Revolutionworks Whippet review
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Revolutionworks Whippet review

Lightweight electric bike that promises the feel of a ‘real’ bike

Our rating

4

1499.00

David Caudery / Immediate Media

Published: December 14, 2021 at 9:00 am

Our review
A great choice if you’re a roadie looking for an electric bike for commuting

Pros:

Lightweight; quick charging; sporty handling

Cons:

Not great off tarmac; sporty feel not for everyone; one size only

The Revolutionworks Whippet looks much like any workhorse commuter bike, with a skinny-tubed steel frame and unicrown fork features that wouldn’t be out of place on a get-around-town machine.

But Bristol-based Revolutionworks has integrated a 250Wh motor into the bike's rear hub and fitted a compact 200Wh battery on the down tube bottle bosses.

In line with the best electric hybrid bikes, the battery is more compact than on most electric bikes, which helps with its non-ebike looks.

Those aesthetics continue with its shape. It has a longer riding position than its rivals, a lower handlebar and a shorter wheelbase.

This makes it clear that the Whippet is aimed more at the regular cyclist than the newbie commuter.

cycling
Braking is handled by Shimano's MT200 hydraulic discs. David Caudery / Immediate Media

How we tested

We tested four ebikes to see if the budget end of the category is now accomplished enough to encourage the commuter to forget about public transport or paying for petrol.

Are the ebikes at this price light enough to make them easy to handle, do their motors provide effective assistance in an urban environment and do their batteries provide a useful range?

In the main, the models on test instilled a sense of how far ebike technology has advanced in a short space of time. Rather than there being any discrepancies in the quality of design, the best model now comes down to how well it suits individual needs, which is by no means a bad place for the category to be in.

Other bikes on test

Factor in slim 32mm tyres and 700c wheels, and as a long-time cyclist, this is a bike I felt immediately at home on.

Add in a Brooks Cambium saddle and low-profile rounded foam grips rather than ergo grips that encourage you to sit up straight, and it’s clear the Whippet was designed by an experienced rider.

The Whippet rewards your efforts. It's at its best when you’re putting in the work and resorting to the motor only when the road rises sharply.

cycling
It's a small battery, but maximum range is impressive. David Caudery / Immediate Media

That kind of riding results in the Whippet managing an impressive maximum range, in spite of having a fairly small battery.

Its 34.9 miles/56.2km with 426m/1,398ft of climbing is especially impressive when you consider its power deficit of over 100Wh compared to ebikes such as the Mycle Classic and Carrera Impel IM-2.

Some of that is down to its more efficient tyres, larger wheels and more aerodynamic riding position. But the result shows an efficient use of its electrical assistance.

Three power levels, five battery levels and a simple layout.
You get three power levels, five battery levels and a simple layout. David Caudery / Immediate Media

The ride quality is very much like that of a non-electric road bike – the tyres roll fast, the frame is forgiving and the contact points are sporty.

It can get a bit rattly over towpaths and trails, and I wouldn’t recommend the Whippet if that’s what your whole commute involves, but it’s fine for brief excursions.

The power system is very simple. The bar-mounted controller has three LEDs, showing your riding level and five LEDs for the battery level. Battery-level accuracy is good, though when it drops to a single bar you have mere minutes before it closes down.

Female cyclist in red coat riding the Revolutionworks Whippet eBike
You can feel some drag when you’re riding without assistance, but the Whippet is still very rideable. Russell Burton / Immediate Media

The Altus drivetrain is about as basic as Shimano gets, but the brand isn’t the world’s number one gear maker without reason and the seven-speed system shifts efficiently.

There was a little chain chatter in the larger sprockets but nothing undue. The Prowheel chainset is seemingly a staple on budget ebikes and it works well, with the wide Q-factor suiting non-cycling clothing, keeping trousers away from the chain.

The Revolutionworks Whippet eBike is equipped with a Prowheel 38 chainset
The Whippet has a Prowheel chainset, the go-to for budget ebikes. David Caudery / Immediate Media

Full-length mudguards are a big plus, and while unbranded, these are a good ‘homage’ to SKS’s Chromoplastic mudguards and come with safety quick releases in case something gets jammed between the front tyre and guard.

I appreciate the inclusion of a kickstand, but as this is a fairly light ebike and I occasionally clipped my heel on the bracket, I might be tempted to drop it.

The jewel in the Whippet’s specification is the Shimano MT200 hydraulic braking. This may be modest compared with high-end mountain bike setups but it offers smooth, controlled braking with heaps of feel, which adds confidence on descents.

Female cyclist in red coat riding the Revolutionworks Whippet eBike
The Whippet’s hydraulic braking inspires confidence. Russell Burton / Immediate Media

Yes, we’d have liked lights, but the Whippet is aimed more at existing cyclists who are likely to own decent lights.

The other issue is that it’s one-size only. Revolutionworks says it should fit riders from 5ft 5in to 6ft, but I’m 6ft 2in and had no issues, though I would fit a longer stem.

The Whippet is a winner; the system is efficient and with a compact battery and small charger with a two-hour recharge, it’s a good-value ride that experienced cyclists will appreciate.

Also consider

For a lot less money

Revolutionworks’ eBike kit powers a standard bike through a roller-motor mounted on the seat tube, driving the rear wheel through contact with the tyre. The battery and system are easy to fit to most bikes.

For a little more

You can fit Cytronex’s British e-assist system to any bike, but Cytronex also offers a few ready-converted options. This smart front-hub-driven system works well, and we liked the Quick 4 conversion we tested.

Product

Brand revolutionworks
Price 1499.00 GBP
Weight 16.0500, KILOGRAM (One-size only) -

Features

Fork Chromoly steel
br_stem Unbranded alloy
br_chain KMC z8.1
br_frame Chromoly steel
br_motor 36v 250W rear hub motor with Reeintion 200Wh battery and LED control unit, three power levels
Tyres Schwalbe Marathon 700x32c ebike-ready
br_brakes Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc
br_cranks Prowheel 38
br_saddle Brooks Cambium C17
br_wheels V-section rims, Quando front hub
br_headset 1 1/8” alloy
br_shifter Shimano Altus
br_cassette Shimano Altus 11-32
br_seatpost Unbranded alloy
br_handlebar Unbranded alloy 645mm
br_bottomBracket Prowheel square taper
br_availableSizes One-size only
br_rearDerailleur Shimano Altus rear
Features Extras: Mudguards

Torque: 40Nm

Colours: Black and Green, Black and Blue, Black and Yellow, Black and Red, Black and Grey