Bulls Bikes USA took the wraps off its 2020 ebikes for select media and the brand’s top 25 US dealers in San Diego County this week, and the line includes some interesting new developments and refinements.
For one, Bulls has added mountain, road, and gravel models powered by the compact, lightweight Fazua Evation mid-drive system, complementing its lineup of electrics outfitted with mid-drives from Bosch, Shimano, and Brose.
The Fazua-powered, 120-millimeter-travel Wild Flow EVO RS full-suspension 29er is geared toward traditional mountain bikers who still want their workout, said Adam Anderson, sales and marketing manager for Bulls Bikes USA. With 50Nm of maximum torque, the 255W Fazua Evation motor provides more of a “tail wind” effect than the forceful power of higher-torque mid-drive systems.
The Evation motor is contained in a drivepack, along with the system’s 250Wh battery. The drivepack snaps into the carbon frame’s downtube and connects to a gearbox housed in the bottom bracket. A freewheel disengages the motor when coasting or when the bike surpasses its 20 mph maximum assist level, for virtually drag-free performance.
The new Alpine Hawk EVO eroad bike ($5,799) also gets the lightweight Fazua treatment, as does the Grinder EVO Lite gravel model ($4,499). For all the Fazua-powered ebikes, the drivepack containing the battery and motor can be removed and replaced with an aftermarket empty drivepack (price still to be determined) available from service partner QBP to save several pounds of weight and ride the bike as a traditional pedal bike.
Bulls has streamlined its lineup of full-suspension eMTBs, discontinuing the Six50 and Twenty9 models and offering a new roster of 27.5-inch-wheeled and 29er full-squish bikes under the Copperhead name. The Copperhead is Bulls’ best-selling model in its home market of Germany.
The company is also introducing a new concept called XXL, aimed at riders up to 330 pounds. The Copperhead EVO 2 XXL hardtail ($4,399) has a stout wave-style open-step aluminum frame and upright geometry—imagine the love child of a heavy-duty mountain bike and a hybrid.
It’s spec’d with a fourth-generation Bosch Performance CX Sport mid-drive providing pedal assist up to 20 mph, a 625Wh Bosch Powertube integrated battery, SR Suntour Lytro 34 air fork with 120 millimeters of travel, and powerful Magura MT5/MT4 hydraulic disc brakes with 203-millimeter rotors front and rear.
All-mountain and enduro riders looking for extra range might want to look into the E-Core EVO EN Di2. 27.5 ($8,499), featuring Bulls’ Twin Core battery tech. The 180-millimeter-travel full-suspension model has twin 375Wh batteries mounted on the 7005 series aluminum frame’s downtube for 750Wh of total battery powering the Shimano STEPS E8000 250W mid-drive motor with a Di2 display. Riders wanting a lighter ride or going out on shorter trail jaunts can also remove one of the batteries.
Component spec includes a 180-millimeter-travel RockShox Lyrik Ultimate RCT3 with Charger 2 damper, a Fox Float X2 rear shock, Shimano XT 12-speed shifter and derailleur, Shimano BR-M8120 hydraulic disc brakes with 203-millimeter rotors front and rear, and meaty, 2.75-inch-wide Schwalbe Eddy Current Super Gravity tires.
New for 2020, the Adventure EVO AM 27.5 is Bulls’ first ebike aimed at the bikepacking market. Designed for long-range adventures, the full-suspension eMTB is equipped with the fourth-generation Bosch Performance CX mid-drive powered by dual Bosch batteries for a total of 1,125Wh of charge. It has 150 millimeters of Fox-sprung front and rear travel, a toptube rack to mount two water bottles and a frame pack, Bosch’s Kiox Black display, and plus-size Schwalbe Magic Mary Snakeskin 27.5 x 2.8-inch-wide tires.
Bulls has also made tweaks to its Sentinel patrol speed pedelec (top assisted speed of 28 mph), which was developed for police departments and other first responders in the US. The most notable change is the high-end RockShox Pike replacing a lower-grade suspension fork previously spec’d on the Sentinel—a request from the Los Angeles Police Department, which has a small fleet of Bulls ebikes and wanted a fork that could stand up better to riding down stairs. (Two police departments in New York state also use Bulls ebikes, and the brand is also in talks with the NYPD to supply ebikes.)
The Sentinel ($5,299) is powered by Bosch’s Performance Speed 350W drive with a Bosch Powerpack 36V, 500Wh battery and comes spec’d with a Shimano XT/SLX drivetrain, Magura MT-Trail hydraulic disc brakes, Schwalbe Super Moto X tires, and that RockShox Pike set at 120 millimeters of travel.
Another ebike popular with public safety agencies, including beach patrols, is the Monster ES electric fat bike, equipped with low-pressure 4-inch-wide tires that float over sand and snow. “Many brands have dropped fat bikes, but we’ve seen demand continue,” Bulls’ Anderson said.
Bulls Bikes USA recently launched consumer-direct ebike sales on its website. The brand previously sold its non-electric bikes direct in the US, but had not offered the option for ebikes until now. Customers who order online can pick up their bike at their local Bulls dealer, and can choose to finance their purchase through Affirm on the Bulls Bikes USA website.
