Hi guys, while attending Interbike 2018, I stopped by the Benno Bikes booth and got to speak with Ben Luster, a sales manager for the company's US division. I had reviewed the Boost E 10D model in 2017 and saw a bunch of cool updates, including multi-colored front tray racks, additional child retention bar systems for the rear... even a side-saddle setup for older kids and adults. Benno Bikes use the Bosch centerdrive system and they now offer Active Plus, Performance, Performance Line CX, and Performance Line Speed motors.
Some of the accessories we looked at include:
I really like their High Rail and Half Rail systems because they have two bars vs. just one, that will protect the fingers of children if the bike tips or scrapes against a wall. I've seen similar things from other companies in the past, but not every brand does this. I like that they even put foam bar covers on the inner rail to keep the hand positions warm and comfortable for kids
The demo Boost bikes that we looked at come in multiple colors and were outfitted with an Ortlieb pannier and Thule Yepp Maxi EasyFit child seat. Ben explained that they have developed a new Half Rail system because his daughter was getting older and jumping out of the child seat. With Half Rail, kids and adults can ride side saddle. To make it comfortable, Benno sells a rack pad and rail pad, they also have mesh wheel guards to keep feet and hands out of the rear wheel spokes when riding.
For 2019, the Benno Boost electric bicycle can be specced with the Bosch Performance Line, Performance Line CX (high torque), or Performance Line Speed (for up to 45km/h 28mph speeds). With the CX and Speed drive system setups, they offer a dual-battery configuration to help you go further! I really liked the fender-mounted headlight, because it won't be obstructed by the front rack. The fenders are extra thick aluminum alloy and an additional strut has been added to reduce vibration and support the light. It looks like the Boost is going to be sold in both high-step and a more approachable step-thru frame now as well! I really liked the beach bike that they had setup with a Yeti cooler, blanket up front, towel, camp stove, and pannier. Benno designed the Boost to be relatively short, but still focused on utility like a cargo bike, I was told that it's just a couple of inches longer than traditional ebikes, which are ~72 inches. The Boost that I reviewed in 2017 was 74" long vs. 72" on most other products I covered. You can see those details here https://electricbikereview.com/benno/boost-e-10d/ the Boost uses 26" wheels with 2.8" wide "plus sized" tires that provide comfort and stability.
Benno also sells the eJoy, which they consider the Boost Light. It accepts most of the same accessories but has a shorter rear rack. For 2018 it used the Bosch Active Line motor but in 2019 they are moving to Active Plus for a bump from 40Nm to 50Nm max torque. The eScout is like a high-step version of the eJoy. It uses slightly larger tires 27.5" diameter vs. 26". I liked the frame locks and cool colors and stuff we saw.
During this video interview, I also learned that the owner of Serfas (another bike company with accessories) invested in Benno Bikes USA. The booth was co-branded and Serfas has become the sole distributor in the United States. To run the forums, host the site, and travel, I have introduced a service fee for my reviews and some in-depth videos like this. Benno Bikes did not pay for this video, but I suspect that I'll be covering their ebikes at some point in 2019. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and post are not meant to be an endorsement.
Some of the accessories we looked at include:
- larger Utility Front Tray (works on Boost, eJoy, and eScout models)
- smaller Mini Front Tray (works on Boost, eJoy, and eScout models)
- full surround High Rail rear rack for use with child seats
- partial surround Half Rail for side saddle seating with larger kids and adults
- utility oriented Platform Rail system with Utility Rear Rack (which I called the safari rack!)
I really like their High Rail and Half Rail systems because they have two bars vs. just one, that will protect the fingers of children if the bike tips or scrapes against a wall. I've seen similar things from other companies in the past, but not every brand does this. I like that they even put foam bar covers on the inner rail to keep the hand positions warm and comfortable for kids
The demo Boost bikes that we looked at come in multiple colors and were outfitted with an Ortlieb pannier and Thule Yepp Maxi EasyFit child seat. Ben explained that they have developed a new Half Rail system because his daughter was getting older and jumping out of the child seat. With Half Rail, kids and adults can ride side saddle. To make it comfortable, Benno sells a rack pad and rail pad, they also have mesh wheel guards to keep feet and hands out of the rear wheel spokes when riding.
For 2019, the Benno Boost electric bicycle can be specced with the Bosch Performance Line, Performance Line CX (high torque), or Performance Line Speed (for up to 45km/h 28mph speeds). With the CX and Speed drive system setups, they offer a dual-battery configuration to help you go further! I really liked the fender-mounted headlight, because it won't be obstructed by the front rack. The fenders are extra thick aluminum alloy and an additional strut has been added to reduce vibration and support the light. It looks like the Boost is going to be sold in both high-step and a more approachable step-thru frame now as well! I really liked the beach bike that they had setup with a Yeti cooler, blanket up front, towel, camp stove, and pannier. Benno designed the Boost to be relatively short, but still focused on utility like a cargo bike, I was told that it's just a couple of inches longer than traditional ebikes, which are ~72 inches. The Boost that I reviewed in 2017 was 74" long vs. 72" on most other products I covered. You can see those details here https://electricbikereview.com/benno/boost-e-10d/ the Boost uses 26" wheels with 2.8" wide "plus sized" tires that provide comfort and stability.
Benno also sells the eJoy, which they consider the Boost Light. It accepts most of the same accessories but has a shorter rear rack. For 2018 it used the Bosch Active Line motor but in 2019 they are moving to Active Plus for a bump from 40Nm to 50Nm max torque. The eScout is like a high-step version of the eJoy. It uses slightly larger tires 27.5" diameter vs. 26". I liked the frame locks and cool colors and stuff we saw.
During this video interview, I also learned that the owner of Serfas (another bike company with accessories) invested in Benno Bikes USA. The booth was co-branded and Serfas has become the sole distributor in the United States. To run the forums, host the site, and travel, I have introduced a service fee for my reviews and some in-depth videos like this. Benno Bikes did not pay for this video, but I suspect that I'll be covering their ebikes at some point in 2019. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and post are not meant to be an endorsement.
