“That’s an ebike?” This was the first thing I said when I saw the Cycles Toussaint Le Toureau ebike show up at the Canadian Cycling Magazine office. It’s a striking, titanium build, but unlike some of the other road or gravel ebikes out there, which have a noticeably thick downtube, Le Toureau looks like a traditional ride. That’s because the motor is hub-driven, so you’d never really know at first glance.
Road, gravel, touring or commuting
The Le Taureau is built for road, gravel, and commuting, so there’s plenty of options with the ride.The aim is that those who want to be able to let people ride with faster friends or faster partners, as its pedal assistance turns steep challenges into chances to connect with stronger peers whether that means being able to hang up hills or stick in a fast group ride. This way, the barriers between people’s fitness levels no longer become a problem. Or, if someone wanted to go longer but was worried about climbs or getting too fatigued, they can use one of the assist modes.
Looks good, feels good
After I checked out the bike and was impressed with its appearance, I was curious to see how it felt. I took it out for a rip and was pleasantly surprised. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a ti bike and I immediately remembered how comfortable they are. My ride began at our office, so I had about 5 km of asphalt before I tested it out on some light gravel roads. Turns out, it not only looks like a traditional bike, but feels like one too. When I was giving a few efforts I was pleased with the responsiveness and stiffness. But it still has a bit of give on the rough stuff, absorbing the bumps and occasional roots I’d encounter on the gravel paths.
Lightweight motor
The bike is equipped with an FSA E-System hub-drive motor, which comes it 4 kg. The bike brand’s goal was to make the ebike lightweight, and it certainly is. My test ride had a Shimano Ultegra groupset, carbon forks, FSA handlebars, and FSA alloy wheelset, but I’m told that Dura-Ace Di2 and GRX 1 x 12 Shimano groupsets as well as FSA carbon wheelsets will be available.
Smooth assist modes
All together, the whole bike comes in at 13.5 kg, which can be attributed to the 3Al-2.5V titanium used in the frame, but it’s still quite impressive given that there’s a motor and battery in the build. To be honest, the bike felt smooth and quick when I was riding on the flat sections so I forgot it even had a motor. Once I got to some hills…
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