Have you been considering buying an electric bike to help you get around, whether commuting or popping to the shops? Here's what we thought of the E-Trends City bike.
E-Trends City bike at a glance
City is designed to be adaptable; whether you want to pop to the local shops, meet up with friends, commute to work or enjoy a long weekend bike ride with the family.
With a 2-year warranty, this step-through, unisex design includes 26” wheels with double wall aluminium rims, a front carrier, basket and rear pannier for those essential items on your trip.
With 6-speed Shimano gears you can change up or down to suit your speed or terrain. Take control and make your journey even more comfortable with the adjustable handlebars and adjustable sprung saddle.
Staying safe is no problem with the LED front and rear lights and front and rear mud guards to reduce splash back, so you can arrive at your destination safely and in style! Whether you are enjoying the weekend on two wheels or making your way into work, the City bike is the perfect choice for the style conscious cyclist.
E-Trends City bike
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Product specification:
Dimensions: 184cm x 66cm x 112cm / 72.5" x 26" x 44.5". 17.7-inch steel frame
Weight: 29.5 kg / 65 lbs
Recharge time of 5-6 hours
Suitable for riders up to 120kgs / 264 lbs
3 Pedal power-assist modes and 6km/h pushing mode
Battery warranty: 2 Years / 700 charges (battery must be fully charged at least once a month).
Available from: E-trends
RRP: £899.00
How did this product make your life easier?
I found the bike great for getting me up hills, although I would caution that it was difficult to manoeuvre when pushing it along, and also tricky to control when pulling over for cars. My local roads are quite narrow so if you hear a car coming it tends to be safest to stop to let them by. Stopping and starting the bike wasn’t the easiest, as you have to get pedalling before the battery kicks in.
Charging the bike was very simple, and also quick - it takes no time at all to charge. It turns off when the bike is full so doesn’t waste electricity too.
The instructions for how to use the bike were also very clear – there are three levels of ‘assistance’ from the battery, so if you feel it start to struggle up an incline you can turn it up and make it more powerful. You really do feel a difference when the power is on, it gives a great boost and makes pedalling a lot easier.
I can certainly see the benefit of hopping on this for little trips which don't necessarily require the car, but are that little bit too far to walk.
The basket on the front is a nice touch, and very handy for carrying bits and bobs such as popping to the shop for a pint of milk or cycling to the post box with some cards.
Would you recommend this product?
Design-wise the bike is very smart looking, I like the black finish. It comes with everything you need, even a pump.
I'd recommend it for those looking for an alternative commuting solution other than a car, if I lived closer to the office it would be perfect for that.
However, I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who would struggle with the weight of the bike. You’d also have to consider storage. If it had to be taken upstairs into a flat, or even brought inside the house through a door it's not easy to move around. I found it quite heavy.
Would you choose this product above all others on the market?
Personally, I would go for a lighter bike that is easier to manoeuvre and store. I don't know if there are lighter electronic bikes available but that was my main issue with the City Bike.
I think this bike would be better for people who live near a dedicated cycle lane where they don’t have to worry about stopping until they reach their destination, and who have the space to store it too.
What changes would you make to this product?
It would be good if you could go back and forth between power levels rather than going up, then right back down to the bottom again. For example if you want to go back to mid power from high power, you have to start from low power again. This can make the bike lurch a bit as the weight of the bike catches you out.
I would also make it lighter - but I think the battery itself is the heavy part so don't know if this would be possible or not.