The Swiss town of Hutwil in the canton of Bern knows a thing or two about electrically powered bikes. The first e-bikes rolled off the production line here in 1995. There has been a close relationship with motor manufacturer Panasonic for years. It is therefore somewhat surprising that the Uproc is now powered by a Bosch unit. This is probably due to the fact that the new Panasonic drive is coming onto the market a little later than originally planned. However, the Bosch CX drive in the Uproc works excellently, it even seemed a little more powerful than usual. Unfortunately, there is only a 400 Wh battery in the frame. This limits the range in combination with the powerful drive. During our range test on Lake Garda, the Uproc only managed 1085 metres in altitude. For the larger 500 watt-hour version, the Swiss company charges an extra 200 euros. The Rock Shox Reverb dropper post is also available for an additional 450 euros. None was fitted to our test bike, even though the bike's range of use almost begs for one.
On the trail, the Uproc provides a feel-good flair. Sit on it and pedal in - everything fits right away. The riding position is moderate and the handling is neutral. The suspension underlines this impression: 130 millimetres of travel are available and the Rock Shox Revelation harmonises well with the Monarch shock.
Nevertheless, the limits are quickly reached on demanding terrain. This is caused by the tyres, which we felt were undersized: The 2.25 mm version of the Schwalbe Nobby Nic is no downhill artist anyway, let alone the Pace Star rubber compound. So before the 130-millimetre suspension is exhausted, the
tyres - especially on damp roots and stones. We think so: For E-MTBs, manufacturers should generally opt for slightly wider tyres - after all, rolling resistance plays a subordinate role.
CONCLUSION: an inconspicuous all-rounder with a wide range of uses. The tyres are the main limiting factor. A dropper post and a more powerful battery would significantly improve the bike. Can you expect that for 4999 euros? Well, Switzerland is not China. And understatement obviously has its price.
DRIVE
Motor/position Bosch Performance CX/mid-engine
Max. Torque 75 Nm
Battery Lithium-ion, 400 Wh
Switching/translation XT/ front 15, rear 11-speed (11x42)
Display/software Bosch Nivida/Bosch
EQUIPMENT
Frame material/sizes Aluminium/S/M/L
Fork/damper Rock Shox Revelation/Monarch RT
Spring travel fore/aft 130 mm/130 mm
Telescopic support none
Brake/disc fore/aft Sram Guide R/180 mm/180 mm
Impellers 27.5 inch DT Swiss M1700 Spline
Tyres Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.25 Pace Star
INFO
Model Uproc 3 8.70
Weight 21.2 kilos
Weight distribution 47 % VR/53 % HR
Price 4999 Euro
Reference www.flyer-bikes.com
