The mid-motor offers three levels of assist, adjusted through a controller on the left side that also includes the power button and a simple display. Shifting is controlled by the one on the right, which lacks a display. Separating the two allows each to be fairly minimalist, making it easy to find the control you need by feel.
On its own, the system worked beautifully. Shifting was fuss-free, and each change was blissfully silent. The assist worked well, and its three levels seemed to cover any needs short of going up steep hills with lots of cargo. This is not a bike that lets you skimp on pedaling in hot conditions; there’s no throttle, and even the highest setting of assist still requires you to exert some force on the pedals. But the motor definitely cuts down on the effort you have to make.
The battery, while looking fairly compact, easily handled dozens of miles without needing a recharge, which means several days of typical errands. While the battery lacks a carrying handle, it’s easy to take it out to charge it, as it pivots sideways out of the frame. When in place, it acts as a protector that keeps anything on the left side of the bike from sliding through the frame and getting tangled in the chain.
This is the first Shimano e-bike system I’ve tested, and it was just as good as you’d expect from a company that has come to dominate cycling drivetrains. Shimano Cues may be its lower-end system, but there’s no apparent skimping on the quality. And that’s before the bonus surprises Shimano has included.
The fun stuff
Somewhere in one of the controllers, Shimano’s software gathers all the relevant information about your ride: how fast you’re going, how much force your feet are exerting on the cranks, what gear you’re in, and how fast your legs are churning (and possibly more?). And it uses that data to do a couple of interesting things.