Alpine HAWK EVO

1 review for Alpine HAWK EVO

1. 

   CC E-Cycles – April 21, 2023

   Video Review

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   Written Review

   To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by BULLS North America. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of BULLS products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the BULLS electric bike forums.

   Pros:

   • The Fazua Evation drive system is incredibly lightweight, it consists of three parts including the bottom bracket gearbox (2.8lbs), removable motor (4.2lbs), and removable battery (3.1lbs)
   • Unlike almost every other ebike drive system I’ve tested to date, you can easily remove the Fazua motor and battery (which click together to form the “drivepack”) and replace them with an optional $80 downtube cover to form a non-electric bike that only weighs a couple pounds more than if it were truly non-electric acoustic
   • The Fazua gearbox bottom bracket is physically smaller and narrower than most competing mid-drive systems I’ve tested, it features a minimum spindle width of 133mm and smaller q-factor… which is ideal for road bike applications like the BULLS ALPINE HAWK EVO
   • With 22 gear combinations to work with, the ALPINE HAWK EVO is a satisfying bicycle to pedal in all sorts of terrain, it climbs effectively and is easy to maintain at higher top speeds, especially because the Fazua Evation drive system is designed to decouple and freewheel without friction
   • Carbon fiber frame, fork, and oval seat post reduce the overall weight of the bike while providing some vibration dampening comfort, you could easily swap out the rigid seat post for a 31.6mm suspension seat post to further improve ride quality (the bike uses a shim to go from 31.6mm to stock oval post)
   • Sturdy 12mm thru-axles on the front and rear wheel, both offer quick release for easy maintenance and transport of the bike, I find that they keep disc brake rotors and calipers from rubbing as much as traditional 9mm axles with skewers which can flex under heavy load
   • Great enthusiast level groupset here, Shimano Ultegra derailleurs and shifters are known for being lightweight and durable, Ultegra is several steps up from the base that include Claris then Tiagra/Sora and then 105
   • Attention to detail with a clear plastic sticker slap guard that protects the right chainstay (especially important with a carbon fiber frame) and two bottle cage bosses (which is trickier to do when you’ve got a downtube integrated battery/motor setup)
   • Available in three frame sizes for optimal fit including 50cm, 54cm, and 58cm (including different crank arm, stem, and handlebar lengths), I think this is especially important for sporty fitness oriented ebikes without as much support or throttle operation because there tends to be more body motion and engagement with the bike
   • Upgraded Schwalbe Durano tires with Performance rating and RaceGuard Dual Compound design, this means that have a double layer of nylon fabric that offers good protection for lightweight sporty tires
   • The Fazua motor controller measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque to provide smooth natural power output… I never felt a strong lurch of on and off like many cadence sensing only ebikes
   • Hydraulic disc brakes are easier to actuate than mechanical, especially the rear brake due to longer brake line distance, this is a big deal for me given the multiple hand positions that a drop bar offers… I don’t get as much leverage for braking when my hands are up in the hoods
   • Upgraded ICE TECHNOLOGIES dual piston calipers with heat sinks amd 160mm FREEZA disc brake rotors construction are designed to quickly dissipate heat for more consistent braking performance in extreme conditions, they also advertise longer pad life, and less brake fade and noise
   • I was delighted to see two additional threaded eyelets on the seat stays which may allow for an aftermarket bike rack, you’d probably need a seat clamp adapter with two more eyelets to attach the top of the rack… but it appears doable
   • The charger is really compact and lightweight, I like that the wall-side cord can be unplugged from the charging brick and that Fazua went with the universal Rosenberger magnetic interface vs. making their own proprietary port, the magnetic plug will simply pop out of the charge port vs. pulling hard and possibly moving the battery or damaging the interface if you trip over the cable
   • With such a small and lightweight battery (3.1lbs) it would be easy to buy additional packs to load into bike bags or a backpack to extend your range, almost every single competing ebike battery I’ve seen is physically longer and much heavier
   • Impressive two year battery warranty and 30 month drive system warranty from Fazua (distributed by Quality Bicycle Products QBP in North America), plus a five year bike frame warranty from BULLS, I like that there are many shops in North America that carry BULLS products, so you can take test rides, get fitted, purchase accessories, and get help with tuneups
   • In Europe, the Fazua motor is limited to 25km/h (roughly 15.5mph) but the North America Evation has been upgraded to reach 32km/h (roughly 20mph) based on different legal framework for Class 1 ebikes, the power output remains 250 watts to 400 watts peak

   Cons:

   • The battery cannot be charged while mounted to the frame! You have to unlock and physically remove the Drivepack each time you want to charge this electric bike, which is inconvenient and hazardous without a kickstand
   • If you’re using the default included handlebar Fazua display to operate this ebike, you’ll need to prime the battery by pressing a button at the end before the system can fully turn on… and this requires unlocking and half-opening the battery/motor drivepack, this is inconvenient every time you want to ride, especially without a kickstand to stabilize the bike… the one saving grace is that once the battery has been powered on, it will stay alert for about eight hours before going into sleep mode again, during this window of time, the display unit can be activated independently
   • In my experience, the Fazua Evation drive system feels weak compared to other mainstream ebikes, it doesn’t provide the same zippy feel when starting or maintain higher speeds as easily, it’s a Class 1 system that is limited to 20mph with a maximum pedal cadence of 80 RPM verses 100 to 120+ RPM offered by Bosch, Yamaha, Brose, Shimano, and Bafang
   • Priced at $5,799 the BULLS ALPINE HAWK EVO is definitely at the more expensive end of electric bikes, and in my opinion it’s a compromise between being an awesome electric bike or an awesome acoustic bike… it doesn’t do either perfectly because of the weaker motor and smaller battery and then a slightly heavier/bulkier acoustic bike setup
   • With a battery capacity of 252 watt hours (36 volts, 7 amp hours), this electric bike offers less than half the capacity of most other current-generation products which means less support and less range… the motor doesn’t uses as much power and the bike weighs much less than competitors, but there’s still just less support on offer
   • The control pad is very basic, there are three levels of assist and a 10-bar battery charge level indicator, you can’t tell how fast you’re going, how far you’ve ridden, or get other detailed feedback without using the optional smartphone app… there is no USB charging port to fill and maintain a phone while using the app and so far, the app has pretty limited features (at least in North America) with battery percentage, motor power level in watts, and current speed in mph or km/h
   • This is a little gripe that I have about many mid-drive ebike systems: when you pedal backwards, the chainrings do not cycle… the crank arms just spin, which could make servicing the drivetrain more difficult if you don’t have access to a bike stand
   • As with most electric road bikes, the button pad is most usable when steering with the flat portion of the handlebar, if you’re in the hoods or drops, you can’t really change assist levels or interact with the display
     As with most road bikes, there’s no kickstand here, but unfortunately there are also no kickstand provisions! Given the increased weight of an ebike vs. non-electric and the nature of an electric road bike (maybe used more recreationally than pure performance acoustic road bikes) I would have liked the option to add a kickstand
     I didn’t see any fender bosses and I’m also not sure if you’d be able to have a shop wire in lights, which you can do with some other ebike systems like Bosch
   • The multi-step motor/battery removal process can feel a bit precarious, especially because the battery comes out of the downtube in the down direction and tire being close and no kickstand… consider getting help or maybe laying the bike down on its left side so you don’t drop the battery or the bike
   • On their Bosch and Brose powered ebikes, BULLS is integrating the real wheel speed sensor into their disc brake rotors so you don’t have to worry about a spoke magnet and chain stay electronics that can get bumped out of place, this is not the case for their Fazua models including the ALPINE HAWK EVO
   • The stock handlbar mounted Remote display uses lots of LED lights, and it cannot be dimmed or turned off without de-activating the bike, I feel like the lights could be bright at night and a bit annoying to some riders… black electrical tape could help with this 🙂 the display is also fixed vs. being able to swivel and it is not removable