I fell in I fell in love with the REI CTY e2.1 from the minute I noticed its sizzling lava-colored body come out of the field in my storage. The brilliant pink paint and easy-to-install body screamed, “Experience me now!” There have been no obstacles to entry, like an app I needed to obtain. All I needed to do was activate the bike and go. (Word: Should you’re not comfy assembling a motorbike and reside close to an REI, the store will assemble it for you and in addition supply a yr of free setup.)
So I did. I rode by way of city on a scenic route, by way of busy intersections, down some steep residential streets to a motorbike path that led to a rocky seaside on the shore of Lake Superior. The bike’s upright geometry, which pressured me to hunch over lower than different e-bikes i’ve examinedmade the world explode. I seen the scent of lilacs on the wind and the colourful shades of inexperienced after a humid spring, particulars I do not all the time catch after I’m leaning over the wheel.
I met my companion on the seaside, who was good and introduced a picnic. We ate cheese and crackers and sipped rosé because the solar sank low over the hills of city. I purposely stayed exterior till the mosquitoes began buzzing so I may race the solar and my boyfriend in his automotive again to our home. Perhaps it was partly the glass of rosé or the great thing about the early summer time night, however the 22-mile roundtrip drive on CTY e2.1 made for an particularly enjoyable Friday evening.
In regards to the metropolis
CTY e2.1 is an improve to the entry stage CTY e1.1 ($1299)I feel it’s price the additional cash, particularly contemplating it’s nonetheless nicely underneath $2,000 and in addition typically on sale. The CTY e2.1’s battery capability is greater than ample. That day, after climbing a steep mile-long hill and 1,000 toes again to my home, I had 39 % battery left after biking by way of all 4 ranges of help throughout a leisurely four-hour metropolis tour.
As an city transport, the CTY e2.1 is a well-packed machine for the worth. electrical bike class 1 With a 250-watt Shimano E5000 motor, paired with a 36-volt, 418-watt lithium-ion battery, the bike will get as much as 20 mph and has a spread of about 60 miles in Eco mode. The battery runs the size of the downtube and, by my requirements, weighs about as a lot as a sack of potatoes. However it’s nonetheless simple sufficient to take away with the flip of a key for charging away from the bike.
Picture: Stephanie Pearson
The entrance fork dampens street vibrations, and hydraulic disc brakes make stopping extra exact. The two-inch vast Schwalbe Huge Ben tires have a chunky tread sample for a metropolis bike, offering good grip. The bolstered sidewalls of the tire are additionally reflective, making you extra seen at evening.
Extra facilities embody cozy gel grips and a tender foam saddle, a cockpit with carry handles and a brilliant headlight, and a hefty kickstand for whenever you lastly have to park. There are not any fenders, although, which is a shock because it bought fairly sloppy whereas driving after a storm. Nonetheless, the bike is undoubtedly enjoyable and handles nicely on all sorts of metropolis streets, from clean paved paths to tough, potholed roads. This isn’t a motorbike to tackle gravel roads or singletrack.
Accessible and ample
At this value, you possibly can’t anticipate to have all the pieces. There are nonetheless some areas that could possibly be improved. First, at 54 kilos, 8 ounces (measurement L), it’s not light-weight – an element that received’t essentially hinder you when shifting round a flat metropolis, nevertheless it does make it tough to maneuver round a storage or up steps.
Picture: Stephanie Pearson
Moreover, a 250-watt hub motor is commonplace on many e-bikes, however this one solely has 44 pound-feet of torque, in comparison with 58 kilos on different e-bike motors. The dearth of torque, which is the acceleration that makes your bike transfer ahead, particularly uphill, makes the CTY e2.1 a weak climber. So it won’t be the best choice for a metropolis like San Francisco (or Duluth, the place I reside).
Lastly, I like that the bike is minimalist in its electronics, which means it doesn’t require an app to journey. However the display screen is concerning the measurement of a watch face. And whereas it gives loads of fundamental information like mileage, miles per hour, and energy mode, the buttons are so shut collectively and the display screen is so arduous to learn that it’s almost unattainable to see whereas driving—an element that’s not solely annoying however doubtlessly harmful. Nonetheless, in the event you’re simply in search of an additional increase on a multi-mile commute, the CTY e2.1 is an efficient choice, particularly in pink.