Synergie Mistral Owner Reviews

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Reviewer: Lee Anfield

Retailer: ebay

Purchase Price: £450

Time Owned: 2 weeks

Terrain: Some minor hills

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Strengths:
Excellent quality for the money, very light considering and looks great. One of the cheapest Lithium battery e-bikes available. Suspension at the front, comfortable seat, good brakes and gears.

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Weaknesses:
Slight battery rattle, more annoying than anything else, and the motor restricts the speed to about 16 mph (unless you give it lots of effort). Comes with a dynamo which is useless. I replaced the chunky tyres for road tyres which has also helped.

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Summary:
An ideal first e-bike for those who want to pedal rather than just be powered round. Not particularly spectacular at steep hills, but a little effort from the pedals makes a huge difference. Good quality and can't be beaten for the money. Certainly isn't going to beat more expensive models but I love it, and it might pay for itself in saved petrol alone! My 6.5 mile journey to work used to take 28 mins on my old mountain bike, now it takes 20.

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Overall Rating: 8

 

[Kal]

Reviewer: Kal

Purchased From: Ebay (company trading 18 years )

Purchase Price: £450

Time Owned: 6 Weeks

Local Terrain: Very Hilly


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Strengths:
Low price
Dealer responded fast to e-mail (even after purchase)
Quick delivery, well packed, easy assembly
6 speed Shimano gears
Front suspension
Smooth controls and ride
Comfortable saddle
Mudguards, bell and rear carrier rack included
Phylion 36V 10Ah Li-ion battery (locks onto bike)
Rear wheel hub motor
Battery condition gauge on handlebars
Good range
Two pedal assist modes and full throttle mode
Excellent front and rear V brakes
Good tyres
Light weight 24kg


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Weaknesses:
No instructions or handbook
Poor quality dynamo
Battery rattled on poor road surfaces (but easily cured)
Hub motor cogging (drag)


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Summary:
I decided to buy a Synergie Mistral G2 after reading several favourable owner reviews and comments. I was tempted by the low price, so took a chance and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the bike when it arrived.

The well packed e-bike bought via Ebay (dealer states he's been trading 18 years) arrived in a cardboard box without any damage the day after I ordered it. I didn't find any assembly instructions in the box, I didn't need any really but e-mailed for them just out of curiosity to see what came. General assembly instructions arrived the next day but there was no user manual. There was a little diy assembly to do which included fitting the front wheel, handlebars, saddle and pedals but the back wheel, brakes and gears were already fitted and needed no further adjustment. I checked all the nuts and bolts and found the cranks needed tightening.

Someone else described the Mistral lighting as "useless" and I agree. It's the worst part of this e-bike. The included dynamo didn't line up properly on the tyre so I extended the supplied bracket to get the right fit. I later found out that the original bracket doesn't fit because the front suspension forks have been upgraded. The dynamo works but the light is dim. To change the back bulb means prising brittle plastic apart with a great risk of breaking the case. One of the bulb connection is just a loose wire jammed in down the side of the bulb. I have now taken the dynamo off. If I needed lights I would buy my own.

Battery charging takes 4-6 hours using the small and light included battery charger. The red neon turns to green once the battery is ready to use. The saddle is comfortable but does not have the tilting mechanism, for easy access to battery removal, shown on photos of the Mistral. To remove the battery means removing the saddle but this is easy enough because it slides effortlessly out of the saddle tube (clearance fit). The battery can be charged with it still attached to the bike which is the best way if you keep your bike within reach of an electric socket.

Some people have said they dislike the tyres and have changed them. I like the tyres. The ones fitted to my e-bike are only knobbly on the sides, the middle has a smoother road tread pattern and they appear to be well made. The 6 speed Shimano gears are a joy to use. The well made die-cast alloy pedals are fitted with reflector inserts. One wheel reflector is fitted to each road wheel but this unbalances the wheels a little at speed. Perfectionists will want to take these off if the e-bike is not going to be used after dark or fit another reflector opposite to maintain the balance. The ride is generally good, no doubt helped by the front suspension forks, but bumpy on very poor road surfaces.

My first impressions when taking the Mistral on the road for the first time were how smooth the electric assistance blends in with the bike and how quickly I got used to using all the controls. Everything works in harmony like you'd would want it to. No jerkiness or brake judder.. just a smooth controlled relaxed ride. Then I hit a rough road surface and noticed the battery was rattling but this was easily fixed by fitting a rubber plumbing seal I had by me (like a rubber "o" ring) over the saddle tube to cushion the battery. Works a treat.. no more rattles. Glide3 (tm) system.. i.e. pedal only, two pedal assist modes and full throttle mode gives me all the power control I need. Throttle control is always available by twisting the lightly sprung right-hand grip, this I use for pulling away smoothly before using pedal assist either in "E" economy or "S" sport mode. No aching wrist with this throttle.

The Mistral goes well on the flat or slight inclines without pedalling, just using the throttle it glides along at 15 plus mph. Most average hills are easily tackled with light pedalling. 12% (1 in 8) hills require a fair deal of effort from the rider. 17% (1 in 6) I find difficult. (I'm aged over 65 yrs and weigh 66.5kg (10st 7lb). I tried a 20% (1 in 5) very steep hill and found it so difficult I had to stand on the pedals (needed a lower gear really). It would be better to walk up this kind of hill but you don't need to push the bike of course because you can still use the throttle assistance to take the weight of the bike. From this description you can see that the Mistral with it's 200w continuous rated brush geared hub motor, 430w peak power, is not one of the best hill climbers, just average I guess. Hub motor cogging (drag) makes this e-bike difficult to pedal should the bike run out of battery power. This cogging effect also holds the bike back whilst going downhill. However, I like this because it restricts the speed somewhat similar to changing down to a lower gear for descending hills in a car. On steep hills the speed is held back to a maximum of 29 mph saving the brakes. No use trying to out-pedal the motor cogging effect either, it's best just to pedal gently and let the bike go at it's own pace. I like the inclusion of a "talent" battery gauge fitted to the handlebars. With a fully charged battery five neon lights are all lit.

The all important range is claimed to be 20-25 miles (conservative figure). My longest ride to date is 23 mile which had quite a few long and steep hills. Using the e-bike in pedal assist, four out of five neon lights were still lit when I finished the ride. I usually average around 12 mph pedalling steadily and letting the motor do most of the work saving my energy for hills. I read someone did a 28 mile run without depleting the battery and another did an incredible 45 miles. Range depends on many variable factors of course, the terrain, weight of rider, rider power contribution etc.

After only 6 weeks and 400 miles I haven't had the Synergie Mistral long enough to judge it's long term reliability. I don't know how long the battery will last either. But for now.. I'm very pleased with this e-bike and have no regrets in my decision to purchase the Mistral. I think this is a bargain priced e-bike that would satisfy a lot of first time buyers.



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Overall Rating : 8



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cheers
Russ

 

[Invicta]

Back to pedalling

Over the past 12 months I have tried to get back onto a bike after years of using cars.

My problem is that I am out of condition and have two damaged knees so any repetative strain means stopping, resting and starting again.

I have been looking at electric bikes for 12 months. 4 weeks ago I decided on a Mistral Synergie.

I consider it very good value for money.
It works well, the dealer was friendy and helpful.
I have taken it over tarmac, lanes and bridelways - even a few meadows. It coped very well (better than the rider ).

How it copes in the long run is yet to be seen but having used off road 4X4s and Trials bikes I accept that a few repairs will probably be required.

Only problems so far are
Rear mudguard snapped - it seems to be made of a fibreglass reinforced plastic. Fixed by using a plastic alternative.
Left pedal seems to have ball bearing missing - I'm getting replacement from the dealer.
LED Battery life indicator bracket (where it fits to handlebar) snapped.
I didn't bother fitting the dynamo lights preffering Battery powered units instead.
Rechange after a weeks use (2 LEDs unlit) = 6 hours.

IMHO this machine is suitable for anyone who wants a bit of fun while getting fit.
Using a combination of pedals only, "Throttle", Economy and Speed assistance you can get about over most everyday surfaces/gradients.
At at 6ft 2" and 14 Stone it works for me.

Looks 10
Function 10
Overall Quality 8
Dealer Service 9 (I didn't buy it via the web)

Bernard

 

[nikon201]

Synergie Mistral Review

Reviewer: Nikon201

Purchased From: ebay

Purchase Price: £519 incl delivery

Time Owned: 2 Weeks

Local Terrain: Moderate Hills


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Strengths:
Good power assistance from 36v 10Ah battery
Good battery range
Battery charge time 4 hours
Relatively cheap replacement batteries
Decent Cionlli saddle
Good Shimano freewheel, dérailleur and changer
Good brakes
Tyres have proved good both on and off-road
Front suspension doesn't adversely affect handling
Sturdy rear carrier
Power mode switch easy to use while riding
Good value for money

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Weaknesses:
Battery rattle
Poor user manual
Gear range could be wider
Virtually useless supplied dynamo and lights
No bottle cage/pump mounting holes
Frame design makes carrying a D lock in its mounting bracket difficult
Battery indicator mounted in an obscured position
Poor calibration of battery indicator
Unprotected wires on underside of control box
Saddle needs to be extended a long way – may not suit tall riders

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Summary:
A decent looking bike that is good value for money.


I'm currently cycling a 24 mile round trip to work on a single charge, a route which goes over the North Downs in Kent. The battery shows four lights lit out of five at the end of this journey, and I haven't tried to be particularly economical with the power. In S (sport) power mode, the power assistance is good and helps get you up all but the steepest hills. In E (economy) mode, the assistance is much more subtle and you only really notice it when cycling along quite slowly. I am using the S mode almost exclusively. I expect that the range will slowly deteriorate as the battery ages, but I have been quoted £55 for a second charger and only £158 for a replacement battery. A second charger kept at work should resolve any range issues that may arise, and the low cost of the replacement battery is helpful when the existing one expires. The battery can be charged without removing it from the bike, although the supplied notes say you should remove it. This is probably stated to ensure that you disconnect the power lead before charging.


I've been off-road and on-road and found the bike deals with both reasonably well. The battery rattle definitely needs attention, as other users have indicated, especially if you are planning some off-road riding or even bumpy lanes. The ride is rather rough on a bumpy surface. I've found the throttle a little light, and have easily twisted it and applied power when I didn't intend to. The brakes are good, albeit not disk brakes. I have pulled up easily for a hairpin bend at the bottom of a 1 in 7 hill at 32mph, although not in full wet conditions. The saddle is very good, I hadn't cycled for years and a 24 mile round trip without padded shorts left me hardly sore at all.


The motor does make a whirring noise and turns the heads of some pedestrians, although it's not an unpleasant noise and isn't too noticeable when cycling.


The battery indicator was located under the handlebar cross-bar, and was difficult to see when riding. I moved it to another location further up the handlebars, as there was just enough play in the cables to do so. I've run the battery flat, and I did around 32 miles doing so, mainly in S mode. For the last 5 miles, the battery showed four lights stationary, three lights pedalling, but this quickly deteriorated to one light and no power assistance. It therefore seems to be poorly calibrated, so care must be taken when planning journeys.


The gear range could be wider. On the flat or gentle downhill I am always looking for a higher gear to get a bit more of a move-on, but it isn't there. You can't go much faster than about 32mph though as the motor seems to be holding you back, but this is fast enough for me. The bike and I also give up on a hill that, according to my calculations is around 1 in 8, resulting in having to push. However having the throttle to help when pushing uphill made this a less unpleasant experience than it might have been. I am already considering replacing the freewheel sprocket with a wider range, to help primarily with climbing when you exceed the bike's abilities.


The carrier is sturdy, although I am considering removing it and using a dynapack as I would find this more useful. This will also enable me to fit some better looking mudguards. I have also found some wires coming out of the underside of the bike under the battery, it would be all to easy to damage these if you have to lift the bike over an obstacle. The grommets that are fitted here are also poor, I have squirted some silicone in here to help prevent water ingress.


Unforgivable is the pathetic few sheets of A4 that are provided in-lieu of a properly written user manual. The bike shown on the sheets isn't even the Mistral.


In all I would recommend this bike. The difficulties mentioned can be overcome, but that does make you think that the manufacturer could be doing this in the first place. However I am finding it difficult to see what extra I would be getting out of similar bikes costing twice as much.


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Overall Rating (out of 10) : 8



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[rgardiner]

Reviewer: rgardiner

Purchased From: ebay

Purchase Price: £499

Time Owned: 1 Weeks

Local Terrain: Hilly Terain


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Strengths:
Battery charge time
Tilting and Comfortable saddle
Good Shimano changer
Good brakes
Good value for money


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Weaknesses:
Motor drag at speed

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Summary:
Good value for money


I took delivery of the Mistral a week ago. I had been cycling a Claud Butler urban MTB. It arrived very well packaged and quickly as well. I was quite impressed by the ebay seller. Assembly didnt take long and isn't difficult. There was a one page instruction thingy, but I didnt need it. Anyone thats any way practical should be able to put it together easily.

I live in a quite hilly town and wanted a bike that would take the sting out of the climb home from wherever I went. The Mistral does this very well. I live about 2 miles from work and it is all up hill from the office to home. Usually my legs would be throbbing and I'd be sweating by t he time I'd get home. The assistance from the Mistral takes most of the load off, and I am not the slightest bit tired/out of breath/sweaty from the cycle home now. I still need to contribute of course as the motor will not do it on its own, but it is quite the difference. I'd say its as easy if not easier than riding on the flat. My office is moving further away from home soon, and thats my real motive for going electric.

Downhill is another thing completely. The drag from the motor takes all the speed away. My previous bike had sleek road tyres that could inflate to above 80psi, a rigid frame (no suspension), 700c wheels, and would litrally fly down any hill. However, if I want to speed down hills I can always take out my old bike. If I want a comfortable and strain free ride, the Mistral is perfect. The front suspension, large comfortable saddle and the softer tyres make for a real smooth ride anywhere. BTW my saddle does flip up in order to get the battery out easily (I read above someones didnt).

The bike feels a little "loose" compaired with the Claud Butler. I think this is because I just need to get used to the suspension and soft tyres. I also find the riding position leaves me further over the front wheel. I'll have to try sliding the saddle back as far as it'll go. But that isn't a criticism, just an observation.

The carrier is good... I intend getting some panier bags. At the moment I just ride with a backpack. Also, the mudguards are a nide addition to a bike. I previously had none and suffered from a wet backside many mornings. I had the Mistral out in the wet and the mudguards really helped. Although, the front one rattles a little.

Overall, I am happy with the purchase. I could have spent more on bikes with much the same spec. But The Mistral will serve its purpose very well indeed. It seems to be good value for money, practical and comfortable.

It give it 8 out of 10. Only taking the 2 points away for the motor drag. If the motor were brushless, would this have been different? I dont know enough about electric bicycles to say.