Total Weight:
57.5 lbs (26.08 kg)
Battery Weight:
5.4 lbs (2.44 kg)
Motor Weight:
8.8 lbs (3.99 kg)
Frame Material:
Aluminum Alloy
Frame Sizes:
18.1 in (45.97 cm)19.3 in (49.02 cm)20.8 in (52.83 cm)Geometry Measurements:
17" Standover Height for Step-Thru
Frame Types:
High-Step, Step-Thru
Frame Colors:
Matte Black with Gray Accents
Frame Fork Details:
Gazelle Retro Line Aerowing Suspension Fork with Adjustable Spring Tension, 50 mm Travel, 11 mm Skewer with Quick Release
Frame Rear Details:
11 mm Axle with Bolts
Attachment Points:
Rear Rack Bosses, Fender Bosses
Gearing Details:
8
Speed 1×8 Shimano Nexus Inter 8Shifter Details:
Shimano Nexus Grip Shift on Right
Cranks:
Miranda, Alloy
Pedals:
Plastic Platform with Rubber Tread
Stem:
Lite Gazelle Switch Adjustable Angle
Handlebar:
Swept Back Aluminum, 23" Length
Brake Details:
Magura HS 11 Hydraulic Linear Pull
Grips:
Rubberized Ergonomic, Brown
Saddle:
Selle Royal Herz
Seat Post:
Suspension, Aluminum
Seat Post Length:
300 mm
Seat Post Diameter:
27.2 mm
Rims:
Rodi VR19, Stainless Eyelettes
Spokes:
Stainless Steel 15G Front and 14G Rear, Silver
Tire Brand:
Schwalbe City Lite, 700 x 35c
Wheel Sizes:
28 in (71.12cm)Tire Details:
Active Line KGuard, Reflective Sidewall Tape, 35-65 PSI
Tube Details:
Presta
Accessories:
Plastic Fenders with Mud Flaps, Plastic Pannier Blocker, Cadena Enclosed Chain Guard, Alloy Rack with Bungee Cords, AXA Defender Cafe Lock, Integrated LED Lights (AXA Riff Rear, BM Gazelle FenderVision Front), Twist Bell
Other:
Locking Removable Battery Pack with LED Charge Level Indicator, Motor Starts at 20 RPM, 2.2 Amp Charger 1.7 lbs
dm nelson
8 years agoSounds like my dream, ready-made e-bike. I had a Gazelle bike the couple years I lived in Amsterdam. Quality and comfortable pedaling. I’m glad to see they’re putting out a quality e-bike. Perhaps I’ll have a chance to take a test drive sometime, like on your video.
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoI hope you get the chance to take a test ride! The bike works very well and is so thought out. I could tell that they really looked at all of the details and just dialed it in. It’s nice to get something like that, where it has everything and looks good and just works :)
ReplyDewey
8 years agoThanks for your review Court. I took a short test ride on the Gazelle Arroyo C8 at the Ebike Expo when it stopped at Tysons Corner, VA. My immediate first impressions were all good. Thoughtful design features like the adjustable handlebar paired with wide comfortable hand grips and a comfortable low step/upright frame geometry. Nice touches for the urban commuter are the built-in LED headlamp on the fender, enclosed chain case, kick-stand and rear rack. The positive gear shift and quiet Bosch motor made for smooth and easy pedalling, does this pedelec have a torque sensor?
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHey Dewey! Yeah, the Bosch drive system uses rear wheel speed, pedal cadence AND pedal torque signals to activate and drive. I’m told it measures these signals 1,000 per second. It’s definitely one of the most responsive systems I’ve tested and I like how they used a smaller sprocket up front running at a higher rpm (each pedal stroke you make roughly equates to two cycles of that sprocket). On some other drive systems like the Bafang BBS02 they have a step gear on the right that provides this leverage but Bosch went at it differently and I think one of the benefits is that the crank arm isn’t pushed out so far :)
ReplyDewey
8 years agoNice to see the price coming down on this model to $2,999 as of March 2017 https://www.gazellebikes.com/usa/bikes/arroyo-c8-hmb/.
Oldfatgeezerwithdodgyhips
8 years agoMy cycling partner (my err… younger brother) rides a Gazelle Orange C8, and I ride a Smart ebike. The difference in performance between the two bikes is quite frankly staggering. The Gazelle is super efficient and very powerful, and he still has not yet managed to fully deplete the battery even on rides of 60+miles of undulating countryside in central France. I would need 3 overnight stops to do the same ride! I have come to appreciate the Gazelle (mostly from watching it disappear up a hill) and the build quality and components are fantastic. My only negative is that so far they have not managed to integrate the battery very well (it’s tucked under the rack just above the rear wheel) and the “sit up and beg” riding position, which no doubt works great around the cafes of Amsterdam, but can lead to a lot of car dirt on the N21 to Brantome. I prefer the aesthetics of my Smart, but I envy the torque, power and range of this awesome machine…
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoIt’s always interesting for me to hear from people who have tried or even owned multiple bikes, thanks for sharing your perspective on these two. I’m a big fan of the upright body position but have never heard it called “sit up and beg” lol, that’s great. I hope you two have years of great rides ahead of you and again, appreciate you sharing :)
ReplyMargaret
8 years agoI have wanted an electric bike for about 10 years, but wasn’t ready to give up my daily commute on my non-electric Gazelle city bike. Alas, the hills seem to be getting steeper and the wind stronger.
I attended the Electric Bike Expo at the Santa Monica Pier on 3 December. What a great idea to put all the vetted electric bike vendors in one spot!
While I’m partial to the Gazelle brand, I went with an open mind and tested lots of bikes. I fell in love with the Gazelle Arroyo, but still wanted more info and that’s how I found your very thorough review. Two weeks later I was at Electric Bike LA in El Segundo, purchasing the bike.
As of this writing, I have put 15 miles on the bike. In my opinion, you have accurately described the ride. I also thank you for going into detail about the features. I did learn some about the bike from the Gazelle reps at the expo & also from the bike shop, but the Gazelle USA site lacking terribly when it comes to specs & size ranges. If Gazelle USA was smart, they would just provide a link to your review. BTW, the link to gazellebikes.com you have at the end of this post is broken.
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHi Margaret! Thanks for the head’s up about my broken link… sometimes the manufacturers change things at year-end and I have to go repair them. It’s fixed now ;)
So glad to hear you’re enjoying the Arroyo and that my site offered the details you were looking for to help make a buy decision. The Ebike Expo events can be a wonderful way to get hands-on, wish I could have been there for this one! Ride safe and thanks again for the wonderful comment.
ReplyRon
8 years agoYou mentioned in your review that the motor was rated at 250W, but the Gazelle website indicates that it’s 500W. Do you know if they upped the power since your review?
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHi Ron! Yeah, the motor is rated at 250 watts nominal but can peak around 530 and has 48 Newton meters of peak torque in this configuration (some other Bosch motors can put out 63 or even 75 Nm of torque. You can explore the official Bosch motor website here to learn more, just scroll down to the “systems at a glance” section for more details :)
ReplyDewey
7 years agoFor 2017 Gazelle have fitted a larger 500wh battery and revised the frame of the Arroryo, it looks cleaner with fewer visible weld seams, and the bottom bracket around the motor has been molded into one piece. I’d be interested to learn if this new frame has improved rigidity to deal with the flexing Court mentioned in his video review of the 2016 model.
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoHey Dewey! I might check the 2017 version out at The New Wheel in San Francisco later this month. Keep an eye out and I’ll keep your questions in mind ;)
ReplyDewey
7 years agoHey Court, I just came back from a test ride on a diamond frame 2016 Gazelle Arroyo at Electricity Bikes in Washington, DC. The salesman took me to the back of the shop and opened the box on a batch of 2017 Gazelle Arroyo Step through bikes delivered today – they have upgraded the motor as well as the battery, now it has the Bosch Performance Line motor!