Test Pegasus Opero SL: It's getting tight for expensive trekking bikes, because more and more users are switching to an e-bike. Cheaper models have it easier - especially if they are equipped above the class average like the Pegasus Opero SL and are proven to be stable and safe.
Around 600.000 e-bikes were sold in Germany in 2016; E-bikes already have a 15% share of the entire bicycle market. Experts estimate that their market share will double in the long term - almost every third new bike would then have an electric motor. Conversely, this means that the sales figures for conventional bicycles are declining. The total volume of the market changes little - a good four million new bikes are sold in Germany every year, and despite the e-bikes, there are no more.
The main victims of the boom are upper-class trekking bikes in the price range from 1.200 euros upwards. If you want to invest a four-digit sum anyway, you are more willing to pay a lot more - with good advice from the dealer, the new trekking bike often becomes a new e-bike. However, the trekking bike is not threatened with extinction. The all-rounders still make up almost a third of the total market, only that sales are increasingly taking place in the middle price range. The customers here are perhaps less well-heeled, but still demanding: the new bike has to work reliably and, if possible, it should also have the latest technology.
Anyone who wants to spend, say, 750 euros will have to search for a long time to find a suitable provider – and on the other hand, they might only go to the nearest bicycle shop, because the Pegasus brand is a label of the dealer association ZEG in almost 1.000 There you'll find, for example, the Pegasus Opero SL, offered at a permanent special price of €749—a bit confusing, perhaps, but considering the features, it's really good value, as a trekking bike with disc brakes is usually at least €150 more expensive.
Pegasus Opero SL – with the trekking bike to the test laboratory
What's so special about the inexpensive Trekker, and what can it withstand? In cooperation with the renowned Velotech.de testing institute, we subjected the Pegasus Opero SL to extensive laboratory testing in order to be able to make reliable statements about function and stability. On the one hand, we were interested in the function of the said disc brakes, which already cut a good figure in practice: on the road, they stand out due to their controllability and braking power at a high level; However, things get exciting on the test bench, because this is the only place where the actual maximum braking force can be determined. And it's enormous: when braking in the wet, the Shimano BR-M365 exceeds the DIN-EN standard for trekking bikes twice as much, and it's almost as good in the dry. And the much stricter Velotech test standard also easily manages the brake, which cannot be said of every disc brake. Even with heavy luggage bags, the bike can be stopped safely - an important criterion in the trekking segment, and older types of rim brakes, which are often found on inexpensive trekking bikes, cannot be satisfactory here.
You shouldn't expect expensive components à la Shimano Deore and upwards on a bike in this price range - but they do function well. The 3×8 derailleur gears offer a mix of different Shimano components from Alivio to Tourney, which at least harmonize well when new. Shifting is smooth and precise; Whether the cheap design has to be paid for with higher wear in the long term depends heavily on the conditions of use. With a 12-32 sprocket cassette, the range of gear ratios is large; compared to the 3×10 system, the gradation is of course somewhat coarser.
The bike is exemplary for its price range in terms of lighting: the Fuxon headlight is attractively bright with 30 lux; apart from long-distance night driving at high speed, you hardly need more light in any situation. The narrow rear light fits snugly into the luggage rack and doesn't protrude - so there's no risk of it bumping into anything or getting damaged in any way.
In general, the carrier: It is not screwed on, but firmly welded to the frame, which on the one hand looks good, but on the other hand ensures great stability. Incidentally, this design was adopted from pedelecs with luggage rack batteries. The suspension fork, painted in the same color as the frame, looks like it was made for the white Pegasus. 50 mm spring deflection may not be the world, but the fork still has a sensitive response and absorbs shocks and vibrations; it can also absorb shocks that follow one another in rapid succession. A rather simple but effective spring support complements the fork; especially in view of the upright sitting position, this is comfortable and easy on the back. The cockpit is also a success with a very strongly curved handlebar and ergo grips; hands that have gone to sleep and tense shoulders are not to be feared, even on longer distances. The saddle is also very comfortable. The Ahead stem attached to the steerer tube, which is very practical in terms of maintenance and replacement, is good and not common in this price range.
The fact that the parking stand is attached just behind the bottom bracket makes sense if the bike is mainly used in everyday life: then it is pretty stable. If you drive a lot with luggage, you should attach the stand to the rear strut - the corresponding threaded holes are available.
Pegasus Opero SL frame passes all laboratory tests with flying colours
Apart from such subtleties, the driving characteristics are of course what count most, and here the Opero offers solid quality. It rolls lightly and briskly; at high speed, the wheel goes straight ahead smoothly and stably. Good to know, because stability and durability are topics that interest almost every cyclist. A bike like the Opero, which is just as suitable as a perfect all-rounder for everyday use as it is for longer tours and sporty rides, should last a few years, right? Apart from the expected wear and tear of various components (tyres, rim and chain, brake pads), which can be easily replaced, the question of the lifespan of a bicycle frame keeps coming up, and Velomotion has looked into this topic in cooperation with Velotech.de.
Velotech boss Ernst Brust, a sworn bicycle expert, examined the durability of the Opero on various test benches. Thousands of kilometers over bumpy ground were simulated on the dynamometer, other test setups were used to simulate forces acting on the fork, such as those that occur in a frontal impact or extreme braking manoeuvres, and loads caused by the driver's weight. The fact that the frame and components of the Pegasus have withstood all the tortures without complaint is gratifying, but not surprising: We know from practice that bicycle frames last for decades, provided they are not subjected to extreme loads - for example as a result of certain fall scenarios.
So if a solid, well-designed aluminum frame like that of the Opero is discarded at some point, it will be more likely because it looks old – or because its owner wants to switch to an e-bike after all. Maybe on the Opero E, which shares details such as the frame-mounted carrier and various components with the non-motorized version.
