Bulls E-Stream EVO FS 2 27.5 Plus Review: Conquer tarmac and dust with equal ease
“Bulls’ versatile mountain e-bike can conquer trails without shredding your wallet.”
Adjustable entrance and rear suspension
Dual sprockets for versatility
Smooth and highly effective Brose electrical motor
Clean and easy design
Long battery life
Suspension solely provides 120mm of journey
Finicky battery removing
Mountain biking is surrounded by extra machismo than a UFC title battle. Hitting the largest gaps, down the steepest inclines, and barreling by way of the tightest berms are all methods to show that you just’ve bought the center to sort out the beast that’s “the mountain.” But what should you don’t have something to show? What if need to commerce machismo for enjoyable? Then you would possibly just like the Bulls E-Stream EVO FS 2 27.5 Plus.
What is it?
The E-Stream EVO FS 2 is a mountain e-bike of all trades. It has all of the makings of a critical mountain bike with full suspension and lockout, 180mm hydraulic disc brakes, broad 27.5+ tires, and Shimano Deore shifters and derailleurs. However, the E-Stream EVO FS 2 makes a couple of compromises to maintain the worth down.
Travel for enjoyable
The fork on the E-Stream EVO FS 2 is an SR Suntour XCR-32 RLR Air 27.5, with a 15mm thru-axle and 120mm of journey. The air shocks imply much less lacking with upkeep, and the thru-axle permits for extra optimistic really feel on braking whereas stiffening up the entrance finish for higher agility. The rear shock is the SR Suntour Epicon-LO D, an air shock with 120mm of journey.
Both the entrance and rear have rebound changes and lockouts which might be used to stiffen the body. The lockouts are nice when making your method up hills or pounding out paved miles. Locking the suspension retains your pedal energy going to straight to the bottom as an alternative of soaked up by the suspension, which helps protect battery life and your legs.
The Suntour setup additionally spares your pockets some ache. The suspension journey is sufficient for many using however might meet its restrict on essentially the most demanding trails. Still, the E-Stream EVO FS 2 dealt with my path using with ease. You’d need to push the bike very onerous to beat the suspension. You’ll need to look elsewhere should you’re hoping to compete within the X Games, however much less critical riders are unlikely to come across this bike’s limits.
Brake with confidence
You’re dropped at a cease by 180mm Tektro hydraulic disc brakes on the entrance and rear. They really feel assured in panicky moments. Good brakes aren’t price a dime in the event that they don’t have a high quality set of tires to match. Thankfully, Bulls selected Schwalbe Smart Sams, which aren’t solely succesful within the dust, but additionally thoughts their manners on the paved stuff. With meaty outer-edge lugs and a stable central rib, the Schwalbe Smart Sam is sufficiently big to scramble by way of the loam however nimble sufficient to maneuver by way of bushes.
Shimano’s Deore derailleurs and shifter set handle the gears. They do the job with out grievance, however the actual headliner is Shimano’s Shadow Plus clutch mechanism. This clutch stops the chain from flying wild throughout onerous using. It’s an awesome function, although I’d ideally like management over it, so I might flip it off when using on pavement.
Putting the ability down
Also worthy of reward is the 20-gear setup that’s made potential by the 2 foremost sprockets. Two foremost sprockets on an e-bike isn’t frequent, as most electrical motors not having the ability to deal with the various torque inputs. This bike’s Brose motor handles the variability fantastically, nonetheless, with easy energy output at each stage. That’s not as a result of it’s missing for energy, both. With 90Nm of torque on faucet, this wolf in sheep’s clothes may have you wheelieing for days if you’d like.
That’s why it’s good to have the ability to dial energy again with eco, tour or sport modes. Sport was my apparent favourite for trudging up hills, however switching to Eco will get you near the 137-mile claimed “optimal” vary. In our time with the bike, by way of some reasonable hill climbs, it was capable of final a full day of using with juice left to spare. On the technical aspect, we have been capable of squeeze 45 miles out of the battery, with the motor on the best energy setting, on flat pavement.
I did discover a slight metallic noise when pedaling on tarmac at roughly 18 miles per hour or greater. The sound solely occurred at excessive speeds and was most definitely attributable to an overdue tune up on the well-worn demo we used for testing.
Two Wheeled Brute
Though our E-Stream EVO FS 2 was a bit worse for put on, it nonetheless shined by exhibiting off that it might take a beating. For instance, its nicked show nonetheless labored with out fault after being dropped. By minimizing the scale of the show, Bulls lessened the chance of it getting damaged within the occasion of a crash, which reveals they have been fascinated with the long-term viability of the bike and never simply how it will look within the showroom. The show is straightforward, exhibiting solely your velocity and chosen energy setting, nevertheless it additionally makes provisions for extra units with a micro USB port for GPS or cellphone charging.
The minimalist theme continues by way of the remainder of the bike with a clear aesthetic and a tucked away battery. The matte black and hi-viz end give the E-Stream EVO FS 2 a brutal magnificence that turned heads in all places we took it.
What wasn’t fairly as modern was the clunky nature of how the battery pulls out. Once unlocked, make sure you have your hand in place to catch the battery, as a result of it is going to drop out of the underside of the body. Then there’s the attention-grabbing indisputable fact that should you depart the important thing within the lock you can simply shear it off, as a result of the pedal will get in the way in which. These points are averted should you cost the battery whereas it’s nonetheless on the bike, which is less complicated anyway.
On the opposite hand, you’ll need to take away the battery if it’s essential haul this bike up a set of stairs. With an aluminum body you’d anticipate decrease weight, however at 55 kilos, the E-Stream EVO FS 2 has some heft.
Warranty Information
All Bulls e-bikes include a 2-year guarantee on the drive unit and battery, 5-year guarantee on the body, and 1-year guarantee on different elements excluding wear-and-tear elements.
The E-Stream EVO FS 2 is a jack-of-all-trades. Bulls made a couple of compromises to maintain the worth cheap at $3,999. Still, that is an extremely enjoyable bike that tracks effectively, has an awesome motor, lengthy lasting battery, and appears robust as nails.
Is there a greater different?
There are definitely comparable e-bikes, like Giants Full E+ or the Specialized Turbo Levo FSR, however the 20 speeds on the E-Stream EVO FS 2 make it distinctive and price consideration within the all-rounder class.
How lengthy will it final?
Bulls has gone to lengths to make the E-Stream EVO FS 2 as bulletproof as potential with its minimal show, tucked away battery, and padding for the electrical motor. But the longevity of the E-Stream EVO FS 2 will rely on the circumstances it’s ridden by way of, coupled with the common bike upkeep you’d usually anticipate.
Should you purchase it?
Yes. The Bull E-Stream EVO FS 2 27.5 Plus is as suited to roaming neighborhood as it’s for conquering a path.