2014 Grace Easy Review

The Grace Easy is a city style electric bike that comes in several flavors for improved comfort, luxury and speed. At the base level, it offers a 10 speed cassette with either a fixed or suspension fork and moving more towards the luxury end there’s an internally geared 3 speed hub with gates carbon drive (known for being clean and quiet) that comes with Brooks leather saddle and grips. Each model leverages a BionX gearless hub motor that’s extremely quiet but the internally geared version combines a SRAM system with the motor for near silent operation. One of my favorite design elements of this ebike is actually the battery configuration. It uses a standard BionX pack with premium cells but it’s partially integrated into the downtube while most other BionX kits have a blockier mount-on design. From the hydraulic disc brakes to the Busch and Muller LED lights, the optional fenders and rack to the classy saddle and optioanl speed pedalec Red Dot edition (that’s capable of ~26 mph in pedal assist vs. the standard 20 mph) this is a versatile platform and one that’s easy to appreciate. Ha!

The motor driving each version of the Grace Easy offers 350 watts of gearless direct drive power. While you sacrifice a bit of torque with a gearless design, you gain durability, reduced noise and the option for regenerative braking (which is put to use here). The motor exerts 40 Newton Meters of torque which is quite satisfying under normal riding conditions. Given the hybrid semi-slick tires and larger 28 inch wheelset there’s little resistance holding this bike back and that means you’ll go further with each ride. Of course, with four levels of regen (great for recouping some energy when coasting down hills or adding a “workout” challenge to flat riding) you can actually charge the battery a bit on the fly and there’s also regenerative braking with sensors built right into the brake levers. This motor isn’t especially light and it does add weight towards the rear end of the bike but that’s balanced out by the downtube mounted battery and given the rigid rear portion of the frame, this increased “unsprung weight” in the rear wheel doesn’t impact the ride. City style bikes like this are a perfect use of the BionX system and it really shines on the Grace Easy.

Powering the motor and LED lights is a high quality Lithium Manganese Cobalt battery pack (this chemistry is known for being light weight and durable). It offers 48 volts of power which is above average, improving acceleration, climbing ability and efficiency. With 6.3 amp hours of capacity, its size and weight are kept down and you still get a solid range of 40+ miles per charge depending on terrain, weather and rider weight. I love that the battery is removable for convenient charging on or off the bike (perfect for commuters) and that its shell matches the white or gray exterior paint job of the bike frame. A big part of what makes the Easy so beautiful is the limited branding marks and accent colors. The frame is all one color with a logo beveled into the battery cover only and this looks great with the standard black accessories or honey leather of the Brooks upgrade. With the included quick charger the pack should be full in under three hours which is 30% faster than other standard ebikes and that makes it even more usable.

Operating the drive system on this bike is very easy. Once you’ve charged the battery pack, just press the upper right hand button on the removable second generation BionX display panel. It lights up and displays your speed, battery level, range and assist setting. You can choose from no assist or go up through four levels of torque sensing pedal assist or down through four levels of regeneration as mentioned earlier. In addition to the display (which has up and down buttons) you can navigate assist levels with the break out button pad that also includes a variable speed trigger throttle! Note that the throttle won’t work until you’re moving at 2+ miles per hour (a safety feature common to all BionX systems). Most versions of the Grace Easy are limited to 20mph in assist or throttle mode but you can upgrade to the Red Dot edition (named for the 2012 Red Dot design award this bike received) and that one can go 26 miles per hour in pedal assist mode only.

This is literally an award winning electric bike with options that can make it perfect for anyone riding around paved streets. It’s not ideal for off-road, even with the optional suspension fork, but that’s fine because it benefits from improved efficiency with the stiffer frame and tire setup. While there isn’t a step-thru frame design you do get to choose from two high-step sizes and all of the options described above including two colors. Minor gripes for me include the lack of a seat post water bottle cage mounting point (seems like there was plenty of room to add them) and the added expense of fenders, rack and drivetrain upgrades. I really appreciate the Gates Carbon belt drive setup with internally geared three speed hub and while that does limit cadence range (and might make climbing a bit tougher) it’s just so quiet and clean, it’s hard not to appreciate and perfect for mostly-level commuting applications.

Pros:

• Beautiful well balanced design with custom BionX battery integration in the downtube
• Unique BionX hub motor also offers 3 internal gears for pedaling in the Gates Carbon and Red Dot editions
• Optional 10 speed chain driven configuration for those who want more range when pedaling
• Belt drive looks great, operates silently and is cleaner than a chain
• Four modes of pedal assist and regeneration plus regenerative braking to extend range and reduce wear on disc brakes
• Front and rear LED lights built in for safety, run off the main battery pack so they don’t add as much weight or inconvenience as add-on lights
• Optional rear rack and fenders with mud guards for increased utility
• Battery is lockable and removable making it great for commuters
• Overall light weight of bike at just 42lbs makes it easy to transport, carry up stairs and pedal
• Magura hydraulic disc brakes are smooth and easy to use with plenty of stopping power
• Available in two colors (white and dark blue/gray “anthrazite”) with leather accents on Brooks saddle and grips as options
• 28″ wheels paired with medium sized city tires for efficient coasting and great handling
• Well integrated side-folding two-leg kickstand that stays out of the way when riding

Cons:

• More rigid aluminum frame paired with city tires makes for a rigid ride, consider the optional suspension fork
• No water bottle cage braze-on points on the downtube (due to battery) or the seat tube… seems like they could have added them