Yahoo Autos Gazelle Ultimate C380+ E-Bike Review: Ample power and sharp design
BEND, Ore. – Given where you’re reading this review, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we like cars around these parts. Myself and my fellow editors are not the cycling sorts who shake their fists at you while huffing up a canyon road wearing zip-up spandex shirts. Cars are great, long live the car. However, there are plenty of times when cars totally suck. Like when you’re stuck in traffic or find yourself 19 cars deep in the school drop-off line. Perhaps you live in a town where parking is at a premium or you’ll be lucky to crest 25 mph. Maybe you’d rather not burn gas or pay big EV bucks for running short errands.
In these scenarios, an electric bicycle can be terrific. And if you’re looking for one that’s especially terrific for this city- or suburban-bound, errand-running scenario, feast your eyes on this Gazelle Ultimate C380+. Now, you can obviously find cheaper e-bikes than this $4,500 example, but just as I previously did with the Vintage Electric Café and GoCycle GX, I want to highlight electric bicycles that stand out from the crowd and might be a wee bit more interesting to read about for car enthusiasts and those not usually inclined to the two-wheeled realm.
In this case, the Ultimate C380+ by 125-year-old Dutch bike maker Gazelle boasts state-of-the-art componentry, stout build quality, a clean design and compelling performance – elements that any car enthusiast should appreciate as being representative of a connoisseur’s choice. That’s certainly why it caught my eye and why I reached out to Gazelle to give it a whirl … or electrically assisted pedal.
Now, I must admit to being very much a cycling novice. If you’re looking for an authoritative review of the Ultimate C380+, this won’t be it. However, I can tell you what it’s like to ride as an e-bike novice, how those components differ from what you might be used to, and how this slick gray Gazelle performed during a week here in bike-haven Bend, Ore., as well as in my hometown of Agoura Hills, Calif., that lives up to its name with precisely 0 flat roads.
The C380+ features a Bosch motor good for 85 newton-meters of torque, or 63 pound-feet. Other Gazelle Ultimates have 65 or 75 nm Bosch motors. Peak power output is 600 watts, which is on the upper end of the e-bike scale – some bikes have 750 watts or more. The motor is mounted at the pedals, as opposed to the rear wheel hub, which is beneficial for the purposes of balance and center of gravity. You know, like a mid-mounted engine. It also provides a more consistent and cohesive blending of foot and battery power. The Vintage Electric I rode had the motor mounted on the rear hub, which resulted in the pedals feeling more like a car’s accelerator – even light pedaling seemed to surge the bike forward with the max output from whichever motor level was selected. The C380+ motor, by contrast, adds more power as you pedal more and as the gearing (more on that later) demands. Rider and motor are more in sync. It feels natural, and well, bicycle-like.
That said, the C380+ still performs the e-bike task of allowing you to make your way up a hill or maintain a rapid clip without huffing, puffing and showing up to your destination dripping in sweat. There are four levels of power assistance: Eco, Tour, Sport and Turbo. There’s also Off. I had the bike in Eco and Tour in my rides around mostly flat Bend, with quick dips into Sport when trying to quickly cross an intersection or finding myself on a small hill. Sport was used far more extensively back home in Agoura Hills and on the long, gradual incline of the paved Rimrock and Haul trails that lead from Bend up toward Mt. Bachelor – especially when my 30-pound son was riding shotgun in his Thule Yepp Maxi child seat. I only engaged Turbo to have a laugh – “hey, I’m going 20 mph uphill!”
