Gazelle EasyGlider 2008 Owner Reviews

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Reviewer: Robin Frame

Retailer: electriccyclecompany Edinburgh

Purchase Price: 1600

Time Owned: one month

Terrain: Very Hilly

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Strengths:
My new EasyGlider has got me back on a bike after a few years of frustration due to age and decrepitude. My knees just couldn't take the hills anymore. I've done more miles this last month than in all the preceding 5 years. I now pop out on 14 mile round trips to the not so local shops, on any excuse. Or like today, I couldn't find an excuse so just went anyway. The range seems to be well up in the high 20s, or low 30s with me only choosing the eco assist level rather than switching the power off when I don't really need it. Over 16 mph its all down to me anyway as the power is legally cut off at such speeds. I seem to average around 12 mph which impresses me. Beautifully made and extravagantly well-equipped, the EasyGlider can tackle anything we have by way of a challenge, steep hills, long climbs, strong winds. The combination of 8 well chosen gears and the three power assistance levels means that you can decide whether to drift along looking cool and fit, or put a bit of effort when no-one is looking to try to get fit. Whichever, you'll get admiring comments as you glide by in supreme comfort. Traffic on the busy trunk road treats it with respect, too.

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Weaknesses:
Well, it is a bit heavy, but you only notice this when you want to lift it, (and I don't) because the Panasonic motor makes it effortless to cycle. What with the potholes around here, my one is a bit prone to the occasional rattle as the skirt guard can slip its clip. One problem is that my beloved Gazelle makes me want to spend time cleaning and caring for it. I have never been like that!

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Summary:
The 2007 demonstrator blew us away, and this 2008 version just wows everyone who clambers aboard. 10 metres is enough to convince of its merits. Should you feel the need for a pedelec and want to enjoy your cycling again then queue up and buy one. Simply brilliant!

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Overall Rating: 10

 

[serindipity2uk]

Cannot Agree More

Reviewer: Robin Frame

Retailer: electriccyclecompany Edinburgh

Purchase Price: 1600

Time Owned: one month

Terrain: Very Hilly

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Strengths:
My new EasyGlider has got me back on a bike after a few years of frustration due to age and decrepitude. My knees just couldn't take the hills anymore. I've done more miles this last month than in all the preceding 5 years. I now pop out on 14 mile round trips to the not so local shops, on any excuse. Or like today, I couldn't find an excuse so just went anyway. The range seems to be well up in the high 20s, or low 30s with me only choosing the eco assist level rather than switching the power off when I don't really need it. Over 16 mph its all down to me anyway as the power is legally cut off at such speeds. I seem to average around 12 mph which impresses me. Beautifully made and extravagantly well-equipped, the EasyGlider can tackle anything we have by way of a challenge, steep hills, long climbs, strong winds. The combination of 8 well chosen gears and the three power assistance levels means that you can decide whether to drift along looking cool and fit, or put a bit of effort when no-one is looking to try to get fit. Whichever, you'll get admiring comments as you glide by in supreme comfort. Traffic on the busy trunk road treats it with respect, too.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Weaknesses:
Well, it is a bit heavy, but you only notice this when you want to lift it, (and I don't) because the Panasonic motor makes it effortless to cycle. What with the potholes around here, my one is a bit prone to the occasional rattle as the skirt guard can slip its clip. One problem is that my beloved Gazelle makes me want to spend time cleaning and caring for it. I have never been like that!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary:
The 2007 demonstrator blew us away, and this 2008 version just wows everyone who clambers aboard. 10 metres is enough to convince of its merits. Should you feel the need for a pedelec and want to enjoy your cycling again then queue up and buy one. Simply brilliant!

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Overall Rating: 10

After much research and road testing of Powered Bikes I decided on getting a Kelkhoff or Easy Glider and as luck would have it a Gazelle became available on ebay and I bought it ( 14 months old and as New, £800)..
Without repeating what has already been said I have found it to be a fantastic bike in every respect.
The build quality and comfort is out of this world. Creaking knees are no longer a problem. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Possible Cons:
It is too heavy to lift and either because of weight or drag you would not be inclined to cycle without power, except at very low gear settings.
For the same reasons you would have difficulty getting it on and off a train.
I am not sure of the battery 'conditon' when I bought it but I get about 16 to 18 miles range from on charge.
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I live by the sea and so the terrrain is flat and the wind (usually stiff ) is ever present. In the past cycling during the winter has been out of the question but with the the Easy Glider (it should be called the Tail Wind sorry Schuss) I have cycled in the strongest and coldest weather virtually every day this winter
.
THANK YOU GAZELLE

 

[indalo]

You're probably one of a very small group serindipity2uk. Royal Dutch Gazelle don't seem to have made any real inroads in the UK with their electric offerings and I just get the impression that they're not very bothered.

My ebike is an earlier edition of the Easy Glider and I concur with your remarks about build quality. There are far more powerful machines around now but the Gazelle is nevertheless a lovely ride. Ok, it's not going to win many sprints, (or endurance events, come to that!) but it provides an easy-going ride which is still amongst the very best.

There are many very satisfied owners of Kalkhoff & other Panasonic-powered ebikes in this forum who are testament to the quality, simplicity and reliability of the system used (back then) by Gazelle. I remain confused by the fact that Kalkhoff cycles are better marketed than Gazelle and equally by the fact that the Gazelle people seem to have divorced themselves from the Easy Glider style.

It's a marginal thing but, having examined some of the other Panasonic-powered offerings available, I'd say Gazelle probably build and finish their bikes just a little better than the others so I'm at a loss as to why they pay so little regard to the UK market. If I wanted a straight replacement for my Gazelle, I'd probably go Kalkhoff for the sake of their UK presence and back-up. Their build integrity is pretty well up to Gazelle standards and their prices are just about acceptable....(well actually, they're beginning to take the p*** but up against the likes of Swiss Flyer, they look reasonable!)

I'll probably keep my Gazelle as long as I can source any parts required but the devil in me may just cause me to purchase something a little bit feisty, (so long as it's not noisy!) as an alternative and just for the hell of it.

I hope you continue to enjoy the Gazelle as much as I have. They are quality.

Indalo