Total Weight:
56 lbs (25.4 kg)
Battery Weight:
6.5 lbs (2.94 kg)
Motor Weight:
8.4 lbs (3.81 kg)
Frame Material:
Aluminum Alloy
Frame Sizes:
18 in (45.72 cm)19.5 in (49.53 cm)21.5 in (54.61 cm)Geometry Measurements:
Small: 460 mm, Medium: 500 mm, Large: 550 mm
Frame Types:
Step-Thru
Frame Colors:
Pink, Lime Green
Frame Fork Details:
Aluminum Alloy Rigid
Attachment Points:
Fender Bosses, Rear Rack Bosses, Front Fork Bosses
Gearing Details:
8
Speed 1x8 Shimano Nexus Internally Geared Hub, Gear Ration Front 38, Rear 19Shifter Details:
Shimano Nexus, Revo Twist Shifter
Cranks:
Aluminum Alloy
Pedals:
Aluminum Alloy Platform
Stem:
Concept SL, Adjustable Angle
Handlebar:
Stuttgarter, Swept Back
Brake Details:
Magura HS11 Hydraulic Rim Brake, Magura HS 11 Levers
Grips:
Brooks Leather, Oversized Flat
Saddle:
Brooks B67S Leather
Seat Post:
Aluminum Alloy
Seat Post Diameter:
27.2 mm
Rims:
Rodi Scorpion with Eyelets
Tire Brand:
Schwalbe City Lite, 28" x 1.75"
Wheel Sizes:
28 in (71.12cm)Tire Details:
Kevlar Lined, Reflective Sidewall Stripe
Accessories:
Adjustable Length Kickstand, Full Length Aluminum Fenders with Mud Flaps (Matching Paint), Integrated Rear Carry Rack with Pannier Blockers (Matching Paint), Integrated LED Lights Powered by Shimano 3N31 Dynamo Hub in Front, Front: B&M Lumotec Retro, LED with Parking Light, Rear: Basta Riff Steady, with Parking Light
GatorBob
9 years agoADD CON: Rim brakes for steep, long hills? No! Especially on a $4K bike. DELETE CON: Respectfully, the no-animal-product audience is <1% of buyers. (For those … who do not want to interact with leather products … saddle and grips are made from animals …) Sounds like a great bike in Version 2, with a better hub motor, minor improvements and a more realistic MSRP.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoAppreciate the feedback GatorBob! My experience with hydraulic rim brakes is admittedly limited, my impression was that they offered improved stopping power due to the friction point being further out towards the edge of the wheel (compared with disc brakes) and that this dissipated heat more effectively. In your experience do they wear out more quickly or squeak more or stop worse in wet conditions? I’m curious why they wouldn’t be ideal for steep long hills or other conditions, where do you feel they are optimal and why not always use disc brakes if they are better in your view? Also, yeah, the leather stuff just struck me because it really stood out and I felt like the demographic interested in this ebike might also be more sensitive to animal products, I was digging deep and exploring different considerations here :)
ReplyGatorBob
9 years agoFirst, you do a wonderful job of reviewing e-bikes. Thank you, Court! Full disclosure: I failed to note “hydraulic” rim brakes. My bad! My experience is exclusively with manual rim brakes and I found them less than reassuring on long downhill runs, most especially if grit, oil, grease or even water has been anywhere near them.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoFair points! I agree that rims may come into contact with water and debris more readily than discs (which are elevated). I believe this is how disc brakes came to be preferred for mountain biking. Not only do the discs stay dry and clean, they also stay clear of rocks, ruts and other trail obstacles. Still, you get great leverage with rim brakes and while they might squeak or scratch the rims if they get wet/dirty they still perform very well and may require less physical effort in optimal conditions due to the leverage thing we talked about. I wonder how quickly the pads might wear down compared to disc but they should be easy enough to swap out :)
ReplyDenise
9 years agoHi Court, I’m having a hard time deciding what kind of ebike to get as my daily commuter. I went to a ebike shop in nyc and was dissuaded from purchasing a pedego city commuter, which was my first choice. I really like the look of a low step, relaxed commuter style bike. My commute is 11-15 miles total depending on the day. I live in the north east so I will be riding in wet and maybe even snowy conditions too. I decided to purchase an ebike because there are hilly areas that would be uncomfortable for me to get over on a regular bike due to an old knee injury. Also, I am 5’8” 160lbs. I love this bike because it looks like a cute cruiser but it seems like it is capable enough to be a daily commuter. I can totally imagine putting a pannier and a basket on the front. However I’m not sure it would be good for when its slightly snowy or icy. I guess I would just have to buy snow tires? But the fact that is doesn’t have a throttle or a motor inhibitor puts me off a bit. Would it be an exorbitant amount of money to have a throttle put on (if at all possible)? Do you have any recommendations for me?
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi Denise! In my opinion the Kalkhoff Tasman Classic Impulse 8 is an awesome ebike… but no, you probably won’t ever be able to put a throttle on it. There just isn’t an easy way to update the software and wire it in. This ebike does have shift sensing technology and with the fenders, lights and adjustability of the stem you can really set it up for a comfortable and clean ride. The Pedego City Commuter is an awesome bike but the hub motor won’t be as efficient for hills or longer distances as this or some of the other Kalkhoff bikes with the Impulse 2.0 mid-drive motor. Is there a shop near you that carries these? Definitely check one out if you can, they’re really well made. Also, I don’t think you’ll need snow-specific tires, most bikes work alright in snow or slick conditions if you ride slower an have larger tires :)
ReplyWilliam
8 years agoThanks Court for your in depth review and made it easier for my purchase decision. I’ve had the Tasman Classic for two weeks now riding 40km daily to work and want to add my thoughts here. The great thing about this bike is the classic look, vintage headlamp, powerful engine and amazing long range battery, all these have been noted by Court. I can get 200km out of the battery on eco assist mode which is what they claimed in the marketing material. It is also built like a tank. Now on to the cons.
The frame feels very stiff, may be too stiff for comfort. The frame geometry seem to be best suited to a more lean forward position, given the seatpost angle being very steep. I measured it at 77 degrees on my phone app and look obviously steeper than my other bikes. To get comfortable, I lowered the handle bar so that I lean forward more, which is fine given the long distance I ride. The stock seatpost had no setback (a must for a Brooks saddle) but my dealer swapped one with setback for me. If I wanted to ride bolt upright, I would choose another bike with a slacker seat tube angle.
Overall, I still enjoy this bike as it allows me to ride daily to work despite the long distance. The let down was it took a lot of adjusting to dial in the fit right, which was surprising because I expected a bike like this to feel right out of the box. Would I have chosen another bike? Well, I do like the look of the Tasman Classic :-)
ReplyBrock Fisher
8 years agoI have owned this electric bike for about a year. I ride it 9 miles each direction to work and back everyday. I absolutely love it. My bike riding days ended during my childhood until I purchased this bike. My commute includes a long hill in each direction. I don’t need the electric assist until I climb but then I only need the lowest assist setting. The electric assist is wonderful and intuitive. My battery range is about 70 miles between charges.
The lights/Dynamo work very well. The brakes are amazing – smooth and strong. I can hit 35 mph on my way down the hill and the brakes can slow me down very quickly. The 8 speed shifter is slick and precise.
I found a sale on this bike for $3100. It is very expensive but I have ridden it almost everyday since. I have over 1000 miles on this bike with out any problems at all. It feels brand new.
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoWow! I really enjoyed reading your testimonial here Brock… I agree that this and many other premium ebikes seem expensive but the way you’re able to use it and the fact that it hasn’t required expensive fixes is great. Kalkhoff seems like a leader in terms of utility performance, I love the integrated lights and durable battery and motor designs. I usually look at newer stuff so longer term feedback like yours is important to hear and I appreciate you sharing it :)
ReplyBrock Fisher
8 years agoIt has been a few months since my earlier post. I got a flat back tire and found out about “presta” european tire valves. They are not American “schrader” valves and do not fit any gas station or home air pumps.
The hand pump that comes with the Kalkhoff fits the presta valve but it takes a ton of hand pumps to get the tire inflated – especially when it is leaking. constantly. You can buy adaptors for the presta valves that convert to schrader. I had my bike shop change the inter tubes to American/schrader tubes and bought a new hand pump (tubes changed; $40, new pump $30).
I think that the back tire on this bike must take a lot of pressure. I have a big basket on the back of my bike to carry my satchel, lunch, lock and the like. I weigh 180 pounds. The Kalkhoff weighs 57 pounds. I figure that the rear tire sees around 200 pounds of weight so it takes a beating.
I love this bike.
Brock Fisher
Brock Fisher
6 years agoI have owned and ridden this bike nearly everyday for three years now. No problems whatsoever. It is solid and reliable as a commuter bike (20 miles/day). The battery seems to keep it’s charge perfectly. The motor, gears and brakes still feel like new. I am not too compulsive about maintenance — I haven’t done any. There is nothing to do.
Brock Fisher
ReplyCourt Rye
6 years agoThat’s fantastic Brock! I love hearing about ebikes that have withstood the tests of time and regular use. It sounds like you have a pretty serious commute, I hope it has been healthy and uplifting for you. Thanks again for sharing so that others may have some basis for spending the money and taking a risk on emerging technology :)
ReplyJames
5 years agoGreat review. Well done. I’m interested in this bike, for about town and some local tourism, but I am 6′ 3″ with long legs. Would it be big enough for me, I wonder? At first sight I thought it was a ladies’ bike because of the “step-through” design, but I could see that you are quite tall yourself. Was height a problem at all? Does it come in various frame sizes?
ReplyDee
4 years agoHi can you please tell me which ebike would be best for a very tall gal with very long legs 36-inch inseam
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Dee! You’re definitely on the right track here… look at any of the bigger brands like Specialized, Trek, Giant, Kalkhoff (or Gazelle, if you’re in North America). It sounds like Kalkhoff is pulling out of North America and the Pon Group is keeping their other brand, Gazelle. From there, you’ll be able to choose a size for many of the bike models… so you can focus on which model fits your needs and budget best, then get a large or XL. You do have a long inseam! Perhaps looking at the high-step models would be a good thing to do as well… they aren’t as approachable and the colors are usually more gender neutral or masculine. The Trek Verve+ is a great place to start and they have lots of dealers around the world, so it’s easy to go in and get fitted and supported. I think the Verve+ comes in mid-step or high-step, so more approachable if you go that way :)
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