Ridley has expanded its Grifn all-road mannequin vary with the addition of three new fashions. Considered one of these is the brand new E-Grifn electrical bike which sits alongside the Grifn RS and Grifn A.
Cyclingnews attended the Grifn RS and E-Grifn launch lately. You possibly can learn a full breakdown relating to the brand new bikes in our information piece, in addition to my first trip evaluation of the Grifn RS.
It appears Ridley desires to maintain issues fairly pure feeling with the brand new E-Grifn, its first e-bike. The model thinks the E-all-road bike was the appropriate class to launch its first e-bike in for them, slotting right into a freer area inside the saturated e-bike and e-MTB market.
Briefly, Ridley did not need an e-bike that felt like a motorcycle. This can be a nimble, extra natural-feeling light-weight e-bike bike that gives digital help however retains the Grifn trip really feel and DNA. It makes use of the Mahle X20 drive system which incorporates a customized tuning for the E-Grifn. I used to be capable of take a look at the E-Grifn in each highway and gravel setups, the identical as I did for the Grifn RS on the launch of the brand new Grifn fashions in Spain final month.
The E-Grifn will likely be out there in three highway configurations and 4 gravel guises. Costs begin at €5,499 and run by means of to €7,999. Street and gravel choices can be found with carbon wheels from Forza and DT Swiss and a mixture of digital and mechanical Shimano and Sram groupsets.
Design and Aesthetics
I actually preferred the look of my Grifn RS highway and gravel bikes. The downtube is among the most slender I’ve seen on an e-gravel or highway e-bike. Definitely extra slender than the Specialised Turbo Creo 2 I examined final 12 months and it ties into the refined total e-aesthetics. I would not be stunned if the very fact that is an e-bike went utterly unnoticed by some rider’s if this bike was amongst a gaggle of bikes. This is not to say there is a want for e-bikes to not seem like e-bikes (I refuse to say acoustic bikes, of us), there’s completely nothing incorrect with it. However it’s a testomony to what can now be achieved with drop bar e-bike builds, they’ll look very clear and unobtrusive.
So to the E-Grifn, you get the identical geometry, however just a few particulars change on the body as a result of inclusion of sure e-features. The highest tube and down tube mounts are eliminated, resulting from I consider the inclusion of the down tube mounted battery and prime tube mounted management unit. You possibly can run a 1x or 2x drivetrain setup in electrical and mechanical and also can nonetheless match mudguards, a useful choice.
Electronics-wise, as talked about the battery is mounted within the down tube, and there is a management unit within the prime tube which you utilize to show the system on, toggle modes and test battery life. It additionally options machine studying and AI expertise to adapt to the rider over time. Then there are handlebar-mounted e-Shifters which let you scroll by means of modes, I discovered myself utilizing these more often than not. Assume Shimano dash or Sram blip shifters however to your e-modes.
The drive unit which takes the place of the rear wheel’s hub is wi-fi due to the AMC – automated motor connection – which suggests a clear look, and no plugs or wires. The hub engages with a ‘plug’ on the non-drive aspect dropout which is definitely achieved. The hub is appropriate with all freewheels and groupsets as much as 13 speeds. Mahle additionally presents a entrance hub to maintain issues matching, which I actually like. Purely for the very fact they’ve taken the difficulty to make sure riders’ hubs will match up. It is a small element however tells you just a little bit in regards to the model.
On the launch occasion, Ridley defined that it ‘did not desire a motorbike’. In easy phrases, it did not need to find yourself with an e-bike that felt prefer it was taking you for a trip. This may be the case on some drop bar e-bikes, particularly when in turbo mode. The objective for the E-Grifn I consider is for riders to nonetheless really feel like they’re making an effort when using the bikes.
I examined an E-Grifn in gravel type which featured a Rival AXS 1×12 drivetrain, Forza carbon wheels and 35mm Terreno Dry Endurance tyres. This bike additionally featured the identical Forza Cirrus Professional built-in handlebar as on the Grifn RS and I received together with it nicely.
My roadgoing E-Grifn take a look at bike featured an virtually equivalent setup however as a substitute was constructed up with an Ultegra di2 groupset and used 28mm Corsa Professional tyres.
Efficiency
The Grifn provided stable efficiency within the time I spent using it and I rapidly received the impression that it is a very succesful all-road bike. I’ve mentioned this a part of the platform in my Grifn RS first trip evaluation so will give attention to the extra e-specific traits right here.
To kick off, pairing my bike with the Mahle app, linking my Strava account and even pairing my coronary heart charge monitor have been all completed easily and rapidly. Probably the most time-consuming half was figuring out which was my bike on the app as I used to be surrounded by Grifn e-bikes all popping up within the listing. The app presents map customisation for various terrains and lots of evaluation, although I did not have sufficient time to discover all the pieces I’ve included just a few screenshots beneath.
Within the bike presentation, the texture of the X20 system was described as ‘like somebody is pushing you from behind’ and I feel I might agree with this. In my time using the bike I discovered the system to supply help in a clean, supportive means. It is notably clean on the highway using in a gaggle and just a little extra noticeable using off-road. Accelerating out of a sluggish gravel flip, as an example, you’re feeling the system kick in and aid you out, which places a smile in your face, however on the highway with much less spiky accelerations, except you are actually going for it or accelerating from very sluggish velocity, issues are very clean.
Certainly it was disarming at occasions, particularly using in a gaggle with others on e-bikes. It was laborious to note the help at occasions such was its smoothness till I turned my system off using with a rider on a normal highway bike uphill. Then the hassle is introduced residence to you. If you need an e-road, or gravel bike however nonetheless need it to really feel like an everyday highway bike and for the digital help to not drown your effort out, you’ll just like the X20 system.
I am testing a burlier, extra aggressive e-gravel bike in the intervening time and when using at 15.5mph + with out motor help (the restrict within the UK) I do really feel just a little drag and the additional weight. I am unable to say I felt this as a lot on the E-Grifn, notably on the highway. It brings me again to that phrase once more; Pure. On flat sections of highway carrying velocity off a descent, our using group have been all using at velocity, over the system help restrict and it was laborious to really feel a lot additional drag from the system holding you again.
On the highway, my bike was geared up with 160mm discs and I achieved far quicker speeds on the downhills than on our gravel trip. I felt it took only a fraction longer to begin slowing the bike down as a result of additional weight and thought if there was an choice or the flexibility to suit 180mm discs I might most likely look into it. I’ll have felt this extra keenly resulting from using 4 completely different bikes again to again in a brief area of time however it did stand out for me.
Elsewhere neither bike put a step incorrect within the time I spent using them. Shifting was predictable and clean from each Shimano and Sram groupsets and all the pieces labored because it ought to. I rode a small E-Grifn off-road and a dimension Medium on the highway merely as a result of bikes that have been out there and who was using what. The small fitted me higher and serves as a reminder that if bikes include an built-in bar and stem it can pay to do your sizing homework. Seek the advice of your native vendor or the model when you want help as doubtlessly having to swap bars and stems additional down the road will likely be a bit extra concerned and doubtlessly pricey, although the Ridley customized configurator does provide some sizing choices.
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Early Verdict
After a trip apiece on the highway and gravel variations of the E-Grifn I felt it was one of the pure feeling e-bikes I’ve ridden and this appears to be consistent with what Ridley desires for the bike.
The bike seems to be, for need of a greater phrase, ‘regular’ at a distance. I feel most riders would battle to identify it was an e-bike, not that that is a foul factor. However it definitely helps retain the drop bar aesthetic.
Pure is the phrase I might use to explain the ability supply offered by the Mahle X20 system. It is undoubtedly there whenever you want it however would not overpower the general trip expertise.
The Grifn is a extremely succesful platform and the addition of an e-motor system now opens it as much as riders who want some extra help or who simply need to have enjoyable on an e-bike.
