Willier Cento1Hybrid bicycle joins the mighty Pcad Peloton Fleet. About 27 lbs., so it's heavy for a modern road bicycle, but it's the lightest e-bike currently made. 250w of assistance (there are three levels controlled by a button on the top tube). It flattens the hills big time (motor is in the rear hub, it only provides assistance when you are pedaling). Rides more or less like a real road bike, but you do feel the extra 10lbs. No worries, 250w is enough to offset 50+ extra pounds let alone 10.
It doesn't look like an e-bike at all. I've never had disc brakes on a road bicycle, they're great. I'm sure they will be MUCH better in the wet. You can ride this e-bike in the rain, the owner's manual says that, but you wouldn't want to immerse it in water. I would take this out on a some wet days, but not if it's really hammering rain.
I only use the assistance on upgrades. The manufacturer claims that the assistance only works up to 16mph, but on the first ride it was consistently providing juice @ speeds of up to 19-22 mph which was a very pleasant surprise. BIG fun to ride - you may burn slightly fewer calories per mile, but it makes you want to go farther and harder, so I felt I got a a workout similar to my regular bicycles. Maybe better just because it's such a blast.
Pretty nice spec, the newest Ultegra (this bike has mechanical, not electronic shifting) is very slick stuff. The only disappointment is aluminum rims. I would have rather paid $200 more and gotten carbon rims, but I'm sure the high end bicycle mail order boys @ Competitive Cyclist were trying to keep the retail price under $6K and so they did. The price on these will drop and the selection will broaden, EVERYBODY is going to have to make these bikes, many are coming out, some are way pricier. They'll come down within a year or two.
A very impressive and slick for an early offering in this space, these are going to be the hot velo retail trend in the next few years. When some local fatso drops you on that hill, they may be engaged in mechanical doping like your Uncle Pcad.
Bike weenie heaven, at least for a while.
