Mercedes AMG/Petronas F1 Racing Superfans, Your E-bike Has Arrived

Forbes

2 days ago

The limited production bikes come in Rallye trim (above) and two other versions.
Last year, I put some miles on a unique $6,500 carbon-fiber push scooter reportedly cooked up off-hours by the design and race team over at Red Bull/Oracle. While the $6,500 urban scoot can't top 20 mph due to legal constraints, it was nonetheless an intriguing design exercise, and it does go 20mph with aplomb - and miles of style for a lowly push scooter. Review:
So it is with the $5,500 N+ Bikes Mercedes-AMG F1 Track Edition 750, a tech-heavy, (mostly) matte black urban roadster that is one of three N+ models subtly adorned with the Mercedes AMG/Petronas F1 racing team colors (and logo).
The other two models are the $4,000 City Edition and the $7,500 Rallye Edition. N+ also offers two non-electric Mercedes-AMG road bikes that top out at $12,000. The bikes were reportedly designed in collaboration between N+ Bikes and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team.
Recently, an F1 Track Edition 750 e-bike showed up in a box for some testing time on Portland's streets and bikesways. A Unit 1 Faro smart helmet with Mercedes/AMG branding featuring crash detection, turn signals, brake light and a front marker light also came in the box. It connects to the e-bike via Bluetooth.
My review bike was matte black with Petronas green highlights inside the fork and rear frame rails.
The N+ Mercedes-AMG F1 Track Edition 750 is a Class 2 e-bike featuring pedal assist and a throttle. However, it can reach 28 mph in 'Race' mode with pedal assist, placing it in Class 3 territory. This multi-class feature is similar to many e-bikes available on the market today. The bike has four ride modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Race.
While the top-spec Ultra model features a carbon-fiber frame and front suspension, the Track Edition has a visually identical frame made of 6061 aluminum and is a pure hardtail with no suspension. A large, non-removable 48-Volt 10Ah battery is tucked in the frame's downtube, and my review bike also included a second 48-Volt 5Ah battery that functions as a large, cylindrical seatpost, totaling some fairly serious capacity. The rear 750-Watt hub motor by TruckRun is designed to reach a maximum speed of 28 mph with maximum pedal assist and 20 mph when operated solely on throttle.
A Shimano Cues 9-speed derailleur connects to the rear semi-slick Pirelli Angel GT bike tires, close cousins to the Angel GT motorcycle tires I had on my BMW motorcycle, to maintain good ground contact. Large twin-piston Tektro Augira hydraulic brake calipers grip big 203mm rotors at both the front and back 27.5-inch aero-style wheels. The front aero-style fork and rear mounting arms are painted in Petronas pistachio green on the inside surfaces to complement the otherwise matte black paint scheme. A line of four lensed LEDs emits light forward at night, while the seatpost/battery also features a bright red tail light positioned under the seat.
Up top, a large, wide-format color screen displays round clocks that show speed, ride mode, and energy output, among other information. It is not a touchscreen, and a small controller on the left handlebar toggles modes and data displays. The bike also comes with a Benz-branded smart helmet based on the Unit1 Faro. The helmet pairs with the e-bike and features a rear brake light, turn signals, and a front marker light. It retails for $400 on the N+ site but is included with the bike. It has crash detection and will trigger an emergency call with your location if you are unable to respond to phone prompts about your condition.
The handlebars are proprietary and not adjustable. My review bike arrived unadorned; fenders, racks, bottle cages and other bits are available for it. It also does not come with a kickstand and does not have the frame lugs for it. A carbon-fiber stand will keep it upright in the garage for $650.
The color LCD display has a very optimistic speedometer and power output meter, plus a lot more ... More information.
As delivered, the N+ Mercedes-AMG F1 Track Edition 750 is a large bicycle, which suits me just fine; small and medium sizes are also an option. At 65 pounds, it's not light, but once underway with pedal assist engaged, the weight largely disappears, and the Track Edition displays neutral handling and good road manners, even as speeds exceed the 30 mph mark on a steep downhill. The nine speeds in the back offer good ratios for hill climbing and open-road cruising at 28 mph or better on assist.
Being a full-on hardtail with no suspension, handling is crisp and feedback to the rider is excellent. I just wish the handlebars had some adjustability as I'd like them to be a tiny bit higher (like an inch), but overall it is comfortable to ride, including the seat. I used standard-style pedals on my rides.
Heading up a hill, the TruckRun motor whirs as it dispenses an unspecified amount of torque, but it feels to be in the 80Nm range and could propel my 220-pound frame—slowly—up a decent grade without pedaling. Contributing with the pedals significantly increases speed, allowing you to enjoy either an intense or light workout through the combination of gears and assist. I turned off the assist and pedaled the Track Edition up a hill using just my own leg power, and of course, the weight of the bike became immediately apparent, but up the hill it went with a lot of heavy breathing on my part.
On flat ground with no assist, I could glide along at 13 to 18 mph with moderate effort with no assist; switching to Comfort mode boosts the speed to nearly 20 mph with considerably less effort. N+ states the dual battery system is good for 70 miles of range, and in Comfort mode on flat terrain, that seems reasonable; however, I didn't fully test it out lest I had to pedal the 70 miles back home under my own power. The peloton remains a distant goal…
Dial up Sport, Sport Plus, and especially Race mode, and the assist and output rise substantially, allowing for rapid hill climbs and nearly 30 mph open-road riding. On a steep downhill on my test course, my bulk plus the bike's aerodynamics and the hand of gravity pushed speeds close to 40 mph. All the while, the Track Edition remained taut, controlled, and confidence-inspiring. Even more confidence-inspiring are the excellent Tektro brakes. While feel is progressive, the power is several levels above your typical e-bike, enabling them to slow down from speed with almost alarming rapidity - just like a race car.
Just bopping around the neighborhood, the Track Edition is easy to ride and control, and cuts a stylish profile that had people asking me what kind of bike it was (the logos are intentionally very low-profile). When I said 'Mercedes," a lot of jaws dropped. Under further questioning, I explained the N+ connection but most people had stopped listening after the Mercedes logo was revealed.
The subtle logo is a nice touch.
Such is the power of branding. Mercedes and Petronas made a good choice by going with N+ on this triplet of e-bikes, especially the Track Edition, which seems the best-equipped bike for the money of the three. And while the riding experience was quite nice and the build quality is top-notch, for this much dosh I was kind of hoping for some more 'race bike' bits, such as an anti-lock front brake as on the somewhat similar Stromer ST series. An even better rear cassette (11 or 12 speeds) would also be a nice upgrade, especially on a climber like the Rallye model; however, the nine-speed setup on the Track Edition certainly covers the challenges hilly Portland has for a pavement-oriented e-bike.
That wish list is missing the point somewhat; these are ebikes as trophies to some degree, something to park on its $650 carbon kickstand next to your AMG 63. I get it. It's not exactly a value proposition or meant for triathlon training - although the two N+ non-electric models could conceivably find duty there. It's a city bike made for cruising, commuting and enjoying the simple pleasures of a bike ride. Good enough reasons to own one.
Fortunately, the N+ Mercedes-AMG F1 Track Edition 750 is indeed a good bicycle, with a standout sense of style and color, nicely sorted components, decent range, and just enough peculiarities to make for some fun conversation - and many fun rides. Just be prepared to answer a few questions from admirers.
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