The new Corratec Life CX7 stands out in terms of safety because the new second generation Bosch ABS is used on this model. This can – yes, it actually works on different surfaces! – no longer block the front wheel and, in the worst case, slip away. How many falls could be prevented if every e-bike had ABS? The problem arises because extremely powerful brakes are increasingly being installed on pedelecs, some with four pistons and discs with a diameter of more than 180 millimeters. If you can’t deal with that much braking power, you may fly over the handlebars or fall flat on your nose due to the front wheel breaking out. The Bosch ABS in combination with the congenial Magura brakes makes us recommend the pedelec even to inexperienced drivers. Braking is impossible!
The Corratec Life with the new ABS from Bosch cuts an impressive figure. The seating position is upright and comfortable
Corratec Life CX7: e-bike with high payload and ABS
With the Life, Corratec is also tackling a second topic: that of maximum payload. Many e-bikes do not manage more than 120 kilograms total weight – a problem! How quickly the load limit is reached becomes clear when you subtract the dead weight of the bike from the maximum weight. Strictly speaking, people over 94 kilograms would then no longer be able to move many e-bikes. The problem is swept under the carpet by some manufacturers, but not by Corratec! The German bike builder approves its bike up to a maximum weight of 180 kilograms. That should find more imitators.
A little tangle of wires on the handlebars is inevitable.
The massive stability is guaranteed by the double tube construction, which, to be fair, won’t receive a beauty award from us. The motto is probably function before form. In practice, the low and comfortable step-in has no negative influence on the handling. tendency to flutter? Not with this model.
The rear light attaches well to the luggage rack.
Because the Life is a classic step-through, the focus is not only on stability and safety, but also on comfort. Whether it would have needed 100 millimeters of travel is debatable. But better to have than to need, right? In the logic of the bike, the oversized suspension travel makes sense, because the same argument can be made for the coarse and 60 mm wide tires on the 27.5-inch rims. The life slogan “From the garage to the city to the mountain pasture” should actually become reality if you put your mind to it. If you stay in the city, the tire diameter plays into your hands, because the 27.5-inch size guarantees manoeuvrable maneuvers.
In the test: the new e-bike ABS from Bosch
Sensors on the brake piston read the movement of the front and rear wheels. These values and…
… further drive data flow to the ABS control unit.
The topic of anti-lock braking systems (ABS) on e-bikes is not new. Bosch has been offering ABS in cooperation with Magura since 2018, and the Italian start-up Blubrake recently made a name for itself with a similar system. Although the technology works excellently, ABS has not yet established itself. New attempt: Bosch presented the second generation of its e-bike ABS just in time for this year’s Eurobike and could now get the timing right. Apparently the design has been streamlined: the clunky control unit of the first generation, which took up a lot of space under the handlebars, is finally a thing of the past. The ABS control unit has migrated to the bicycle fork in a shrunken form. In addition, the scope has been increased; bike manufacturers have a choice of four braking modes (Cargo, Touring, Allroad, Trail). The functionality has not changed (see pictures). Disadvantage: It is not possible to retrofit the new Bosch ABS Gen 2, and it is only compatible with Magura brakes.
Specifications Corratec Life CX7
Price: 5799 euros Frame: aluminum suspension fork: Suntour, 100 millimeters Motor/Battery: Bosch Performance Line CX/750 watt hours Drive: Enviolo, continuously variable hub gears Brakes: Bosch ABS Gen 2 with hydraulic disc brakes from Magura, 203/180 millimeters Tires: Schwalbe Johny Watts, 60 mm Weight: 26 kilograms Permitted Total weight: 180 kilograms
