Merida eSpresso 300 SE EQ 418Wh

The Merida eSpresso 300 SE EQ is a solid offering, though not really a budget one. The frame may lack thrills and the potential for enormous speed, but it offers a comfortable and practical everyday ride. You also get the benefits of reliable gears, a mid-mounted motor and an uncomplicated control system, plus plenty of carrying capacity.

Just as few of us have garages filled with cars, many of us only own one bike. While more dedicated cyclists might maintain summer and winter rides, or one each for on- and off-road riding, a lot of people feel that one is enough, and that bike is expected to do everything it’s asked to. That’s why bikes like the Merida eSpresso 300 SE EQ exist.

It’s a very straightforward machine, with a stiff frame, a chain drive, a mid-mounted motor and a lot of bits with the name ‘Shimano’ stamped on them. It has disc brakes, mudguards and a rack, a kickstand, lights, attachment points for a water bottle holder and some suspension. It’s sensible, practical and if it’s most at home on paved surfaces, if you fancy a pootle down the canal towpath, it’s not going to do anything to stop you.

The 50mm tyres give it grip without adding too much rolling resistance, and there’s suspension in the front fork to smooth out any small bumps you might encounter – though you can of course turn this off. So while it might be possible to criticise the eSpresso for being a bit boring, if you’re not looking for excitement, just something to get you from A to B with the least amount of fuss (and you only need one bike), then this is the sort of ride it’s possible to imagine finding a place in any number of garages across suburban Britain.

The frame sent to ebiketips for review isn’t a full step-through (such a version with a vertically mounted battery is also available), but the crossbar isn’t particularly high. You can also ride while wearing sensible trousers because there’s a plastic cover over the chain to remove the need for cycle clips.

With the motor mounted at the bottom of the frame and the battery fairly deeply set too, you benefit from a low centre of gravity. This makes cornering smooth and stable, though this isn’t a bike for breakneck changes in direction even if you did try to thrash it through the bends. The frame is solid, and has a carrying capacity (rider + baggage) of 150kg, enabling heftier riders to get in on the e-bike fun or for those who like to carry luggage to really get creative.

The motor is a Shimano Steps 5000 40Nm model, paired with a 418Wh battery and nine gears. It suffers from the same problem faced by many e-bikes, in that you find yourself wishing that there was a 10th or 11th gear for flats and descents, but this isn’t a bike for the impatient, and those prepared to plod along at about 16-25km/h will find themselves well catered for. The gearing choice helps on the ascents too, as does the simplicity of the electrical assistance, which has three levels (plus off), controlled with a straightforward pair of buttons on the left of the handlebars. The screen built into the brake lever cover clearly displays information such as speed, distance and remaining range.

You get a smooth application of power, without the noticeable kick some motors can give. There’s plenty of torque for climbing hills – the main benefit of a mid-motor – though it’s never going to be a performance bike. It’s also a very quiet ride. Any hum it produces is easily covered by road noise, while the internal routing of cables, with clamps for those that have to go outside, keeps rattle to a minimum. The gears can be a bit noisy, but that’s the nature of bits of metal sliding over one another.

The riding position keeps you fairly upright, but it corners nimbly enough.

At 22kg, the eSpresso is light enough to lift up a few stairs or onto a car rack, the lights come on automatically when you switch the bike on, and the included kickstand is stable. The only thing it doesn’t come with is a bell.

The Shimano battery is physically small and sticks up from the frame rather than being smoothly integrated. This makes it quite simple to remove with a key, and the charging port is easily accessed. Being a common make, it should be quite simple to source a replacement or carry a spare. (As a heavy rider in cold weather, I was getting about 30 miles of range from a charge.)

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There are a lot of city bikes in this price bracket, so what makes the eSpresso 300 stand out? Well it comes in a good range of colours, which may swing it for some potential riders, with bright blue and red joining the deep green of our review model. Otherwise, the eSpresso shines thanks to its ease of use, quiet, comfortable ride, and its determination to just be ridden without any gimmicks.

At the same time, urban hub motor options, such as the £1,699 Tenways CGO600 Plus, will almost inevitably undercut it on price and many of them will do the job just as well for riders who don’t require significant power assistance at low speeds.

Measured against other lower torque mid-motor e-bikes, the eSpresso fares a little better, but you can still find cheaper options. The more off-road capable Ebco Adventure 3R can currently be had for just £999, for example. Another Tenways, the AGO Air, offers a punchier motor for £1,999, while the belt-driven Mako Shark comes in at £2,300.

The Merida eSpresso 300 brings the benefits of its mid-mounted motor and thoughtful design, but some potential riders may struggle to see past the price.