A Gazelle Arroyo C8 HMB Elite impresses you as an exquisite bike right away. The lines, colors, and paint all appear to be in perfect harmony. It’s a bike that’s rooted in Dutch culture, and it’d look perfectly at home here on the streets of Amsterdam and Utrecht.
Its simple use, both as an e-bike and also as a traditional pedal cycle, is simply astounding. An Arroyo C8 HMB Elite is among the few e-bikes that are just as enjoyable to ride without the engine engaged.
While this sort of e-bike may be found for less money, Gazelle strikes a nice mix between functionality, elegant looks, adaptability, and comfort.
What you will see here?
Price and availability
An Arroyo C8 HMB Elite prices $3,699 and is now available. You may customize your bike on Gazelle’s website before purchasing it locally via the company’s dealer directory.
The suspension forks come with a five-year guarantee and a 10-year warranty on design and production faults. There’s also a five-year guarantee on paint flaws on the frame and forks. A two-year warranty is provided on all parts.
Design
The Arroyo C8 Elite has a deep step-through frame that makes mounting and dismounting easier for riders of all sizes. The down tube incorporates the battery. At first appearance, the bike seems to be a non-motorized bicycle.
There are three sizes available for the Arroyo C8 Elite: 46, 53, and 57. If you’re not sure which size is right for you, the Gazelle website has a sizing calculator. You may also pick between two colors: black and silver.
The frame is equipped with 700c wheels and puncture-resistant tires. On this model, Gazelle fitted fenders as well as a rear rack. Hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro give lots of stopping force and smooth braking modulation.
A headlight is built into the front fender, as well as a tail light is installed on the bike’s back rack.
There’s also an incorporated back wheel lock: AXA Defender allows the user to set the wheel in place by passing a bar through the spokes. Simply remove the key after the bar is in position, & your bike is safe. When you’re ready to ride again, replace the key; it stays within the lock so you don’t forget to bring it with you.
This Arroyo C8 Elite is definitely designed with comfort in mind. The Switch adjustable stem lets you instantly modify your riding position without the use of any equipment. You also receive a suspension Seatpost to help with road noise.
A suspension mechanism is also built into the bottom of a head tube. Its 30mm of travel absorbs road vibration and bigger impacts, preventing all of the stress from reaching your body.
Motor
In the bottom bracket region, the Bosch Active Line Plus motor is integrated. It is virtually entirely quiet when in operation. The motor is controlled from the handlebars by a Bosch Purion LCD head unit. The operation is straightforward, with the buttons controlling your aid mode. The screen also displays vital information such as your battery life, current speed, and other details.
Finally, the handlebar grips are leather and rather supple, adding an aesthetic touch. It contributes to Gazelle’s overall luxury appearance.
Specifications
- 51.6-pound weight.
- Shimano Nexus 8-speed transmission.
- 50Nm torque Bosch mid-drive Active Line Plus motor.
- 20 MPH is the maximum assist speed.
- Range maximum: 70 miles.
- Removable Li-ion battery, 500 Wh, 13.4 Ah.
Accessories
On the Arroyo C8 Elite page of Gazelle’s website, there will be only one accessory listed. The Gazelle Carrier bag, which costs $160 and fits on the back rack, provides storage for small goods while riding.
Performance
The Arroyo C8 Elite puts the rider in an upright posture, which is a pleasant position that relieves stress on the arms, wrists, & hands. The saddle, which is large and soft, provides the majority of the support. It’s also positioned atop a suspension Seatpost, which softens the impact of larger potholes and the like.
The fork/headtube junction also has 30mm of suspension built-in. This is excellent at absorbing road noise and minor potholes. The fork has some fore-and-aft flex, notably during braking. It makes the bike’s front end seem a little mushy while braking, but it’s not a major issue.
The adjustable stem allows you to fine-tune your riding posture. Simply turn the lever, position the handlebars where they’re most comfortable for you, then secure everything with the steam lever. It only takes a few seconds, and you won’t need any instruments to do it. One of Arroyo C8 Elite’s best features is this.
For this style of bike, a Bosch motor feels powerful enough. It accelerates swiftly and maintains that speed. An Arroyo C8 Elite is also unafraid of slopes. When the road turns steep, the motor provides enough help to keep you from becoming stuck.
Gazelle Arroyo C8 HMB Elite: Non-Motorized bike
The Arroyo C8 Elite’s ability to function like a non-motorized bike is one of its strongest features. You had a lot of fun riding this bike even without the motor running. Despite the extra weight, it rides like any other bike. It is both comfortable and enjoyable to ride.
You had some issues with Shimano’s Nexus 8-speed transmission. Despite on-the-fly cable changes, shifting slowed both in directions (from harder to softer gears and vice versa). It’s conceivable that this is a fluke or a faulty system; you’ve had no difficulties with the Shimano Nexus system on some other bikes.
This Arroyo C8 Elite has a luxury appearance and feels about it. With its 50-pound weight, it seems strong and well-built, and the ride is light and simple to handle. The ride comfort is excellent, and the steering feels stable and reliable.
Battery life and range
In frigid conditions, just above freezing, you took the Arroyo C8 Elite for a ten-mile ride. While utilizing the Turbo option – the maximum help level — entirely for those ten miles, You only lost one bar (out of five) of battery life.
In Eco mode, the lowest assist setting, Gazelle claims a range of 70 miles. The range of the Turbo is rated as 25 miles. Based on my ride duration in Turbo mode, this appears to be a conservative estimate.
Competitor
It’s not difficult to find a step-through e-bike in the Dutch design. Trek provides a variety of styles, including the $3,800 Allant+ Lowstep. It also makes use of a Bosch Performance Line CX mid-drive motor. It also has a front suspension and an upright riding stance. The Allant has a 9-speed transmission, which beats out Arroyo by one gear. The Gazelle, on the other hand, appears to be more streamlined than the Trek and is somewhat lighter (by about three pounds). The Arroyo is also less expensive.
Take a glance at the Lemond Dutch if you’re looking for a less classic design. It costs $4,900 more, but it comes with a lightweight carbon frame as well as an 11-speed gear. It also only weighs 21 pounds, which is ideal for carrying your e-bike up flat steps.
This Rad Power RadCity 5 Plus Step-Through isn’t as elegant and royal as the Arroyo C8 Elite, but it will save you money. It prices $2,000 and comes with a hub engine, a range of 28 to 50 miles, throttle, and a Shimano 7-speed transmission.
Conclusion
This Arroyo C8 HMB Elite has a solid design, a smooth ride, and a dependable Bosch motor, making it a fantastic combo. It’s just as enjoyable to ride even without pedal-assist technology, and as such the Arroyo C8 Elite is a good bike at its most basic level.
Given Shimano’s outstanding track record as well as my own recent experience, you rise to chalk up the Shimano shifting troubles to faulty set up or even a warranty scenario. There wasn’t much to complain about when riding the Arroyo C8 Elite, other than the shifting troubles.
For much less money, you could obtain a Dutch-style bike that is just as dependable and comfortable. The Arroyo C8 HMB Elite, on the other hand, is a stunning bike with a slew of well-thought-out features including integrated lights & a lock, as well as a cleverly adjustable stem that makes it simple to accommodate several riders.
