WHO THEY’RE MADE FOR
Both bikes are aimed at commuters
and tourers. There are a few subtle
differences, like drivetrain, and one
major one, that of the top-assisted
speed. The E8 is a Class 1 bike that
tops out at 20 mph, while the E45 is
a Class 3 speed pedelec that tops
out at 28 mph. The former is good for
short commutes and even longer rides
on bike paths. The latter is capable of
hitting top-end speeds closer to that of
vehicular traffic.
THE RIDES
Thanks to the belt drive, the E8
is noticeably quieter. One nice thing
about an internal hub is that if you
forget to downshift when you come to
a light, you can do it without pedaling.
The motor is plenty powerful, and of
the four available levels, 2–3 is more
than enough for all but the steepest
of hills. The difference between power
levels is gradual and equal. Getting to
20 was quick, and it didn’t feel like it
cut off at 20 mph.
With the 650-watt-hour battery, the
Bull’s range is very impressive. It isn’t likely to run over 100 miles as Bulls claims,
but in the real world, it’s still a good setup
for shorter touring. The display can show
expected range, and we found it incredibly
inconsistent. It showed longer range in the
third power setting than on eco, and that
changed based on the terrain. It seems
like it’s calculating it too often. For example, Bosch systems calculate their range
based on the last 1.5 miles of riding, and
it feels like this system is calculating it for
the last 100 yards or so.
“An easy cruising speed of 23–24 mph gets you where you’re going quickly.”
{ BULLS EVO }
