Reports are keen on so-called design bikes – optical works of art intended for hip city dwellers. However, most customers are far better off with a conventionally designed bike because the functionality is right here. The “Trenoli Tanaro Sportivo” shows how clever design can also be used to build a very individual bike that does many things differently from the competition.
What’s the idea behind this bike? The Tanaro Sportivo combines a frame that can be handled very comfortably with powerful Bosch equipment that is otherwise only built into e-mountain bikes. From the frame point of view, you have a bike for the city and also for touring, but with a powerful motor, a large battery and a powerful display. You can also put it this way: Why should someone who likes to ride upright on a bike with a luggage rack, mud flaps and lighting system be satisfied with the second or third choice when it comes to electrical engineering?
The bike is powered by the Performance Line mid-engine, which delivers up to 65 Nm. The CX variant is even more powerful, but that extra torque only makes sense in a real mountain bike tackling steep trails. Compared to the CX, the normal Performance Line motor is significantly quieter, even when performance is required. The most powerful Bosch battery with 625 Wh is installed for this purpose. As usual today, the battery is housed in the frame. The range of the package is around 40 miles when the engine is running at maximum and you’re keeping yourself lazy. If you drive more slowly and use less assistance, the range can be well over 100 kilometers.
More is currently not possible, unless a second battery is included on the trip. Incidentally, most customers do not appreciate the large battery because they always drive such long distances. But they love to charge their bike less often. The power of the engine is transferred to the rear wheel via chain and 10-speed Shimano XT gears. There is no other way, the affordable secondary circuits cannot handle that much torque. The battery can be removed, although it is easier to charge the motor while it is installed.
The Bosch motor is well known and not without reason the market leader. With him, the bike has more than enough power. The real special feature is that the mountain bike drive is combined with a comfortable frame. Several things stand out about this. We recommend the bike with the lower entry. It has a lowered top tube, so the frame remains stiff even under load. But getting on and off and stopping at traffic lights are more comfortable than with a high top tube. The high position of the handlebars is striking. It clearly towers over the saddle. As a result, you sit very upright and only slightly bent over. Many riders love this position and retrofit their bikes with an extension of the head tube and then usually have the problem that the brake lines and shifter cables are no longer long enough. Everything is installed correctly here. We found the position very comfortable.
When buying, you should make sure that you determine the right mix of your own physique and bike size. Due to the comparatively wide tires (55 millimeters Schwalbe Marathon E-Plus), the bike runs well and safely – even on country lanes and rough ground. But even with thick rubber and a powerful motor, the bike doesn’t turn into an MTB mountain goat. How so? From about 13 to 15 percent incline, the rider’s weight has to be brought forward over the handlebars on a mountain bike in order to still generate grip on the ground. Such a posture – standing on the pedals and leaning forward – is not possible with the comfortable frame. That’s why it’s over at some point when the incline becomes too steep.
Although you sit very comfortably on the bike and it has the big tires, it is surprisingly manoeuvrable and agile. This is due to the comparatively steep fork and the straight sports handlebars (Ergotec Low Riser 720 mm). You have such good and direct control of the bike.
Bosch’s highlight was chosen for the display, the Kiox display. You can connect it to the smartphone app. The simple displays show the basic functions of a bike, such as speed, support level, range, status of the light. Kiox, on the other hand, is a full-fledged bike and training computer with almost endless functions that cannot all be listed here. Our opinion: Some will love it and make full use of the computer. The others will try everything once and then only use some of the functions.
The bike costs a reasonable 3649 euros – the high-class equipment is of course noticeable in the price. With a better known brand, the same equipment would be even more expensive.
Our conclusion: The Trenoli Tanaro Sportivo keeps what it promises. It’s a very sporty, powerful bike with the advantages of the relaxed stance of a city bike. With it you are prepared for tours and also for paths. It’s also the right choice if you live in a hilly area. Why? The Tanaro Sportivo is certainly not a real mountain bike, but on a covered surface it will take you up (almost) any incline. A bike with a touring bike motor, on the other hand, already gets out of the way on inclines of ten percent. This means that you have to push your e-bike up the Hamburg bank of the Elbe – that doesn’t happen with the Tanaro Sportivo.
