Electric bicycles are still an affordable product for many. Their price is often a four-digit amount that many are unwilling to pay. Recently, however, the Eleglide brand introduced its first electric bicycles at a very attractive price. We tested the better of a pair of mountain bikes, Choose M1 Pluswhich you buy for less than 750 €.
Where did we buy Eleglide M1 Plus?
We bought an Eleglide brand e-bike from an international seller Geekbuying. It was available in a Polish warehouse, from where it was brought to us by a DPD courier, it's unbelievable 2 days from dispatch. Free delivery without any customs duties or VAT was a matter of course. With our discount coupon you can buy it for a good price.
ELEGLIDE M1 Plus
Contents of the package
The bicycle was delivered to us by a courier in a huge box measuring 148 x 77 x 24 cm and weighing about 25 kg. The box was in excellent condition, without serious damage. Inside, the bicycle itself is in partial disassembly. The bicycle frame and individual components are perfectly packed and protected with foam reinforcement or additional cardboard. The quality of the packaging is thus at a high level, so that all components arrived without a single damage.
The bicycle is assembled in the box without the front wheel, which is attached to the bicycle frame, along with other components that need to be assembled. Specifically, these are the handlebars, saddle, pedals, headlight, derailleur protector and fenders.
In addition to the components, you will also find in the package several keys and screws needed for assembly, instructions, charger and a pair of keys for locking the battery. In addition, the manufacturer has added another pair of handlebar grips, with which you can control the electric drive.
Unboxing and folding a bicycle
If you follow our site and social networks regularly, you certainly did not miss the article in which we gave you the opportunity to ask what interests you. You also found in it our unique unboxing video, in which we unpacked and assembled the bike. You can also see it here:
Folding a bicycle is not complicated. If you have basic manual skills, you will definitely be able to do it according to the enclosed instructions. Although it is not completely complete and you have to figure out some parts, it is not a science. We did it in about 20 minutes. The assembly can be done by one person, without help, but the assistance is not harmful.
We started by setting the stem to the correct position, to which we then attached the handlebars with four screws. These can be rotated according to your own preferences and their inclination can be adjusted to suit the comfortable holding of the handlebars.
Subsequently, we fastened the front wheel to the suspension fork with screws. However, the brake pads of the disc brake are quite tight, so it is complicated to hold the wheel so that the pads do not rub against the brake disc on the wheel. After a while, however, we succeeded and the wheel idled smoothly, without unnecessary friction.
In the next step, we attached the headlight, inserted the seat into the frame and screwed on the pedals. We blew the tires and at this point the bike is completely folded and ready to use. The package also includes fenders, but the front does not hold very well, so we did not use them in the end.
Quality of workmanship, design and dimensions
In terms of design, it is a very successful bicycle. Eleglide M1 Plus has a matte black frame with a yellow brand logo and gray-yellow graphics that give it a modern style. The frame is size 18.
The size tables of bicycles differ slightly from one source to another, but in most cases this frame is referred to as size M, suitable for a rider's height in the range of 165 - 175 cm (some sources state a maximum of 180 cm). Our editor, who tested the bike, is 185 cm high and he sat comfortably on the bike, despite the fact that he exceeds the table height according to the size of the frame.
The bike has an overall length of 179 cm and a wheelbase of 110 cm. The seat can be adjusted in height in the range of 85 - 104 cm and the handlebars are at a height of 104 cm. As the seat can be moved slightly forwards and backwards, the minimum distance between the seat and the handlebars is 64 cm and the maximum 68 cm.
The wheels have a size of 27.5 ″ and the tires are universal, suitable for any terrain. The overall quality of processing is at a good level. The frame is solid and the bike managed even small jumps or descents on the stairs. The overall impression is spoiled only by the front, sprung fork, which is weak. He often knocks when pressed and returns to its original position.
Electric drive control and first run
Before the first ride, it is necessary to turn on the battery with the red button on the battery itself. Subsequently, the bicycle is switched on on the control panel on the handlebars. When the bicycle is switched on, the individual LEDs on the control panel light up. Unfortunately, it is not equipped with a display, so there is no information about the current speed, the percentage of the battery and the distance or the total distance we have traveled on the bike.
However, the control panel contains an on / off button, a button for switching between the individual modes and also a button for switching on / off the front lighting. The backlight is missing, only the front, white light is available, which shines bright enough. The last element on the control panel is four LED diodes, which symbolize the current state of the battery, which you can also check on the battery itself.
The Eleglide M1 Plus bike supports 5 levels of assistance with an electric motor with an output of 250 W (maximum short-term output of 500 W). The modes are graded based on the maximum speed that the bike can reach. The specific settings are as follows:
- Level 1 - 12 km / h
- Level 2 - 16 km / h
- Level 3 - 20 km / h
- Level 4 - 23 km / h
- Level 5 - 25 km / h
The electric motor is activated automatically when the pedals are slightly turned. The peculiarity is that sometimes it was activated immediately after half pedal rotation, other times we had to start slightly with the pedals before the engine was activated. Then it is enough to turn the pedals slightly without a real force engagement to keep the engine running. If you stop twisting the pedals, after a while the engine will deactivate and reactivate only when you start turning the pedals again. Most electric bicycles, which we had the opportunity to try, work on the same principle.
As we mentioned in the introduction, the manufacturer also supplies spare grips in the package, which have a rotary control for manual speed control. However, they are harder than the original ones, and since the default control system suited us, we did not use them.
Bicycle components
The Eleglide M1 Plus electric bicycle consists of classic components, which we also know from other mountain bikes. At the front we have a sprung fork on which the lighting is located. The bicycle is equipped with mechanical disc brakes with a cable. They are not marked with any brand, so we do not know their origin.
We can find the SunRun 42T derailleur here, but its handlebar control is from the Shimano brand. The rear derailleur is a Shimano Tourney TZ, which is protected from impact by a metal protector. We have a total of 21 gears available - 3 at the front and 7 at the rear.
The battery has 36V and 12.5 Ah and is placed on the frame, so it is removable. You don't have to worry about someone stealing it from your bike during your absence. It can be locked with a key that you take with you. Another option is to disassemble the battery and not leave it on the bicycle during its storage, for example in the common areas of the apartment building.
Driving comfort and our experience
Driving in the city on asphalt roads is extremely comfortable. It is a bit worse when driving off-road or on uneven ground, when the front suspension fork reaches its limit. When driving quickly through unevenness, there is often an unpleasant knocking when the suspension returns to its original position. The fork is so too soft and can't handle difficult terrain. However, he manages to drive on common forest or field roads well. However, it is not suitable for difficult terrain and aggressive downhill trails.
An ordinary recreational cyclist who rides most of the time on classic roads and occasionally visits the forest or crosses a meadow will be satisfied. From an electric bike for 750 € we cannot expect him to be perfect in every way.
The saddle is comfortable and the pedals have sufficient grip, even though they are plastic. As for the brakes, they were a bit weak from the production, so we fine-tuned them to our satisfaction. The brake levers are comfortable and depressed easily, but overall the brakes are more of an average. Occasionally there was an unpleasant whistling sound, but it did not affect the functionality.
As for the electric drive, we drove almost exclusively in the strongest mode, which has a maximum speed of 25 km / h. But is a 250 W motor enough? We do not expect miracles, but our editor with a weight of 80 kg did not have a problem even with gentle hills. The bike starts relatively fast on the straight line, but of course it slows down in the hills. It requires pedal assistance to steep hills, but we didn't have to tread enough on any hill to sweat. Pedal assistance on our part has always been very mild on an easy transmission.
The overall experience is so good and we enjoyed cycling. We have the only major caveat about the front suspension, which could have been better.
Range and charging
The manufacturer states a range of 100 km, which, however, applies to pedal assistance. In the case of exclusive electric drive without assistance, the range per charge is 50 km. Of course, we tested the range in real conditions with an 80 kg person.
We drove in Košice and suburban areas, so we did not avoid even hilly terrain and we used only the strongest regime - 25 km / h. We only helped the bicycle with the pedals in the hills, where it was necessary. Since the bike does not have a display with the necessary data, we turned on the tracking application Runkeeper in our smartphone.
We drove until the last LED flashing to indicate the battery status, when we already felt that the electric drive was weaker. We covered a total of 46.18 km. The 50 km range in electric mode stated by the manufacturer is surprisingly achievable, but only when driving on the road. When driving off-road (forest, meadows and fields) it is necessary to count on a lower range, as it is a significantly higher load for the engine.
The battery can be charged stored in the frame of the bicycle, but also separately after its disassembly. The charging connector is directly on the battery. The total charging time was almost 6 hours.
Final evaluation
Eleglide M1 Plus is an interesting electric mountain bike with a beautiful design. It offers a good range of up to 50 km in pure electric mode thanks to a 12.5 Ah battery, large 27.5 ″ wheels with tires for any terrain, disc brakes and comfortable driving on roads or light terrain.
However, the overall impression is spoiled by the sprung front fork, which sometimes knocks and is not enough for driving in more demanding terrain or for fast driving through unevenness. They also don't like the brakes, which sometimes whistle, although this has no effect on their functionality.
Considering the low price of only 750 € however, it is a good bike that we enjoyed riding. You will hardly find a bike with such equipment for a similar price. However, there is no need to expect miracles at such a low price. Rather, it is a bicycle designed for recreational or less demanding cyclists.
Buy Eleglide M1 Plus at the best price
As we mentioned at the beginning of the review, the best way to buy it is from a dealer Geekbuying, which has it in stock in the EU with very fast shipping. you don't even pay customs duty and VAT.
I'm looking for brakes for this rower. Njekko moze podzielije się gdzie je poża bagatow w reasonable price?
Elglide M1 plus a big scumbag! I really let myself be caught. The complaint was made several times in order, but the malfunctions continue to multiply. A big scumbag!!
Why don't you recommend to buy directly from their website?
Why would we?