Sparta GT

[Pete]

Smarta GT / Synergie Mistral

Anybody have a view on this bike? Sold at Electric Transport Shop.

Is it the same as the Synergie Mistral which is significantly cheaper?

Thanks

Pete

 

[flecc]

I think you mean Smarta GT Pete, upmarket Dutch bike company Sparta would be most upset to be associated with this bike.

It looks like the Synergie but I think that one's rather "draggy" brush motor may have been changed for a better Bafang type, brushless, more powerful and better freewheel action, so that's worth checking out to see if that's the case.
.

 

[Pete]

I think you mean Smarta GT Pete, upmarket Dutch bike company Sparta would be most upset to be associated with this bike.

Quite right Flecc, I did try and edit it but it seems titles can't be edited, only the body of the message.

It looks like the Synergie but I think that one's rather "draggy" brush motor may have been changed for a better Bafang type, brushless, more powerful and better freewheel action, so that's worth checking out to see if that's the case.

Probably me being thick here Flecc but I can 't work out which way round that sentence is! When you say "that one's rather "draggy" brush motor" in the first line, does that refer to the Synergie? I thought they both had brushed motors, certainly the Smarta does. I think you are saying that the Synergie has a better brushless motor? If so that would make it even better value than the Smarta? in crude price terms. I suppose you would have to weigh up the possibility of better suppport from the Cambridge outfit, unless the brushless motor is such a significantly better option?

As a matter of interest I rode both the Smarta and a Wisper 905 City today in Cambridge. It was a very short test ride but did include a steepish slope up a ramp of about 80 yards onto a cycleway. I am getting on a bit and also very heavy at 102 Kg and both coped with that slope on power only - very short I know but the Wisper zipped up it while the Smarta did likewise but at around half the speed. Overall on this short test I felt the Smarta would suit my needs better, though the Wisper is obviously a better machine, and much faster for the commuter types and I can see why people fall in love with it. I am trying to weigh up then whether the Smarta is worth 3 hundred £ more than the Synergie Mistral bike.
Just to confuse the issue I was also offered a Wisper 905 Se Sport (a deomonstrator, 3 months old) for £999 though as I said I feel the Smarta/Synergie may be better for me.

Pete

 

[flecc]

Yes, I'm afraid titles can't be edited Pete.

It's my turn for the mistake in not reading the Smarta details first, certainly not you being thick as you suggested.

The Synergie does have a "draggy" brush motor and it seems from what you say about the slower climb that the Smarta is probably no different from the Synergie. On that evidence I certainly wouldn't pay that much extra for the Smarta. To a fair extent the low price for the Synergie results from low cost internet selling, dealer sales have to cover their higher costs and even the Synergie has been sold by dealers at £799 previously, against the very much lower price from Synergie.
.

 

[Pete]

That reinforces what I was thinking, if the difference was say £150, it would have been a different conclusion I think as that would be a worthwhile premium for easier dealer access, but £300 is just a bit much.

I should have perhaps made it clear, for people who will find this topic when searching for information, that although the Smarta climb on power only was slow, it didn't give any sign of faltering. Also with just slight pedal assistance in the low power mode it went up at a smart pace. Also, although I am no cycle expert, it seemed very well put together and, for example the handlebar and stem adjustment mechanism looked more robust that that on the Wisper. It certainly didn't look out of place alongside its expensive neighbour.

Pete

 

[Blew it]

Yes gentleman, the Smarta is identical to the Synergie Mistral with the added refinement of a Shimano front hub dynamo (even more drag Flecc). The Smarta also has an adjustable ahead stem as compared to the Mistrals fixed ahead stem. Both machines now have threadless headsets.

I have now done many miles on a two year old Mistral, including a lot of rough riding on rural tracks and canal towpaths. During this time it has proved to be a rugged and dependable machine. Excellent value for the money.

Regards
Bob

 

[Pete]

Thanks Bob, looks like your riding profile is similar to mine so your comment was useful.
As far as the headset is concerned I was quite taken with the ease and range of adjustment on the Smarta, are you saying that there is no adjustment at all on the Mistral?

Pete

 

[flecc]

- - - with the added refinement of a Shimano front hub dynamo (even more drag Flecc).

If these geared motors only had the minimal drag of those Shimano hubdynos I'd be very happy and wouldn't even mention drag. Perhaps Shimano should design a hub motor?
.

 

[Blew it]

Thanks Bob, looks like your riding profile is similar to mine so your comment was useful.
As far as the headset is concerned I was quite taken with the ease and range of adjustment on the Smarta, are you saying that there is no adjustment at all on the Mistral?

Pete

That's right, the ahead stem ( the bit handlebars are clamped to) is fixed on the Mistral. I'm 5' 11" and find it fairly comfortable. If you prefer a more upright riding posture you could of course change it for a height adjustable type for around £25.

The threadless headset refers to the bearings in which the forks move. Here's a description of the two different types of headset by Sheldon Brown scroll down this page

All the best
Bob

 

[Blew it]

If these geared motors only had the minimal drag of those Shimano hubdynos I'd be very happy and wouldn't even mention drag. Perhaps Shimano should design a hub motor?
.

That's true, The Mistral is not the best machine for riding on a flat battery, Any rides planned for greater than 25 miles and the trusty Ping V1 is strapped onto the carrier.

Having said that, a few weeks ago I suffered my first electrical failure in 2-and-a-half-years of E-biking (not the Mistral).

Oh boy! did I struggle to get that bike the three miles back home......and that was a Bafang!!

 

[Pete]

That's right, the ahead stem ( the bit handlebars are clamped to) is fixed on the Mistral. I'm 5' 11" and find it fairly comfortable. If you prefer a more upright riding posture you could of course change it for a height adjustable type for around £25.

Thanks for that Bob.

I am going to show my ignorance as well as age when I say the last time I was around bikes the only type available was a threaded adjustable type, so........

If you were to covert to use a Threaded headset wouldn't you have to get the steerer tube threaded.

Is the type I saw on the Smarta a conventional threaded setup? It had an arrangement rather like a quick release lever on a wheel but I think that this only allowed the handlebar setting to be moved, I think the actual stem height was either fixed or had another mechanism?

 

[flecc]

Oh boy! did I struggle to get that bike the three miles back home......and that was a Bafang!!

Yes, the widely used Suzhou Bafang motors are just as bad in my opinion too, I've also had the odd struggle to get home with a flat battery on them. It's claimed the latest somewhat lower powered type with the sidewall cable entry do not have the same drag, and the hubshell rack is a thicker more robust type so should have better precision and run more smoothly. There's no way that it will be without some appreciable drag though.
.

 

[flecc]

The Smarta also has an adjustable ahead stem as compared to the Mistrals fixed ahead stem. Both machines now have threadless headsets.

The photo of the Smarta GT on the ETS website shows a fixed threadless headset Bob, only the LX step-through having a vertically adjustable extension. Are they both now using the latter?
.

 

[Blew it]

Thanks for that Bob.

I am going to show my ignorance as well as age when I say the last time I was around bikes the only type available was a threaded adjustable type, so........

If you were to covert to use a Threaded headset wouldn't you have to get the steerer tube threaded.

Is the type I saw on the Smarta a conventional threaded setup? It had an arrangement rather like a quick release lever on a wheel but I think that this only allowed the handlebar setting to be moved, I think the actual stem height was either fixed or had another mechanism?

Please bear with me, I'm on cook-house duty just now. I'll post an answer mid evening.
Bob

 

[flecc]

I think the actual stem height was either fixed or had another mechanism?

The stem height is fixed on these threadless headsets Pete. Any handlebar adjustment is provided by a pivot on the forward extension if that's provided, arcing the handlebars up or down.

If you have a look at the link below that's on my website, you'll get a close up and description of this type of modern headset and how it's adjusted. From that you can deduce how the bearings are adjusted and also see the way the handlebars are raised or lowered with a scale marked for the degree of adjustment on this one:

Threadless headset bearing adjustment

N.B. Crossed with Bob's reply above.
.

 

[Blew it]

The photo of the Smarta GT on the ETS website shows a fixed threadless headset Bob, only the LX step-through having a vertically adjustable extension. Are they both now using the latter?
.

Yes Flecc, I've just had a look and it appears the Smarta GT has a fixed ahead stem. There's a second hand Smarta GT on Ebay showing the same type.

More later. tummies rumbelling!

 

[Blew it]

There's not much I can add to this. Flecc is much better at explaining things than I am.

If you purchase a height adjustable ahead stem, the dimension from top to bottom may differ from that which is fitted to the Mistral. The idea is to use a mixture of spacer thicknesses so that the steerer tube is slightly below the top spacer. Bike shops sell packs of three spacers of different thicknesses to make this easier.

I'm an old timer myself Pete, and my first encounter with a threadless headset was a disaster. Wanting to swivel the handlebars a little I slackened the central bolt and then gave it an almighty whack with a hammer to loosen the wedge.....which wasn't there!. A quick trip to the bike shop to buy a new starfangled washer to replace the one I mangled. We live and learn.

Threadless headsets are sooo easy to adjust, much better than trying to anticipate how much the bearing will tighten when the locknut on threaded steerers is tightened. I think you'll like them.

All the best
Bob

 

[Pete]

Thanks chaps, got it now.

I'm an old timer myself Pete, and my first encounter with a threadless headset was a disaster. Wanting to swivel the handlebars a little I slackened the central bolt and then gave it an almighty whack with a hammer to loosen the wedge.....which wasn't there!. A quick trip to the bike shop to buy a new starfangled washer to replace the one I mangled. We live and learn.

I had a good laugh at this Bob, it was exactly what I did a couple of months ago when my son gave me his MB! Only I carried it a step further somehow and ended up with the star nut so far down that the bolt wouldn't engage - I had unscrewed the bolt and took off the shiny cap it went through, located the bolt and gave it a whack. I quickly read up about this type of fitting and decided the only way out was to tap down a new star nut on top of the old one, leaving it high enough for the bolt to locate. I am so pleased not to have a monopoly on this particular stupidity!