Latest creation of the Nivernaise brand, the Look E-765 Optimum fills the gap in the existing range in the segment of electric road frames. A sensation machine aimed at a very large clientele, and which will satisfy runners with varied profiles. Without further ado, I suggest you discover this rather special essay, that I was able to achieve even before its release. Let’s go !
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It was with great impatience that I unboxed this little gem, and as a passionate, I couldn't resist the temptation to ride this new bike for long. From the start, the Look E-765 Optimum has something to seduce. We immediately find the characteristic finish of the French brand, always very picky about details. But one point puzzles me. Indeed, I am not a great specialist in motorized frames, but we must recognize that on this occasion, I expected something much bigger. Visually, nothing really seems to change compared to a traditional frame, if not the thickness of the lower part of the frame, slightly more pronounced than on a traditional bicycle, and the presence of the control box on the hanger. A design that is partly reminiscent of the proportions of the 795 Blade RS, with a much thinner upper part nevertheless.
To understand that we have something to do with a VAE, you will have to go through the traditional weighing test, because if the visual impression is excellent and almost misleading, the weight of the batteries and the Fazua motor, his, is quickly felt. Mounting, handling requires good sheathing, we must not hope to carry at arm's length the 14 kg of carbon and components of this E-765 Optimum, under penalty of inflicting a small improvised weight training session. No wonder though, because we are talking about a machine intended for cyclists and runners looking for sensations on difficult terrain, on which the engine will play its role perfectly. Generally, it is a very successful design, especially when you know the constraints of adding a battery and an engine to a carbon frame. A very good point to start this test !
Components
The version used for this test is based on a high modulus carbon frame adapted to accommodate the equipment intended to provide electrical assistance, namely the battery under the frame and the engine at the bottom bracket. At the wheels, this is a pair of Shimano RS 171 fitted with 32mm Hutchinson Tubeless tires, a section rarely used on the road but which should offer a lot of stability and comfort. Transmission side, this E-765 Optimum is equipped with a Shimano / FSA mix, with an FSA crank 175mm crankset and FSA chainrings 50 and 34 dents, the rest of the group being made up of Shimano components 105, with a cassette 11/32. The Fazua Evation engine, restrained at 25kmh, will be the main focus of this test. The rest of the bike is fitted with Look components, except for the saddle, a Fizik Antarès r7. A material clearly oriented towards the pleasure of riding and comfort, but who, you will see it, don't sacrifice performance…
First turns of the wheel… without motor !
For my first laps on this new bike, I decided to do without the engine, to measure the machine without assistance (I even left the battery on the frame, but it is possible to remove it to gain a good kilo and a half). And as you might expect, the main problem concerns the weight. 14kg without assistance, Here is what changes ultra light carbon bikes to 7.5kg. On the plate, generally, the weight is quite easy to forget. When driving around 25-30kmh, the bike adopts a rather flexible behavior despite its mass, and I even surprised myself to make some fairly strong raises, which ultimately go quite well. The motor offers no resistance when switched off, which is rather appreciable. Things get messy when the road rises… A first confirmation, you have to be really athletic to hope to climb hills with this type of equipment without assistance. On small, relatively short bumps, you can easily gain energy and maintain speed without exerting excessive effort. But on longer coasts, from 800m, 1km or more, we should not expect a lot of flexibility from this model, that will make you feel the extra few pounds. Nevertheless, once launched, you can maintain a certain rhythm in the climbs and pass them without getting into the red, on the condition of adopting an economical pedaling and a fairly low pace. But over time, the whole bike reacts rather well without its motorization, and the level of comfort is quite good. We sometimes feel some vibrations due to the presence of the battery under the frame, but the whole is very well thought out and does not cause crippling inconvenience. Generally, we therefore have to deal with a bike that is certainly heavy, but which still offers a certain dynamic and an interesting level of comfort. Now let's get down to business with the use of motorization on different terrains.
An engine that knows how to adapt to needs
After this first mechanical test, it's time to go electric. And there, our E-765 Optimum is radically transformed ! No more heaviness of the machine, we find ourselves propelled by a devilishly efficient engine, that caught me off guard from the start, I must admit it. This is a first test on an electric bicycle, I first tried to understand how this system works. Nothing's easier, because all you have to do is engage the battery under the frame and hold down the central button of the control box on the handlebars to activate the motorization. Once this step is done, the leds located on the box light up, which means the motor is ready for use. The number of leds on indicates the battery charge level, a very practical indication when it comes to managing its use on long outings. Ensuite, just press the two buttons on the top and bottom of the case to increase or decrease the intensity of the assistance. Indeed, three modes are available which is very useful both to preserve the battery, but also to keep the pleasure of riding with relatively low assistance. The first mode, exactly, offers relatively limited assistance to 125 watts, which essentially allows you to support your efforts in raises and ribs, in order to compensate for the weight. The second, more dynamic, offers a fairly interesting power (250 watts), which begins to be felt clearly under the pedals. The reminders are straightforward, the pace in the bumps is lively and the pedal stroke becomes easy. Finally, the third mode offers maximum power (400 watts). Concretely, the use of this mode offers you an extremely easy movement, almost effortless.
The first thing to note will probably be the very quiet side of the bike. Only the most advanced mode causes some noise, but you have to pay attention to realize it because it is really quite a discreet background noise. A small inconvenience may be felt with use, because a freewheel located in the bottom bracket sometimes tends to disengage a little before that of the rear hub, which causes a rather unpleasant noise sometimes. Once in the saddle, a simple press on the pedals allows you to launch the bike, and in the climbs, I caught myself finishing some tough ribs with my mouth shut, with an incomparable feeling of freshness. This is the great strength of this E-765 Optimum, which gives you access to a very wide range of uses which will be perfect for all cyclists in search of sensations, whether for long walks for fun or for intense outings on hilly courses. Generally, the 3 modes offer the user the possibility of adapting the assistance to their desires. It is quite possible to climb effortlessly all the coasts of the region, but you can also want to hurt yourself while maintaining an interesting speed, which is allowed by the much more discrete intermediate modes. Finished the shot of the uninspiring scooter, the pleasure of driving is present on this model, and it is quite possible to experience sensations similar to those felt on a classic bike. We must not forget that the clamping at 25kmh limits the use of the engine, so do not expect to travel effortlessly at 45km / h on your favorite roads, because you will then end up with a bike that is simply heavier than your usual bike. It is truly a model intended for mountainous routes, difficult, which sometimes represent an insurmountable barrier for runners in recovery or who cannot train as often as they wish. This bike therefore allows you to have access to all types of route regardless of your physical condition, which is undoubtedly the biggest advantage of this type of material. Another positive point, the battery life is very interesting, it allows you to go for long enough outings on difficult routes without fear of complete discharge. I have never experienced this problem, even on trips of more than 3 hours. It will therefore be necessary to chain climbs with a high level of assistance to deplete the battery, what does not happen every day.
A bicycle for cycle tourists, really ?
As a competitor, I was personally quite skeptical about the use of an eBike in training. I saw it rather as a tool addressed to cycle tourists or runners who no longer want to hurt themselves during their outings on the steepest routes.. But this E-765 Optimum proved me wrong throughout this test. Indeed, after testing it on endurance rides and hill climbs, I wanted to push its use in different sectors to find out if it was still possible to train effectively with, assistance or not. So I multiplied the rib sessions, fractional or explosive to get a clear answer, and the least we can say, is that I was not disappointed. Use at high speeds is obviously not its main characteristic because of the clamping at 25kmh, which in the process is quickly forgotten, the passage to the 25kmh threshold is smooth, smoothly. But once on the slopes at 7-8, it becomes quite possible to push the machine and work efficiently. To do this, you have to select the right assistance mode so as not to exceed the speed limit, but it comes very intuitively. Ensuite, just choose any hill that is steep enough to perform your exercises and rediscover the joys of lactic acid. For example, I was able to do an interval workout in ribs on one-minute efforts repeated many times, and to be honest, I haven't seen the slightest difference with a traditional bike, except perhaps the developments available, deliberately very limited to allow entry without too much difficulty in the event of a discharged battery. The sensations are the same, and only the dynamics of the frame are slightly modified compared to a competition bike, which makes sense in view of the construction of the frame. However, it should be noted that it is above all the distribution of the masses that makes it possible to obtain such an interesting dynamic, because with many competitors, the motorization located in the rear middle shifts the center of gravity to the rear of the bike, which is of course not the case here, the motorization being located at the level of the pedal. High speeds can also be reached without assistance on flat roads or group rides for example, and it is quite easy to take the bike around despite its weight. I was able to realize, for exemple, an hour and a half outing completely unassisted at around 32km / h on average on a route that I take very regularly, and the speed difference is small, of the order of 1 at 2 km / h less with equivalent effort. We therefore have to do with a bike whose weight can be forgotten on the rolling portions, and which can also allow all types of use on hilly terrain, which I wouldn't necessarily have imagined at first glance. By modifying the tires and the cassette, we can quickly get an even more dynamic bike that could be suitable for more athletic runners.
My opinion
Generally, this E-765 Optimum is a model halfway between cyclosport and performance. Realized on the basis of the cyclosportif model of the brand, it is obviously very suitable for this use, but the distribution of the masses also allows a more sporty use which will provide interesting sensations. Motorization side, Look has done an excellent job to integrate this Fazua engine., which offers a very wide range of uses. Only downside of this model, fitting low-end wheels and 32mm tires can create a certain heaviness at times, which will be significantly reduced by switching to thinner tires. Disc braking is a necessity for safe driving, and also explains the rather significant weight of the whole. This is a model that I recommend to all cyclists with a budget of around 5000 euros to invest in a machine that will allow them to take any type of route with ease, and whatever their condition.
I loved
- The excellent distribution of the masses
- The three power modes that allow use according to your needs
- Passage without assistance after 25km / h, very soflty
- The possibility of riding in a very sporty way despite everything
- Battery life
I least liked
- The rather imposing control box on the handlebars
- The fitting of entry-level wheels and tires a little wide for my taste
- The noise of the freewheel in the bottom bracket
- The weight, although it is rarely felt
Note
7,5/10
Technical sheet
Mark : Look
Model : E-765 Optimum
Price : 5 049 €
Weight : 14kg
Braking : disc (Shimano)
Motorization : Fazua Evation
Transmission : Shimano 105 / FSA Alloy
Wheels : Shimano RS 171
Hanger, stem and seat post : Look
Its : Physics Antares r7
