Test: I have dealt extensively with the Kalkhoff Entice 5.B Advance +. I was skeptical, rather dismissive. My assumption that the Kalkhoff Entice is neither a real mountain bike nor a thoroughbred city bike has been confirmed. That's why I changed my mind... yes, I have to explain that to you now, I know. I'll do it….
I have to admit that I didn't get used to the SUV e-bike genre at first. I wondered why people didn't opt for a trekking bike or a mountain bike. Especially when it comes to bicycles, the idea of owning an all-rounder is in vogue. Another good example of this is gravel bikes. Again, there would be the option to bet on a road bike or a mountain bike, while gravelers are a bit of both.
But I get it... It's just fun not having to make a decision. Traveling fast and still being able to turn off the well-paved route awakens a certain thirst for adventure. On a non-motorized trekking bike, thick tires with a coarse profile would have a negative effect on the fun of riding. More effort would be required and progress would be slower. With an e-bike, the advantages of off-road tires outweigh the higher resistance when pedaling is easily compensated for by the motor. Apparently a lot of people see it that way and you can see that the categories e-trekking bike and e-SUV bike are currently increasingly merging.
Kalkhoff Entice 5.B Advance + – SUV par excellence with MTB attitudes
If it's an SUV, then it's the right thing. As far as category cars go, I'm not becoming a fan of. They are impractical in the city and can no longer do on a dirt road like a Fiat Panda 4×4. Unlike the Entice. The relaxed seating position gives a good overview and you also feel comfortable on country lanes or slippery surfaces. The tires from Maxxis contribute a lot to this. Thanks to the light sidewall, they look refreshingly different, with a touch of retro style, but also create an excellent compromise between good rolling behavior and high grip. This will not come as a surprise to the "bike rubber fetishists" among the readers, who of course know that these tires from the Maxxis segment were specially developed for fast laps on mountain bikes. The additional race already promises that high speeds are possible when stationary.
In addition to the tyres, other components on the bike are also reminiscent of a mountain bike: The extremely powerful Bosch CX drive with a 625 Wh battery takes the fright out of even long climbs. This drive comes with the familiar and proven handlebar switch and the Intuvia display placed in the middle of the handlebar. To the annoyance of thieves, this can be removed. The battery can also be removed for the winter or for charging, which is very easy to do upstairs. Incidentally, one of the support levels that can be selected with the Bosch CX drive is the E-MTB mode, which always selects the support to suit the situation, the more you do yourself, the more it helps the rider.
A strong drive gets the load moving, the high-traction tires need powerful brakes to be able to always safely decelerate. Hydraulic disc brakes from Shimano do this with ease. The fact that the MT-420 stoppers from the Japanese are installed here, with four pistons per disc, is another indication of the deep-treaded mountain bikes, where something like this is installed regularly.
And the Shimano SLX gear system with its 12 gears comes from the off-road bike. Kalkhoff has courageously reached into the MTB parts shelf and that is really good for the Entice. The thanks are crisp shifts, even under load, insensitivity and durability as well as a large range of gear ratios, which manages every ramp with the Bosch CX unit.
The Suntour suspension fork sets a final exclamation mark. The Mobi 25 is available with up to 100 millimeters of travel, with air suspension and a thru-axle. All data that can also be found on a classic cross-country mountain bike.
Kalkhoff Entice 5.B Advance + - urban and everyday runs too
None of the typical MTB features of the Kalkhoff interfere with everyday life in the city. Ok, a puristic urban bike with a mini battery and reduced equipment weighs less and is easier to carry. The short-distance commuter does not have to charge the Entice's large battery for the entire working week. The mudguards with edge protection, the Racktime luggage rack and a stable side stand help you arrive in the office with a briefcase and clean trouser legs. For the way back in the evening, safe lighting should not be missing, from Trelock at the back and from Litemove at the front with 110 lux LEDs.
Comfort shouldn't be neglected either, because if you want a bike to be fun, you have to feel good on it. Sitting relaxed, that works on the Selle Royal Vivo brand saddle. The steering area comes up with three things to make it comfortable for the driver: The Concept EX riser is cranked and ergonomically shaped. The stem is adjustable and can be adapted to the physique or preferences of the Entice rider. The Ergon GE 10 grips are known for their anatomically correct shape.
Another plus point is the low step-through frame. I too can hardly shake off thinking the reflex on a wave frame of a lady bike. But you just don't get any younger and even the youngest and most athletic athlete can get off the bike faster in a dangerous situation. And it's just much more comfortable and relaxed. So it fits that today even bikes with a low step-through are deliberately rated by the manufacturers as unisex models and that the spongy handling of earlier bikes with a low step-through is a thing of the past. By the way, the Entice is available in three frame shapes, so if you don't want a comfort frame, you can choose the classic diamond frame or the trapezoidal frame.
Kalkhoff Entice 5.B Advance + – a unique selling point
Ok, the Kalkhoff Entice 5.B Advance+ can shine in all sorts of ways. That's enough praise now... isn't it? Yeah, not quite. I want to point out one more thing. Kalkhoff allows a total weight of 170 kilos for the bike. That's what the + in the product name stands for. 170 kilos? That's a lot, but you need it faster than you think. If you subtract the 170 kilos that the bike weighs from the 27 kilos, and then another 30 kilos that can be accumulated in luggage on a longer trip, then that leaves around 113 kilos. That's not a little, but certainly many tall e-bike riders' body weight is no longer in the double-digit range.
The problem becomes clearer if you apply our example calculation to wheels with a standard design. If you subtract the weight of the bike and luggage from the maximum permitted, the rider may only weigh around 80 kilos. This is often simply designed to ignore reality. The fact that Kalkhoff also offers the Entice with a 63 centimeter high frame, i.e. for very tall people, makes the + variant even more sensible.