Electric bicycles or e-bikes are gaining popularity in the Philippines as an alternative mode of transportation. E-bikes combine the joys of and eco-friendliness of traditional biking, with the perks of additional support and speed needed for urban mobility.
A couple of months ago, I got to test out the Nakto Ranger All-Terrain electric bicycle, one of the models being offered by Nakto Philippines, the official distributor and service center of Nakto E-bikes, a U.S. brand with China-made bikes reassembled here in the country. The Ranger, which is styled like a mountain bike, is designed for intermediate riders who want to power through city streets and tackle chill weekend adventures and some light trails as well.
Those looking for a more beginner-friendly e-bike for city use, may be interested in Nakto’s newest model in the country. The Breeze City Cargo Electric Bike looks like a traditional vintage bike but still gives users a modern edge. I recently had a chance to use this pedal assisted e-bike for a week, and here’s what I can share.
Design
In terms of looks, the Breeze City Cargo Bike is the most stylish-looking model of the Nakto line-up, resembling a vintage Japanese bike. If you’re a fan of all things retro and classic, you will be instantly attracted to it even if you aren’t into biking.
While some e-bikes can feel a bit intimidating or look too aggressive or unwieldy, the Breeze is very intuitive, accessible, and beginner-friendly. The design is appealing to both male and female riders regardless of age group, as evidenced by inquiries and comments I got from friends when I posted photos of it on social media and strangers on the road. The Breeze review unit I got to use came in white, which looks very minimalist, but the model also comes in black with a few vintage details.
The Breeze e-bike comes with large wheels and a front rack and rear carrier rack that you can fit with accessories to make carrying stuff easier and hassle-free. Accessories include a rear carrier and front all-weather basket, front and rear fender and built in LED headlight.
The chain is covered by a chain guard, which makes the whole bike look cleaner and gives users more flexibility in what they’re wearing. You could wear pants or even a skirt while driving this bike without getting grease stains all over your clothes. You won’t exert so much effort and sweat so much while driving this compared to traditional bikes, so you can wear normal clothes or office wear if you need to. The seat also feels very padded and has more cushioning, making it more comfortable to sit on than other bikes for extended periods of time.
The Breeze is a pretty good-looking bike and I noticed that it photographed beautifully wherever I parked it. It looks good in urban areas with a classic feel, like right next to heritage houses, gardens, as well as the trendy Japanese-style minimalist cafes that have popped-up everywhere.
Features
While the Breeze looks like an old-school bike, it actually hides several modern features including a 350W rear hub motor, 48v10.5 AH battery, 5 level pedal assist and throttle. The tires are Kenda 26 in” x 1.75 in” and it has front and rear disc brakes.
The removable battery pack is located right behind the seat post of the bike. It’s not that noticeable compared to some other e-bike models and most people will probably think that this is a traditional bicycle and not an e-bike. The key fob is located at the top of the battery pack, that you need to twist and turn on to power the bike.
The e-bike works like a manual car and you can increase torque by pedaling and shifting the gears up. There’s a throttle on the right side of the handlebar that can also be used for acceleration.
Field Test Notes
Based on the bike’s model name, the bike is designed to carry cargo, and can be pretty useful for those essential errand rides. The racks offer space for bikers to stack and strap items or to put in their own custom baskets or crates. Normally when I do errands by mountain bike, I bring a sling backpack for carrying stuff, but there are certain items that are hard to carry on a bike.
For instance, iced coffee in cups or takeout food that needs to be laid flat like donuts, pizza, soupy dishes, etc. are difficult to carry. While you can put these in a plastic bag and hang them on the handlebars, they usually slosh around or make driving more difficult.
For Dunkin Donut’s Biker’s Day, I tied a sling bag to the front rack to carry 2 boxes of donuts home. On other errand runs, I strapped a wooden crate I had at home with some bungee cords to the rear rack, which made carrying food items much easier.
While classic bikes are good for short distances and flat areas, they are not known for their speed or power, and can feel very sluggish and heavy to drive especially if you’re biking uphill.
I’ve rented old-school classic bicycles while traveling in the past and I know first-hand how tiring it can be to have to use pure pedal power to get anywhere. Bikes that normally look like these can really drain all your energy big-time, and make biking feel like a chore more than a joy, which you don’t want if you have to regularly do errands or live in areas where you have to pass steep routes.
Using the bike manually without the motor turned on requires a lot of effort because the frame pretty heavy compared to most old school bikes. But on pedal assist 1 and up, it’s a joy to use on smooth flat roads. It also can tackle uphill ascents with ease, with very minimal effort. There’s a short stretch that can be pretty tiring when driving from Marikina up to Katipunan. When you’re on the bike lane, there’s a tendency to get cut off by motorcycles and cars because it takes more effort to pedal uphill, but on the e-bike I managed to cruise smoothly without feeling too stressed out.
I also took it up on a chill solo ride to Antipolo to check out Ahon Coffee, a cafe with an overlooking view. This is normally a challenging route that hardcore road and mountain bikers tackle to test their mettle, so I couldn’t help feeling a little smug overtaking groups of cyclists with ease going uphill on what looked like a Japanese bike. The e-bike managed to cruise smoothly at a consistent pace of 16-18 kph uphill on pedal assist 1 and 2.
According to specs, the bike has a top speed of 25 kph, though on a flat empty road without any other cars, I managed to take it up to 30 kph on pedal assist 5. When driving on real roads with other vehicles, it’s safer to stick to Pedal Assist 2 and 3, and drive slower because you sometimes need to brake abruptly when cars suddenly appear out of nowhere.
When driving on the main Marikina highway going back to QC, I got the distinct feeling that other cyclists on the road (all guys) felt challenged and were trying to speed up and overtake me every time I would glide past them.
The e-bike has a range of 80-100 km on 1 full charge and if you just use pedal assist 1. For daily commuters who need to go to work about 15-20 km away everyday, this means that you only need to charge the bike once a week. It consumes more power the higher the gear you use. The full throttle range is 40-50 km.
With a distance of 27 km back and forth from QC to Antipolo, the fully charged battery just consumed 1 bar.
While you don’t really notice the sound on busy roads, when driving around quieter roads around the neighborhood, the sound of the motor is much more noticeable, which gives away the fact that this is an e-bike.
For night rides, the built in LED light still felt a bit dark in some streets, so I would probably put additional bike lights.
Charging time will take you 4-6 hours. Taking out the battery from the bike is pretty easy and it comes with a convenient built-in handle for easier portability.
A legit concern is how e-bikes perform in rainy weather. Most e-bikes are water-resistant, but not completely waterproof. It is possible to ride this Nakto e-bike in light to moderate rains. The electric parts just can’t be submerged in floods. While you can use the bike to pedal manually, it takes a lot of effort, so it’s good to know that you can still use the motor in light rain. Additionally, e-bike users have come up with various hacks for riding e-bikes in the rain that you can try in case you find yourself caught in a sudden downpour.
According to the distributors of Nakto in the country, they are currently experimenting with various
Specifications
- 350w rear hub motor
- 48V10.5AH Integrated battery
- 6 Speed Shimano Gears and Shifter
- IP65 water resistant rating
- Alloy step-thru frame with removable battery
- 26er x 1.75″ Kenda Tires
- 160mm front and rear mechanical disc brakes
- Top speed: 25kph
- Pedal assist range: 80-100km
- Full throttle range: 40-50km
- 4-6hrs charging time
- Accessories: Rear carrier & front all-weather basket, Front and rear fender, LED headlight
Price
The Nakto Breeze City Cargo Electric Bicycle is currently priced at P39,000 in the Philippines. You can purchase the e-bike directly from their website or via their Lazada shop.
If you’re considering buying a unit of any of the Nakto models, please use my code TRAVELUPxNAKTO for a special discount.
Verdict
The Nakto Breeze City Cargo Electric Bicycle is a beginner-friendly choice for those who want a hassle-free and eco-friendly vehicle for their errands and daily commutes around short to mid-range distances in urban settings. Those who appreciate the vintage look of old bicycles with a modern edge will love the stylish and classic design.
For newbie riders who don’t care about beating personal records and just want a ride they can use for coffee or food trip rides with friends, this can help you keep up with stronger cyclist friends. Aside from the practical use, an e-bike like the Breeze can also give you easier access to more scenic spots around the metro with minimal effort.
Thank you to Nakto Philippines for lending this demo bike for this ride review. For inquiries, please get in contact with them directly regarding other technical concerns. Use my code TRAVELUPxNAKTO for a special discount.
- Website: https://naktoph.com/
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- Address: Unit 5, Fransisco Court, No. 14 1st St., Quezon City, Metro Manila, 1500, Philippines