Ninety One Meraki Ultra 27.5T: ChooseMyBicycle Expert Review

The Ninety One Meraki Ultra 27.5T is built on a full Alloy frame. This model is the highest in terms of specs in the current Meraki Electric Bicycle range. The frame geometry was standard with a downward slanting top tube which gives the rider that extra bit of standover clearance and the overall shape of the frame helped with having an upright posture which was perfect for fitness rides and commutes.

The Zoom front suspension fork comes with an 80mm travel which is more than ideal to tackle the bumps and speed breakers on City roads. A suspension lock-out would have been a useful addition for the price of this E-Bicycle.

The Meraki Ultra 27.5T which we test rode came in a full Black primary colour on the frame with Fluorescent Yellow, Grey and Blue as the secondary colours for the graphics. The matte finish paint job was of great quality with a smooth premium finish to it. The semi-integrated battery is the best design feature on the Meraki Ultra. The seamlessly designed battery sits in the carved down bottom tube and merges with it seamlessly, without any outside protrusions. The front LED light was had a simple and neat design and a useful safety addition on this E-Bicycle. This front LED light is powered by the E-Bicycle’s battery.

This Electric Bicycle comes with a 1x7-Speed drivetrain with a Shimano Acera rear derailleur. Whilst it is not a compulsion to have gears on an Electric Bicycle, it does come off use when wanting match the electric speed of the E-Bicycle with the pedalling cadence. It also helps when you run out of battery power during a ride as the gears help in controlling the pressure you want to put into pedalling. The 7-Speed Shimano Acera rear derailleur was smooth in shifting during the test ride. This Acera rear derailleur is controlled by Shimano’s 7-Speed SIS shifter.

The Ninety One Meraki Ultra 27.5T Electric Bicycle runs on a rear hub BLDC 36V 250W rear hub motor. This motor is powered by a 9.6 Ah Lithium-ion battery. This battery is semi-integrated on the frame, on a carved bottom tube which makes it easy to install and remove. The throttle on the right grip was easy to use and also brought out the fun factor on this E-Bicycle. The 5 level pedal assist gives five different levels of power assist from the battery for each pedal. The LCD controller on the left side of the handlebar has the On/Off button for the display and shows trip distance, total distance, average speed and current speed. The maximum speed using battery power is 25Km/hr.

With 1 full charge this battery is capable of giving up to 45-50kms in Pedal Assist mode and 25-27kms if used only in Throttle mode. These mileages might differ a bit with the varied riding conditions, and rider weight. This battery takes 4.5-5 hours to charge from 0 to 100% with any normal Indian plug point. The charging point is on the battery pack itself and is easy to charge as this is a detachable battery.

This Electric Bicycle’s stopping power is controlled by Logan branded Mechanical Disc brakes at the front and rear. Both these brake were powerful enough to get the E-Cycle to stop safely and quickly even at 20-25 Km/hr.

The Alloy riser handlebar on this E-Bicycle along with an adjustable stem made it perfect for the rider to get a comfortable riding posture. The grip throttle on the right was smooth and easy to accelerate.

The 27.5” x 2.1” Hartex Urban tires on the Meraki Ultra were fast rolling on smooth and rough urban roads whilst being perfectly suited for an Electric Bicycle moving at 25km/hr. The width and treads were perfect to give good traction on wet roads.

The Saddle on this Electric Bicycle had a padded cushion which makes it as good as having an external gel/foam seat cover. Rest assured there will be no saddle soreness while riding the Meraki Ultra Electric Bicycle.