Pinion Electric Bike Review: Pinion Vs Aventon Vs Himiway?

The Reality Behind the Pinion E-Bike Ethos

Selecting the best electric bike that fits your needs is a big decision, and with a lot of options available, it can be challenging. When your search queries show up with things like “Pinion e-bike review,” you are signaling that you aren’t interested in the entry-level of the market. You're looking for precision engineering, exquisite build quality, and a completely unique on-road experience. Pinion isn’t just a brand, it’s an ethos, based around a sealed, automotive-style gearbox that’s claimed to do away with the niggles of a traditional derailleur drivetrain. This is the review for you, the discerning rider who wants to know the reality behind the name Pinion. Let’s get to the heart of what makes these offerings stand out, cover the user experience, and give you the details you need to decide whether a Pinion electric bike should be your next ride.

Pinion does not produce its own complete range of e-bikes; instead, it supplies its own top-of-the-range gearbox systems to a few exclusive high-end cycling companies. An e-bike with a Pinion gearbox is a statement of quality and a strong commitment to the enjoyment of low-maintenance performance cycling. Here’s a list of some of the significant brands and their series which offer Pinion technology:

• Riese & Müller - Superdelite (with Pinion)
• Riese & Müller - Homage (Pinion as option)
• Riese & Müller - Delite (with Pinion)
• Tout Terrain - Scrambler Xplore
• Tout Terrain - Amber Road Xplore
• Tout Terrain - Pamir
• Kettler - Quadriga Pinion Series
• Stevens - P18 Lite
• Bulls - Lacuba EVO LITE
• Idworx - oPinion
• Nicolai - G1 EBOXX E14
• Desiknio - Pinion Urban
• Co-Motion - Klatch Pinion
• Santos - Travelmaster Series (with Pinion)
• VSF Fahrradmanufaktur - TX-1200 Pinion

The Pinion On-Road Experience: Silence and Synergy

To really get to grips with the Pinion advantage, it’s necessary to shift away from the spec sheet and onto the road. Riding some popular Pinion-equipped models, we think about riding. Consider the Riese & Müller Superdelite with the Pinion C1.12 gearbox, for instance. The silence, from the first pedal stroke, is what hits you. There’s no chain slap, no clicking derailleur, only the whisper of the high-end motor and the whir of the tires on pavement. Whether you are charging up a steep, technical incline under full power or sitting at a red light, a quick twist of the grip shifter and you will quickly be speeding off down the bike path. I found myself constantly shifting while stopped, picking exactly the right gear to pull away from zero with, which is a luxury you’d never have with a derailleur. The bike has a great sense of balance and is planted. With the mass of the transmission and motor centralized and low in the frame, the cornering is both carving (in the way you ride a motorcycle with the lean of your body) and quick, rather than just turning. The benefits are even greater on a long-distance tourer such as the Tout Terrain Scrambler Xplore. The last thing you want after hours in the saddle is a mechanical problem. The fully enclosed Pinion gearbox, often a recipient of a Gates Carbon Belt Drive, results in an almost maintenance-free drive system. Whether you are riding through mud, rain, or freezing dust, the performance does not change. There’s huge confidence in the knowledge your gears are safe from the elements, and the oil change intervals are 10,000 km apart. The sensation here is one of mechanical synergy, where every part performs in perfectly silent harmony.

Deeper Considerations: Investing in a System

There are deeper considerations than ride feel for a potential Pinion electric bike owner, however. It’s about investing in a system, not merely a bicycle. Surely the biggest benefit to us is the unwavering reliability & low maintenance. The gearbox is sealed to be invincible against dirt, water, and knocks, which would otherwise kill a conventional derailleur system. That's more time riding and less time messing with the cogs, chains, and cassettes. This is a huge plus for die-hards who rely on their bike working every morning through the darkest winter commute or those heading out into the wild far from the nearest bike shop. One of the most beneficial factors is weight distribution. Moving the gearbox to the bottom bracket drops the center of gravity and keeps it centered. This has a tremendous impact on handling, high-speed stability, and the performance of the rear suspension on mountain bikes (less unsprung weight). The gear range is another big plus. Pinion gearboxes, like the P1.18, provide an enormous 636% gear range, wider than virtually all derailleur-based drivetrains, giving you all the gears you need whether you're powering up a climb or zooming down the other side. What’s more, when you opt for Pinion, you’re buying into a premium ecosystem. Bike brands speccing Pinion systems don’t compromise elsewhere. They'll usually come equipped with high-quality motors from Bosch or Neodrives, strong hydraulic brakes, solid frames, and premium finishing kits. This is how we approach building the best electric bike we can.

A Smart Alternative: The ENGWE P275 SE

As a cyclist who’s truly after the most robust of gearboxes and willing to invest, the Pinion is as good as it gets. But for many, there is a new set of parameters to adhere to: a bit of smarts in the application of technology, a cost-effective design, and some outright day-to-day value. That's where a brand like ENGWE comes in, and more particularly, the P275 SE City E-Bike. The ENGWE P275 SE uses a powerful 250W brushless motor with an extremely sensitive torque sensor technology. This is an important element to notice because the torque sensor is what makes our e-bikes feel so much like natural, smooth biking, by reading the amount of pressure you are putting on the pedal and then transferring that pressure to power. With ENGWE's industry-leading proprietary E-SATS (Smart Axle Torque System), it springs into action in just 50 milliseconds for a nearly instantaneous response that feels comparable to systems costing 10 times more. And with the removable 36V 13Ah lithium-ion battery providing a range of up to 100km, the days of range anxiety will be long behind most commuters. Practicality is topped off with a dependable Shimano 7-speed drivetrain, sharp front and rear hydraulic disc brakes for powerful stopping, and a smooth, comfortable Dutch-style upright riding position. The bike is also enabled for smart App connectivity so you can have ride data actioned and displayed simultaneously on the large, clear LCD screen. For the city rider who wants a high-technology, comfortable, and practical electric bike minus the huge outlay for a gearbox system, the ENGWE P275 SE is the perfect fully-featured, close-range, car replacement.

Just to help make sense of the contrast in the Pinion ecosystem, here’s a showdown of their tech shown through some of the models that utilize them. I should mention that spec can be different from the build kit your manufacturer has opted for.

5 Questions You Asked About Pinion E-Bikes

What makes Pinion electric bikes so much more expensive?

The associated cost originates from the very structure and precision required of the gearbox. It is a work of art in high-end mechanical engineering, produced in Germany to incredibly tight tolerances with hardened steel gears that run inside an oil bath. It is expensive to research, develop, and produce. In addition, brands using Pinion are creating a luxury product, so they combine it with other high-end components such as powerful motors, large-capacity batteries, Gates Carbon Drives, and sturdy, well-designed frames, which all add to the end cost. You’re getting a full system, made to last in the long run.

Is a Pinion Gearbox Really Better Than a High-End Derailleur?

"Better" depends on your priorities. For reliability, low maintenance, and longevity, the Pinion gearbox is the clear winner. It is an enclosed system, shielded from crashes, muck, and grime. It allows shifting while you’re at rest, a boon in stop-and-go traffic or on technical trails. However, a top-end derailleur system is a bit lighter and slightly more efficient in raw power transfer. For any rider who prioritizes set-it-and-forget-it reliability and smooth performance through all kinds of weather, Pinion is best.

What's the maintenance schedule of a Pinion gearbox out in the world?

One of the things we love most about it is that the maintenance is extremely easy and minimal. Pinion recommends only changing the oil every 10,000 kilometers (about 6,200 miles) or one year, whichever comes first. This is a straightforward task that can be conducted at home with a dedicated kit. Contrast this to the traditional drivetrain that needs constant tending and replacing of the chain, cassette, and chainrings, and the benefits of Pinion are very obvious in the long run.

What is the ride of the electric bike like with the weight of the gearbox?

The gearbox in and of itself is part of why the bike is heavy (compared to a derailleur), but where it is located is a HUGE benefit. The weight is focused where you want it: in the frame and down below at the bottom bracket. This position lowers the bike’s center of gravity, so it's stable and predictable, especially when turning at speed. Its rear hub is non-motorized and doesn’t have a cassette or derailleur to go with it, so the rear swingarm doesn’t have the weight and complexity, improving how the suspension moves over the ground. The handling and balance gains far outweigh the marginal weight gain, and most customers tell us they can feel the difference as soon as they are in the saddle.

Can you fit any motor to a Pinion on an e-bike?

Actually, no. Pinion has integrated specific solutions for a few motor partners. The most popular and reputable is the Bosch mid-motor pairing, with some frame builders even using it to create the Pinion MGU (Motor Gearbox Unit). Other very respected systems come from Neodrive and other high-quality manufacturers best known for high-quality motors. This results in inconspicuous integration, correct frame construction, and perfect communication between the motor and gearbox (specifically in electronic shift models). This curated approach ensures the quality and reliability Pinion and its partner brands are famous for.

In summary, investing in a Pinion e-bike means doing just that: you are investing in incredible engineering, reliability, and a riding experience that has been honed to perfection.