In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
The design: fully in tune with the times. A mixture of edges and powerful curves define the main frame section, the seat tubes are positioned low under the saddle and the headset is tapered and voluminous. Nevertheless, the Kettler Quadriga* is immediately recognisable as a classic city bike. You sit upright and comfortably on a wide saddle, and the view is perfectly city-like. Ergonomically, everything speaks in favour of a classic city and everyday bike for short distances.
There is a height-adjustable handlebar stem and comfortable ergonomic grips to match the riding position. The five-speed drivetrain, which takes the drive from the belt, is well suited for short distances in the city and is easily shifted using the twist grip. The Intuvia 100 from the Bosch system helps with this. It now indicates when you should shift down a gear to save power and energy. Incidentally, the Bosch Performance Line motor has enough power for this bike, and the "Auto" setting is the most sensible because it is the most comfortable for the rider, especially when stopping and going.
It gets exciting when you take a closer look at the very cleanly finished frame of the Kettler Quadriga: The rear axle mount is bolted to the chain stay and seat stay so that you can easily insert the drive belt. Practical: The in-house K-Link, the mount for a trailer coupling, is integrated into the left-hand chain stay.
Kettler Quadriga with attention to detail
The "belt guard", which protects the trousers from the drive unit like on a Dutch bike, is also a success. The battery of the Bosch Performance Line motor is hidden behind a small door. This reveals the 500 watt-hour battery. Removing it is easy, but charging it is also easy once it is installed. The carrier is not quite designed for the other family features of the bike: although it has the second railing for centre of gravity-optimised pannier transport, there are no system adapters for easily attaching baskets or boxes.
The brakes here are also large disc brakes (203 mm), which makes the Kettler Quadriga safer. While the handling without weight on the carrier is exemplary, the permissible carrier load of 27 kilos makes the bike somewhat susceptible to impulses that transfer the weight to the frame. Small steering movements lead to a slight "tail wagging", which the fork absorbs.
Compared to the earlier curved steel frames, it's a piece of cake and not a safety issue, but it is there. Speaking of the fork: The quality of a simple, undamped fork cannot keep up with the other quality details. It only responds to rough impacts, cobblestones are hardly softened. Nevertheless, the Kettler Quadriga is comfortable to sit on thanks to the telescopic seat post and the thickly padded, wide saddle. For distances beyond 15 kilometres, however, we would recommend a narrower, firmer model.
Conclusion on the Kettler Quardiga P5 Belt
The traditional brand, now part of the ZEG association, also shows in detail that it knows its way around low entry and the city, and delivers beautiful solutions. A well-rounded bike with good details. Eight gears would be better for touring. 4299 euros is appropriate for the current price trend.
The Kettler Quardiga P5 Belt in detail
- Price: 4299 Euro >> available here
- Frame sizes: Wave 43/48/53 cm
- Test bike weight: 29.5 kg
- Permissible total weight: 145 kg
- Frame: Aluminium
- Fork: SR Suntour NEX E25 (63 mm)
- Circuit: Shimano Nexus 5-speed hub gears, Gates belt
- Motor/battery: Bosch Performance Line (Smart System), Bosch Powertube 500
- Brakes: Disc brakes, TEKTRO HD-T280
- Tyres: Schwalbe Marathon 50-622
- Lighting system: Front: Fuxon FS-50, 50 lux, rear: Fuxon R-Glow EB
- Maximum carrier load: 27 kg
