Turmali city e-bike from Deruiz reviewed: prettier, faster, slimmer

With the Turmali, Deruiz is bringing a stylish urban e-bike, strictly speaking a pedelec, to the market. At first glance you can’t even tell it’s an e-bike. I had the pleasure of testing the affordable e-bike with the high-quality brand-name components.

Design and frame

The aluminum frame is unusually narrow and slim, even where the battery sits in the down tube. There are no cables hanging out anywhere, everything is routed through the frame. Only at the handlebar does a slim cable lead to the equally discreet display. You can’t see any welds. I find the design exceptionally good.

Suspension, tires and lights

• Tires: 28-inch Schwalbe tires, only 1.7 inches wide. That shows it is a city bike.
• Suspension: none, neither front nor rear. The bike is meant for asphalt and dirt roads; off-road it would quickly take a toll on your back and arms.
• Fenders: made of aluminum and narrow, matching the tires.
• Lights: The rear light sits in the rear fender and is not a brake light. It doesn’t light up extra when braking. It can be switched on together with the 120-lux front light via the display.
• Brakes: hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro, front and rear. They look robust and high-quality, and they brake nicely directly and pleasantly.

Drive: motor, belt and battery

There are no gears. A 250-watt, 36-volt rear hub motor takes care of that, providing electronic assistance up to 25 km/h. Beyond that, you ride with your own muscle power. The transition between the gears is seamless and automatic, depending on speed, without you noticing. I hadn’t experienced that on a bike before.

Instead of a chain, there is a Gates Carbon Belt Drive. The belt is lower maintenance and more robust, you don’t mess up your hands, pants or shoes, you don’t have to grease it, and it is easier to put back on.

There are five assistance levels. The battery has 360 Wh, is fully integrated into the frame and is charged in two and a half hours, on the frame or removed. I like that it is lockable. You see the charge on the on-board computer or directly on the battery. With little assistance and plenty of straight road, it lasts up to 110 km. With a lot of uphill and a lot of assistance, the range shrinks; that depends on how you ride.

At only 18.5 kg, the bike is clearly lighter than other e-bikes. The Quartz SUV from Deruiz, which I also tested, weighs 26.3 kg, almost 8 kg more. A light bike uses less power and is easier to handle if it falls over. You can also ride it without the battery if it is empty.

Ride feel and equipment

Riding is really fun: nimble, it pulls away smoothly and brakes well. Via the app you see kilometers and battery level. The Selle Royale saddle is comfortable even for longer distances. The pedals have good grip thanks to integrated sandpaper. The kickstand is adjustable in length and can be quickly adapted to the surface.

Unlike on the Quartz SUV, there are no quick-release levers on the front wheel and saddle. I see that as more of a plus, because quickly removed also means quickly stolen, and a city bike gets parked in the city.

Criticisms

1. Handlebar not height-adjustable. The Turmali comes in three frame sizes: S at 48.5 cm, like mine, with a low step-through, M at 50 cm and L at 58 cm. The height is perfect for me, but I would have liked to adjust the riding position.
2. No rear rack included. You can order it separately and retrofit it; the mounts come pre-installed. I would have liked to see it included.

Price and service

The Turmali costs €1,799 on the Deruiz website. The saddle, motor, Gates belt drive, hydraulic disc brakes and tires come from well-known manufacturers. So you can assume the bike lasts a long time, and the value for money is very good. Deruiz has many service locations at partner workshops in Germany. For large items that you can’t simply send back, I find that important.

Verdict

The Turmali is a stylish, high-quality e-bike with extremely good value for money for anyone looking for a light and nimble e-bike for the city and paved roads.