Test: The lightweight manufacturer Maxcycles from Münsterland impresses with its simple design and clear lines. The secret of the Munsterlander is very clear - understatement coupled with a focus on the tube selection of the bike. Will the Maxcycles In Lite remain true to the Münsterland manufacturer?
Maxcycles is a lightweight manufacturer from the Münsterland, more precisely from Rosendahl. Here the wheels are assembled according to the customer's wishes by the company's employees. True to the motto "light as a feather almost weightless", the company has been manufacturing bicycles for over 25 years. As one of the few bicycle manufacturers, they also produce frames made of steel and titanium in addition to aluminum frames. With all frame and tube types, special attention is paid to the materials selected - aluminum is not aluminum, steel is not steel and titanium is not titanium. It depends on the alloy.
Using a configurator on the Maxcycles website, the desired bike can be put together with various accessories. You have the option to select different circuits, equipment packages, forks, stems, handlebars, seat posts, luggage racks, brakes, colors and other accessories.
The Maxcycles In Lite is a completely new model for 2019. There will be two variants under it. Once a men's bike and a Wave frame for women. Both frame shapes come in three different sizes. For men 53, 57, 61 and for women 45, 50 and 55 cm. The frame is made of 6061 T6 aluminum, as is the fork. A suspension fork can be chosen as an option, which further increases the comfort of the bike. Frame and fork can be selected in the desired RAL color. The beautiful red of our test bike naturally catches the eye. But there are also more subtle colors. In the attached article, you will find a small overview of the accessories that you can choose from the Maxcycles.
Cable guides as well as the battery are fully integrated into the frame. This makes the bike look very clean and tidy, which I particularly like. The cables for the light go into the frame on the right side. On the opposite side, cables and lines from the brakes, gears and controls run into the frame.
Maxcycles installs a Bosch motor on the In Line. A Bosch Performance Line CX was installed on our test bike. But Maxcycles also offers the Bosch Active Line Plus. The customer is therefore spoiled for choice between the slightly stronger Performance Line CX, which is a bit louder, or the slightly weaker but quieter Active Line Plus.
Thanks to the Bosch control element, the cockpit appears clear and tidy. The cables lead into the frame in a bundle. Ergonomic grips to support the palms of the hands or grip horns can be optionally selected. The combination of Ergon on our test bike felt very comfortable. The support levels or the bell are easily reached with the thumb.
The Maxcycles In Lite is available with CDX belt drive, 5-speed Nexus E, 8-speed Alfine, 11-speed Alfine, 14-speed Rohloff and 10-speed derailleur. You definitely have a lot of choices here. The In Line I tested had a 10-speed derailleur. In conjunction with the powerful Bosch motor and the light frame, the bike literally pushes you up the mountain without much effort. Thanks to the 10-speed derailleur, even steep climbs can be easily mastered.
I particularly liked the very comfortable and upright seating position. My colleagues were also extremely surprised at how comfortable it was to sit on the In Lite. This is achieved, among other things, by a high cockpit (on the left in the picture). The shoulder-width handlebars provide sufficient security when cornering dynamically. The steering is very direct, which made it very easy for me to change direction.
