Review Pinnacle Mercury 2021

[Barnsleyrob]

Pinnacle Mercury 2021 Electric Hybrid Bike | Evans Cycles

www.evanscycles.com

I bought the Mercury from Evans cycles 10 days ago and have just completed a 22 mile round trip with a mate.

First impressions of the bike are good.

The Bafang G020 motor pulls strongly, particularly at low speeds where I would have used the throttle to get moving on the MiRider due to my weak ankle. There are 5 levels of pedal assist and I mostly used 1 or 2 except for a couple of steep gradients (this is the same riding profile as on the MiRider). The 8 speed gears are also handy although I haven’t had any need to use 1st yet and can usually pull away in 2nd or 3rd. The hydraulic brakes are excellent and well modulated.

The bike looks good with the cabling etc routed through the frame. Hopefully it will be pretty hard wearing but the extra height over the 16” wheels of the MiRider keeps most of the mud out of reach. I’ve got the medium, which is the smallest frame, and the stand over height is comfortable for me at 5’6” although the seat post is pretty much as low as it will go.

The 374 Wh battery performs well. At 22 miles and 750 feet of elevation, it was indicating 3 out of 5 bars remaining although it may have been about to dip to 2 bars as the recharge took around 3 hours.

At £1100, it’s a decent bike for the money and easy to ride.

The not so good.

The saddle isn’t comfortable so I’ll swap that for something with better padding.

The mounts for bottle holder(s) are located on the front forks which seems like a quick way to destabilise the bike.

The bike can take a rack or a rear mudguard but not both. I’m also struggling to find a front mudguard.

The battery is integrated into the frame and looks very sleek but it is tight and awkward to remove as it faces upward rather than down as on other bikes. I also managed to trap the flap of skin between my thumb and forefinger which is up there with barefoot Lego !

There were no instructions for the electrical side of things, such as turning the bike on, operating the assistance, battery care etc. It’s pretty straightforward in that the handlebar unit turns everything on and there are LED indicators for battery and assistance levels but it would be nice to know if the power is delivered up to a top speed that varies according to level or some other factor. For example level 5 feels less responsive than level 4. The charger stays on red for several minutes after the battery indicates it’s done which I guess is the BMS sorting things out, but it does beg the question as to whether I can give it a partial charge should the need arise.

I’ve been chasing Evans customer services who have pretty much fobbed me off at every contact point (online, phone). The store phone doesn’t work and customer services claim to have no other way to contact them - I’m guessing they’d find a way if the banking isn’t done. That’s when I discovered it was part of the Ashley empire. Compare that to the customer support from MiRider who are absolutely fantastic and even sent out spares FOC.

Interestingly, according to Strava, this full size bike with 8 speeds is nowhere close to beating the little MiRider on the 2 steep roads through the village. It’s several seconds slower and hasn’t even made the top 3.

I’ve got a minor squeak from the front wheel which has persisted after a bit of lubrication (although the wheel spins freely) and a strange noise around the rear that I may have fixed by cleaning the derailleur.

So my conundrum is do I return to Evans Cycles for the 6 week inspection or find somewhere else ?

 

[vfr400]

SKS XLM Beavertails would be good mudguards for that bike. they're very cheap, nice and wide, very effective and unstayed, so dead easy to fit. Note that there are two types. Some have the beavertail ends and others, like these, have the rounder ends. It's normally the rounder type that you get regardless of the picture. Both are equally as good.

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What do you mean by "after the battery indicates it’s done "? It's normally the charger that tells you it's done.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

What do you mean by "after the battery indicates it’s done "? It's normally the charger that tells you it's done.

That‘s where a user guide would be helpful.

From observation the charger LED is red while charging and then switches to green after a few hours, which I take to be when the battery is fully charged. The battery has its own charge indicator which flashes green when the battery is charging and then goes off after several hours, presumably also indicating a full charge. However, there is a lag of 15-30 minutes between the battery indicator going off and the charger LED changing from red to green. If this is the BMS doing some additional work, it implies that partially charging the battery may not be a good idea as the tidy up work will be incomplete.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

Thanks for the link by the way. I haven’t seen that site before so that‘s this evenings entertainment.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

Just thought I’d post a couple of pics I took today on the TPT. The battery range was around 37 miles when it abruptly gave up the ghost a couple of hundred yards from home.

 

[overlander]

For the money that looks like a good bike.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

It does indeed - just don’t expect much in the way of customer support. A few things surprised me (considering I didn’t go out to buy it!). It has Shimano hydraulic brakes that are fabulous and on Friday I found out that the Kenda Kwick Seven.5 tyres have an anti puncture layer. I wish I’d discovered that before I slimed the tubes.

Actually it’s very similar to the Ezee bike someone posted about on here, to the extent that I downloaded the manual for that one.

 

[overlander]

It does indeed - just don’t expect much in the way of customer support. A few things surprised me (considering I didn’t go out to buy it!). It has Shimano hydraulic brakes that are fabulous and on Friday I found out that the Kenda Kwick Seven.5 tyres have an anti puncture layer. I wish I’d discovered that before I slimed the tubes.

Actually it’s very similar to the Ezee bike someone posted about on here, to the extent that I downloaded the manual for that one.

Since Evans has been taken over their customer service has plummeted, only good thing is they are local to me. I assume that is their own brand bike ?

 

[Nealh]

Since the take over I refuse to give any money to Ashley.

 

[LionMan]

I bought the Pinnacle Mercury 2021 a week ago. I have found it great so far. In the first charge I have completed well over 42 miles with 2 to 3 bars still showing on the LED display. I do ride with no power on the flat as it is so easy. I think 50 miles on a charge is achievable with a good mix of no power and 1 to 4 power assists. (I have not needed to use power 5 level!)
I was riding a Gtech Sports before, which is limited to 20 miles range unless you pedal with no assist - but hard on the Gtech with no gears.
As per a comment on this thread, you can put the XLS beavertails and a rear rack on this bike. See the pic of mine.
Also, I agree a manual or instructions would be helpful. I looked at the Bafang site to read about the LED control it mentions 'walk assist'. After experimenting for a bit I find it...press and hold the down arrow and walk assist kicks in! I also find the saddle comfortable. I have put an adjustable stem on to raise the riding position as I am 61 and need my back straighter.
I will post more if requested to help others with this bike. Overall, I think good value. The Gtech is £1K and Carrera around £1200. After that you need to go to about £2.3K. I tried a Raleigh Centros £2.3K, but actually heavier than the Pinnacle and not as good as getting up the hills in Bristol!

 

[PRM]

I purchased my Mercury early April '21 and think its a cracking bike, having covered over 300 miles now.
Only extras fitted are a small saddle bag for gas type tyre pump and a security lock and a Cateye wireless computer.
Brakes are very good, gear changes smooth and the motor (when used) cuts in nicely and provides ample power for my 12st frame
I regularly get 45+ miles from a single charge with conservative use ( I bought the bike as therapy for dodgy knees so use it to keep fit but not gonna kill myself on the steeper hills . But when you're feeling less energetic the motor is great for a relaxed ride home.
No issues with the saddle comfort or the water bottle mounts ( the thick downtube where the battery resides prevents normal mounting) but agree the battery removal requires careful operation but with practice does become a lot easier. You can charge either with battery in-situ or removed.
One issue I have noticed is that when returning to the bike after a few days of non use, the bike doesn't power up nor does the battery charge check button show the charge status. I whipped the battery out to charge it and it took only 15min to fully charge which i found puzzling. As soon as the battery was refitted, it worked fine and this has happened a few times now, but because the battery is not discharged, I found a work around..... Press and hold the battery check button on the top of the battery itself for about 5-10 secs and it then lights up and the handlebar controller will also power up as normal.
As in other reports the supplied instructions are woefully poor and give the new owner very little info on the bike itself.
For £1150 I think its a great entry level e-bike and a great all round hybrid cycle. I've seen and ridden with other regular bike and e-bike owners and this is up there with their machines by the bucket load. And when their bike starts to flag mines still showing 50% remaining charge!!!
Well worth a look if you're thinking of getting an e-bike (although it looks like Evans are in short supply at present (poss covid supply chain issues I guess).

 

[vfr400]

What sort of pedal sensor does it have? How quickly does it respond (run-on)?

The difference in customer care is the Mirider selling a £500 bike for £1500 and Evans selling an £1100 bike for £1100. The extra £1000 profit on the Mirider pays for a lot of help.

 

[PRM]

What sort of pedal sensor does it have? How quickly does it respond (run-on)?

The difference in customer care is the Mirider selling a £500 bike for £1500 and Evans selling an £1100 bike for £1100. The extra £1000 profit on the Mirider pays for a lot of help.

Not sure on the pedal sensor but i find it pretty responsive when kicking in. And motor cuts out within 0.5 sec whe n u stop pedalling.

 

[ishma123]

Hello,
I’m buying this bike tomorrow I just hear different reviews of the range some people say it’s only 10-15 miles and some say they get 50 miles, does anyone know like what’s the deal

 

[PRM]

Hello,
I’m buying this bike tomorrow I just hear different reviews of the range some people say it’s only 10-15 miles and some say they get 50 miles, does anyone know like what’s the deal

All I can say is that the people who are getting 10-15 miles are probably using max assistance all the time and not using the bike as intended. I always get a minimum of 35-40 miles on a charge. This is usually a mix of zero assistance on flat and levels 1-3 on hills with level 5 on steeper sections. To be honest its a great entry level e bike and I'm very happy with its performance and price. Nothing I've seen comes close for the money. And e bikes are like rocking horse dung at the moment so grab one now while you can. I've covered 750+ miles on mine since April 21.....

 

[sjpt]

Hello,
I’m buying this bike tomorrow I just hear different reviews of the range some people say it’s only 10-15 miles and some say they get 50 miles, does anyone know like what’s the deal

Enjoy the bike. As PRM says, there are huge variation. To get an idea of how range is affected by power settings, riding style, speed and conditions play with

eBike range calculator for Bosch drive systems

How many kilometres do the different Bosch eBike batteries last? The Bosch Range Assistant displays how many kilometres your pedelec can travel on a single battery charge.

www.bosch-ebike.com

.
For Bosch bikes but with a little interpretation gives a very good idea for all bikes, and certainly the huge differences for a given bike.

 

[Nealh]

Range is down to many factors and how the bike is used.
1. Always charge the battery fully to prevent issues, you don't have to do it straight after a ride though it depends how depleted the battery is. I usually charge if depleted at least to about 50% charge and then fully charge up to about 12hrs before use again.
2. Power level used will determine range, for max range use lowest power possible except maybe hills where you will want to use higher power temporary. On flat terrain and down hill set the power level to low or turn it off or set to zero.
3. Head winds use up more of the energy to combat them.
4. Tyres pressure will also need to be kept to optimum.
5. Rider ability plays it's part as does rider weight.
6. Plan/look ahead when riding, start/stopping uses up energy so try and let the ride flow more smoothly.

 

[ishma123]

Hi this is bike is waterproof yes? Like I can ride it in the rain? Also how does it perform in the rain

 

[AndyBike]

Range is down to many factors and how the bike is used.

Range is usually calculate on the lowest weight rider, riding on flat roads of smooth surface, and without any headwind, carrying no other equipment or cargo.


The Bosch calculator is pretty close. Im probably getting 58-60 miles on a 625w battery, on an average weight mtb/plus me@ about 100kg, riding on poor quality roads(uk) with some inclines, in summer with no wind and city tyres in the tour setting at 70rpm. The range calculator quotes 67miles.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

All I can say is that the people who are getting 10-15 miles are probably using max assistance all the time and not using the bike as intended. I always get a minimum of 35-40 miles on a charge. This is usually a mix of zero assistance on flat and levels 1-3 on hills with level 5 on steeper sections. To be honest its a great entry level e bike and I'm very happy with its performance and price. Nothing I've seen comes close for the money. And e bikes are like rocking horse dung at the moment so grab one now while you can. I've covered 750+ miles on mine since April 21.....

Elevation profile and trail surface seem to have a noticeable impact on my battery range. My last ride was only 12 miles but an initial climb of almost 800 ft over loose rutted terrain meant I’d lost 1 bar where I’d usually still be running on 5 at an equivalent distance.

I recently managed 26 miles (including the same initial climb) and was somewhat concerned to be on 2 bars with 10+ miles to make it home. Careful use of the remaining power meant I got home easily with enough in reserve, although the battery levels on the UART Bafang display fitted on this bike isn’t linear so each bar doesn’t represent 20% as you might expect.

Anyway, 400 miles in and still enjoying the bike. Also please that Evans have managed to resolve any niggles on the spot.