CheckMag | Revisiting our Gazelle Esprit C7 HMS e-bike review: Quiet, reliable, and fun to use

Gazelle's Esprit C7 HMS can be had in various flavors including several sizes, two frame types and two colorways. The e-bike is powered by a 418 Wh battery and the 250 W Shimano Steps E5000 motor that makes surprisingly little noise, as we discovered just a couple of weeks ago.

In fact, quite a few of the components used to build that bicycle come from Shimano. The BR-MT200 hydraulic disk brakes, mated to 160 mm disks, will help the rider make a quick stop whenever needed while the rear hub with internal gear shifting will relieve him or her of the burden of having to clean and grease a dozen of sprockets every week. (On that note, the e-bike comes with a chainguard which is hard not to be grateful for.)

The Esprit is a little heavy at just over 24 kg (53 lbs), so hauling it all the way up to the sixth floor every day is probably out of the question. The battery weighs 2.58 kg (5.7 lbs; so more than 10% of the overall weight); it sits on top of the lower tube, it looks fairly incospicuous and it is easy to charge as the power-in port is located right on of its sides, meaning the user can simply remove the battery and take it close to a power outlet.

The stock saddle appeared to be comfortable enough to us, and the integrated kickstand was anything but short on durability. The integrated front light makes it easier to cycle in darkness and the rear cargo rack makes it possible to transport unwieldy things such as cardboard boxes.

Our testing revealed very few drawbacks. The missing compatibility with the smartphone app was one of them. Yes, this is not a "smart" e-bike ex-works; to be able to tune the motor's behaviour via the smartphone app, one will have to buy a more advanced computer than the one that comes by default.

Those interested will find a lot more details (and photos) in our detailed hands-on piece.

Gazelle sells the model in the UK as well as in the EU directly.

Buy the (expensive as always) Chris King ISO rear hub - 32 holes, 142 by 12 mm, blue color - on Amazon USA