This E-Bike Proves Less Can Be More | Cikada Urban Cruise Review

This is an area where the light weight and streamlined approach pays dividends. The Urban Cruise is not a cushy, luxurious bike – but it has several strengths in terms of ride quality.

The first is that the handling is spot on. The Urban Cruise feels nimble, responsive, and effortless. It’s reminiscent of an analog bike; and I mean that as a complement. I almost forgot that the motor and battery were there.

There are a few reasons for the sharp steering. The first is that this bike is fully rigid, meaning no suspension. Every input to the handlebars goes directly into the pavement, with nothing interrupting that communication. This, along with the narrower tire width, make this bike feel catlike.

Power delivery is another strength of the Urban Cruise. I found the motor to be remarkably smooth. It does require that you pedal with some effort, but the low weight and rolling resistance make it easy to do so. My pedal input and the torque sensor seemed to be in sync with each other about 90% of the time – it’s hard to catch the motor off-guard, and it engages with decent quickness.

Cicada offers three sizes on this bike, with the total height range being from 5’3″ to 6’5″. We received the XL size, which fits riders from 5’11” to 6’5″.

I’m about 6’3″, and found the sizing to be very accurate. The fact that several options are offered is a big plus; I can almost always get by on a unisize eBike, but it usually requires some sort of compromise. The Urban Cruise was comfortable for me both in terms of leg extension and reach. While I can’t speak for the other two sizes, our tester suggests that Cikada understands geometry.

City style eBikes do often mean some compromise in certain areas. Like many others in its class, this bike has no suspension. As a result, you will notice bumps and uneven pavement more – this is the tradeoff for light weight and responsive handling.

The riding position is also fairly aggressive; it’s not as poised as a road bike, but not as relaxed as a stepthrough cruiser. I felt that the stance matched up well with the bike’s city-focused mission – a slight forward lean, but not “race mode”.

Simplicity is a central theme on the Urban Cruise, but Cikada still offers a tech experience for those who want it. A passcode can be set for security, and the brand offers an app with ride tracking and maintenance data.

The app is fairly simple, and so is the settings menu, but they are useful. For example, the app counts the battery cycles, which is great from an upkeep point of view. We would like to see an option for class 3 speeds, but otherwise, the uncomplicated approach works well here.

In summary, ride quality is a strength on this bike. It stays solidly in its genre; this very much feels like a city eBike, and a good one at that.