The Propella Mini is a Class 1 250w electric bike that is compact and affordable. Although it is “mini” in size, the frame design offers a full size feel rolling on 20″ wheels. Propella is located in the greater Seattle area and their lineup of bikes all fit the urban commuter lifestyle.

The Propella Mini has a 250w Bafang rear hub motor with a 36V 250wh removable battery. It has a slim LCD Display controller located on the bars to navigate the different pedal assist modes. The LCD Display shows the PAS mode you’re in, battery, Speed, ODO, and the time.

It is a Class 1 electric bike that offers Pedal Assist support up to 18mph. The frame atop the 20″ wheels feels like a full-size bike with a comfortable stack and reach. Being 6′ tall it doesn’t feel like a mini bike when you’re riding it. The 20″ wheels offer a short wheelbase making it easy to weave through congested areas or tight corners on paths.

The single-speed drivetrain is easy to maintain a smooth cadence from stops all the way up to 18mph without feeling like you’re over-spinning. Shimano mechanical disc brakes provide this small bike the right amount of braking power and offer easy adjustability and maintenance for riders.

Being much smaller than your average electric bike, the Mini weighs ~33lbs. The Mini easy to pick up to carry into your home or office or up a set of stairs.

The aluminum frame has mounts on the rear to accommodate a rear rack, bottle bosses on the underside of the downtube for a water bottle cage or similar accessory, and even two bosses on the fork.

With a peak of 400W, the Propella Mini has a range of 15-35 miles of pedal assist. For $849.99 the Propella Mini is a great solution to e-mobility and urban living.

Our first few rides on the mini were complex to say the least. Visually our expectations were set around a low powered and somewhat odd looking electric bike. To our surprise the 250W motor really kicked those impressions to the curb and replaced them with a grin. Making quick tight turns and weaving between obstacles was fun and playful.

The Propella Mini is a great little electric bike for those living in the urban environment. It’s lightweight and sturdy construction offer a nimble and quick way to get around town. Despite it’s size and how easy it is to bring indoors, being able to remove the battery to charge inside is another great convenience especially if you have a secure spot to park or lock the bike in the meantime.

It may not technically be the small eBike on the market but it fit easily in the back of my hatchback, no need for a rack if you’ve got the space. For those of us that commute and want to bring a bike with us to leave the car parked and cruise around town with ease.

If you’re in the headspace of minimal and compact a simple bike like this leaves very little room to think negatively, in regard to what it offers. It’s basic and to the point. As an avid cyclist, the mechanical disc brakes give you a whole realm of upgrade options but that is a preference. These function all the same and with attention to setup and periodically checking them they will function just fine.

The big takeaway for us was the 20″ wheels, there is a learning curve of a short wheelbase and smaller wheels especially when most time spent on a bike is with a minimum of 26″ wheels. Although nice for those tight spaces, at higher speeds the bike is much more sensitive to its stability. From a stop, when in a higher PAS mode, if you’re not paying attention the bike has a knack for lifting the front wheel up (like a wheelie) which can disrupt a lesser experienced rider. If a rear rack was utilized we would encourage paying attention to the added weight as it would offset your balance even more to the back.

The Mini thrives in urban environments and the 250W motor delivers a lot of assist to cruise around with ease. The steeper grades tend to impact your efficiency and the single speed has you looking for a slightly easier gear. You must keep the perspective though that the capacity of a small scaled and smaller motor electric bike such as this will likely not be the king of the mountain, but it will get you there.

For less than $1000 Propella has put together an electric bike that will perform very well compared to similar bikes of a higher value. The 250W rear hub motor is the same motor found on many other electric bikes. Being a single speed eliminates much of the negatives of lower quality drivetrains keeping it efficient and effective. With the component budget not compromised on loads of other parts, a reputable manufacturer like Shimano for the brakes, although mechanical, still means you’re getting a quality part.

At about 33lbs, with a 250Wh battery and 25oW motor, Propella has changed our outlook of what a sub $1000 bike can offer to the future of e-mobility. With more of these “mini” solutions popping up, Propella has their foot in with their Mini.

Price: $849.99
Weight: 33lbs
Website: propella.bike