Yamaha Civante e-road bike powers up as their first class 3 e-bike for the U.S.

Written by michael gushulak Jul 09, 2020 12:58 p.m. ET

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Yamaha is far from new when it comes to e-bikes. They first designed frames and motor systems back in 1993. 27 years later, they’ve announced their first-ever class 3 e-road bike for the U.S. market. The Civante speeds in with the Yamaha PWSeries SE motor for road riders…

Civante details

photo c. Yamaha Motor Corp., USA

The Civante is built as a do-it-all road bike. It’s something for the commuter and another thing for performance riders. Commuters will enjoy the fender, rack and kickstand compatibility. While performance riders will appreciate the aero wheelset, 43.4lb weight, and geometry designed to offer confident handling. Internal cable routing keeps the aluminum frame and fork clean, and thru-axles front and rear keep it laterally stiff.

The Civante has a 2×10 Shimano Tiagra drivetrain with 50/34T chainrings up front. Stopping power is provided by flat-mount Tiagra hydraulic disc brakes. And it rolls on 700x50c CST XPedium Ampero e-bike rated tires.

Drive system inspection

The PWSeries SE motor assists up to 28mph which is what makes it a Class 3, and offers up to 70Nm of torque and registers up to 110rpm cadence. The frame-mounted 500Wh lithium-ion battery charges from 0 to 80% in about 1 hour and locks to the bike. Key benefits of the PWSeries SE are smooth transitions between the motor engaging and disengaging and smooth pedaling while riding.

There’s a lot going on at the front of the bike with an LCD display for the control panel, Bluetooth app connectivity, diagnostics and ride stats. Mode selection is done on the paddle shifter seen here just below the flats, left of the stem. There’s also an included LED headlight and internal wiring for the Yamaha rack and taillight. The $3,400 Civante is expected to hit roads this summer with a 3 year warranty on all of the electronic components and is only available in the while color scheme seen above.

The Civante will be offered in three sizes, which roughly translate to a 53, 55, and 58cm frame. For more details check out the Yamaha site below.

YamahaBicycles.com

michael gushulak

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Joenomad

3 years ago

Aluminum frame, hideous external battery pack and 10 speed Tiagra, all for $3400. You would think by now there would be better integration between these elements and not look hobbled together in someone’s garage.

Drew

3 years ago

Reply to Joenomad

8-speed offers the highest durability for drivetrains, but we just could not do that on this model given its performance geometry and handling. We felt that 10-speed was as thin of a chain as we could go. Sure, external batteries are a polarizing discussion, we get it. We anticipate more riders using the Civante for commuting to work, so we wanted to offer an easy-on, easy-off, battery for those that are re-charging at the desk while leaving the bike on the rack. Yes, many are working from home now. Ourselves, too. We felt that the Civante could help riders re-center their mental health and find a fun way to get home after a day of work and get back home more quickly.

Mike

3 years ago

Reply to Joenomad

Joenomad, there is better integration. For twice the price. From manufacturers who use Yamaha’s motor. For someone who wants the performance without that price, this is perfect.

3 years ago

Could they have made the handlebar area more busy if they tried? FFS it looks horrendous

Drew

3 years ago

GP, Looking at developing a new placement of the control switch for future models. Would you prefer left side shifter or right side shifter? Given that we find a tremendous value in offering a headlight and safety bell accessory, would you prefer to mount them off of the bar? Where would you prefer? Thanks for the feedback!

Phillip

3 years ago

I’ve been riding a medium Civante for a few weeks now, 24 miles a day. The placement of the controls are perfect, the little extra room under the computer is ideal. I took off the bell and added a Polar HRM. IMHO the removable battery is so much better than the ones integrated into the frame. I take it with me to keep thieves from being enticed, and when it dies it’s so much easier to replace. I looked at every gravel bike I could find and the power delivery, the group, frame, geometry, even the tire selection and the sturdy through-the-frame axles all make this bike a great and durable daily rider. My only issue is the really bright indicator light that changes color for the assist level. It’s so bright you can’t see the computer, which has a very dim backlight. I put a piece of electrical tape over it.

Greydog

3 years ago

I test drove this bike and the Specialized Vado SL at $3600. While the Vado seems much better built it only gives 35N/m of force and on Max assist it was just adequate while with Civante on STD I was cruising at 23 MPH and not breaking a sweat. The Civante has a better drivetrain group set. My only beef with the Civante is that the paint is thin and scratches easily and the frames run small. I am 5’9″ and I need a large frame as the medium I rode, my knee was almost hitting my elbow.

Greydog

3 years ago

Whoops almost forgot to add that I am buying the Civante. I will add a carbon seat post and lighter, more aggressive Pirelli Cinturato TLR 32c tires. I am hoping to shave about 2 pounds off the bike and lessen the rolling resistance.

Greydog

3 years ago

It would be nice if Yamaha offered the Cross Core in a Class 3 28mph version. I really wanted an upright bike but after test driving the Cross Core I was disappointed that it became difficult to pedal at around 18mph. Eventually, I will convert the Civante to a straight bar bike but for now I will put on a -35 or 40 degree stem.

It would also be nice if Yamaha made an aftermarket carbon fork for the Civante and Cross Core to lighten them up. It would save at least 2 pounds in weight. After riding the Specialized Vado 4.0 SL which is about 35 pounds, you really appreciate a lightweight Ebike.

I ordered my Civante and should get it by mid April.