(...)Splits the difference between full power ebike and a lighter normal bike. Its a class of ebikes that I expect to grown dramatically in popularity. Its just hard to compare something like the Creo to a heavier ebike with a higher power motor.
My main issue with my Revolt is that its total overkill when I ride with friends on normal bikes (which I do semi-regularly). Even backing the assist way down and riding with people in way better shape than me, I'm either not working hard enough or way off the front. I could see wanting something like a Creo eventually for that reason alone.
It also makes the difference between e-bike and "organic bikes" disappear. Two months ago I joined a gravel event with around 85 cyclists, 110 km and more then 2000 hm. I was not the only one in the "0.1 tons class", but to my surprise the only over all 85 with motor. I expected at least some more Bosch or Fazua.
I wouldn't have been able to do the trip without motor or I would have been "dead" for weeks. Without motor I would have survived the smaller trip of 70km and 1300 hm. With the Creo I was "just" very tired at the end of teh big trip and used the Creo again after 2-3 days recovery.
I was able to stay the whole day in a group with some slightly fitter und some much fitter riders. I used mostly level1 at 30% (which is about 70 watt) what means only uphill as we have the 25km/h e-bike limit here. In a few hard uphills where my gears weren't short enough I used level2 with 60% or about 150 watt. I arrived with 11% (I have only the Creo main battery), so I used about 300 Wh over 6h cyling time (we had a lot of breaks due to punctures), so on average 50 watt. The goal was not ot cycle faster, but to reach the end of the long trip with as less motor/battery and as much own effort as possible. And - after our group was formed by accident after the first hour - to stay in the group. The first 30-40 minutes I rode alone and used too much level2 in uphills and passed several obviously younger and lighter (so I guess uphill normally also much faster) riders then me. I felt a little bit ashamed and was also afraid if my battery would last until the end.
The last two hours when also the fitter riders of our group started to get tired, I even turned down the support level in the Creo App to 25%. Even if the battery would have allowed more support, I wanted to stay in the group without letting the other ones behind and using the rest of power my legs still had not the motor.
I had the impression, that everyone in our group appreciated that my motor allowed me to stay in the group. No one was gossiping, no one was jealous (maybe one or two of the less fit ones at the end...) and all of them saw, that I still did some sport. I guess also with 50 watt average motor support I gave at least as much power and burned as much calories as the other ones, due to my 20-25 kg of extra ballast...
On the other hand you still have the shame of using a slightly visible and hearable e-bike but with only little support/little speed gain. But I can stand this. ;-)
I can peg my Revolt at the 28mph limit in mid assist if I push. It definitely has the power to go a lot faster.
