Futuristic pedelec – or smartphone on two wheels?

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The Angell pedelec designed by French designer Ora Ito is a real eye-catcher. Not only does it stand out from the crowd visually, it also has some smart functions. However, they could not fully convince in the test.

The design bike Angell is relatively light for a pedelec with its almost 16 kilograms and looks extremely chic thanks to its organically curved, almost futuristic frame. Above all, it is a city e-bike that has a certain high-tech feeling with its smart functions and a touchscreen in the cockpit. Another attention-grabbing detail is the battery attached above the rear wheel with integrated taillights that also function as indicators. The latter in particular is a rarity with bicycles; but also the Harley Davidsons Serial 1 (test) has specially designed taillights on board.

Angell is the first e-bike from the French startup of the same name, which was founded by Marc Simoncini, who is best known for founding Meetic. In terms of its geometry, the pedelec can be seen as the answer to the Cowboy 3 (test), but it is sportier than the Vanmoof S3 (test) and lighter than both: the Angell weighs 15.9 kilograms including the battery, the Cowboy weighs 16.9 Kilograms on the scales and the Vanmoof S3 is even heavier at 19 kilograms.

The biggest difference between the bikes, however, is mainly in the cockpit: The Angell has a 2.4-inch touch display with which you can make all sorts of settings and see how fast you are – if you wish, you can even see how many calories you have burns. There is also the option to display your route and more.

But let’s get to the bike and its equipment first: The frame of the pedelec is made of lightweight aluminum, the rigid fork is made of even lighter carbon. According to Angell, its frame height is designed for riders between 1.65 and 1.95 meters tall. At 1.74 meters, I had no problems with the frame size. When it comes to tires, the startup relies on 28-inch tires with relatively thin 700x35c wheels – those from Cowboy or Vanmoof are thicker and dampen a little better. The Angell therefore feels most comfortable on paved paths or the road – the bike is less suitable for cobblestone or unpaved paths, even if the handlebars cushion slight bumps. In any case, driving fast on Berlin’s cobblestone side streets is no fun.

In its “natural habitat”, however, the Angell drives excellently. The seating position is somewhat stretched depending on the body size, so that a slightly sporty driving experience arises. It is ideal for commuting or medium-sized cycling trips. The 250 watt motor built into the rear hub delivers up to 50 Newton meters, with which the bike can be accelerated quickly to the maximum electrically permitted 25 kilometers per hour. If you pedal a little harder, you can easily manage around 30 kilometers per hour and more. However, since the Angell is a single-speed bike with a gear ratio of 42/16 (teeth front and rear), i.e. it has no gear shift, you have to pedal faster at higher speeds.

Incidentally, you can adjust the level of support directly via a button on the steering wheel. You can choose from the four levels of Eco, Drive, Fast and “Free Fly” – in the latter mode you have no electrical support and ride like on a normal single-speed bike – the motor does not slow you down. In Fast mode you get the strongest support, which enables you to leave all other cyclists behind you at traffic lights, among other things. To ensure that you come to a safe stop, the Angell has hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro, which grip solidly.

You can also display your route on the small screen, which you have previously specified in the Angell smartphone app. While driving, you can also get step-by-step navigation on request, which is supported by haptic feedback in the handlebar grips: If you have to turn left, the left handle vibrates, if you turn right, you will feel a humming noise on the right. You shouldn’t deviate from the route, however, as the navigation is not as smart as Google Maps. If you are on familiar territory, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

So far, the synchronization and navigation via Bluetooth only seem to work with iPhones, in the test with Google’s Pixel 5 (test) the screen always spits out an error. In the second attempt with the iPhone everything went smoothly. The iOS app also offers links to the Strava tracking app, which you can use to record your activities. There is also the option of connecting music apps such as Apple Music and Spotify in order to control them directly from the bike cockpit.

According to Angell, the developers are continuing to work on the apps and functionality. The software side of the bike is currently more fun on the iPhone. Android users are unfortunately still looking into the tube.

Thanks to the integrated GSM module, the location of your bike is shown in the app and even the time you need to reach it on foot. You will also receive information about the battery level and the possible electric range. The information in the app or on the bike screen is quite realistic, but of course depends on the level of electrical support. With little support, up to 70 kilometers are possible, 50 to 60 kilometers can be achieved with normal support in normal “dry mode”.

If the battery is empty, it can be recharged with the enclosed charger within two hours at any socket. Thanks to the removable battery, the bike does not have to be dragged into the apartment for the charging process. Disadvantage of the posh positioning: The Angell has to do without a luggage rack on the rear wheel. But there is at least one option for retrofitting for the front: A special front luggage rack costs just under 80 euros. If you want a bike stand, you will have to pay 20 euros. The manufacturer has probably omitted it by default for visual reasons.

The manufacturer has given its first bike even more refinements that are probably not found in any other bike in this form. On the one hand, it supports automatic light that is otherwise only available in cars: based on the dark mode of smartphones, the design of the bike screen darkens when it gets darker outside. In addition, the Angell has built-in indicators on the handlebars and in the battery. In order to adapt the wheel more closely to your own ideas, you can assign the four buttons on the steering wheel yourself. A special feature of the bike: You can share it with your friends via email address – the borrower also needs an Angell account for this.

Similar to e-bikes from Vanmoof or Cowboy, the Angell has an anti-theft device that works if an unauthorized person tampered with your bike. An integrated loudspeaker then makes a lot of noise and you get a notification on your smartphone. Despite the theft protection, a good lock is still recommended, such chic wheels attract thieves like moths to light.

Speaking of light: The integrated lighting of the Angell is unfortunately not approved in Germany according to the StVZO, which is why the manufacturer includes clip-on lights in the scope of delivery. It is similar with the cowboy bike.

The Angell not only looks good, it is also excellent to drive. At less than 16 kilograms, it is also extremely light for a pedelec. Theoretically, it could be carried into the apartment for charging with little groaning, but thanks to the removable battery, that is not necessary. Due to the rather small size of the battery – hence the comparatively low weight – it offers a relatively short range of up to 70 kilometers, which should only bring a tired smile from a real cyclist. In any case, it is not designed for long bike tours beyond 100 kilometers; instead, it is aimed at fair-weather commuters – the optionally available mudguards provide little protection – and at cyclists with weatherproof clothing. It is also suitable for (sporty) cruising. Angell undoubtedly masters these disciplines.

The software functions of the Angell are also very promising, but currently primarily work reliably with iPhones. With a display integrated into a bike, however, one wonders how robust it is and how long it will be supported in terms of software. After all, Angell says that problems with the cockpit are covered by the two-year warranty. The manufacturer also offers insurance for 9.90 euros per month with Qover in the event that the cockpit is damaged by an incident. On the other hand, there are also various other vehicles such as (e-) scooters or motorcycles with displays, which you don’t have to worry about in this regard Future security makes. If you are bothered by it but still want to own a bike with smart functions, you can, for example look around at Vanmoof or Cowboy. The bikes from the two companies are even cheaper. The Angell costs 2,860 euros without mudguards, the Vanmoof starts at just under 2,000 euros and the Cowboy 3 costs 2,190 euros – both come with mudguards. All three models are still in the lower to mid-range e-bike price range.

Before making a purchase, you should definitely take a test drive, which Angell in the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf via “Airbnb for bicycles”, Listnride, offers. For any repairs, Angell has entered into a partnership with the Finnish startup Yeply, which is in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Munich are active.

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