Product news: Fischer E-Bikes 2017: E-Performance off 999€ – What’s behind it?

Market: Almost all of us have probably come across bicycles and e-bikes from Fischer. You can buy them from various large supermarket chains, by mail order or from Amazon. This, together with the really low prices compared to the competition, is also the reason why Fischer as a bicycle brand is often met with a lot of skepticism. Reason enough for us to take a detailed look at the Fischer e-bike program for 2017. It becomes clear: Although they keep their own roots, they also want to emancipate themselves from the image as a "discount brand".

Fischer e-bikes: drives and batteries

When it comes to the built-in drives, Fischer relies on variety: from the tried-and-tested central motor to rear-wheel motors and the now quite exotic front-wheel motor, almost all variants are represented. But the design is not the only thing that distinguishes the individual drives of the Fischer bikes from each other. There are also considerable differences in the support provided. While all of the motors used have a numerical output of 250 watts, they bring different amounts of power to the road. While the middle motor of the Proline Evo models with 80Nm can keep up with Bosch, Brose or Yamaha, the front wheel motors in particular are much more reserved with 20Nm.

So is less performance always worse? Not necessarily - as so often, it depends entirely on the area of ​​application. While the 80Nm is justified on a mountain bike on steep ramps, you don't need nearly as much power for leisurely errands in city traffic. Incidentally, most of the motors in the Fischer wheels are produced by the Chinese industry giant Bafang.

Diversity is also popular when it comes to batteries. Capacities between 317Wh and 557Wh, mounting on the down tube or under the luggage rack - what they all have in common, however, are the branded cells from Panasonic and the integrated battery balancing program to charge and discharge the batteries in a cell-friendly manner.

Fischer e-bikes: display and control unit

Not only with the drives, but also with the control unit, there is a wide range from simple and minimalist to ultra-modern and full of smart features. The simplest models rely on the Ecoline LED, which to a certain extent combines the operating unit and display. Two LED scales provide information about the current support level and the remaining battery capacity, and the system can be operated using four buttons. At the other end of the scale is the new Proline-Evo Teasi TFT display. On the top models, a Teasi is installed instead of the monochrome LCD display: Teasi is a navigation device for bicycles with a color display and, in the case of Fischer e-bikes, also the interface to the motor: All data such as speed, remaining range or total kilometers can be easily read here . Thanks to the Bluetooth connection, the Teasi can also be used as a fitness computer. When planning the tour, Teasi includes the data from the e-bike: route suggestions are made based on the current battery charge level and, depending on the support level selected, Teasi calculates the range based on the terrain.

The vast majority of models use the tried-and-tested monochrome display above the stem, which has also received a remarkable update for 2017. In addition to the existing USB charging connection, it now also comes with Bluetooth functionality. The smartphone can be used as a navigation system via a dedicated app - the directions are then sent from the cell phone to the display.

Fischer e-bikes: service and guarantee

Fischer attaches great importance to satisfied customers, which is why they work hard when it comes to service and the guarantee. What is particularly remarkable here is the frame guarantee, which runs for 30 years at Fischer. In addition, there is an availability guarantee for the batteries until 2021 - so for all models sold there will still be a new, unused battery available for purchase in four years with a 100% guarantee. Speaking of the battery: Fischer grants a guarantee on this too – this runs for 12 months for the Ecoline models, 18 for the Proline and 24 months for the Proline-Evo.

If problems arise after purchase and defects appear on the bike or the components, you can use Fischer's free home service for the first year after purchase. An appointment is made on the phone and a trained customer service engineer then looks at the problem on site.

Fischer e-bikes 2017: city and trekking

Even though the number of e-MTBs at Fischer is growing in 2017, as is the case across the entire industry, the focus remains on city and trekking bikes. The company stands out from the now-impressive competition, of course, primarily through its affordable price. With the Ecoline ER 1704, there's even a stylish city e-bike available for under 1.000€. Sure, the hub motor in the front wheel isn't quite as powerful as its more expensive competitors, the battery is probably a bit too weak for an extended weekend ride, and the components are rather practical. However, anyone simply looking for a stylish bike for the city and would like a little extra support from an integrated motor without spending a fortune should be well served by this. Of course, all Fischer e-bikes in this category come with StVZO-compliant, permanently installed lighting and the corresponding reflectors.

However, the Proline Evo models show that Fischer can also build modern e-bikes that do not have to hide from the established specialist retail brands. The mid-engine delivers 80Nm, the 557Wh battery provides a lot of endurance, the gears with 8-speed Nexus hub gears are perfect for the city and the new Teasi display even has a navigation on board.

All city and trekking e-bikes from Fischer at a glance

Fischer E-Bikes 2017: E-mountain bikes

Of course, the E-MTB trend does not stop at Fischer either: In addition to three hardtails, one of them with modern plus tires, the range also includes a fully with 100mm spring travel. Even if the rather pragmatic equipment is certainly not designed to chase the Fischer E-MTBs over the rocky trails on Lake Garda, for example, they are still an attractive option for those who value comfort and also like the paved ones leave paths.

All Fischer E-MTBs at a glance

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