Stuff Gadget Guide - UK - Issue 4 (2022-01)

GROUP TEST E-BIKES

Rayvolt Torino Price from £3360 / stuff.tv/RayvoltTorino

STUFF SAYS Not the most practical, but it is eye-catching and magnificently powerful ★★★★✩

BEST FOR

SHOWING

OFF

85

What’s the story?

Barcelona-based Rayvolt

made waves in the e-bike

market a couple of years

ago when it unleashed its

steampunk-inspired Cruzer

onto the market. The Easy

Rider frame, beautiful brass

finishing kit and enormously

powerful rear hub motor

ensured it was like nothing

else on the road.

The firm’s follow-up is a

sharper, more aggressive city

bike that remains stylish but

goes big on traffic-dodging

performance credentials.

Is it any good?

The Torino is just as distinctive

as its Chopper-esque sibling,

the sweeping carbon steel

frame, chunky tyres and

hand-fashioned finishing

touches oozing quality

craftsmanship. Thankfully,

it packs a similar riding

punch too, with the option

to specify a beastly 1000W

rear hub motor that’s been

sauced up by Rayvolt for

optimum output.

Of course, it adheres to

EU legislation and will only

offer pedal assistance up to

15.5mph, but the clever EIVA

software and smartphone app

allow the rider to ‘tinker’ with

said settings. Take it off road

and you can rip the throttle

for some proper electronic

performance.

It weighs a hefty 36kg,

so lugging it around can be

a pain, and in some respects

the Torino looks and feels

more like a motorbike than

an e-bike; but those looks

are unique and it delivers a

monstrous amount of power

to counterbalance the weight

issue. The 25-mile range on

the smaller battery pack falls

short of cheaper rivals, so

expanding this to 50 miles

with a dual-battery upgrade

is well worth it, even if the price

does start to sting.

But above everything else,

this machine is all about style...

and it’s packing that by the

bucketload.

Key specs

● 504/936Wh battery

● 25/50 miles

● 400/1000W rear hub motor

● 4-6hrs to charge

● Carbon steel frame, 36kg

Leather with you

Battery boxes and

electrical gubbins

are neatly stashed

in leather pouches

for maximum

hipster points.

Sexy thirty love

The motor delivers

up to 1000W, so

it’s possible to hit

30mph using the

thumb throttle. Off

road, of course.

PREFER AN

E-BIKE THAT

LOOKS LIKE

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