Campus E:vo Allround review: An everyday hero with straps and a gear hub

​Ever since people have been cycling, there’s been this dream: never having to lubricate a chain, patch a tyre or adjust the gears again. The new Campus caters precisely to this target group, whilst also allowing for a wealth of customisation through its modular system. No off-the-shelf bikes here – just one-off models tailored to your specifications.

Of course, this also means that Campus cannot compete with the prices offered by manufacturers such as Cube and the like, who mass-produce large quantities. As is also the case with Maxx from Rosenheim, for example, Campus’s bikes are painted and assembled in small batches in Germany and can be extensively customised. This allows you to add your own personal touches to the specifications, but you do have to accept higher prices.

3x3 Six gear hub: Making its debut on a production bike

For example, you can choose whether the bike should have a traditional derailleur system such as the Shimano Cues, a hub gear system such as the Nexus or Alfine, or even a gear hub how the new 3x3 Six is equipped, which is available for the first time on a production bike from Campus.

The idea behind 3x3: a gear system in the rear hub that is maximally efficient, offers a wide range of gears and is completely maintenance-free. This puts H + B Hightech in competition with big names such as Rohloff and Pinion, whilst remaining somewhat more affordable. According to the Campus Configurator, the price difference compared to the Rohloff is around 650 euros. Should anything go wrong with the hub, you should be able to simply remove the entire gearbox and send it in without having to remove the spokes from the wheel.

Are 6 gears enough on an e-bike?

Anyone who’s ever ridden a bike with a motor and Shimano’s affordable Nexus gearbox knows that, on an e-bike, even five gears are often enough. The 3x3 Six is easily fine-grained enough for an e-bike and also offers low gears for steep climbs. Our campus test bike, fitted with a powerful PX motor, is geared in such a way that you run out of gears once you exceed 30 km/h. On an e-bike, this isn’t a major loss.

The gear-shifting operation is also superbly executed on the top-of-the-range 3x3 Six eShift model we tested. The gears engage crisply; the wireless shift lever from supplier TRP is ergonomic and has a clear pressure point. Of course, you can also change gears whilst stationary.

Comfort galore: Here’s what it’s like to drive the E:vo

So you can cruise effortlessly around the extremely comfortable campus with a very upright riding position, a good suspension fork, a seat post and wide Johnny Watts SUV tyres, yet never feel disconnected from the bike and its drivetrain. There are a few minor criticisms, however: the hub makes a slight mechanical noise in some gears. The Bosch PX motor has no freewheel, which can feel a bit odd – for example, when you pedal backwards to adjust your leg position before a bend. In some gears, the 3x3 drivetrain also produces an unpleasant rattling noise caused by the chain.

It would therefore make more sense for Campus to offer the E:vo with a mid-drive motor with a freewheel, such as the Bosch CX. After all, as is typical for an individualistic, low-maintenance bike, both the weight and the price are already on the higher side. In this case, attention to small details and the perfection of the spec may matter more than a slightly lower entry-level price. That said, with a mechanical 3x3 Six drivetrain and chain, the bike is available from 4,899 euros, whilst more affordable derailleur variants start at just over 4,000 euros.

Campus E:vo at a glance

Strengths:

• ​The bike is low-maintenance and comfortable
• well-spaced gear ratios and good ergonomics of the gear hub
• Configurator and modular system

Weaknesses:

• ​The PX motor without a freewheel can feel a bit odd at times
• Increased price of the bike and gear hub