Test / E-Performance: With the Ariv Merge and the Ariv Meld, General Motors dares to enter the bicycle market – with its own frame, its own concept and its own engine. We tested what the compact e-folding bike can do at the launch event.
With the success of e-bikes over the past few years, the influence of the automotive industry on the bicycle market is also growing. With Bosch or Brose, important automotive suppliers are now also driving forces in bicycle and e-bike development. The automobile manufacturers themselves are still holding back a little; most of them now have e-bikes with their own brand name on the frame in their range, but these bikes are usually developed completely or in close cooperation with bicycle manufacturers. With General Motors, a surprise candidate from the auto industry is now daring to take the bold step towards bicycles. With Ariv Mobility, they founded a start-up in their own company that will focus on the topic of bicycles. In the future, GM would like to change from a pure car company to a mobility group - and Ariv should be an important piece of the puzzle.
But the bicycle market has its own laws, money and will alone are usually not enough to gain a foothold here. GM was aware of this and hired people with the appropriate know-how and experience for Ariv, which are necessary for such an undertaking. Ex-Trek, Specialized and Cannondale employees sometimes work behind the scenes of the new bike brand.
At the beginning Ariv starts with two e-bikes: The Ariv Merge and the Ariv Meld. At first glance, the two models are very similar: 16-inch wheels, a futuristic frame with a self-developed mid-engine. In terms of price, a whopping 600 euros lies between the 2.730 euros Meld and the 3.330 euros of the Merge. On the one hand, the folding mechanism hidden in the frame of the Merge is responsible for this price difference, and on the other hand, you have to do without gears on the Meld, whereas on the more expensive model you get an Alfine 8-speed Shimano hub.
Ariv Merge: Direct sales and service concept via live cycle
All Ariv e-bikes are sold exclusively directly and online via www.arivmobility.com. This is in line with the trend, but like every manufacturer that relies exclusively on direct sales, Ariv is also faced with the big service question: What do the buyers do if they have a problem with the bike after buying it? Especially with a new, Ariv-exclusive system and motor? Ariv therefore relies on a service concept with its partner Live-Cycle. This has been represented as a mobile bicycle service at various locations in Germany for several years and will carry out all repairs and maintenance work on Ariv Bikes. Directly on the spot.
Ariv Merge: folding made easy
In June, Ariv invited to Munich to present the new bikes to the public. We were there and took a closer look at the exciting e-folding bike Merge. Even the folding mechanism itself is cleverly solved and worth a few sentences to us. Anyone who has ever owned a collapsible or collapsible bike knows that several cumbersome movements are usually necessary, large straps threaten to pinch your fingers with every step and if you don't follow the correct sequence, you'll quickly end up frustrated on the platform with a half -folded bike. The weight of modern e-bikes makes handling even more difficult, and transporting the folded bikes more awkward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAXvxmjeM0A
Ariv was aware of all these problems from the very first moment and nevertheless decided to tackle the ambitious undertaking of the e-folding bike with the merge. The result is impressive: A courageous pull on the only outer lever, which is sunk into the head tube, is enough to release three locks inside the frame: the handlebar folds in the middle, the head tube folds back and the frame joint bisects the wheel in length. After one or two tries, we really managed to fold and unfold it within a few seconds. With just one movement, without chain oil on your hands and completely without frustration and irascible escapes. What we found particularly cool was the option of just folding up the handlebars; for example, the bike takes up hardly any space in the apartment and also fits behind a door.
Ariv Merge: The engine - compact, powerful, persistent - and loud
Okay, so the folding mechanism is definitely a highlight of the Ariv Merge. However, the engine developed by General Motors itself is no less in the limelight (fact by the way: the engine is also the only component on the bike that bears the General Motors logo). In any case, the technical data are pretty impressive. With 75Nm, it brings the same amount of torque to the ground as, for example, the Bosch Performance CX and packs this power into an extremely compact, round housing. Incidentally, when the motor is deactivated or over 25km/h, the drive is decoupled and no additional resistance is felt.
The power supply is taken over by a compact battery, which has a rather small capacity of 240Wh. Nevertheless, the merge should last over 60km when fully charged and at the lowest support level. Incidentally, the Ariv does not have its own display: the most important things can be read from the LEDs on the top tube, in the middle of which the on/off switch is located. The support level and the battery charge status are shown here in colour-coded form. If this information is not enough for you, you can use the free Ariv app, which connects the smartphone to the bike and then acts as a display. By the way, there is a universal holder for the cell phone on the stem. In the future, Ariv would also like to offer anti-theft protection and tracking.
Ariv Merge: First driving impressions
As part of the press event, I also had the opportunity to test drive the merge on a fairly extensive test lap. First impression: wow! The motor also feels as powerful on the bike as the spec sheet would suggest. Especially at low pedaling frequency, eg when starting off in a gear that is too difficult, the motor pulls the bike up to speed, even at the lowest support level. Unfortunately, the engine also pushes itself into the foreground due to the background noise that cannot be ignored; a loud hum is constantly present and becomes quite loud as the engine power increases. Nevertheless: volume is a subjective issue, some may not notice it at all, for others it is a knockout criterion.
Otherwise, the handling is extremely intuitive. We used the app, which was immediately connected to the bike after a short registration and is convincing with its simple design. The same applies to the handlebar remote control, which can be used to select the support level and activate the pleasantly powerful pushing aid.
During our ride we also paused again and again - so for the merge we had to stop. Due to the special frame design without chainstays and without down tube, the usual mounting points for a side stand are missing. That's why Ariv came up with something special - the side stand sits at the end of the seat post, which protrudes downwards from the frame. Unfortunately, this design has two major disadvantages: On the one hand, the support always has to be lowered to the correct height when parking. A marking helps, but it is still cumbersome. In addition, the side stand prevents the support from being pulled further out of the frame. It was too short for me (88cm inseam). Fortunately, the side stand can also be easily unscrewed if necessary. By the way, if you want, you can also install a normal support, for example in excess length.
Incidentally, the driving experience on the crowded streets of Munich was great with the Merge. Due to the small wheels, the handling is nice and lively, the bike itself is excellently processed and neither attachments nor components nor mudguards rattle on bad roads. It is not surprising that the Ariv, with its small wheels, rather narrow tires and aluminum frame including fork, is not a miracle of comfort.
In addition to the mudguards, the lighting also ensures suitability for everyday use. Although it is not StVZO-compliant, it clearly increases visibility as an additional light. At the front, the headlight fits nicely into the overall design and also houses a USB port to charge your smartphone while driving, for example. The rear light comes in the form of a few LEDs hidden in the support. Unfortunately, only the headlight is powered by the e-bike battery, the lighting in the support has to be charged separately.
