would have a laid-back, stretched-out
ride. You sit with your feet forward,
so the pedaling motion doesn’t ease
the pressure on the saddle like a
normal bicycle’s pedaling geometry
does. There is a pretty good stretch
to the handlebar that is a reach for
shorter riders. The Promax quick-adjust stem will get the bar closer to
you by raising the bar mount closer to
vertical, and you can roll the bar back
as well.
This is a long bike, but that doesn’t
take long to feel normal in tight turns.
The plus side is that it feels dead solid
and comfortable at over 30 mph. We hit
those speeds coasting down a few hills
we had climbed. One downside is that
the CD5 may not fit on all bike racks.
There is a little suspension feel to the
seat design, but the suspension fork is
a nice touch that does help.
The same can be said for the
Schwalbe 26x2.15 Big Ben tires. They
ride nicely and offer good traction.
These tires are Kevlar-lined for flat-resistance and feature a powerfully
reflective stripe that almost glows like
a UFO when lights hit it at night. No
doubt the tires help the strong feel of
the Tektro hydraulic disc brakes.
Our test coincided with the windy
season in California, and the upright
seated position is a liability in the wind.
For normal conditions the bike has the
power to help you push through without
issues, but you can feel like a bit of a
sail in higher gusts.
During normal riding the feet-forward
pedaling position works well, and it
seems easy on the knees, but when
climbs grew extreme, the CD5 wasn’t
as happy. This isn’t the sort of bike
where you stand and hammer hills.
With the look and feel of the bike, it is
obvious that it isn’t for touring the Alps.
If you do have extreme climbs, it is best
to hit them early in the ride when the
assist is at its strongest.
THE VERDICT
The Leisger CD5 package hit a
chord that reverberated with a wide
range of riders. They like the look and
the kickback feel of the bike. It has
the performance and the comfort to
make the look work. You would think
that a riding position like this would
be more of a niche product, but that
wasn’t the case. Like any cruiser-styled
bike, it is better around town than for
long runs. For bike paths along the
coast or our local rivers, it is at its
absolute happiest, so we gravitated
to that sort of riding, but it accorded
itself well with eating up run-of-the-mill
city commuting as well. Considering
the style, the performance and the
comfort, the Leisger is a great value at
the suggested price. ■
SPECS
MSRP: $2499
Motor: 350-watt 8Fun geared hub
motor
Battery: 36 volt, 13 amp-hour
(468 watt-hour) with Samsung
18650 26F Lithium Nickel Cobalt
Manganese (Li-NCM) cells
Battery life: 1000 charge cycles
Charge time: 6 hours
Top speed: 28 mph (rider weight,
rider input and terrain contingent)
Range: 15 to 35 miles with normal
pedaling
Drive: 8-speed Shimano Acera, 34T
Mega Ring/Shimano Grip Twist
shifter.
Brakes: Tektro Auriga E-Comp
hydraulic disc with 180 mm front
rotor and 160mm rear rotor
Tires: Schwalbe Big Ben, 26x2.15
inches w/ reflective sidewall stripe,
Kevlar lined
Controls: Backlit monochrome LCD,
C600/Battery Level ( 6 Bars),
Speed, Assist Level (0-6), Power
Level Current (Eco, Standard,
Power), Odometer, Trip Distance,
Trip Time/Independent Button Pad
Fork: Basic CST suspension
Frame: 6061 Aluminum Alloy
Weight: 52 pounds ( 18 inches)
Sizes: Medium
Contact: www.magnumbikes.com
The riding position does put your weight solidly on the seat, and you have your legs
stretched out in front of you. It was far more comfortable than we expected.
