The problem with testing bikes a notch or two above an already-busted budget is that you end up wanting one. The Ave XH-3 must be a case in point, since by some peculiar phenomenon I now seem to own one; thankfully half of the purchase price was covered by an insurance claim, which of course is only Monopoly money. I'll do a proper review once the bike's gotten a thorough testing; this brand doesn't get much attention, and I think it richly deserves to.
I'd already tried a Kalkhoff Agattu C8 Impulse HS, and found it rather too sensible and lumbering for my liking - I'm sure it's a very solid tourer, but I'm after a bit of design flair and some zippy performance. I rejected the Emotion Neo Cross too; even though it fulfils my criteria brilliantly, I just couldn't see how I was getting two hundred squid worth of improvements over the Ave.
I'd have loved to try an Oxygen, but that'd mean joining a two-month queue, and Wisper bikes at decent shops in my areas seem also to be becoming lesser-spotted.
Over the past few days, I've discovered that the Ave is serious fun. It's a Bosch central crank drive system sitting inside a sporty MTB frame, with a 8Ah 36V pack on the downtube. With high-quality Tektro hydraulic brakes and a very responsive Shimano Deore 9-speed derailleur, it made light work of the Hartlebury test hills.
I'm used to the Juicy Sport, which is a long wheelbase MTB frame, with a throttle and a full-size battery mounted vertically behind the seat-post. So a crank drive with no throttle is at first a peculiar experience - how does one launch onto a roundabout at rush hour? The answer is obvious to the non-powered cyclist, of course - you just pedal harder, and the effort sensor takes care of the rest.
So, it'll take some getting used to. Whilst the Juicy could zip along admirably, that was a sensible old dog to my new skittish and playful Ave puppy. The latter's steering is trigger sensitive, likely due to a smaller weight and wheelbase - it feel just like an MTB, which will be a serious boon if I ever get stranded without power. Sadly I am now forced to stop cheating with the throttle, and do some serious riding.
I've done one small five mile trip already, in cold/dry conditions, and a ten mile round-trip, partly at night in the wet. The knobbly Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres cope with everything, although - given they're primarily for off-road, I think I might switch the rear for a Marathon Plus.
Minor niggle - the user guide is only in German, which is a right pain, since I'm still struggling to reset the computer to display speed in miles. It'll be hold left-right-top buttons down for three seconds whilst holding my leg in the air, or something like that. I'll get it eventually, but one'd expect better of Bosch.
Top marks to Martin at Onbike, whose enthusiasm and subject knowledge made it a confident purchase. I'll be holding him responsible for my poverty-stricken diet of Ryvita for the remainder of the year
I'd already tried a Kalkhoff Agattu C8 Impulse HS, and found it rather too sensible and lumbering for my liking - I'm sure it's a very solid tourer, but I'm after a bit of design flair and some zippy performance. I rejected the Emotion Neo Cross too; even though it fulfils my criteria brilliantly, I just couldn't see how I was getting two hundred squid worth of improvements over the Ave.
I'd have loved to try an Oxygen, but that'd mean joining a two-month queue, and Wisper bikes at decent shops in my areas seem also to be becoming lesser-spotted.
Over the past few days, I've discovered that the Ave is serious fun. It's a Bosch central crank drive system sitting inside a sporty MTB frame, with a 8Ah 36V pack on the downtube. With high-quality Tektro hydraulic brakes and a very responsive Shimano Deore 9-speed derailleur, it made light work of the Hartlebury test hills.
I'm used to the Juicy Sport, which is a long wheelbase MTB frame, with a throttle and a full-size battery mounted vertically behind the seat-post. So a crank drive with no throttle is at first a peculiar experience - how does one launch onto a roundabout at rush hour? The answer is obvious to the non-powered cyclist, of course - you just pedal harder, and the effort sensor takes care of the rest.
So, it'll take some getting used to. Whilst the Juicy could zip along admirably, that was a sensible old dog to my new skittish and playful Ave puppy. The latter's steering is trigger sensitive, likely due to a smaller weight and wheelbase - it feel just like an MTB, which will be a serious boon if I ever get stranded without power. Sadly I am now forced to stop cheating with the throttle, and do some serious riding.
I've done one small five mile trip already, in cold/dry conditions, and a ten mile round-trip, partly at night in the wet. The knobbly Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres cope with everything, although - given they're primarily for off-road, I think I might switch the rear for a Marathon Plus.
Minor niggle - the user guide is only in German, which is a right pain, since I'm still struggling to reset the computer to display speed in miles. It'll be hold left-right-top buttons down for three seconds whilst holding my leg in the air, or something like that. I'll get it eventually, but one'd expect better of Bosch.
Top marks to Martin at Onbike, whose enthusiasm and subject knowledge made it a confident purchase. I'll be holding him responsible for my poverty-stricken diet of Ryvita for the remainder of the year
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