Bianchi e-Arcadex Gravel Bike: Feisty Guy with a Sense of Practicality

Some of you may wonder from time to time what will actually happen to the Bosch drives from the pre-Smart System era? Well, they will continue to be used. More rarely than before, no question. Apparently, however, the farewell is far from final. The latest example of this is a new e-gravel bike from the traditional Italian brand Bianchi.

At the beginning of 2021, Bianchi presented a brand new gravel bike called Arcadex. The bike caused quite a stir. Unusually for a very sporty bike from Bianchi, it featured a rather massive, angular, almost chunky frame. In fact, the manufacturer did not even bother to hide the fact that an ebike was to follow on this basis. Individual parts of the frame, such as the region around the bottom bracket, clearly indicated this.

The unconventional design language of the Bianchi e-Arcadex already begins with the head tube.

The weight suits him

So about a year and a half later, the e-Arcadex is here. Bianchi calls it the new flagship among its e-gravel bikes. In some details, its carbon frame differs visually from the Arcadex model. This applies, for example, to the lower part of the seat tube, part of the chain stay and the bottom bracket. There, the integration of the e-drive required a little more volume. This ” expanding” has caused a few edges to disappear, which has led to a smoother transition of the lines and has in no way compromised the appearance at that point.

However, this had no influence on the geometry. Bianchi is operating in a range here that other manufacturers also prefer. Depending on the frame size, the seat angle varies between 73 degrees and 74.5 degrees. The range for the steering angle is much smaller with values of 70.5 degrees and 71 degrees. The chainstay length of 1,034 millimetres in size M, together with the reach of 372 millimetres and the stack of 594 millimetres, speak for agile handling and a rather relaxed riding position that should also feel comfortable on longer tours.

Unusual suspension

The frame contains a seatpost that kills two birds with one stone. It has suspension and is height-adjustable at the same time. In addition to 40 millimetres of travel, it has a stroke of 80 millimetres. Suitable for use as an e-gravel bike, the frame allows tyre widths of up to 45 millimetres. Bianchi uses a width of 40 millimetres for its standard equipment. So you still have a little leeway. The same applies to the mounting of accessories. There are numerous mounts on the frame. Thought has also been given to the top tube. You can attach a small frame bag to the front near the stem.

With 40 millimetre wide tyres, the fork is by no means the end of the line.

Trust in the tried and tested

As mentioned at the beginning, the manufacturer uses a second development stage Bosch ebike system. This does not mean any loss in terms of the motor’s performance. After all, nothing has changed on the hardware side when switching to the Smart System. Therefore, the continuous power of 250 watts of the Bosch Performance CX Line and the torque of 85 Newton metres also apply to the e-Arcadex. If you exclude the connectivity options, the other ebike components are almost the same as those of a Smart System. A Kiox display and a PowerTube battery with a capacity of 500 watt hours can be found there as well.

However, at the latest when looking at the control unit, a little melancholy arises. The somewhat outdated Bosch Compact does its job on the e-Arcadex. As small, clear and versatile as an LED Remote or the combination of Mini Remote and System Controller, it is of course not. In this respect, the new components from Bosch are quite a bit ahead of the old ones. Fortunately, this does not affect the range. Under ideal conditions, the range should be between 110 and 120 kilometres. If you have a gravel route with several hundred metres of altitude gain, you won’t be able to count on electric support for quite so long.

Willing to compromise

Bianchi’s decision to launch two versions of the e-Arcadex is exciting. The focus of the “normal” model is solely on riding on gravel roads and forest paths. In addition, the manufacturer offers the e-Arcadex Tourer, a version that bridges the gap between leisure and everyday cycling. With the Tourer, Bianchi is targeting people who have a penchant for rather sporty bikes and yet do not want to lose sight of certain practical aspects. Mudguards, a rear carrier that can carry a load of 15 kilograms and a complete lighting system from Supernova are fitted as standard to appeal to commuters, for example.

Because this version is ridden less often or with a different intensity on gravel terrain, Bianchi has adapted the equipment. The shifting group has been kept simpler, the tyres cope better with asphalt and the seatpost is a rigid one in this case. Even the price of 5,199 euros differs from the E-Arcadex.

The price for sporty ambitions

You pay a surcharge of 850 euros for the E-Arcadex’s suitability for racing. In return, however, you get the RD EKAR shifting group from Campagnolo with 13 gears and a cassette whose smallest sprocket has only nine teeth. The rest of the surcharge is due to the lowerable and suspended seatpost as well as higher-quality wheels and tyres that are less prone to dirt build-up.

According to Bianchi, the e-Arcadex is available now in five frame sizes from XS to XL.

Bianchi e-Arcadex at a glance

• Variants: e-Arcadex, e-Arcadex Tourer
• Frame: E-Gravel Aracdex Aero Carbon
• Fork: Full Carbon 1.5″
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX
• Battery: Bosch PowerTube 500
• Display: Bosch Kiox
• Control unit: Bosch Compact
• Drivetrain: Campagnolo RD Ekar, Shimano GRX 600
• Brakes: Campagnolo Ekar, Shimano BR-RX400
• Maximum permissible total weight: 125 kg
• Price: from 5,199 euros

Pictures: F.I.V. E. Bianchi S.p.A. (Grimaldi Industri AB)