Ampler Axel e-bike review: this is the way

Yes, it’s an electric bike, but the hidden battery and motor are so quiet and small that no one expected it. I’m here.

Founded in 2014, the Estonia-based company believes that at a time when bikes with ugly bolt-on batteries were still the norm, sleekly designed e-bikes became the ideal clean and convenient urban transport for young commuters. One of the first companies to realize that Cycling 70’s. Now, Ampler is back with his five models of e-bikes infused with all the know-how the company has accumulated since then.

I’ve been testing Ampler’s Yoda-green Axel in Amsterdam, where Ampler recently opened their fifth showroom and service center in Europe. A series of issues within and outside of Ampler’s control caused quite a few problems and delays that we will discuss later.

The Axel e-bike isn’t as aggressive as the Ampler’s Curt or as relaxed as the Juna and Stellar models. It’s also not as robust as the company’s stouts. For me, the Axel hits the sweet spot between sporty and practical. It’s for people who live in Europe and want a good commuter bike to travel long distances, as long as they can afford the €2,790 (about $2,970) price tag.

But hey, shipping is free.

Refreshingly, Ampler is an e-bike company, not an e-bike. plus service Companies like European rivals VanMoof and Cowboy will try to lure you in with expensive upsells. It then uses a number of industry standard parts that your local bike shop can source and repair.

The first thing you will notice about the Axel is that it looks like a regular bike. That’s because, like all models Amler sells, they integrate the battery into the downtube. His tiny 250W motor (400W peak) in a custom Ampler design sits in the rear wheel hub. The result is an e-bike that looks great, but one drawback is that the battery is non-removable (it only comes out for service). This can complicate charging for many city dwellers. Luckily, if you need to maneuver in buildings or climb stairs, Axel is relatively light at 16.3 kg (nearly 36 pounds).

The Axel comes in two sizes to fit riders between 172 and 200 cm (5’8″ to 6’7″). A rear carrier is optional on my review bike for €60 (about $64), but a nice front and rear light, fenders and a kickstand are all standard. Axel is currently only available in this matte green finish.

Ampler has also managed to hide the cables of the second generation e-bike. Not only does this make this Axel e-bike look great, but it also keeps things from getting caught when trying to lock the bike in a crowded parking stand.

Riding the accelerator is comfortable and intuitive. The saddle feels good even after long rides, and the grips provide the extra sponginess needed to offset a hand-heavy forward stance. This means no extra shifts or maintenance required. And because the Axel is fitted with a torque sensor, power to assist the pedal is delivered in unison with the pressure applied on each downstroke.

Still, starting a single-speed bike on moderate grades can struggle a bit with the bike’s rated 45Nm max torque. flat The most powerful pedal assist mode. If that bothers you, consider the 11-speed Ampler Curt or the 9-speed Stout and Stellar models. However, the Axel’s motor does an excellent job of leveling any hills you arrive on during your commute. E-bikes without throttles offer two pedal-assisted riding modes that can be switched via the app or by tapping a button below the bike’s display. Basic information such as charge level and trip stats are displayed. You can also use this button to turn your bike on/off or turn on your lights without resorting to the app.

Axel’s relatively fat Continental Contact Urban 50-584 tires feel great on a commuter bike. Even when carrying heavy loads like groceries in bags hanging from the grips, a Christmas tree placed across its length, or a new friend perched precariously on the rear rack after a night out, they It absorbs bumps moderately and stabilizes the bike. They also survived being hit directly by shattered chunks of glass from a broken bottle on the street during my test—poor tourist.

I did all my testing on mostly flat roads at maximum power, so I was able to empty the 48V 336Wh battery from 100% in 54km (33.6 miles). However, in some other range tests, the effectiveness faded at ranges below 40km. This is pretty much in line with Ampler’s claims of 50-100km on a single charge. Of course, if you’re out of juice or just looking for some exercise, you can hit the accelerator without any effort. Otherwise, he can recharge in just under 2.5 hours using the included 3A charger.

Measuring speed with a Garmin watch, the motor typically stops assisting at around 27 km/h, which is well within the EU’s maximum allowed speed of 25 km/h, Ampler said. Front and rear two-piston hydraulic brakes bring the accelerator to a confident, controlled stop, with the benefit of rear nighttime running lights that act as brake indicators.

The Ampler motor is essentially silent and easily overshadowed by city noise and a deafening wind. Some early Axels I tested had noisy freewheels, but my final review model sounded just right when coasting. Considering the fact that the display turns off, no one riding next to the accelerator knows it’s an e-bike.

Another thing that makes Ampler stand out is the ability to control your own firmware and app development. The app connects to your bike via Bluetooth and opens a customizable dashboard showing charge, speed and range remaining. It can also be used to lock motors, view bike position and monitor historical ride stats. This app is also required to send firmware updates to Ampler’s new bikes. This allows on-site repairs before the owner notices the problem. For me, this app strikes the right balance between being useful without being overkill, unlike many other e-bike apps out there.

Ampler’s lock feature is a bit lacking at the moment. Locking the accelerator does two things. First, it prevents Pedal Assist from turning on until the app unlocks the motor, but you can still pedal the bike. Second, the front and rear lights silently flash when the bike is crushed.

The new location tracking works, but its accuracy is hit and miss. Connectivity is dependent on the availability of LTE-M and 2G services in the area. Amsterdam’s narrow streets, lined with six-storey buildings one after another, posed a challenge for Axel. For example, as I type this, my bike is parked outside my building (hopefully!) and secured to a rack with a relatively good view of the sky. However, the Ampler app shows his location six hours ago. Unsurprisingly, tracking usually didn’t work on his first floor in my house. There, even a smartphone often cannot connect to the network his provider.

Ampler says a software update due in March will improve the accuracy issue by retrieving location information from a phone connected via Bluetooth. And it seems to work fine elsewhere. Ampler co-founder and CEO Ardo Kaurit said in an email exchange:

The company believes the launch of its new Ampler lineup announced last year was a success, achieving a 70% increase in sales compared to 2021, but a myriad of issues still make it difficult to meet demand due to COVID-19. I couldn’t.

Simply put, the launch of five new electric bikes built around a new platform the company developed in-house for the first time was overly ambitious. was exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of its neighboring country, followed by a wave of coronavirus lockdowns in China that upended global supply chains.

More specifically, the company struggled with display flaws early on, delaying assembly in the Estonian factory where everything is designed and engineered. And when customers actually received their new e-bikes, some discovered battery issues and had to send their expensive vehicles back for warranty repairs. I also had problems with the connectivity solution. Luckily, some of these issues have been resolved with over-the-air updates to the bike’s firmware and apps.

Between March and August 2022, I test rode and returned to 3 different Ampler e-bikes, all plagued with various issues. The company is now confident enough in its production that they sent us a new Axel to test a few weeks ago. says Kaurit. And for what it’s worth, I believe him.

Kaurit has always been overly transparent about Ampler’s successes, failures and blind spots. I’ve known him since 2016. He drove about 1,500 miles from Tallinn to deliver the company’s first commercial electric bike prototype to me. The Axel, which I’ve been riding almost daily for the past few weeks, has been fine and performs like a premium e-bike, except for slow location updates.

That said, if you buy an Ampler, you’ll want to live near one of the company’s nine service centers across Europe, just to be on the safe side. But regardless of the brand, on an e-bike he recommends that anyone over €2,000 be easily served. For that price, you’re buying a daily commuter that should be available. every day without fail for years. Service and repair are inevitable for computer controlled machines that are used outdoors in all weather conditions.

Ampler’s new range of e-bikes are designed to appeal to all types of riders. The geometry of the frame supports both short and tall riders and those who prefer to cruise upright or lean forward down hills. It took a while, but in 2023 the Axel has proven to be a great e-bike. A sporty Daley that looks as good as it performs, he should be on your shortlist if you’re looking for a commuter.

All photos by Thomas Ricker/The Verge