Thanks for the thorough, straightforward review. This ebike is a great option for older adults like myself. It's extraordinarily comfortable, and really easy to ride and enjoy - the internal hub making shifting simple and easy. They come kitted so completely; with fenders, lights, a frame lock, and two-point suspension, all standard equipment. I'm glad to see it return to North America.
This is exactly the right design for a daily rider. No excuse whatsoever for a derailleur on a bike like this, but the bike industry is broken in my opinion. Bikes should always be built for maximum lifespan and minimal maintenance, and that is still not remotely the norm. Even now there are only a handful of companies that are truly doing it right.
I see value in the design and component choices here. It’s nice to have a durable commuter. I think the light models that require more maintenance are fun for sportier riding, and some people like to work on their bikes like fancy sports cars. It’s nice to have choices, and it seems like much of the new technology around CVT and belts is coming down from automobiles! It’s pretty cool :D
Maximum lifespan and minimum maintenance will come at the cost of weight or cost or efficiency. Some people wanna blast out a few trips a month or even year and others want low cost travel. The free market seems to do a good job in supplying these needs. If you want near zero maintenance, go belt drive.
@@ZebraLemur I think the maintenance a chain needs is exaggerated. I'm a daily e-biker and I run through a chain every three years or so, mostly due to stretching. I don't oil my chain more than twice a season, sometimes with olive oil. Bikes are tough.
@christianbeaupre7989 I hear ya, but I disagree. A good drip chain wax every 60-100 miles keeps everything quiet, clean, and smooth running. My chain is at 2500 miles and still less than 0.5 stretch. Any wet lubes are just gonna collect grit and become grinding paste. Olive oil is going to be more corrosive, especially on aluminum parts. If you have an expensive drive train, lubrication is cheaper than the parts and maintenance time.
@@ZebraLemur Ya, Olive oil is a lazy man's lube for sure, but also cheap. And yes, I have noticed the build up of grit with wet lubes. Most ebikes, unless very pricey, have an Altus, Acera or Tourney drivetrain, very cheap stuff. I have never had to replace mine though, not from wear. In terms of maintenance, well, I have never had to to any other than on break pads and the occasional chain change.
Court, nice review. I've got another Gazelle model (Medeo T10), which has the same Bosch motor, but with derailleur, instead. Looking at the specs, many shoppers might be put off by the 36 volts and 250 watt setup. I can say with absolute confidence that one can easily climb any hill with that setup, just as you displayed in this vid. Yes, you'll be dropping to a lower gear, but the bike makes you feel able to handle anything. Gazelle builds smartly designed bikes, with careful consideration of all components, and their bikes are a joy to ride. I confidently expect to get many years of riding with my bike.
Great feedback Eric! I’ve been very impressed snd satisfied by the Bosch drive systems. I feel like their Performance Line motors are actually some of the most powerful mid-drives out there, the numbers don’t always tell the whole story. Thanks for chiming in :)
I am seriously looking at the Medeo T9 which again has the same motor and a few lesser options and I was worried about the hill climbing too. This is good feedback for me and it matches everything else I have heard. Thanks Eric.
@@robertkribs9513 Glad to help. The trick is selecting a gear that matches your motor's most efficient power band. You'll know immediately when you find it. Of course, you will be peddling, but you won't have to stand up. Legs get a minor workout, but it's not exhausting; in fact, it feels good. That's what I love about mid-drives--you're still riding a bike like when you were a kid.
I also purchased a 2023 gazelle ultimate T10 and I absolutely love this bike on pretty much any terrain especially in the auto mode. I installed a wider 2.25” tire and a thudbuster suspension post ,makes a quite a difference in rougher terrain and sandy or loose gravel
Really appreciate your listing the price in the title of your videos, as well as your fair, detailed reviews. Would also like to see comparison of similar bikes from different brands at different price points - what are the differences between economy, regular and premium models?
Thanks for the compliment! Sometimes I mention competing models, but I generally stick to the bike at hand. The site has some good compare tools, and the forums can be a good place to ask for advice by listing your highest priorities so people can narrow down. There are so many to cover, doing vs videos might be popular on UA-cam but would take away from my time to maintain the platform. It would be nice to grow my team to be able to do that in the future. I just haven’t worked out the business model for it, I do all of the reviews for free so it doesn’t really scale right now.
Thanks for this review; the "key in the lock" is an [overhere standard] insurance thing: if your bike is gone and you can show the key(s), it is considered proof that you locked the bike. Maybe in combination with using the same key for the battery is not the most practical [first lock, then take], but never hurts to lock your bike ;-)
Thanks for this background Tom! I had never heard the insurance proof requirement thing. I think I still prefer the choice of removing the key, just to avoid snags, and missing loose keys. Most ebikes come with multiple keys, so if insurance was challenging a theft case, would they insist to see “all” keys before paying? Would they know that many bikes come with two, but some come with three? What if you had lost a key previously in an unrelated incident, would they not pay? It’s an interesting topic and I appreciate your comment.
Bikes here typically come with 2 keys for the (wheel) lock, they are (together with color, framenumber, brand, and type) registered at the insurance company. If the bike gets stolen, you have to send the (police) report together with the keys to them. (hint: one of the keys should be used). Bike keys can not be made by the local key maker, they have a registration number engraved, and need to be ordered at certificated shops. After you order one of those you have to inform the insurance company, so they know how many [and which] keys you have and they can check after a theft if that is corresponding with what you send. No doubt this is a not 100% fail-safe system, but pretty sure that they (together with statistics and other big data solutions) can make a good guess if they have to further investigate or simply have to pay. Tbh I really don't know how this is solved in other countries: how to prove you did your best your bike staying where you put it?
@@tom.jacobs Bikes are generally not individually insured in the US (some people may choose to insure extremely expensive, high end bikes, but this is pretty rare). At least in the US, I think part of the reason for this is that historically bikes are not a very common form of transportation here; they're mostly seen as something for kids or recreation, rather than an essential tool that people use to get to work, etc. In most of the US, the car is king. Homeowner's or rental insurance may cover your bike in certain circumstances (typically only if your bike is stolen from your home or apartment), but in many cases you're unfortunately out of luck. If your bike is stolen from your home, you would make a police report and provide that report to the insurance company. If it turned out that you lied and the police were able to demonstrate it, filing a false claim and lying to the police is a crime that you could be prosecuted for. There's some abuse of this by people trying to game the system, but probably not enough to make insurance companies want to spend the money on a better system.
That seems improbable - I can show a key from any lock - how can they prove it doesn't fit my missing bike? And, as others have mentioned, nearly all locks come with duplicate keys. Hmm - Oh well. I put an ABUS 4960 on my bike. Some people say you can't remove that key either while unlocked - that's not true. On the ABUS (not the AXA, which really does trap your key), you can remove the key by momentarily lifting the ring lever up past the "home" position. The ABUS also allows for a plug-in chain or cable, like the AXA does. I don't use that. I just run the ABUS steel ring through one end of the non-ABUS cable or chain as I'm locking it.
Very good review like many u have done. I bought the Gazelle Ultimate C380+HMB and love it . I can’t say enough about the quality in the bike frame ,finish ,& motor ,battery fit. I like the Enviolo CVT type transmission. When I catch myself not paying attention and shifting down I appreciate being able to do it at anytime even at a standstill. The brakes are just great . The seat I find comfortable and can ride for a few hours on before having to get off for awhile. The front fork suspension is awesome along with the tires. . Best bike I’ve ever owned and I give your great reviews all the credit for finding it. 👍
Been a huge fan of the Gazelle "Roadster" style bikes for years (Think Raleigh DL1, for example). It looks from the frame angles that they've carried a little of that relaxed frame geometry through to the Arroyo bikes - easy stable handling that you can live on all day. And if Gazelle built it, I'm confident in the quality. That 180mm disc in the front isn't overkill, BTW - the descents on the famous Dutch mountains can be pretty fierce.
The chain cover is nice to protect your pants becoming stuck however, when cleaning & lubricating the chain, you must remove the guard which may be difficult as well as time consuming.
That’s a good point Arnold. I wonder if a lot of owners just don’t ever remove snd clean. On the one hand, it would stay cleaner longer, so Les cleaning and lubricating required… there’s also no slack and no derailleur, so the chain is just a straight fixed setup, so wear is probably pretty low.
For my frame lock I just keep a carabener on the rest of my keys, keep the small key ring on the one key that is in the lock and then clip it when I lock it up. Hasnt broken on my Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro yet (fingers crossed, knock on wood). Just got this bike for my significant other, cant wait to put in some miles!
Thanks Court for another great review. I followed your advice and bought the Dost Kope which appears to be more stable in frame design verses this woman’s bike style “V” design. I bought the additional battery which gives me almost 120 miles of range. I like the Schwalbe tires much better than these, which also has a luminescent reflective sidewall, which in my opinion, is safer. I also find the locking mechanism annoying.
That’s awesome Arnold! I’m so happy that you’re enjoying the bike. Thanks for highlighting the features that are working well. Yeah, the dual battery feature rich Dost products are pretty special :)
When you put a bike like this on a bike rack, you normally take out the battery, as this is a lot of extra weight. When you remove this battery, the frame remains open, so you can't transport the bike without the battery. Some kinda design flaw.
You make an interesting point, yes a frame without the battery would appear more open and vulnerable to water and dust collecting inside. The Bosch electronics systems are pretty durable and water resistant. I think they are IP56.
As always a good balanced ebike review Court. Any plan to review the Serial 1 ebikes? I have the Rush Cty Speed model and it is really the ultimate hop on and go bike.
Regarding the top supported pedal cadence, I am assuming the motor just cuts out at 106? Just making sure I can pedal how I need to when I need to under my own power.
Gazelle offers decent quality for the money, but they still have to cut corners just like many others in this budget range. These Gazelle-branded plastic mudguards crack after about 1 year of use. Similarly, the red adjustment nipple on the kickstand also breaks after a year - I fitted a piece of wood to hold it together. I speak from my experience with Gazelle Paris C7+, which is almost the same bike, save for rear-mounted battery and Magura rim brakes. Speaking of rim brakes, they are very powerful, but deform the geometry quite a bit. On my bike, the suspension fork was expanding by almost 1cm! I guess this is why manufacturers don't like them very much. By the way, you can remove the caps, and adjust the preload. The Post Moderne suspended seat post is of very low quality, and offers very little travel - any aftermarket 50$ seat post will do way better. Overall, all this branding and matching components together comes at a price for Gazelle. I've found that German manufacturers who don't focus on this offer a bit better quality for the money, by diversifying their component selection. Me and my wife picked Bergamont and Victoria (small German brands) respectively, and they both offer ever slight, but meaningful improvements over Gazelles (or other Dutch brands for the same price), i.e. steel mudguards, better steering bars, better grips, bit stiffer frames, etc. But of course, they are mostly available in Europe.
As ever very good revue. Recently I had a rear wheel puncture, late at night in the rain, on a similar bike. How easy is it to remove and replace the rear wheel on this bike?
The 250 watt figure is the amount of power that the Controller can provide to the motor. It is Not a rating of the motor's output, very much contrary to the mistaken notion that you and others provide.
replace spokes with high tension string on pulleys and you get shox built into the wheels and perfect roundness, PATENTED BY ME ... you can get royalties
The car needs title, registration, insurance, gas, (at $4-$5 a gallon now), oil changes, significantly more expensive maintenance, and potentially expensive parking depending on where you live. I can guarantee the total cost of ownership is dramatically lower with an ebike.
Thanks for the thorough, straightforward review. This ebike is a great option for older adults like myself. It's extraordinarily comfortable, and really easy to ride and enjoy - the internal hub making shifting simple and easy. They come kitted so completely; with fenders, lights, a frame lock, and two-point suspension, all standard equipment. I'm glad to see it return to North America.
It's not about age rather about comfort and taking care of your spine
This is exactly the right design for a daily rider. No excuse whatsoever for a derailleur on a bike like this, but the bike industry is broken in my opinion. Bikes should always be built for maximum lifespan and minimal maintenance, and that is still not remotely the norm. Even now there are only a handful of companies that are truly doing it right.
I see value in the design and component choices here. It’s nice to have a durable commuter. I think the light models that require more maintenance are fun for sportier riding, and some people like to work on their bikes like fancy sports cars. It’s nice to have choices, and it seems like much of the new technology around CVT and belts is coming down from automobiles! It’s pretty cool :D
Maximum lifespan and minimum maintenance will come at the cost of weight or cost or efficiency. Some people wanna blast out a few trips a month or even year and others want low cost travel. The free market seems to do a good job in supplying these needs.
If you want near zero maintenance, go belt drive.
@@ZebraLemur I think the maintenance a chain needs is exaggerated. I'm a daily e-biker and I run through a chain every three years or so, mostly due to stretching. I don't oil my chain more than twice a season, sometimes with olive oil. Bikes are tough.
@christianbeaupre7989 I hear ya, but I disagree. A good drip chain wax every 60-100 miles keeps everything quiet, clean, and smooth running. My chain is at 2500 miles and still less than 0.5 stretch.
Any wet lubes are just gonna collect grit and become grinding paste. Olive oil is going to be more corrosive, especially on aluminum parts.
If you have an expensive drive train, lubrication is cheaper than the parts and maintenance time.
@@ZebraLemur Ya, Olive oil is a lazy man's lube for sure, but also cheap. And yes, I have noticed the build up of grit with wet lubes.
Most ebikes, unless very pricey, have an Altus, Acera or Tourney drivetrain, very cheap stuff. I have never had to replace mine though, not from wear.
In terms of maintenance, well, I have never had to to any other than on break pads and the occasional chain change.
Court, nice review. I've got another Gazelle model (Medeo T10), which has the same Bosch motor, but with derailleur, instead. Looking at the specs, many shoppers might be put off by the 36 volts and 250 watt setup. I can say with absolute confidence that one can easily climb any hill with that setup, just as you displayed in this vid. Yes, you'll be dropping to a lower gear, but the bike makes you feel able to handle anything. Gazelle builds smartly designed bikes, with careful consideration of all components, and their bikes are a joy to ride. I confidently expect to get many years of riding with my bike.
Great feedback Eric! I’ve been very impressed snd satisfied by the Bosch drive systems. I feel like their Performance Line motors are actually some of the most powerful mid-drives out there, the numbers don’t always tell the whole story. Thanks for chiming in :)
I am seriously looking at the Medeo T9 which again has the same motor and a few lesser options and I was worried about the hill climbing too. This is good feedback for me and it matches everything else I have heard. Thanks Eric.
@@robertkribs9513 Glad to help. The trick is selecting a gear that matches your motor's most efficient power band. You'll know immediately when you find it. Of course, you will be peddling, but you won't have to stand up. Legs get a minor workout, but it's not exhausting; in fact, it feels good. That's what I love about mid-drives--you're still riding a bike like when you were a kid.
I also purchased a 2023 gazelle ultimate T10 and I absolutely love this bike on pretty much any terrain especially in the auto mode. I installed a wider 2.25” tire and a thudbuster suspension post ,makes a quite a difference in rougher terrain and sandy or loose gravel
Really appreciate your listing the price in the title of your videos, as well as your fair, detailed reviews. Would also like to see comparison of similar bikes from different brands at different price points - what are the differences between economy, regular and premium models?
Thanks for the compliment! Sometimes I mention competing models, but I generally stick to the bike at hand. The site has some good compare tools, and the forums can be a good place to ask for advice by listing your highest priorities so people can narrow down. There are so many to cover, doing vs videos might be popular on UA-cam but would take away from my time to maintain the platform. It would be nice to grow my team to be able to do that in the future. I just haven’t worked out the business model for it, I do all of the reviews for free so it doesn’t really scale right now.
Thanks for this review; the "key in the lock" is an [overhere standard] insurance thing: if your bike is gone and you can show the key(s), it is considered proof that you locked the bike.
Maybe in combination with using the same key for the battery is not the most practical [first lock, then take], but never hurts to lock your bike ;-)
Thanks for this background Tom! I had never heard the insurance proof requirement thing. I think I still prefer the choice of removing the key, just to avoid snags, and missing loose keys.
Most ebikes come with multiple keys, so if insurance was challenging a theft case, would they insist to see “all” keys before paying? Would they know that many bikes come with two, but some come with three? What if you had lost a key previously in an unrelated incident, would they not pay? It’s an interesting topic and I appreciate your comment.
Bikes here typically come with 2 keys for the (wheel) lock, they are (together with color, framenumber, brand, and type) registered at the insurance company. If the bike gets stolen, you have to send the (police) report together with the keys to them. (hint: one of the keys should be used).
Bike keys can not be made by the local key maker, they have a registration number engraved, and need to be ordered at certificated shops. After you order one of those you have to inform the insurance company, so they know how many [and which] keys you have and they can check after a theft if that is corresponding with what you send.
No doubt this is a not 100% fail-safe system, but pretty sure that they (together with statistics and other big data solutions) can make a good guess if they have to further investigate or simply have to pay.
Tbh I really don't know how this is solved in other countries: how to prove you did your best your bike staying where you put it?
@@tom.jacobs Bikes are generally not individually insured in the US (some people may choose to insure extremely expensive, high end bikes, but this is pretty rare). At least in the US, I think part of the reason for this is that historically bikes are not a very common form of transportation here; they're mostly seen as something for kids or recreation, rather than an essential tool that people use to get to work, etc. In most of the US, the car is king. Homeowner's or rental insurance may cover your bike in certain circumstances (typically only if your bike is stolen from your home or apartment), but in many cases you're unfortunately out of luck. If your bike is stolen from your home, you would make a police report and provide that report to the insurance company. If it turned out that you lied and the police were able to demonstrate it, filing a false claim and lying to the police is a crime that you could be prosecuted for. There's some abuse of this by people trying to game the system, but probably not enough to make insurance companies want to spend the money on a better system.
That seems improbable - I can show a key from any lock - how can they prove it doesn't fit my missing bike? And, as others have mentioned, nearly all locks come with duplicate keys.
Hmm - Oh well. I put an ABUS 4960 on my bike. Some people say you can't remove that key either while unlocked - that's not true. On the ABUS (not the AXA, which really does trap your key), you can remove the key by momentarily lifting the ring lever up past the "home" position. The ABUS also allows for a plug-in chain or cable, like the AXA does. I don't use that. I just run the ABUS steel ring through one end of the non-ABUS cable or chain as I'm locking it.
Very good review like many u have done. I bought the Gazelle Ultimate C380+HMB and love it . I can’t say enough about the quality in the bike frame ,finish ,& motor ,battery fit. I like the Enviolo CVT type transmission. When I catch myself not paying attention and shifting down I appreciate being able to do it at anytime even at a standstill. The brakes are just great . The seat I find comfortable and can ride for a few hours on before having to get off for awhile. The front fork suspension is awesome along with the tires. . Best bike I’ve ever owned and I give your great reviews all the credit for finding it. 👍
Been a huge fan of the Gazelle "Roadster" style bikes for years (Think Raleigh DL1, for example). It looks from the frame angles that they've carried a little of that relaxed frame geometry through to the Arroyo bikes - easy stable handling that you can live on all day. And if Gazelle built it, I'm confident in the quality.
That 180mm disc in the front isn't overkill, BTW - the descents on the famous Dutch mountains can be pretty fierce.
The chain cover is nice to protect your pants becoming stuck however, when cleaning & lubricating the chain, you must remove the guard which may be difficult as well as time consuming.
That’s a good point Arnold. I wonder if a lot of owners just don’t ever remove snd clean. On the one hand, it would stay cleaner longer, so Les cleaning and lubricating required… there’s also no slack and no derailleur, so the chain is just a straight fixed setup, so wear is probably pretty low.
For my frame lock I just keep a carabener on the rest of my keys, keep the small key ring on the one key that is in the lock and then clip it when I lock it up. Hasnt broken on my Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro yet (fingers crossed, knock on wood). Just got this bike for my significant other, cant wait to put in some miles!
Thanks Court for another great review. I followed your advice and bought the Dost Kope which appears to be more stable in frame design verses this woman’s bike style “V” design. I bought the additional battery which gives me almost 120 miles of range. I like the Schwalbe tires much better than these, which also has a luminescent reflective sidewall, which in my opinion, is safer. I also find the locking mechanism annoying.
That’s awesome Arnold! I’m so happy that you’re enjoying the bike. Thanks for highlighting the features that are working well. Yeah, the dual battery feature rich Dost products are pretty special :)
Another fine review, ocean looked great too!
Thanks Matthew! Had a good time out there. Hope your week is off to a good start :)
I was just thinking why did Court quit youtube...It turns out he didn't, UA-cam unsubscribed me.
I have a lot video's to catch up on
When you put a bike like this on a bike rack, you normally take out the battery, as this is a lot of extra weight. When you remove this battery, the frame remains open, so you can't transport the bike without the battery. Some kinda design flaw.
You make an interesting point, yes a frame without the battery would appear more open and vulnerable to water and dust collecting inside. The Bosch electronics systems are pretty durable and water resistant. I think they are IP56.
Beautiful bike! Out of my price range unfortunately
Once again a great bike review!
Jou use a carabiner on your keys to click on the bikekey.
As always a good balanced ebike review Court. Any plan to review the Serial 1 ebikes? I have the Rush Cty Speed model and it is really the ultimate hop on and go bike.
Regarding the top supported pedal cadence, I am assuming the motor just cuts out at 106? Just making sure I can pedal how I need to when I need to under my own power.
Also, hoping to haul a kid trailer with this, am I correct in assuming the torque would be fine for a mostly flat ride?
Gazelle offers decent quality for the money, but they still have to cut corners just like many others in this budget range. These Gazelle-branded plastic mudguards crack after about 1 year of use. Similarly, the red adjustment nipple on the kickstand also breaks after a year - I fitted a piece of wood to hold it together. I speak from my experience with Gazelle Paris C7+, which is almost the same bike, save for rear-mounted battery and Magura rim brakes. Speaking of rim brakes, they are very powerful, but deform the geometry quite a bit. On my bike, the suspension fork was expanding by almost 1cm! I guess this is why manufacturers don't like them very much. By the way, you can remove the caps, and adjust the preload. The Post Moderne suspended seat post is of very low quality, and offers very little travel - any aftermarket 50$ seat post will do way better. Overall, all this branding and matching components together comes at a price for Gazelle. I've found that German manufacturers who don't focus on this offer a bit better quality for the money, by diversifying their component selection. Me and my wife picked Bergamont and Victoria (small German brands) respectively, and they both offer ever slight, but meaningful improvements over Gazelles (or other Dutch brands for the same price), i.e. steel mudguards, better steering bars, better grips, bit stiffer frames, etc. But of course, they are mostly available in Europe.
Are 28” wheels different than 27.5” (650B) or Gazelle is rounding up?
As ever very good revue. Recently I had a rear wheel puncture, late at night in the rain, on a similar bike. How easy is it to remove and replace the rear wheel on this bike?
The lack of bottle cage mounting points is a bummer to me. It seems like there's plenty of space for one.
Does anybody have any idea about wait times for these or similar from gazelle?
I ordered mine in November 2021, received it first week in July from Fly Rides San Diego
What is your favourite ebike on the mark et t until now thanks 😊
Would this be a good bike for a person weighing about 230 lbs?
شكرا على الفديو ياورده
The 250 watt figure is the amount of power that the Controller can provide to the motor. It is Not a rating of the motor's output, very much contrary to the mistaken notion that you and others provide.
250w is the nominal rating, it probably peaks at over 500w+. The 250w rating is something they show to be EU compliant.
replace spokes with high tension string on pulleys and you get shox built into the wheels and perfect roundness, PATENTED BY ME ... you can get royalties
Cool
Other than the odd quibble this guy loves all the bikes he reviews. So sick of that. It's commercial.
My opinion is this bike is way over price for a class 1 ebike and the price they asking I can get a better and more powerful ebike
3k and they could not afford to equip it with a belt
Lmfao you could get a used car for 3 grand
I just bought two $3K ebikes, and am trying to sell my 2000 Xterra for $2200, no luck because 236K miles.
The car needs title, registration, insurance, gas, (at $4-$5 a gallon now), oil changes, significantly more expensive maintenance, and potentially expensive parking depending on where you live. I can guarantee the total cost of ownership is dramatically lower with an ebike.
@@readyplayer2 Word.
My 10 y/o 135k mile car is selling for like 12k. Used cars expensive as shit. New tires: $850