Nuze i1: ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

As soon as we got our hands on this E-bicycle, we were pleasantly surprised by how light it was. Electric bicycles are generally considered to be heavy because of all the electronics attached, like the motor and the battery. But thanks to the AL Tech 6061 Alloy frame the i1’s weight is just 18.5 kgs, making it one of the lightest in this category. When we started riding the i1, our body posture felt comfortable with easy reach to the anti-skid pedals below and the handlebar in front. It was extremely easy to manuever the i1 in traffic and we felt confident while cornering even at 25km/hr, as the frame felt stable and balanced.

The front suspension fork definitely helped in making the ride less jittery when riding through bumps and speed breakers. This is definitely an essential addition for city riding, especially when going at 25km/hr on an Electric Bicycle like the Nuze i1.

The Nuze i1 which we test rode came in a Matte Anthracite Blue colour with Black used for graphics in many places. This colour immediately caught our eye at first glance because of its unique Blue shade. The paint job and the quality of it was top notch and that makes this E- Bicycle look a bit glossy while still being completely matte. The cut and slant top tube makes the frame look stylish and brings out the urban look as intended, and also allows for easy ingress and egress. The integrated battery in the i1 definitely makes the whole E-bicycle look neat and gives it a seamless aesthetic appeal.

Nuze has gone with a Single-Speed gearing set up for the Nuze i1. This means no derailleurs and no gear shifters, only single chain rings at the front and back. This makes the i1 simple and easy to ride. The pedalling was no struggle and felt easy in motion both when the battery power was switched off and when using the pedal assist modes as well. The added advantage with i1, is that the Chain comes with an anti-rust coating ensuring low maintenance and a long life.

Now we come to the heart and soul of an Electric Bicycle, the Battery and Motor and all the things which contribute to the exciting feeling of riding an E-bicycle. The Nuze i1 runs on a 36V 5.2 Ah Lithium-Ion battery which is neatly tucked into the bottom tube of the frame. During the test ride we were pleasantly surprised by the torque delivery of the i1. Once I rotated the throttle it accelerated quickly and did not take much time to reach its 25km/hr limit. It is safe to say that these are one of the most powerful motors in India, with exciting torque curves upfront.

There are 3 Pedal Assist modes; Low, Medium and High. Each mode decided the amount of battery push assistance you would require per pedal rotation. The Pedal Assist mode helps you get better mileage while still going fast and exerting lesser energy when pedalling. The reaction time for the battery to power on during pedal assist modes is quick and is as fast in accelerating as it is on throttle mode. Charging of the i1 is easy thanks to its port situated near the bottom bracket area on the frame. The magnetic lid on the charging port is a useful addition as it protects the port from dust and water. All electronics on the Nuze range of E Bicycles are IP67 water resistant standards and splash proof.

While we keep talking about speed and acceleration on E-Bicycles, it is equally important to have a good pair of brakes to make sure you can come to a halt safely. The Nuze i1’s Mechanical Disc brakes gave me enough confidence to apply the brakes hard even on fast and wet roads. The brakes felt powerful and smooth to use during the test ride. The E-Bicycle also comes with the most important safety feature, which is the auto cut off brake sensor. How this works is that when the brake is applied, it automatically cuts off power to the motor, thereby enabling you to stop safely even though you have engaged the throttle.

The comfort handlebar on the i1 was in easy reach from the Saddle. The throttle side right grip and the normal left grip had enough padding to make the palms comfortable. This handlebar was flat, for an urban focused Electric Bicycle, a raiser handlebar would have definitely helped in keep the rider slightly more upright and thus more comfortable. This is one upgrade we would like to see in the future.

All the power generated by the motor with the help of the battery is directly transferred to the wheels which help in riding at 25km/hr. When testing the Nuze i1 extensively, the 26” x 2.0” DSI tires gave enough traction even on wet roads. This made us corner at high speeds with confidence. Jamming of the brakes too was handled by the tires in a balanced manner and there was no instance of skidding.

Our test ride of the Nuze i1 had a mix of smooth and rough roads with bumps and speed breakers. This stock saddle from Nuze was comfortable during the test ride. The common notion when it comes to a saddle is, it has to be big and well cushioned but a perfect saddle like in the Nuze, just needs enough cushioning to rest both your sit bones. More cushioning leads to more movement of the hips, which is unstable and could cause back pain in the long run. The only change I would like to see in this Nuze saddle is a bit of reduction on the length of the saddle which looks a bit too pointy.