Ridley has expanded its Grifn all-road mannequin vary with the addition of three new fashions. One in every 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 may learn a full breakdown concerning the brand new bikes in our information piece, in addition to my first trip overview of the Grifn RS.
It appears Ridley needs 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 best class to launch its first e-bike in for them, slotting right into a freer area throughout the saturated e-bike and e-MTB market.
In brief, Ridley did not need an e-bike that felt like a motorcycle. It is 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 in a position to 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 probably be out there in three highway configurations and 4 gravel guises. Costs begin at €5,499 and run by 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 appreciated the look of my Grifn RS highway and gravel bikes. The downtube is likely one of the most slender I’ve seen on an e-gravel or highway e-bike. Actually extra slender than the Specialised Turbo Creo 2 I examined final yr and it ties into the refined general 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, people), there’s completely nothing flawed 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, attributable to I imagine the inclusion of the down tube mounted battery and high tube mounted management unit. You may run a 1x or 2x drivetrain setup in electrical and mechanical and may also nonetheless match mudguards, a helpful possibility.
Electronics-wise, as talked about the battery is mounted within the down tube, and there is a management unit within the high tube which you employ to show the system on, toggle modes and test battery life. It additionally options machine studying and AI know-how to adapt to the rider over time. Then there are handlebar-mounted e-Shifters which let you scroll by modes, I discovered myself utilizing these more often than not. Assume Shimano dash or Sram blip shifters however in your e-modes.
The drive unit which takes the place of the rear wheel’s hub is wi-fi due to the AMC – computerized 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 suitable with all freewheels and groupsets as much as 13 speeds. Mahle additionally affords 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 somewhat bit concerning the model.
On the launch occasion, Ridley defined that it ‘did not need 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 aim for the E-Grifn I imagine is for riders to nonetheless really feel like they’re making an effort when driving 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 bought together with it effectively.
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 strong efficiency within the time I spent driving it and I rapidly bought 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 overview so will deal with 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 price monitor have been all achieved easily and rapidly. Essentially the most time-consuming half was understanding which was my bike on the app as I used to be surrounded by Grifn e-bikes all popping up within the record. The app affords map customisation for various terrains and lots of evaluation, although I did not have sufficient time to discover the whole lot I’ve included just a few screenshots under.
Within the bike presentation, the texture of the X20 system was described as ‘like somebody is pushing you from behind’ and I believe I would agree with this. In my time driving the bike I discovered the system to supply help in a easy, supportive method. It is significantly easy on the highway driving in a gaggle and somewhat extra noticeable driving off-road. Accelerating out of a sluggish gravel flip, as an illustration, you are feeling the system kick in and provide help to 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 pace, issues are very easy.
Certainly it was disarming at instances, particularly driving in a gaggle with others on e-bikes. It was onerous to note the help at instances such was its smoothness till I turned my system off driving with a rider on a normal highway bike uphill. Then the trouble is introduced dwelling to you. If you would like 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 meanwhile and when driving at 15.5mph + with out motor help (the restrict within the UK) I do really feel somewhat drag and the additional weight. I am unable to say I felt this as a lot on the E-Grifn, significantly on the highway. It brings me again to that phrase once more; Pure. On flat sections of highway carrying pace off a descent, our driving group have been all driving at pace, over the system help restrict and it was onerous 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 sooner 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 possibility or the power to suit 180mm discs I might most likely look into it. I could have felt this extra keenly attributable to driving 4 totally different bikes again to again in a brief area of time but it surely did stand out for me.
Elsewhere neither bike put a step flawed within the time I spent driving them. Shifting was predictable and easy from each Shimano and Sram groupsets and the whole lot labored because it ought to. I rode a small E-Grifn off-road and a measurement Medium on the highway merely as a result of bikes that have been out there and who was driving what. The small fitted me higher and serves as a reminder that if bikes include an built-in bar and stem it should pay to do your sizing homework. Seek the advice of your native vendor or the model for those who want help as probably having to swap bars and stems additional down the road will probably be a bit extra concerned and probably 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 crucial pure feeling e-bikes I’ve ridden and this appears to be in step with what Ridley needs for the bike.
The bike seems to be, for need of a greater phrase, ‘regular’ at a distance. I believe most riders would wrestle to identify it was an e-bike, not that that is a foul factor. However it actually 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 while 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.
