Market: The manufacturer Riese & Müller, based in the south of Hesse, made a name for itself a few years ago with its Birdy folding bike, which was revolutionary at the time. We took a closer look at the Riese & Müller e-bike product range, which now has more than a dozen models.
As different as the bikes in the portfolio of the Südhessen from Riese & Müller may be, they all have something in common: their own character. The company, which was founded in Darmstadt in 1993, stood for its standard-setting folding bike Birdy for a long time and later for its cargo bikes. It was one of the first manufacturers to recognize the opportunities offered by e-mobility and backed the e-bike card early on. There are now around a dozen different e-bike models, from compact city runabouts to dual-battery e-fully bikes.
Countless equipment variants for (almost) all requirements
Another special feature of the German manufacturer is its extensive range of different equipment variants for the respective models. While most of the competition is limited to installing the essentially identical parts in different high-quality versions, at Riese & Müller customers have a much wider range of possible configurations for their desired bike. Almost all models are available with derailleur and hub gears, with the latter often using the stepless NuVinci hub. High-quality models even have premium gears from Rohloff.
E-bike tour and everyday life: Test: Riese and Müller Charger Mountain - SUV or off-roader?
We got the Riese and Müller Charger Mountain for a test. SUV or off-roader? I drove the Charger more than 100 kilometers on forest, gravel and bike paths to put it to the test. This is how R+M marketing man Tobias Spindler describes the target group of the Riese and Müller Charger Mountain: price, design and quality conscious […]
Riese & Müller Control Technology: Fullies for everyone!
Full-suspension bikes are naturally more at home in the MTB sector, and full-suspension bikes suitable for city use are among the absolute exotics on the bike market. Of course, this type of bike shows its full strengths off-road, but a walk through any city center of the republic shows that there is also a need for suspension on the rear wheel on the street. You won't have to search long before you come across the first MTB fully, often misused with plug-in mudguards, a luggage rack on the seat post and a cumbersome clip-on light. Some don't want to do without the comfort of a full-suspension bike in the city - no wonder, given the condition of most cycle paths - others, on the other hand, depend on it for health reasons.
Riese & Müller has taken this to heart and relies on Control Technology for a large proportion of its bikes: This is the name of the in-house fullies, which in most cases were primarily designed for use on the road. The concept also includes, for example, that the luggage rack is connected to the main frame instead of to the rear frame as usual - this way, the luggage is spared the vibrations of the ground.
All Riese & Müller e-bikes at a glance
The Riese & Müller Delite is primarily a platform for a powerful tourer, which can even come with an optional second battery, giving it enormous staying power. When it comes to the drive, you are spoiled for choice between hub gears from NuVinci or Rohloff and classic derailleur gears from Shimano. Five models also support up to 45km/h, so they are real S-Pedelecs.
MTB fans will also get their money's worth with the Delite Mountain. The E-Fully comes with powerful tires, Bosch Performance CX drive and Fox Float 34 suspension fork with 120mm, which together with the 100mm spring travel at the rear makes the tourer a mountain bike suitable for trails.
Prices: from €4.799 (Delite Touring) or €5.299 (Delite Mountain)
Anyone who claims that full-suspension bikes aren't an advantage in the city probably doesn't know most of the country's cycle paths: If you're fed up with being regularly jolted by potholes or bumpy cobblestone paths, you should take a look at the Riese & Müller Homage: The hybrid of mountain bike and city bike combines the advantages of both worlds - a potent chassis with active rear wheel suspension and powerful disc brakes meet city-suitable tires, fixed mudguards and lighting and a practical, sprung luggage rack. The Homage is also available as a fast S-Pedelec.
Prices: from €4.699
The Culture is the ultimate classic in the Riese & Müller range and will of course remain in place in 2017. It has a lot in common with the Homage, including the full-suspension frame and low step-through. Instead of a down tube battery, the Culture uses an energy store integrated in the luggage rack, which creates even more space for easy entry and also looks quite elegant.
The Culture is only available with hub gears, but customers can choose between Shimano, NuVinci and Rohloff. Everything is also possible with the drives, from the tame Bosch Active Cruise to the poisonous Performance CX.
Prices: from €3.999
The Avenue is something like the "E-Dutch bike" at Riese & Müller: upright, relaxed seating position, worry-free equipment for use in the city and on top of that there is the full-suspension frame, which only has a tired smile for potholes. The Avenue is available with either a Bosch Active or Bosch Performance Cruise drive, with hub gears from Shimano or NuVinci and is braked exclusively with hydraulic rim brakes from Magura.
Prices: from €3.999
Can it be a size smaller? With its 20″ wheels and compact frame, the Kendu is still a rather rare type of e-compact bike. Despite the small dimensions, you don't have to do without comfort: the Kendu also comes with a full-suspension frame. An extra-long seat post and the extendable and foldable handlebar make the little speedster suitable for body sizes from 1,50m to 1,95m.
Prices: from €4.299
The Riese & Müller Charger is the jack of all trades in the Südhessen range and is offered in three variants as the Charger GX, Charger Mixte and Charger. The bikes have the award-winning frame in common, which not only has a unique design language but can also accommodate maintenance-free belt drives thanks to the raised chainstay. The Charger basic model is also available as an S-Pedelec and is a comfortable hardtail that is ready for (almost) any area of use - especially since comfort lovers can also opt for wide, semi-fat 27,5 tires instead of 29 inches.
With an optional second battery, front rack and Schwalbe MTB tires suitable for off-road use, the Charger GX is aimed at long-distance tourers for whom a bike is more than just a means of transport: it is the perfect travel companion. With the Charger Mixte there is also a variant with a trapezoidal frame and a low entry.
Prices: from €3.199
The Riese & Müller Roadster is the perfect bike for those who like it fast and classic. Traditional frame shape meets functional equipment and optionally also lightning-fast S-Pedelec drive from Bosch, which only turns off the tap from 45km/h. Disc brakes are installed on every model - the city model relies on a gear hub, while the two sporty touring variants come with a Shimano derailleur gear.
Prices: from €2.799
The eye goes along - also with the e-bike and also in the city. The Riese & Müller Cruiser attracts curious looks with its leather saddle and handles and the beige Schwalbe tires. With its sporty, comfortable geometry and functional equipment including luggage rack and lighting system. The Cruiser is also available as an S-Pedelec for those who want to travel in style, but also at high speed.
Prices: from €2.799
Sporty step-through? Sounds kinda weird? That's true - but with the new Nevo, Riese & Müller shows that bikes with a low step-through can also have a sporty look and orientation. The frame pleases with its clear lines and an overall simple and reduced design. The omission of a chainstay allows the installation of a maintenance-free belt drive and with a suspension fork and sprung seat post, comfort is not neglected either.
Prices: from €3.099
With the Riese & Müller Swing, the name says it all: The curved frame shape catches the eye right away, which thanks to the internally routed cables is not disturbed by tangled cables. A comfortable seating position, suspension seat post and large-volume Big Ben tires from Schwalbe ensure sofa-like comfort. The Swing comes exclusively with hub gears, either from Shimano or Nuvinci and hydraulic rim brakes from Magura.
Prices: from €2.799
The Tinker is a no-nonsense compact bike with 20″ tires, luggage rack and modern design. Disc brakes bring the space-saving bike to a standstill at any time and the optional belt drive makes chain lubrication a pale memory. The Tinker Touring HS is also one of the very few S-Pedelecs in a compact format in the range. Perfect for the commuters of this world.
Prices: from €2.999
