The Urwahn Platzhirsch in the review – The designer bike made in Germany

Say goodbye to the electric motor whine! The Urwahn Platzhirsch rolls quietly and smartly. The bike is for the most part manufactured in Germany, comes with a MAHLE motor and a choice of belt or chain drive. Read on to find out whether the bike convinces with its everyday practicality.

Creating a city bike that is a real eye-catcher these days is easier said than done. Instead of adding more and more to the bike, the developers of the Platzhirsch decided to take something away: the seat tube. Urwahn applied this concept not only to the Platzhirsch, but to their entire product range – a trademark, so to speak.The elegant and eye-catching look created by the almost absent seat tube will surely attract the interest of design-oriented city bikers. The same frame is used for both the belt and chain drive variants of the bike. With the support of the 40 Nm MAHLE electric motor, the Platzhirsch should also appeal to urban commuters who value sustainability yet appreciate a smart aesthetic. Its sustainability derives not only from the fact that cycling is environmentally friendly but because the steel frame is entirely manufactured regionally in Germany, by companies whose working conditions are fair and transparent. Urwahn have not stopped here, however, and have also focused on modern solutions for the bike’s weight – only 15.6 kg in total – complete with the integrated light system and the variable drivetrains. The model with a belt drive is available for a base price of € 4,699, the cheapest version with a chain drive retails at € 5,199. Optional add-on parts, such as mudguards or a luggage rack, are available at extra cost.

The 3D-printed frame of the Urwahn Platzhirsch

If the side view of the Platzhirsch was a “spot the difference puzzle”, everyone would easily find the first difference. The seat tube ends at the joint with the seat stay and flows into it. Not only have Urwahn created a real eye-catcher in terms of design and reduced weight, but thanks to the compliant frame structure they have also increased riding comfort. The high-quality look of the Platzhirsch, created by the 3D printing process, is visually almost on par with a carbon frame. But, in fact, steel is used for the frame, which is made to fit seamlessly with the fork. An additional aspect of using steel is the fair and sustainable value chain it provides, for which Urwahn created the FAIR FRAME label. Despite the use of steel instead of carbon, the Urwahn Platzhirsch weighs only 15.6 kg – including mudguards and luggage rack – and is thus quite light for a city ebike.

MAHLE X35 – The motor of the Urwahn Platzhirsch in detail

Discrete integration is the name of the game here. The X35 rear hub motor with 40 Nm torque from the MAHLE Ebikemotion is hard to spot for an untrained eye. The drive unit sits hidden in the rear wheel hub and draws its energy via a cable which connects through the axle and runs across the chainstays to the battery. The 250 Wh battery is even more invisibly integrated into the down tube and cleverly blends in with the silhouette of the Platzhirsch. The battery is non-detachable and is mounted to the bottom bracket with a bolted plate and to the down tube with two screws. For a longer ride, a slightly smaller additional battery with 208 Wh capacity can be attached to the bottle cage. The drive is controlled by a small remote on the handlebar. With the three buttons, you can turne on the bike, select the support levels, switche the light on and off and activate the push aid. Depending on the command, you even get haptic feedback in the form of vibrations. Cool.

The features of the Urwahn Platzhirsch

The stylish appearance of the features has been given great emphasis too. In order to maintain the minimalist design, practical everyday features such as a chainring protector have been omitted. This design decision may unfortunately lead to chainlube smears on your trousers. However, the Urwahn Platzhirsch scores points for its thru-axle, which, without a quick release, not only looks smart, but also works well against the casual thief. For extra security, an optional GPS tracking system and magnetic component lock are available. The latter is a system from Hexlox, which places small magnetic inserts in the screw heads, thereby preventing the bike parts from being removed.

Fun Fact: The Platzhirsch can be powered by simply rocking the pedals back and forth, as the motor calculates its assistance by the difference in revolutions between the cassette and the hub. You don’t even have to do full rotations.

If you want to cover longer distances with the bike, an additional battery, which attaches to the bottle cage, is available. For mounting your smartphone to the handlebar, the Platzhirsch is equipped with an SP Connect mount as standard – practical for navigation and very minimalistic. The minimalism continues with the Shimano MT200 brakes that have a diameter of only 160 mm. While longer downhill rides are not recommended, they are perfectly adequate for city use. In addition, the Urwahn Platzhirsch comes with either a low-maintenance belt drive or a chain drive with 11-speed Shimano XT derailleur and a gear range of 330%. Not only the frame but other components are made in Germany too, for example the Ergon saddle, the Acros headset and the Continental tires. Here you can choose between the GP Urban or the Terra Speed X-Gravel tires. Urwahn also use their own components on the Platzhirsch, such as the crank and the pedals. Solid aluminium mudguards, also made in-house, protect against moisture from below. However, the tire clearance is very low, which means that leaves and dirt can quickly collect between the tire and the mudguard. At the dropout on the non-drive side of the rear triangle you will find mounting points for a stand, but Urwahn do not offer one.

Riding the Platzhirsch – The potential of the light ebike in the test

The design of the Platzhirsch impresses from the off. Although some may find the missing seat tube irritating at first, it definitely draws attention to the bike. The oval and round shapes look modern and are discreetly adorned with the Urwahn logo in various places. Even small elements like the spacers under the stem have been adapted to the bike concept. They guide the cables neatly through the headset, keeping the frame completely free of cable ports. Together with the soft transitions, this complements the organic and clean shapes of the frame and highlights the attention to detail. The minimalism continues with the mudguards and the luggage rack. Unfortunately, a minimalist approach can be more of a disadvantage, as in the case of the luggage rack because there is no spring clamp, mount for ORTLIEB MIK, or even a reflector. On the other hand, the quick release luggage rack lets you transport up to 18 kg and the attachment on the mudguard is almost invisible. The fork also has a nicely concealed mount for the mudguard at the front, which can be easily adjusted in height. However, people with large feet may find that they will bump into the mudguard if their feet are positioned a little further forward.

Tuning tip: Add a quick release and reflector for the luggage rack.

When setting the saddle height before riding, it immediately becomes apparent that the adjustability is very limited. Due to the missing seat tube, the curved frame shape and the LightSKIN light integrated into the seat post, the available height adjustment quickly reaches its limits. So, we recommend doing a test ride before buying to find out which frame size fits you best. The locking screw for the seat post, on the other hand, is integrated almost invisibly into the underside of the top tube, which makes it easy to reach and complements the clean look. The LightSKIN lights at the front and rear are just as neatly fused with the seatpost and handlebar. However, the rear light can easily get covered by a longer jacket or luggage on the carrier. The front light illuminates the path unhindered, but as its position cannot be adjusted independently of the handlebar, it limits the handlebar roll adjustment should you need to change it . That’s the cost of seamless integration. The frame’s open design offers more flexibility than you would expect from an “ordinary” city bike. Together with the ergonomic and well-padded saddle, the compliant frame ensures pleasant riding comfort. The seating position on the Platzhirsch is also pleasingly upright and central, making comfortable cruising through the city with the Urwahn Platzhirsch a breeze.

The drive of the Urwahn Platzhirsch is quite sporty and more suited to flat cities. With 46 teeth at the front and a small gear ratio of 11-36 teeth at the rear, it struggles in mountainous alpine villages and quickly reaches its limit on steep climbs. On the straight ground, however, the support provides a natural riding feel and is hardly noticeable due to the very low noise level. The Urwahn Platzhirsch accelerates smoothly up to 25 km/h, after which the motor support slowly fades out. The motor concept, therefore, not only meets the design requirements of the bike but also does justice to its intended use in cities with few vertical metres. The intuitive remote fits into the overall simple concept, but in terms of workmanship, it seems somewhat crude and as if not much care was put into its design. Haptic feedback is provided by pleasant vibrations, which are visually enhanced by different colours depending on the mode and command. The cockpit looks tidy, but the rather oldschool-looking gear shift display doesn’t really fit in with the otherwise elegant look of the Urwahn Platzhirsch. The charging port, which sits very low and in the centre of the down tube directly above the bottom bracket, is a little difficult to reach. On the other hand, it is not in direct view, which is in keeping with the minimalist design language. The rubber stopper can easily be torn off if handled carelessly and only withstands heavy rain to a limited extent.

Our conclusion of the Urwahn Platzhirsch

Commuters with an affinity for design and those looking for something out of the ordinary will certainly be satisfied with the Urwahn Platzhirsch. The bike can be customised in terms of the drivetrain, tires and additional features. Just don’t get too hung up on practicality, as the Platzhirsch holds back a bit there. Basically, however, it has everything to appeal to the modern, minimalist, and sophisticated city biker and excels with design and integration.

You can find more information at urwahn.com.

Words: Gabriel Knapp Photos: Julian Lemme