If you are looking for portability, power and comfort the Espin Nesta might just be the bike for you. They recently sent me a version in Glacier Blue, a silky matte royal blue.
The Nesta is my second review ebike from Espin but it’s quickly become a favorite. In fact I sold my Lectric XP in favor of keeping the Nesta due to its superior features and components.
First let me say that’s not a knock on Lectric. I have been riding their XP’s (1.0 ad 2.0) for a year now but my tastes have changed since the day I ordered the XP. They are still the best ebike for a thousand bucks but if you are ready to graduate to something bigger & better, consider the Espin Nesta.
DESIGN
The look of the Nesta is rather appealing. It’s masculine looking step through design offers a well proportioned geometry that kept my six foot frame in a comfortable, upright position.
The nearly all black Chaoyang Tires (20×4) give the bike a tough look and the frame’s low center of gravity give it a kind of ‘hot rod‘ appeal. Actually it reminds me one of those lowboy trailers user for heavy freight. The black beefy rack in the back is elevated above the fender which makes it easy to keep clean. A small design touch I applaud.
The folding handlebar stem is not as tall as similar ones most folders have. In fact I did not even have to raise them at all after unboxing. I barely even had to raise the seat. The Nesta has a taller profile than the Lectric so anyone who is above 6 foot should find it appealing.
The components on the Nesta just fit well, and its a better looking foldable than all others on the market, in my humble opinion.
The battery (10.5ah) sits right below the seat giving it a good center of gravity which helps the ride. If I have one gripe though, it is the battery size, For the price point (normally $1,599 now $1,329) I would have expected a 14ah for better range.
But since the battery is so accessible it should be easy to upgrade it or add a second battery to the rack which I plan to do.
POWER
Another area where the Nesta outshines the Lectric is the motor which comes in at 750 watts featuring 85nm of torque. By contrast the Lectric XP has only 65nm. A big difference that is noticeable.
After riding some ebikes with more power, the Lectric felt slow to me. The Nesta’s top speed is 25 mph (class 3) and gets off the line in a flash which is helpful for street crossing and avoiding obstacles.
At the higher assists levels power comes on strong and it climbs hills very well, given its more powerful motor.
SPECS
- 48 v 10.5 ah battery (samsung cells)
- 750 watt nominal motor (1000 peak)
- 85 nm of torque
- Zoom hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors
- 15 inch step over height
- Compares to Heybike Ranger, Rad mini step thru, Lectric XP step thru
- Range 20-40 miles—in PAS 1 one test got 70 miles!
- Class 3 ebike
- S ride trigger shifter
- 8 speed, 11-32T
- Weight: 65 lbs
- Seatpost is 30.4 mm
- Rated for riders at 275 lbs or less
- Min saddle height is 33”
- Made with aluminum alloy
- Color: Glacier blue or snake gray
SUMMARY
All in all I am a fan of the Nesta and am going to make it a permanent part of my ebike collection. I should note that they sent the bike to me for free but that didn’t affect my opinion. Espin actually has a great lineup of ebikes from a stealth one to an all terrain option, so would encourage you to see what else they have to offer.