Announced: Yamaha Civante - 28mph

[Iridebikez]

Your pictures are always incredible. Are those Schwalbe G-One tires or something else? I like the mixed-use tread design, and of course tan sidewalls.

 

[WattsUpDude]

Your pictures are always incredible. Are those Schwalbe G-One tires or something else? I like the mixed-use tread design, and of course tan sidewalls.

that's kind of you to say. i'm lucky to have a lot of beautiful places to ride. the tires are actually some cheap sunlite (kenda) 700x38 gravel tires. they didn't work that great on actual gravel but they did look great sliding around. the panaracer gravelkings i currently have on the Urban Rush are faaaaantastic.

 

[drewberz]

If you are looking for 1X with a different groupset, check out the Giant Revolt E+. I have one with G Ones and it has its flaws but overall pretty awesome.

I still need to get some time in on the Civante. Their display looks beefy but I'm really curious if it's tuned any differently than a Giant e-bike.

 

[JoshPDX]

Welp, yesterday was new bike day.
Got my Redshift post and stem in and installed. My trunk bag on it and a couple other things. Dealer put on the rack and fenders. Unfortunately here in Portland mother nature has been a bit angry the last 36 hours. 60+ MPH winds have dropped power lines, trees, and covered trails in tree debris. The air quality is trashed because of forest fire smoke. I have managed to put 20 miles on the bike though.

Initial thoughts are that shifting is much better than the demo bike I used. Motor is nice and quiet. Fenders are much less intrusive than I thought they would be. It's silky smooth and a dream around town. I only use 2-3 different gears with it and even without assist I can easily maintain 12-15MPH.

This is my first time using Redshift equipment and I'm sold. The stem is disorienting at first, but after 5 miles or so my body adjusted. Man does it take the beating out of a hard fork and frame. I've used Suntour suspension posts but the Redshift feels like a much better crafted piece of equipment and much less eye catching.

Now I'm just waiting for things to clear up a bit and hopefully get a few weeks of good weather before the gloom and rain sets in.

 

[XS11]

Just got my new Civante. I took it out on a quick 45 mile ride on SART...

Update: I had to bleed the front brake already, seems it came with extra air in the lines. I had to align the front brakes also, not something I'd have expected to need to do. The Tiagra always seemed to be harsh shifting although it worked well enough with patience. Well, it started to need adjusting every ride which was really annoying until the chain just snapped mid ride. I removed the broken link and shortened the chain to finish the ride. Got a new Shimano ebike chain (E-Bike CN e6090 10 speed) and it shifts MUCH nicer now! I guess the KMC chain does not have the right profile for the Tiagra components. I still have not changed out the tires but I am getting close to doing that. I figure I've given the stock tires a decent chance and now it's time to see if real road tires are better or worse. I'm still able to do ride everywhere in ECO mode, even hills, so I'm not sure when I will need those blue lights. Plenty of low gearing on this bike.

Update: 01Nov2020
So, lot's of rattles from what seems like internal cables, not really a big deal. Creaking from the pedal area started so I tightened the square taper crank bolts and it went away... for awhile. Still, not a big deal. The ride is so unforgiving compared to a carbon frame but I could never have maintained the speeds I do on the Civante in eco mode so not a big deal. I still have not switched out tires but I'm starting to think some semi gravel tires with lower pressure might make the aluminum frame ride a bit smoother? The thing I am very surprised about is the seat is very comfortable which I did not expect. The bike came with the left shifter leaning (out) a bit so I re-wrapped the bars so I could fix that. In the end I might go a slightly wider compact bar since I'm not ever in a real race mode on an e-bike. Tiagra components are holding up well enough and I've learned the art of more purposeful slower shifting and I never have issues anymore. Just for fun I put it up all the way and got the bike (easily) over 30mph. lol. I'm having too much fun on this bike and rides over 25 miles are just plain fun. Even rides approaching 50 miles are relatively easy. Since I ride longer rides now I've taken to wearing my mountain bike hydration pack so I can carry long ride stuff. I am no longer trying to stay within the realm of the road bike profile.

 

[FlatSix911]

Welp, yesterday was new bike day.
Got my Redshift post and stem in and installed. My trunk bag on it and a couple other things. Dealer put on the rack and fenders. Unfortunately here in Portland mother nature has been a bit angry the last 36 hours. 60+ MPH winds have dropped power lines, trees, and covered trails in tree debris. The air quality is trashed because of forest fire smoke. I have managed to put 20 miles on the bike though.

Initial thoughts are that shifting is much better than the demo bike I used. Motor is nice and quiet. Fenders are much less intrusive than I thought they would be. It's silky smooth and a dream around town. I only use 2-3 different gears with it and even without assist I can easily maintain 12-15MPH.

This is my first time using Redshift equipment and I'm sold. The stem is disorienting at first, but after 5 miles or so my body adjusted. Man does it take the beating out of a hard fork and frame. I've used Suntour suspension posts but the Redshift feels like a much better crafted piece of equipment and much less eye catching. Now I'm just waiting for things to clear up a bit and hopefully get a few weeks of good weather before the gloom and rain sets in.

Congratulations and welcome to EBR!

 

[JoshPDX]

Mine's been hanging in the garage since I bought it. It's a mess here in Portland.

 

[JoshPDX]

Finally got some clean air and a chance to get out. I've put close to 120 miles on it in the last week. This weekend we did around 25 miles around the SW hills and Lake Oswego in Portland. It was close to 1900 feet of elevation climb. The motor on this is an absolute dream on hills. If you get up out of saddle and put some weight into the pedals it just complies and gives you a silky smooth push. It was a hoot making climbs at 20mph and keeping up with traffic. Chain noise is non-existant and shifting is smooth. I do notice a bit of a "clunk" when engaging the pedals from a coast. I think that's probably normal for middrives.

I also have a pretty prominent squeak that I *think* is the left pedal. I can't quite tell. I was planning on swapping out the pedals anyway. These are sized for toddlers and not size 12 feet. Will swap those and see if it corrects things.

So far, this thing is a dream for a psuedo-touring setup. Redshift gear for the stem and seat post have turned it into a Cadillac for comfort. Battery life is also fantastic. With all of the climb I did over 25 miles it only used about 25% of the battery. I'm certain with Eco+ mode and limited climbs you could easily get 100 miles out of it. I'm quite happy.

 

[todbar]

Finally got some clean air and a chance to get out. I've put close to 120 miles on it in the last week. This weekend we did around 25 miles around the SW hills and Lake Oswego in Portland. It was close to 1900 feet of elevation climb. The motor on this is an absolute dream on hills. If you get up out of saddle and put some weight into the pedals it just complies and gives you a silky smooth push. It was a hoot making climbs at 20mph and keeping up with traffic. Chain noise is non-existant and shifting is smooth. I do notice a bit of a "clunk" when engaging the pedals from a coast. I think that's probably normal for middrives.

I also have a pretty prominent squeak that I *think* is the left pedal. I can't quite tell. I was planning on swapping out the pedals anyway. These are sized for toddlers and not size 12 feet. Will swap those and see if it corrects things.

So far, this thing is a dream for a psuedo-touring setup. Redshift gear for the stem and seat post have turned it into a Cadillac for comfort. Battery life is also fantastic. With all of the climb I did over 25 miles it only used about 25% of the battery. I'm certain with Eco+ mode and limited climbs you could easily get 100 miles out of it. I'm quite happy.

Hey, got a Civante coming next week... can you tell me which size (mm) and angle Redshift stem did you get? Besides smoother ride would like to get frontbars up higher if possible. Thanks for any info.

 

[JoshPDX]

Hey, got a Civante coming next week... can you tell me which size (mm) and angle Redshift stem did you get? Besides smoother ride would like to get frontbars up higher if possible. Thanks for any info.

I have the +/-6 and 100mm stem.
The seat post is the 27.2-30.9 shim.

It's got a bit of rattle in the stem, but the cables are also very rigid. I'm not sure which is making the racket on hard nikos It's still an incredibly comfortable setup and I dearly miss it on other bikes.

I crossed 400 miles this week. Love the bike. My only complaint this far is cheap and squeeky pedals.

 

[todbar]

I have the +/-6 and 100mm stem.
The seat post is the 27.2-30.9 shim.

It's got a bit of rattle in the stem, but the cables are also very rigid. I'm not sure which is making the racket on hard nikos It's still an incredibly comfortable setup and I dearly miss it on other bikes.

I crossed 400 miles this week. Love the bike. My only complaint this far is cheap and squeeky pedals.

 

[todbar]

Thanks much for the info... Tod

 

[Oski1997]

It seems like bike companies are going in two directions when it comes to road ebikes. The first light/low power/small battery ebikes, like the Creo is aimed at one type of rider and the second heavier/more powerful/bigger battery ebikes, like this Civante is aimed at another type.

Along with my ebike, I also ride two light, carbon road bikes. If I had to choose between the Aluminum Creo (33 pounds) and the Civante (43 pounds) I'd probably go with the Civante.
I've ridden the Creo and for me it felt underpowered. I couldn't see much of a reason to buy it over my 18 pound road bike.

Deacon, I found out the same two paths you talked about re bike companies and the type of bikes they offered. I’m new to riding an ebike (and regular bike as well lol). I had no idea how to start my research with regards to being a well informed consumer of an ebike. I noticed most of the exotic brands (ie Pinarello, Bianchi, Ribble, Colnago, Orbea, Cannondale) offered less than 50nm of torque and (except for the Cannondale) the rest of the exotic brands only offered a 250 watt battery. The Cannondale offered 50nm of torque support and a 500wh battery. Then I noticed Canyon, Giant and Yamaha were the only bike companies that sold ROAD ebikes with 70+ nm of torque support and a 500wh battery (I need this size of battery for range and motor torque support for the steep climbs). All of my rides are 35+ miles with steep climbs (my plan is to ride a route with a 3,900ft elevation once a month) and we ride 22-26 mph on most of the long flat stretches. My friends don’t use ebikes but they ride hard and fast. I needed an ebike so that I could join them on their rides. I hadn’t gotten on a bike since I was 10 years old (lol). When I read your reply, I thought, YEAH, I NOTICED THAT TOO =)

 

[FlatSix911]

Deacon, I found out the same two paths you talked about re bike companies and the type of bikes they offered. I’m new to riding an ebike (and regular bike as well lol). I had no idea how to start my research with regards to being a well informed consumer of an ebike. I noticed most of the exotic brands (ie Pinarello, Bianchi, Ribble, Colnago, Orbea, Cannondale) offered less than 50nm of torque and (except for the Cannondale) the rest of the exotic brands only offered a 250 watt battery. The Cannondale offered 50nm of torque support and a 500wh battery. Then I noticed Canyon, Giant and Yamaha were the only bike companies that sold ROAD ebikes with 70+ nm of torque support and a 500wh battery (I need this size of battery for range and motor torque support for the steep climbs). All of my rides are 35+ miles with steep climbs (my plan is to ride a route with a 3,900ft elevation once a month) and we ride 22-26 mph on most of the long flat stretches. My friends don’t use ebikes but they ride hard and fast. I needed an ebike so that I could join them on their rides. I hadn’t gotten on a bike since I was 10 years old (lol). When I read your reply, I thought, YEAH, I NOTICED THAT TOO =)

Take a look at Lenny's website for the complete range of Yamaha eBikes... he often offers discounts if you call and ask.
I would recommend the Civante if you are looking for a 28mph road bike with excellent range and reliablity.
Yamaha Civante - Crazy Lenny's Electric Bikes (crazylennysebikes.com)
You searched for yamaha - Crazy Lenny's Electric Bikes (crazylennysebikes.com)

 

[ChrisMartis]

Finally got some clean air and a chance to get out. I've put close to 120 miles on it in the last week. This weekend we did around 25 miles around the SW hills and Lake Oswego in Portland. It was close to 1900 feet of elevation climb. The motor on this is an absolute dream on hills. If you get up out of saddle and put some weight into the pedals it just complies and gives you a silky smooth push. It was a hoot making climbs at 20mph and keeping up with traffic. Chain noise is non-existant and shifting is smooth. I do notice a bit of a "clunk" when engaging the pedals from a coast. I think that's probably normal for middrives.

I also have a pretty prominent squeak that I *think* is the left pedal. I can't quite tell. I was planning on swapping out the pedals anyway. These are sized for toddlers and not size 12 feet. Will swap those and see if it corrects things.

So far, this thing is a dream for a psuedo-touring setup. Redshift gear for the stem and seat post have turned it into a Cadillac for comfort. Battery life is also fantastic. With all of the climb I did over 25 miles it only used about 25% of the battery. I'm certain with Eco+ mode and limited climbs you could easily get 100 miles out of it. I'm quite happy.

Hi Josh,

Two questions for you: 1. Did swapping the pedals remove the squeak? 2. What kind of fenders are those? They look amazing. I'm running 700c x 35 Kenda tires and can't seem to find a fender that fits the Civante properly.

Thanks,
Chris.

 

[Asher]

Just discovering this bike now. The Yamaha dealer network looks a bit sparse, but otherwise seems like a great value. Now, if they just made a flat bar version with wider tires...

Yamaha Civante Ebike Review

We review the Yamaha Civante, a zippy Class 3 electric road bike with pedal assist up to 28 mph and offered at a reasonable price point.

www.cyclevolta.com

 

[Oski1997]

Just discovering this bike now. The Yamaha dealer network looks a bit sparse, but otherwise seems like a great value. Now, if they just made a flat bar version with wider tires...

Yamaha Civante Ebike Review

We review the Yamaha Civante, a zippy Class 3 electric road bike with pedal assist up to 28 mph and offered at a reasonable price point.

www.cyclevolta.com

The $3,400 price saves us plenty of money to buy add-ons. The next least expensive class 3 road bike (with at least a Tiagra group set) with a minimum of 70nm of torque and a 500w battery is the Giant E+Pro (with Ultegra) at $4,700

 

[PedalUma]

Just discovering this bike now. The Yamaha dealer network looks a bit sparse, but otherwise seems like a great value. Now, if they just made a flat bar version with wider tires...

Yamaha Civante Ebike Review

We review the Yamaha Civante, a zippy Class 3 electric road bike with pedal assist up to 28 mph and offered at a reasonable price point.

www.cyclevolta.com

Asher,
Check out the Crow! https://www.cyclevolta.com/story/sport-ebikes/crow-bicycles-gravel-ebikes-first-look/

 

[Oski1997]

Asher,
Check out the Crow! https://www.cyclevolta.com/story/sport-ebikes/crow-bicycles-gravel-ebikes-first-look/

That’s a great deal! I think it only offers a 250w battery and 55nm of torque without a double chainring. So, It won’t offer a lot of support on steep hills and the battery won’t last long going a steady 25+ mph. But, if you’re a fit cyclist and just need “some” assistance going uphills or going fast then this is a GREAT deal! This bike also seems to have a better frame!

 

[Asher]

The $3,400 price saves us plenty of money to buy add-ons. The next least expensive class 3 road bike (with at least a Tiagra group set) with a minimum of 70nm of torque and a 500w battery is the Giant E+Pro (with Ultegra) at $4,700

There's also the Ex E+ from Giant, albeit a flat bar urban/hybrid style, at $3900. Deore.

Crow doesn't say it's a Class 3, so I'm going to assume it's not. Pet peeve of mine, how bike companies can be so damn cryptic about their vehicles top speed. It should be obvious and prominent in every single US ebike listing.