Here is a brief review of the Moscow Plus ebikes we recently bought. I have to say I am very impressed with the hub drive. I already have a mid drive mountain bike in Germany and was sceptical about going to a hub drive. However, I have to say, that after a few hundred kilometers I think the hub drive gives a a much better ride. It is way quieter than the Bosch mid drive. I dont like an engine whirring away as I pedal and the Moscow is almost silent. Also, because of the traditional gearing range on the Moscow it rides much more smoothly and delivers the power in a more ‘natural’ way. In fact it is really easy to forget your on an ebike. The hub drive delivers power when you need it on the hills and backs off when you’re cruising along. I actually ride it without power alot of the time on the flat cycle trails and it rides just like a manual bike! The mid drive bikes always have resistance (even the ones that claim not to) when you switch off the power, and that feels wierd and harder. This also means the battery lasts a lot longer on the Moscow. We did an 80km cycle up the Wanaka cycle ways last week and came back with them half full! Thats crazy efficient and WAY better than my Cube bike with a Bosch Mid Drive.
So other things I like:
- all the components are top named brands like Shimano and Tektro.
- it is mid range components. From my experience these last longer than high spec stuff, as they use less lightweight alloys
- the battery is huge (power not weight)
- geometry is perfect for the cycle trails around Wanaka and light mountain biking
- the saddle is awesome!
- the tyres are Smart Sams, just like on my cube.
So the Moscow is clearly a bike produced for the German market, with god specs and great design. At half the price of my fancy pants mid drive, its a real bargain and rides better. Wish I had tried one in Germany last year!!
Many thanks
Scott