The Eleglide M1 Plus is an electric mountain bike that can also be ridden in USA thanks to its downgrade to a pedelec. 25 km/h pedal assistance, 100 km range and large 27.5 inch tires are among the most important features. If you are thinking about switching to an e-bike in times of rising fuel prices, you can at least take a look at the M1 Plus. We did that too and tried out the e-bike.
Eleglide M1 PLUS Electric Bike Reviews
- Eleglide M1 Plus
- at Geekbuying for €649.99 (coupon: NNNFREEM1PLUS ) | Eleglide for €699.99 | Amazon for €729.99 (activate €120 discount voucher)
| Model | Eleglide M1 Plus |
| Wheel size | 27.5 inches |
| Maximum speed | 25km/h |
| Range | max 100 km |
| braking system | Disc brakes front & rear |
| engine power | 250W |
| battery pack | 11.6Ah, 36V Li-Ion |
| loading time | 7 hours |
| Size | 187 x 68 x 104.1 cm |
| Weight | 21.7kg |
- Road legal: yes or no?
An electric bicycle is considered an “e-bike” if it can ride independently without pedal assistance, otherwise it is considered a pedelec. A pedelec can be ridden normally (and legally) even without an insurance number plate and driver’s license, provided that the pedal assistance does not accelerate it to over 25 km/h.
The Eleglide M1 Plus falls somewhere in between, as the throttle for self-acceleration is optional and can be omitted when mounting the bike. Since the bike is then not able to drive fully electronically, it is also allowed on German roads.
Most Chinese e-bikes are not legal on the road in Germany; You can avoid this with the Eleglide M1 Plus by downgrading it to a pedelec.
Simple structure, lack of equipment
Like all e-bikes, the Eleglide M1 Plus is not shipped fully assembled. There is nothing wrong with the packaging, the most important parts are packed in styrofoam and everything arrived undamaged. In addition to the necessary individual parts of the bike including the battery, the scope of delivery also includes the charging cable, operating and assembly instructions and a few tools.
The Eleglide M1 Plus is definitely one of the larger e-bikes. Many models are folding bikes with around 20-inch tires. The wheels here are 27.5 inches. This makes it not only suitable for driving in the city, but is also explicitly advertised as a mountain bike. The M1 Plus is correspondingly large, at full length it measures 179 cm. The saddle height is between 85 and 105 centimetres, the handlebar is 68 cm wide. The maximum load is 100 kg.
The front wheel, saddle and pedals still have to be assembled, but that’s pretty quick and easy. The most annoying part is still to mount the lamps, here it is screwed briefly, but that’s not a problem. But here’s the hint that the “rear light” is just a reflector.
Since a real lamp is required here, you still have to attach it yourself, which is not a problem with a simple battery-powered lamp. There are also two reflectors for the spokes, but strictly speaking they are not enough, since (according to the German STVZo) there should be two cat’s eyes per wheel.
Optionally, you can also mount a throttle. The package also includes two handlebar grips, one of which can be connected to the bike with a cable. As mentioned, a fully electric drive is also possible, which would then no longer be permitted, at least in Germany, without having approval and insurance for the bike.
Eleglide M1 Plus – Which brings us to the handlebars: In my opinion, the standard grips are unfortunately not optimal. First of all, they are too small or too narrow and cannot be gripped ideally. In the long run, this feels really uncomfortable, especially in the thumbs.
The second point, however, is the ribbed surface of the handles, which is almost painful after half an hour of riding and leaves visible marks on your hands. I don’t know how silly that might sound, it’s certainly not the first and most important criterion when buying a bike, but it was really the point that bothered me the most when riding.
The bike also lacks a luggage rack and mudguards. The former isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re a backpacker. The latter, however, if not only the sun shines. During my test rides in the middle of summer and a heat wave, I didn’t have any problems with this, in the rain you wouldn’t actually want to be on the road without the splash guard of the mudguards.
We have two disc brakes and a 21-speed Shimano gear system, and of course a bell is also installed. In my opinion, there is nothing to complain about here, but also nothing that stands out particularly positively. While there is no electric lighting at the rear, there is a lamp at the front.
The built-in battery has a capacity of 12.5 Ah and should take you up to 100 kilometers in assist mode, i.e. with pedal assistance. In fully electric mode, the range would still be 50 kilometers, which should be mentioned for the sake of completeness.
The M1 Plus on the road
Eleglide M1 Plus – But then I really like the ride on the M1. The saddle can be adjusted to the right height, but there is no such option for the handlebars. The suspension of the front fork can be adjusted and adapted to personal needs. The bike can also be ridden reasonably well off-road, even though I mainly used it as a city bike. But you also feel comfortable with it on gravel and dirt roads.
There are a total of five different modes for pedal assistance, each of which works up to a maximum speed of 12, 16, 20, 23 and 25 km/h. It’s nice that you have a large selection here, but to be honest, 12, 20 and 25 km/h would probably have done it too. I always skip the steps in between. Apart from that, I am satisfied with the pedal assistance. Acceleration is pleasant and so is driving at a constant 25 km/h.
What I have a problem with, however, is the gear shift. One would think that with 21 gears there would be a lot of leeway for every situation. But: The resistance when pedaling is consistently very low, so I actually never ride in the lowest gears. Instead, I can start off with little effort even in the highest adjustable gear – mind you, without pedal assistance.
Unfortunately, this also means that it will be difficult to drive faster than the 25 km/h possible with an electric motor, because then you simply have to pedal much too quickly. Can this be adjusted without swapping the gears? Probably not. The only advantage: in first gear you can climb walls almost vertically.
I want to mention the display at least briefly, even if there are no surprises here. Speed, battery status and the level of pedal assistance are displayed. This can be switched through using the buttons, and the light can also be switched on and off here. Huffy Deluxe Cruiser Bike
Conclusion: Good, but room for improvement
Unfortunately, buying the M1 Plus is not enough, you have to buy a few more parts. Firstly, there would be a rear light and – while you’re at it – two spoke reflectors. They are mandatory and you definitely want to have at least the rear light for driving at night. Next point are the mudguards, which are simply indispensable when the ground is wet. And in my opinion, it also urgently needs new grips, because if I were to ride regularly with the existing ones, I would get calluses on the palms of my hands. In addition, the gear shift does not allow comfortable driving over 25 km/h.
All in all, it remains a half-finished product for me, on which I personally would have to make too many compromises. Which is a shame, because if the parts mentioned were to be fitted or replaced, I would really like to ride the Eleglide M1 Plus more. And all the problems mentioned can theoretically be solved. The bike is currently available for €799.99 from Eleglide on their own website.
Number One Boats from USA. Boat Marketplace Group Network. All Boats & Yachts for Sale, Reviews, Specs, Prices, Craigslists. 