RIBBLE HYBRID AL E FULLY LOADED EDITION
Good looks, comfort and plenty of punch
“The ride position is sporty with nimble handling, combined with great contact points for comfort”
All of the bikes here surpassed what I expected. In years gone by, lower-priced ebikes were unwieldy to handle, heavy and more likely to discourage cycling than promote it, however, in this test all of the bikes were great fun to ride.
The bargain-priced Carrera Crossfuse delivers a big dose of power, a comfortable commanding ride position and with a few additions, such as mudguards and a rack, it would make an awesome commuter 52 weeks of the year. For those new to cycling, or those yet to experience the joy of an ebike, the Carrera offers plenty of helpful power at a keen price.
The Raleigh may have a little less punch than the Crossfuse but the Motus Tour comes equipped with every extra you could ever want and gives the plushest ride in this test. If you’re looking to recommend an ebike to a non-sporty cycling friend, we’d say the Raleigh offers everything a commuter needs, all included. Boardman’s HYB is the sporty option with Fazua’s Evation system delivering assistance that complements your own power. However, to make it a worthy year-round commuter you’ll need to add plenty of accessories.
Our winner is the Ribble Hybrid AL e. The ride position is sporty with nimble handling, combined with great contact points for comfort. Mahle’s ebikemotion system is lightweight but offers plenty of punch and ample range (and you can buy a booster battery to up the range to a claimed 120km with 2200m of elevation). It’s the one bike here that drew admiring comments too. You just need to be able to park or store it near a power source because the battery can’t be removed for charging.