Minimalism on two wheels – Testing the new 2023 Riese & Müller UBN Five singlespeed featuring the FAZUA Ride 60

Riese & Müller asked themselves what makes a good ebike, and what they came up with is the UBN Five singlespeed: a minimalistic city ebike that takes a new approach to the balance between weight, support and design. Has the € 4,999 lifestyle bike got what it takes to win us over with its singlespeed drivetrain and FAZUA Ride 60 motor?

More powerful motors, bigger batteries, more features and more weight. Up until now, ebike brands have constantly been pushing the bar of ebike specs upwards in an effort to outdo each other, which often comes at the cost of agile handling and easy manoeuvrability. The goal? Minimising range anxiety and being prepared for all eventualities. Fortunately, the scene is starting to realise that an ebike must not always be built like a tank. German bike brand Riese & Müller are known for their fully equipped and rather heavy ebikes, like the Load cargo ebike or the Homage GT full suspension step-through. But they turned over a new leaf in 2021 when they presented the Roadster, a sporty and minimalistic ebike featuring the Bosch Performance CX motor. It was a milestone for the premium brand in terms of handling and looks. The all-new 2023 Riese & Müller UBN Five singlespeed builds on that same concept with its FAZUA Ride 60 motor, further reducing the weight along with the output of the motor while stepping up the game in terms of look and feel.

At first glance, the UBN Five looks like a slender and minimalistic city bike without neglecting the most important features. The full-size fenders effectively ward off mud and water, and the simple rack keeps the rear end looking clean yet allows you to attach panniers to either side with a weight clearance of up to 7.5 kg. For an additional € 49.90, you can get the permanently mounted frame lock, providing peace of mind when making quick stops at the bakery or pub. In case the bike does get nicked despite all precautions, you can have it tracked down thanks to the GPS tracker of the integrated RX Connect system. The drivetrain has also been reduced to the bare essentials – just a single gear on our singlespeed variant – promising relaxed cruising together with the equally low-maintenance belt drive. Perfect – as long as you haven’t got any steep hills to climb. The first impression is a lasting one, presenting a well-thought-through ebike without any gimmicks or unnecessary frills, reduced to the essentials.

2023 UBN Five singlespeed vs. Riese & Müller Roadster Touring

In 2021, we presented Riese & Müller’s first light and agile ebike, the Roadster Touring. It won us over with its agile and precise handling. Now, Riese & Müller are stepping it up a notch with the UBN Five singlespeed, which is almost 5 kg lighter than the Roadster Touring, and opts against the added comfort of suspension up front with its rigid fork. While the frame of the Roadster featured straight lines and round tubes, the look of the UBN is reminiscent of modern industrial design, generally seeming more refined. The motor in the Roadster is paired with a significantly bigger battery (625 Wh vs. 430 Wh), but it would be wrong to draw any premature conclusions regarding range based on that, since the range of the battery capacity must be considered in relation to the power consumption of the motor. In this case, the motor of the UBN Five puts out less power, which also means it consumes less power, ultimately offering a similar range as the Roadster despite the smaller battery. Fittingly for this concept, the UBN isn’t available in a 45 km/h version like the Roadster.

The FAZUA Ride 60 motor in the 2023 Riese & Müller UBN Five singlespeed

All bikes in the UBN family come equipped with the FAZUA Ride 60 motor, providing a maximum torque output of 60 Nm. That might not be as much as the motors of the Bosch Performance CX league, but it’s smaller and lighter, which allows a cleaner, better integration with the ebike frame. The 430 Wh battery further contributes to the UBN’s slender design, boasting a significantly skinnier down tube than the Riese & Müller Roadster Touring with its 625 Wh model. It’s in the name of the FAZUA Ride 60, putting out 25 Nm less and a lower peak output than the Bosch Performance CX, though it’s still plenty for most use cases. For those who predominantly ride in Eco mode, it offers more than enough support. Depending on the power curve, weaker motors with a lower torque output are generally less capable of coping with riders selecting the wrong gear than their higher-powered counterparts. As such, it’s better to keep the pedalling cadence high to get the most out of the motor’s support. That’s like revving a car with a petrol engine when pulling away, keeping the motor in its power band to avoid stalling. If you don’t rev the engine, it struggles and possibly even stalls because it doesn’t have enough torque to get the wheels turning. Since the UBN Five singlespeed doesn’t have a shifter and you only have one gear, it isn’t always possible to keep the cranks spinning at the optimal cadence, depending on the terrain. In level topography, that’s not an issue, but it can become one as soon as you hit an incline, quickly bringing the ebike to its limit when the climbs get steep. It isn’t a deal breaker, it’s just something to be aware of when configuring your build. Unless you live in Las Vegas or Berlin, but in places like San Francisco or Innsbruck, we recommend sacrificing the clean look of the singlespeed in favour of the multi-speed configuration.

The UBN offers three support modes, Breeze, River and Rocket, which you can customise via the associated app. In its standard settings, the Breeze mode provides a slight bit of natural feeling assistance. River, on the other hand, is an adaptive mode, offering ample assistance according to your own input, and, lastly, Rocket mode pushes you forward at full power on long climbs or when pulling away at the traffic light. For more information about the new FAZUA motor, check out the FAZUA vs. TQ comparison, published by our sister magazine, E-MOUNTAINBIKE.

Other variants of the Riese & Müller UBN

Besides the UBN Five with its classic diamond-shaped frame and high top tube, there’s also the UBN Seven, featuring a step-through for easy mounting and dismounting. Of course, the UBN is also available with a multi-speed drivetrain. Riese & Müller offer two options for those who don’t live and ride in a flat area: the Touring model, which is an 11-speed option with a classic derailleur, and the Silent model with an 8-speed geared hub and belt drive. Both of these drivetrain options are supplied by Shimano. The 11-speed model is what we’d recommend for commuters who live in a hilly landscape and regularly face climbs. The UBN Touring will even fare well in moderately mountainous terrain with its 11 gears. On the other hand, the 8-speed version doesn’t offer as wide a gear range as the derailleur, though it still makes for a good option for commuters who want to have more than one gear but still prefer the simplicity and low-maintenance of a belt drive. That said, our experience with geared hubs on ebikes has shown that they tend to get overwhelmed with the torque of the motor and don’t last long. This applies to both powerful riders and those who take on climbs with a fully-loaded bike, relying on the support of the motor to make it to the summit. The singlespeed version on test is best reserved for those who tend to ride in flat terrain and want to do as little maintenance as possible.

Along with the various drivetrain and frame options, Riese & Müller provide three other configuration possibilities for the UBN Five. The comfort kit, consisting of a wider saddle, a swept-back handlebar, and ergonomic grips, is destined for all those who value a comfortable and upright riding position. If this sounds like just the thing for you, you’ll have to fork out an additional € 49.90. The € 329.90 suspension kit would make sense if you must contend with dirt roads, potholes and cobblestone paths on a regular basis when you commute. Included in this is a 60 mm travel SR Suntour suspension fork as well as a suspension seat post. With this upgrade, not even the meanest curb will phase you. The third optional extra is the ABUS Shield frame lock for € 49.90, effective in deterring would-be thieves when you park the bike to get your breakfast croissant or daily shot of espresso. Conveniently, the frame lock uses the same key as the lock for the battery, so you don’t need to lug around an extra key on your keychain. A tip from long-time commuters: if you’re going to park your bike where you can’t keep an eye on it and you’ll be gone for some time, it makes sense to use a second lock to secure the bike to an immovable object.

The entire UBN family comes equipped with the RX Chip as standard. RX stands for Rider Experience, and it’s Riese & Müller’s attempt to offer commuters a turnkey solution. The optional services come with added fees, allowing you to choose from various packages depending on how much protection you want. They range from theft prevention via GPS location all the way to comprehensive insurance and riding data tracking. You can use the services in collaboration with the Riese & Müller RX app. Ultimately, it’s up to every individual to decide for themselves how risk averse they are, just like it is with cars. Some insist on having comprehensive cover while others are perfectly happy with a third-party liability plan.

Riding the R&M UBN Five singlespeed – Sporty and agile

Due to the lack of a suspension fork, you’ll do better to avoid long stretches of gravel roads or cobblestone paths. On the upside, the hydraulic TEKTRO TRP disc brakes deliver plenty of stopping power together with the 180 mm rotors at the front and rear, so you don’t have to shy away from steep descents. Thanks to the high-quality, 550 lumen Supernova MINI 2 headlight that’s powered by the ebike’s integrated battery, you don’t need to fear the dark either. The Busch & Müller Xeltec LED taillight blends in seamlessly with the rear end as it’s neatly integrated with the fender. As the headlight, it draws its power from the onboard battery.

The UBN feels very lively to ride and it loves taking on small challenges. Instead of just cruising through the city, it motivates you to dodge pedestrians and bollards on the sidewalk. It’s intuitive and agile handling is loads of fun. The upright, slightly hand-heavy riding position leads to a direct feeling ride, which suits the sporty and unmitigated character of the fully-rigid frame. Because of this, it’s better to avoid potholes at all cost, and the same applies to curbs, even if they’re small. Due to the non-existent suspension and comparatively skinny 1.65″ Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires, the R&M UBN Five has virtually no reserves.

While it’s not on par with the likes of the Bosch Performance CX in Turbo mode, the Rocket mode of the FAZUA Ride 60 motor willingly pushes you along, offering sufficient assistance. The 2.5 single-speed gear ratio is good in flat terrain. If things get steeper, you can resort to the FAZUA Overboost function for a noticeable 12-second boost, ideal for giving you a little shove for that last stretch of the climb, to overtake, or to pull away quickly at a traffic light. Together with the assistance of the motor, the singlespeed copes well with slight inclines and makes it possible to cover long distances in relatively level terrain. If you encounter a somewhat steeper climb that stretches on, even the Overboost function won’t be much help. You’ll need to tackle it with as much momentum as you can build up, and the rest will be decided by the strength of your legs and your fitness level. You can hear the motor working while it assists, emitting an audible hum. To control the motor, FAZUA rely on their Ring Control handlebar remote, letting you toggle modes and access various functions by flicking the ring up, down, or sideways. While the haptics of the ring make a slightly cheap impression, giving you the feeling that something will break, it works well and is intuitive to use. By flicking the ring up and down, you can select the support mode, and if you push and hold the ring to the inside with the assistance switched off, you activate the push assist. It also lets you switch the lights on and off. The integrated mount of the SP Connect system can be used to attach your smartphone to the handlebar, and you can charge it from the ebike’s integrated battery with a USB-C cable.

At just 19 kg, the UBN Five singlespeed is light enough for most to carry up or down a flight of stairs to park it in your apartment or basement. You can leave the battery in the bike or remove it for charging – the battery cover is held in place with magnets and easy to remove.

Of course, Riese & Müller haven’t invented the light ebike segment with the UBN – there is the popular Specialized Vado SL, for example, which is around 3 kg lighter despite the fact that it’s got a multi-speed drivetrain, though it doesn’t provide as much assistance either. At first glance, the Specialized Vado SL is less conspicuous since it doesn’t boast the same industrial design look, and it is limited on the climbs due to its weaker 35 Nm motor. The UBN Five, on the other hand, will come to a stop on the climbs sooner, due to the limitations of the single speed gearing ratio.

Our conclusion on the Riese & Müller UBN Five singlespeed

With the UBN Five singlespeed, Riese & Müller prove how cool a city ebike can look. It’s the perfect accessory for hip commuters and city dwellers that value style, agile handling, and easy manoeuvrability. Thanks to a balanced compromise of assistance, handling, weight and design, the UBN Five singlespeed is destined to thrive in cities with flat topographies. If you tend to ride in hilly terrain or value comfort, you’ll be best advised to consider one of the other configurations in the range.

For more information, visit r-m.de

Words: Susanne Feddersen, Julian Schwede Photos: Julian Lemme