You’d think a cargo/utility e-bike might not be the most exciting bike to look at – or ride – but we’ve got a sneaking suspicion that the Riese & Muller Multicharger Vario might be a bit fun too when we test it.
The industrial-looking dark frame with stylish orange cargo racks signify a good-looking machine, with a huge amount of car-replacing practicality.
The basic bike comes with a 500wh battery married to a Bosch Performance CX motor that falls within standard EU pedelec regulations, a Gates belt drive and a Rohloff 14-speed hub shift system, but ours has been pepped up with an additional 500wh of battery power through the DualBattery pack option for additional range.
We’ve also had the panniers supplied, which are claimed to be ideal for carrying a supermarket shop securely and safely, as well as the passenger kit that turns the Multicharger Vario into a genuine two-person bike.
We’ll be putting these to the test while we’ve got the Multicharger Vario, but they don’t come cheap. In addition to the £4,289 asking price for the base bike, the DualBattery adds £839, with the panniers and passenger kit £149 and 140 respectively.
That’s a big investment, but the rest of the bike is high-spec too, as you might expect from a Riese & Muller. You get 31.8mm FSA Afterburner handlebars and 90mm stem (which is swappable for a smaller 60mm model if you’re on the short side), as well as Magura MT4 hydraulic disc brakes which should provide some pretty strong stopping power.
The seatpost is a Cane Creek Thudbuster ST, which features a linkage design that theoretically allows it to compensate more efficiently for shocks through the rear wheel, while the front suspension is provided by Suntour in the XCR32 sprung fork. The wheels are 26” Alex MD30s, wrapped in hardwearing Schwalbe Bib Ben Plus tyres.
Of course, mudguards and lights are all integrated into the frame for an overall package, while Abus has provided an integrated lock for piece of mind when you walk away from it.
Now, who’s first for a lift?
