Riese & Müller Delite E-Bike Features Dual Batteries, Belt Drive, and Full Suspension

This electric bike is packed with features, including a mid-drive Bosch motor, a rear rack and dual fenders, an onboard lock, and front and rear lights.

While some e-bike companies are focusing on building 'stealth' electric bikes that look almost exactly like a conventional bicycle, others are looking at e-bikes as an entirely new breed of bicycle, and one that needs to be built as such from the ground up. And one of those manufacturers, Germany's Riese & Müller, has just launched a new e-bike model that looks to be a serious contender, as it's packed to the gills spokes with all of the e-bike bells and whistles.

The Delite series of electric bikes from Riese & Müller, which ranges from the basic touring model to the decidedly burly GX Rohloff HS model with an internal hub 14-speed gearset and top of the line motor, are referred to as "eAdventure" bikes, and are said to be the first dual battery bikes, which allow for double the riding range. The bikes are all built around mid-drive electric motors made by Bosch, which is one of the leading electric motor brands, and which can deliver higher performance and torque than hub motors (although some claim that this additional strain on the chain and gearset can lead to a shorter lifespan of individual components).

© Riese & Müller

The Delite series is available in variations ranging from the 25 kph (~15.5 mph) touring model with the Bosch Performance CX motor and 500 Wh battery pack to models capable of 45 kph (~28 mph) with the Performance Speed motor, and dual batteries are an option on all of them. Some of the models feature a Gates carbon belt drive paired with an internal hub gearset, while others are chain-driven and incorporate either a Shimano derailleur or a Rohloff hub gear, and all models have both front and rear suspension for a smoother ride.

The bikes also come with a rear cargo rack, front and rear fenders (mudguards), a front LED headlight and rear light, hydraulic disc brakes, and an Abus Bordo folding lock that mounts behind the seat so that securing the bike is as seamless as possible. And considering the investment necessary to get in the saddle of these Riese & Müller eAdventure bikes, which starts at about £4,300 (~$5300), securing the bike when you're not riding it is a high priority. However, when it comes to the cost of one of these e-bikes, which could enable some people to either ditch the car completely, or to only drive occasionally, any discussion of price should include the potential money-saving aspect of reduced or avoided gas, insurance, registration, and vehicle maintenance costs.

The Delite series comes in several color variations, and in three frame sizes, and more information about Riese & Müller e-bikes, including a sweet e-cargo bike, is available on the company website.