Home > Bike Types > Commuter

PC15 Dueling Yubas: Currie Technologies Spicy Curry and BionX elMundo Go Head to Head to eCarry your Cargo

6 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Currie-Technologies_Yuba_Spicy-C_E-bike_0001

Cleary there is a lot of debate around e-bikes, but if there was one category that should be fairly easy to agree on, it would have to be cargo bikes destined for the road. Trying to get hundreds of pounds worth of payload moving requires either the absolute lowest gearing possible with a ton of shifting, or the aid of a pedal assist motor.

Rolling with the increasing trend of eCargo bikes, two electric Yuba (Yubas?) were available for test at this Press Camp. Both were Class 1 e-bikes. Both had batteries and motors of similar capacity and power. Both designed and purposed for similar ultra-utility within their intended purposes. So I took the opportunity to test both to compare their drive systems. Meet the new Spicy Curry, powered by Currie Technologies, and the elMundo, powered by BionX and enter the Yubadrome after the jump…

Spicy Curry Feat. Currie Technologies Centerdrive

Currie-Technologies_Yuba_Spicy-C_E-bike_0002

The Spicy Curry is a collaboration between Yuba and Currie Technologies and is available now. It is a Class 1 e-bike, featuring pedal assist with a top speed of 20mph. It’s outfitted with a powerful 350W Currie Technologies Centerdrive motor and a geometry designed around a 26in front wheel and a 20in rear, giving a ton of standover and lowering the rear deck.

Yuba Spicy Curry electric cargo bike motor

The 48V, 8.7Ah battery is tucked between the chain stays right behind the bottom bracket, so the weight is low and central. And because of the low deck, additional loads (cargo, wiggling kids) on the bike remain low as well. It has a range of 25-45 miles depending on road conditions and a charge time of only 4-6 hours to a full battery. It also features front and rear dynamo powered LED front and rear lights. The drive train is 1×8 Shimano Acera and the brakes are hydraulic Tektro T290 – extremely necessary for moving and stopping the 55lb machine. It is outfitted with Schwalbe Big Apple plus tires 26×2.15in front, 20×2.15in rear.

Currie-Technologies_Yuba_Spicy-C_E-bike_0004

Impressions: This bike was a station wagon- in the most positive sense. Super stable due to the low and central battery and motor. It was begging to be loaded up and ridden the crap out of (something I didn’t get to try). The powerful motor made the big climb no issue at all. The descent, however, with all that weight was a little harrowing. And the only other issue I had was that the mid-drive motor had a really wide Q-Factor, something that my track racing knees did not particularly appreciate during and after the test rides (they were a little achy after pedaling hard up the climb). Though, if you’re a fat bike rider, I doubt you’d notice. Overall, though, it was attractive, fun, and extremely practical. I liked the low step-thru, critical in a cargo situation.

MSRP $4500

elMundo Feat. BionX

Bionx_Yuba_E-bike_0009

The elMundo features a rear hub BionX 350DL (350W) motor, rather than a mid-drive. The accompanying 48V, 8.8Ah Li-Mn (Lithium Manganese) battery boasts a 25-50 mile range, but rather than being tucked low and pro like Currie battery, the BionX battery lives in the front triangle, giving this model a higher stand-over. Front and rear wheels of this model are both 26in, meaning the rear deck is a bit higher than on the Spicy Curry, so it also has a substantial guard to protect little legs. The drivetrain is a 3×7 SRAM X4, and the whole bike comes in at 65lb total.

BionX_Yuba_e-bike_0004

There are a few interesting things about the BionX system. For one, it doesn’t just have an assist mode, it also has a “recharge” mode, which adds resistance to the rear wheel while you pedal or coast. So, if you want your e-bike to give you a heavy workout rather than just assist you, BionX is the kit for you. The other interesting aspect of the system is that BionX has a sophisticated diagnostic and tuning system in place for all of these systems, meaning that the system and its torque curve can be serviced and fine-tuned to your riding after the fact. This would come into play later.

BionX_Yuba_e-bike_0002

Impressions: I tested the stability of this model right off the bat by co-test riding this machine with a media colleague. We took turns riding on the padded deck and pedaling the bike down a straight-away. In both cases, the bike was stable (and totally fun) and took very little acclimation. I definitely appreciated the normal, narrow q-factor on my knees due to the rear drive motor. Unloaded, I took this system up my e-bike test climb. Unlike other systems, I was definitely aware that I was assisted on my climb as the BionX system seemed to nudge me up the climb. On a hard climb, this more active active-assist was certainly appreciated.

The BionX motor over-heated with about 70ft to go to my stopping point, something I’m told is more common to electric rear motors, bringing my speed from a zippy 20mph to 3mph in a matter of seconds… so I was pretty thankful for the 3×7 drive train at the end. It was the only motor I managed to overheat during my test experience. While that was kind of a bummer, the descent, was awesome. I kicked the assist into the highest “recharge” setting and the motor acted as a brake down the steep parts of the descent. Considering the weight of the bike, and the potential for added cargo weight, this was a huge asset. It kept the bike speed and handling completely under control all the way down.

BionX_Yuba_e-bike_0003

When I shared my motor stall with BionX after the test ride, they said that it would be possible to tune the system further to accommodate a rider with a particular type of commute. This means that they could squeeze more distance out of the motor in a given climb by remotely adjusting the system (I’ll be checking out this aspect of the system further during an extended test ride, stay tuned).

MSRP $3,499

ridebionx.com

yubabikes.com

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

6 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Champs
Champs
9 years ago

The ElMundo doesn’t weigh much more than stock. It gears down to 24×28 and you’re simply not going to wheelie with your weight that far forward.

I am neither the weakest nor the strongest rider, but without assist it was good enough to grind up a popular local climb of almost 2 miles at 8% with my girlfriend on the back.

Keith Cody
Keith Cody
9 years ago

I own a BionX system. I don’t recommend it. They work great, but they do not stand behind their product. They won’t repair their motors. All contact has to go through the original LBS. Good luck if you move or if you bought it from one of the smaller e-bike only shops that didn’t survive. If you are going to be spending $3500 or more, get an e-bike from a vendor that believes in their product. BionX is the worst.

Jim Tyler
Jim Tyler
9 years ago

I have had nothing but a positive experience with BionX over the past 4 years. Reliable motor and good dealer support.

Keith Cody
Keith Cody
9 years ago

You’re probably still dealing with your original dealer. Try a different dealer and see if you can get any support. I’ve completely failed in southern California. ]

Check Amazon. 40% are 1 star reviews. http://www.amazon.com/BionX-PL-350-With-Pre-Built-Wheel/product-reviews/B0025USB7W

The BionX works great and it’s definitely one of the more refined systems, but god forbid you have any problems.

Ascar Larkinyar
Ascar Larkinyar
9 years ago

please stop showing E-bikes on the park city trails that e-bikes are not allowed on!!!!

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.