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E-bikes are available everywhere. According to industry association Velosuisse, almost 50 percent of the nearly 500,000 bikes sold in Germany last year were electrically assisted – in 2005 that wasn’t even one of every 150 bikes sold. Frank Simon Aeschbacher, 57, CEO of Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG), estimates that around 15 percent of Swiss people use e-bikes. He expects e-bikes to make up around 80 percent of the Swiss bicycle market in the medium term.
So-called city e-bikes are particularly popular for everyday use. Your engine doesn’t need to be as powerful as an e-mountain bike, and the range doesn’t have to be designed for very long tours like on a trekking model. In terms of price, many city e-bikes are in the lower range than fully-equipped high-end models for this reason. The four existing e-bikes now had to prove themselves in the big Sunday Blick test.
Raised Star
Estonian e-bike brand Ampler has had its own shop in Zurich since last summer. Co-founder Ardo Kaurit’s credo (32, click here for portrait): stylish, lightweight bikes that don’t show the E for the daily commute. “Ampler has definitely achieved that with Stellar,” says SonntagsBlick editor Kim Hüppin (25). “Best bike in the test for me, although the bright red doesn’t quite suit my taste.”
The tester also sees red in price: CHF 3,090 – the most expensive e-bike in the test. But every detail of Stellar, developed and manufactured in Estonia, looks solid and of high quality, nothing rattling, nothing squeaking. The screen embedded in the bezel showing the remaining range among other things is nicely done. Depending on the support chosen, 50 to 100 kilometers are possible. More information, such as the bike’s current speed or location, can be called up via the company’s own Ampler app.
Impressions after the first test drive are also impressive: “The Stellar is extremely maneuverable and agile, it’s really great to drive. The boost from the electric motor doesn’t start suddenly, but rather slowly and barely noticeable. But on slopes it can be a bit more powerful,” says the tester.
Go to Electra Loft!
SonntagsBlick editor Lorenzo Fulvi (22) was not impressed after his first ride at Go Loft! Stylish models of the US industry giant Electra were recently sold by M-Way, the e-bike market leader in Switzerland. “I don’t want to go on longer tours on this bike. The saddle is hard and uncomfortable. And even though it’s only 21 kilos, it doesn’t feel very useful or dynamic.»
At the highest level of assistance, the hub motor at the rear wheel provides enough power to climb hills effortlessly. But then the range of the second cheapest bike in the test at 2249 francs melts like ice cream in the midday sun: it should go a maximum of 30 kilometers on full boost, instead of the theoretical 65 kilometers on the smallest battery.
“It’s a pity,” says Fulvi: “I like the look of the Loft Go! It’s very good in retro style, especially in this color combination. But it doesn’t look very well made – the fenders are wobbly, the brakes are weak and the panel for adjusting the assist is made of cheap plastic. In the end, the whole test The experts agree: the price-performance ratio is not right with the Electra.
Ego Movement Scarab Flex
Swiss e-bike manufacturer Ego Movement has seven stores in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Co-founder Daniel Meyer sent the recently launched scarab to the race to be tested: “This is our cheapest and at the same time sportiest model. The name refers to the dye: like the Egyptian ladybug, the color changes with sunlight.” Tester Raoul Schwinnen (57) liked it: “To me, it’s the most visually ‘normal’ bike in the test, with a sleek, narrow frame. And it feels very light yet solid.”
Weighing 18.5 pounds, the Scarab is actually the second lightest model in the group – only the Ampler Stellar is slightly lighter. Its ride is accordingly agile: “An e-bike for people who like to be sporty – at least thanks to the strongly forward-tilted seating position. It feels very tense, but also extremely useful.” Schwinnen hadn’t realized that the engine was supposedly the weakest of all e-bikes tested: “Support is certainly adequate, but it could be a little more spontaneous here and there.”
The test user finds the integration of the application successful. The e-bike can also be operated without a smartphone via the watermark display on the handlebars. However, the app offers much more additional information, such as speed and range, and even bike-specific navigation. “I think the great thing is that you can lock your e-bike with the app – so you never have to have a key with you again,” Schwinnen concludes.
Fischer Cita 3.2i
The final candidate is the Cita 3.2i from traditional Swiss brand Fischer behind the wheel. There’s nothing stylish or sporty about the Cita—but it doesn’t have to be: “The e-bike is aimed at an older audience that goes shopping or occasionally touring around the city,” says mobility editor Andreas Engel (38). Accordingly, with the Cita 3.2i, comfort has top priority: it is the only bike with a suspension fork and an ultra-comfortable, spring-loaded seat.
Since the Cita 3.2i is a discontinued model, it currently costs only 1390 francs, instead of the already cheaper 2090. A super bargain, according to the tester: “The Fischer motorcycle not only has the most powerful engine in the test, but also has the largest battery, the only one that can be removed from the frame. It is practical if there is no socket in the bike cellar.»
The responsive mid-engine is just as powerful on flats: the glorious 27-pound weight cannot be hidden. The model has more problems on slopes than its competitors. The hub, where you have to let go of pedaling to get into the next gear, is better suited for quiet city cruisers than fast cornering. Still, Engel finds: “If you’re looking for a comfortable, robust and inexpensive city e-bike, you can’t go wrong with the City 3.2i.”
Source: Blick
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
