Ellipse is a small Trojan bicycle company launched in 2020 with a business focused mainly on companies needing bicycles for their employees. I tested the first model which did well in its open frame version, its suspended fork and its chain transmission.
To test this “two” version, I made a 180° turnaround. Understand that we are talking about a closed frame, a single-speed belt transmission and a rigid fork. The promise of an easy-to-use and agile urban bike is there. It remains to be seen whether it holds up.
Context of the essay
Several weeks spent riding this Ellipse E2. It was used as an urban bike but it was necessarily entitled to various test courses, including the famous protocol aimed at testing peak power performance. I weigh around 95 kg and the weather was rather cool, but positive (around 5°C).
An à la carte configuration
Ellipse’s strength is customization, with no fewer than 12,000 combinations claimed. The Price thus ranges from 2,490 euros to 3,108 euros with the two baskets, the suspended fork, the personalized color, the Thule bags, the central stand (at 39 euros and useful) and the luggage rack with integrated brake light and indicator reminders.
Once you have chosen your frame type, you move on.
Ellipse relies on a small à la carte configuration. Starting with the color: white, blue and black are free. The other 12 colors are to order and require an additional 48 euros. A trifle considering the palette offered.
The handlebars are either straight or curved (cruiser) depending on your preferences. No additions here. Next comes the transmission. No extras here either. You opt for either a single-speed belt drive or a Shimano CUES 9-speed drivetrain in 11-36.
We finish with the fork. It is either rigid or suspended. In the second case, it will cost you 90 euros and you will have a Suntour SF15 Nex E25 offering 50 mm of travel. You will then move on to accessories and it can be quantified, without ever falling into the extreme.
Technical characteristics
- Carbon belt: single-speed, 52-tooth chainring, 20-tooth sprocket
- Chain: Shimano CUES 1×9 speed, single chainring 38 teeth, cassette 11-36 teeth
- Motor: Mivice M080 integrated into the rear wheel
- Power / torque: 250 W – 45 Nm
- Assistance: torque sensor, 3 levels (Eco, Normal, Boost)
- Battery: removable, 504 Wh
- Charging time: 6h30 (80% in 3h30)
- Announced autonomy: 60 to 110 km and 43 km measured
- Cadre : aluminium 6061 T6
- Rigid 6061 T6 aluminum fork or Suntour SF15 Nex E25 suspended fork (50 mm travel)
- Brakes: Shimano MT200 hydraulic discs, 160mm discs
- Tires: Continental Double Fighter III, puncture-proof, reflective stripes 584 X 50C
- Selle : Selle Royal Lookin en gel
- Rigid (350 mm) or suspended (350 mm or 450 mm) seat post
- Stem: adjustable 70mm (0–60°), SP Connect compatible
- Mudguard: matte black, compatible with tires up to 584 x 50C
- Kickstand: rear, adjustable, aluminum, black
Design: it’s very classic and versatile
There’s nothing incredible about the drawing. Very sober, with its smoothed welds, the aluminum frame sees the horizontal tube create a drop. The seatstays are rather thin and the downtube remains contained despite a deep recess for the 504 Wh battery (when we generally expect 325 Wh on this type of bike).
The bike is available in three sizes (S, M and L) for people ranging from 1.55m to 1.95m.
The handlebars have been the subject of particular care: adjustable in inclination, curved in our test model, it is adorned with small indicators at the ends, well made and robust, although not very visible during the day. They are activated by pressing the round black buttons on the handlebars.
The rear light is in two parts: a vertical LED line and a horizontal light. Our version of the minimalist pannier rack (79 euros) does not include the brake light with indicator reminder. An option at 135 euros, but elegant and effective.
The black mudguards contrast with the cold white of the model. The motor is housed discreetly in the rear wheel hub. The headlight integrated into the frame is nice and offers two types of lighting (position and direction). It is activated by pressing the two round buttons on the handlebars at the same time.
On top of this fine assembly are grafted a suspended Royal saddle (very comfortable) and huge, very versatile Continental Double Fighter II tires measuring 5 cm wide. The screen of this version 2 has been revised. In color and clickable, it benefits from very successful little animations.
The result lacks a wow factor, but shows no missteps. We might have liked a slightly more daring design. But then it’s difficult to resell that to companies.
Security by code
There is no power button to press. The “power” button located on the left edge of the screen is used to turn off the bike, but the latter goes into standby mode (allow for a maximum loss of 2% of battery per day). Just push it and it will unlock.
If you turn it off, you will then have to enter a code by playing with the two buttons on the handlebars to use it. Otherwise, it will sound louder and louder. Ellipse has also used anti-theft screws on all critical points of the bike.
Driving: light, maneuverable and playful
For a not-so-light weight, the Ellipse E2 demonstrates remarkable agility. Yet another reason to think carefully before succumbing to the suspended front fork, which adds weight.
The Mivice engine knows how to be discreet and its 45 Nm of torque offer a welcome thrust. The work on the responsiveness of the assistance pays off and no latency is to be deplored. The energy of the pedal stroke suffers little loss in our rigid configuration. But nothing to shout about without assistance. The fault lies with the tires which are still very wide and the 20 kg barrier has almost been crossed.
Braking is a breeze. Let’s say I’ve tried so many no-name or low-end solutions that Shimano’s MT200 and their 160mm discs act as Rolls. This means 95 kg of cyclist and 20 kg of bicycle launched at 25 km/h which stops in 3 meters maximum. The levers offer good progressivity and, in fact, offer a fine dosage. We don’t talk about it enough, but good braking is a real pleasure. By bike as well as by motorbike.
The handling is top notch, helped by these Continental Double Fighter II tires (which don’t “fight” anything at all) but which are a good compromise between robustness, rough terrain and road. But heavier wheels mean greater unsprung masses. That said, the maneuverability is there. The executive also plays a big role in this. Cycling is playful and allows you to have fun on the morning commute.
The saddle is deliciously soft and the suspended stem greatly reduces vibrations.
Assistance offering three “real” levels
The audience deserves its paragraph. The first remarkable point comes from the responsiveness of the engine when requested and we talked about it previously.
The second point is audience segmentation. In Eco mode, you can ride and pump up the cardio a bit. In Normal mode, you ride normally with little effort. In Turbo mode, the effort is almost non-existent.
But that’s on flat ground. With the belt, on a slightly steep climb, you will have to put yourself in a dancer’s position and strain your calves. Moral: if you live in a hilly environment, even slightly, you will have to opt for the chain transmission version. Especially since this Shimano CUES 11-36T 9-speed kit will not cost you more.
Autonomy: from fair to very good
Actual range in cool conditions with a 95 kg rider on the saddle is 43 km in boost mode. You will be able to gain 7-8 km more in normal mode.
However, I noticed that the battery drops quickly as soon as we drop below 25%. In return, the power does not weaken until the last drop of electrons. Charging took me about 6 hours. It was a long time for a 3 A charger. But the autonomy being correct, it can still be fine.
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