OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ampere range has been an impressive underdog in our range of electric bike offerings. Well made, reliable and incredibly functional, each Ampere we’ve tried has been a very pleasant experience in our tests. Although not having all the fancy, techy features like other e-bikes would offer, Ampere focuses on what counts - a usable electric bike for everyday life. Let’s deep dive into what the Deluxe step through has to offer.
GOOD FOR:
- People with hillier commutes or leisure rides
- Shorter riders (4’11 upwards)
- Comfortable longer rides
PROS:
- Comfortable set up
- Sturdy rear rack for fixing extra cargo on
- 7 gears
- Bright front light
- Removable battery
- Powerful 65nm torque motor
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- Large wheels for stability
CONS:
- Heavy bike (22kg)
- Trickier to carry up stairs
- Slower response cadence sensor (compared to others)
EXPERT VERDICT
The Ampere Deluxe is wonderfully competent, comfortable and functional for your daily rides. For other ebikes at this price point, the Deluxe has a lot of clout.
The 65nm torque motor eats up inclines and has repeatedly given me a strong head start at the traffic lights when in level 5 assist. The rear rack has meant my backpack hasn’t been the sole bearer of ALL my belongings, combined with the multiple comfort features (seat, ergo handles, front suspension) has got me looking forward to heading out on my commute.
One thing I’d note - as I live three stories up without a lift - the Deluxe is a bit of a deadweight to carry. There’s no built-in handle, like the ADO 28 has, so you need to rely on sheer grip around the bottom of the seat tube.
Components + build quality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Safety + security: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance + handling: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Comfort + practicality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPECS
| Frame Material | 6061 Aluminium Frame |
| Wheels | 26 inches |
| Weight | 22kg |
| Gears | Seven-speed Shimano |
| Brakes | Hydraulic Disc Brakes |
| Suspension | Zoom Lightweight Suspension |
| Range | 55 miles |
| Motor | 250W 36V Brushless Motor |
| Battery | 10Ah, 14Ah (Lithium-ion Battery) |
| Charging | 4 hours (charger included) |
| Speed | 15.5mph (UK e-bike speed limit) |
| Power modes | 5 assist modes |
| Display | Standard LCD Display |
| Lights | Front and rear |
| Mudguards | Yes |
COMPONENTS AND BUILD QUALITY
For a £1,500 e-bike, the Ampere Deluxe step-through offers a solid grouping of parts. Kenda tyres, Suntour suspension fork, Shimano speed shifters and brakes and a KMC chain are all familiar brands and so can be easily replaced if needed.
The Deluxe comes as two different wheel sizes: Kenda 700x45C and 26inch (for a smaller frame).
This bike may be a weightier 22kg, but it feels solid as a rock - no creaking or bending where it shouldn’t.
The hydraulic brakes have worked well for me in wet and windy weather conditions and the gear shifters work smooth. From experience they’ve never missed a shift and the chain has never slipped from the cassette.
It’s hard to describe, but having ridden a lot of electric bikes, the build feels really robust and reliable. Something that cheaper e-bikes can’t always guarantee.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
My first ride with this bike was on a very dark and gloomy commute home. This was a great opportunity to test out the front and rear lights. The front beam was impressively bright, lighting up not only the road but as high as the leaves on a fairly large tree. The rear light - also powered by the ebike’s battery - worked great and includes an added bonus of a brake light. Pair this with a Lumos helmet that can detect you braking and light up red on the rear and you’ll be set!
The colourway of bike frames and what that means for safety whilst out on the roads can sometimes be overlooked. It’s basic, but obvious - brighter colour bike means you’ll be easier to spot. Not only is it important to wear bright/high vis clothing, but the pastel blue and green colours with the deluxe are a welcomed option - and they look great!
The removable battery comes with a key, so you can lock it to the frame. Should you need to leave your bike in public, you have the choice to keep the battery locked in place OR what I think is even better - take the battery with you. This not only means you can charge easier as you don’t need to fit the whole bike frame into a space that reaches a plug, but it also means your bike is going to be much less of a target to thieves with the most expensive and most crucial component not there.
PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING
Whether you’re in level 1 or level 5 assist, the 65nm torque from the rear hub motor provides a smooth, powerful boost from the back the moment you turn the pedal.
The cadence sensor takes just under a full pedal to activate, but once it does, you are getting that electric goodness. With this in mind, it can mean a momentarily ploddy start if you’ve left your gearing in a higher setting or if you’re starting on an incline. That less than half a pedal before the cadence sensor clocks movement is all you and the 22kg bike. Unfortunately I am used to the more sophisticated torque sensor ebikes (like on the ADO 28) which closes the gap between that half turn without assist, so the slight delay is more noticeable for me who has ridden a lot of ebikes. If you’re new to ebiking, this small note won’t be a problem for you.
The 26 inch wheels offer good stability and gives me the confidence I need to take corners at a faster pace. The weight of the bike feels well balanced in the saddle and I found it very easy to take my hands off to indicate thanks to the centralised, up-right seating position. The more tilted forward you are, the harder I find it is to take my hands off. So if you’re like me, you’ll like this dutch-bike style set up.
The moustache handlebar design also reduces the amount of reach, so I found that as a 5ft10 woman, my elbows were bent and I barely had any weight going through my arms. I appreciate this bike is made for smaller rider (4’11-5’4) so the handlebars cater well to a shorter reach. It’s also an added bonus for squeezing through tighter spots when there’s congestion.
The hydraulic brakes are responsive and have worked well for me in dry and wet conditions. It only takes a light squeeze for reactive braking, but isn’t too responsive to be sending you over the handlebars if you apply too much pressure.
COMFORT AND PRACTICALITY
The Deluxe has been one of the comfier step-throughs I’ve tested. The Suntour front suspension combined with the comfort saddle and ergo handlebars make for a very plush riding experience. The upright seated position requires a padded saddle to cushion what I call ‘the bony part of my bum’ and the comfort saddle does an excellent job. I don’t need to brace myself for speed bumps or potholes.
You may not NEED all these comfort features, however, being named the ‘Deluxe’, Ampere have paid careful attention to making this bike prioritise comfort. Baring in mind this is on the upper ends of a lower-priced bike, it does a really great job.
What this bike offers has resulted in me not having any pain points or discomfort and inevitably looking forward to my ride. As someone who rides every day and considers comfort to be a big factor - this bike is a big thumbs up!
But where comfort is a priority, practicality comes in at a very close second.
The removable battery makes charging on the go really simple to do and inevitably creates an easier process for battery replacement when the time comes many years down the line.
The rear rack offers bags - literally - of functionality. You can add pannier satchels to the back or, like I’ve done which is a touch more old school, bungee tie your stuff to the rack. Whichever way you choose, it can mean not needing a backpack so you don’t end up with a sweaty back at your destination.
The bright, colour LCD display mounted central to the handlebars means it’s clear and easy to read. On screen you can see what assist you’re in, your speed, your trip, whether your lights are on and how much battery you have remaining. I’m very happy to say that the battery reading comes up with a percentage, rather than the less precise bars that can crop up with some ebike screens.
From my own testing, the percentage is reliable and doesn’t drop or shift to an unpredicted number halfway through your trip. I’ve been riding the smaller 10Ah battery option which offers a range claim of up to 40 miles. Having ridden consistently on level 5 I’ve found this to be more along the lines of 30 miles. Bare in mind this is on mainly flat terrain (thank you, London), so the total range could be less if you have a hillier commute.
Comes with mudguards, bell, front and rear lights so you don’t have to worry about buying additional parts. And the Kenda puncture resistant tyres add another layer of practicality, massively reducing the chances of you getting caught out mid-ride and having to make a pit stop at the bike repair shop.
WOMAN RIDER’S VERDICT
Aall the bikes on our store are available to ride for any gender. However, there is a recurring theme of what female riders, like myself, want to prioritise when searching for their new two-wheeled companion: Comfort, a lighter weight, sizing (baring in mind the average height for women in the UK is apparently 5 foot 3 inches), stability and functionality.
The Ampere Deluxe step through caters well to a LOT of the above.
Firstly, the smaller riders have been considered (hallelujah!) for the Deluxe step through frame. It’s true that a lot of bikes on the market fail to cater for anyone below 5ft3. And as I stated earlier, this is the AVERAGE size of women in the UK.
Good news is if you stand at 4ft11 and above, the Ampere Deluxe step through is good for you. Not only is the frame sized appropriately, but the moustache handlebars allow for someone who has less reach. As a 5ft10 woman, on other bikes my arms are spread and virtually straight, but on the deluxe step through my arms are comfortably bent at the elbow, taking minimal weight through the arms.
Speaking of comfort, the combination of the Suntour front fork suspension, comfort saddle and Velo ergo handlebars cushion and smooth vibrations, whilst massively reducing the impact of speed bumps and potholes.
This ebike comes with all the useful extras you’d need for daily commuting - a pannier rack, integrated front and rear lights (so you don’t have to worry about charging/losing your lights), mudguards and a bell to alert other road users when you need.
The Emu step through is very similar, however, the Ampere Deluxe step through pips the Emu to the post as I found it to be a touch more comfortable and have a better cadence sensor/power assist set up. The Emu is about £500 less however, so is worth taking a look at if you’re on a budget.
The Ampere deluxe ticks a lot of boxes, but one nitpick for me is the weight. As someone who lives on the third floor without a lift in the building, I need to be able to carry my bike up the stairs. 22kg is towards my limit of what I can carry. Like the ADO 28, it would be helpful if there was a handle to be able to lift the bike from the centre, making it easier to carry. But in fairness, I don’t think Ampere were considering this bike for lifting purposes.
This is a bike really well suited to someone who is wanting a comfortable, well designed bike that has all the features you need and the range you’d want for commutes, leisurely rides and those much needed trips to the shop