Roxform Plico review - Does 'folding' mean compromise?

From its 250W Ananda motor and removable battery to its Shimano 7-speed drivetrain, front suspension and compact folding design we put the Roxform Plico to the test to see whether this folding bike has all of the capabilities of a full sized e-bike...

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: £1,450.00

Good for:

• Storage
• Tackling hills

Pros:

• Simple fold
• Powerful motor
• Handle for easy carrying

Cons:

• Ghost pedalling
• Not for taking on a train

Expert verdict: 

Our expert reviewer Eilis took this bike out in London and put it through its paces. She has been riding and reviewing electric bikes for 6 years so she certainly knows her stuff! On her day out she tested it with city riding, a hill test, a real world range test and more so watch her full review to find out what she thought: 

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Specs:

Buy the Roxform Plico

Components and build quality: 

The Roxform Plico is a folding electric bike that is powered by a UK and EU road legal 250W rear hub motor. It can push 45Nm of torque which is at the lower end of the scale for an ebike of this size and price but it is powered by a 12.8Ah 468Wh battery that Roxform claim can power you for up to 40-60miles (keep reading to find out the results of our real world range test…). 

It also comes with 7-speed Shimano gears so you can fine tune your bike to fit your riding style preference. The LCD display also shows you your speed, miles cycled, battery levels and riding mode. 

If you’re not in a rush or in a crowded and busy area then the Roxform Plico is pretty easy to fold. The pedals go in, it folds once in the middle, once at the handlebars, and then the seat is pushed down to make it all compact. It also has a little stand to rest it on when it's folded which makes it more secure than other folding bikes are when folded. 

This bike comes in two colours, graphite grey and red. We had the red version and I thought the colour was fantastic! Not everyone likes a bright bike but I thought that it was really tasteful while also fun. 

Buy the Roxform Plico

Performance and handling:

This bike was definitely comfortable to ride. The front suspension did a good job at soaking up bumps and dips in the road and the saddle is comfortable enough to ride for a couple of hours. The ergo handlebars also enhance comfort as your wrists are more supported and cushioned while riding. The 20” wheels are much easier to handle than 16” wheels that other folding bikes have. You feel more planted to the road and they are more steady over uneven surfaces and easier to make turns with. Roxform have also got the geometry of this bike right - it doesn't feel cramped like some other folding bikes do. 

The motor on this bike does feel powerful but something that I found while riding is that when hitting those higher speeds (13/14mph) a ghost pedaling sensation can begin which doesn't make me feel very connected to the bike or road. If the higher gears had a little more tension then I would be able to still feel like I was putting power out through my legs while being assisted. This sensation did mean that the Plico did excel during our hill test. Going up a fairly steep incline on level 5 PA was super easy and took minimal effort so I would recommend this bike if you live in a hilly area as this may be more important to you than worrying about ghost pedaling on the flats. 

I wouldn’t say that this is a folding bike that I would want to be folding to get on and off a train as it is fairly cumbersome at 22.5kg. The central handle on the frame does however make it much easier to carry than other 20kg e-bikes because the weight is centralised and I found it pretty easy to carry it up a single flight of stairs. But overall, the fold is definitely a feature that makes this bike easier to store inside rather than a feature that makes your bike a nimble companion that can be taken on a train. All of the features that it comes with (suspension, 7-speed gearing, rear rack and other extras) means that this is probably 'compromise' that you face with this folding bike because for all other intents and purposes this folder feels like a fully sized e-bike.

And now for the real world range results…! Riding using a mix of PA 3-5 we were able to get about 40miles out of a fully charged battery. While this is not quite what Roxform claim it’s important to remember that range claims are often based on perfect conditions and we were riding on a mix of flat and hilly terrain. 

 

Safety and security: 

Mechanical disc brakes are there to make sure that you stop in a variety of weather conditions. It is my preference that a bike of this price come with hydraulic brakes but maybe that just comes down to preference and that doesn't bother you. They did a good job of slowing us down on hills and we had no issues stopping at any time. 

The integrated front and rear lighting system means that you can see and be seen on the roads which is very important when cycling at dusk/night-time. 

Buy the Roxform Plico