Decathlon E-Gravelbike: Don't be afraid of long distances - the Van Rysel E-GRVL AF is with you

The Van Rysel E-GRVL AF wants to play, it wants to tow and it wants to get you through the night. The e-gravel bike is equipped for pretty much everything you would expect from a real gravel tour. The new Decathlon e-bike comes with good components and ingenious detailed solutions for your next bikepacking trip.

For example, there is the full carbon fork, which also offers the option of fitting mudguards. There are the internally routed cables and holes on the fork for installing a pannier rack. Powerful front and rear lights from Axa, which are powered by the bike battery, ensure that you can ride at night or when it gets dark.

Van Rysel Gravel E-Bike E-GRVL AF: Focus on handling and comfort

The endurance geometry of the Van Rysel gravel e-bike enables a relaxed riding position for long rides and good control on more technical terrain. The wide tyres (45 or 47 millimetres), hydraulic Sram Apex disc brakes with 160 mm discs and the optional Sram Apex 1×11 or 1x12 groupset (Brose motor) also ensure that the gravel bike is stable on the mountain and in real use on unpaved paths. The handlebars are the real control centre: the drop bars are not only used to shift gears, but also to intuitively control the support level - and last but not least, to keep the bike on track.

Powerful and unobtrusive support with Mahle or Brose e-bike motor

The Van Rysel E-GRVL AF HD is normally fitted with the Mahle Motor X35 with up to 40 Nm. The e-bike motor offers three levels of support - as a rear hub motor, the Mahle pushes discreetly and has hardly any influence on the pedalling itself. At the same time, the e-drive is barely visible because the 250 watt-hour battery is installed slimly in the frame. The battery offers a maximum range of 100 kilometres, while the optional range extender in the bottle cage increases the maximum range to a total of 180 kilometres according to the manufacturer.

The BC900 display, which is prominently mounted on the stem, can be paired with a smartphone or other suitable devices (such as Garmin) via Bluetooth Smart and the Decathlon Connect app. In this way, GPS data for the current ride can be received wirelessly. It is also possible to display additional information such as heart rate, cadence and power in watts using external sensors.

In limited quantities: Brose Drive T Magnesium

From 7 April 2024, there will be an initially limited edition of the Van Rysel E-GRVL AF MD with the Brose Drive T Magnesium as a powerful mid-motor. According to Decathlon, it has the same continuous output of 250 watts as the Mahle X35, but delivers a significantly higher torque of 70 Newton metres. It weighs just 2.9 kilograms (Mahle x35: 3.6 kilograms) and offers 4 support levels as well as walk mode (push assistance).

The battery installed in the frame of the Brose gravel bike also has more power: 500 watt hours are available - a range extender for the bottle cage with a further 360 watt hours is available as an option. Another feature of the significantly more expensive version of the E-GRVL AF: DT Swiss HG1800 Spline wheels compared to the in-house rims on the cheaper model.

Decathlon has not yet made any pictures of the Brose model available.

Facts and figures on the two models of the Van Rysel E-GRVL AF E-gravel bike

Van Rysel E-GRVL AF HD Mahlen X35 1x11

(Manufacturer information)

• Frame: Aluminium 6061 T6
• Fork: Full carbon, thru axle 12×110 Road Boost, mounting options for mudguards, maximum tyre width 700×50 mm
• Motor: Mahle X35 rear wheel hub motor, continuous output 250 W, torque 40 Nm
• Battery: Mahle 36 V, 250 Wh, integrated in the down tube with charging point on the frame; range extender optional (208 Wh)
• Display: BC900 display; Bluetooth in conjunction with Decathlon Ride app
• Brakes: Sram Apex, 160 mm rotors front/rear
• Gear system: Sram Apex 1×11 cassette, 11 - 42 teeth; chainring 40 teeth
• Wheels: Aluminium rims 25C, 700 mm, tubeless ready
• Handlebar/stem: Gravell handlebar with 16° flare, aluminium stem with 6° inclination
• Tyres: Hutchinson Touareg Hardskin Tubeless Ready, 700x45 mm
• Lighting: Axa Lighthammer 60 Lux (front), Axa LS 651 Cob Line (rear); powered by the bike battery; complies with StVZO
• Weight: 14.5 kg in size M
• Price: 2899 Euro >> available at Decathlon

Van Rysel E-GRVL AF MD Brose Drive 1x12

(Manufacturer information)

• Frame: Aluminium 6061 T6
• Fork: Full carbon, thru axle 12×110 Road Boost, mounting options for mudguards, maximum tyre width 700×50 mm
• Motor: Brose Drive T Magnesium mid-motor, continuous output 250 W, torque 70 Nm, weight 2900 g, 4 support levels + walk mode
• Battery: 500 Wh, integrated in the down tube with charging point on the frame; range extender for bottle cage optional (360 Wh)
• Display: none (connect smartphone to bike via Bluetooth and Decathlon Ride app)
• Brakes: Sram Apex, 160 mm rotors front/rear
• Gear system: SRAM Apex, 1×12 cassette, 11-44 teeth, chainring Miranda 42 teeth
• Wheels: DT Swiss HG1800 Spline (aluminium), tubeless ready
• Handlebar/stem: Gravell handlebar with 16° flare, aluminium stem with 8° inclination
• Tyres: Michelin Power Gravel Competition Line 700×47 mm tyres
• Lighting: Axa Lighthammer 60 Lux (front), Axa LS 651 Cob Line (rear); powered by the bike battery; complies with StVZO
• Weight: 18 kg in size M
• Price: 3499 Euro

>> All our reports on gravel bikes can be found here