Pure Electric Flux One review
British high-street mobility retailer Pure Electric stocks a huge range of electric bikes, along with scooters, cargo bikes and more and Pure has now launched its own range of ebikes, with its £999 Flux One among the least expensive ebikes you can buy today.
The best electric hybrids don’t come much more stripped-down than the Flux One.
The Flux One has a singlespeed setup based around a fuss-free Gates belt with a 55t ring and 22t sprocket, giving you a gear that’s easy to get up to speed and will keep you flying up to 35km/h or so – when you’ll spin out.
Vision’s rear-hub motor is rated at 250W with 35Nm of torque, and inside the Reention battery casing it shares with the Revolutionworks Whippet is a bank of Samsung cells contributing 252Wh.
Are the ebikes at this price light enough to make them easy to handle, do their motors provide effective assistance in an urban environment and do their batteries provide a useful amount of range?
In the main, the models on test instilled a sense of how far ebike technology has advanced in a short space of time. Rather than there being any discrepancies in the quality of design, the best model now comes down to how well it suits individual needs, which is by no means a bad place for the category to be in.
Pure Electric claims the battery is good to power the Flux One up to 25 miles/40km, though I was able to get beyond that distance with around 28 to 30 miles on a single charge, with a maximum of 30.6 miles/49.2km including 1,191ft/363m of climbing.
The power delivery comes in smoothly and matches your efforts with a light-assist level 1, a level 2 that only ups the ante slightly and a full-fat level 3 that feels like a turbo setting.
It’s controlled by a neat white-on-black LCD display with up and down buttons to switch between modes, though the screen only offers speed, an odometer and a battery-level graphic.
This does tend to change as you switch between modes if you’re in level 1, and at higher levels it’s more of a battery reserve than a true indication.
When the battery level drops below five per cent or so, a low-voltage warning triangle appears, which means you’ve got about a mile before the system shuts down.
It’s easy to release the compact battery and a full recharge takes five hours, though three hours will get you 80 per cent. The charger weighs 560g and its 160x70x45mm size will stow in a backpack.
The riding position will be familiar if you ride a hybrid or mountain bike. It’s not as sporty as rivals such as the Whippet, or as relaxed as the Mycle Classic, hitting the sweet spot between the two. Its commanding position gives you a good view of the road ahead without being too upright.
The Flux One is available in only one size, and at 6ft 2in I’m at the upper reaches of its sizing, so it’s one to try before you buy.
Pure should be applauded for excellent contact points. The riser bar, with its six-degree backsweep, doesn’t feel overly wide and its lock-on grips, with their tacky Kraton rubber, work superbly in the wet.
The saddle has a good shape and its padding means you don’t need to wear padded shorts, even on the longest rides.
Its Wellgo BMX-style flat pedals are another highlight, offering great grip and longevity: I have a pair still going strong after 15 years.
The bike feels nippy and the steering is suitably sharp. I also like the added security of bolt-on wheels and a bolted seat clamp to deter thieves.
The Maxxis Overdrive tyres are hardwearing commuter treads. Their 35mm width is enough to add cushioning, and they’re more supple than a lot of puncture-reducing tyres.
Braking from the NUTT cable discs and Tektro levers is acceptable, but they lack the feel and power of hydraulic discs.
The Flux is very well put together. The frame is neatly finished and the graphic decals are in reflective Scotch tape, which is great for night rides.
The lack of mudguards is pretty much unforgivable on a commuter bike. It does have fittings for mudguards and racks, so you can add them on – nobody wants to arrive at work sodden from the knees down.
Pure’s Flux One is great value, simple and fun to ride. If your commute is particularly hilly, its single gear may become a chore, but for flatter daily rides it’s a great option, with a very low-maintenance drivetrain making it easy to live with.
