Test / E-Bike: Bulls Sturmvogel EVO 5F Belt: the powerfully motorized urban bike is not only an exception in the Bulls model range. With a powerful engine, long range and low-maintenance equipment, this is a perfect companion for everyday use, which stands out with its large transport volume and stylish look.
The petrel has a special place in the Bulls model range. It's the brand's only e-bike without a suspension fork, and among Bulls' everyday and trekking bikes, it's the only e-bike powered by a Brose motor. With the former, the Sturnvogel is a typical "urban bike": The rigid fork gives the bike a thoroughly classic look, which is underlined by the color-coordinated components - tyres, suede saddle and handles. The front basket also fits into the picture, which complements a very stable rear carrier and gives the Bulls a surprisingly large transport capacity. And with that, the Sturmvogel also shows that urban bikes are by no means just a fad - they are tailored to the needs of cyclists who have to make too many compromises with conventional city and trekking e-bikes.
Bulls Sturmvogel EVO 5F Belt: short and sweet
- Engine: Brose FIT S-Mag Plus, 85 Nm
- Battery pack: 555, 740 or 925Wh
- Frame variants: Wave, diamond
- Special features Gates belt drive
- Price: from € 4.799
Bulls Sturmvogel EVO: Low-maintenance with rigid fork and toothed belt
Such an urban bike has a number of advantages. The maintenance effort that an air suspension fork entails is completely eliminated here, and the rigid fork also makes the bike a little lighter. The more direct handling, which the aluminum fork has over a telescopic fork, also proves its worth in city traffic. Dynamic cyclists will not be deterred by the fact that the front is a bit harder; the whopping 62 mm wide tires provide a decent amount of shock absorption anyway. The slightly profiled tires are another typical urban feature: They take the edge off curbs and potholes and are almost "tram rail-safe" thanks to their width. The combination of gear hub and toothed belt also fits the maintenance requirements. The former practically never has to be readjusted, the latter is virtually maintenance-free, provided the correct tension is used - in contrast to the conventional chain, which has to be cleaned and oiled regularly. A tensioning device for the belt is of course integrated into the dropouts of the Sturmvogel.
Classic cruiser look
With the compact frame (which is also available as a step-through) and 27,5-inch wheels, Bulls relies on the typical cruiser bike look that is characteristic of many urban bikes; details such as aluminum mudguards and polished add-on parts also go well with this. So cruising comfortably? The engine speaks a different language. As already mentioned, it is rather unusual in the all-round segment, which is dominated by the Bosch drive, to install the Brose unit, which is usually installed on e-MTBs and competes with the Bosch CX there. The Brose has enormous torque and thus pushes forward furiously at traffic lights; the significantly higher support factor compared to the Bosch motors means that you can ride with less personal effort, which is particularly noticeable on the mountain. In the high support modes, the Brose drive also acts a bit rougher.
A big plus of the Brose motor is the large battery, which has a capacity of 740 watt hours, which means a lot of range. Bulls has given the storm bird of the 2023 model year an update in this regard: if you don't ride long daily routes, you can get the urban bike with a 555 Wh battery. Even better, a 925-watt-hour battery will be available, and that will probably settle the issue of range anxiety once and for all.
Five-speed gearbox with adapted gradation
In connection with the high-torque motor, the gears should also be mentioned again: Shimano has developed the Nexus Inter 5E especially for e-bikes, which on the one hand easily digests the high forces that act on the transmission in the mid-motor, but on the other hand has a specially designed Gear ratio matched to e-bikes. Compared to the frequently installed Shimano eight-speed hub, the Inter 5E has a longer overall gear ratio; the very easy gears are also missing. The circuit is thus optimally tailored to the drive support.
A technical highlight on the Sturmvogel is the Supernova lighting system with an extremely bright 100 lux spotlight. In this way, Bulls underscores the premium character of the urban bike, because the Cologne-based brand does not usually install quite so elegant lights. Another interesting aspect is that the Bull's rims are compatible with tubeless tires - anyone who converts here at some point is more puncture-proof and has less rolling resistance on the road.
The latter can of course be neglected in view of the powerful engine - even with the standard tires, the elegant urban bike offers plenty of riding fun. If you don't get used to a conventional e-trekking bike, you might find the Sturmvogel the ideal everyday companion.
