Honbike Uni4 — A stylish and powerful urban e

Feb 04, 2024

Honbike Uni4 e-bike has a range of 100km. Picture: Noel Campion.

E-bikes offer numerous advantages, making them an increasingly popular choice for urban commuters and leisure riders. They assist with pedalling, reducing physical strain and allowing riders to travel longer distances with less effort. E-bikes are eco-friendly, producing zero emissions and contributing to cleaner air in cities. They offer versatility, allowing riders to tackle hills and headwinds with ease. Additionally, e-bikes promote health and fitness by encouraging regular physical activity and can save money on transportation costs. In recent years, I have become a convert, and I now regularly enjoy all the benefits of cycling in the open air without any of the strain and pain.

Unboxing experience

I didn't mind that I had to build the Honbike myself after it arrived in a sizable box. Assembly is very straightforward, and it’s mostly together with just a few things to turn it into a rideable bike, including putting on the pedals, front mudguard, and front wheel. The bike is well packaged, and I appreciated them using reusable cable ties around the foam padding, which meant I didn’t have to get something like wire snips, and of course, they can be used again rather than thrown away.

All necessary tools required, including a socket and four hex keys, are included in the box. Attention to detail is evident in how this bike is packaged and in small things like the three screws for the mudguard, which has a blob of thread lock to ensure they won’t fall out during use. It took about 20 minutes to assemble the bike, including pumping up the tires.

Design

The Honbike reminds me of the album art from Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells. The bike features three large tubes that create the geometry for the bike's frame. The bike has been designed with a minimalist approach with hidden cables, a small display built into the almost straight single-piece handlebars, and futuristic one-piece true magnesium die-cast, six-spoke wheels.

One of the drawbacks of the unusual design is that when you look down at the display, you’ll see the front wheel and crossbar at angles to each other. This is because the main crossbar extends from the right side of the rear wheel directly to the centre of the extension arm of the handlebars. After several weeks of riding the bike, I still have to tell my brain it’s okay that it isn’t straight. It’s not a big deal unless you have a serious case of OCD.

Instead of a chain with gears, there’s a Gates carbon belt drivetrain that promises a maintenance-free ride for up to 10,000 km+. That means you don’t have to worry about cleaning and oiling a metal chain.

The front forks follow the same design language as the rest of the frame with a tubular side profile, but when you see them front-on, they’re more slender.

The front and rear brakes are discs but use wire cables instead of hydraulics. They’re reasonably quiet with effective stopping power, although I needed more force on the brake levers than I’m used to on my Cannondale e-bike with hydraulic brakes.

I love that the Uni4 comes with mudguards and a robust kickstand that match the rest of the minimalist design. Other optional accessories include a rear carrier (€80), a water bottle holder (€40) and a stylish Honbike Smart City Commuter Bling helmet (€70).

The bike has built-in front lights, and the power button is on the handlebars. It also has a rear light, but unlike the front lights, its battery is independent of the main battery.

On the left side are the controls for power/on/off, + and - for changing power modes; eco, city, and sport. To turn on the front light, press and hold the +. The right side has an EU legal throttle for walk assist that self-propels the bike at 5km/h when held. On the US version of the Uni4, the throttle can propel you at speeds up to 32km/h.

The bike comes with an IPX6 water-resistant rating.

Power and performance

To meet EU standards, the Uni4 features a 259W motor with a 36V 432Wh battery capable of a 100km range and a maximum power-assisted speed of 25km/h. The range is dependent on the weight of the person riding the bike, as well as how many hills you encounter, temperature, weather conditions, tire pressure, and, of course, the power mode you use.

In my few weeks of testing, I could get between 40 and 55 km from a single charge, mostly using the sport mode.

The batteries are concealed inside the main tube of the frame, and most people won’t know this is an e-bike. The only disadvantage is bringing the power adapter cable to the bike to charge it, which some people will find awkward. The charge port, protected by a spring-loaded flap, is underneath the main tube, which connects to the rear wheel. It takes over four hours to charge a flat battery fully.

The maximum recommended load capacity, including luggage, is 120kg. The bike weighs 20kg, which is relatively light compared to my other much older e-bikes. Thanks to the rear-wheel motor and high reduction ratio of 1:13, the bike feels responsive, and I had no problems taking off on steep hills. The on-tap power is great for urban cycling, where you need to take off quickly at lights, for example.

The bike has no gears, making it incredibly easy to ride because you don’t have to worry about changing gears. Despite the absence of gears, riding up hills with plenty of power at its highest is a joy. The only disadvantage of not having any gears is you’re locked into a set pedal speed. I would have liked a higher gear when cycling along flat stretches. Anything over 30 km, and you’ll be pedalling like a gerbil on a wheel.

The right side of the handlebars has a throttle for walking assistance. The idea is that you can use this to walk up hills. It has a maximum speed of 4 km/h.

The screen in the centre of the handlebars shows the battery as five bars when full, but if you use the Honbike app, which connects to the bike via Bluetooth, you can also see the battery level as a numerical percentage. I suspect the software uses the battery voltage to calculate the remaining battery capacity. The problem with this method is voltage sag — after a period of power drain, like cycling up a steep hill, the percentage will drop. Stop and rest a while, and it will rise again. I found it hard to gauge when to recharge the bike. I went for a short 5 km cycle with the battery at 35%, and on the way back, I struggled up the hills as the power wasn’t there. If you run out of battery, you’ll have to walk up the hills unless you’re super fit.

Honbike app

The app is fairly limited but useful nonetheless. It displays the battery power in bars, percentage, and total distance travelled. There’s also a ‘Go’ option that displays a map, distance, speed and the duration of your trip. You can also lock the bike via the app, although this will only prevent the electric motor from working, so it will still cycle without power.

Verdict

Overall, the Honbike Uni4 offers a delightful riding experience, particularly within city limits and hilly terrains, making riding up steep inclines effortless. However, on open roads, the absence of gears limits top speed potential. With its stylish design, concealed batteries, and thoughtful features like mudguards and a kickstand, the Uni4 is an excellent choice for urban commuting.

Honbike Uni4 is available in black or white for €1,800 Honbike Uni4