Elife Natural: ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

The Elife Natural has been built using a Steel frame that is comparatively lightweight, sturdy and durable. Being a folding bicycle with an adjustable handlebar and seatpost, the bicycle can be used by anyone between 5 feet and 6 feet 2 inches. This enables a rider to adjust the seat height and handlebar height based on the geometry of their body and their ideal riding position. The Elife Natural comes with a basic Suspension fork which is able to handle pot holes and bad roads with ease.The bicycle comes with an integrated rear carrier with an elastic luggage cord and attached steel mudguards.

The Elife Natural has a 10-second easy fold frame design, with easy to use levers that enable a quick tool-free folding experience. An easy to operate folding frame ensures quick and hassle-free portability and storage.

Designing folding bicycles involves an intricate thought process in order to make the bicycle as compact as possible, while delivering on performance. Additionally, an E-Bicycle that is foldable adds to the complexity of the design process. Hence, a folding E-Bike might come across as odd-looking when seen for the first time. That said, the Elife Natural is a great looking E-bicycle that is available in three colour options - Glossy Black with Blue/Green graphics, Glossy Blue with Blue/Green graphics and Glossy Grey with Red/White graphics. The placement of the battery pack behind the seat tube gives the bicycle a slightly ‘chunky’ look. However, this does not affect the performance or design of the bicycle significantly.

The Elife Natural comes equipped with a Shimano Tourney 6-Speed rear derailleur whose shifting is controlled by a Shimano EasyFire trigger shifter. The shifting was crisp and precise with no evident lag. E-bicycles that combine the use of gears with the pedal assist mode ensure increased control while pedaling at higher speeds.

The Elife Natural comes equipped with a brushless DC motor that is located on the hub of the rear wheel. This motor is waterproof and is powered by a rechargeable 36 Volt Lithium-ion battery, with a capacity of 10Ah, which delivers additional battery power assistance when pedalling. This bicycle comes equipped with Electric Pedal Assist technology that has 3 distinguished power assistance modes - Low, Medium and High. The LED controller unit on the handlebar has buttons for the 3 pedal assist, walk mode and a battery level indicator.

A single full charge of this battery enables a mileage of 40-60 kilometers. (These mileages are an estimate, and may differ slightly with varied riding conditions). The battery is placed, vertically, behind the seat tube of the bicycle, and can be easily detached and charged. The battery is safely secured to the bicycle, and requires a key to be detached. The average battery life is estimated to be 3-4 years.

When on the test ride, I found that the pick up offered by the pedal assist was evident from the first pedal stroke, and there was a noticeable change in power offered by each level of assist when using the three different assist options available.

The Elife Natural comes Power V-Brakes. The stopping power offered enables safe and stable braking, even at speeds of 20 to 25kmph. The brake levers are well placed and require only two to three fingers to operate. The bar grips are ergonomically designed with extended palm support that ensures added comfort.

The bicycle is equipped with a 580mm Alloy folding handlebar whose height is adjustable. The width of the handlebar enables a relaxed and comfortable riding position while ensuring additional control and manoeuvrability of the bicycle. While maneuvering through crowded, busy urban riding conditions, the bicycle handled well, with adequate and quick responses.

The Elife Natural comes equipped with Kenda 20” x 1.75” tires that are attached to 20” Alloy rims. The width of the wheels ensure optimum comfort and stability required for city commutes. The treading on the tires ensure great grip and stability on uneven roads. It is no doubt that the treading will allow for adequate control and grip while riding on wet surfaces. The dimensions of the tire allows for smooth rolling even over bumpy city roads laden with potholes and loose sand.

The stock PU saddle is well cushioned, and has an ideal length and width to ensure comfort, even when on longer rides. Furthermore, the QR on the seat post enables easy adjustment of the saddle height while on the go.