Gazelle Ultimate C8 HMB Review - $3.5k

[@bertgroeneveld57]

Kinda funny that you mention the fact of the key staying in the lock while driving. For us, in The Netherlands, thats something we grew up with, so no problem whatsoever. Furthermore I must say that you made a great review, well done.

[@BikerMerv]

Hello from Halifax NS Canada. Wow what a great review, very well done clear and concise. My wife and I have just purchased these bikes and your walk through we found very informative. We can't wait to get out on them. We are waiting for the Canadian winter weather to go away so we can get out on them. Enjoy your channel thanks for posting. Cheers!

[@comedyman112]

are they good bikes? i'm planning on getting the same model now

[@davidinghram2494]

Excellent review of a bike that I missed when doing my research to buy an ebike. This would have been a terrific choice for me at 73 yrs old and not interested in speed or long distance. I would appreciate the overall build quality and especially the belt drive and simple gear changes. Nice bike!

[@martyclayton3611]

Love Gazelle bikes...great Bike! Really one of your best ebike reviews. Great supply of information. Really good smooth flow and confidence to your review. When you had the camera upside-down (looking a the rear wheel) it was a little disconcerting. Other than that, well done! Are those Wiley X goggles?

[@TysonRoehrkasse]

Thank you! I tried inverting the video for the rear wheel clip to make it easier to see... I can't decide if that helped or not XD I don't believe they are Wiley X, I have no idea what brand they are - picked them up at a motorcycle shop a couple years ago for super cheap.

[@martyclayton3611]

@@TysonRoehrkasse I recently bought a pair of Wiley X glasses/goggles to protect them from impacts, but also to keep my eyes from watering while riding in the winter cold weather. I like them a lot. Keep up the good work!

[@MrMarkusmulder]

Dieren, the Netherlands. Smart people there 😂👍.

[@allenmiller2071]

I have an electric bike. What I like to do is outdo the help and see that i'm pedaling faster than the help I have set it at. Great way to exercise on an electric bike.

[@Saddletramp1200]

I love the reviews! The only bike you have ever done in my grasp is the Lectric XP and I am still waiting for delivery after 6 weeks.

[@michaelborden8176]

Does this bike have Gazelle Connect available? (GPS to connect to smartphone). I see they have this for models sold in the Netherlands--great for security!

[@LordMerovingian]

oMG, it's Tyson !!! Yay...

[@Steffe]

I ordered this bike on Friday Will hopefully get it delivered in a couple of days. Can't want to take it for a longish ride in our Summer weather.

[@constructioneerful]

Very good review!!

[@MiCoopRS]

This was an AWESOME review, I was at a bike shop today, called BIKE BIKE, here in Calgary, Alberta... they ONLY carry the C8 Gazelle Ultimate, I was looking to see if they had any C380, the man said it was OVERKILL and way more expensive. 1 thing I do not appreciate on this is the thing on the wheel measuring cadence... it could get bumped, other bikes have it closer to if not mounted near the back wheel gear hub location. Otherwise, it seems like a GOOD bike for the Money, well built and a reputable company to stand beside its product... why do they always say BEHIND its product... I want to be right up close to it... Great review.... HAVE you yourself did a review in the Specialized Turbo Como SL 5.0 ?

[@IOPA3M]

Great Review mate

[@tomKphotoFortCollins]

Is the CVT worth $500? Since this bike shares almost all the same components with the more-expensive C380, it seems a great opportunity was missed to directly compare the two and speak to exactly how the CVT singularly changes the riding experience. I'm seeing more Gazelle's around Fort Collins. They're making an impact. Ring the bell :-)

[@TysonRoehrkasse]

Unfortunately, I didn't get to try the C380 (Court did that review) and I haven't ever ridden on the Enviolo CVT, so I don't have the perspective to compare the two. I've heard from some folks that they love CVTs... and I've heard from others who found them a bit finnicky and had weird problems that needed shop service to fix. The C380 also has the Performance Line Cruise motor (vs Active Line Plus on the C8), I would say that's the other significant difference since you get a good amount more torque and higher cadence support.

[@BikeLaveen]

The C380 also gets you an upgraded Bosch motor (65 nm torque vs 50 nm), so I'd say 'yes' if that matters to you.

[@ArnaudFalchier]

Nice review ! I ride the 10t+ and looking closely at moving to a belt system. What goggles do you wear by the way ?

[@TysonRoehrkasse]

Thank you! I'm not sure, I don't think they are branded - I got them at a motorcycle shop for super cheap, I think they were only about $10. The lenses are starting to get pretty scratched though! I definitely prefer goggles to glasses for riding, especially since I use them on my motorcycle as well. I don't have them with me but I'll check them when I get home, if they do have a brand I'll reply back with it!

[@MrTynanDraper]

Got one of these secondhand with nearly 1000 KM on it. I didn't know you aren't really supposed to pedal when changing gears! Opposite from regular bikes. Occasional belt skip when I push too hard on the pedal (fast start in a high gear).. so maybe my belt needs to be tightened. . hopefully I can do that myself. Back light wires are partially disconnected. . seat torn. but otherwise in pretty good shape. A bit challenging to lock up since it's missing the big triangle frame most bikes have. And even the back fork has a hex screw to open it up.

[@n1kke4win]

Thanks for the great review! You mentioned this one is not best fit for someone with a knee injury, what e-bike would you suggest instead of that model?

[@tyvideo]

Thank you for the review. What size of bike were you riding? 57? I’m also 6’3” and concerned about the size. My local bike shop tells me gazelle tends to accommodate a bit taller than the frame size would suggest.

[@WanderingAroundAZ]

I'm 6'3" as well and wish they would've answered your question.

[@ElectronSurfer]

I used to live right there in Fort Collins, awesome to see it. Great job showing one of Gazelle's bikes. I was impressed by how you addressed price and why someone may want to choose this over say a RAD or another direct market bike. Do you happen to know if they make a throttle add-on? Thanks for riding and nice to hear that quiet system, very impressed!

[@taylorjames4741]

Typically there is never a throttle option with mid drive motors, certainly not Bosch.

[@TysonRoehrkasse]

Thank you! Whenever people stop and talk to me and ask about price, they tend to react really negatively if it's up over $3k... but I feel like there's a ton of value for the price with Gazelle. Really depends on what someone needs though. No throttle add-on, Taylor James is correct that Bosch driven ebikes never have a throttle option.

[@ElectronSurfer]

@@taylorjames4741 I was hoping with the small redesign might open it up to an aftermarket throttle option. I ride so many kits and mid-drive with throttle I forget the big brands dont have them, thanks!

[@ElectronSurfer]

@@TysonRoehrkasse thanks for the reply, I think people will start seeing the value that quality really provides. I used to fling disc's in that park, hope to see more Ft. Collins reviews!

[@TysonRoehrkasse]

@@ElectronSurfer I've got at least two more FoCo reviews in the pipeline... once it warms up a bit XD it's a balmy 2 degrees and snowy this weekend!

[@Neverlost3234]

Better reviewer than Court

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Thanks, we are all trying to grow. What did you appreciate about this review vs. what Court (me) has done?

[@dukeloo]

Which bike is better this bike or the Evelo Aurora Limited or Gazelle Ultimate C380?

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Hmm... I prefer the clean lines of this one, but I do appreciate the throttle on the EVELO Aurora. I covered it recently here electricbikereview.com/evelo/aurora-limited/ and you can use the compare button to see how all of the other little differences stack up :)

[@jimthomas1759]

Nice!

[@meibing4912]

105 rpm is a lot, a lot of cadence. Very, very few people will go to even 100 rpm.

[@mshayashi]

Is this the lightest of all Gazelle cicycles?

[@mrniceguy4920]

no

[@davidcooperman9504]

Will you ever review the Brompton Electric?

[@mshayashi]

This one is my favorite one among the e-bikes...I only wished they had lower handle bars, so that it would be easier to climb hills. And if they had 24" frames(and tires) would be perfect.

[@Kevin15047]

You can adjust them. I don't know how low. I'm the opposite I would want them up high, and I would probably still be annoyed with the fact that they're not albatross bars.

[@rabfallon4507]

So where was the different bits from the C380 apart from CVT.

[@nathaniel9232]

Love the content, May i get a bike?

[@stankatic8182]

What ever became of ebike give away from December?

[@TysonRoehrkasse]

Hey Stan, we (EBR) have never done ebike giveaways, perhaps you are thinking of a different channel?

[@yippie6862]

I'm 6'3 also. What size is that bike?

[@skepticsr_us]

Too small for him and you.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Hi Yippie, I believe this was the 21" (53cm) frame size that they call Medium. All of the dimension can be seen here: electricbikereview.com/gazelle/ultimate-c8-hmb/ and Gazelle does have a Large 57cm frame option that could be a good fit for you :)

[@yippie6862]

@@ElectricBikeReview Thanks! Very helpful.

[@hansb57]

I'm 1,90 and have the 57 cm frame. It's a great bike, stable, disc brakes work perfect. I figure the real advantage of the belt comes in at the long run. Almost motor noice. AND its from The Netherlands, so it's good!

[@ruimanuelcarvalho3432]

I'm 255 pounds will this bike be appropriate for my weight? Thanks!

[@JohnC88lvb]

11-36 is kind of a meaningless range without relating it to the chainring and cog used to pedal that 11-36.

[@TysonRoehrkasse]

Very good point, thanks for the feedback!

[@Bonjour-World]

That is NOT "FULL" suspension. There is no rear suspension for the cargo. Pick up eggs at the grocery and they will likely be scrambled by the time you get home.

[@Kevin15047]

Maybe it's apples and oranges since my bike is acoustic. My bicycle is an omafeits with no suspension at all (unless you count the springs in the Brooks saddle). I think I may have broken one egg in the almost decade that it's been my primary transportation. And the roads around here aren't exactly pristine

[@elevenAD]

first woohoo!

[@goobfilmcast4239]

Ok... I'm sounding like a broken record but $3.5k...even with the mid-drive and belt.....Nope !.... I am not shilling for Rad but I would rather consider a Rad Rover AND a base Rad Runner. Two Bikes, Two identical Batteries. If you are riding alone you can double your range and for spouse, friends and family, you have 2 robust bikes for light trail/off-road riding. Also, you'd still have enough Freedom Bucks left over to purchase aftermarket Display and Controller upgrades for each.

[@ElectricBikeReview]

Yeah, Rad really offers a lot at the lower price. I'm glad to see companies like Gazelle, BULLS, Riese & Müller etc. because they adopt new technology and eventually that can make it to the more value priced products too :)

[@Benjamin_Jehne]

To be honest, you can’t compare those types of bikes. I know what you mean, but these are completely different bikes. I love what RadPowerbikes is doing, but the bikes are full of cheap components. That doesn’t mean that they’re bad, no they’re really basic. The frames are more or less generic, they just take an allready existing frame an customize it for their needs. With Gazelle thats totally different. They design the bikes, they test them to the extreme and then you can buy them. You really feel the difference in the way how precise these bike performs. Motor wise the Rads are just on or off, bikes with torpue sensors feel more like real bikes, Rads are more like a little motorbike. So you have to decide at first, what kind off rider you are. And I think that the pricing more on the affordable side with this Gazelle bike. They’re premium and for having a Gates drive, the interneal gearing etc, I think the price is ok. What I don’t like is the Purion display.

[@pauldershem]

RAD is appealing, but they are very heavy

[@kippywylie]

@@Benjamin_Jehne Thanks for your comments. Two days ago I had never heard of Gazelle and now I'm on a waiting list for a spring 2022 delivery of a Gazelle Ultimate C380 Low step 2022 53cm. I can't wait. Question: Today I saw a comment about the Gates belt "skipping"? Do you know of any issues with this? I demo'd at belt drive Trek and liked it

[@WanderingAroundAZ]

@@kippywylie The only reason a Gates belt would slip is if you don't have it tensioned properly. It's VERY easy to set the tension with a hex key. I have a Priority Classic Gotham (acoustic bike) with the Gates carbon belt and an internally geared 3-speed hub and it is SOOOOO much nicer than a chain. I'm actually considering the Gazelle C380 for that Enviolo CVT because that would make for the smoothest, quietest drivetrain possible.

[@tomasoionnaigh4855]

Hey guy a bit of bullshit there, it does not rain a lot there and most of the Country is not near the coast

[@CozyBear_29]

On average there are 217 days per year with more than 0.1 mm of rainfall in the Netherlands. Seems a fair amount of rain, no?

[@tomquimby8669]

So the ultimate has no rear suspension? This is yet another boring heavy bone shaking bike destined to join the rest of them at the bottom of the Amsterdam canals.

[@skepticsr_us]

There is this thing called Thudbuster...

[@tomquimby8669]

@@skepticsr_us if it is so good I wonder why they don't make cars or any motorized people carrying transport with thudbusters

[@skepticsr_us]

@@tomquimby8669 It’s all about $$$. The 75mm Thudbuster is not cheap but your ass will thank you forever. As to why they are not in cars... you are obviously not an engineer.

[@tomquimby8669]

@@skepticsr_us An engineer would look for the best option to reduce severe back pain and physical damage, an accountant would look at the cost of that solution, I am not an accountant