To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Raleigh USA. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Raleigh products.
Raleigh USA has completed a number of new offerings for 2019, and one amongst them is the Raleigh Detour iE. Our last update came in 2017 and featured a rear rack mounted battery with a Shimano STePs E6000 mid-drive geared motor vs the 2019 which instead gets a downtube mounted battery and the new Shimano E6100 mid-drive. This new configuration provides more stability and balance for the rider which can also increase a feeling of being connected to the road. Again, we see the bike available in two different frame styles, a high-step and a step-through. A few sizes are available as well as a couple of color options too. One of them being a high visibility white with orange accents, or you can opt for a matte black with blue accents. The bike is nice and light weighing in at 48lbs total. In this light frame they managed to include accessories like a steel rear mounted rack, fenders, and even some puncture resistant sidewall reflective Schwalbe tires. It should be stated though that the fenders are a little on the economical side, the entry level quality can make for some annoying adjustments. The rack is bolt on for removability and has mounting points for lights or reflectors. The bike does have a bit of rigidity given that there is no suspension fork, no suspension seat post (but can be swapped out with a 30.9mm equivalent) non-locking grips, or double walled fenders. However there is some comfort given, coming from the 700c 28” x 2” tires, swept back handle bars, and velo saddle. The big win on the Detour iE is the Tektro Auriga hydraulic disk brakes. Since the bike received a more zippy motor, the stopping power is very welcome and its nice to see hydraulic brakes becoming more standard on ebikes. The 9 speed Shimano Acera drivetrain complements the brakes well with trigger shifters and a window display for gear read-out. It also has this nice multi shift lever allowing you to click up and down a few gears while getting that tactile feedback. Some other notable features include the 11-34 tooth freewheel, quick release levers on both wheels, chain cover with chain guide, bottle cage bosses, and a kickstand clear of the crank arm.
Driving the bike is the 250w Shimano STePs E6100, which is new for 2019, so lets take a closer look at some of the updates. The E6100 offers 60nm of torque vs the 50nm found on the E6000. Additionally, it now offers 70% (previously 50%) feedback at lower levels of assist. Another great feature of the E6100 is its high cadence support. This allows the rider to pedal very fast and still have the motor keep up with you. It does this by combining input from the rear wheel sensor, pedal cadence, and torque sensor. Altogether, these changes make for a noticeably zippier and smoother experience. Its dynamic, fluid, and feels really natural. The motor is smaller in size too, granting a more narrow width and even provides reduced noise. Since the motor is now 20% overall more efficient, and weighs half a pound less (now 6.35lbs), it is able to grant greater range is a as well. It comes in a couple of slight configurations based on bike frame manufacture, but both designs keep weight low and centered on the frame.
The battery is a downtube mounted removable 417wh, 36v 11.6ah pack. It has an Abus key locking mechanism for security and a handle for easy removal and transport. The battery also has a nice LED power readout that displays in 5 separate 20% intervals. The charger itself is a newer 35002 model and is compact and lightweight at 1.4lbs. It charges at 1.8amps, so it is a little slower, but that slower charging should improve the overall life cycles of the cells in the battery. Charging can be done on or off the bike, which is a nice convenience, but the charger and ports themselves hinder this somewhat. The compact charger has small port which plugs in directly to the battery mounting apparatus bolted on the frame. If you want to remove the battery and charge the battery off of the bike, then you have to obtain a dongle adapter to plug into the larger port plug located directly to the battery itself. This can make charging a little overly complex. For example, if you want to charge the battery at your office and keep it out of the elements, you will need to have that extra dongle adapter and perhaps transport it with you too. This is a bit of an inconvenience as the majority of people charging their batteries do so indoors as is recommended.
The display is a Shimano STePs SC-E6100 model. It is a removable, backlit grayscale display, and even features an option for a black or white overall interface. This comes in handy considering riders can have a visual preference in varied lighting conditions. Controlling the display is done primarily through 3 handlebar mounted buttons that let you navigate up, down, or a selection confirmation. On the upper right, it features a clock while the upper left shows a battery info-graphic that displays power in 5 separate 20% intervals. The speedometer is big and bold in the top middle while just beneath it lets you choose your assist level between ECO, Normal, or High. Below the mode display, there is a selection for manual or automatic if you have a bike with an automatic Shimano shifting system. The lower half of the display can cycle through various readouts including cadence, distance, odometer, dynamic range based on mode, a range chart so you can estimate which mode you should be in, time, average speed, and max speed. Other features include DI2 readouts for servicing, language select, unit measurement select, brightness adjustment, and an audible feedback beep you can turn on or off. Rounding off the bottom of the display is a set of physical buttons for menu, power, and lighting for bikes with integrated lights. With this SC-E6100 display, things are a little basic as there is no walk-mode or USB charging. However, the cool thing about the Shimano electrical systems is that you can really switch up some of the displays if there is another Shimano display more to your liking. Also, it is compatible with Shimano’s E-TUBE app which lets you use your phone as a display which is nice if you have a smartphone mount on your handlebar. Complementing the layout is a 9 speed Shimano Acera with trigger shifters and a window display for gear read-out. The handle bars feature this nice ergonomic grip, but it is a bit of a tradeoff since its not a locking grip.
The detour refresh has some welcome upgrades from the previous generation. However there are some tradeoffs to consider. The fenders and the pedals used are plastic, a more affordable choice, but give it a less premium feel. Also, no suspension and stiffer components make for a slightly ridged ride. Furthermore, there is no loops or hangers for additional cargo on the rack, no integrated lights for either front or rear, and the charging system is complicated by needing an additional dongle for off-the-bike charging. All things considered, many of these tradeoffs could be considered nitpicking. The bike provides great quality and comfort at a low cost ($2299). When you factor in the hydraulic disc brakes with the smooth, zippy, and refined Shimano E6100 mid-drive motor, you can see where the bike really shines and comes together. Raleigh has a great heritage as a brand and they back the bike up with both a 2 year warranty, and assembly and service if you buy at a local dealer, or online through their website and a partnership with Beeline, a mobile bike mechanic service.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of 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 EBR forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- Good utility and comfort for price, including a rear steel rack, fenders with support points to reduce rattle, puncture resistant 700c 28” x 2” Schwalbe reflective tires, swept back aluminum alloy handlebars, and ergonomic grips
- A big win is the Tektro Aries hydraulic disc brakes, only 160mm but should be plenty for the bike, 9 speed Shimano Acera drivetrain, 11-34 tooth freewheel, trigger shifters with a window display and multi click shifting
- Available in two frame styles, high-step and step-thru, three sizes, and two classy colors with clean integrated cables
- Relaxed, swept-back handlebar supports a more upright body position, ergonomic grips ease hand fatigue
- Both frames have bottle cage bosses! You can bring along fluids without using a trunk bag or panniers or use this mounting point for a folding lock
- Features the updated Shimano E6100 motor with 60nm of torque, an upgrade from 50nm on the previous E6000, more zippy with 70% of feedback at lower level assist vs 50% on the E6000, high cadence support so if you are pedaling really fast the motor can keep up with you
- Fenders, chain cover, and plastic chain guide keep you clean and snag-free, especially if you’re wearing pants or a skirt
- Hydraulic disc brakes offer great stopping power and don’t require as much hand strength or endurance to use, the adjustable-reach levers are nice for people with small hands
- The 9-speed Shimano Acera drivetrain is two steps up from the base and offers a comfortable range for pedaling up to 20mph
- Mid-drive motors are nice because they position weight low and center on the frame while also de-cluttering the wheels and making maintenance easier vs. hub motors, also with the new battery position, it keeps more weight centered
- Both the battery pack and display panel are removable, this is nice for people who commute to work and have to leave the bike outside during the day (reduce tampering, scratches, and weather wear)
- I was really impressed by how light these bikes were considering that they have fenders and a rack, at ~48.2lbs they are lighter than comparable models in the ~52lbs range
- Both wheels have quick release which makes maintenance and flat fixes easier but take care to lock the wheels with a cable if you park at a rack
- The Shimano STePs motor controller senses more than just cadence or torque, this lets it operate smoothly and reduces drivetrain wear, it also feels less jerky or abrupt than TranzX and other entry-level systems
- Having a kickstand on a bike like this really makes sense and I think Raleigh chose well, the stand is positioned out of the way towards the back and has adjustable length so you can keep the bike stable on varied terrain
- The rack is rated for up to 55lbs, there are spots to clip a bungee cable on both sides as well as multiple bars for hanging panniers
- The battery has a handle built in which makes removal and transport easy and safe, you don’t want to drop the pack because it is delicate and expensive
- The charger is relatively compact and only weighs 1.4lbs, I like that it puts out up to 1.8 Amps vs. 3.1 Amps on the previous model because that means it will preserve the battery life a little better
- The saddle has a plastic handle indentation on the bottom back side which is useful for moving the bike and positioning for a ride, just make sure the seat post collar is tight so you don’t turn it accidentally, you could also damage a cheap seat post suspension this way if you add one aftermarket
- Display is grayscale but allows you to change from a white to black interface, 3 levels of assist (eco, normal, and high), 5 ticks at 20% battery readout, clock, cadence read out, beep feedback, covers a wide range of measurements, not only is the display removable but the electric system is also compatible with other Shimano displays including the E-TUBE app on your smart phone
- I love how easy it is to adjust the display settings, including turning the backlight off and silencing the beep noise! just hold the up and down arrow keys on the control pad for a few seconds to launch settings
- The motor is extremely responsive, as soon as you pedal, or stop pedaling, it responds so you feel in control and can ride safely no matter the situation
- 2 year warranty, sold both through dealers and as well as direct-to-consumer online, Raleigh USA is part of the Accell bike group which has partnered with Beeline should you chose to have one shipped to your door and need assembly
Cons:
- The plastic fenders provide good coverage in wet conditions and has support points on fenders to reduce rattling but trying to keep cost down as a tradeoff make them more difficult to adjust
- Its great to see the battery shifted to the middle freeing up some room on the rack, but it would have been nice if they made the most of it by including loops or hangers for additional cargo
- The ridged seat post and ridged aluminum alloy fork were chosen as opposed to a suspension seat post or suspension fork which hinders the comfort a bit, but not too bad considering the bike has comfort in the form of geometry with the swept back bars, the 2” wide 700c balloon tires, and comfy branded saddle
- It’s great to be able to charge the battery on or off the bike but I wish it used the same plug interface, instead, you have to use (and keep track of) a dongle adapter which can overly complicate things for the user
- There are no lights intergraded or included, many bikes now are offering battery integrated lights as a standard setup and it would have been nice to see them here, but the rear rack is bolt on for removability and has mounting points for lights or reflectors which is great if you have your own
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