I like the Propella 7s. I’ve ridden extra highly effective e-bikes. I’ve ridden quicker, extra versatile e-bikes—rides which might be thrice as costly with 5 occasions the options. But when I’m sticking to paved roads and simply tooling across the neighborhood, the Propella 7S is my best choice.
It might lack the bells (actually) and whistles of higher-end rides, however the 7S appears like a bike, not a moped. It performs its one, easy process—assisted driving on paved roads—surprisingly properly. It at present retails for lower than $799, and it appears to be like stylish-as-hell.
Professionals and cons of the Propella 7s
Professionals
- Low value
- Superb appears to be like
- Light-weight
Cons
- Lack of versatility
- Low energy will go away some folks wanting extra
Specs
- Classification: Class 1
- Motor: Bafang 250W, 5-gear, rear hub
- Weight restrict: 230 lbs.
- Help: 5-levels of pedal help
- Battery: detachable 36V 7Ah (250 Wh) Samsung
- Recharge time: 2.5 hours
- Marketed max vary: 40 m
- Show: LCD show: speedometer, odometer, journey meter, clock.
- Brakes: Shimano mechanical disc brakes
- Drivetrain: Shimano Altus 7-speed
- Tires: CST Xpedium 700 x 35c tires
The Propella 7S is a surprisingly fashionable e-bike
Perhaps I’m shallow, however in terms of bikes, appears to be like matter, and the 7S appears to be like sizzling. The 7S’s 250W engine isn’t going to win a tug-of-war with a beefier experience, however in a magnificence contest, it’s undoubtedly going to take dwelling the trophy. Between the matte black aluminum body with traditional bike-geometry, the white chain, the snazzy anodized electrical blue rims on the 28-inch skinny wheels, and the matching blue accents on the grips and battery, the S7 is downright attractive—an adjective not often utilized to e-bikes.
Model-wise, the one detraction is the detachable battery affixed to the bar. It appears to be like out-of-place and outdated. A battery constructed into the body is likely to be an excessive amount of to ask on such a cheap experience, however I want Propella bought a canopy that disguised it as a water bottle or one thing.
How does the 7S experience?
All of the appears to be like on this planet don’t imply a factor if it ain’t bought that schwing, So how does the 7S experience? General, higher than I anticipated.
This can be a class 1 e-bike, with no throttle management and an assisted prime velocity of 18.5 mph, so it’s not going to depart anybody within the mud, however in contrast to many quicker e-bikes, the 7S just isn’t an electrical moped with crank-able pedals to adjust to the regulation; it’s very a lot a motorbike. It weighs solely 37 kilos, mild sufficient for many car-mounted bike racks and is completely rideable with out pedal help.
The body geometry, rider place, and wheel-size will all be acquainted to analog bikers, so driving it appears like driving a “regular” bike. It doesn’t deal with like a Tour-de-France-ready whip or something, however it’s appropriately agile and responsive on paved roads, and it doesn’t really feel low cost, regardless of the low sticker value. General, it’s enjoyable, within the popping-up-a-curb, leaning into the corners, riding-with-no-hands spirit of informal, tooling-around-town biking.
It’s not designed for gravel or dust, so there’s no suspension to dampen shocks, however it’s not a stiff experience both. The tires experience at a reasonably low stress and there’s sufficient flex within the body so that you don’t really feel your enamel rattling or something.
The pedal help is strong, particularly for such a cheap experience. It’s not as easy as extra superior cadence sensing pedal help, however it gives the oomph you want once you want it, with out that unsettling, too-much-torque-on-the-start feeling some bikes give.
I’ve ridden the 7S over 50 miles up to now, on all completely different sorts of paved roads, in any respect ranges of pedal help, and had no points. The decrease settings work nice for bringing you in control with a lighter contact, and at increased settings, the motor surges to life with a rotation of the pedals.
To place the 7S to the take a look at, I rode up a 1,200 foot hill on the highest stage of help, pedaling as sometimes as potential. Whereas this burned a lot of the battery, it nonetheless hauled me up there with out conking out.
Talking of the battery: The producer says the S7 can go as much as 40 miles per cost. However how lengthy it should truly go will depend on so many different elements—hills, rider weight, velocity, wind, and so on—that it’s not possible to essentially inform. I can say that the 7S appears to supply an inexpensive quantity of cost for many functions. It’s not going to take you cross-country, however it should take you throughout city. Recharge takes about 2.5 hours.
Controls and show
There may be nothing fancy in regards to the 7S’s controls.. There’s an on-switch, and an up-button and down button to manage the pedal help stage. The LCD show is equally easy: It reveals you how briskly you’re going, what number of miles you’ve traveled, what pedal help stage you’re utilizing and the time of day. In different phrases, it’s about as easy-to-use as potential.
In line with many e-bikes’ battery indicators (and as a byproduct of lithium battery energy as an entire) the gauge on the 7S varies wildly relying on how a lot load the engine is underneath in the mean time you’re trying, so a virtually empty gauge going up a hill may appear to fill as much as three quarters as you coast on the best way down. It’s the type of factor it’s important to get used to.
Upkeep and restore
I had no mechanical issues in my time with this bike—the gears shift easily, the brakes work nice, and there are not any unsettling rattling noises. However I haven’t owned it lengthy sufficient to talk to its longterm reliability. The elements from producers like Shimano and CST recommend high quality, and that the old-school elements of this bike are commonplace means you possibly can restore it your self or take it to the native bike store.
The underside line
In the event you’re out there for a inexpensive e-bike, otherwise you’re a newbie who needs to strive one out the Propella 7s must be on the prime of your must-consider checklist.
