Multicharger specs

E

EricMa

New Member
Region
Canada
Hi all, first post. I'm considering a Multicharger for myself in the future.

Is the frame/wheel lock the version that requires you to leave a key in it whenever its open or does it just require the key while opening and closing the lock?

What is the length of the rear luggage rack? And maybe to put it another way, how much longer is it compared to the rack of the Nevo3? It's important to me to be able to affix a largish basket to the top of the rack. I'm looking at options from Basil or simply using a 'milk crate' style box.

Thanks!
 
Hi Eric:
My Multicharger arrived in late Feb, 21. The cafe lock does NOT retain the key unlocked position. You use the key to engage the lock and then use the key to disengage the lock, removing the key after either function. By the way, the key for the cafe lock is also used to unlock/relock the battery. Speaking of battery, there is a trick to getting the battery back into the body frame --consider getting the bike shop to demonstrate this a few times because it is a colossal pain if you get it part way in and find that it jams. Trick is to make certain the the upper most part of the battery is correctly lined up with the electrical connector.
I will measure the length of the rear carrier asap. I removed the black panel that is the deck of the carrier and installed a BASIL MIK connector plate; trunk bag, basket, whatever I want to use on the rear carrier is attached solidly via a MIK plate installed on the basket, trunk, whatever.
 
Pavel57 said:
Hi Eric:
My Multicharger arrived in late Feb, 21. The cafe lock does NOT retain the key unlocked position. You use the key to engage the lock and then use the key to disengage the lock, removing the key after either function. By the way, the key for the cafe lock is also used to unlock/relock the battery. Speaking of battery, there is a trick to getting the battery back into the body frame --consider getting the bike shop to demonstrate this a few times because it is a colossal pain if you get it part way in and find that it jams. Trick is to make certain the the upper most part of the battery is correctly lined up with the electrical connector.
I will measure the length of the rear carrier asap. I removed the black panel that is the deck of the carrier and installed a BASIL MIK connector plate; trunk bag, basket, whatever I want to use on the rear carrier is attached solidly via a MIK plate installed on the basket, trunk, whatever.
Click to expand...
Rear rack is 61cm. This is not precisely accurate as I used an iPhone app to do the measurement… I suspect that 63cm is more accurate.
 
Thanks Pavel57! I have yet to decide just which bike I'm going to purchase and can afford to wait a while to see what next years offerings include. While I have no need to transport small humans by bike, I seen no downsides to the Multicharger. Everyone says it's heavy as a tank, but unless one opted for the Roadster, all R&M hardtails have similar weights. Did you get to test other bikes (Charger, Nevo)? Is there an appreciable difference in ride quality between them?

While I'm at it might as well see if anyone can satisfy another curiosity. I appreciate that many value the option to sit fairly upright on their bike, I myself prefer a more sporty posture. How close to horizontal can the adjustable stem get, on any of the bikes?
 
I ordered a Multicharger sight unseen... I spent lots of time on the RM website comparing the different models and chatted with the RM brand manager at a local bike shop. I wanted a big bike that would carry me (6'1"; 250lbs) and some cargo without difficulty. I also wanted a mostly upright posture --the brand manager was confident that I'd be happy with Multicharger. If you order Multicharger with the Purion display, the stem supplied is not adjustable. While I love the bike, there are a few things that I'm not nuts about. It is not nearly as upright a riding posture as I had wanted, it's actually very sporty. I ended up replacing the handlebar with a Metropolis so that I could be more upright. Another thing about Multicharger is that it is not a nimble bike. The turning radius is huge and when negotiating turns at slow speed, the weight of the bike, coupled with how high the rider is perched, can make for some awkward riding. I did not try any other bikes so I can't offer comparison. I don't regret the coin I spent on this bike (I bought the GT Vario with a 625 power tube) and have been having a great time with it. It is big, heavy, and inclined to be a bit of a lumbering behemoth at slow speed and flys when you put some work into cycling. Also, because of no suspension and wonderful German over-engineering, you are going to feel every bump in the road. Sure, you can reduce pressure in the front fork and put a softer elastomer in the Thudbuster seat post to make the ride more comfortable... I even swapped out the seat for one with suspension (elastomers) to augment the Thudbuster suspension. I also was not nuts about the one-leg kick stand as a leaning bike is hard to load and unload. I replaced the single-leg with the Ursus 80 Jumbo II double leg kickstand --way more stable.
Having babbled all of this, I love the bike and am pleased with the how solid it is. As I'm not getting any younger, nor less arthritic, if I ever replace this bike, I'll be selecting a lighter, more nimble, electric bike.
Hope this helps.
Eric, I'm curious... are you in Toronto?
 
When ever I ride my 2021 Mulitcharger Mixte, its so upright and comfortable that I feel like some of the people riding the bikes of yesteryear. I agree with just about every point of your discussion especially about the Mulitcharger's maneuverability. The stability is a real plus. When I load up with my 24 lb dog in the doggy basket, its just what I need to feel safe riding with him in the back.
 
Hi all, I'm looking into getting the Multicharger, but with no test rides available due to our current lockdown, I'm hoping to get some first hand info from owners. To help me decide on frame size I'm hoping to find out what sizes you have gone with and your height. Myself being 180cm fall pretty much in between both sizes, of which I'm leaning towards the 51cm frame.
 
Hi Coho... I'm 185 cm and purchased the 51cm Multicharger. This is a big, heavy, behemoth and I almost wish I had chosen one frame size smaller... almost...
Getting on and off this bike is a task until you get the hang of it. Further, if you use any sort of rear bike trunk or basket be aware that swinging your leg up and over the trunk/basket will be a chore. The Multicharger is not a speed bike if you select the belt-driven Nuvinci hub. It is, however, very much a solid, stable ride. Due to it's weight, you will coast downhill at warp speed and you will very much appreciate the motor when going back up the hill.
 
Just to follow up with my experiences with my Multicharger Mixte. I am glad I got this model and not the regular one. The lower bar (see picture) allows my 5'6" person ease of access when I have it loaded with my dog in his basket (Pet Gear). This is a heavy bike and I have not dropped it yet but I can see the trouble people would have once a rear passenger kit or box would be installed on the rear. I also installed a TERN centre stand because Riese Muller don't supply this option unless you order the passenger kit which I didn't want. So my LBS was kind enough to give me a used TERN stand.

However one time and only the one time, I forgot about the dog basket and tried lifting my leg over the bike and almost dropped it.

Also the bars for the Mixte are curved slightly backward for a more relaxed upright position. The other model, I think has the straighter bars.
 

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I forgot mention the Multicharger has a substantial payload rating for the rear (65kg = small person). It is characterized as a cargo bike. But when I look at the Nevo, the rear rack isn't beefy enough to carry much more than maybe 25 kg.
 
The non-Mixte does have a straight handlebar... I replaced mine with a Metropolis handlebar and find the ride to be more upright and significantly more comfortable for my wrists, elbows and shoulders. The higher upper frame bar is a challenge given the size of the bike; I guess I'm a traditionalist in that the lower bar on the Mixte just does not appeal to me.
 
Speculate for me. How is it that with all build components being equal, the Multicharger ends up weighing less than the Charger 3 or Nevo 3? How does it find the weight savings? Could it be the slightly smaller wheels?
 
I wondered about this myself... I spoke with the guys at the local bike shop and they told me that they suspect it is an error on the website.
 
What are the numbers? I would think the weight differences can be explained in the frame designs. Is it 5kg difference??
 
OK I looked up the weights for the Mulitcharger Mixte, Nevo3 and Charger. Mulitcharger = 24.9 kg, Nevo3 = 28.9 kg and the Charger = 27.5 kg. These weights are all models with the Vario configurations.

So the differences indicates Charger is 2.6 kg (5.2 lbs) heavier and the Nevo3 is 3.0 kg (6.6 lbs) heavier.
 
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