To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Magnum. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Magnum products.
The Magnum Ui6+ is an upgraded high-step version of the regular Ui6 with some tweaks and enhancements to set it apart. The bike is similar to the Ui6 and older Ui5, so you may see some parallel information, but I will call out the new changes as we go along. For example, the frame gets bumped up a size from the regular Ui6. This is a 19” frame instead of an 18” frame. This changes the wheels to a 28” versus a 26” wheel. It makes for a more narrow 700c tire and they even include a reflective sidewall stripe. Overall the Ui6+ is an “urban” model with a semi-integrated battery and other commuting features… It’s one of my favorite ebikes from their line because it looks great, is well suited to city riding or commuting with a good sized motor and battery and has a relatively clean cockpit that’s easy to use. There are a few issues with the bike including limited access to the charging port and USB outlet (when the battery mounted), only one brake lever with a motor cutoff switch, an independent rear light that requires AA batteries vs. being wired in and limited throttle control (you can only get as much power as the level of assist you’re in so it’s not really an override). Still, given the very reasonable $1,699 price point, purpose built frame, balanced weight distribution, clean wire integration, disc brakes, suspension fork, included fenders, rack, and the solid one year warranty this is definitely a winner in my book. Other features include bottle cage bosses, a sticker slap guard, and adjustable length kickstand.
The motor is upgraded to a 500 watt internally geared hub mounted in the rear wheel. It’s very powerful and gets the bike moving much better than the 350 watt version thanks to the 90nm of torque. I like that for the Ui6+ they chose a black version to match the spokes, rims and battery. The motor whirs a bit depending on the level of power you’re applying but it’s not super loud, nor is it very heavy. I like that this e-bike has a quick release on the front wheel but you’ll need tools to access the rear. There’s a 7 speed cassette with a Shimano Altus derailleur there and a quick-disconnect in the power cable so you can completely remove the wheel and motor together without any loose wires getting in the way. 7 speeds is decent for neighborhood or city riding and if you keep the chain lubed and drop in for an occasional tuneup everything should last. I especially like the aluminum alloy bash guard on the front chainring because it protects your pants or dress from getting greasy or snagged. Stopping the bike is set of mechanical disc brakes with 180mm in the front and 160mm in the rear. I do like matching sets, but the front wheel needs the majority of the stopping power, so it makes sense here.
Powering the Magnum Ui6+ electric bike is a beautifully semi-integrated Lithium-ion battery pack. The downtube is partially cut away in order to sink the pack “inside” which provides more security and strength while simultaneously lowering the center of mass. It’s not quite as clean as the pack on Easy Motion or Stromer models but for a “value” offering it’s one of the best I’ve seen to date. The battery is an upgraded 48v 13ah pack as opposed to the regular Ui6 that just has a 36v pack. A few other “extras” on the battery include an integrated LED power level indicator (that isn’t especially useful when mounted to the frame because it’s not very bright and is blocked by the downtube) and a USB charging port. I know I’ve stressed this earlier and in the video review above but it would be nice if the outlet was placed at the top of the pack instead of the bottom so it could be reached and used more safely while riding. As it stands, the port is precariously close to the chainring and crank arms.
Turning on the display itself is pretty simple and requires a long press of the M on the independent button pad. Once the display turns on, the Ui6+ is ready to ride. When the bike is on, the throttle is live. Just a reminder to please be careful with this as I have accidentally activated throttles like this in the past and had the bike run away from me, and once driven a bike into the side of my car (it was at low speeds so no damage). I like this display because it angles a bit, is backlit, has a USB Type A port and provides most of the pertinent information I want to see in a cohesive, easy to understand way. Once the display is activated, I can navigate through the pedal assist modes (1-5) with the up and down arrows and toggle through different display options by tapping the M button and holding the up button. To enter settings, I hold the up and down arrow. Pretty straightforward and I also like that the buttons are tactile and provide a good grip, and that they have tactile feedback when they are depressed so I can feel what is happening without having to look.
To sum everything up… the price really makes this bike shine but even if it weren’t so affordable the matching paint, integrated wires, upgraded batteries and other extras like the lights really set it apart. Sure, you have to manually activate those lights but they are actually fairly high quality coming from Spanninga. The suspension fork adds a lot of comfort and offers preload adjust under these plastic caps. A big win too is the suspension seat post as well with compression adjust and 40mm of travel. I love the color and the adjustable stem, this ebike will fit a wider range of riders and for those who want to commute or run errands the rack was very impressive as well. I do like the disc brakes on the Ui6+ but was a little surprised that they only include one lever with a motor inhibitor. I’m not sure how much money that saves, it probably decreases clutter up front but I’d opt for two and then maybe get a set of matching brake rotors if I could change anything here. Overall it’s an impressive product and clearly refined so I would like to thank Magnum for giving me the opportunity to check it out.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Magnum ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- The battery secures to the frame well, looks good and is easy to take on and off even though it’s fairly snug beneath the top tube (since it slides out to the side), seems well protected by the frame in case of tips
- 7 speed Shimano Altus works great, the bike really has a capable system both mechanically and electrically, great to see on such a value priced bike
- Very affordable for a purpose built electric bike with a one year warranty, upgraded battery 48v 13ah size and 500 watt motor
- Offers throttle and pedal assist, the controls are fairly compact and reachable in the cockpit, display is simple to use and easy to read
- Carry rack and fender set are sturdy and make a great addition, the feature of LED lights here adds great utility for commuting
- Comfortable and efficient ride given the larger and narrow 700c tires, Suntour suspension fork and Selle Royale saddle
- Nice colors, even the suspension fork and grips match, this is not always the case with lower priced electric bikes
- The motor and battery offer great power for a US electric bike but the battery is actually slightly larger than standard with 13 amp hours vs. just 10 on most models
Cons:
- Only available in one standard size with one color option but the adjustable angle stem helps to broaden support for people of different heights
- The bike is larger and only in high-step, will work fine for some people, but others may want to take into account the larger stand-over height, especially with that added suspension seat post
- The LED lights are great but it would be nice if both were integrated (the rear light requires two AA batteries), each one also has to be manually turned on vs. using the display to do it
- The center mounted kickstand can produce ‘pedal lock’, an annoying occurrence that happens when you reverse a bike with the kickstand down and the crank rotates back and strikes the kickstand, causing the bike to lock up until you push it forward a bit and stow the kickstand back up
- Only the left brake lever features an integrated motor inhibitor, if you squeeze the right lever to stop it will still activate the rear disc brake but the motor may continue because pedal assist is a bit delayed
Resources:
- Official Site: https://www.magnumbikes.com/
Mark says
Its great that they came out with lower price point model, which makes it an offering that competes better with their up and coming ‘cousin’ company, NCM (marketing a nearly identical set of ebikes from the same OEM, Leisger), but now Magnum has a price/value disparity problem between this Ui6+ and the Metro +. The UI6 + looks virtually identical, with same size tires etc, rack, same motor, but the Metro+ is $2175. Would a consumer be willing to ‘justify’ the fairly minor extra differences ? (an extra gear, hydraulic brakes, 2 cut outs, slightly different display, few mph faster?, slightly different tier of derailleur ?)
But MAYBE, (at least according to a BRAIN article), there is some pending relief possible on the china tariff side, as it looks like ebikes MIGHT fall into the pending ‘retroactive’ exclusion that was recently announced for products like this, so Magnum could take their Metro+ price back down to its prior $1999 ? Its odd how Magnum applied for an exclusion (as did Pedego and others), didn’t get it, but then State Bicycle Co, just apparently got an exclusion, as a single speed adult bike. And because of that, some other categories may get the same reprieve including ebikes. The wording from BRAIN was as follows:
“apparently, e-bikes, have earned an unexpected reprieve from tariffs imposed by the Trump administration last year.”
“The U.S. Trade Representative published a list of Chinese products granted exclusions in the Federal Register on Friday. The list includes singlespeed adult bikes, motorized skateboards, and electric motorcycles. The electric motorcycle category apparently includes e-bikes, although BRAIN has not been able to confirm that with industry experts.”
BRAIN = Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.