Electric bicycles - do they make sense?
We try out two very different offerings
The Lectro C8 is essentially a commuter bicycle. It is made from 6061 grade alloy and is pretty light weight considering it is an electric cycle. The overall design looks simple and there is an 80mm travel lockout suspension up front. There is a 7-speed Shimano gear set which is operable via hand shifters. Front and back the E-Bike sports mechanical disc brakes. The Ralson tyres are slim and deemed perfect for on the road use and occasional trail rides. The seat is comfortable as well. It offers decent amount of space and offers a quick release to adjust height. At the back there is a 250W hub motor which is powered by a li-ion battery pack cleverly hidden in the main frame of the bike. The motor is operable via the switch gear provided on the handle bar and the twist grip on the right side for full electric mode. The same switchgear can be used to operate the rather powerful Cree LED headlights.
The Lectro C8 comes with a Li-Ion 36V, 5.8Ah battery with IP67 ratings. The battery pack can be charged by a small charging port provided next to the pedal. The company claims an all-electric range of 25km and 30km on pedalec.
With the seat adjusted right, the riding position on the C8 is very comfortable. The wide Spur handlebar ensures good leverage while taking turns and even while riding on trails. In pedalec mode, riding the C8 is rather easy. The moment pressure is applied on the pedal, one can feel the motor kick in. Acceleration is brisk too and it gets to roughly 18kmph in medium mode. The cycle is very easy to ride and covering distances of around 15 to 20km is no big deal. The best thing is that incase you get tired, there is always the option of going back on electric power only in which pedalling is not required. The Lectro C8 comes with a soft front suspension which does a good job in soaking up bumps. It is a hard tail and as a result shocks can be felt while the rear wheel goes through a pot hole. The brakes also do a good job of hauling the cycle down fast but do not offer a cut out function.
The Nexu Roadlark is a heavy duty electric cycle and features a steel frame. The quality of paint on the full fenders is not as good as the one seen on the frame. An LED headlamp comes standard. The handlebar features a control panel for the various modes and battery level indicator. Right next to it sit two buttons; one to control the light and another works the horn which is built in. The right hand side handlebar grip also works as a throttle only to be used when the rider wants to go all electric. The seat is comfortable and features a quick release function. The Nexzu Roadlark rides on rather chunky 26in tyres which are sure good for Indian conditions. The Roadlark comes with dual batteries. There is a 5.2AH internal battery mounted in the frame which takes three hours for a full charge. It cannot be removed and the same can be charged by plugging in via a small socket provided in the frame. The second battery is an 8.7AH detachable battery which sits under the seat. The secondary battery can be charged in five hours. To ensure that the battery is not stolen, the company has given a lock too. As far as range is concerned, the company claims that the Roadlark will be able to traverse 100km in Pedelec mode and 75km in all-electric mode. The Nexzu
Roadlark feels a bit heavy to move around at first. This is primarily because of the steel frame and dual batteries. But once on it, the weight is not felt much. In Pedelec mode, the motor provides a good amount of boost in medium settings and acceleration as a result is brisk. In power modes things get even faster and the last thing you feel is the weight. But switch off the electric assist and one will feel the weight. In full electric mode, there is a minor lag between twisting the throttle and acceleration. But overall it is a good feature to have as the power delivery is near instant. The Nexzu Roadlark comes with dual mechanical disk brakes which offer good stopping power. But the best thing is that there are sensors which cut off the power from the motor the moment the brakes are pressed. This is something which we really liked.