Spanish outfit Crow has cruised into the world of ebikes with a versatile debut lineup that covers key bases for commuters, adventurers and lycra-laden racing enthusiasts alike. The Gravital range also stands apart from other higher-end ebikes we've looked at recently, with removable batteries and motors allowing users to shave even more pounds off their ride and go it on muscle-power alone.
Crow's line of Gravital ebikes all feature drive systems from German company Fauza, which equips them with a 252-Wh battery pack, 58-Nm (43 lb-ft) mid motor and pedal assistance over as much as 90 km (54 miles) depending on how you use them. These range figures stack up pretty well against leading ebikes such as the 128 km (80 miles) offered by the Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL, and may well prove a strength for the company in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
The gravel options consist of no fewer than seven models, with the Gravital UL 1 LTD topping the range. With a carbon frame, forks, carbon drop bars, seatpost and cranks, complemented by a 13-speed Campagnolo Ekar groupset, the bikes weigh a manageable 13 kg (28.66 lb). This is a bit more than the 11.9-kg (26.2-lb) Turbo Creo SL and more again than the 8.5-kg (18.7-lb) HPS Domestique, the lightest production ebike on the market. But considered amongst the full gamut of electric bikes, the Gravital UL 1 LTD certainly sits at the lighter end of spectrum.
Alongside a number of lower-specced versions of the UL 1 LTD sits a flatbar gravel option called the Risbar SL, which tips the scales at 15 kg (33 lb). Crow has designed this to offer the handling of an ultralight mountain bike and the speed of a standard drop bar gravel bike, and equipped it with Schwalbe G-One Bite 700x40 tires and Shimano MT500 wheels to deal with exactly that type of terrain.
For those navigating busy urban areas, the Gravital Naked SL 4 features a sporty profile designed for low weight and good agility. It is fitted with flat handlebars designed for steering through city streets, disc brakes, carbon forks for shock absorption and 700x35 Schwalbe Kojak slick tires for minimal resistance. The Naked SL 4 is flanked by the Gravital Urbe, another urban ebike aimed at commuters that features integrated a rear rack and mudguards.
As the race-oriented model in the lineup, The Gravital Pace, meanwhile, is designed primarily with speed in mind. Its narrow handlebars should make for a more aerodynamic rider position, while the Shimano Tiagra groupset has been tuned for optimal performance across many miles of asphalt.
Something that may appeal about Crow's lineup of ebikes is that the battery and mid-motor can be completely removed in a few seconds. They can be replaced with a cover and hollow tube that doubles as a storage space and saves 3 kg (6.6 lb), which is a significant reduction and effectively turns them into regular bikes with very respectable weight figures.
Crow is assembling its Gravital bikes in Spain and plans to begin shipping to Europe, the US and Canada in mid July. Pricing starts at €3,699 (US$3,870) for the lower-end gravel bikes, right up to €8,999 (US$9,400) for the UL 1 LTD. The urban-oriented Naked SL 4 and Urbe are priced at €3,699 (US$3,870) and €3,999 (US$4,180), respectively, while the Gravital Pace will get you on the road for an outlay of €4,299 (US$4,500).
Source: Crow
