For decades, Zündapp stood for high-quality mopeds, mopeds and motorbikes. In 1984, the company went bankrupt and the brand went quiet. Now Zündapp is reappearing in discount stores with pedelecs. Not as a producer, but as a brand of a mass manufacturer; the bikes are made by Prophete. The equipment of the Green 4.0 model we purchased shows that this is a mass-produced product: Trio rear hub motor from the Far East, Shimano's simple Altus derailleur, Promax V-brakes, inexpensive suspension fork from SR Suntour. At least the battery comes from the brand manufacturer Samsung. That proves it: A manufacturer can only produce pedelecs that still make a profit at a retail price of 900 euros by using mass production and very cheap components.
Test judgement for the Zündapp e-bike: Good to poor
The carefully crafted aluminium ladies' frame stands out positively: clean weld seams, reinforcement plate between the head tube and down tube, welded-on guide sleeves for cables and cables and beautifully welded mounting bushes for brakes and pannier rack; some high-priced branded bikes look no different. Even the paintwork is flawless and should provide many years of enjoyment.
The equipment and add-on parts from the low-budget range paint a different picture, but the gears and brakes worked satisfactorily on our test rides. Compared to higher quality derailleur gears, the Altus groupset from Shimano is a little choppy, but the gears engage with sufficient precision. In our opinion, V-brakes are not the first choice on heavy pedelecs, but are sufficiently safe if well maintained and carefully adjusted. The suspension fork shows real weaknesses: it works hard and insensitively; a good rigid fork would provide more comfort and be lighter. The same applies to the telescopic seatpost: sometimes it absorbs road shocks insensitively, sometimes not at all. The 42 millimetre wide tyres also improve comfort only minimally. Even the handlebars give cause for criticism: the left handlebar grip is significantly lower than the right. There are no signs of transport damage, so the asymmetrical bending line of the handlebars is probably a production fault. The brake levers squeak even when new. The stable and angle-adjustable stem, on the other hand, makes a good impression. The battery-powered lighting system is also okay. However, the cable lugs of the plug connections on the front and rear lights are outside the lamp housings and are only minimally protected against splash water by open plastic sleeves.
Pleasure and frustration with the Zündapp e-bike
As well-made as the frame appears at first glance: On the test bench, we were only able to measure a very low stiffness. Together with the rear-heavy weight distribution due to the rear hub motor, this leads to frame shaking when you take both hands off the handlebars. From around 20 km/h onwards, the front of the bike starts to bounce on its own due to bumps in the road. However, if you keep your hands on the handlebars, the Zündapp runs straight and stable. Even faster bends can be taken safely and with little effort when turning. The control of the Trio drive is no longer up to date - and takes some getting used to. It only reacts to crank movements and switches on the motor as soon as and as long as you pedal. The motor power is independent of the pedalling force and can only be influenced by selecting the support level. As the four levels are highly differentiated, you can at least adjust the thrust to some extent. However, the reduced control instrument on the left handlebar grip is well done. Although only the battery charge level and assistance level can be read, operation is simple and intuitive.
The Zündapp clearly shows the need to economise in this price range. The equipment consists largely of cheaply produced mass-produced goods, and the visually attractive frame reveals clear weaknesses in the details. If you value quality and durability and want sensitive, easily adjustable motor support for cycling, you will have to spend considerably more money.
Test data for the Zündapp Green 4.0
Frame Aluminium
Circuit Shimano Altus, 42-34-24; 7-speed, 18-24
Brakes V-Brake, Promax
Drive/battery Trio HR hub / 363 Wh
Weight 23.6 kg
Price 900 Euro
Info www.real.de
PLUS Processing frame, operating instrument
MINUS Frame stiffness, asymmetrical handlebars, very simple equipment
