Review: MiRiDER 24 GB3 - low maintenance compact e-bike is a great allrounder
Overview
- One of the few e-bikes to feature a truly useful throttle
- G3ARED system brings another level of hill climbing over the single speed
- Low maintenance and fully featured
- The near £3K price tag means it's competing against powerful mid-drive machines
- A lightweight version with a punchier motor, albeit likely pricier, would be a good addition to the range
MiRiDER are a true British success story and we've followed their progress closely. This time around we're taking a look at the three-speed 24in-wheeled model, the MiRider 24 GB3.
We liked MiRiDER's single gear folding models - the 16in-wheeled MiRiDER One and its higher torque, lighter successor - as well as their recent foray into compact e-bikes, the MiRiDER 24.
We were also very impressed with the three fully enclosed gears employed on the MiRiDER One GB3.
24in-wheeled version gets a unique gearbox
The MiRiDER 24 GB3 has the same advantages of 24in wheels over the 16in-wheeled models - more stable handling and large volume tyres that are more suited to bumpier off-road conditions. It can carry more too thanks to optional capacious front and rear racks.
The bike also has full length mudguards and hard wired front and rear lights. In other words, it's more suited to everyday tasks such as commuting and shopping than its smaller-wheeled siblings.
Of course it's horses for courses in some respects. The MiRider 16 models are lighter and smaller and they fold. The small wheels also have the natural advantage of accelerating more quickly than bigger ones, giving it a bit more hill climbing pep and speed out of the blocks.
Having said all that, the MiRiDER 24 is compact and easy to pick up and the fold-down handle bars and folding pedals make it easy to store in tight spaces. At 21.5kg, it's not light, but certainly not heavy for an e-bike with enclosed gears. In fact, like the single-speed GB3, it's nicely balanced making it pretty easy to pick up off the ground and lift over a step or similar obstacles.
What really marks out the GB3 version is the three-speed G3ARED transmission system, a low maintenance gearing system for e-bikes that rely on a rear hub motor.
It's small and relatively lightweight and looks little different to a regular chainwheel. Cunningly, the solid outer cover of this chainwheel conceals three planetary gears changed using a gripshift. It's design at its best, doing the relatively complicated job of shifting gears simply.
Given the above, it makes sense to fit it with a belt drive and the Gates Carbon Drive is the industry leader in this regard, so again it's reassuring to see that MiRiDER have gone with this choice for longevity, simplicity and cleanliness. Belt drives may be a little less efficient than chain drives, but this matters much less on e-bikes where the motor makes that percentage or so difference in efficiency unnoticeable.
On the road
The MiRiDER 24 GB3 rides like the chain-driven single-speed in many respects. It's a very comfortable and easy to ride e-bike with an upright ride position and handling is very stable and predictable - on a par with bigger-wheeled e-bikes but with the added bonus that it is simply more manoeuvrable thanks to the smaller wheels and indeed quite a small wheelbase.
Of course the big plus is the combination of the G3ARED system and belt drive, which is really the bike's USP. And it works well - shifts are smooth, quick and easy on the wrist using the intuitive three-speed gripshift.
And they help with climbing too. Whilst the GB3 doesn't offer the extreme torque of the brand's 16in-wheeled bikes (beware of impromtu wheelies up ultra steep slopes), it allowed steady progress up our ultra-steep test climb and whilst the pace up our extended 10% hill climb was steady rather than spectacular, it was always pretty effortless - even into a headwind.
The throttle is a standout feature and operates in two ways. It allows for a slow start, up to a few mph, without pedalling - which is great for hill starts or wobbly first timers who have a bit of difficulty getting up to speed when balance becomes easier.
It also functions at full power so long as you keep pedalling, whichever of the five power levels you are in. This is useful for powering along a queue of traffic or when a hill suddenly steepens for a short while.
Few e-bikes feature throttles but generally riders seem to love them and the MiRiDER clearly knows what riders like.
We really liked the large, user-friendly display too. It features the usual metrics, plus a battery voltage readout which is great to accurately determine the state of charge of the battery. There is also a readout for the power output of the motor, which showed it peaking at around 500W - again letting the user keep an accurate eye on its performance and also indicating that, for such a small unit, it's no slouch.
As to finishing touches, we loved the ergonomic grips but felt the folding pedals could have been upgraded to a higher spec. The seat was plush and comfortable and the telescopically adjustable seatpost is calibrated with height markers so you can set it to the correct height every time you need to.
Compact competitors
At around £3k, the GB3 is not a cheap e-bike given that is is hub motor powered, but the value is really in the gearing system and also no doubt in the excellent reputation for backup MiRiDER have acquired over recent years in addition to their extensive dealer network.
There are plenty of mid-drive compact machines in this price area, most notably the low maintenance version of Cube's Compact Hybrid which we loved when we tested it.
Notwithstanding the stiff mid-drive competition, the MiRider 24 GB3 is a unique and high quality offering ideal for those wanting a user-friendly and very practical e-bike with a compact, storable footprint.
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