Raleigh Superbe iE Electric Bike Review Part 1 – Pictures & Specs

The stylish Raleigh Superbe iE has arrived for testing and review!

This is a comfortable cruising eBike that offers a lot of features for around town commuters and easy going weekend riders. 

At $1,699 it provides a lot of value with a cool looking eBike, 350 watt rear hub motor, 48V 8.8 ah lithium battery, Shimano components, and more!

In this first part of the review you will get a detailed look at this bike with a BUNCH of pictures and the specifications.

Part 2 of the Raleigh Superbe iE review will give you info on the ride characteristics, results from the range test, pros, cons, and overall thoughts on this eBike.

Alright, let’s take a closer look at the Raleigh Superbe iE!

Looking sharp! The Superbe is a classic styled bike that has been in the Raleigh line up for decades and now Raleigh Electric has added electric assist to this popular model.

The step thru model is being tested and reviewed but Raleigh Electric also offers the Raleigh Superbe iE in a diamond frame model.

The Superbe iE flowing lines are designed into the aluminum frame for style and structure. The tall headtube and shorter seat tube create an upright and comfortable position. 

The Raleigh headbadge is a classic. 

The step thru area is stylish and structural with a swooping top tube and connection to the down tube. 

Even the chain guard is stylish! You won’t have to worry about getting your pant legs dirty with this chain guard and the double chainring guards prevent the chain from falling off of the chainring. 

There is a cable management piece at the headset area that keeps the cables organized which helps to keep the Raleigh Superbe iE looking clean. 

This is the 350 watt Currie Electro-Drive TransX rear hub motor that provides assist up to 20 mph. It is small in size (not in performance, see part 2 of the review) and almost hides the fact that this is an electric bike. 

You can see that the largest cog on the freewheel is larger than the diameter of the motor. 

The Raleigh Superbe iE is a Class 1 electric bike per California law which is pedal assist only (no throttle) up to 20 mph.

The 48V 8.8ah (422 watt hour) lithium battery is housed in the rear rack just under the top. 

The battery charging port is located on the back right side of the pack. In this picture the rubber cover has been moved to the side to show the charging port. The battery can be charged on or off the bike. 

The on/off button, battery level indicator, and key lock is located on the left side of the battery pack. 

Once the battery is unlocked with the supplied key (it comes with 2) you can pull it off of the rack with a handle that folds down from the back of the pack. The battery weighs 7.3 pounds. 

The top of the rack can be used to carry a variety of things. It has a rubber grippy surface and the Raleigh Superbe iE comes stock with bungee cords shown. The rack uses the typical aluminum tube sizing so it will work with a wide variety of baskets, bags, and panniers on the market. 

Here’s a look at the rack after the battery pack has been removed. When the battery has been removed the bike weighs 43.3 pounds which makes it a little easier to pick up and load onto a car rack. 

The battery can be charged on or off the bike. The charger is about the size of a laptop charger and it takes 4 to 6 hours to charge a completely empty battery. 

Continuing the classic style is evident in the fork, fender & front brakes. The front fender has a chrome accent that has that classic look. The brakes are alloy V-brakes and they go well with the overall style. 

Here is a look at the left side of the handlebar. The grips have a cork style and they are fairly cushy for a comfortable ride. The front brake lever can be adjusted so that the lever’s position fits your hand. The LED display and control pad combination are small and pretty discrete. 

Here is a closer look at the display and control pad. The current speed & estimated range is displayed in the upper left, the battery charge indicator is in the upper right, the pedal assist mode is in the middle right (4 levels of pedal assist), the on/off button is the lower right, and the pedal assist adjustment are the + and – buttons in the lower left. 

A quick press of the on/off button while the bike is on provides the estimated range based your current pedal assist level and current battery level. 

With a full battery these are the estimated ranges:

Pedal assist level 1 = 49 miles

Pedal assist level 2 = 37 miles

Pedal assist level 3 = 27 miles

Pedal assist level 4 = 15 miles

The power curve of the system can be adjusted with the control pad per the information above. The lower power curve levels provide a mellow ride feel and the higher levels provide a quick sporty ride feel. These are settings that you may test for the first couple of rides and then leave where you want them. 

On the right side of the handlebar is the rear brake lever and Shimano SL-TX50 7 speed shifter. 

The lever on the top of the shifter shifts up to the larger (easier) cogs for climbing hills and the button on the bottom shifts down to the small cogs for cruising along flatter roads. 

A Shimano Tourney derailleur shifts through the 7 speed cogset that has a range from 14 tooth to 34 tooth cogs. 

Here is a look at the rear alloy V-brake that blends in well with the overall style of the Raleigh Superbe iE. 

The 700x35c Kenda tires have an efficient tread for road riding with channeling for dissipating water on rainy rides. The tan sidewalls add to that classic look of the Raleigh Superbe iE. 

The alloy pedals have a rubber grippy surface for good traction. 

The Raleigh Comfort seat further adds to the classic style of the Superbe iE. 

In addition to looking cool it has 2 springs for an extra comfy ride!

The kickstand has a good look and the quality is nice for the price point of the Raleigh Superbe iE. The kickstand height is adjustable with a set screw on the backside. 

Raleigh Superbe iE Electric Bike Specifications

Frame: AL-6061 Aluminum Custom Butted Aluminum, Comfort Geometry

Fork: Chromoly Rigid w/Fender Mounts

Motor: Currie Electro-Drive Hub Motor System, 350W  

Battery: 48V 8.8Ah, 422 Wh lithium battery. The battery weighs 7.3 pounds. 

Assist Options: 4 pedal assist levels. Cadence sensor pedal assist. 

Speed: Pedal assist (no throttle) up to 20 mph which makes this a Class 1 eBike

Display: LED multi-functional button pad display 

Drivetrain: 42T chainring with Shimano 14-34T 7-speed cogset.  Shimano Tourney rear derailleur and Shimano SL-TX50 7 speed shifter

Brakeset: Alloy V-Brakes

Tires: Kenda K-1068 w/skin sidewalls 700x35c

Sizes: Small (5′-3″ to 5′-6″),  Medium (5′-6″ to 5′-9″). The diamond frame only comes in the medium size. 

Accessories: Fenders and kickstand

Colors: Tan for the step thru frame and Dark Brown for the diamond frame

Weight: 50.6 pounds. 43.3 pounds with the battery removed.

Price: $1,699 USD at the time of this review

Here is a link to the specifications page of the Raleigh Superbe iE electric bike.

Stay tuned for part 2 of the Raleigh Superbe iE review with info on the ride characteristics, the range test, pros, cons, and overall thoughts!

-Pete

Review Note: Each company pays a fee for a review on Electric Bike Report because of the considerable amount of time that it takes to provide an in-depth review of each eBike. A lot of time is spent on the full range test with distance & elevation profile, the wide variety of detailed pictures, in-depth video, and the write up with the specifications, ride characteristics, pros, cons, and overall thoughts. The reviews on Electric Bike Report are focused on providing you with a detailed “virtual” look at each eBike to help you determine if it is the eBike for you or not.

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