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Gazelle Ultimate C8 HMB Review

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Electric Bike Review

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Bosch Active Line Plus Mid Mount Motor

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Downtube Integrated Bosch Powertube 500 Battery Pack Elevated Charging Port

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Cockpit View Swept Back Handlebars

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Shimano Nexus Twist Grip Shifter Flick Bell

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Axa Blueline Center Mounted Integrated Headlight

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Stitched Leather Ergonomic Locking Grip Bosch Purion Display

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Gates Carbon Belt Drive Alloy Belt Guard 56t Front Cog

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Sliding Dropout 26 Tooth Rear Cog

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Rear Rack Hermanns Integrated Taillight Bungee Top Clip

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Selle Royale Loire Gel Saddle Top View

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Selle Royale Loire Gel Saddle With Post Moderne Suspension Seatpost Side View

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Shimano Hydraulic Disc Front Brake 180mm Rotor

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Ursus Moi Adjustable Length Kickstand

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb 36 Volt 13 4 Amp Hour Battery Pack With Plastic Cover

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Charger And Manuals

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Stock Step Thru Sienna Light

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Hmb Stock Step Thru Petrol

Purpose-built with premium components from a company with over 129 years of industry experience. one of the first two bikes from Gazelle to offer a Gates Carbon belt drivetrain to North American customers. Supported by an outstanding warranty and global network of dealers.
The belt drivetrain and internally geared hub from Shimano are quiet, smooth, and require almost no maintenance or cleaning compared to similar derailleur setups. Bosch's Active Line Plus motor is also quiet, incredibly responsive, and efficient enough to eke out up to 90 miles from the integrated PowerTube 500 battery pack. Optional Range Boost option adds a PowerPack 500 battery to double maximum range.
Feature-complete with excellent integrated lighting from AXA and Hermanns, premium alloy fenders that don't rattle at all thanks to expert mounting, and a sturdy rear rack with weight capacity of up to 27kg (60lbs). Basic full suspension with a front monoshock fork and Post Moderne suspension seatpost, highly approachable and adjustable thanks to the step-through frame and wide-angle stem.
The Purion display is non-removable more basic than other offerings from Bosch. The cafe lock key must be left in while riding, which can be a hassle and easy to forget. No Class 3 or high step frame options, those are only available on the T10+ line which lacks the Gates Carbon drivetrain.

Make:

Gazelle

Model:

Ultimate C8 HMB

Price:

$3,499

Body Position:

Upright, Upright Relaxed, Forward

Suggested Use:

Neighborhood, Urban, Commuting

Electric Bike Class:

Pedal Assist (Class 1)

Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

2 Year Comprehensive, 5 Year Suspension Fork, 10 Year Frame

Availability:

United States, Canada, Europe, Australia

Model Year:

2021

Total Weight:

58.5 lbs (26.53 kg)

Battery Weight:

6.9 lbs (3.12 kg) (Including Plastic Cover)

Motor Weight:

7.1 lbs (3.22 kg)

Frame Material:

Aluminum Alloy

Frame Sizes:

18.1 in (45.97 cm)20.9 in (53.08 cm)22.4 in (56.89 cm)

Geometry Measurements:

Medium 53cm Measurements: 21" Seat Tube Length, 22" Reach, 17.5" Standover Height, 37" Minimum Saddle Height with Included Suspension Post or 35" Minimum Saddle Height with Rigid Aftermarket Seat Post, 43" Maximum Saddle Height, 25" Width, 73" Length, 44.5" Wheelbase, 70.5° Headset and Saddle Tube Angle

Frame Types:

Step-Thru

Frame Colors:

Sienna Light, Petrol

Frame Fork Details:

Aluminum Alloy with Internal Headset Monoshock Spring Suspension, 40mm Travel, 100mm Hub Spacing, 9mm Axle with Quick Release Skewer

Frame Rear Details:

Sliding Dropout, 135mm Hub Spacing, 10mm x 1mm Pitch Threaded Keyed Axle with 15mm Nuts

Attachment Points:

Rear Rack Bosses, Fender Bosses, Bottle Cage Bosses

Gearing Details:

1 x8 Shimano Nexus SG-C6001-8D Internally Geared Hub, 26 Tooth Rear Cog, 307% Total Gear Ratio, Gear Range Roughly Equivalent to 11-34T Cassette

Shifter Details:

Shimano Nexus Revoshift SL-C6000-8 on Right Grip, Tactile Rubber with Gearing Window

Cranks:

Miranda Forged Aluminum Alloy, 170mm Length Crank Arms, 55 Tooth Gates Carbon Drive CDX Belt Ring Chainring with Alloy Guard, 130mm Bolt Circle Diameter (BCD)

Pedals:

Plastic Platform with Rubber Tread

Headset:

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

Stem:

Adjustable Angle (-10° to 60°), 100mm Length, 50mm Base Height, 30mm Combined Tapered Spacer Height, 31.8mm Clamp Diameter

Handlebar:

Aluminum Alloy, Swept Back, 640mm Length

Brake Details:

Shimano BL-MT200 Hydraulic Disc Brakes with 180mm Front Rotor and 160mm Rear Rotor, Dual Piston Calipers, Three Finger Levers with Adjustable Reach

Grips:

Ergonomic, Padded, Faux Leather, Black, Locking

Saddle:

Selle Royal Loire Gel, Royal Vacuum Light, Large Soft Comfort, Black

Seat Post:

Post Moderne Suspension Post (40mm Travel, Adjustable Compression with 6mm Hex Wrench at Base), Two Bolt Clamp with two Bolt Rotation (5mm Hex Bolts), 27.2mm to 29.8mm Shim

Seat Post Length:

290 mm

Seat Post Diameter:

27.2 mm

Rims:

Ryde Dutch, Aluminum Alloy, Double Wall, 36 Hole, 19mm Outer Width, 30mm Depth (Medium Dish)

Spokes:

Stainless Steel, 14 Gauge Front 13 Gauge Rear, Black with Silver Spoke Nuts

Tire Brand:

Schwalbe 50km Energizer 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, G-Guard 5, Reflective Sidewall Stripes, Addix E

Tube Details:

Presta Valves

Accessories:

Aluminum Alloy Fenders (60mm Width, Plastic End Caps), Custom Aluminum Alloy Rear Rack (Integrated Double Bungee with Plastic Clip, 27kg 59lb Max Load, Bungee Loops at Base, Fender Support, Pannier Blockers), AXA Defender Frame Lock (Keyed-Alike to Battery Lock), Lightweight Aluminum Alloy Belt and Chainring Cover, Handlebar Mounted Electronically Integrated AXA Blueline 50-E LED Headlight (50 LUX, Side Cutouts, 6 to 12 Volt DC), Rear Rack Mounted Electronically Integrated Herrmans Rear Light (4-LED, Side Cutouts), Ursus Mooi Rear-Mount Tool-Free Adjustable Length Kickstand (20mm Two-Bolt Mounting Standard), Custom Flick Bell on Right

Other:

Locking Removable Donwtube-Integrated Bosch PowerTube 500 Battery Pack, 1.6lb 4 Amp Charger, Motor Support Continues Pedaling up to 105 RPM, IP56 Durability Rated (Drive Unit and Display)

Motor Brand:

Bosch Active Line Plus

Motor Type:

Mid-Mounted Geared Motor

Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

250 watts

Motor Peak Output:

450 watts

Motor Torque:

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

Battery Brand:

Bosch PowerTube 500, Top Mount

Battery Voltage:

36 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

13.4 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

482.4 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium-ion

Charge Time:

4 hours

Estimated Min Range:

30 miles (48 km)

Estimated Max Range:

70 miles (113 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 1,000 Readings Per Second. Power Output Relative to Pedal Input: Eco 40%, Tour 100%, Sport 170%, Turbo 250%)

Top Speed:

20 mph (32 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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This review was provided free of charge, the test bike was delivered to me in Fort Collins by Gazelle (thanks Shane for driving it up!). My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Gazelle products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the Gazelle electric bike forums.

Observations:

Gazelle now has four different models in the Ultimate electric bike lineup. Fun fact, the Ultimate line has long been one of Gazelle’s most popular models of non-electric bicycles! In 2018 we covered the first electrified versions, the T10 and T10+, both of which feature ten-speed derailleur drivetrains with a Class 3 speed pedelec for the T10+ only. There’s also the C380 which we covered early this year, which has a Gates Carbon belt paired with the Enviolo stepless CVT transmission. This bike, the C8, is similar to the C380 but instead uses a Shimano Nexus 8-speed internally geared hub, also with a Gates Carbon belt, and costs about $500 less. If these differences are starting to sound confusing, have no fear! You can use our Comparison Tool to see all four of these bikes head-to head.
The Ultimate C8 (along with the C380 and T10+) is compatible with a Bosch dual-battery setup, sometimes called Bosch Range Extender. An additional bracket is installed on the seatpost tube and the bottle cage bosses are used to mount a PowerPack 500 battery, effectively doubling your range! In this setup both batteries are drained and charged in sync to help them to both wear evenly over time. This setup costs $999 extra and can be pre-ordered with the bike, or added after purchase at an authorized Gazelle dealer. Note: This is only available on the 53cm and 57cm frame sizes.
Gazelle hails from the Netherlands where cycling is a major part of the culture, and they have received Royal Dutch recognition for their positive environmental impacts, excellent employee treatment, and for making high quality bicycles – now for over 127 years! Cycling in the Netherlands means lots of exposure to moisture and salt, so all Gazelle bicycles are built to withstand sustained use in harsh environments.

Pros:

$3,500 is a serious investment, but you get a whole lot of ebike for that price tag. The C8 is feature-complete with excellent accessories, and virtually all components are electric-bike-specific, designed to handle the higher speeds and force from the motor. Gazelle also provides an excellent warranty with two years of comprehensive coverage, five years for the suspension fork, and ten years for the frame! A global network of dealers makes it easy to capitalize on that warranty, not to mention the benefits of being able to actually test ride a fitted bike before purchasing it, options that aren’t available for many of the more affordable direct-to-consumer brands.
Flawless integrated cabling and premium satin paint make for a sleek and refined appearance, I like the two-tone look of the PowerTube battery mounted in the downtube – and I also love that Gazelle places it on the top side of the downtube, this feels much more secure and eliminates the possibility of the battery dropping out even if you don’t fully lock it into place. The charger port is placed high up near the head tube where it isn’t likely to tangle with the cranks, and the bottle cage bosses are located on the seat post tube, a great out-of-the-way location that won’t interfere with removing the PowerTube battery.
The AXA Defender cafe lock is a basic anti-theft measure, it operates by inserting a steel bar through the rear wheel spokes, designed to prevent someone from jumping on and riding away… granted, it won’t stop someone from carrying it away, or throwing it in a truck, but even then the cafe locks can be a real pain to remove due to their frame integration. There are no quick-release skewers on the seatpost or the rear wheel either, making those components more difficult to nab at the bike rack. The key-to-like system means you can use the same key for the cafe lock and to remove the battery – a nice perk!
Full suspension is done in a minimalist way here with a suspension seatpost from Post Moderne and a monoshock suspension fork, each with 40mm of travel. These provide adequate comfort for city riding, and the suspension seatpost can be adjusted for preload when removed from the seatpost tube, so that you can dial it in appropriately for your weight. The Schwalbe tires also have a good volume of air and a nice low attack angle which helps to further smooth out bumps in the road.
The step-thru frame and geometry make for an exceedingly comfortable ride, with the adjustable stem able to accomodate an upright relaxed seating position, or a more forward and aggressive one if that is your preferred style. The Loire Gel saddle from Selle Royale is wide, extra soft, and will be a real butt-saver on longer rides. The stitched faux leather grips are a nice touch, they feel great on the hands with a good amount of padding that helps to dampen vibrations, and they’re locking!
Stellar braking performance from Shimano’s hydraulic disc brakes with a 180mm rotor up front, 160mm in the rear – remember, up front is where most of your stopping power is concentrated. The dual-piston calipers are more than sufficient although not as beefy as the quad-piston calipers on the C380, although I thought those ones were a bit overkill. In any case, I am a huge fan of hydraulic brakes vs mechanical (which require more maintenance due to cable stretch, and require more force to actuate).
The sturdy and functional rear rack is mounted well, positioned so that the saddle can be fully lowered without the two colliding as happens on many bikes. There’s a small bungee clip on the top of the rack for easily strapping down a jacket or small bag for quick trips, and latch points low down on each side for tying on other cargo or securing pannier bags. The weight limit is 27kg (about 60 pounds), slightly higher than the standard 25kg seen on most bicycle racks
The C8 is rocking the latest edition of Schwalbe’s excellent Energizer Plus tires, they are ebike-specific (rated for 50 km/h) and made of a rubber compound called Addix-E, which is also ebike specific and intended to provide better durability and grip at high speeds. These are hybrid tires, the center is smooth with low rolling resistance, while the edges have a grippy diamond pattern to help maintain traction while turning and on loose surfaces. They also include top-notch puncture protection, double appreciated here as changing a flat on the rear tire would be a big hassle thanks to the sliding dropouts and drivetrain setup.
I really appreciate Gazelle’s attention to safety on all of their bikes, their accessory choices and positioning are some of the best in the industry with regard to maximizing visibility. Bright reflective stripes on the tire sidewalls and side cutouts on both the head and tail lights provide excellent side visibility. The rear light is positioned far enough back and down that rear rack cargo shouldn’t obscure it, and is quite bright with four separate LEDs. The headlight is also powerful with 50LUX of output, positioned high and center where vehicle drivers can more easily see it, this positioning also lets it turn with the handlebars (as opposed to some lights which are mounted to the frame or a front basket). Of course, both lights are integrated to draw power from the main battery, and they automatically turn on with the display.
Premium alloy fenders provide full coverage for riding in bad weather, I want to call out how well they’re mounted with extra supports connecting to the frame and the rear rack. This results in a quiet riding experience, I didn’t even notice any fender rattling when riding offroad on some bumpy terrain!
The latest-and-greatest version of the Bosch Active Line Plus motor is smooth and quiet, and incredibly responsive as always. Bosch motors read torque, rear wheel speed, and pedal cadence, for a total of over 1,000 readings per second, with instant response when you start and stop pedaling. This is a great motor for cyclists who are a bit more active and want more exercise with less electric assistance, and it feels perfectly smooth to ride with the motor turned off (compared to earlier generations which had some drag). This is a very efficient motor with up to a 90 mile range when riding in ECO, and since it is a mid-drive it benefits from the mechanical advantage of lower gears, making it easy to tackle steep hills.
The Purion display is one of my favorites because it’s simple, out of the way, and it gets the job done without any distractions. These are tough little displays with a grayscale LCD that’s very easy to see in any lighting conditions, and the buttons for changing assist levels are large and easy to operate even with gloves on.
The Gates carbon belt drivetrain is just plain awesome. These belts are much stronger and more durable than standard bicycle chains, as well as requiring almost no maintenance – say goodbye to constantly cleaning and lubing your bicycle chain! The belt drive setup is also virtually immune to derails. While it certainly adds cost compared to a traditional derailleur setup, I think it more than pays for itself in the long run.
Since there’s no derailleur or cassette for shifting gears, all eight of them can be found inside the Shimano Nexus internally geared hub in the rear wheel. If you haven’t ridden a setup like this before, it will take some getting used to, as it’s better to stop pedaling to shift gears. You CAN still shift while pedaling but this may cause some gear mashing and wear on the drivetrain, so it’s best to get into the habit of pausing pedaling whenever you shift. I love being able to shift gears while at a standstill, especially when I stop on a hill and realize that I forgot to downshift while decelerating… the internally geared hub makes that a non-issue. I found the twist-grip shifter on the C8 worked great, and the hub has the same effective range as an 11-34 tooth cassette (309%), a nice wide range that will perform great for all city and trekking uses.
The included charger is the upgraded 4amp “fast” charger, which will decrease charging time while still being compact and lightweight at 1.7 pounds, easy to carry in a backpack.
The weight of 54 pounds is fairly average for an ebike, but the C8 carries that weight very well. The step-thru frame design and battery mounting position help to keep weight low and center, and overall the bike feels quite nimble when riding. I also appreciate the kickstand placement to the rear, this helps keep the bike stable when parked with cargo on the rear rack… as well as preventing pedal lock when maneuvering with the kickstand down!

Cons:

I appreciate the added safety from the cafe lock, but I don’t like having to leave the key inserted when riding. It can be easy to forget the key in the lock (and then someone could make off with your battery), and it prevents leaving the key on your keychain… unless you want all your keys jangling about while you are riding. A good low-tech solution is to keep the key on a small carabiner that you can easily detach and re-attach from your keychain.
The setup here is fairly basic, there’s no way to adjust the front fork suspension, and while you can adjust the Post Moderne seatpost it isn’t as high-performing as some competing products that have more travel and more dynamic movement. Don’t get me wrong, having included suspension is great! Just be aware that if you want to do some offroad riding or your commute involves lots of rough roads, the included suspension might not be sufficient.
The Purion is the most basic display available from Bosch, so it’s non-removable and missing a lot of the features found on other Bosch displays such as the Kiox, Intuvia, and Nyon. Some of these features include Bluetooth for smartphone integration, USB ports for charging devices or powering additional lights, and more ride metrics. Of course, those extra bells and whistles aren’t necessary for riding, so I think the Purion is a great fit for riders who just want to get from point A to point B.
No quick-release skewers for the seatpost or the stem which means adjustments are more time-consuming and require tools to complete. This can be a hassle if sharing the C8 among multiple differently-sized family members. Of course, the positive side of this lack of convenience means less of a theft risk, as all of these components are fairly high value, and would be tempting for thieves when the bike is parked in a public area.
The Active Line Plus motor can only handle a pedal cadence of up to 105rpm, so if you like to stay in lower gears and cycle at a high cadence, you may find yourself exceeding the limits of the motor on a regular basis. This particularly applies to riders who have knee sensitivities and need to avoid the higher pressure requirements of the higher gears.
There is no speed pedelec option for the C8, or for the C380 for that matter. This means that if you want Class 3 speeds of 28mph, you’ll have to go with the Ultimate T10+. The T10+ is also an excellent bike, but it lacks the fantastic Gates carbon belt drivetrain that is found on the C8 and C380. As a rider who loves the belt setup AND loves riding at higher speed, I would have a tough time picking between the two!
I’ve mentioned how hassle-free the belt drivetrain setup is, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll never need to do maintenance or repairs. The rear frame has a complicated sliding dropout setup with a modified right chainstay, and the belt drive plus the internally geared hub further complicate things in that area… which means that removing the rear wheel for any repairs will be a difficult endeavor, definitely not something you’d want to do on the side of the road. The C8 has amazing tires and great components so roadside repairs are an unlikely scenario, but for long-distance treks I would probably opt for the T10 or T10+ due to the relative simplicity of their derailleur drivetrains.

Useful Resources:

Local Gazelle bike shops directory and map to find a local dealer for fitting and test rides.
Official Gazelle electric bikes website.
Bosch Ebike Systems motor comparisons on the EBR forums.
AXA Circle Lock cable accessory.
Bosch drive unit comparison on the official Bosch website.

December 08, 2021 (1 year ago)

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rdv

1 year ago

The spec summary for the Gazelle C8 alludes to the Nexus gearing as equivalent to 11-42t, whereas the Pros section says 11-36t. Neither is correlated to the front chainring (at 55t, presumably not the same size as the chain version of 55t). I don’t understand the “307% total gear ratio”. The question: what are the specific lowest and highest gear ratios available to the C8 (such that a traditional chain 55/11-36 system would yield 55/36=1.53 minimum and 55/11+5.00 maximum). Thank you.

Court

Hi RDV, thanks for calling out the inconsistency here. I’ve done basic searches on gearing ratio for the Nexus internally geared hub and tried to relate it to a cassette spread. This chart, provided by Shimano, references the 307% ratio that I was trying to reference. When looking at the gear ratio equivalent, I used this source which has an awesome table as you scroll down. It actually looks like the gear ratio equivalent is closer to 11-34 tooth, so I will update the review specs and pros section. Please correct me if you think there’s a mistake with this logic.

RDV

My own conclusion on the C8 Nexus gear ratios: 1.04 low, 3.19 high. There’s a table at the back of the Gazelle online manual that shows the distance covered by 1 crank revolution for a 28in wheel with an 8 gear hub (as on the C8) to be 2.32m at the lowest gear and 7.11m at the highest. Since 28in = 0.71m, one wheel revolution/circumference covers 0.71×3.14 = 2.23m. Therefore the low gear ratio is 2.32/2.23 = 1.04, comparable to the low gearing in a typical road compact set-up and good for some unassisted climbing in case of power loss/depletion (my main concern).

The high gear ratio is 7.11/2.23 = 3.19, which is a middling ratio for a typical road compact set-up, but seems adequate for this type of bike. This also explains the 307% range, since 3.19/1.04 = 3.07. Clearly the front ring’s 55 tooth spacing for the belt doesn’t correspond to standard chain tooth spacing and shouldn’t be directly compared in approximating a cassette equivalency. A better understanding is gained by matching this gear hub to a typical 50/34 compact set of rings, in which case the equivalent cassette would span from 50/3.19 = ~ 16t to 34/1.04 = ~ 33t. Please do chime in if the above is incorrect.

Rui

11 months ago

What is the weight capacity for the Gazelle C8? Thanks!

Hi Rui! Perhaps someone from the company will chime in to help answer this. My guess is that it’s somewhere between 250lbs and 300lbs because that’s what I see most frequently in the ebike world. I’ll pass your question on to them though :)

Tina Butler

Hi Rui,

We don’t technically have a weight limit, however per German standards, all our bikes are tested and approved for riders up to 130Kg or about 285 pounds. We have seen riders over 300 pounds comfortably ride our bikes, however heavier riders or riders carrying a lot of cargo will see reduced range at the various levels of motor support.

Best,
Tina

Thanks for the quick official feedback here Tina!

Marjorie Doherty

Hi. Thank you for the review. I’m considering replacing my 2019 Como 3 with the C8. (I originally purchased the Ultimate T10 but had some problems, returned it, and it is no longer available.) My first question pertains to the motor. Will it have similar power to my Como? (I live on a long hill!) My second question pertains to the hub drive. I’m a life long experienced biker and have always used a traditional derailleur system. How does the hub drive compare to a traditional derailleur? Thanks for your help! (I’m also considering the Trek Verve+3.)

Hi Marjorie! A lot of people really like the internally geared hubs, because they don’t get as dirty and don’t require as much maintenance. You can even shift gears when the bike is standing still. The downsides is that they shift a little slower and add some weight. Both Gazelle and Trek make excellent products, I feel that both are high quality, offer dealer support, and come in multiple sizes. I do think that the power from most of these mid-drive ebikes is similar… but not exactly the same. The key is to shift gears to get the most power for each speed. Slow climbing is going to work best when using a low gear for bot you and the motor. The older Specialized Como models used Brose drive systems, which were pretty smooth, quiet, and powerful. Newer systems from both Brose and Bosch are lighter and more energy efficient. It’s difficult to compare exactly apples to apples, but I think you’ll be happy with one of the Bosch motors like the Active Line Plus or base level Performance Line.

Marjorie

10 months ago

Thanks Court! Now to hurry up and wait for the shops to get bikes in stock… and for the snow to leave! :)

Thanks for your expertise!

You’re welcome Marjorie! Where I’m at in Canada, we have lots of rain right now… but we did have some big snow storms too recently! That just makes it more green when the sun comes ;)