With its steel frame, the Geos bike is a welcome alternative to the standard bikes with their aluminum or carbon frames. However, the slim ebike also offers many other interesting details. One of these is the all-new electric Smart.Shift gearbox from Pinion. In our test, you can see how well the bike and gears work together!

Design

The Geos e-bike in itself is nothing new — after all, we already tested the model with a manual Pinion gearbox in detail here in 2020. The elegant appearance of the bike with its slim frame tubes was already impressive back then. Thanks to the triangular profile, the tubes create a very unique look on the frame, which is also reflected in the integrated lighting system. The position light at the front and the rear light have an equally triangular shape, which also corresponds to the logo of Geos.

The high level of integration for a tidy look is also evident in other parts of the bike: the stem and handlebars form a single unit, the seat clamp is integrated into the frame and the pannier rack runs inconspicuously next to the rear wheel. The best hidden feature, however, is the electric drive: a compact hub motor sits in the rear wheel, the battery is invisibly installed in the frame and the operation is done via a single button on the handlebars — it couldn’t be more subtle!

The first advantage of the new and electric Pinion gearbox is already visible when the bike is not moving: the cable chaos previously associated with Pinion has been drastically reduced and instead of two shift cables between the twist grip and gearbox, only one slim cable is required. The cockpit in particular looks much tidier as a result, although the other cables are still routed open.

Equipment

There are now several slim e-bikes with a compact hub motor and Pinion gearbox — but Geos is still the only company to offer such a drive system with torque control! Simplified, this results in a more natural riding experience, as the motor can provide assistance in a more precise way. We have explained the advantages of such a system in detail in this article. However, as the Pinion gearbox does not allow for conventional torque measurement in the bottom bracket, the torque of the Geos Bike is measured directly at the rear wheel axle.

The motor itself offers a torque of 35 Nm and is connected to the gearbox via a Gates belt drive. The battery is split into two parts in the top and down tube, has a total capacity of 350 Wh and cannot be removed for charging. You won’t find a conventional display on the Geos either, but you have the option of using the Geos app. Conveniently, a smartphone holder from SP Connect is already installed on the stem.

Pinion’s Smart.Shift transmission with 12 gears offers a gear range of 600% — a remarkable figure that is hardly surpassed even by derailleur gears! And to ensure that the Geos bike comes to a safe stop, a hydraulic brake system with a combination of Magura’s MT4 (rear) and MT5 (front) disc brakes is installed.

While the rear light and daytime running light are always integrated into the frame, the rest of the equipment can be extensively customized. The test bike was fitted with mudguards and a rear rack, and the bike also rolled on 50 mm wide 27.5 inch Conti Contact Speed tires. Optional extras include an additional Lupine headlight for long-distance vision and a matching front rack.

Operation

Despite (or perhaps because of) the minimalist operating concept, the Geos Bike is easy and intuitive to control: you switch the bike on with the button on the handlebars and can choose between the riding modes by pressing further. There are three options to choose from: no / medium / strong support. The selected mode is visually indicated by the front position light flashing at different speeds — and as the light protrudes slightly, it is also easy to see from above from the rider’s position.

The currently available battery capacity is also displayed on the position light, but only directly after switching on the bike: the light contour then behaves like a charging bar, a fully illuminated contour symbolizes a full battery. However, you cannot access this information while riding; only the Geos app can help here. This also offers the option of adjusting the motor’s riding modes to your own preferences and also displays common information such as speed and kilometers ridden while riding. In principle, however, the bike can also be used without a smartphone.

If the battery needs to be charged, the bike surprises with another clever detail: the charging connection is installed behind the rear light, which is magnetically attached. So you simply pull it out and can then plug in the charging plug (which is also magnetic). What do you do with the rear light in the meantime? You attach it somewhere on the frame, of course, because steel is also magnetic 🙂

Riding impressions

Speaking of steel, let’s continue with that. The material is said to have a certain advantage in terms of riding comfort, as such a bicycle frame is not quite as hard and unyielding as one made of aluminum, for example. This may certainly play a role in the Geos, but the comfortable riding position and the fat tires are more likely to have a positive effect — because the bike is really comfortable to ride!

In addition to the slightly upward sweeping riser handlebars and comfortable silicone handlebar grips, the Brooks Cambium All Weather saddle also contributes to this. The wide tires can be ridden with comparatively low air pressure, which effectively absorbs many small bumps.

Previous Pinion users will have to rethink the operation of the new Smart.Shift gearbox: instead of the usual twist grip, a trigger with two buttons is now used. Thanks to its rubberized surface, however, it is so easy and precise to operate that hardly anyone is likely to miss the old twist grip. But it gets even better: the gear changes are not only incredibly fast, but are also executed at the best possible moment! While the manual gearbox sometimes hitched a little between individual gear changes, here every gear change is wonderfully direct.

And another advantage of the new Smart.Shift system: the Pinion app allows you to define a desired gear for starting off, which is automatically engaged when the bike is stopped. With 12 gears and no gear indicator, this is certainly a practical feature, but we were not yet able to try it out — the software was not quite ready at the time of testing. In this context, it would also be desirable for a gear indicator to find its way directly into the Geos app.

Just as you get used to the nimble shifting processes of the Smart.Shift transmission, you also get used to its noise after a short time: every shift is accompanied by a short sound from the servomotor, which is particularly noticeable due to the otherwise largely silent bike. But don’t worry: the noise is not really loud and you may even find yourself shifting up and down the gears accompanied by a “Psss-Psss-Psss” out of sheer joy.

Thanks to the extensive range of the gearbox, even steep climbs are no real problem. Such sections are not typically the strength of compact hub motors, but thanks to the mountain-ready gearing, they can still be easily mastered with the bike. However, the rider’s input is required — because the Geos is aimed at active bikers who don’t want to be pushed to their destination by the e-drive.

And even without motor assistance, you can get along quite well, which is also due to the moderate weight of just 18.3 kg. In view of the complete equipment, this is a pretty good value. Normally, however, you won’t want to do without the motor and will benefit from sensitive and natural support, where the advantages of the torque sensor become apparent. The same applies to the limit of 25 km/h, when the support stops or resumes again.

Conclusion

There’s no question that the new electric Smart.Shift gearbox makes the already excellent Geos bike even more perfect! The fast and precise shifting processes are impressive with every gear change, the shifter has been improved and the look is tidier. The interaction between the gearbox and the electric drive system is also seamless and leaves nothing to be desired — which also applies to the bike as a whole! The frame geometry, riding position and equipment are ideal for commuters and also offer enough options for the odd extended tour (as long as you can come to terms with the concept of a permanently installed battery).

The finish is of a high standard and therefore corresponds to what you would expect from a specialized manufacturer like Geos. The same applies to the many options for the equipment and the color of the frame: a powder coating in the color of your choice is standard, while the nickel-plated surface of the test bike, which gives the frame that very special look, costs 200 euros extra.

The total of these features makes the Geos an exceptional bike for individualists and technology enthusiasts who don’t have to pay too much attention to the price — because the bike tested here has a total price tag of a whopping 6,995 euros.

All further information and configuration options for the wheel can be found directly on the Geos website.