Usually I would write about the benefits of e-bikes at large, but today I want to single in on one specific bike, the NBD. Tern, known for using acronyms to name their bikes, says this stands for No Big Deal or New Bike Day. While Tern is known for their small compact folding bikes and their line-up of cargo/hauling bikes that address carrying and storing issues, this bike was designed for three types of riders: the smaller rider, the newer rider and people that struggle with mobility issues like tight hips, knees, ankles and even back issues.
There are so many things that make this bike awesome, but there are three I want to highlight here.
These bikes have the lowest step-over height of a bike powered by a Bosch motor system, 15”. There are many smaller, 20-inch wheel e-bikes on the market. However most of them come with hub motors that many new, smaller, and older riders may find intimidating. The Bosch system gives a very natural bike feel, with the gentle assist from the motor. The step-thru geometry is also very wide, so riders don’t have to twist and turn their legs to step through.
Next, these bikes come with one of the lowest seat-tube heights. This fits a more petite rider, and/or allows other shorter riders to have a suspension seat post (which comes standard on these bikes) that otherwise would not have the clearance on most other bikes on the market. In the past I have had shorter folks with back issues that would love to ride a bike, but need that suspension to help with pain relief, and this bike may help them.
Lastly, both of their models come with an internally geared hub, and the NBD5i comes with the Shimano Nexus 5-speed. This hub was built with the e-bike in mind. It’s more robust and handles torque better, so the newer rider who is not comfortable shifting through gears will be able to shift under load climbing hills and click through all their gears when they have forgotten to down shift and need to start from a dead stop.
Just like all Tern bikes, they go through extensive third-party testing to ensure the frames are safe and will perform to the weights/towing capabilities listed, and with Tern Care, the warranty on all your Tern frame components lasts for ten years, making it one of the best warranties in the bike market.
If you’ve been looking at an e-bike but were unsure due to your mobility, height or other factors, please stop by and test ride the NBD. This might just be the bike for you.
