The 20″-wheeled compact electric bikes are coming thick and fast at the moment. Last week we told you about the Kalkhoff Sahel Compact, and now Orbea have sent us a Katu-E 30A.
“The Katu-E 30A is the eBike for everyone from ages nine to ninety-nine”, say Orbea. We’re fairly sure that 99-year-olds would prefer a lower step-through than the Katu, which is dropped but not especially low. It will work for a broad range of people though.

“It’s the perfect utilitarian machine, designed with a careful attention to the requirements of everyday life, from getting the groceries to getting to work”, they continue. “A small form-factor built around 20” wheels makes storage easy, and the smaller wheels lends maneuverability in tight urban situations. With our remarkably stable Katu cargo system, carrying larger loads on your bike has never been easier.”

That cargo system is a standard rack mount on the rear, and at the front a pair of mounts that can accept a big basket for shopping or baggage. Because it’s the frame that carries the load rather than the fork, it makes the bike more stable when loaded. The Katu-E also has a double kickstand to keep the bike stable and upright when you’re loading it up.
> Read our guide to electric city bikes
This bike has the Bosch Active Line motor. You can read all about the different mid motor systems here; the Bosch system is a market leader and the Active Line sits below the higher-torque Performance Line and Performance Line CX systems. It’s still got plenty of grunt though, and is used on a huge variety of electric bikes. The Katu-E comes with the standard 400Wh battery which offers a useful range. What that is will depend on your riding style and where you’re riding, but somewhere between 40km and 80km is what you’ll likely get.

The motor is paired with a Shimano Nexus three-speed hub. Hub gears are common on mid motor bikes but the three-speed isn’t one you see that often. We’re not sure why, because it’s simple and well-built and the range of gears you need on an electric bike isn’t huge: you’re getting plenty of help on the hills and there’s not a lot of point going beyond the assist limit of 15.5mph at the other end…
Small wheels keep the whole bike compact, which is good for manoeuvering in town and storing at home. There’s plenty of give in the 2.25″ Kenda tyres, but you also get a suspension seatpost. At the front the adjustable stem and high riser bars give you a nice upright position. Like many small wheelers it’s a one-size-fits-all bike.

Ours didn’t come with a basket; various builds of the Katu-E are available, some with and some without. We’re trying to get hold of one though. We’ll be putting the Katu-E through its paces: look out for a review soon.