Gazelle Arroyo C8 HMB Elite

1 review for Gazelle Arroyo C8 HMB Elite

1. 

   CC E-Cycles – April 24, 2023

   Video Review

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   Written Review

   This review was provided for free using a temporary demo bike and accessories provided by Gazelle USA. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Gazelle or PON Group products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the Gazelle electric bike forums.

   Observations:

   • This is a feature complete electric bike, meaning that it comes with fenders, integrated lights, and a rear rack for cargo. Whether you’re riding day or night, rain or shine, casually or commuting, this ebike is ready to go. Gazelle is an above-average bicycle brand in my opinion, because they take extra steps to prevent rust, keep paint from fading, they sell through dealers on a global scale. Gazelle is owned by a very large long-running company called Pon Holdings. Gazelle itself is over 100 years old, having been founded in 1892, and is based in Dieren, Netherlands.
   • I (Court Rye) was test riding the Medium 53cm sized frame for this review. My weight is roughly 135lbs (61kg), and I am roughly 5’9″ (175cm) tall. I’m sharing this information to help you gauge fit based on the video review above 🙂

   Pros:

   • Everything looks beautiful on this electric bike, there’s a lot of emphasis on matching (like the saddle, grips, and brown sidewall tires), and sleek accessories (like the streamlined monoshock suspension fork, custom rear rack, internally routed cables, and tight fenders). Note that all of the hardware is black including hubs, spokes, rims, crank arms, seat post and stem, handlebar, chain cover, and battery cover that match the black frame perfectly.
   • The cockpit is very clean, and feels less overwhelming to me than the setup on some competing electric bikes. I think this is due to the half-grip twist shifter vs. triggers, and the twist bell on the left verses something that’s mounted on top of the bar and positioned further in. The display panel is very compact and matches nicely, but is still reachable and the readout is very clear and readable.
   • The tool-free adjustable angle stem allows for a more upright body position if you have a sensitive back, neck, and shoulders like me. Or, you can angle it forward and drop the handlebar a bit for a more efficient and aerodynamic body position. I love that the bike comes in three frame sizes, so you can really dial it in based on your body features… and the frame is super approachable with the deep wave style step-thru frame.
   • The integrated lights are above-average in terms of quality and function. The headlight is built into the front fender, which is very unique, and this means it points where you steer and is more streamlined in look and function. It’s less likely to get bumped out of position or tampered with at a bike rack, and the housing has side windows so the light is visible from more angles! The rear light is positioned well under the rack so it won’t get scratched or cracked when you park at a crowded bike rack. These lights, combined with the reflective tires, dramatically improve safety and are important for an all black bicycle in my opinion. Consider wearing a helmet with a light built in, reflective clothing, and adding reflective stickers to the frame and reflective tags to backpacks.
   • Another safety and convenience feature worth mentioning is the ebike rated tires that come with a puncture protection layer to reduce your chances of getting a flat. I’ve learned that keeping the tires inflated between the recommended PSI 45 to 70 will further help to reduce pinch flats.
   • Excellent weight distribution. The battery pack fits inside the downtube and is about as low and centered as you can get. The mid-drive motor blends seamlessly into the frame and is almost completely obscured by the full-surround chain cover.
   • The plastic chain cover and fenders are very high quality. Plastic is lightweight and durable (won’t bend or rust), but can increase noise as it rattles a bit more. It’s almost impossible for your pants or dress end to get dirty while pedaling by brushing up against the chain or chainring, and the front fender is longer than average so your shoes and shins should stay dryer when riding through puddles. The end of the fender has a rubber tip that’s flexible if kicked or bumped on a curb or other obstacle.
   • The bike feels stable and is quite comfortable thanks to the suspension fork, suspension seat post, and taller wheels. The wheels have a lower attack angle that eases into bumps and spans cracks better than a smaller wheel diameter, and the tires offer a bit of width here for stability 1.75″ but still roll efficiently and quietly due to their city/hybrid tread.
   • It’s easy to miss that the spokes interface with the rims using reinforcement eyelets, but this is a noteworthy upgrade. The eyelets spread out pressure and reduce the chance of cracking and scraping when the wheels are being trued or the bike is carrying more weight.
   • Excellent brakes here, hydraulic disc with adjustable reach levers to fit a range of hand sizes. Note the larger 180mm front rotor which helps dissipate heat as weight sifts forward when stopping. The larger front rotor also provides a greater mechanical advantage over the large wheel size. Some older Gazelle ebikes used hydraulic rim brakes, which are less likely to get damaged at bike racks, but they can scratch the rims, heat the rims and damage inner tubes, and tend to be dirtier in general. One takeaway here is that you should avoid touching the disc brake rotors and be conscious of the front rotor when parking at racks, because if it’s bent you will end up with some wooshing noises as the wheel rotates.
   • The Shimano Nexus 8 internally geared hub is also very clean. Since there’s no derailleur hanging down on the right side of the bike, it tends to be very durable and the chain is unlikely to fall off. I appreciate that this drivetrain allows you to shift at standstill, which can be useful when stopping unexpectedly. The gear ratio is pretty good, so it’s easier to start from standstill and clime, as well as maintain speed. The motor supports up to 20mph in North America and 25km/h in Europe but you can pedal faster if you wish, and the motor won’t introduce additional drag.
   • The Bosch motor controller is incredibly fast and smart, it makes riding with assist feel very natural and controlled. It measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque over 1,000 times per second and can even back off when it senses shifting, which protects the chain and geared hub from stress and damage.
   • The monoshock suspension fork is raked forward a bit to relax steering and keep the fender from being in the path of your feet while pedaling. Even though the suspension travel is very limited at 30mm and non-adjustable, it still takes the edge off of jarring interactions with cracks and curbs. The biggest benefit to me is the appearance and reduced weight compared with a more traditional double stanchion fork.
   • In addition to the suspension fork, Gazelle has specced an adjustable stiffness suspension seat post to further cushion your ride offering 40mm of travel. It’s a welcome feature for an upright city bike… especially if you have back and neck sensitivity like me. This part does offer adjustable preload (stiffness based on rider weight), which is wonderful. Just take the post out and loosen or tighten the bolt in the base.
   • The rear rack is amazing! It’s positioned far enough back that the saddle can be lowered all the way down without colliding with a trunk bag. The side support arms are extra strong, made from custom tubing and painted to match the frame color! You get 29kg (59lbs) of cargo capacity here, which is above average and great if you’re using it to mount a child seat. It uses standard gauge tubing to work with most clip-on panniers, has pannier blockers on the sides to keep bags from touching the tires, and even comes with a triple bungee strap for quickly securing lightweight loose items. I also appreciate that some of the support structure is hidden below the fender creating a really sleek refined look.
   • The silver support struts that keep the fenders in place are curved at the top and non adjustable so the fender is less likely to get bumped out of position. Both pairs of struts mount directly to the frame vs. using plastic cuffs, that tend to be weaker.
   • Another cool accessory that Gazelle includes right out the gate is an AXA Defender frame lock to secure the rear wheel for quick stops. It’s keyed alike to match the battery pack, which reduces clutter and the need to carry and fiddle with multiple keys. It’s convenient and works well… but does add some weight.
   • Great kickstand hardware, the length is adjustable without tools (so you can stabilize the bike on flat or angled terrain). It’s positioned near the back to support the rack with cargo and stay clear of the left crank arm (eliminating the potential for pedal lock).
   • The battery pack is removable to help reduce weight when lifting, servicing, and transporting the bike. It’s also nice that the same charging interface is used for the pack and the bike frame plug so you don’t need a dongle. I’ve read that it’s best to store Lithium-ion batteries in cool dry environments and avoid a full discharge to 0%. Optimal use is between 20% and 80% full, and store at 50% full for long periods of disuse. It’s cool that this battery pack and cover are cross compatible with some of the other Gazelle models too, in case your family or friends buy more than one and wish to share.
   • The Bosch Active Line Plus motor offers more torque and higher cadence support than the lowest level Bosch Active line. For me, it’s a worthwhile upgrade, but still delivers the benefits of efficient power use and decreased noise vs. the Performance Line products. It’s also less expensive, contributing to a more affordable ebike.
   • In my experience, you’re getting a reliable and well supported product when buying from Gazelle and Bosch. I believe that they both offer a two year comprehensive warranty and rely on a network of shops that can provide ride tests, fitting, and post purchase support to help the bike last. Furthermore, Bosch supports their hardware for 7+ years once discontinued, so you probably won’t struggle to find a replacement battery or display the same way you might with a less expensive product. And, the display can be upgraded to one of the fancier models from Bosch if you pay the dealer to special order and install it. This would get you smartphone app compatibility and USB charging for portable electronics.

   Cons:

   • The spring suspension fork is sleek, and offers a bit of rake near the bottom for improved stability, but it doesn’t offer much travel (just 30mm), adjustability (there is none), or strength. It’s lightweight, sleek, and paint matched to the frame… but for lighter riders like myself, it just doesn’t seem to do much. Without preload adjustability, the spring can feel too stiff or too soft depending on weight being transported, and it doesn’t offer lockout so you will lose some efficiency to bobbing.
   • Weighing in at roughly 59lbs for the medium sized frame, this is a moderately heavy electric bike… but still less than the Arroyo C7 HMB that has a larger double crown suspension fork. The weight of both models has to do with the spring suspension fork and seat post, internally geared hub, fenders, integrated rack, lights, cafe lock, adjustable stem, swept back handlebar, and reinforced step-thru frame with cutaway point. The bike looks very smooth and beautiful, but extra metal was used to increase strength and stiffness while keeping this wave design, and it appears to be the same frame used for their belt driven products with that cutaway on the right chain stay… which requires more metal and structure for strength.
   • The Bosch Purion display panel is fairly easy to read, effective to use, and easy to reach to press on the buttons without compromising your grip too much, but the display itself isn’t removable and some menus and readouts that fancier displays include just aren’t present here. It doesn’t have a dedicated light button, so remember to hold plus to activate or de-activate the lights and hold minus to cycle through menus, and hold minus and tap power to change units from miles to kilometers and back. The Micro-USB port on the right side of this display is only for diagnostics and not charging portable electronics. Consider paying a local shop to help upgrade the Purion to Kiox if you want USB charging and Bluetooth for their smartphone apps.
   • As nice as the controller is on this ebike, Gazelle is using the older rear wheel speed sensor with a spoke-attached magnet that can get bumped out of position more easily than the new one that mounts on the disc brake rotor mount. It’s a small thing, but this is one of their nicer ebikes, so it would be cool to see the cleaner integration.
   • I love that the battery lock core and AXA frame lock use the same key, but discovered that the key gets locked into place when the cafe lock is disengaged. Perhaps they meant this as a feature, but it means that you basically have to lock the bike every time you stop or someone could mess with the cafe lock and steal the key and or battery. Furthermore, since you have to leave the key in the cafe lock when riding, if you’ve got the key attached to a keychain, it will rattle as you ride. If you do not have it attached to a keychain, it could get lost more easily when you take it off and drop it into your backpack or purse. I just wish they let you remove the key from the AXA Defender frame lock when unlocked as well as locked so this wouldn’t be an issue.
   • In order to lock the battery into place, you have to insert the key and unlock the core before seating it into the downtube. Some competing designs I’ve seen from BULLS just allow you to push hard and the battery will click into place without the key. I appreciate that ramped latch design because I feel it makes dropping the battery pack less likely, as you don’t have to simultaneously fumble with a key.
   • It’s only available in one frame color, but the black looks really clean and professional since the cables, tubing, and other hardware are also black. Usually these parts only come in black, white, or silver, so Gazelle did an excellent job seeing out as many black parts as possible including rims, spokes, hubs, cranks, chain cover, fenders, stem, handlebar, seat post, kickstand, rear rack.
   • The Bosch PowerTube 500 battery pack weighs more than the older PowerPack 500, is longer and sharper (making it awkward to fit into backpacks and pannier bags if you wish to transport additional batteries for long range use), and has a custom plastic shield mounted to match the downtube. The shield does not appear to be easily swappable between batteries without using tools, but at least the shield is generic black (less expensive to produce, more standardized and easier to find as a replacement). The black shield matches the black frame really well here.
   • There’s plenty of room for bottle cage bosses on the downtube (on top of the battery pack) and seat tube, but Gazelle didn’t include any. You could always get an SKS Anywhere adapter for mounting a bottle cage to the seat tube with straps, or get a trunk bag and panniers for cargo and accessories to mount on the rear rack, but it’s nice to have a bottle within reach. Perhaps their decision has to do with frame strength and cost savings on the plastic battery shield vs. something fancier like Cannondale has done with a mounting point on their battery shield.
   • The Bosch Active Line Plus motors have a bit of “clunk” feeling when you stop pedaling. I think this relates to the gearing inside, because there’s also some friction when pedaling backwards as it seems to cycle the gearing inside the motor itself. Both of these characteristics may smooth out and reduce with continued use, but I didn’t notice this same behavior when testing the more powerful Bosch Performance Line motors.
   • As much as I enjoy internally geared hubs for being durable, reducing chain drops, and allowing shifting at standstill… they do add weight, shift a bit slower, and tend to offer lower gear ratios. This one offers 307% spread, which is roughly equivalent to an 11-34 tooth cassette offering 309% spread.
   • This is only a minor consideration, but since the headlight is built into the plastic fender, the beam may bounce and jitter a bit more than if the headlight was mounted to the sprung portion of the bike frame or even the medal portion of the suspension fork lowers.
   • Two other minor considerations are that the seat post is a little short at 300mm vs. the standard 350mm (at least for the large frame size), and the seat post connects into a shim. Also, the battery charge port cover on the frame can be a little tricky to seat perfectly. I had to spend extra time with it during the review prep, but I love that it’s positioned high up on the frame.