Red-Will 2022 Test: a Very Comfortable E-Bike for Rent

Small player in electric bike rental, Red-Will offers a price of €75 per month and above all a very pleasant model. Discover our full review.

The story of Red-Will

The bikes from Swapfiets have inspired smaller versions! The Dutch company has cleverly advertised its rental bikes, loved by delivery people, with blue tires, highly visible on the streets of Paris and now other French cities. Another Île-de-France company is riding this wave in addition to the surge in bicycle usage.

Thus, Red-Will is a small company born in 2020 in the Paris region. Currently, it offers two electric bikes. The first is a classic e-bike, which we tested for a week. The second is a small cargo electric bike, with rear space for luggage or 2 children, at €129/month, compared to €75/month for the standard model.

Introduction to the Red-Will Classic Electric Bike

Unlike Swapfiets, the brand does not manufacture its own bikes. Red-Will entrusts the task to specialists of the French manufacturer Arcade, producing their cycles in Vendée. They selected their Vitality model, with an open frame for city use, retro style, with the battery housed in the rear rack.

A distinctive feature of its livery is the red tires, to stand out among the numerous available bikes and compared to Swapfiets’s blue. But the red contrasts with the black of the rest, whereas Véligo bikes often paint everything blue.

Designed for city riding with a passive riding position, the Red-Will Classic prioritizes comfort. Its “Royal Drifter” saddle is suspended, very wide, and padded, combined with front suspensions. Quite simply, this setup nicely smooths out the roughness of Boulogne’s woods, the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysées, providing exceptional comfort on flat surfaces. A significant difference from Swapfiets, less so with Véligo, which also stands out despite lacking suspension.

Without extra charge, the bike also features a rear rack supporting 25 kg and a small front space with straps. However, this remains somewhat impractical, even for a small bag that tends to slip off.

On the handlebars of the Red-Will

Based on the Arcade Vitality Vintage, the Red-Will electric bike features a Bafang M400 motor. Heavy, this Chinese unit weighing 3.9 kg is also one of the most powerful on the market. With 80 Nm of torque (and regulatory 250 W power), it offers exceptional flexibility, without entering Bosch territory. Of course, the 5 modes allow smoothing out the ride, as mode 3 is often sufficient unless climbing steep slopes. Equipped with a torque sensor, it also responds directly to pedal pressure, ensuring quick accelerations.

Unfortunately, this motor operates with a simple traditional derailleur. The Shimano Altus 8-speed setup is easy to use with handlebar-mounted push-buttons, but limits rapid gear changes during major descents, especially at red lights or stops. Handling-wise, the Red-Will is average with its passive position and the battery shifting the center of gravity backward. The main issue is the slightly narrow tires, less voluminous than Schwalbe tires compensating for the lack of suspension as on a Véligo. Dutch Perfect bikes dislike road imperfections and large potholes, which require low-speed riding to avoid falls.

Speaking of safety, the brakes are Shimano disc brakes on both wheels. We had difficulty assessing them because our test bike was brand new, still in the bedding-in phase. However, after several dozen kilometers, they offered good bite.

Battery, range, and charging: large capacity

Despite its rear placement, the battery is not neglected. Red-Will chose a capacity of 522 Wh from the Chinese brand DLG (known as Pytes), sold for 500 full charge cycles before dropping below 60%, weighing 3.5 kg. Yes, it’s heavy when removing it from the rack, to carry and reinstall. Repeated maneuvers are needed because unlocking with a key isn’t immediate, requiring alignment when reattaching.

Its large capacity provides great freedom of movement, allowing over 100 km in ideal conditions. Naturally, this depends on many parameters, but we managed about 50 km covering roughly 80% with mode 5 engaged most of the time.

For charging, the compact charger is very portable but delivers a low current, taking at least an hour to reach one of the 5 level indicator lights. The battery level indicator on the bike is less precise than on the screen, turning red below 10%. While the modest 80% cutoff occurs at 20% charge, 10% remaining only corresponds to 40% of maximum capacity, which can be frustrating when trying to push to full charge.

A good screen and double locks

The advanced central display from Bafang provides a clear view of speed at a glance and a large battery gauge with 10 bars (rare, as a percentage would be preferable).

Above the mode indicators (1 to 5), information can be scrolled through. This requires using the left handlebar controls, as they are placed there. The small buttons for power, info, and lights are less user-friendly when wearing gloves or with large fingers. The +/- buttons for modes are easier to operate. The “i” button scrolls through current, total mileage, maximum speed, average, and finally range (the most practical figure).

Backlit, the monochrome LCD screen is slightly limited in daylight but very comfortable at night. The light has a sensor and activates automatically, turning on the screen backlight. A small downside is that the light remains on for many minutes after parking, which can be inconvenient when parking in an apartment or on a balcony.

Like its competitors, Red-Will provides the bike with an AXA-wheel lock and a secondary chain. The chain is very long, allowing it to lock the wheel without issue, and the key is not prisoned in the lock when riding, avoiding small shocks to the left heel. Even if you remove the battery and lock the bike, theft is still possible, covered by the included insurance. A deductible of €100 applies, and the service will deliver another bike.

After-sales service

Additionally, Red-Will can intervene in case of issues with the electric bike. No app is involved; support is via phone or WhatsApp, available from 10 am to 7 pm, with 24/7 intervention during weekdays. A minor downside is that it’s unavailable on weekends, making it more suitable for commuting than for weekend outings.

Another limitation is the coverage zone for bike delivery and support. In Paris, it does not cover eastern arrondissements (12th, 13th, 19th, and 20th), but includes the western part of the inner suburbs. Another city served is Bordeaux, with coverage stretching from Bruges to Bègles, via Mérignac and Pessac.

Price and competition

Classic but distinguished by its red tires, the Red-Will Classic is a very good everyday electric bike. Powerful, comfortable, and with great autonomy, it has no major flaws. Its price isn’t prohibitive, at €75/month. That’s much cheaper than the Swapfiets Power 7, with added qualities. Not quite comparable to Véligo at €40 per month, but Red-Will’s service requires no commitment.

Several options are available:

• Rear bag: €5.50/month
• Child seat 9-22 kg: €5/month
• Second charger: €4.50/month
• Mirror: €2/month
• Phone holder: €1.5/month

Also read: Motto: electric bike subscription from 75 euros/month