Folding electric commuter bikes can be the most convenient way to get through a bustling city. We powered up the Brompton Electric and the Hummingbird Electric to find the most efficient. WIRED took the two folding electric bikes on identical three-hour rides around central and north London over two consecutive days and in similar weather conditions.
The trips took in heavy traffic, junctions and open stretches of road, as well as a train journey to test their stowability. Each was taken for a timed ascent up Swain’s Lane, a 700-metre climb in Highgate that culminates in a 14.5% uphill gradient. Marks were awarded for design, weight, battery performance and levels of human exertion used.
For its first foray into the exploding electric bike market, Brompton teamed up with Williams Advanced Engineering to develop a motor befitting the needs of an urban commuter. At first glance it becomes apparent that the west London company has decided not to mess with the distinctive geometry of its market-leading bike. The only sign of its supercharged spec comes from a 250W motor on its front hub and a 1.5-litre bag sitting on the stem that contains its battery (a 20-litre bag is also available as an extra). This front-loaded pack is easily removed when it’s time to fold or carry the bike. The battery itself is a 2.2kg slab which, as well as powering the hub, provides sufficient juice for two 20 Lux Busch & Müller LYT lights. It also has a USB port for charging your smartphone or tablet while on the road.
Even when you’ve taken the bulky battery off (which, of course, you still have to carry with your other hand), the motor hub’s extra weight is immediately apparent. It weighs in at 13.7kg (16.8kg including the battery) – a considerable step up from the Brompton’s non-motorised version. Carry this the length of a station platform and your arms will soon know about it. Once on the train, however, the folded bike stows into the smallest luggage compartment and remains upright on the bumpiest of commuter journeys.
Does the presence of a motor make the Brompton’s added bulk worthwhile? On the whole, yes, in fact, it’s a delight to ride. Torque and cadence sensors on each pedal calculate how much power needs to be applied to give the rider an extra shove. You can choose between three power settings to suit how much assistance you require: choose setting one if you still want to work your legs, or setting three for a more sedate (but battery-consuming) ride. On flat roads the motor supplies sufficient thrust to keep up with urban traffic when exiting roundabouts and at traffic lights, but once the motor’s 25kph limit has been reached it does tend to lurch in and out of power rather erratically.
When it comes to tackling the 14.5% gradient of north London’s notoriously steep Swain’s Lane, however, it came into its own, helping WIRED remain comfortably in the saddle throughout and barely breaking sweat. After these hilly exertions the battery retained plenty of power on the return leg, although WIRED did have to reset the motor after an unexplained battery failure on Highgate Road – a slightly worrying hiccup that thankfully didn’t take place in busy traffic.
The bike will be available with various handlebar configurations, with a choice between two and six gears. Although not ready to test here, an accompanying smartphone app promises to track journeys, keep abreast of service history and customise ride settings.
Does the Electric have enough in its tank to tempt existing Brompton owners make the jump to assisted riding? The added weight and sharp increase in price are mild causes for concern, ¬but by retaining most of the features that made the brand a solid commuter favourite, the company hasn’t messed with its winning formula – it’s just given it a turbo boost.
Score: 8/10
Weight: 16.8kg including battery
Price: From £2,595
Frame material: Steel
Motor: Brushless DC front motor 250W
Battery: 8.55Ah
Claimed range: 40 to 80km
Fold time: 14.65 seconds
Folded dimensions: 585mm (h) x 565mm (l) x 270mm (w)
Whereas Brompton hooked up with Williams, Hummingbird collaborated with Prodrive, the motorsport company responsible for world-championship-winning racing and rally cars, including Aston Martin’s June 2017 win in the Pro GT class at Le Mans. The Milton Keynes-based company’s expertise helped to re-engineer designer Petre Craciun’s original Hummingbird concept, originally created as a reaction to what he considered “heavy and unattractive” folding bikes on the market.
This new entrant in the urban electric bike market has a big initial advantage over its rivals: it’s much, much lighter. A carbon-fibre frame keeps the weight down to just 10.3kg, making it about the same as a human-powered folding bike. It also looks stunning, mixing carbon fibre’s futuristic gloss with a black anodised-aluminium swingarm.
The fold is a simple, three-stage affair that’s easy to get to grips with, and its innovative “Hummlock” clip at the end of right-hand-side bar grip keeps the folded bike in place. After that, you just pick it up by the crossbar. Its lightness was appreciated on the station platform, but at 850mm, the folded Hummingbird is noticeably longer than the Brompton – it didn’t fit in the train’s luggage racks, prompting gentle fury from fellow commuters. It also proved a little unstable, falling on to its side on more than one occasion. The swingarm also managed to work itself loose a couple of times when picking the bike up.
The Hummingbird’s battery hub connects to the bitride iOS and Android app, which, as well as enabling you to log rides and view maps, lets you lock the rear wheel, check battery power and calibrate the bike to your preferred settings.
Out on the road, the Hummingbird is a joy to ride. Just set off as you would on a normal bike then undertake a quick back-pedal to wake the motor. Once it kicks in, it supplies a smooth – albeit slightly noisy – assistive push. The light weight and battery power made for a zippier riding experience than the more rigid-feeling Brompton, and having the battery on the rear hub made the handlebars feel more responsive than its rival.
On gentle inclines the motor handled itself admirably, but when faced with the challenge of a steep, 700-metre hill climb it failed to rise to the occasion – unlike WIRED, who had to huff and puff out of the saddle for the hill’s final stretch. The ascent took 23 seconds more than that of the Brompton, and once at the summit WIRED felt considerably more exhausted.
On the enjoyable downhill descent, the Hummingbird’s Aest CNC ultralight brake levers and Tektro R539 calipers kept the bike under control at speed (electric-bike motors are limited to 25kph by law), and its Schwalbe Kojak tyres hugged the Tarmac reliably. By the time WIRED had returned from its round trip, however, the stresses of the hill climb had taken its toll on the battery power and the Hummingbird’s unnecessarily hard saddle turned what started as an enjoyable trip into something of a slog.
Minor gripes aside, for shorter, less demanding urban rides the Hummingbird is a delight, and for a new model it’s remarkably impressive. It’s just a couple of design tweaks away from becoming a genuine rival to Brompton’s more muscular model.
Score: 7/10
Weight: 10.3kg
Price: £4,495
Frame material: Carbon fibre
Motor: Brushless DC rear motor 250W
Battery: 5.3Ah
Claimed range: 30km to 60km
Fold time: 10.2 seconds
Folded dimensions: 550mm (h) x 850mm (l) x 200mm (w)
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
