Shark E-bikes of East Yorkshire have a good range of e-bikes, many hovering around the attractive £1,000 price point. However, I'm taking a look at their top of the range, £2,600 model, the Mako. At that price it's in mid-range territory, but it's certainly not outrageously expensive when you consider it has a powerfully specced mid-drive motor with a decent size battery, plus a Gates Carbon belt drive and hub gears.

There aren't too many options at this spec either. Other than the 'top tier' brands like Bosch, Brose, Shimano and Yamaha, more reasonably priced mid-motors have previously been thin on the ground. However, we are seeing more and more options from the likes Chinese firms like Bafang (previously hub motor specialists) which Shark has opted for here.  

Adding in that low maintenance, oil free belt drive is a smart move too, as this technology is ideal for a town style bike, where the belt drive's practicality is more important than the small decrease in efficiency it also brings.

Shark Mako, by Richard Peace

The spec and first appearances

In addition to that beefy-looking mid-drive motor and belt drive transmission there's a decent-sized 540wh battery that removes easily from the top of the downtube via the key-operated lock and the rest of the spec is clearly aimed at making this a practical, easy ride aimed at everyday use too.

Belt drives can't be used with lightweight and efficient derailleur gears, but the 8-speed Shimano Alfine hub gears on the Mako suit it's low maintenance credentials perfectly in any event. Okay, they add a bit of weight and inefficiency compared to derailleurs, but the plus is that you have a wide range of gears for hill climbing that require virtually zero maintenance. 

As you would expect on any e-bike that's not firmly in the budget category, there are decent quality hydraulic disc brakes - in this case Shimano MT200. Yes, they are 'entry level' but lightning braking reactions aren't required on a commuting/leisure machine like this, as they might be on a high performance e-MTB where higher spec brakes would come into their own. 

Similarly the RST suspension steel spring fork provides 40mm of travel that should be fine for its intended use around town and on easy-going tracks and trails, especially when paired with the Schwalbe Active Plus Energizer 28 x 1.75 tyres with 3mm of Marathon GreenGuard puncture protection. These are fairly heavy but strike a good balance between puncture-deterring toughness and reasonably fast rolling resistance allied with a decent amount of riding comfort.   

There's the ability to carry plenty on a 25kg-rated rear rack. The Mako also features good-length SKS mudguards, a sturdy kickstand, hardwired LEDs front and rear and even a belt drive guard so you can wear looser legware with impunity.

At first glance it looks a comfy bike to ride. Look closer and the adjustable handlebar stem and suspension seatpost should mean levels of comfort approaching luxury.

Unlike many other motor systems, there is no smartphone connectivity, but what you do get is a large centre mounted display with all the basic info fields which, again, is much more in keeping with the everyday practicality of this bike. 

If I had to gripe, I would point out one of the wires to the rear light had come loose, but the push-fit blade connection was easy enough to reattach and squeeze tight with pliers. The adjustable bar stem was also a little loose but again it was an easy job to tighten it up. 

You might also consider the Mako's 29.7kg weight overly hefty and it is - but probably only a little when you consider this looks to be a very well built, sturdy step-through frame with a biggish battery and full equipment including hub gears.

Lesser step-through frames, lacking the triangulated strength of a diamond frame, have been known to break in half, so this is clearly a risk the Mako Shark is keen to avoid. It's actually more beautiful than brutal in appearance, with smooth welds throughout apart from on the rear chainstays.

Performance

The Bafang M420 mid-drive is a very solid hill-climber. It might not have the liveliness in response to your pedal effort that pricier high-spec Bosch motors have, but just keep the pedals twiddling and the power keeps on coming.

It didn't break any records on our hill climb tests but was only just behind the top tier motors. Keep it in the top power level and the ultra-comfortable riding position and really solid power delivery should mean easy-peasy, sweat-free climbing.

I also took it on a Sunday afternoon ride up the steeper western side of the Yorkshire Wolds and it never missed a beat as I made steady and effortless progress to a sweeping viewpoint. A nice low first gear also helped it make it easily up my ultra-steep hill climbing test without undue effort.

It looked to be an efficient motor too. I reckoned on getting at least 50 miles from the Mako in moderately hilly Wolds country and much, much more in less challenging terrain as the motor merely sips electrical power in the lower power levels. 

It's smoothly and quietly delivered power in most conditions too, the motor only troubling itself with a gentle hum up the most demanding of climbs.

As expected the Mako is a supremely comfortable ride and overall it's a really low-maintenance and easy to use e-bike. I'm not normally a fan of suspension seatposts as I usually find them too hard or too bouncy but this one was just right for my 80kg weight. The front suspension fork was also about right for my weight and pretty well damped for sprung suspension

The competition

If it just has to be Bosch - with all the long term backup and reliability that implies - then Cube's Supreme Hybrid range has belt drive options that certainly give the Mako a run for its money - though they will likely cost a few hundred pounds more. Raleigh's Motus Grand Tour, meanwhile, is currently going for £2,299, but is chain driven and features the less powerful Bosch Active Line Plus motor.

If you are happy with the extra weight of a 35kg e-bike and want full suspension and a bigger battery, the Himiway A7 Pro is well worth a look. And if you are happy with derailleur gears the Romet E-Modeco URB 3.0 has plenty of power in the form of the well-regarded Shimano EP8 mid-drive.

Other step-thru/powerful mid-drive combos tend to be a fair bit pricier - the Moustache Lundi 27.5 being a recent example. 

In short, this is a highly functional e-bike that's comfortable to ride, has more than enough motor power and is just so easy to get along in just about every daily e-bike use circumstance.

sharkebikes.com