray seems to have some ingredient that stays on the bike, like a car wax, and many bike shops use it too… just be careful not to put it on the bottom of the tires, because it could be slippery on some surfaces. Anyway, Gazelle is a high quality company that tends to use higher quality parts, so that’s why I’m suspecting they use sealed bearings :)

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