Meet the Bergamont Paul-E: the e-bike that lets you ride, fold, grab and go

sponsored by Bergamont

Bergamont Bicycles is all about bringing urban mobility to the masses. Congestion, pollution, soaring fuel bills and the health-related perils of a sedentary lifestyle – Bergamont believes cycling is the passport to solving all these issues. We’re inclined to agree, and central to this ethos are bikes like the Bergamont Paul-E, Bergamont’s city-friendly e-bike.

The Paul-E is, of course, named after St. Pauli, the lively quarter of Hamburg where Bergamont Bicycles was founded. Home to the world-famous Reeperbahn, the city’s Chinatown and cult football club FC St. Pauli, and recently named one of the five best places to live in the world by The Guardian, the district is renowned for its wild nightlife, its diversity, its friendliness and its punkish, rough-around-the-edges attitude.

Out of these inspiring, dynamic streets comes an e-bike that exemplifies the St. Pauli outlook; the Bergamont Paul-E is a two-wheeled companion that can get you to the office, the café, the theatre and home again in comfort, style and safety. And then fold up to sit snugly in your cupboard rather than become a hallway-blocking nuisance. It’s a lot like the place, in other words: friendly, adaptable and fun.

The Bergamont Paul-E is liberating too, giving you not just the freedom to explore your surroundings at leisure but the freedom from needing to jump in a car to do so. Bergamont is a huge believer in the idea that a person’s time should be theirs to use as they see fit; personal time has become a valuable commodity these days, and it’s nothing less than a tragedy to see it go to waste.

Sitting in your car, stuck idling in a traffic jam, drumming your fingers on a steering wheel while listening to inane talk radio while you struggle to get somewhere? That’s time poorly spent. Riding to the same destination with the wind in your hair, truly experiencing your surroundings and whizzing through traffic on your bike? That’s not time wasted; it’s time gained.

The Bergamont Paul-E design is based around this concept of unlocking more personal time. The company’s first folding e-bike, it’s only 90 x 80 x 45cm in size when folded – compact enough to take anywhere (including on public transport); even the pedals fold in to narrow down its silhouette, making it about half the size of a bicycle box.

Due to its aluminium frame, it’s just 22.5kg in weight too, with a recessed grip in the top tube making it comfortable to carry for short distances. You can fold it down and back into action swiftly too: it’s a mere four-step process, with a safety system ensuring folding only works in the correct direction.

Despite its small size and lightweight, the Paul-E is no slouch when it comes to power. The Shimano Steps E5000 mid-drive motor and easy-to-remove Shimano 504 Wh battery provide up to 200% support to keep your progress speedy and smooth, while the 7-speed Shimano Nexus SL-C3000 gear hub is fully internal to ensure maintenance is kept to a minimum.

The bike also comes with Shimano BL-MT200 hydraulic disc brakes for safe speed control, and the 20-inch wheels are fitted with Schwalbe Big Apple tyres for a comfortable, even ride over whatever urban terrain you might be traversing. And because life certainly doesn’t stop after dark, the bike comes with Herrmans H-Black LED lights front and back, plus a kickstand and luggage rack.

Want to give yourself more personal time and explore your city or town in style? Then enter the fold. The Bergamont Paul-E is available from selected dealers, priced from £2699. To find out more, head over to bergamont.com.