The Propella 7s is a lightweight Class 1 electric bike. With a comfortable ride, plenty of power and 40 miles of range, the 7s is a capable commuter that you can actually afford.

Propella first made its way into our quiver with the Mini. A 20″ single speed mini electric bike that was down right a blast to ride. With its unique look and flashy colors we’ve since had an interest in seeing what Propella can do in the rest of their lineup. The 7s reminds us of the Mini in not only it’s look, but its overall value to ride quality.

The Propella 7s is priced at $1199, with a 1 year warranty and a 14 day no question return policy.

With an aluminum frame and fork and 700c wheels. A complete bike ready to ride is only 37lbs. It even has mounts on the frame for a rear rack and a water bottle mount on the underside of the downtube, even a couple of mounting spots on the fork if you wanted to use a front rack. 

This is a class 1 electric bike with a 250W Bafang rear hub motor. Similar to the rest of the Propella lineup, the 7s has a 36V 7Ah battery that mounts to the downtube and is removable with a key. This is great for charging away from the bike. The 7s has a range of up to 40 miles per charge and a total recharge time of 2.5 hours. 

As a Class 1 eBike, there are 5 levels of Pedal Assist, with support up to 20mph. The bike has a backlit LCD display that shows your speed, battery level, and distance traveled. There is a very low profile remote located next to the Display to navigate your PAS modes and to turn the bike on and off. 

The 7s has Shimano components, with mechanical disc brakes with 160mm rotors and an Altus 7 speed drivetrain. This is a quality component spec from a reputable and quality brand. Seeing Shimano, Bafang, and Samsung specs on the 7s is really great to see on such a budget friendly electric bike.

The wheels as mentioned are 700c aluminum wheels with a noticeably deep rim that is anodized blue, like the rest of the Propella lineup. Addtionally, it has CST 700x35c tires with puncture protection. This offers a strong and durable set of wheels to keep you rolling on the roughest streets.

Propella has a reputation of offering one size in their bikes, and they can accommodate a really wide range of different height riders. Their sizing chart indicates 5’4”-6’2” as the “ideal” rider height. At 6’ tall, I didn’t feel crowded by any means and had plenty of adjustment to raise the saddle for proper leg extension. The one size frame offering is a great way for the brand to keep costs low internally and to extend that to potential buyers by having affordable bikes.

Affordability and overall value is where Propella and the 7s shine most among the competition. With name brand component specs, Propella is able to focus on their frame and let the rest of the brands complete their bike to deliver a quality electric bike for commuters.

If you’re not convinced of the Propella business model just yet, they offer a 1 year warranty and have a 14 day risk free trial to let you see for yourself.

The Bafang 250w motor is really smooth and has even power distribution. This motor is pretty quiet and as a commuter with the 700c urban/road tires and a 7 speed drivetrain, 250w is plenty enough power to really get this bike moving quickly and capable on steep hills. 

It’s hard to be nitpicky with such an affordable bike that is enjoyable to ride. However, the external battery mount does have the tendency to allow the battery to rattle around when riding. Now this doesn’t affect performance or looks, but it is something that is heard and is rather distracting while riding. There may be a fix in the future from Propella but for the mean time, getting crafty with some thin foam or packing material will let you secure the battery a bit tighter and eliminate the rattle.

The blue rims aren’t for everyone. I’ve had red rims, gold rims, and even had a short stint on pink rims years back when I road fixed gears more often. They’ve grown on me over time and if you really enjoy the 7s, there are plenty of options to change things up.

We really have to get back to the bigger picture here, with Propella as a whole, but specifically with the 7s. For $1200 you’re getting a 700c, 250w, 37lb commuter, that can fit racks and has a 40 mile range. Outfitted with a battery with Samsung cells, Shimano components, and a Bafang motor. The 7s is stacked with name brand parts from top to bottom all for a wildly low price.

Now price point aside, how does it ride. I talked already to the fitment and the drivetrain power, but the 7s rides well. You may remember our review of the Propella Mini, where I said the same thing I have to say about the 7s. Propella offers a really good value for a very low price. It’s comfortable to ride, it hasn’t prevented me from any urban riding opportunities. You never have range anxiety. To be fair, with anything you can pick apart, this and that, but if you’re interested in this bike and the price point is what pulled you in. You’re going to feel good about your purchase.

Compared to other bikes, savings alone will have you looking at accessories to outfit your bike to make it the best commuter while staying in a very comfortable budget. At the end of the day Propella really has me encouraged to see that electric bikes can exist for really good price points and that doesn’t have to happen by cutting corners and risking your safety.

Overall, the Propella 7s has been a great bike, it has its flashiness and looks, and really it’s a great affordable eBike to get you out riding and doing what you want to do.

Price: $1299
Weight: 37lbs
Website: propella.bike