n+ Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

The Rallye Edition 750 is a hybrid e-bike from n+, an e-bike manufacturer partnered with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team brand.

This model has a 750W motor driven by a Pinion gearbox with electronic shifting, two batteries totaling 720Wh, and a hefty $7,500 price tag at the time of writing. At that price, we expect the Rallye Edition to offer outstanding performance.

Unboxing

Our test bike arrived repackaged as a customer return, so I can’t comment on the original packaging.

To finish assembly, I just needed to install the handlebars and the front wheel, making it one of the fastest assembly times of any bike that I’ve tested.

n+ sent its smart helmet and magnetic visor with this bike, which are included free with every purchase. This MIPS-equipped helmet has a sleek look and handy integrated lighting. We’ll cover the helmet in detail in the next section.

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Team Rallye Edition Specs

The Rallye Edition has an aluminum frame that comes in three sizes for riders from 5’1” to 6’+. I’m 6’ tall, but I was sent a medium frame, which is rated for 5’7” to 5’11”. That said, with the seatpost at full extension, the bike fit me comfortably. So I’d recommend sizing down if you’re between sizes.

The cockpit is a custom one-piece bar and stem that can’t be adjusted or swapped. The bike’s payload capacity is 286lb, and n+ claims that it weighs 68.3lb, and my scale read slightly over that at 69.4lb.

Up front, you get a Zoom air fork with lockout and 80mm of travel. This is a budget component that you find on bikes that cost around $2,000. Since the seatpost doubles as a battery, you won’t be able to add a suspension seatpost.

In the United States, power comes from a 750W TruckRun rear hub motor. In Canada, the bike has a 500W motor tuned to comply with local speed limits. n+ told me that my test bike was the 500W Canadian version with a lower-output motor and controller, but the motor on our test bike is labeled 750W.

Unfortunately, n+ couldn’t provide the controller spec, so I couldn’t verify how much power this bike actually delivers. What I can tell you is that I tested the bike using the Canadian speed limit of 20mph (32km/h). US bikes can reach Class 3 speeds of 28mph. As always, check your local laws before using a Class 3 e-bike on public roads.

The bike’s two batteries total 720Wh. One doubles as the seatpost, and the other is integrated into the down tube. The seatpost battery is removable, but you have to charge both batteries on the bike, so there’s no point in removing it in practice. Both batteries charge at the same time via a single port located on the seat tube, and a full charge takes around five hours.

The 5.5” color display looks like a proper dashboard, and it’s the best-looking screen I’ve used on an e-bike. Dig in, though, and it shows the same information as most other displays, like speed, watts, and trip data.

The standout spec of this e-bike is its drivetrain, which combines a Pinion C1.9 9-speed gearbox with electronic Smart.Shift and a Gates Carbon belt drive. The Pinion app offers semi-automatic shifting that holds your target cadence, plus ‘Start Select’, which automatically shifts to a pre-selected gear whenever you stop, so you don’t get caught in a big gear. The belt drive also means no grease and limited maintenance, just an annual oil change for the gearbox.

Braking is handled by Tektro Auriga 4-piston hydraulic discs with 203-millimeter rotors, and the bike rolls on 2.6” Pirelli Scorpion e-MTB tires and 27.5” aluminum rims.

This bike also has an LED headlight and an integrated rear light with brake activation, but there are no fenders, rack, or kickstand. The system and battery are certified to meet UL 2849 and 2271 safety standards.

The Helmet

The smart helmet pairs with the bike via Bluetooth. Once linked, it connects automatically. Handlebar-mounted controls are used to operate the helmet’s turn signals. Through the Unit 1 app, you can customize the front and rear lighting, brightness, colors, and flash patterns, and cycle through three presets from the power button.

It’s a premium-feeling helmet with a MIPS liner, and the lights are bright and clear. The magnetic visor snaps on with a satisfying click and never threatened to fall off. It was a great way to ditch the sunglasses, and combined, the helmet and visor make a clean package.

There’s also crash detection that can text a designated contact, though I didn’t test it.

Riding the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Team Rallye Edition

At 69.4lb, the Rallye is pretty heavy, but it rolls easily without power. Under power, the torque sensor works great. Pedal assist is natural and smooth, and the bike never surges.

In Race mode (max assist), I hit 20mph from a stop in nine seconds. The throttle took 11 seconds. These results put the Rallye fourth in our five-bike comparison group. Using max assist, the bike cruises comfortably around 16mph, but reaching 20mph takes a lot of effort. However, the throttle gets you to 20mph, albeit slowly. It’s worth mentioning that n+ says the Canadian version is power-restricted, so the US bike will likely accelerate faster.

The Rallye Edition 750’s performance in our climbing tests was more nuanced. On the gradual climb’s 6% average gradient, the bike produced the joint fastest time in the comparison group at 3:03. On the steep 12% climb, it finished mid-pack at 2:31.

Range came up short of n+’s claim. In Race mode, I covered 32.4 miles at a 16.5mph average with around 1,200 feet of climbing. That’s another middle-of-the-pack result. From 20mph, the brakes stopped me in 20 feet, fourth in the group, behind bikes with smaller 180mm rotors.

The shifting is where this bike shines. The gearbox and belt drive performed flawlessly throughout testing. The shifts were fast and crisp, and the electronic shifter has a satisfying click.

The semi-automatic features work well, too. Every time you stop, the gearbox drops you back to a low gear, so you pull away smoothly without thinking. I often forget to shift down when coming to a stop, so I really appreciated this.

The Pirelli Scorpion tires were another highlight during testing. The 2.6” wide rubber delivers great traction on gravel and dirt. I tuned the Zoom air fork with a shock pump to my 200lb weight, which made a meaningful difference to ride comfort, so I have no complaints about it for urban riding, but it wouldn’t be suitable for off-roading.

Throughout my testing, something about the ride quality felt ‘off’, particularly when cornering and maneuvering the bike. I can’t say for certain what causes this sensation, because everything was assembled correctly and running true, but I suspect that it’s a combination of unusual geometry and poor weight distribution from the seatpost battery.

At this price, I expect premium components, performance, and design, but it really feels like n+ lacks the expertise to design a high-end bike. The Rallye rides fine, and it’s comfortable for general cruising, but it’s twice the price of most similarly specced e-bikes.

Conclusion

So, does the Rallye Edition 750 earn its eye-watering price tag? No, not if you’re basing your decision on performance and ride quality. If you really want a bike with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team branding, then maybe you could justify the high price.

The ride is smooth and comfortable, but in our standardized tests, it ranked in the middle or back of our comparison group. The ride feel is also strange, and most comparable bikes cost much less.

Additionally, this is a young brand, so warranty and long-term support are unknown, and many of the components are proprietary, so replacements could be hard to find if the bike goes out of production.

US buyers may get more punch from the Class 3 setup, but I can only score what I tested. What you’re actually paying for is the excellent Pinion gearbox and belt drive, the fancy helmet, and the F1 team’s badge.

If you want a decent, but unremarkable bike endowed with Formula 1 branding, the Rallye is worth considering, but look elsewhere if you want true quality or value for money.

Score Breakdown

• Build quality: 80
• Performance/Innovation: 70
• Design: 75
• Ride quality: 75
• Price/Value: 50

Overall: 70

Detailed Specs

Electric Bike Class: 2, 3
Warranty: 2 years
UL Certification: UL2849, UL2271
IP Rating: Motor – IPX5, Display – IP66
Total Weight: Claimed: 68.3lb – Actual: 69.44lb
Payload Capacity: 286lb
Motor Brand: TruckRun
Motor Type: Rear hub motor
Motor Nominal Output: 750W
Max Torque: 85Nm
Top Speed: 28mph
Throttle: Thumb
Pedal Assist: 4 modes – Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, Race
Sensor: Torque sensor
Battery: 48V 10Ah (480Wh) down tube-integrated, 48V 5Ah (240Wh) removable seat tube (720Wh total)
Charger: 3A
Charge Time: Approx. 5 hours
Range Claimed: 70 miles
Range Tested (PAS max): 32.41 mi – 1,260 ft. – 16.47mph avg.
Display: 5.5″ full-color integrated display
Frame: 6061 aluminum
Fork: Zoom air suspension fork, 80mm travel, adjustable
Brake Levers: Tektro Auriga hydraulic
Brake Calipers: Tektro Auriga 4-piston hydraulic
Brake Rotors: 203mm
Chainring: Gates Carbon Drive belt sprocket 36t
Gearbox: Pinion C1.9, 9-speed gearbox with electronic Smart.Shift
Shifter: Pinion Smart.Shift, reversible
Rear sprocket: Gates Carbon belt drive rear belt, 26t
Rims: Aluminum 27.5”
Tires: Pirelli Scorpion 27.5″ x 2.6″
Fenders: Not included
Lights: Integrated quad-LED headlight, integrated LED taillight, Bluetooth-linked helmet lights with turn indicators
Grips: Rubber lock-on
Saddle: DDK 1
Pedals: Aluminum platform
Handlebar: One-piece handlebar/stem, 770mm width, integrated display mount
Kickstand: Not included

Geometry Details

Frame Size Sizes S, M, L – Tested: Size M (5’7″ – 5’11”)
Seat Tube: 20.5” (521mm)
Reach: 16.53” (420mm)
Stack: 24.40” (620mm)
Stand Over Height: 34” (864mm)
Virtual Top Tube Length: 22.5” (571mm)
Seat height minimum 37” (940mm)
Seat height max 40.5” (1029mm)
Wheelbase: 48” (1219mm)

Our testing showed its performance matches some of the best commuter-style e-bikes we’ve reviewed in key areas, even if it fell a bit short in others. Our main critiques come down to its dual battery design and custom components…

The Mercedes-AMG F1 Track Edition 750 electric bike just has a little too much hyped-up bling, with too little benefit for the bucks.

It’s not exactly a value proposition or meant for triathlon training… It’s a city bike made for cruising, commuting, and enjoying the simple pleasures of a bike ride.