To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Batch Bicycles. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Batch Bicycles products.
Batch Bicycles is a new brand to me, but I am intrigued by their offerings and business model. They are sold through dealers only, which allows you to really have the bike built, assembled, configured, and setup with the accessories you might want. I think it works great, especially given the bike we are looking at today; the E Commuter. The E Commuter is a down to business commuting ebike with a Bosch mid-drive motor. It has all the necessary features you might expect, but one of the real standouts here is the price point. The bike has an MSRP at just $1,999. Now while there may be a couple of accessories you might want to think about adding (which we will get into in a moment), that is an extremely low price point for a Bosch powered ebike. As a matter of fact, just a few years ago, you couldn’t get into a Bosch ebike for less than $4,000. So even if you find yourself adding a couple things here and there, the price is still extremely attractive considering you get one of the best mid-drives in the industry. As I mentioned before, it does have all the necessary features here, like these Kenda Kwick tires. These are 27.5” x 1.75” and offer this great efficient tread for commuting with a higher air volume to keep you comfortable. The fork is rigid, but not bad, probably to keep cost down, but I do notice some front rack provisions which is great. Surrounding the wheels are these nice plastic fenders with these rubberized mud flaps. Not only do these add an additional element to keep you clean, but it can help alleviate toe strikes to the fender if you are making a tight turn. On top of front rack provisions, there are bottle cage bosses here too to add any number of accessories you might want. And of course, I have to mention this rear rack. It is a bolt on rack which I love since it is easy to replace or fix should the bike take a spill. It uses standard gage tubing to fit most panniers pretty well and there is even a spring latch for other type of items you may want to secure. The bike also includes a kickstand in the rear. It is nice to have it back there since having it near the crank arm can produce ‘pedal lock’; an annoying occurrence that locks the pedals when you reverse a bike with the kickstand down. Luckily, this bike eliminates that by having it positioned further back. There are some locking grips, but they are flat rubber. The seat too is on the more basic side, so I personally would think about upgrading these at the dealership. In total, the bike weighs just under 47lbs, which is pretty impressive given that we are testing the large size bike.
The E Commuter is driven by the Bosch Active Line motor, which is the entry level Bosch motor, not to be confused with the Bosch Active Line Plus. While it is somewhat more limited than the other Bosch motors, it still bears the brand name extremely well. It offers 40nm of torque and is lighter (6.3lbs) and quieter than the others in the line up. The it still has shift detection and feels very efficient while maintaining that gentle and responsive Bosch feeling. I did notice a bit of drag when you stop sometimes… you can kind of feel a slight clunk with a little bit of pressure which seems to be common in the Active Line setup. Mechanically, the bike has a 11-32 tooth 7 speed Shimano Altus as well as a 38 tooth chain ring. I love the trigger shifters here, it really gives you a sporty feel, much better than the thumb shifters other bikes in the price range sometimes use. For stopping power, I was pleased to see that they matched the smooth Bosch motor with a set of hydraulic disc brakes. It uses a 180mm rotor setup in both the front and the back from Tektro and I think this is a big win!
Powering the motor and backlit display panel, is an interchangeable battery pack from Bosch. The battery, a PowerPack 400, clicks neatly onto the downtube from above. You can charge the pack off of the bike frame or plug into the battery while mounted to the bike. Lithium-ion cells, including the 18650 cells used in these packs, tend to be very reliable if you maintain them at 20% to 80% capacity when not in use and store in a cool dry environment vs. extreme heat or cold. I frequently store my electric bike indoors because it isn’t as heavy or smelly as a moped or motorcycle, and this keeps it clean and safe while also protecting the battery from extreme temperatures. Charging uses the lighter weight 2amp charger that Bosch offers. There is also a 4amp charger available as well, this is speedy, but weighs more. In closing, the PowerPack weighs less than the PowerTube at 5.4lbs vs. 6.3lbs, but you’ll want to make extra sure to hear it click into place on the frame when mounting before rides. If you have another PowerPack battery like the 500, it will work with the same interface as the PowerPack 400, so you can swap packs or rent and borrow if you travel frequently.
Activating the drive systems on this ebike is fairly straightforward. You charge and mount the battery then press the power button on the top edge of the little display panel, which is mounted within reach of the left grip. The Bosch Purion display/control pad is compact and easy to navigate. It keeps the handlebars open, and may not get damaged as easily if the bike tips or is parked at a crowded rack… but it’s not removable and lacks some of the deeper menus found on the Bosch Intuvia. Even though the display is a bit smaller than some competing models, it’s intuitive enough that you might not look down that often to read it and the really important readouts are fairly large (speed and assist level). I have grown to accept the Purion, but do have a few tips for use as follows. The + and – buttons, which raise and lower assistance, are designed to click in at an angle towards the right. They are attached near the left edge of the control pad and pivot in towards the LCD. With practice, I have found that the right edge is really the sweet spot for consistent clicking. Sometimes the lower left and middle areas can be inconsistent or non-responsive. The screen itself glows faint white at all times, which shouldn’t draw much power. Holding the + button would normally turn lights off and on if this bike had them. By comparison, the larger Bosch Intuvia display has a dedicated light button. Holding the – button will cycle through trip distance, odometer, assist level, and range. And, the range menu is dynamic, so you can see the bike calculate how far it thinks you can go before the battery completely drains based on the last mile of riding, your current state of charge, and the chosen level of assist. This helps to make up for the very basic 5-bar charge indicator on the left side of the battery and the display which isn’t as precise as a 10-bar or percentage readout seen on some competing displays. On the lower edge of the control pad is a walk-mode button. Press it once and then hold the + button to have the motor slowly assist you when walking the bike (you must be in Eco, Tour, Sport, or Boost for walk mode to work). It’s useful for crowded non-bikeable areas like parks, or if you get a flat tire, and not all companies have it enabled, so props to Haibike for this. I’ve created an in-depth Bosch Purion review in the EBR forums for more information :)
In conclusion, the bike preformed well. I really enjoyed the quick, agile, and nimble feel of the Bosch motor working in tandem with the efficient tires and lightweight frame. I would like to go over the tradeoffs here for a moment. Some may not like that is is only available at dealers, perhaps there is not one near you, or they don’t carry the bike. The Purion display is for sure a good display, just more basic than the other Bosch displays. And finally, for a bike at such a low price point, you will want to consider swapping out some components. I found the seat very uncomfortable, while the grips were locking grips, they were not very ergonomic, and the bike could use a seat post suspension. All these are things I would consider swapping out at time of purchase to get the bike feeling cozy for longer rides. The bike is hard to fault though. The price point is great, its always nice to have dealer support, and I love that sweet Bosch motor and hydraulic brakes. I want to thank Batch Bicycles for letting me check out the E Commuter and I look forward to their other offerings.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Batch Bicycles forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- A down-to-business commuter ebike with a Bosch mid-drive, hydraulic disc brakes, all the necessary features, and a fantastic price point at just $1,999
- $1,999 is an extremely low price point for a Bosch powered ebike, just a few years ago, you couldn’t get into a Bosch ebike for less than $4,000, even if you find yourself adding a couple things here and there, the price is still extremely attractive considering you get one of the best mid-drives in the industry
- Kenda Kwick tires are included at 27.5” x 1.75” and offer this great efficient tread for commuting with a higher air volume to keep you comfortable
- The bike includes both front rack provisions and bottle cage bosses, to add any number of accessories you might want
- I love the nice plastic fenders with these rubberized mud flaps, these add an additional element to keep you clean and it can help alleviate toe strikes to the fender if you are making a tight turn
- The rear rack is a bolt on rack which I love since it is easy to replace or fix should the bike take a spill, it uses standard gage tubing to fit most panniers pretty well and there is even a spring latch for other type of items you may want to secure
- Features a rear mounted kickstand to eliminate annoying pedal lock when reversing
- Lightweight at just under 47lbs with the battery attached and everything, this was on the large size, it comes in 2 other sizes, medium and small
- Driven by a Bosch Active Line motor, smooth power delivery and it even has shift detection so you don’t wear down the drive train
- A big win here are the 180mm Tektro hydraulic disc brakes in the front and rear, the stopping power is absolutely great for city riding
- Powerpack 400 battery means it is easy to swap and change with other Bosch PowerPack batteries, or even get a replacement if needed
- Sold exclusively through dealers so you get not only dealer support, but it is easy to test drive before purchase or even get the bike dialed in exactly the way you want it
Cons:
- Unfortunately, for a commuter bike, there are no lights here of any kind in the front or rear, definitely something you might want to think of adding for city riding
- I found the seat much more on the active side, great for standing and pedaling, but not so much for sitting, you may want to swap it out at the dealership and perhaps add a suspension seat post too
- In addition to the lights and seat, you may want to change the grips too, I like that they are locking, but the flat rubber setup is less cozy for longer rides
- The Bosch Purion display and Active Line motor are both entry level for Bosch, they work fantastically well and are very reliable, but you do miss out on some of the nicer Bosch features
Resources:
Johnny Law
5 years agoThis bike appears super similar to the 2018 Trek Verve+. Just $400 between the 2. Any observable/experiential differences to point out?
ReplyTL
5 years agoI think the tire specs are incorrect… you may want to check the size? Tire Brand: Kenda Kwick Seven.5, 26″ x 1.95″ (50-599) Wheel Sizes: 27.5 in (69.85cm)
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHmm, thanks for this tip, I will pass it along TL!
ReplyJan
4 years agoHow do you feel it compares to the Gazelle Medeo T9, which also has a Bosch motor, Shimano gears and disc brakes? Thanks.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Jan! Great question. I know the Gazelle brand more than Batch, as they are part of the PON Holdings Group (which includes Focus, Kalkhoff, and Faraday). Any ebike with Bosch drive systems is a step up in terms of reliability and quality, as Bosch only works with reputable companies (from what I’ve observed). The biggest difference I saw between the Batch and Medeo T9 you mentioned was that the T9 has a suspension fork. I like the added comfort, because I ride on some bumpy streets. Otherwise, it might come down to cost, style, or efficiency (rigid forks tend to be lighter and more efficient, as well as match the frame color better than suspension).
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