Overall rating: 
By Tim Fullbrook
The Estarli e16.7 is a lightweight, folding e-bike built with commuting and everyday use in mind. It’s the competitor headache Brompton didn’t want – and with good reason, this bike is excellent. The e16.7 has the same tech, comfort, and ride-ability of bikes twice its £1,250 price tag.
Built to be no-fuss, but lots of fun, the e16.7 is a joy to ride and is perfect for those looking to reinvent their commute or get their first e-ride.
Good for:
- Commuters
- New riders
- All ages
- Urban riding
Pros:
- Compact, and quick folder
- Lightweight, only 14.5kg!
- Agile, and easy to ride
- Quality in a cheaper package
- One of the best electric bikes of 2023
Cons:
- Standard saddle isn’t the most comfortable
- Some riders may need time to adjust to the smaller wheel size
Expert verdict:
| Components + build quality |
|
| Safety + security |  |
| Performance + handling |
|
| Comfort + practicality |
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| Overall star ratings |
|
The Estarli e16.7 is designed with commuters, urban riders, or travel riders in mind – and in my opinion it appeals to anyone interested in riding an e-bike on a daily basis.
This really could be the answer to your city-riding prayers – and in riding and spending time using the bike, I found it easy to use, straightforward, and very satisfying to own.
Whilst it might not have the big-name attraction of the GoCycle, MiRider or Brompton, I believe the e16.7 offers the same functionality, accessibility and enjoyment for a fraction of the price.
The only issues I can foresee are that the less-confident rider might need a few trips to get used to the smaller 16 inch wheels – when you first take the saddle it can feel a little more wobbly – and the default saddle isn’t the most comfortable. Both of those issues, however, are not lifelong problems.
Should you ever get the chance to ride the e16.7, you’ll see why I give it five stars on our Electroheads rating system.
Specs:
| Sizing | One size fits all. Typically suitable for adults from 5'0 to 6'5. |
| Max Rider Weight | 110 kgs |
| Folded Dimensions | 45cm x 66cm x 84cm |
| Frame Material | High strength 6061 aluminium. |
| Wheel Size | 16 inches |
| Weight | 14.5 kgs |
| Gears | Shimano 7-speed |
| Brakes | 160mm disc brakes front & rear |
| Assembled & built | Berkhamsted, UK |
| Range | 50km (unlimited without power assist) |
| Motor | 250 watt, 40nm high torque, 36v. Brushless hub motor. |
| Battery | Samsung/Panasonic 7.2ah 36v, hidden in seatpost. |
| Charging | 3-5 hours (110v - 240v). Charger included. |
| Speed | 15.5mph (UK e-bike speed limit) |
| Power Modes | 6 power assist modes |
| Display | Waterproof display with USB charging |
| Lights | Front & rear |
| Mudguards | available on e16 Pro |
| Rear Rack | available on e16 Pro |
The Estarli e16.7 in detail
Performance
The Estarli e16.7 has all the electric bike characteristics that make them so fun to ride. The initial pedal crank activating the brushless rear hub motor in a very smooth fashion. I felt the power delivery was predictable, and therefore comfortable during riding.
I never felt any of the ‘jerky’ power dumps that are often associated with cadence sensor e-bikes, particularly bikes below the 15kg mark. I think the e16.7 does a very good job at enhancing your riding ability, not controlling it.
Having a Shimano seven speed setup and five different power modes at your disposal allowed me to tackle even the steepest of inclines and whistle along the flats as you laugh at all the people stuck in traffic.
I found I could happily switch through modes to suit the part of my journey, all via the control panel on the handlebars. I also found that dropping down a couple gears when arriving at a red light was seriously helpful when getting going again.
Offering up to 31mi/50km range on a single charge, I feel the e16.7 falls into the mid-range for e-bikes as whole – but for commuter focused bikes this is plenty (see our other reviews of folding electric bikes).
Comfort and Handling
My biggest concern about this bike was how comfortable would it feel on 16” wheels? Having ridden the e16.7 I can say that when you’re out on your third or fourth ride, you don’t even realise you’re on a commuter bike – in fact it feels like a ‘normal’ sized bike.
That being said, you can feel the bumps ever so slightly more owing to that smaller wheel size – also I'd suggest opting for the comfort saddle upgrade if you have difficulty finding a comfortable saddle.
For new or less-confident riders, I’d highly recommend taking the bike out for a couple of short journeys just to get accustomed with the smaller wheels, but for advanced or regular riders this change shouldn’t be a major issue.
Overall I would consider the e16.7 a comfortable ride, especially on a daily basis.
If I was to own the bike and be using it every day, I might consider buying a more generous saddle, but others may find the stock saddle to be sufficient.
Brakes
The Estarli e16.7 has front and rear 160mm disc brakes which help you and bike come to a stop very quickly.
They’re also sensitive, but in a good way – I didn’t find myself locking wheels or skidding when attempting to stop in a hurry, and I was able to easily modulate brake inputs depending on the situation.
I also think it’s great to see disc brakes included on a smaller bike like the e16.7, whereas its ultimate competition – the Brompton C Line – only has rim brakes.
Extras
The biggest selling point of the Estarli e16.7 is its folding ability – I had Brompton and other folding bike owners looking at me with a severe case of bike envy on the train.
Simple to fold, the handlebars collapse down to wheel height with a hinge at the front, and the bike folds in half to bring the two wheels together.
As I got more comfortable with folding the e16.7 it would take me less than ten seconds to (un)fold. In comparison to other folding bikes that have numerous clips, buttons and locks, I found the Estarli straightforward and clear.
Additionally at only 14.5kg, it’s easy to carry – I also found that the triangle frame in front of the seat post acts as a perfect handle to lift from.
Unlike some other folding bikes, however, it isn't as easy to roll the Estarli along whilst it's folded. I really wanted to be able to roll it down the train platform on the rear wheel, which is difficult to do and more often than not I just ended up carrying it or unfolding it.
At Electroheads we love a removable battery, so it was great to get my hands on the Estarli’s cleverly designed battery which is hidden in the seatpost. I found this straightforward to remove, detaching the power cord from the base of the bike and lifting the seatpost out of the frame.
This gives the freedom to leave the bike locked up outside whilst being able to take the battery indoors and charge it overnight/whilst at work. The charging port under the saddle itself is easy to connect and is neatly packaged.
The e16.7 also comes with a bright front and rear light, which can be activated through the control panel.
Ok, I know I’ve mentioned this already a handful of times throughout this review, but I really do think it’s worth mentioning again. The Estarli e16.7 has a pricetag of only £1,250 – not only is that a cheap for e-bikes as a whole, it’s half the price of it’s competitors.
And what are you missing out on? In my opinion, nothing. I found the Estarli e16.7 offers similar performance, comfort and features that those more expensive bikes boast about. For the price, I don’t think you’ll find a better package.
