A bike that offers electric assistance and doesn't look like an e-bike? Ampler makes that wish a reality with the Stellar; The young company manages to avoid the disadvantages of conventional electric bikes.
Digitization is well advanced in Estonia; the level of education is high and the country's students are way ahead in the PISA ranking. So it's no wonder that there are young, innovative entrepreneurs and developers there. The wooded Baltic Sea country boasts beautiful cycling routes and is largely flat; its highest elevation, the "Großer Eierberg", is just 318 meters above sea level.
With this information in mind, it seems only logical that an e-bike like the Ampler Stellar was created in the Estonian capital of Tallinn of all places; and considering the conditions there can clear up one or the other misunderstanding. In Germany, the e-bike market is largely determined by sporty models that, in terms of SUVs, can do more than they have to do in everyday life. A Bosch performance bike is basically underchallenged in city traffic and only shows its full potential on demanding terrain. Things are already different in the Netherlands: everyday bikes with a front motor are still very popular there, especially since there are hardly any inclines to be overcome. But while such models have a conventional design, often with a luggage rack battery and are rather heavy, Ampler takes a different approach: The company specializes in light, slim models that, with an integrated battery and compact rear motor, are hardly recognizable as electric bikes.
E-bikes are a common sight these days, but the Stellar turns heads. Our test model, painted bold red, is stunningly beautiful even for a conventional bike; that it also has a support motor only becomes clear to most viewers at second glance. The fact that it weighs just 17,06 kilos including pedals is a small sensation; after all, it is fully equipped with lights, metal fenders and a solid luggage rack. Average urban pedelecs weigh eight to ten kilos more, which means they can hardly be carried down to the basement or up to the apartment.
The e-bike from Estonia uses a compact hub motor instead of a heavy central motor; With 336 watt hours, the battery offers approx. 40% less energy than that of a typical Bosch bike, but is extremely small and can be hidden in the down tube - where it is of course permanently installed and cannot be removed by the user. This means that the bike should really be carried indoors on cold winter nights to prevent battery damage. So the battery is hidden, and otherwise there is hardly anything to see from the drive system: There are no controls on the handlebars, nor is there a display; only on the seat tube is the charging socket with the power button above it, on which a glowing ring indicates the operating status. The button is also used to switch back and forth between the two driving modes that the drive has at hand. If you want more, download the app that comes with the bike, which opens up more options. The driving mode can be switched to an easier one via the mobile phone screen; On the other hand, you also have the option of setting the level of support for both modes – from 50 to 150%. The app can also be used to locate the bike, the charge level is also displayed and some more.
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So press it once and off you go - and it's really quick. In normal mode with 100% support, the Ampler pushes gently but noticeably, at 150% it pushes forward quite emphatically. Once you have picked up speed, you are light-footed in both modes. Of course, the bike can also be moved beyond the supported range of 25 km/h; then it goes on completely under its own power still quite easily. The hub motor does not show any noticeable resistance. The rather small battery should not be confused with a short range. On the test bench, the Stellar covered almost 130 km on the flat, albeit at a comparatively low speed of a good 20 km/h. Bosch motors achieve similar values in the lowest or second-lowest support level.
The elegant city bike doesn't have to hide when going uphill either. Far from being a purely flat-land vehicle, it easily handles gradients of 5-6% - and that's pretty steep and will force some cyclists to dismount and push. Longer climbs can also be mastered in this way; With a relaxed step, you are on the move at a pace that a trained cyclist has to make an effort for. The torque weakness of the engine is only noticeable on very steep sections. In order to get it to cooperate on a 10% incline, you have to pedal hard.
In addition to the appealing support performance, there is great riding fun on the handy bike, which can be steered flexibly through traffic and is surprisingly comfortable to ride: the slim rigid fork and the 42 mm wide tires dampen shocks and vibrations very effectively; you don't really miss a heavy suspension fork. The equipment is also pleasing: ten-speed derailleur gears, high-quality disc brakes and a B&M radiator at the front are installed; in addition there is a solid side stand and the luggage rack with tension belt. The front brake line is elegantly laid in the fork, which is far from usual.
Only two equipment details should be viewed critically: The LEDs integrated into the seat post, which replace the classic rear light, are very elegant, but are hidden when a basket is mounted on the luggage rack or a larger object is attached. Safety struts are also missing on the front fender. Apart from that, the innovative e-bike with its classic look is very convincing, especially since it is not only a lot of fun to ride in the flat Baltic Sea region. It's easy to try it out for yourself: test bikes are available in numerous cities, which you can test ride without obligation - free of charge and much more easily accessible than it is possible in a bike shop. We think it's worth it!
