Complete Your Retro Look With the Stylishly Minimalistic Desiknio Classic E-Bike

Desiknio was founded in 2017, which means it is relatively new on the market. It offers premium e-bikes with a focus on innovation and design. Its products are designed and manufactured in Europe, combining the latest technology with fine handcrafted work.

Desiknio has two ranges of products available – Urban and Classic. I’ll discuss the Classic, which has two types of e-bikes, Single-speed and Pinion.

I’ll start with its design. The Classic’s sleek design is one of the main features of the e-bike, as the company paid lots of attention to details. There are no cables outside the frame; everything is nice and tidy. The welding also looks very clean, with a handcrafted custom shaped 6061 aluminum tubular frame. It’s heat-treated and finished with a premium extra-matt powder coat, painted by hand. You have two color choices – Tenerife Stone and Cosmic Black.

The Classic’s frame is available in two options – Standard, which offers the classic diamond-shaped frame with a high-top tube, and Comfort, which has a low-slung top tube.

So, what exactly gives the Classic a retro look? First, the simple frame and styling take us back to older times. Second, the aluminum handlebar is silver polished and comes with DSK leather comfort grips. Third, you’ll discover a Books B17 Imperial leather saddle, available in either brown or black leather, depending on which frame color you choose. Finally, the polished aluminum adjustable seat post is the last element that gives a classic vibe.

Let’s talk about performance – the battery and charging connector are integrated into the frame, concealed in the main tube and bridge. It’s a Mahle ebikemotion Inner Battery that has a 250 Wh and 7 Ah capacity. Choose the optional Water Bottle external battery, and you’ll have up to 500 Wh and 14 Ah. The minimum range is under 50 km (31 miles) when you drive on hilly terrain at high power, with up to 100 km (62 miles) range if you ride on flat terrains at a lower intensity. Juicing up the battery will take 2-3 hours.

The battery powers a MAHLE ebikemotion M1 hub motor, which delivers a maximum assisted speed of 25 kph (15.5 mph). It provides consistent power, while a PAS sensor detects pedaling by freewheel rotation. With a simple press of the integrated controller, you can adjust the power assistance level, activate Bluetooth connectivity and control the front and rear light system.

The wheels feature Schwalbe G-one Allround tires and are connected to a hydroformed aluminum fork or an optional monocoque full carbon fiber fork.

Fixed-gear bikes provide the purest form of riding while saving weight. That’s why one of the two available versions comes at a single speed. You can either opt for the standard 175 mm Gates CDN S150 crankset with carbon fiber reinforced composite sprocket or an optional Shimano Alfine Hollowtech with Gates Carbon Drive CDX sprocket. The company incorporated a belt drive instead of the traditional chain for a clean, silent drivetrain. The total weight for the single-speed version adds up to 13.3 kg (29.3 lbs.) or 14.1 kg (31 lbs.), including the extra fenders, rack, and lights.

The pinion version is equipped with either a C1.6 standard or an extra C1.9 or C1.12 Pinion gearbox, with gear transmissions tuned for use in e-bikes. You can change gears using the quick grip shifter integrated into the leather grips. The e-bike weighs 15.1 kg (33.3 lbs.) or 15.9 kg (35 lbs.) when fully equipped.

Using the MySmartBike app by Mahle, you can monitor speed, battery capacity, range, and more, as well as adapt the bike to your preferences.

All this doesn’t come cheap. The base price for the Pinion Classic is €5,500 ($5,344), while the Single-Speed costs €4,400 ($4,275). The price will quickly increase if you opt for upgrades. Desiknio's e-bike blends a beautifully minimalistic and retro design with fantastic performance. It is a considerable investment, but it’s a good choice for a commuter bike, and you’ll save up on maintenance and cleaning.