If you’re hunting for an urban e-bike that balances style, smarts, and solid performance, the Iweech Promenade should definitely be on your radar. Launched in 2024 by French startup Bellatrix, this bike aims to deliver fuss-free rides around the city while keeping you connected every pedal of the way.
Priced just under $2,500, it takes aim at established players like VanMoof and Cowboy. But does it deliver enough features and comfort to stand out? After weeks of cruising through city streets, I’m ready to share my hands-on experiences and tell you whether the Promenade lives up to its promises.
Design & Build Quality
The Iweech Promenade rocks a classic open-frame silhouette that looks clean and modern. Unlike its more aggressive 24″S sibling, the Promenade brings you into a comfortable, upright riding posture that’s perfect for everyday commuting and short errands.
Impeccable finish is the name of the game here: most welds are hidden, the matte paint feels premium, and the integrated cables almost disappear into the frame. Sure, you can spot the rear light wiring peeking around the seat tube, but overall the bike’s minimalist vibe is a big win.
Optional Accessories for Every Need
Iweech lets you customize your ride with add-ons that matter. Swap the standard rear rack for a heavy-duty luggage carrier for about €70, toss on a front basket to haul groceries, or add a more stable central kickstand for peace of mind.
Lighting comes built-in with a bright 90-lux front lamp and subtle rear LED, but you can’t manually adjust the beam angle and there’s no brake-light function. Still, with so many configurable extras—from a wheel lock to phone mounting brackets—this bike adapts to your daily grind.
Connectivity & App Control
What sets the Promenade apart is its fully connected ecosystem. You’re never forced to fire up the app to ride—but once you do, you’ll unlock features like GPS tracking, anti-theft alarm, and remote monitoring.
Instead of a handlebar display or buttons, there’s a single multi-color LED button on the downtube. Tap it to power up, check battery status, or switch modes. If you’d rather skip screen clutter, a secondary NFC key fob (optional) lets you lock and unlock the bike in seconds.
App Experience—Fluid but Flawed
The Iweech companion app is clean and straightforward. You get a map view with real-time location, iRide navigation mode, and range indicators that draw two circles: one for standard riding and one for eco-optimized trips.
Performance metrics—speed, distance, power split, and even a Fitness mode that tracks calories—are easy to follow. However, occasional bugs meant missed trip logs, delayed alarm deactivation, and trouble exiting sleep mode. Hopefully future updates iron out these kinks.
Riding Experience & Motor Performance
Climb in the saddle, and the Promenade does all the work for you. Thanks to an automatic belt drive transmission and torque-sensing algorithm, pedaling feels natural with no need to fiddle with gears.
The Mivice 080 hub motor delivers a healthy 45 Nm of torque. It’s not as snappy off the line as some rivals, but once you’re rolling, hitting the legal top speed of 25 km/h takes just a few seconds. Hill climbs feel smooth, and the auto-assist adapts seamlessly from flats to rises.
Suspension & Handling
With a suspension fork offering 63 mm of travel and fat 60 mm Schwalbe Moto-X tires, the Promenade soaks up city bumps like a champ. Potholes and cobblestones become minor annoyances instead of back-jarring hazards.
The trade-off? You won’t carve sharp turns like a sport-oriented e-bike. The more upright geometry and plush setup favor comfort over aggressive cornering—but if you want a relaxed commute, that’s exactly the point.
Shimano MT200 hydraulic brakes add consistent stopping power and progressive modulation. They’ll haul you from 25 km/h to zero in under four meters, although the rear wheel can lock up early on slick surfaces.
Battery Life & Range
Under the neatly integrated downtube lies a removable 504 Wh battery—the same pack used in Iweech’s higher-end model. Officially, you can expect around 70 km at full power. In my mixed-city testing around Paris, I squeezed out 83 km with no sweat.
Switch on Fitness mode and dial down the assistance, and you can push that range to nearly 100 km. Consumption hovered around 6 Wh/km in standard riding and dipped to 5 Wh/km when I mixed in some manual pedaling and eco settings.
Charging Times
Charging is straightforward if not lightning-fast. The included 72 W charger refills the pack in about 7 hours from empty, or five hours to hit 80%. If you’re unplugging after work and charging overnight, it’s no big deal—but don’t expect a quick power-up if you forget to top off before a ride.
Price & Availability
The Iweech Promenade is available directly from the manufacturer’s website since May 2024. At €2,495, it undercuts many rivals without skimping on essential features. You can also lease it starting at €50/month (over 4 years with an initial payment).
Warranty covers the frame for five years and two years on other components (excluding wear items). While there’s no brick-and-mortar store, Bellatrix’s network of 193 partner repair shops and optional insurance packages make maintenance and support easy to arrange.
