VOLUME 56 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 P89
reduced drag, or downsizing on
brakes to lower weight.
And then there's been the styling—
dorky-looking is a way of describing
the many aesthetically challenged
E-bikes in the marketplace, looking
more like an assembly of parts than
a single unified design. Unless you
really wanted to contribute to sav-
ing the planet, there's been no real
incentive to buy electric. Until now.
TESTING THE
2019 ZERO SF/R
Slide aboard the 31-inch high seat
that's 0.8 inches lower than before,
and you'll discover a more wel-
coming riding position than on any
previous Zero. The SR/F feels much
more substantial than the outgoing
SR, yet you feel a real part of it,
and this more integrated stance
will give extra confidence to less
experienced riders.
Range is
claimed at 161
miles in city
use, but adding
a Power Tank
will increase
this to over 200
miles.
Thanks to the spacious seat
design that's usefully narrowed
where it meets the "tank," at 5'10"
tall I could not only put both feet flat
on the ground at rest but also move
around easily on the go. You're not
wedged in place at all, plus the
SR/F seems well balanced despite
its relatively high weight. The taper-
section aluminum handlebar deliv-
ers a slightly forward riding stance,
which is definitely sporty yet totally
comfortable, and not at all tiring.
This bike feels incredibly taut and
very together when you ride it.
I spent a good part of my second
day aboard the SR/F on a series
of high-speed pursuits of Zero test
rider Trevor Doniak, and what he
doesn't know about riding in the
Redwood forests of the Santa Cruz
Mountains hasn't been invented. I
found the performance of the new
Zero to be absolutely intoxicating,
