Test / E-Bike: With the Sushi Maki MK2, we are now taking a close look at an unusually affordable e-bike. At a price of less than 1.000 euros you have to make a lot of compromises – you can find out in the test whether the slim bike is still worth it.
Sushi Maki: unboxing and assembly
The majority of the sushi bikes sold should arrive at the buyer's home in a box directly from the official online shop. Now the direct sales model is certainly nothing new in 2022 and has firmly established itself. As with all bicycles and e-bikes from the mail order business, this also means that you have to do some of the final assembly steps yourself with Sushi.
As soon as we received the package, we were amazed at the very compact box - the reason was quickly found after opening it: the sushi maki is pretty much disassembled and you should plan some time to get the bike ready to ride. The official unboxing or assembly video, which is quite long at 45 minutes, is not surprising. First of all, it is positive that all necessary tools are included in the scope of delivery, so that you can start right away.
Brakes not pre-assembled - a no-go!
Many of the assembly steps to be completed are not too big of a problem, even for non-professionals. Assembling the handlebars, the pedals or the front wheel is simple and actually there is relatively little that can go wrong here. Much more problematic, however, is that the calipers of the mechanical disc brakes are not installed. This task is left entirely to the buyer. Anyone who has never mounted a disc brake or simply has no experience with screwdrivers is helplessly overwhelmed, no matter how detailed the corresponding videos may be. The friction-free, safe adjustment of the brakes takes even an experienced biker a few minutes. Quite apart from that: the fact that the correct assembly of a component that is so important for safety is passed on to the customer is an absolute no-go for us.
Low weight - but small battery and weak motor
After the somewhat tedious assembly, you can look forward to a really stylish and pleasantly light bike. The unusually slim aluminum frame makes a decent impression, some cables are even routed internally. On the other hand, all the cables for the motor and battery are somewhere on the outside of the frame. Nice: Mounting points for a luggage rack and mudguards are available, the corresponding standard attachments should fit, or you can use the official Sushi Bikes shop.
The drive system also has its part in the really very low total weight of 16 kilograms in size L. On our test bike, the compact hub motor in the rear wheel is supported by a compact battery in the shape of a drinking bottle with a capacity of just 124 Wh. However, the latter is also very easy to handle due to its dimensions and weight and can be easily accommodated in almost any backpack. The same applies to the charger, which charges the battery from 0 to 100% in around three hours. In view of the range, the compact power supply is your best friend - but more on that later. Incidentally, the somewhat newer Maki+ has a larger battery with 230 Wh, which can also be retrofitted to the Maki with a corresponding set.
It is operated via a rather old-fashioned control unit on the handlebars, which is more reminiscent of a pocket calculator from the 90s than a modern control unit for an e-bike. However, it fulfills its purpose: the drive can be switched on here, and the support level can be selected from three levels using + and -. The integrated LEDs provide information about the charge status of the battery and the support level - when the sun is not shining. Then the LEDs are unfortunately no longer visible - a pity. Tip from us: Sushi offers a modern control panel with integrated LCD for retrofitting for 39 euros.
Putting sushi maki to the test
In order to get a feel for the drive, we put the Sushi Maki to the test. The manufacturer specifies the power of the motor as 200 watts, which is also confirmed in our measurements. At times it even scratches the 250 watt mark and is therefore a little more powerful than stated. Compared to the competition, however, the small hub motor has to lose a few feathers. Even the weakest mid-engines have significantly more power, so a Bosch Active Line Plus drive brings it about twice as much. Other hub motors also have noticeably more power - for example the Mahle X35.
The situation is similar with the battery: Sushi specifies a maximum range of 40 km, which we think is very optimistic. In our measurements, the Maki does not last 20 km in the highest support level on the flat and even with less power, the 40 should only be reached under optimal conditions. In this respect, you can probably count on a realistic 25 km - the charger is therefore also an almost necessary companion in everyday life if you don't want to do without the motor.
What was striking in our measurements was that the engine switched off very early: at a speed of approx. 20 km/h, it throttled its performance, which then finally came to a complete standstill at approx. 24,5 km/h. Almost all other e-bikes only start to throttle at 24 km/h or higher and often provide support up to approx. 26 km/h.
We were positively surprised by the motor switch-off on the brake levers: Since the drive (as with almost all e-bikes in this price range) does not have a torque sensor, but instead regulates its power using the crank movement, there is a different degree of push-on depending on the situation. That means the motor will still push for a brief moment after you stop pedaling. This can be a bit unfamiliar, especially at the beginning, and may even be relevant to security. The connection to the brake levers helps here: on the test bench it is clear to see that the engine stops immediately when the brakes are pulled. Nice!
Components on the Sushi Maki: No gears, but decent brakes
There aren't too many surprises when it comes to the components given the low price. You have to do without gears altogether - all Sushi bikes are (so far?) only available as single-speed bikes. The gear ratio selected is fine for flat areas, and the feel-good cadence is reached at speeds between 20 and 25 km/h. On inclines, on the other hand, you have to get out of the saddle here and there, also because the drive runs out of breath quite quickly.
The chosen mechanical disc brakes from the Tektro are really neat. Sure, you shouldn't expect brake anchors like a Shimano XT or Magura MT5 here - but they are sufficient for the chosen area of application; provided they are installed correctly.
You will search in vain for the names of well-known manufacturers for the other components - but that doesn't have to be a negative thing, especially for the asking price. The wheels and the tires mounted on them are striking. The latter are very narrow at 28 mm and, in combination with the high rims, ensure a very chic look. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of comfort.
The scope of delivery also includes a StVZO-compliant battery-operated lighting system and the required reflectors.
Good driving behavior BUT...
In practice, the first thing that strikes you is the very special geometry for a bike tailored to the masses. Noticeably inspired by the train or the fixie scene, you sit rather squat, but still sporty. This means a lot of weight on the hands and the handlebars, which, in combination with the steep steering angle, ensures lively driving behavior. This can be a lot of fun once you get used to it, but the Maki quickly gets nervous and is certainly not easy to control for infrequent drivers.
The drive is absolutely fine for the targeted area of application. As usual for a hub motor, it is nice and quiet and, even at maximum power, is only noticeable through a barely perceptible hum. Of course, you shouldn't expect top performance here; the lowest level of support is barely perceptible even on flat ground, the additional boost is only noticeable above that. But then it is definitely a pleasure, for example starting at the traffic lights can certainly put a smile on the faces of e-bike newcomers. However, so that this smile does not suddenly disappear, it is almost mandatory to have the charger at hand or to limit yourself to short distances. In our test period of around four weeks, an average range of around 25 km proved to be realistic. Dividing the battery is also made difficult by the fact that the charge level indicator is extremely unreliable.
The translation of the single-speed drive proved to be suitable for flat Munich. However, you have to pedal properly even on smaller inclines, since the drive makes the straddle quite early here; This also means that you have to get out of the saddle and step out of the saddle on gradients of around 12% or more. This also shows that the frame is very soft in the bottom bracket area and twists quite a bit. On the other hand: The Sushi Maki is not a racing bike and the associated loss of power is unlikely to be really relevant for anyone.
…underground comfort
The fact that the Sushi Maki can only be recommended to a limited extent, despite the overall positive impressions so far, is due to the very low level of comfort - a critical point for an everyday bike. As soon as you are not on a smooth surface, even the smallest bump is noticeable in your hands, arms and buttocks.
The main reason for this is probably the very narrow tires and the high-profile rims. The 28 mm tires have to be inflated to at least four bars in the city if you don't want to change the inner tube regularly, which means that the tires themselves are almost eliminated as a damping element. The high rims can also hardly twist and accordingly also pass on impacts almost unfiltered. Unfortunately, this series also continues with the frame and fork and ends in the ergonomically anything but successful contact points saddle and grips. The latter in particular are negative: Hard as a board, almost without damping and with an unpleasant decorative seam, these are direct candidates for a swap for us. In any case, to save the sushi maki's honor, one has to state that these lack of comfort can be remedied by oneself with manageable additional financial expenditure. Frame and fork offer plenty of space for wider tires, grips and saddle are standard parts that can be exchanged for any alternative.
