Test: The third generation of the compact folding e-bike GoCycle G3 is coming onto the market this year, but it hasn't lost any of its fascination even a few years after its launch. The bike is radically different from the competition in many ways – you can find out in our test whether that is more of an advantage or a disadvantage.
GoCycle G3: Breaking Convention
It's been 15 years since the GoCycle story began. Richard Thorpe, then an engineer in the Formula 1 department of the car manufacturer McLaren, turned to new tasks, left his dream job behind and developed his vision of the perfect, compact bicycle. In his 1-room apartment in central London, the Brit tinkered and tinkered - he deliberately did not follow the existing conventions of the bicycle industry, tried out new things and of course also brought the corresponding know-how from his previous career with him.
This is how the first prototypes of the GoCycle came about – with these in his luggage, Richard set out on a journey around the world and presented the concept to manufacturers of the bicycle industry, large and small. However, the response was similar everywhere: Interesting concept, but not feasible. But the man behind GoCycle didn't let this setback get him down. He founded his company Karbon Kinetics Ltd. and further developed his vision with some employees. In 2009 the time had come: The GoCycle G1 was presented to the world public as a revolutionary compact e-bike at the time.
A few years have passed since then and the basic concept has not changed since then. With the GoCycle G3, the third version of the compact and foldable e-bike is now available, which we were able to take a closer look at during a test. And so much right away: The GoCycle is different than any bike that we have gotten our hands on so far.
GoCycle G3: innovation and high-tech in a stylish package
To be honest, with the GoCycle you don't really know where to start with the special features. However, the frame takes up the most space, so we'll take care of it first. During the first hands-on test, even our experienced testers found it difficult to precisely identify the material. Somehow it already feels like metal - but overall it's too light for that. carbon? No, that doesn't go with the cold feeling in your fingers either. The frame of the GoCycle is made entirely of magnesium - apart from a few exotic ones a few years ago, this is a real novelty on the bicycle market. The fact that the frame shape also deviates from any known standard is almost irrelevant here. Incidentally, not only is the battery in the main frame, all the cables and all the electronics are also hidden in the elegant magnesium housing.
The rear end is no less remarkable. Not only does it have a suspension for more comfort, but the complete drive also disappears inside: chain ring, chain, hub - everything is invisible and well protected inside. GoCycle calls this technology CleanDrive, which is more than a technical feasibility study and for many solves one of the problems that is probably almost as old as the bicycle itself: occasional riders, commuters and city bikers in particular are often annoyed by the dirty drive and oil stains on their pants , which sometimes can hardly be avoided. All of that is a thing of the past with the GoCycle. In addition, the drive is perfectly protected from the weather, runs more quietly and therefore only needs to be serviced very rarely.
But let's get back to the suspension, or the chassis as a whole. A rather simple damping is used both at the rear and at the front, which - appropriate to the area of application - is not a case for real terrain, but absorbs shocks and vibrations and makes the driving experience more pleasant and safer.
GoCycle G3: PitStop wheels made of magnesium, electronic-mechanical shifting and disc brakes
So much for the frame – next feature: the wheels. At 20 inches, they are quite compact and, like the frame, are made entirely of magnesium. The small wheels not only benefit visually, but are also extremely light. If you're already flabbergasted - hold on tight, because the real highlight of the wheels is yet to come. Unlike other bikes, these are not fastened with quick releases or thru axles, but with the in-house PitStop technology. After releasing three small levers and turning the fastening disk, the impeller can be easily pulled off to the side. Since not only the actual gear hub, but also the brake discs are not attached directly to the wheel, the front and rear wheels are not only interchangeable, but can also be used in no time at all without much tinkering. Chapeau GoCycle, that's an incredibly well-designed system!
While we're on the subject of the wheels, a few words about the brakes and gears. As you can easily see, disc brakes are installed on the GoCycle at the front and rear. However, the discs sit behind an inconspicuous cover, are well protected and remain on the frame after the wheels have been removed. This has a number of direct advantages: during transport, the panes, which are otherwise quite susceptible, do not bend so quickly, and it is also almost impossible to cut yourself on them. The brake lines run completely inside the frame and handlebars.
The same applies to the gears: A Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub is used here, which is also located in the frame and not on the wheel. The actual mechanical hub is controlled by a separate GoCycle twist grip, which in turn works electronically. In practice, you have to imagine it like this: you turn the twist grip on the handlebars, which triggers an electronic signal, which in turn increases or decreases the tension. A unique feature is the speed-dependent circuit control. In English: If you are driving in third gear with the longest gear ratio and stop at a traffic light, the system automatically switches back to the lightest gear ratio.
GoCycle G3: stop - where's the engine?!
But wait a minute - isn't the GoCycle G3 an e-bike? That's right, it is! Anyone looking in vain for the motor shouldn't be surprised that they didn't find what they were looking for - it's located on the front wheel and is one of the smallest drives currently available. Despite this, the small powerhouse has an output of 250 watts and should also ensure a particularly harmonious driving experience, since you get a kind of all-wheel drive: The rear wheel is moved by muscle power, while the motor on the front wheel then also gets under your arms.
The necessary energy supply is guaranteed by a 300Wh battery, which is permanently installed in the frame and can only be charged there. The corresponding socket is located on the back of the seat tube and is protected by a rubber cover. With the included charger, it takes around six hours to charge the battery from 0 to 100%.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX2ZKl9zW90
The support performance can be set ex works in the two levels Eco and City. All you need to do is turn the handlebar grip briefly. However, that is not even half the truth, because a lot can still be adjusted to your own wishes using a smartphone. The corresponding GoCycle app is available for iOS and Android and, in addition to a simple display of some data such as kilometers driven, also allows the support performance of the drive to be individually adjusted. A graphical interface helps and after a few minutes it works quite well. For example, it is possible to configure how many watts of personal power are used and what percentage of the support power is switched on. An integrated power meter makes it possible.
Another nice feature is the ability to turn the connected smartphone into a bike computer with the app. In view of the otherwise very reduced cockpit - more on that in a moment - this is certainly a useful feature for some drivers.
GoCycle G3: daytime running lights and futuristic cockpit
Most of the changes compared to its predecessor, the GoCycle G3, are at handlebar height. On the front is an LED bar that stretches almost the entire width - called DRL (Daytime Running Light). This can be varied between two brightness levels using the twist grip on the handlebars. In the brightest level, the illumination is sufficient for paths that are not too dark and is certainly enough to be seen. But beware: According to German law, it does not replace the prescribed headlight.
On the driver's side, there are LEDs in the slightly transparent handlebars, which provide information about the battery charge level, the selected gear, the support power of the motor and the lighting level in Knightrider style. It's clean, minimalistic, but much less intuitive than conventional e-bike displays and not always easy to read in direct sunlight.
GoCycle G3: folding bike – or not?!
The GoCycle was originally designed as a folding bike and is often referred to as such in various reports. With the manufacturer itself, you can no longer see this quite so clearly. When asked if the GoCycle is a folding bike, the FAQ on the website states: “The GoCycle can be folded up small and stowed in a special bag. However, the GoCycle is not a bike that you should simply fold up on the platform or in the office.”
We can only agree with this official version: The bike can be disassembled quickly and easily, especially thanks to the PitStop wheels. After unlocking, the Clean Drive can be turned forwards, the handlebars fold down and the seat post comes down. The bike shrinks to compact dimensions and can easily be stowed in a small trunk. However, the whole procedure takes quite a while and even if the GoCycle is very light for an e-bike at 16,5 kg, you don't even carry it across town.
Where the concept works brilliantly is in the adaptability: According to the one-size-fits-all principle, only one frame size is offered and the handlebar adjustment (tilt and height) and the long seat post including the flat seat angle mean that the bike can also be adapted to tall riders . This works surprisingly well for our test rider, who is almost 1,90 m tall. A nice detail: the Allen key required for the support extension is on the underside of the saddle and is always with you.
GoCycle G3: Surprisingly natural driving experience - loud motor
With compact or folding bikes it's always one thing: A lot depends on a cleverly designed frame and the right, adjustable geometry. Despite all the technical frills and innovation, the GoCycle is first and foremost a bicycle with 20-inch wheels and only one frame size. But they did a really excellent job here. After a bit of fine-tuning of the handlebar height and the right seat post extension, you sit really comfortably and the handling hardly differs from a full-grown bike. The rather large wheelbase, which ensures a lot of smoothness, also plays a part in this. The points of contact with the bike: grips, saddle and pedals are all more comfort-oriented, appropriate for the area of use and of a high quality.
Of course, we were particularly excited about the extremely compact engine. The first somewhat unpleasant surprise is the background noise, which is quite remarkable for such a small drive. Sure: There can be no question of "loud" here, but the motor is clearly audible and clearly louder than a modern mid-mounted motor from Bosch, for example. On the other hand, the support performance is positive - especially on the level you are properly attracted and accelerate quickly to the maximum 25km/h - outside the EU the GoCycle runs up to 40km/h with different software, so the power is undoubtedly there. The driving experience with the motor is good, but cannot quite keep up with a full-fledged, mid-motor pedelec. The support starts quite abruptly and looks a bit unnatural.
In view of the very small 300Wh battery, we didn't have too high expectations of the range and they were definitely confirmed: Depending on driving behavior, we got between 35 and 45km out of one battery charge from the GoCycle G3. Sufficient for commuters and city cyclists, insufficient for touring - but the compact e-bike was not designed for that. With the engine switched off, the GoCycle is easy to ride, even if it is quite a chunk uphill with its weight of over 16kg. But on the level you can simply leave the engine switched off to save battery power.
The hydraulic disc brakes work very well, they have more than enough power, but are not too snappy to cause problems in emergency braking. The shifting showed ups and downs during the test: The gear changes are reliable and precise and the rotary shifter makes a good impression, but the shifting processes are significantly slower than with direct control due to the electronic transmission. You have to get used to the automatic downshift after stopping, but then it is quite comfortable.
As already mentioned, the front and rear suspension are not for off-road use, but they do a great job of making low curbs, potholes or cobblestone paths more bearable and really nothing to complain about.
GoCycle G3 – Busch + Müller lighting, fenders and docking station as accessories
In order to give the GoCycle G3 the finishing touch in terms of suitability for everyday use, the British manufacturer also offers the right - unfortunately somewhat expensive - accessories. The mudguards, for example, cost a total of €90, but they are very well made and very easy to assemble. Also available as an option is full-fledged lighting with a front and rear light from Busch and Müller, which is plugged into the existing connections and receives its power directly from the integrated battery. €110 will be charged for this.
If you transport the compact bike regularly, you should take a closer look at the docking station. Put simply, this is a plate on which the folded bike and all accessories can be securely mounted and then transported inconspicuously and comfortably as normal luggage. Very cool - at €300 but not exactly cheap either.
