Review: Ellio Max Speed ​​pedelec

1. Het Ontwerp van de Ellio Max (8.5/10)

Op eerste zicht oogt de Ellio Max groot en stoer. Sommigen vinden hem ontzettend mooi, anderen vinden de Max lelijk, mijn mening maakt niet uit, het enige dat ik kan zeggen is dat iedereen ernaar vroeg en keek. Het is absoluut een ‘head-turner’

Het kader is hoog, hoger dan de meeste concurrenten, maar dit heeft geen invloed op je zithouding. Hierdoor kan je wel enkel opstappen door het been over het zadel op te zwaaien.

Er zijn geen ander kader-maten beschikbaar, dit is een one-size-fits-all. Voor bestuurders tot 1m70 is er geen probleem. Kleinere bestuurders zullen niet makkelijk over het kader kunnen staan (bijvoorbeeld aan het rood licht). De zithoogte is geen probleem op de Ellio Max. Deze kan makkelijk afgesteld worden voor zeer grote of kleine bestuurders.

Zwaarder maar stabiel en van hoge kwaliteit

De Ellio is met 39 kg relatief zwaar in vergelijking met sommige concurrenten. Dit zorgt voor stabiliteit en veiligheid op hoge snelheden maar is wat onhandig aan lage snelheden. Vooral bij het van en naar een woning stappen, of over een boord tillen kan lastig zijn. Gelukkig is er een walk-assist om het wandelen met de Ellio Max makkelijker te maken.

Het kader is gemaakt van kwalitatief aluminium en het produceren van de Ellio Pedelecs gebeurt in België. Voor de overblijvende fietsonderdelen richten ze zicht op kwalitatieve fietsmerken zoals Tektro, Swalbe, Kinekt, Selle Royal, Roxim, …

Het assembleren van de Ellio speed pedelecs gebeurt in Bewel, een Limburgs maatwerkbedrijf die mensen met een afstand tot de arbeidsmarkt te werk stelt.

Naast hoge kwaliteit wil Ellio ook gekend staan voor hun dienst na verkoop. Met Vlaanderen als afzetmarkt (nu ook Nederland en verder) is gelukkige klanten van uiterst belang. Ze weten dit en spelen hier op in met een perfecte klantendienst.

Finishing and Improvements

The Ellio Max stands out as a robust and rugged speed pedelec. While the Ellio Original offers the same technology, it differs significantly in design. With these choices, Ellio caters to the diverse preferences of customers. Whereas the Original focuses primarily on comfort and safety, the Max seems to cater a bit more to the subjective taste and preferences of users.

Both models have been developed with the assistance of experienced bicycle designers. This fills a potential gap in Ellio’s own experience in this area, something established brands like Stromer, Klever, Giant, and Gazelle may have more expertise in.

It’s also worth noting that the bottom bracket and pedals are positioned lower than on other bikes. This means you need to be a bit careful when taking sharp turns.

While the design of the Ellio Max is well-executed, there are still areas for improvement in terms of finishing. This is an aspect that improves visibly with each new release of Ellio’s speed pedelecs.

One example is the hiding of the cabling. This is a detail that many buyers, especially in the higher price segment, value. Although this is not a decisive drawback for us, we must acknowledge that a design with integrated cables is often aesthetically more appealing.

2. Performance: Acceleration and Speed (9/10)

Top Speed (9/10): 45 km/h – Easily achievable, but requires good pedaling effort (or cruise control)

Acceleration (9/10): From 0 to 45 km/h in: 9 sec

Maintaining Top Speed (9.5/10): Easy to maintain

Performance Uphill (8.5/10): More than adequate

Innovative Electric Motor

The motor or electric drive and the battery are the two aspects where Ellio makes the most difference and where the IntuEdrive story truly comes to light. The motor is a unique piece of Belgian technology designed for long distances, high speeds, and heavy load capacities or towing.

These brushless motors are also built with longevity in mind, whereas other electric motors are meant to last only a few years before wearing out.

The revolutionary motor is now used on the Ellio Max, Ellio Original, and the future Marty electric speed pedelec cargo bike.

The brand is very young, founded in 2020. Proving the longevity of their motor (and battery) is a long-term commitment. But because this is unique technology designed and built in Belgium, we can count on the highest quality.

The after-sales service is also excellent. Ellio thrives by bringing an excellent product to the market, with good reviews and happy users.

Leasing as a Testament to Quality

As a testament to their belief in their own quality, Ellio also offers the bikes for leasing. They manage their own fleet. They know these speed pedelecs last a long time. So you can lease them, and at an attractive price because there is no intermediary. We are already fans of this new ‘Direct-To-Consumer’ approach.

Two-Wheel Drive for Optimal Performance

Unlike Stromer, Aska, Klever, and other Speed Pedelec brands that opted for a rear-wheel motor, Ellio chooses a Speed Pedelec with two-wheel drive.

They use a front and mid-motor that drives the rear wheel. These work in perfect tandem based on the unique Ellio software present in the Speed Pedelec. This provides a total power of approximately 1500 Wh (not exactly specified). Newton meters (Nm) of torque were also not specified.

Up front, they opted for a rear-wheel motor, providing about 500 W of power for acceleration, while the mid-motor (1000 W) drives the rear wheel for higher speeds. The software ensures that the Speed Pedelec remains in control (and stable). This is noticeable even during sudden emergency stops, where the software knows exactly how to respond to a locked rear wheel.

Electric propulsion is one thing, but the software that manages and controls everything is another story. The Ellio Speed pedelecs have two drive belts, one to the bottom bracket and one to the electric motor. How all of this works exactly can be read on the Ellio blog.

Display and Settings Management

The Ellio Max offers you the ability to adjust various settings so that you can customize the bike to your preferences.

While riding, you can adjust the cadence or RPM and also determine the level of electric assistance through the buttons on the handlebars.

In addition, in the settings, you have options to set the motor to be more dynamic or quieter. Consideration is also given to the battery life and settings.

The Ellio speed pedelecs are characterized by their innovative features. They offer cruise control, speed limiter, regenerative braking, All-wheel-drive, and an automatic shifting system. More on this later.

Useful for true tech-savvy cyclists who enjoy having technology and innovation. But if you prefer not to deal with these settings, that’s also not a problem. The bike is perfectly tuned without having to delve into this.

The display is simple but easy to read. It provides information such as battery autonomy, speed, distance of your ride, etc. However, the Ellio Max speed pedelec is not connected. Therefore, they cannot perform updates remotely, nor can they provide GPS tracking.

Powerful Battery for Long Distances

Because speed and long distances are their main focus, a thick battery of 1150 kW is a must. It also looks quite bulky, with the frame filled with 65 Li-ion cells and the entire module.

All of this adds some weight. At 32 kg (+7 kg battery), the Ellio Max is slightly heavier than the average speed pedelec. However, it’s convenient that you can simply remove this battery to charge indoors, especially handy at the office. Additionally, the silent charger is an underrated plus point.

Ellio offers several charging options that you can determine via the settings:

• Charge for range, up to 100%.
• Charge for battery lifespan, up to 80%.
• Charge for storage (during long periods of inactivity), up to 40%.

The weight does offer some advantages such as extra stability on the road, but also disadvantages such as moving and lifting the bike. Fortunately, there is also a walk assist function to make this easier.

We were not able to extensively test the autonomy. We covered a total of 42 km on one battery charge, before conducting further tests. What we are certain of:

• Full battery – 50 to 70 km on support level 4 (max)
• Full battery – up to 100 km on support level 3 (35 km/h)
• Full battery – up to 150 km on support level 2 (25 km/h)

Charging takes around 6 hours.

The use of Ellio’s features will also affect the battery. Cruise control or frequent braking on the motor will have an impact. The exact autonomy depends on the cyclist, riding behavior, headwinds, weight, battery lifespan, and storage capacity.

3. Unique Features and Technology of Ellio (9.5/10)

Speed Pedelec with Speed Limiter or Cruise Control

They call it a sort of speed limiter themselves. Revolutionary for speed pedelecs and adopted from the automotive sector. The cruise control feature ensures that you can adapt well to speed limits on the road and avoid fines. On the other hand, it also opens a door to the gray area of our road code.

With cruise control, you can set a speed. For example, you cycle up to 35 km/h, then activate cruise control, and your bike will automatically, as long as you keep pedaling, maintain 35 km/h. The Ellio thus becomes a moped-like bicycle. As long as your pedals keep moving, cruise control remains active.

Once you stop pedaling or pedal backwards, you will again brake on the motor. If you accelerate again without turning off the cruise control, you will be able to reach this 35 km/h again, and the speed pedelec will maintain this speed again until you deactivate this limiter.

This cruise control option also ensures that the Ellio is actually the fastest speed pedelec, or at least the speed pedelec that can maintain the top speed for the longest with the least human power when pedaling.

This is why Ellio is called the new generation of speed pedelecs. A Specter 1 or Stromer ST7 may be more powerful or accelerate faster, but with the Ellio Max, you will almost always pass them.

You can go 45 km/h, maintain cruise control, and thus pass a Stromer ST7 with hardly any pedaling.

Cruise control is also very useful on a steep uphill. Take some momentum beforehand. Set the cruise control to 40 km/h, and you will climb the hill at this speed. Of course, if the gradient becomes too high, the speed will decrease slightly.

The Ellio is not the best climber, but if you can climb the Bruineput in Dworp (13% gradient) at 40 km/h, we see no shortcomings here. If you start slowly on the hill or do this without cruise control, the motor lacks some nm to really push through here.

Automatic Motor Braking

Also remarkable, surprising, and certainly something you need to adjust to is the automatic braking of the front-wheel motor when the pedals are stationary or pedaling backward.

The braking is similar to a car braking on the motor. For slowing down, this is perfect and convenient. You can decelerate relatively quickly, going from 45 km/h to 20 or lower in a few seconds. This happens safely and gradually.

It takes some getting used to when taking corners. Your speed decreases, making the turn shorter. Personally, I prefer to brake only on the motor when pedaling backward. In a turn, I want to maintain my speed or even accelerate.

Because the pedals are lower to the ground, you also cannot pedal while taking a turn. Make sure your foot (on the inside of the turn) is raised.

So, this took some adjusting and may still be a point for improvement for Ellio. If you’re coming from another speed pedelec, you’ll need to get used to this.

Park & Drive Functions

A bit strange, but not surprising considering it’s technology from the automotive sector. You need to put the Ellio Speed Pedelecs in D(rive) to ride. If you are stationary for a few seconds, the motor automatically switches to P(ark) mode.

It’s a bit annoying when you stop at a red light. Pressing the button each time becomes accustomed to. That’s not so bothersome. Hold your front brake to avoid going into P mode.

More challenging is the pedal not staying up. Ellio is working on this; they will fix it. But for now, at the red light with one foot ready on the pedal is not possible with the Ellio speed pedelecs. Putting weight on a ready pedal (in P mode) just sinks it without resistance.

Dynamic Ellio Software

The software of the Ellio speed pedelecs is unique and entirely designed by Ellio (or IntuEdrive) themselves. Just like the motor itself, this is a perfect example of how the Speed Pedelecs market will evolve. The software ensures perfect cooperation between both motors.

This cooperation ensures that the battery is used more efficiently, but also that the ride feels safer and more stable. During acceleration, but especially in an emergency situation where you suddenly need to brake abruptly, this software plays a vital role. The traction control reduces the chance of falling. The bike remains more upright, and the software gives you a chance to stay in control.

Why Not 10/10 Then?

Perfection is always difficult to achieve. Ellio is a brand that introduces the new generation of speed pedelecs to the market.

Everyone is looking at Stromer, Specter, or Opium, but it is precisely these brands that will adopt Ellio’s technologies. That’s why we’re such fans of Ellio; they’re taking steps to distinguish the speed pedelec from the electric bike.

To score 10/10 in terms of technology & innovation, it could have had a bit more in terms of display and cockpit. It doesn’t need to have built-in Spotify; we find that unnecessary and possibly even dangerous. An internet connection, or the ability to update the Ellio software remotely, would have almost made this speed pedelec perfect.

But well, 9.5/10 is still really good, right? Curious to see how this analysis will look in the future.

The technology and features of Ellio speak for themselves once you’ve cycled a few kilometers. Book a test ride nearby and try it out.

4. Riding Comfort on the Ellio Max (8.5/10)

Riding Comfort on Flat Roads (9/10): Rides extremely smoothly, quickly, and comfortably.

Riding Comfort on Uneven Roads (7/10): Small shocks are manageable, but avoid cobblestone roads or bumpy surfaces.

Riding Comfort on Long Distances (8.5/10): The upright riding position makes the Ellio Max more appealing for long distances (compared to Opium or Specter).

Riding on Wet Roads -> Safety (8.5/10): Performed exceptionally well during an emergency stop in the rain.

Riding Comfort on Long Distances

The riding comfort on long distances (40 km) was suspiciously good due to the upright sitting position and the pleasant riding style. Our test Ellio Max had a sporty handlebar, but you still sit very differently than on an Opium, Stromer, or Specter. For long distances, the Ellio Max is much more comfortable and faster (thanks to cruise control).

Minimal but Good Suspension in the Handlebar (and Saddle)

The suspension in the handlebar is handy and provides sufficient cushioning of light shocks on the road. The saddle suspension also does its job; this is optional but they should offer it as standard. At least for Belgian customers. In countries with better cycling infrastructure, this may be less necessary.

The Kinekt stem has a special spring design and is of high quality. This works through an integrated suspension system in the stem that allows vertical movements, effectively dampening shocks before they reach the rider.

Good for most roads with some sticks, stones, or small bumps. Deeper potholes, a curb, or a hole in the road are best avoided. Then the handlebar suspension is insufficient.

The Kinekt stem is adjustable to the rider’s weight and riding style. It’s best to have the suspension adjusted for optimal damping.

Additionally, you also have an optional saddle suspension. This is also of high quality and does add a little extra to the purchase price. However, it’s worth the extra cost, especially on Belgian roads.

Tires for Suspension and Comfort

For tires, the choice fell on 27.5-inch Schwalbe Pick-Up. A quality choice, Schwalbe offers many options in their tire arsenal.

The Pick-Up line is developed for electric cargo bikes, which makes them particularly suitable for heavy loads and high speeds. They are airy, which also helps absorb shocks.

These tires are wider (2.60″) than standard bicycle tires, which contributes to a more stable ride and better weight distribution. Handy for such a fast (and heavy) speed pedelec.

The design of the tires provides a balance between low rolling resistance and high grip. This means they are efficient in energy consumption (important for the range of the e-bike) while still offering sufficient traction for safety, especially on wet or uneven roads.

Other brands like Stromer, Specter 1, and Opium opt for thinner and flatter tires to maintain their top speed and acceleration. With Ellio, you have Cruise control, or sorry, speed limiters. So, this is not necessary.

The tires feature reinforced sidewalls and a robust construction. Ellio also knows that too many punctures can damage their reputation. Therefore, good tires are important.

The Small Pedals

If we are looking for a point of criticism, we focus on the pedals. Pedals may not seem so important, but in our opinion, they are an important area for improvement for Ellio. On the Ellio Original, they are even closer to the ground, on the Ellio Max slightly higher but still not ideal.

It’s also not about the pedals themselves, but rather the position of the bottom bracket. This is lower than that of competitors and has the disadvantage that you cannot pedal while taking a turn. Here, there’s a risk that the pedal will touch the ground.

So, it’s best to keep your feet still when taking a turn, with the foot on the inside raised as high as possible. This isn’t too bothersome, although you should remember that you will slow down because your pedals are stationary. Maybe it takes some getting used to, but enjoying the Ellio Max was occasionally paused until the turn was over.

Mudguards for Belgian Weather

Ellio uses fairly standard mudguards. However, it’s handy; there is an option to make them wider, and I definitely recommend this if you have to commute to work in the fall or winter.

After 35 km in pouring rain, we were completely soaked. Not that a mudguard would have made a difference here. Ultimately, what matters more is having a good rain-resistant cycling outfit.

A raincoat, but also rain shoes or shoe covers to keep the rain off.

5. Safe Riding on the Ellio Max (8.5/10)

More than on a regular electric bike, safety is an important consideration. You ride at high speeds, which is dangerous, so you need to be more mindful of your choices.

When riding at high speeds, it’s important that the handlebar and associated buttons are well-designed. You need to be able to react quickly to everything, not just your brakes but also the horn.

Unique Automatic Riding

The Ellio Max is fully automatic. So, you don’t have to shift gears and can just keep pedaling. The more you ride with an Ellio, the more you’ll use the Cruise Control. These buttons are very easy to reach and convenient to use.

The brakes are large and easy to reach. On our test Ellio Max, they were a bit lower down, making it slightly more difficult (especially with cold hands), but fortunately, you can easily adjust such things.

There is room for improvement here; a design like that of mountain bikes is easier to grab in sudden bumps. Especially at high speeds, you want to be able to keep your hands safely on the brakes. ABS is not yet present on the Ellio Max.

Still, another nice advantage here. Due to the unique braking system, you will increasingly use the motor to brake. This results in less wear and tear, but also safer driving behavior.

It takes some getting used to for new users. Ellio knows this too. The dual motor and two-wheel drive, the braking system, and the Cruise Control are all very innovative changes within current speed pedelec designs.

Safety, Stability, and Abrupt Braking

You should never ride hands-free on a speed pedelec. It’s not forbidden, but you won’t score any points with the police. In emergency situations, it may happen that you suddenly find yourself without hands on the handlebars. A firm bump or a sudden event on the road, you never know.

So, we briefly tested this, in the name of science. Especially to test the stability of the Ellio Max at high speeds. At the end of the day, you should also be able to safely signal a direction with your hand. Stability is extremely important for safety.

The Ellio remains incredibly stable, with one or two hands off, at high or low speeds. You always remain perfectly upright.

At slow speeds, you may feel a bit like the bike is falling in a turn (due to the higher weight), but you get used to it quickly. Just be mindful of the lower pedals that can touch the ground (think about foot position when entering the turn).

Riding with Luggage

We couldn’t test riding with extra weight, such as luggage on the luggage rack, as we didn’t have bags that fit. On the relatively small luggage rack, you can mount a bag on each side.

It’s especially important to test with weight on the sides because this affects the aerodynamics and the wind, which again can affect the stability of the bike. This will be a test for the next Ellio Max review.

Riding on Bumpy Surfaces

The absence of suspension is definitely a factor. Especially if you’re coming from a bike with suspension, it takes some getting used to.

You also need to understand why you’re buying a speed pedelec. It’s about speed, not about comfortable riding on uneven surfaces and bumpy courses.

Additionally, adding suspension brings some difficulties in design and increases the (already high) purchase price.

Small shocks are well absorbed and not really felt. However, you will feel a pothole in the road or riding on cobblestones. As a small test, we went down a street with cobblestones. This was very uncomfortable with a top speed of 20 km/h.

The Handlebar and Button Usage

On the handlebar, you’ll find several buttons on both sides. The Ellio speed pedelecs are next-generation speed pedelecs. No simple front or rear-wheel motor, no derailleur.

With the Ellio Max, everything is automatic, and you have innovative technological features like Cruise Control, two-wheel drive, a speed limiter, and motor braking. You have a range of other buttons compared to competing speed pedelecs.

On the handlebar, we also find two bells. Handy and actually well thought out that there are two different ones, one for cars and one for pedestrians. The regular bell that sounds sharp and nice and an electronic bell that produces 120 decibels of sound. A bit like a car horn when you’re among cars on the road and a small bell ding ding isn’t enough.

Lighting for Visibility

The Roxim Z4E Pro provides high light output. With low beam around 600 lumens and high beam that can reach up to 900 lumens, this lamp offers excellent illumination for both urban traffic and unlit roads. However, be careful, with this light output, you can blind people.

The design of the light beam is crucial for safe cycling. The Roxim Z4E Pro produces a wide, evenly distributed light pattern. This illuminates the road and makes it easy to spot obstacles or potholes.

The high beam of 900 lumens is useful when you’re alone on a dark road and want to fully illuminate the way. During the day, in very bad weather, you can also use your 900 lumens to remain visible, although 600 lumens should already be sufficient.

The lighting is relatively standard. There are better models that spread the light more evenly or are designed to blind oncoming traffic less.

Roxim is known for producing durable and reliable lighting products for bicycles. Their products are known for their quality and long lifespan.

6. Price Comparison of the Ellio Max

The Ellio Max is actually very competitively priced. This is possible because production takes place in Belgium, and they efficiently manage their supply chain. Also, the fact that they develop and produce their own motors plays a role.

We start with our simple formula; where we divide the purchase price by the points from our Ellio Max review. The Max is not cheap, with bike bell + mudguard + saddle suspension and an extra battery as options, we end up with a purchase price of 8892 euros.

Velofietser PK score

The Ellio Max has surprised us. The good riding comfort, but especially the performance and technology. This makes the Ellio Max score very well, especially based on the purchase price and what you get for it. Yes, this remains an expensive purchase, but compared to another purchase, you retain more value.

Due to its innovative technology, the Ellio Max falls into the category of premium speed pedelecs, belonging to the higher segment. This puts it in competition with top brands like Opium, Specter, Riese & Muller, and Stromer.

These brands may be slightly less innovative, but they all use the highest quality components. Take Specter, for example, where the materials used (carbon) and technology (connected), or the display and motor drive, stand out.

With Stromer, the emphasis is on their years of experience with speed pedelecs and the use of powerful, high-quality components.

When you compare these brands in terms of price with the Ellio Max, which costs around 8,000 euros, you’ll notice that the Ellio is considerably more affordable than models that often go towards 10,000 euros or more.

In terms of price, for the same budget, you could purchase a Stromer ST2 Pinion or perhaps an ST3. Other speed pedelecs in this price range are the high-quality Riese & Müller models with mid-motor, or a fully upgraded Klever with rear-wheel drive.

While all of these are excellent and fast electric bikes, reaching speeds of up to 45 km/h, the Ellio Max offers a ‘Next Generation’ speed pedelec with numerous technological innovations that, in our opinion, represent the future of speed pedelecs.

Based on price-quality ratio, the Ellio Max seems to be the best choice.

However, much depends on what you are looking for in a speed pedelec. If you’re looking for a fast cycling experience and want to maintain the true feeling of cycling, then another option may be more suitable. But if you’re looking for the best speed pedelec based on price and quality, then Ellio is the winner.

Top Tier: Opium, Specter, Stromer, Riese & Muller, Ellio, Aska

Mid-range: Klever, Gazelle, Giant, Koga, Qwic

Cheap speed pedelecs: Eco Bike

Our Final Conclusion for the Ellio Max

If you’re looking for a true cycling experience, you won’t find it with Ellio. Shifting gears and the typical sound of pedaling backward are things of the past. However, you will be pleasantly surprised by the innovations they offer. The Ellio speed pedelecs are unique and feature functions that others do not yet have.

The new technology makes cycling incredibly enjoyable and interesting. By adjusting the cadence (although this can be done automatically), using Cruise Control, the speed limiter, and braking on the motor, you can enjoy cycling in a different way than with traditional brands.

With Ellio, you’re also opting for a brand-new type of electric motor, which we believe is the future of speed pedelecs.

Pros:

• Innovative software, next-gen speed pedelec
• Dual motor, best SP motor
• Motor braking, Cruise control, and speed limiter
• Very stable and powerful, perfect riding experience
• Excellent emergency brake (also due to software)

Cons:

• Not perfectly finished (wiring)
• Not connected, so no wireless updates possible
• Low pedals