Gazelle’s Fall Lineup, Dahon hits HKEX Main Board, Framebuilding Classes in Portland | TWR Ep 49

Gazelle’s fall lineup consists of two new e-bikes, the Easyflow C7 and Arroyo C380 Elite, and one refreshed design, the Arroyo C5 Elite.

The Easyflow C7 puts a focus on accessibility with an elongated frame and a low stepover height. It also features a pedal-forward design to provide full leg extension and allow riders to put their feet flat on the ground while stopped.

A Shimano EP5 mid-drive with 50 Nm of torque is paired with a 7-speed Shimano Nexus gear hub. It comes standard with a 504 Wh battery, though the bike’s webpage suggests that 418 Wh and 630 Wh batteries may also be offered. The C7 is also equipped with Schwalbe Big Ben tires, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, an MIK cargo rack, a cafe wheel lock, a side mirror, and more.

The refreshed Arroyo C5 Elite city cruiser proudly displays a redesigned step-thru frame. Its Bosch Performance Line mid-drive and Kiox display pairs with the robust Bosch Flow app. The bike’s drivetrain is a Gates Carbon belt tied to a 5-speed Shimano Nexus hub, and it hosts a sizable 504 Wh battery.

Like the Easyflow, the C5 Elite is equipped with Schwalbe tires (the Energizer Active Plus model), as well as Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, an MIK-HD cargo rack, and a wheel lock. The bike also features a quick-adjust stem, a suspension seatpost, etc.

The new C380 Elite is a premium city cruiser with stepless shifting. It offers the same features as the C5 Elite, but with an Enviolo CVT instead of the Nexus gear hub.

Our Take: Gazelle is a well-known and extremely popular brand of premium urban and trekking e-bikes. These new models seem as though they’ll deliver on both function and performance—while also looking very sharp.

Here at Electric Bike Report, we haven’t had the opportunity to review many Gazelle e-bikes, but we hope to change that, as the brand is one of our most requested. If you’d like to see our evaluation of the brand’s new models, feel free to reach out to Gazelle and encourage them to work with us!

The Portland, Oregon-based Firsthand Framebuilding is a supplier of high-quality steel, stainless steel, and titanium tubing for bike frames. The company’s founder, Chris Blandford (also the owner of Blandford Bicycles) is currently renovating a new headquarters building, with plans to incorporate a framebuilding school, set to begin classes in 2026.

The 8,000 square foot building will have 3,000 square feet devoted to workshop space. Blandford plans to include a metalworking shop, a warehouse, a computer lab, an apartment for guest speakers, a classroom/lecture area, and a new retail space for the framebuilding supplies it currently sells.

Blandford aims to cater to enthusiasts and experienced fabricators alike, with a variety of events and guest instructors centered around bike building. He plans to offer classes ranging from basics such as frame design and fit to hands-on construction, including welding and brazing. Other classes are set to include CAD, CNC processes, 3D Printing, and beyond.

Our Take: With so much of our current world taking place in digital spaces, it’s exciting to see such a master fabricator pass along his knowledge and experience with hands-on processes. Additionally, in an era where tariffs seem to constantly be adding cost to imported products, this could be a contributing factor to getting more brands to design and build bikes and e-bike frames here in the US. Kudos to Chris Blandford for realizing his vision!

Dahon, the world’s largest manufacturer of folding bikes, debuted on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on September 11th. This is an important milestone for the company, as businesses on the Main Board must meet strict financial standards and have a well-established track record before being listed.

The company has been in business for over 40 years, and in 2024, the company had 26.3% of the retail volume and 36.5% retail value share in China’s folding bike market.

The stock was labeled a “star stock” and also got a “super subscription” listing as public subscriptions were oversubscribed well over 7500 times. Major investors include Allianz Global Investors Asia Pacific, Harvest, VEKEN Hong Kong, and the Greater Bay Area Development Fund Management, with 127.6 million invested.

Dahon plans to use the new capital to build a factory “to integrate resources with long-term supportive supplier partners, establishing specialized profit centers for components, frame welding, painting, and assembly.” The factory is set to begin production in 2027 and will have the capacity to build 200,000 bikes per year.

New funding will also go toward expanding into overseas markets.

Our Take: While we haven’t yet had the chance to test and review any of Dahon’s e-bikes, the brand’s outstanding reputation is clearly well deserved.

Dahon is often spoken of alongside other titans in the folding bicycle and e-bike market, such as Brompton and Tern. The company’s longevity and widespread nature, not to mention the fact that it holds well over 100 patents, proves that it is invested in advancing the industry and producing great products.

We look forward to seeing more from Dahon in the future!

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