Eleglide T1 Step Through City Electric Bike Review

I have had an influx of eBikes to review recently. The Eleglide T1 Step Through is a little different from my previous reviews, with it being a step-through design which is ideal for people with mobility issues and is also a style that’s often marketed towards women.

Specification

• Material: Aluminum Alloy
• Suspension: Mechanical Damping with Lockout
• Motor: 250W (Rated Voltage 36V; Ins Max Power 500W; Max Output Torque 50N.M)
• Motor Brand: ANADA
• Battery: 450Wh, 36V 12.5Ah Support Protect System
• Max Range: 100KM (Assist Mode)
• Max Speed: 25 km/h
• Charger Output: 42V 2A
• Charging Time: 4-6h
• Derailleur: Shimano Gear 7 Speeds
• Maximum Load: 120kg
• Recommended height of cyclists: 155-195cm (5.09ft-6.39ft)
• Height of Saddle: 810mm-990mm
• Waterproof Rate: IPX4
• Brake System: Front & Rear Disc Brakes + Auto Power-off Design
• Front & Rear Brake: Mechanical Disc-160mm Rotor
• Tires: CST 27.5″*1.75″ Pneumatic Tires
• Display: 3.5″ LCD
• Fork: Hydraulic with Lockout-80mm travel
• Saddle: Selle Royal (SR)
• Weight: 26KG

UK Road Legal

A few of the bikes I have reviewed recently do not comply with UK regulations for eBikes on public roads. This technically means you should register them with the DVLA as a light moped (L1e-B).

The Eleglide T1 does comply with the law.

It is supplied with a throttle, which you are not supposed to use on public roads, but installing this is optional.

The motor is 250W, and when cycling at maximum assist, it did not exceed 25 km/h, though it is possible to unlock the speed limit.

Build / Set Up

I have received four bikes recently, and it is interesting to see how each brand approaches the assembly differently.

The Eleglide T1 has a relatively self-explanatory build process, but it was a little time-consuming. It is well packaged and arrived with no problems but removing all the padding and cable ties does take a while.

The rear wheel, pannier rack and kickstand are all assembled and attached for you.

You then need to connect the handlebar and rotate the front stem in the correct direction.

Unusually, this does not have the bike computer pre-fitted. You can also optionally install the throttle. Both are easy to do.

You will also need to attach the front wheel, front light, front mudguard and rear light. I found that the front light and mudguard were a bit fiddly. The front wheel also scraped against the brake pad a bit and therefore required some adjustments.

Ride Experience

This is one of the few bikes I have reviewed that has a more traditional geometry and design. It is not exactly like a hybrid or road bike like I am used to, but it has full-sized wheels that are not fat tires, and the overall dimensions feel normal.

It weighs 26kg, which is heavy but not excessively so, especially when compared to other eBikes. A none electric bike with this design would typically weigh about 16kg, and it looks like other step through eBikes weigh between 22 and 27kg.

Being a step-through city bike, it adopts a more casual riding position, but the handlebars can be adjusted, and you have a wide range of seat adjustments. Therefore you can go from a very relaxed sat-up position to being a bit more forward-leaning. The seat adjustments allowed me to achieve a good range of motion with my legs allowing me to comfortably ride the bike without electric assistance.

Like the vast majority of these bikes, this uses a 7-speed Shimano gearset. It is entry-level but does an adequate job. I normally leave it on the higher gear allowing me to cycle with some effort, and I only go down gears if the bike struggles uphill.  

The wheels are full-size standard width with a normal width hybrid style tyre. This provides a low rolling resistance that is more efficient to cycle on compared to fat tyres and knobbly mountain bike tyres. It is not quite as smooth to ride on compared to a fat tyre, but if you are riding on the road, I find this design to be superior.

The front suspension can absorb any bumps for improved comfort, but again, if riding on the road, I prefer to lock these out for enhanced power transfer when cycling.

The electronic assist is speed triggered, but if you have the throttle attached, you can make a quick start. This bike strictly stays within the UK limits of 25 km/h. Considering most of the bikes I have used recently break this limit, this feels a bit sluggish to ride at full assist. Personally, I think 20mph/ or 32 km/h is a more natural speed to travel at. I believe it is possible to unlock the bike speed to 32 km/h, but I have not tested this.

Most of my cycling is done on relatively flat roads, but I took it up my usual steep hill test. Using the throttle, it gets about halfway up the moderate incline part of the hill before I need to provide additional assistance. It struggles a little up the steepest part, but by lowering the gears, I was able to cycle up this part with minimal effort.

The bike computer has a larger than normal display with good visibility. It isn’t very sunny up north at the moment, but I had no problems seeing all the stats when I used it.

The electric assist controls are relatively standard, with up and down buttons. You also have a wired front and rear light. The wired rear light is something you don’t see on bikes normally, and this will also illuminate when you brake.

The pannier rack was pre-fitted to the bike and feels very sturdy, with Eleglide stating that it can handle 25kg, which should be more than enough for most commuters.

Overall, I would say the riding experience on this bike is better than average based on my personal preferences.

Battery and Range

This is rated for 100km on the assist mode. I’d say my usage would get around 75km or so out of it, but this depends on the level of assist and hills. This is a decent range for me; there are not many scenarios where I am going to get caught out with no battery.

If you use the throttle with full electric, then the range is significantly reduced to around 50km.

Price

The Eleglide T1 Step Through has an RRP of €1018.99, which is about £880 (they display it in GBP on the front end and then charge Euros.

Using the code XMAS50 provides 50 off and takes the price down to €970 or £840, which I think is quite reasonable.

Eleglide also has a normal-style T1 trekking bike, they list the weight as being the same. This is priced a little bit lower at £840.

They also have a more premium Citycrosser bike, priced at £972. This has a crossbar, ditches the front suspension and moves the rack to the front. This design shaves 4kg off the weight and it is a more manageable 22kg.

Overall

I really like the Eleglide T1 Step Through. It may not be my normal choice of bike design, but I think it would work well for most people. It is especially well suited for commuting and general city cycling.

Pricing is also sensible. Once you get over £1k, I start to become a bit fussier over minor gripes.

Even though 26kg is not light, it feels much more manageable than the 30kg+ fat tyre bikes I have received this year.

My personal preference would be for this to have no front suspension, allowing it to shed a little more weight.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.