Is the Gazelle Arroyo C7+ elite a good bike to buy slightly used?

[BikesAndStuff]

Hi,

I wondered if I could ask for advice about e-bikes?

I need to buy an e-bike to take DS to his new school daily for the next year. He can manage on a normal bike but I will need an e-bike to keep up.

I saw this bike used in the right size (XL) for £1600 and it looks good.

I just wondered if you think it is okay?

We read the manual and the main difficulty seems to be that it's hard to remove the computer from the bike if it needs to be protected from rain or freezing weather.

I would also need to remove the battery and bring it into the house and keep it between 30% and 70% charged even when it is out of use for a long time, in order to keep it working.

I also can't exactly work out how to buy a replacement battery if it wears out, or how to stop people from pinching the battery when the bike is parked in the street.

I wondered if anybody might know anything about e-bikes and be able to give advice?

I like the Gazelle, because I am used to a bike with an extremely upright sitting position with reflex handlebars and this particular used bike is almost identical in frame shape to my manual that I've been riding for 20 years.

The bike I am looking at is the same as described in this web page:
https://electricbikereview.com/gazelle/arroyo-c7-hmb-elite/

Thanks!

I'm not familiar with this particular bike but presumably if the battery is removable it locks in place? My DH has an ebike with a battery that can be removed and you need a key to get it out - his has a two stage lock in fact - so I don't think anyone would be able to steal the battery without a key.
I would think you would need to get a new battery from a dealer if it failed though to be honest that might be nearly as much as the bike is worth as the battery is one of the most expensive parts of an e bike. It's something that would put me off buying second hand a bit to be honest and I'm normally a big advocate of buying used where possible. But if you buy a second hand ebike you don't know how well the battery has been cared for and though it's unlikely that a reputable brand of battery will fail it's going to be expensive to replace if it does. Do you know how old the bike you're looking at is and if it is still under warranty? I'd also ask the seller where it was bought from. If it was from a shop local to you it is likely to be easier to get it serviced and repairs done than if it was bought online or from somewhere at the opposite end of the country. Some bike shops won't deal with ebike brands that they don't sell, or at least not ones with a different battery/motor configuration to the ones they sell so you're sensible to consider where you'd get work done were it needed.

Thank you that's is good to know.

It does lock the battery. The man rang back.

He says they were trade-ins in good condition.

He says the batteries all charge to above 90% and have had fewer than 20 charging cycles.

I will ring a local shop and ask if they do services for such a bike.
Thanks!

I have a Gazelle e-bike (different model) and it's fantastic. Really good quality bikes. Go for it!
If your employer offers the cycle to work scheme, you could use that to buy it and save £££.

Thank you very much, that's really good to know.

I think I just need to work out what size of frame I need now. The man is measuring a large and an XL to see which is closest to the right size for me.

I figured out that brand new the bike would be about £4000 so the used one is looking like a very good buy. It's about £600 for a replacement battery.

I have a Gazelle e bike and it’s fabulous. They are amazing quality. That said, unless you are tall I would expect the XL to be way too big!

Thanks, the question of L or XL is the very important one. The man has two used bikes, sized L and XL.

I'm looking for on that is 100cm to the top of the saddle, and 110cm to the handlbars from the ground. Then about 40cm from the front tip of the saddle, to the end of the handle bar. The man said he will measure to see which is good.

My inside leg is 35" from crotch to floor in flat shoes.

If you have any idea what I'd fit, I'd be really grateful to know.

I'm 5' 10" tall.

Thanks!

The Gazelle website says that if I am in between sizes, which I am, then it's the length that I need to reach forward with my arms that matters. I don't want to reach far, which is why I am looking for one with reflex handbars.

Bear in mind that Gazelle bikes are Dutch and the sizing is huge. I'm 5'8 and I got a medium which still feels very big. At 5'10 I think you will need a large.

Are there any Gazelle stockists local to you? If so you should test ride some (even if they're different models) to try them for size.

Thanks, that's really good to know. I just went and looked through the window of our local bike shop and it's closed but I can see that they have a Gazelle bike just like the one I want to buy inside, though in a smaller size. I will go and visit when they are open.

You can find stockists here:
https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-gb/bike-store
When I bought mine, I rang round a few local shops to see which models and sizes they had.

Hi,

I went to the shop today and the bike they have there is absolutely lovely.

It's a Gazelle bloom C310 with a 60nm motor and a 500wh battery.

It really goes well in turbo mode but I am wondering whether it would have a decent range if I ride it in turbo mode all the time.

I wondered if anybody might know? The ranges given online seem to imply that it might only have a 30 miles range in that setting and I suppose that might get less as the battery wears.

I generally don't cycle more then 10 miles in a day on my manual bike.

I wondered if anybody might know what the reality is for the range of such a bike?

Thanks!

That's my bike! It is a wonderful bike but it's really heavy. I bought it because I needed to put a child on the back, so it had to be strong enough to carry the extra weight. But I really want a lighter bike for journeys without DC!

If you won't be carrying a child or heavy cargo, I'd go for one of the lighter Gazelle models.

Thanks that's good to know. I had been thinking that tbh. All the ebikes seem to be extremely heavy. It's okay when they're chugging along like a car, but it seems like it would be hard to drag them upstairs or bump them into the box in our garden where they are stored.

Do you have any idea of which gazelle you would buy instead?

Probably the Paris, as it's their lightest e-bike.
https://www.gazellebikes.com/en-gb/advice/electric-bike/weight

The manufacturer's website suggests the 504 Wh version has a range of 65km in the highest assistance level and 150km in the lowest. That is an absolutely HUGE range! Unless you're planning on undertaking some long distance routes with no access to charging you really have nothing to worry about. And I doubt you'd be able to find anything with a significantly bigger range anyway.

As a comparison, my ebike does around 70km on a full charge ridden mainly in it's lowest setting and it only has a maximum of 40Nm torque. Admittedly mine weighs 11kg as opposed to the one you're looking at which is over 27kg so I don't need as much torque, but honestly, the probability of you ever running out of assistance with that monster battery when you only ride about 15km a day is virtually zero. I doubt you'll often need to charge it to 100% and in fact on that kind of usage you probably shouldn't as as you correctly mentioned earlier it's not good for the battery to leave it fully charged for long periods.
Obviously mine's a very different bike but I find the predicted range to be pretty much spot on, and I've had mine nearly 5 years now. Obviously it's a bit lower in the Winter and I get a few bonus km on a hot Summer day but on average it does what the manufacturer says it will. With a good brand I think you can rely on the predictions to be fairly close to reality.
Personally, if you aren't proposing to do more than short trips, I'd probably look for something lighter with less range. A bike with a long range has to be heavier because the battery makes up a considerable amount of the weight, and the longer the range, the bigger the battery. So if you don't actually need that range I'd probably shop around for something lighter. It's not so much riding a heavy ebike that's a problem - the assistance will compensate for that - but living with it. Will you ever want to put it in a car or on a carrier, lift it up steps etc? My DH's e MTB is about 24kg and I can't lift it. Obviously it's a personal choice and a bike that's great for one person will be a nightmare for another, but just something to think about.

Gazelle bikes are good quality. Are you sure you need an XL? They're a Dutch brand, so a tall person means +2m.

Thanks, this is really helpful.

I figured out that 49 size was okay ish, partly because the handle bar on the Bloom is really tall and long. I think a 53 would be better, but I definitely don't need a XL or even a large.

@MrsAvocet do you have any idea of what sort of lighter ebike might be good? The bloom is very heavy and very long. I can imagine that it might be quite a problem lugging it around the place. I have to take it up a set of stairs on the new commute and while it does have a slope for bikes at the side, I do think that it could be difficult. It's also very expensive to buy at nearly £3k

If you have an idea of what would be a lighter bike, preferably cheaper, with an upright riding position and ideally somewhat swept back handlebars, i'd be really glad to know. Thanks!

My son reminds me that I actually tried the Paris in the shop. It has the Bosch motor and I really very much prefer the shimano motor.

I'm looking for a bgike the same shape as this, but with a shimano motor.

Mine is 100cm to the saddle, 110cm to the handlebar and 40cm from the front tip of the saddle to the tip of the handlebar. I'd be really grateful for any ideas.

Thanks!

Not really my type of bike sorry @BikesAndStuff mine's a road bike with drop handlebars, but a quick Google found this that comes in at a very respectable 17.5kg. It's a hub motor which will feel quite a bit different to the mid motor you've probably tried and it probably won't feel like it's "helping" as much - but 10kg less weight will offset that.
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-urban-al-e/

I don't know about weight, but ebikes outsell manuals in NL so all the brands do upright "grandma" bikes. It's just a question of what you can get in the UK. Try looking at the specs for Cortina, BSP, Batavus, Popal, Cube etc.

Hi,

I wondered if you think this is a good bike?

https://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/bikes/electric-bikes/gazelle-ultimate-c5-hmb-625wh-low-step-electric-bike-anthracite-grey_13195

I went to a good shop near to me and they figured out what size I am and they are ordering this one.

It was terribly rushed as I had ASD teen DS in tow and he was cracking up wth the stress of it.

I just wondered if you think I made a decent decision? They said bosch motors are good because it is easy to get parts if they go wrong, and the belt is good because it won't wear out the cogs like a chain would.

The engine is strong and the battery is big and the bike has clicky gears rather than enviolo ones which seemed to be easier to turn.

I'm not sure why it was 22% off but that seemed like a good thing.

They said they can change the handlebars to more swept back ones.

I've to try it next Saturday. It feels terribly rushed for such an important decision but I have no time at all because of caring responsibilities. Have to get an electric bike so I can get ASD DS to more distant school next academic year.

I would be very grateful to know if you think this is sensible.

I measured my inside leg and my measurement comes out as a size 59 and the bike comes in 57 and 61. They are ordering a 57.

Sounds good to me. I understand it's stressful if you feel rushed with a relatively big decision but try not to overthink it. It's a good bike and you need one so go with it.

Thank you very much. That is really helpful.