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Ahooga Modular Review
A Test of the Electric Bike from the Popular Brussels-based Brand Ahooga
We often see them in Brussels, the Ahooga bikes. Around the station and in the busier city center, we find the Ahooga Folding, while in the outskirts, especially the Ahooga Modular or Urban single speed is more common. Both are quality but especially affordable electric bikes.
You could already read our findings of the Ahooga Folding 36V. In this article, we take a close look at the Ahooga Modular and test it on long and short routes, both in and out of the city.
Modular Design
The Ahooga Modular resembles a regular bicycle. The design is sleek and sporty, but above all, it’s easy to use thanks to the low step-through frame (offering 2 options: sport & step-through) and its lightweight construction. The bike weighs only 20 kg, making it a nimble electric bike that’s easy to ride.
Both at the front and rear, you’ll find a luggage rack. Here, you can carry loads ranging from 20 to 50 kg respectively. This capacity is sufficient for groceries, children, or other cargo. It’s not a longtail bike; Ahooga describes it as a midtail bike.
The luggage rack is sturdy and wide, providing extra stability when carrying cargo. You can also mount child seats on it. In our test, we used the Urban iki and the Yepp seats, both fitting nicely on the wide luggage rack.
Without a child seat, you can attach a crate for groceries or cargo bags on the sides.
The bike is also commonly used in the city center where storage space is often lacking. You can make your Ahooga Modular more compact by turning the handlebars sideways and removing the pedals. This reduces the bike’s width to just 25 cm for storage.
The bike rides very smoothly, but it lacks some suspension. The Ahooga Modular offers a pleasant riding experience, although our bike paths are often interrupted or in poor condition. Sudden bumps and potholes result in small shocks, which may be less pleasant for children riding on the back.
Bright Edition
Until now, the Ahooga Modular was only available in black, unlike the Ahooga Folding, which came in almost every color. But this is changing now, as we’ve seen the beautiful Bright Edition in the showroom.
A black bike looks sleek and cool but doesn’t stand out enough at night. With this Silky Grey color, you have an additional option to choose from starting in 2023. We think it’s a success. The beige gray may even be more attractive than the matte black.
Motor and battery
The Ahooga Modular is remarkably affordable, especially compared to e-bikes with Bosch or Shimano mid-motors. This electric bike uses a rear-wheel drive from their own brand. We couldn’t test long-term use, but the motor performs very well on short trips.
Especially noteworthy is the power. The rear-wheel motor generates about 60 Nm of torque, which is more than sufficient for the average cyclist. If you’re carrying heavy cargo up a steep hill, you might need some extra power.
In a test against the Riese & Muller Multicharger (85 Nm), which maintained 25 km/h at the top of the hill, the Ahooga Modular reached 20 km/h. On a flat road, the Ahooga Modular (at the highest setting) accelerated faster than the R&M.
While riding, you do notice the difference with premium mid-motors (Bosch/Shimano/Yamaha), especially uphill. There are fewer sensors, the pedal speed is less important, the motor response is slightly slower, etc. But you also pay double the price for a premium e-bike. The Ahooga Modular can be purchased for around โฌ2,000, making it an excellent bike in this price range.
The battery is integrated and weighs 2.2 kg. Charging an empty battery takes 3 to 4 hours. With 400 Wh, you have a range of 80 km. You have a choice of 5 motor modes; in the highest mode, this translates to about 30 to 40 km.
Build quality
The Ahooga Modular feels light and rides smoothly. The wide tires are convenient for all surfaces, although suspension would have been a nice addition. This bike is intended as an e-city bike, primarily for paved surfaces. The frame is sturdy and can handle a lot of weight.
Ahooga is able to keep the price of the bike down by not using expensive components. However, because they constantly seek out quality partners, you quickly notice that the frame, motor, and battery are of good quality. To further gain the trust of cyclists, they offer an extended warranty (5 years) on the frame. Since 2023, Ahooga will switch to Shimano and Tektro for some important components.
Testing the Modular
Picked up from the flagship store and immediately rode to the office. The 21 km journey via the Terkameren Forest and the Sonian Forest went smoothly. There are many tree roots here that break open the bike path or cause bumps. The only (but almost only) downside of the Ahooga Modular was some additional suspension.
Speed and acceleration were not a problem. When in 5th ‘gear’, you enjoy maximum power and ride at a steady 27 km/h. The bike pushes well, and even on slight inclines, you maintain this speed.
You can adjust the gears yourself via the left handle. At 1, you get very little electric assistance. 2 takes you to 12 km/h. The 3rd gear, which we used most often, goes up to 18 km/h. To reach the maximum speed, you can use the 4th (24 km/h) or 5th gear. If you want to go even faster, you can pedal harder. On a flat road, our top speed was 34 km/h.
On your other hand, you have the traditional gears. The Ahooga Modular has an 8-speed derailleur. Sufficient for all routes, uphill or downhill.
Ahooga claims that this is a hybrid bike, just like the Ahooga Folding. The bikes are light enough to cycle without electric assistance. Somewhere this is true. The Ahooga Folding is a very light electric folding bike that cycles easily. Compared to the heavy R&M Multicharger (30 kg), the Modular (20 kg) also cycles very easily.
If we compare it to a non-electric bike, then the Modular is also difficult to cycle. On a flat road, this is feasible, especially for sporty people. If you encounter a lot of mountains or hills, then electric assistance is really recommended.
Expensive premium bikes have an automatic hub gear and hardly require any effort. The Ahooga Modular is slightly less sophisticated. You have to play with the gears yourself to have the best (read: smoothest) cycling experience. This e-bike uses an 8-speed gear. The largest gear is large enough to continue accelerating (after 25 km/h).
