Nuze i3: ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

The i3 from Nuze is an Electric Urban MTB. During the test ride, the riding posture was comfortable with a slight bend towards the front to hold on to the handlebar. This slight aggressiveness helps in balancing the body to the frame when riding at high speeds, especially when taking sharp turns. The 6061 Alloy frame made the E-Bicycle is strong enough to handle vibrations and still be lightweight at 18.9kgs only.

The front suspension fork definitely helped in making the ride easier when riding through bumps and speed breakers. This is definitely an value addition for urban rides, especially when going at 25km/hr on an Electric Bicycle like the Nuze i3.

The Nuze i3 which I test rode came with a dual-coloured frame. The front half of the frame is Silver and the rear half is Black. This is a perfect light to dark colour combination giving a bright contrast to this Urban Electric MTB. The matte finish paint job made the colours look blended and smooth in finish. The full black suspension fork and saddle made the overall design of the i3 look uniform and aesthetic.

Nuze has gone with a Single-Speed gearing set up for the Nuze i3. This means no derailleurs and no gear shifters, only single chain rings at the front and back. This makes the i3 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. The added advantage with the i3 chain is that it comes with an anti-rust coating, ensuring low maintenance and a long life.

The Nuze i3 runs on a 36V 5.2Ah Lithium-Ion battery which is neatly tucked into the bottom tube of the frame. During the test ride, the motor power on both Throttle and Pedal Assist modes were excellent with a quick and high torque delivery. 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 this is one of the most powerful motors in India, with an exciting torque performance.

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. This 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 in the Pedal Assist modes is quick and is as fast in accelerating as it is on throttle mode. Charging of the i3 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, including the i3 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 i3’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 brakes are 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 i3 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 keeping 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 i3 extensively, the 27.5” x 2.1” DSI tires had enough width and tread buttons to roll over rough patches with ease. This also 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 i3 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, that it has to be big and cushiony 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.