Issue Six - Spring 2013 - Electric Bike Magazine

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+ON TEST Beatbikes Beatbike We review the spectacularly lightweight and affordable £499 Beatbike. It certainly looks a bit different – but can its performance transcend its tiny wheel size? 20 Electric Bike Issue 6
ON TEST: Beatbikes ON TEST: Ezee BeatBike Torq T he Beatbike is imported by Beatbikes of Newcastle upon Tyne, and it’s their first product in the electric bikes field. There’s a single model, with a rider weight limit of 95 kg and a one year warranty, for £499. Carry case and strap, tool kit and charger are all included. Currently it’s available only from Beatbikes direct by mail order. It’s described on the packaging as a ‘recreational electric bike’. This set a good tone for me: it’s not making unrealistic claims. My experience of other very small-wheeled bikes has been a mixed bag: all definitely have limitations, but many have been surprisingly enjoyable and useful. Let’s see where the Beatbike fits in! » ON THE BIKE Our Beatbike arrived boxed, as it would for many customers. Assembly was straightforward: there’s very little to do except unfold it, pump up the tyres and put it on charge. In case anything else does need tweaking or tightening it comes with a basic mini toolkit. The folding alloy frame is finished in a tidy sparkly silver. The welding and general finish isn’t stellar, but it’s hard to complain for the price and it all looks solid and competent. A key feature of the Beatbike is its very small wheels. The 12½" x 2¼" (203 x 57) size is unusual for an adult bike, but tyre spares are easily available as it’s a standard fitting. There isn’t much space between the spokes, though, so the inner tubes have bent valve stems for easier access with a pump. It’s still easiest to use an adaptor tube, or even a shock pump, to inflate. Up front, the wheel hosts both a disk brake and the 180 W electric motor. I’m not a huge fan of the ‘squash the tube flat and drill a hole’ school of forming front dropouts (where the axle bolts into the forks), but it’ll do the job. Certainly better than a super-cheap suspension fork, anyway! At the back, there’s just a single speed sprocket on one side and an enclosed band brake on the other. At this price point I was happy to see no complicated gears: best keep it simple. The handlebars have comfortable ergonomic grips to offer palm support (hooray – many more expensive bikes could learn from this!). They also house a fairly standard electric assist control with off/on, three power Specification Weight overall (inc batteries): 14 kg Battery weight: No data – not easily removed. Bike only weight: n/a Charger weight: 0.6 kg (inc. mains cable). Charge time from empty: 3 hours. Battery type: Li-Ion. Battery capacity: 144 Watt hours (6 Ah 24 V). Gearing: Single speed. 52T ring, 12T sprocket. Ratio around 40". Brakes: V-brakes. Lighting: None. Other accessories fitted: mudguards, stand. Price as tested: £499. Issue 6 Electric Bike 21
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Page 46 and 47: B I K E S The KLIMAX of all-weather
Page 48: Amazing Electric Bikes Classic Elec

Issue Six - Spring 2013 - Electric Bike Magazine

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