Name: Snelheid Cycles Leider Review
Item: Snelheid Cycles Leider
Author: Court Rye

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Snelheid Cycles Leider Review

Snelheid Cycles Leider Electric Bike Review

Snelheid Cycles Leider 1000 Watt Mac Motor High Power

Snelheid Cycles Leider Lithium Polymer Battery And Controller

Snelheid Cycles Leider Voltage Temperature Displays

Snelheid Cycles Leider Front Mechanical Disc Brake

Snelheid Cycles Leider Single Speed Drivetrain

Snelheid Cycles Leider Variable Speed Currie Twist Throttle

One of the fastest and lightest weight electric road bikes I've reviewed with a powerful Mac motor and fast discharge Lithium polymer battery
Efficient smooth tires, rigid steel frame and single speed gearing are simple and durability but not as comfortable as ebikes with suspension forks or larger balloon tires, especially at higher speeds
The battery box is wide and may scrape your leg or snag your pants when stepping off the bike if you're not careful, it looks decent for a custom build but isn't as polished as mass produced electric bikes, upgraded front disc brake improves stopping power
You get a one year stated warranty but the company is very small and not yet proven in my mind, you may have to rely on your own ability to tinker with this thing long term, the higher top speed and throttle-only mode means this ebike is not legal except on private property

Warning, in some configurations this electric bike is classified as a moped or motorcycle and may not be ridden on cycling trails or paths. It may require licensing, insurance and lights when used on public roads.

Make:

Snelheid Cycles

Model:

Leider

Price:

$2,799

Body Position:

Forward Aggressive

Suggested Use:

Urban

Electric Bike Class:

Moped or Motorcycle (Class 4)

Learn more about Ebike classes

Warranty:

2 Year Motor, 1 Year Battery

Availability:

United States

Model Year:

2016

Total Weight:

46 lbs (20.86 kg)

Battery Weight:

12 lbs (5.44 kg)

Motor Weight:

9 lbs (4.08 kg)

Frame Material:

High Tensile Steel

Frame Sizes:

21.3 in (54.1 cm)22.8 in (57.91 cm)

Frame Types:

High-Step

Frame Colors:

Black, White, Blue, Red, Yellow, Orange, Silver

Frame Fork Details:

Carbon Fiber

Attachment Points:

Rear Rack Bosses, Bottle Cage Bosses

Gearing Details:

1 Single Speed

Cranks:

170 mm Aluminum Alloy, 48T Chainring

Pedals:

Plastic Platform, Black

Stem:

5 Degree

Handlebar:

Flat, Aluminum Alloy, Black, 51 cm

Brake Details:

Avid BB7 Road S Mechanical Disc with 160 mm Rotor in Front, SRAM Apex Aluminum Alloy Caliper with Pull Style Avid FF7 Levers

Grips:

Flat Rubber, Black

Saddle:

Generic Active

Seat Post Length:

300 mm

Seat Post Diameter:

25.4 mm

Rims:

45 mm Deep-V

Spokes:

Sapim from Belgium, 13 Gauge on Rear, 14 Gauge on Front

Tire Brand:

Schwalbe Energizer Plus, 28" x 1.4" (700 x 35c)

Wheel Sizes:

28 in (71.12cm)

Tire Details:

Performance Line GreenGuard

Tube Details:

Presta

Accessories:

Bell Cycle Computer, Power Cable Key, Optional Vader Sport Saddle

Other:

High Torque Motor Winding, Steel Dropout Reinforcements (Oversized Torque Arms), Rubberized Cable Channels (Partially Internally Routed)

Motor Brand:

MAC

Motor Type:

Rear-Mounted Geared Hub

Learn more about Ebike motors

Motor Nominal Output:

500 watts

Motor Peak Output:

1000 watts

Battery Voltage:

51.8 volts

Battery Amp Hours:

9 ah

Battery Watt Hours:

466.2 wh

Battery Chemistry:

Lithium Polymer

Charge Time:

3 hours

Estimated Min Range:

20 miles (32 km)

Estimated Max Range:

25 miles (40 km)

Display Type:

Blue LED Console

Readouts:

Voltage, Motor Temperature

Display Accessories:

On/Off Toggle Switch, Power Output Selector Toggle Selector (1-3)

Drive Mode:

Twist Throttle

Top Speed:

27 mph (43 kph)

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Make or Model

Model Year

Body Position

Suggested Use

Frame Type

Drive Mode

Availability

Price Range

$0 (0 €)$18,000 (16,920 €)

Total Weight

0 lbs (0 kg)227 lbs (103 kg)

Top Speed

0 mph (0.0 km/hr)50 mph (80.5 km/hr)

Battery Watt Hrs

0 watt3,456 watt

Frame Size

0 in (0.00 cm)432 in (1,097.28 cm)

Motor Power

0 Newton meters250 Nm

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The Leider is one of the fastest accelerating, most powerful electric bikes I’ve ever tested. It’s a race car… and you feel the road much as you would with performance vehicles because there’s no suspension and very little in the way of creature comforts. Snelheid means speed in Dutch and the founder, Tony, was born into a family that immigrated to the US from the Netherlands. Leider is also a Dutch word and it means “leader” which makes sense because this model offers “leading” performance. The frame is available in two sizes and made from high tensile steel which helps to dampen vibrations a bit, you also get several fun color choices and an optional pedal-strap upgrade to really lock in.

Compared to the Snelheid Tyro (the entry level, legal offering) this model has a larger chain ring to help you keep pace with the higher top speed of ~27 miles per hour. One of the big drawbacks or question marks about this e-bike in my mind is the higher top speed. Because it’s throttle operated and not pedal sensing this bike is not classified as a speed pedelec. It’s basically an electric motorcycle that lacks the proper signals and safety testing outlined by the US government. It may be used legally on private property or retrofitted with signals and ridden on streets as a motorcycle (which is how I tested it during the video review above as I have a motorcycle license) but that’s a huge limiter and I suspect many owners will simply choose to sidestep the law. Normal pedal-powered bicycles can top 20 mph (which is the stated legal limit) but that argument won’t fly if you damage property or another pedestrian so proceed with caution.

Legal considerations aside, this bike was built for urban environments… city streets with congested traffic where cyclists split lanes and take side streets. The Leider flies off the line beating most cars from standstill and puts you right where they can see you, out in front. It feels empowering and “safe” in that sense because it commands respect. Just be careful because that same unexpected boost could put you in harms way if cross-traffic is trying to run a yellow light and doesn’t see you. So the motor used here is the same as the one built onto the Tyro, just running with more amps. It’s a 500 watt nominal 1,000 peak internally geared MAC hub and there are two custom aluminum torque arms reinforcing the rear dropouts so it doesn’t spin itself off. Please note that in both video reviews for Leider ebikes I said the motors offered 1,000 nominal and 1,500 peak which was misinformation provided by the founder then later corrected when I explained the legal limit of 750 watts nominal in the US. He declined to share the exact motor, battery and controller details to preserve the value of his offering. The rear spokes have been upgraded from 14 Gauge to thicker 13 Gauge using Sapim brand which is often used for racing and known for being high quality.

What you get with this ebike is a stock city bike frame modified for the motor and battery. The battery box is beautifully designed but nowhere close to what I see on mass-produced electric bikes in terms of polish. It’s almost as if you took a rear rack style battery box and just moved it onto the downtube for improved weight distribution. The reality is that the box is built “around” the downtube and not on top of it but the sides still stick out and may snag your pant legs or scrape your thigh when stepping off as they did to me. Don’t get me wrong, you can make this thing work and it’s a huge achievement for Tony, the carbon fiber plates look cool and he’s reduced weight considerably but the controller screwed to the top looks tacky and the holes and exposed metallic connector bits made me feel hesitant about riding anywhere near water. I was reassured that the innards are all sealed separately and was told that there’s a year long comprehensive warranty but this thing is hand built… and a warranty isn’t useful if something happens to Tony or he changes his focus to another venture someday.

I’m being brutally honest with this review because this is a potentially dangerous niche product. And I don’t mean dangerous in terms of falling down at 27 mph, that hurts for sure but I used to be a competitive snowboarder and I’ve nocked myself out twice with a helmet doing road gaps and double backflips… that kind of danger is inherent to walking out your front door and even approaching a street with cars racing through. The type of danger that the Snelheid Leider presents that is unique to it verses other electric bikes is a legal one. If you have the same accident as you did with an officially sanctioned Class 2 electric bicycle, colliding with a pedestrian at even 20 mph, you would be liable for a lot more (operating a motor vehicle without a proper license, illegal motor vehicle lacking proper safety features and signals). If you happen to own a private parcel of land with a long smooth paved surface then this thing could be a blast but I think that’s pretty rare.

Pros:

One of the zippiest electric bikes I’ve ever tested, it blasts from zero to ~27 mph in just a few seconds (be careful as an accidental jerk on the twist throttle could become destabilizing, especially on a turn)
The frame comes in two sizes and a whole range of colors so you end up with something that feels good and is pretty unique
Weight is distributed pretty well across the frame thanks to the custom battery box, compared to most other high power ebikes it weighs less because the frame is so minimal
I like the upgraded e-bike specific tires from Schwalbe which use thicker rubber and “GreenGuard” liner technology to reduce the potential for tube puncture and flats, the tires on the Leider are wider (more squishy and stable) than those on the Tyro
The single speed drivetrain is quiet and durable, you’re less likely to drop the chain or need tuneups and the cadence is set higher so you can actually pedal along at top speed pretty comfortably
Upgraded mechanical linear pull brake in the rear and a disc brake in the front to help slow you down more effectively

Cons:

Very limited display technology, you get a battery voltage readout which could be interpreted as how full the battery is but it will take some practice, the traditional cycle computer helps a bit with speed, odometer, timer etc. there is also an optional system temperature display
The battery box is wider than most and the edges and corners are sharp angles which could rub on pants or scrape your shin and thigh when standing over the bike, I bumped my knee into it when I stopped and put a foot down during the ride tests
The frame, seat and wheelset are all pretty rigid so you definitely feel bumps and this can be uncomfortable over longer distances, the aggressive body position got to my arms, back and neck a bit
In my opinion the price tag on this electric bike is a bit high, you can get higher quality mass-produced electric bikes with more drive modes, purpose built frames and accessories for the same price or less… but to be fair they won’t be as powerful
No quick release for either wheel or the seat, I like to bottle cage bosses but the rear rack bosses are partially used for the torque arms so you may need custom screws to make it work
You cannot easily remove the battery box from the bike frame which makes charging more difficult, you have to bring the bike inside or park near an electrical outlet and that might not work for people who want to commute to work
I admire the spirit behind this ebike but most of the electronic systems are hand built and they probably aren’t UL certified, insured or produced with a level of quality control as a larger manufacturer
The battery box rattled a bit when riding over bumpy sections on the street, I didn’t notice this as much with the Leider models so perhaps it was just the mounting done on the demo
Despite there being a stated “one year warranty” on the bike, I have some concerns about the longevity of the company as a whole and feel that this e-bike might be best suited to engineer types who are willing to dive in themselves if need be
Basic accessories including the generic saddle, plastic pedals and rubberized grips, it’s a single speed and wouldn’t be much fun to pedal (especially up hill) if the battery was expired
This electric bike is basically illegal everywhere except on private property based on the higher top speed and may put riders in a compromised legal position if used on public roads

Resources:

Official Site: http://www.snelheidcycles.com/
More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/fWbGy3dqDDo1eUaB7

January 29, 2024 (10 months ago)

Snelheid Cycles Tyro Review

MSRP: $2,299
MODEL YEAR: 2016

A hand built, aggressive city style electric bike with high power MAC motor and custom Lithium Polymer battery. Efficient narrow tires, rigid steel frame and single speed drivetrain offer simplicity and durability but…...

Read Review

Burak Gezen

9 years ago

I LOVE THIS BIKE. It has by far the quickest and smoothest acceleration of any E-bike I have ridden. You go from 0 to top speed in what feels like a second. Despite that, it’s a very smooth transition and I feel well balanced and stable. Being able to stop and go reliably through city traffic like that gives you a great control. At a red light, it takes cars a half a block just to catch up to you because you take off so fast. This is a niche bike, for people who looking for fun and performance. You should definitely try one out if you can and you’ll see what I am talking about.

Court Rye

Awesome! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm for the Leider electric bike Burak. I know I was extra sensitive in this review about speed and acceleration but your points are correct, it offers control and builds confidence in traffic.

Freakyguy666

Why not get a motorcycle or moped instead?

Those definitely require a license and insurance where some people may sneak this as a bicycle and fly under the legal radar. Mopeds and motorcycles with internal combustion engines often require more maintenance, make more sound and are heavier and they smell bad and fuel costs more but to your point they often go further per “charge” or fill of gasoline and they usually go faster and have signals, horns and fenders as well as suspension for a more comfortable ride :)

Christ

This thing DOMINATES! A perfect blend of form and function. After my test drive i didnt feel like I’d need a car again unless I was moving a couch. Forget the motorcycle or moped! You can pedal this bad boy if the batteries get drained. Good luck pushing your scooter 2 blocks or more. Plus it charges in the amount of time it takes to have lunch or do some shopping. It’s comfortable, powerful, efficient, sleek and blows the competition away. Keep it up Snelheid!