Reason for price discrepancy between R&M and Gazelle

[kerradeph]

I'm not particularly negative to R&M e-bikes. A very good brand of luxury e-bikes. The OP was trying to understand the price discrepancy between the two brands. One of the reasons is the luxury image of R&M. The second one is the far smaller production output of the German company and the need to stay profitable.

Yeah, that was pretty much the reasoning I figured. Is there any chance the weight limit of the frame may play into the cost some as well? Or is it pretty much just the name and lower ability to take advantage scaled manufacturing?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Yeah, that was pretty much the reasoning I figured. Is there any chance the weight limit of the frame may play into the cost some as well? Or is it pretty much just the name and lower ability to take advantage scaled manufacturing?

I did not find the right information in the Superdelite specifications but I could notice the wheels are based on 32 spoke Novatec hubs. What really matters in a heavy powerful e-bike are the rims, spokes and hubs. I am pretty sure R&M chose very strong wheels for their design, as the torque at the rear hub and the weight on both hubs are the most limiting factors. Of course the frame must be thicker and heavier, too.

The full suspension is heavy. Dual batteries are heavy.

The factors affecting the R&M price (I'm talking Superdelite Mountain as the example) are:

• Dual battery - the most expensive
• Front and rear suspension
• Suspension rear rack
• Dropper post
• IGH, especially Rohloff, and belt drive

Nothing of the above is cheap.

@Neville Welsh: Does the Superdelite have thru-axles equipped with quick release handles or is it the old-school QR?

 

[Neville Welsh]

I did not find the right information in the Superdelite specifications but I could notice the wheels are based on 32 spoke Novatec hubs. What really matters in a heavy powerful e-bike are the rims, spokes and hubs. I am pretty sure R&M chose very strong wheels for their design, as the torque at the rear hub and the weight on both hubs are the most limiting factors. Of course the frame must be thicker and heavier, too.

The full suspension is heavy. Dual batteries are heavy.

The factors affecting the R&M price (I'm talking Superdelite Mountain as the example) are:

• Dual battery - the most expensive
• Front and rear suspension
• Suspension rear rack
• Dropper post
• IGH, especially Rohloff, and belt drive

Nothing of the above is cheap.

@Neville Welsh: Does the Superdelite have thru-axles equipped with quick release handles or is it the old-school QR?

I believe the Rohloff hub is 36 spoke and the front 32
The front hub has a thru-axle with quick release. Riese & Müller used to equip the back whhel with a standard quick release as well, but now it's just an allen bolt of sorts.

Added: Yes, there has been the occasional pedal stroke, but it's usually not a problem.

 

[AvalancheRun]

In my opinion the only annoying things about the Superdelite, is the front fender and the support. The support rattles on uneven surfaces, but KTM front fender is just a ridiculous piece of crap. It's fastened in three places on the fork; on the brace and each of the lower legs. On a bumpy ride the plastic rings attached to the lower legs will slide down and twist the fender out of place, resulting in the fender stays catching the tire knobs. Very annoying! It also scratches the paintwork on the fork.

Have you tried something like automotive anti-rattle tape, or small pieces of felt?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I believe the Rohloff hub is 36 spoke

That's high torque and weight! A very strong wheel!

 

[rtp]

That's very right although someone in these Forums gave an ultimate guide to the Gazelle naming convention once "380" is for the 380% range Enviolo IGH. "T" is for chain, "T9" is for a 9-speed derailleur...

A visit to the Gazelle site made me understand the availability of the Smart System e-bike for my country was scarce. Meanwhile, I can buy any Specialized e-bike, and at greatly reduced prices now, and indeed the Specialized website is far better readable, similarly to Giant and Trek

Yeah, no joke on the Gazelle site COULD be more informative. It's ok marketing-wise, but I've spent a bunch of time trying to find useful technical specs, some of which I believe I never found. Never knew the T-N nomenclature, could definitely be made more clear to customers/browsers.

Good bikes though.

 

[Neville Welsh]

Have you tried something like automotive anti-rattle tape, or small pieces of felt?

Thanks for what seems to be a good idea! Initially I thought about something similar, such as fixing it to the frame with velcro, but it's not possible as the support sticks out behind the frame:

 

[teskow]

Most Specialized bikes have a very quiet motor which to me is worth a-lot.

 

[CyclingDan]

Heavy weight of R&M e-bikes

• Flaking paint on new e-bikes
• Rohloff oil leaks

Paint is first class on mine and no oil leaks. I posted on this forum a service bulletin from Rohloff about the supposedly massive ‘oil leak‘ scandal. It’s a rare phenomenon which occurs from storing the bike in a certain way under fluctuating temp conditions IIRC. There is a mechanical seal and a little oil can weep from it.

Yes the bike is heavy, a joy on good trails and roads. I have it filled with my photography gear which is a dream - that front rack is a beautiful addition that allows my DSLR to be safe, on the suspension and ready for quick access.