'The Kalkhoff Agattu is now the best electric bike ever' - Cycle Show
'The Kalkhoff Agattu is now the best electric bike ever' - Cycle Show
'The Kalkhoff Agattu is now the best electric bike ever' - Cycle Show
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'A great machine in a class of its own'<br />
Extracts from A to B's July 2008 review.<br />
The Pro Connect has been awarded A to B's highest 1** rating<br />
Back in A to B 63 (yes, <strong>the</strong> naughty one), we tested <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Kalkhoff</strong> <strong>Agattu</strong> and were impressed. We won't go over <strong>the</strong><br />
story again, but <strong>the</strong> new breed of <strong>bike</strong>s from <strong>the</strong> likes of<br />
Gazelle and <strong>Kalkhoff</strong> arrived here at a crucial time - <strong>the</strong><br />
ground-breaking Giant Lafree had been withdrawn and<br />
Chinese <strong>bike</strong>s were suffering a rash of battery failures. In<br />
short, it looked as though <strong>the</strong> new and prom<strong>is</strong>ing <strong>electric</strong><br />
bicycle industry was about to d<strong>is</strong>appear up its own cathode.<br />
The cavalry arrived from Europe. Dutch and Germans k<strong>now</strong> a<br />
thing or two about bicycles, and <strong>the</strong>y k<strong>now</strong> how to build <strong>the</strong>m<br />
light, well-equipped and reliable. These countries are also big,<br />
big markets for <strong>electric</strong> ass<strong>is</strong>t, because <strong>the</strong>y're pragmatic<br />
volk, and if you ride every day to school, work, college or<br />
shops, ass<strong>is</strong>tance can be of benefit.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> UK, where people make most of <strong>the</strong>ir journeys by car,<br />
<strong>electric</strong> <strong>bike</strong>s are paradoxically regarded as ‘cheating’,<br />
whereas, presumably, a Ford Galaxy <strong>is</strong>n't. A strange attitude,<br />
and one we will need to overcome if we are to survive in <strong>the</strong><br />
Peak Oil era...<br />
The Pro Connect<br />
<strong>Kalkhoff</strong>'s new Pro Connect (pictured here on <strong>the</strong> cover of A to B July 2008) <strong>is</strong>, arguably, <strong>the</strong> perfect<br />
machine for th<strong>is</strong> brave new world. At 21kg (2.5kg battery + 18.5kg <strong>bike</strong>), it's one of <strong>the</strong> lightest <strong>electric</strong><br />
<strong>bike</strong>s we’ve seen and really not much heavier than a fully-equipped conventional <strong>bike</strong>. Like <strong>the</strong><br />
Gazelle and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Agattu</strong>, it uses <strong>the</strong> new Li-ion version of <strong>the</strong> trusted Panasonic drive unit that made<br />
<strong>the</strong> Lafree such a delight. For anyone worried about battery life, Panasonic <strong>is</strong> offering a two-year<br />
battery warranty. You shouldn't need it because we've heard no evidence of early failure.<br />
Dynamically, <strong>the</strong> Pro Connect <strong>is</strong> pretty similar to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Agattu</strong> we tested back in January, but that<br />
weighed 25.8kg, so <strong>Kalkhoff</strong> has clearly done some work in <strong>the</strong> weight department. The <strong>bike</strong> has as<br />
really nice, rigid aluminium alloy frame of <strong>the</strong> kind that goes ‘ting’ when you tap it, as opposed to <strong>the</strong><br />
inferior sort that goes 'thunk'.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> road<br />
As <strong>the</strong> system <strong>is</strong> so similar to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Agattu</strong>, we’ll just look at <strong>the</strong> differences. Where <strong>the</strong> <strong>Agattu</strong> was a<br />
sensible roadster, <strong>the</strong> Pro Connect <strong>is</strong> much more <strong>the</strong> sort of thing for commuting to work - flatter,<br />
sportier hybrid-style handlebars, reduced weight, and <strong>the</strong> 8-speed hub, in place of <strong>the</strong> 7-speed fitted<br />
to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Agattu</strong>. Th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> geared to give <strong>the</strong> same top ratio (it has to be to keep <strong>the</strong> ass<strong>is</strong>ted top speed in<br />
<strong>the</strong> legal zone), so it effectively provides an extra gear at <strong>the</strong> bottom, and a range from 26" to 80".<br />
As <strong>the</strong> <strong>Agattu</strong> restarted on a 1:6 hill with ease, th<strong>is</strong> will only be useful if you live somewhere very hilly,<br />
so we suspect most users will want to increase <strong>the</strong> gearing with a smaller rear sprocket. Th<strong>is</strong> would<br />
give an adequate first gear in <strong>the</strong> low 30-inches, and an `overdrive` top. Technically illegal, because<br />
ass<strong>is</strong>t would be available above 15 mph, but much nicer, particularly when spinning fast down long<br />
shallow descents. Actually, <strong>the</strong> Panasonic motor seems to have had some ‘tweaking' since we last<br />
tried it, because <strong>the</strong> Pro Connect will cru<strong>is</strong>e at 16 or even17mph on <strong>the</strong> flat, despite <strong>the</strong> modest top<br />
gear ratio.<br />
The Nexus hub <strong>is</strong> linked to a Shimano Alfine Rapidfire Plus shifter - a double lever thing like a<br />
dérailleur shifter. Once you've acclimat<strong>is</strong>ed to <strong>the</strong> dérailleur that <strong>is</strong>n't, <strong>the</strong> Pro Connect <strong>is</strong> a wonderful<br />
machine to ride. Much of <strong>the</strong> weight-saving has come from getting rid of <strong>the</strong> suspension forks and<br />
good riddance. The li<strong>the</strong> frame transmits every lump and bump, and <strong>the</strong> Continental tyres roll well, with<br />
a purposeful zizz.<br />
Talking of speed, rolling res<strong>is</strong>tance <strong>is</strong> excellent by any standards. We found 30mph coming up