BIKE summary of the Enviolo HD
Perfect for e-bikes: With no clear gear steps and a simple twist grip, no other gear system is as easy to use as the Enviolo. The mountain gear is small enough, the disadvantages in terms of weight and efficiency are hardly noticeable with the motor, and the price-performance ratio is also good.
Enviolo HD: The facts
| Model | Enviolo HD |
| Price | 510 Euro |
| Weight | 2.5 kilogramme |
| Bandwidth | 380 per cent |
| Smallest gear | 9.8 km/h |
Price and weight are manufacturer's specifications and refer to the rear derailleur, front derailleur, cassette and trigger if applicable. For the smallest mountain gear, we use standardised parameters for tyre size and cadence (28 inches, 47 millimetres, 60 rpm).
Heavy, but comfortable
Stepless switching? This is precisely the breakthrough that Enviolo has achieved. The design of the gear hub ignores key disadvantages such as its high weight and uninspiring efficiency. The Enviolo is therefore not recommended for classic bikes. On the other hand, the intuitive operation of the e-bike is impressive: simply turn the handle until the gear ratio is right. Even complete cycling novices get to grips with it, unlike with classic trigger gears.
The Enviolo is available in different versions. All of them are easy to use, quiet in operation and somewhat cheaper compared to other carefree solutions such as Pinion and the like. As a hub gear system, the Enviolo requires no maintenance and is usually used in combination with a maintenance-free belt drive instead of a classic chain.
Gait and efficiency
Unlike other low-cost hub gears, the range of the Enviolo is decent, at least in the Heavy Duty (HD) version or the Trekking version. There are no nasty gear ratio restrictions as with Shimano. As a result, the mountain gear of the gear hub is not too tight, even if the system is of course not optimised for mountain tours. Even the mechanical version of the Enviolo sets standards in terms of user-friendliness. The Automatiq electric gearstick (tested here) goes one better with a truly impressive automatic function.
However, efficiency is not one of the system's strengths. Long tours are still possible with large batteries. However, without the motor, the Enviolo is not quite as popular as a derailleur or other gear hubs.
The Enviolo HD at a glance
Strengths
- Intuitive operation
- Decent bandwidth
- Can even manage a steep ramp
Weaknesses
- Weight and efficiency
Adrian Kaether
Editor
