Reviews

Being Human BH27 e-Bike review

Stylish looking e-Bike with superb ride quality
The e-Bike uses steel frames which makes it heavy. Small battery can be improved.
By Kamlesh Malick on June 16, 2018 2:45 pm
Video Review
So we had a chance to test the Being Human e-Bike for few weeks. The Being Human brand has diversified from Clothing and now into e-Bikes and electric mobility products in the future.

The bike looks stunning and is one of prettiest looking e-Bike in the Indian market. 

The Being Human BH27 e-Bike was kindly given to us by the dealer of Pune for few weeks. I have been using the e-Bike visiting friends, running some errands, rides from one end of the city to another and the PluginIndia even did a longish ride to a beautiful lake nearby.

Here are some photos of the Being Human BH-27!

Can the good looks match its ride-ability and performance?  Read on!
​

Specifications & Details

  • MANUFACTURED BY:
  • Being Human e-Cycle
  • MODEL:  
  • Being Human BH27
  • PRICE:
  • Rs 59,999 
  • SUGGESTED USE:
  • Commuting with cities / towns 
  • WARRANTY:
  • Battery     - 1 Year
  • Motor       - 1 Year
  • Controller - 1 Year
  • Charger    - 0 Year
  • AVAILABILITY:
  • Shipped all over India  
  • MOTOR TYPE:
  • Rear-Mounted Geared Hub Motor.
  • MOTOR OUTPUT:
  • 250 Watts
  • MOTOR TORQUE:
  • 40 Nm. 
  • BATTERY VOLTAGE:
  • 36 Volts
  • BATTERY WATT HOURS:
  • Watt Hours = Volts x Ampere Hours
  • 36 V x 7.8 Ah = 280.8 Wh = 0.28 Units (kWh)
  • BATTERY CHEMISTRY:
  • LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC) - This is standard for most e-Cycles. 
  • LITHIUM CELL Info:
    • Samsung make - 3 years battery life.
    • These are Lithium based 18650 cells.
    • 500 cycles are estimated life cycles in this pack.
    • 3 years is estimated life of pack.
  • CHARGE TIME:
  • 3-4 hours with a regular charger 
  • ESTIMATED RANGE:
  • 60 km PAS (Level 3 to 5)
  • 25 km Throttle​
  • DISPLAY TYPE:
  • Backlit Monochrome LCD 
  • READOUTS:
  • Speed, Odometer, Battery Level, Average Speed, Top Speed, Pedal Assist Level (1-5), Walk Assist indicators.
    • No Cruise control
    • No Regenerative Braking
  • DRIVE MODE:
  • Pedal Assist configured with 8 magnet sensor which offers cadence pedal assist
  • TOP SPEED:
  • 25 kmph capped as per statutory regulations
  • TOTAL WEIGHT:
  • 22 kg
  • BATTERY WEIGHT:
  • 2 kgs   
  • MOTOR WEIGHT:
  • 3 kgs.  
  • LED Light & Electric horn
    ​
Cycle Information
  • FRAME MATERIAL:
  • Steel 
  • FRAME COLORS:
  • Red, Yellow, Black and White
  • GEARING DETAILS:
  • 7 speed Shimano Gears
  • Suspension
    • Adjustable front suspension for easy ride on bumpy roads
  • PEDALS:
  • Plastic 
  • BRAKE DETAILS:
  • Quality Disc brakes
  • SADDLE:
  • Gel support 
  • RIMS:
  • Alloy
  • WHEEL SIZES:
  • 26 in 
  • ACCESSORIES:  
    • None informed
So here is our take on the Being Human BH-27 e-Bike:

Styling & Looks : 10 out of 10

  • [+1] The Being Human BH-27 e-Bike just looks fantastic, it’s really easy to see why, everything is nicely integrated minimalist, sleek, and the wires are completely hidden, if viewed from a distance. 
  • [+1] The battery, controller are inside the down tube, making it look elegant.
  • [+1] The cables are neatly clamped in the underside of the down-tube.  A neater way would have been to route the wires inside the down tube, but i guess, this looks fine for now.
  • [+1] The 6 spoke magnesium alloy wheels look spectacular and really makes this e-Bike standout. 
  • [+1] The seat bar is nice and long. Adjusting the seat height is very easy and you don't need any tools.
  • [+1] The backlit digital LCD display with integrated button pad, is nice and large. It’s very easy to read. It has a lot of detailed information about the motor and batteries as well, along with the speed and temperature.
  • [+1] Four bright colors - Yellow, Red, White and Black. I personally like the yellow as it  matches the color of my Electric car and it absolutely stands out!
  • [+1] All in all a great looking e-Bike. Many people won’t even realize if it is an electric bike at first sight.
  • [+1] The frame feels smooth, to touch, with top quality paint and fabrication.

Performance & Ride : 9 out of 12

  • [0] The frame is made with steel and thus the e-Bike feels heavy at 22kg. Riding without the motor’s assist is not easy due to the extra weight of the steel frame.  There is no such issues on the weight once Pedal Assist or throttle is used.  It's a breeze.
  • [+1] Superb suspension on the front wheel. The rear wheel is a hardtail and riding the BH-27 is a smooth experience.
  • [+1] I was impressed with the cycle components. The mechanical disk brakes, the Shimano gear system, the front suspension work very well. I always feel, a branded e-Bike needs to have top quality cycle components to ensure good ride quality and the Being Human wins out here.
  • [+1] The BLDC motor is rated at 250 watts and is a geared electric motor which offers decent low speed torque and is  nearly silent. You do listen to a pleasant whine of the motor, especially under stress like while climbing hilly roads.
  • [+1] The controller has a conservative algorithm when user is on the Pedal Assist mode. It takes around 4-5 pedal rotations or until it achieves a certain RPM, before the electric motor kicks in with the electric assist. That is a good thing and a not so good thing. It’s a good design because when you start from 0 kmph, the battery draws more power than when you are at 8-10 kmph, so in a way the controller is forcing you get upto certain speed before, releasing current to the motor. Its not that great because, the initial few pedals are not easy without the electric assist
  • [+1] Even in pedal assist level 5, the energy is released in a gradual manner compared to other e-Bikes. 
  • [+1] You can use the throttle only if the Pedal assist mode is set to 0.  Again an interesting design of the controller here.  It’s very tempting to use the throttle and not pedal, as it’s great fun with instant pickup.  But do understand that the throttle consumes a lot , way lot more energy compared to the Pedal assist mode.
  • [0] Atleast Being Human has provided with 7 speed mechanical gears, which enables you to ride efficiently.  Although, as a cyclist i would still prefer a 21 or 24 gear system with a front Derailleur too. Why skim on this, when you are charging a lot of money for this e-Bike?
  • [+1] The seat bar is nice and long. Adjusting the seat height is very easy and you don't need any tools. 
  • [+1] Seat quality is nice which results in a comfortable ride
  • [0] No Cruise Control mode.  Most e-Bikes have this cool feature. We are maintained at a constant speed until we press brakes or accelerate. The value of this feature can really be felt on a longer ride. There is no such feature here.
  • [+1] The walk mode is performs well as advertised

Efficiency & Range : 5 out of 8

  • [-1] The 36V * 7.8 Ah battery is too small for an e-Bike so heavy. This results in lower range delivered per charge.
    • Using the throttle is a lot of fun, but it also is a battery hog. I once did an all throttle ride test and i could only get around 21 odd km before the battery died out. I expected more.
    • Most of us will use a combination of PAS (Level 4-5) and throttle, that should give you about 40-45 km range before you should start to worry about charge.  Although unlike an electric scooter, with an e-Bike, u can pedal and get home, if the battery runs out.  Again i expected more. 
    • If we use just PAS (1 to 3), you can expect around 60-70 km range
    • I’m kinda disappointed by the low energy density of the battery, a 10.4 Ah battery would have given decent buffer and would ensure less nervous glances at the battery indicator! 
  • [+1] The Being Human BH27 only consumes 0.28 units (kWh) of electricity to fully charge 
    • Very good economy for those who decide to use it as a means of daily commute.
  • [0] The steel cycle frame with the electronics weigh 22 Kg. Any accessories would add to the weight. This extra weight does impact the range, especially on hilly roads.
    Do note - Pune city is hilly and there is extra strain on the motor while riding on hilly roads. In cities like Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai, the you could theoretically squeeze more out of the battery pack.
  • [+1] 7 Speed gears are a boon. When climbing a bridge, many times go to lowest gear and only start electric assist only when i really need it.
  • [+1] Test ride 1: Sus Hills to Kalyani Nagar - 17.40 km
    A ride with combination of PAS (Mode 1 - 3) and Throttle when encountering lots of traffic.  I had around 60% battery remaining.
  • [+1] Test ride 2: Kalyani Nagar to Sus Hills  - 18.67 km
         A ride with combination of PAS (Mode 4 - 5) and Throttle when encountering lots of traffic. I had around 50% battery remaining.
  • [+1] Test ride 3: Sus Hills to Kalyani Nagar - 19.38 km
    A ride with only Throttle with 0 PAS. I had around 5% battery remaining.  This was disappointing, but with a small sized battery, this is decent.
  • [+1] Test ride 4: Sus Hills to Kasarsai Lake  - 17.00 km
    A ride with combination of PAS (Mode 4 - 5) and minimal Throttle. 

Charging : 3 out of 4

  • ​[0] The e-Bike battery cannot be detached.  You cannot take the battery home to charge, you might have to take the entire e-Bike upstairs, if you are living in an apartment.
  • [+1] Integrated battery has its own benefits. No need to worry about the battery, while parking on the street.
  • [+1] No need to place key or any such while riding.  
  • [+1] The Charge Indicator on the LCD shows the exact energy left and is a reliable indicator.

Pricing and Availability : 3 out of 4

  • [0] The Being Human BH-27 e-Bike is kinda expensive @ 59,999.  But you are getting a quality commuter e-Bike.
  • [+1] Being Human company have dealers all over India. So availability should not be an issue.
    • You can try the bikes before buying. ​
  • [+1] The Being Human team sells these online too. Check Amazon.
  • [+1] They are available on PayTM Mall

Extra Features : 5 out of 6

  • [+1] Intelligent display LCD panel. We like the integrated button pad here.
  • ​[+1] Powerful & very adequate LED headlamp.
    • ​It is able to illuminate the road at night, even when there are no streetlights.
  • [+1] Walk Assist mode is a cool feature
  • [+1] Nice electric horn.​
  • [+1] Shimano SIS index gear system is a blast to use!
  • [0] No Tail & brake lights

Long Term Ownership Details

  • The battery may need replacement every 2.5 years depending on usage. 
    • The cost of an extra battery is not known. We estimate it to be around Rs 10k now and cheaper after 3 years.
  • At 0.28 units per full charge, this is indeed super economical!
  • Service provided is still an unknown. But they have dealers all over India and we were told, all dealerships will provide service.
  • We were told that percentage of proceeds from sales goes to Salman Khan Foundation.  Good stuff.
  • We were also told, the company is bring out more Electric Mobility products. So they are here for the long run.  Good stuff again!

Final thoughts

So final thoughts, The Being Human team have done a great job in bringing a quality e-Bike for the Indian market. The cycle components are of high quality - the new Shimano gear system is fantastic, the dual mechanical disk brakes feel very good, the front suspension offers great ride quality. The Magwheel looks cool, although i did not find any difference compared to spoked wheels, while riding the bike.
However, the steel frame just weighs too much.  They can definitely go for lighter materials to save weight.
Also the 7.8 Ah battery for an e-Bike of this size will mean, you will get disappointed if you want to do longer rides. The Being Human team must offer more battery options.

So, would i buy Being Human e-Bike?
No because i'm more of a weekend cyclist, i would like to take my e-Bike to the mountains and a 22 kg bike with a 7 speed gear just won't do it for me.
But if i was a commuter going to work for around 10-20 km, this is a fantastic option.

The Being Human team have done a great job and they have a solid version 1.0 product and can now make incremental updates to this e-Bike and keep upping the ante.
As always ride safe and always wear a helmet!  Over and Out!
This is one e-Bike that would appeal to commuters!  Go Being Human!
Thank You!
The PluginIndia review team would like to thank the following people for being very nice and co-operating with us in order to work on this review.
  • Mr Sunit from Being Human Dealership, Baner, Pune

Other Links
Being Human website
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