{"id":492285,"date":"2026-02-20T11:32:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T11:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/492285\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T11:32:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T11:32:18","slug":"dawes-elegance-low-step-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/492285\/","title":{"rendered":"Dawes Elegance Low Step review"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dawes Elegance Low Step is, as the name might suggest, an urban e-bike with a step-through frame and, as style points go, one of the more aesthetically pleasing town bikes we\u2019ve had for review. Designed to be as accessible as possible to encourage more riders to go electric, the Elegance offers a competitive package with its Bafang rear hub motor and utility-focused features.<\/p>\n

Taking design inspiration from the Dawes Duchess analogue bike, the Elegance is a modern twist on a classic. In this review of the Dawes Elegance Low Step e-bike, we\u2019ll look at how it works as an urban machine as well as for more countryside jaunts.<\/p>\n

And at just shy of \u00a31,200, it\u2019s within many people\u2019s budgets. Of course, an e-bike at this price is going to come with compromises, namely overall weight and power. But, as I found out during my testing period, the combination of the aluminium frame and chosen components can make it a worthy investment for those wanting a stylish electric bike to get them from A to B.<\/p>\n

Dawes Elegance Low Step: The headline details<\/p>\n

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\u00a31,199 | View offer<\/a><\/p>\n

Pros:
Clean design\/aesthetic
Good value for money
Utility focused with commuter-friendly accessories<\/p>\n

Cons:
Battery range not the best
Bike is heavy
Only one size option<\/p>\n

Specifications
Range \u2013 40 miles (64km)
Motor \u2013 Bafang rear hub motor, 32Nm torque
Battery \u2013 375Wh rack mounted
Gearing \u2013 Shimano 7-speed, 42T chainring, 13-28T cassette
Brakes \u2013 Promax V-brakes
Weight \u2013 23kg<\/p>\n

Dawes Elegance review: About the build<\/p>\n

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The Dawes Elegance Low Step electric bike comes in one build and one build only. That means there\u2019s one frame size, too \u2013 47cm. Although, there are adjustments that can be made to make it suitable for shorter or taller riders. Namely, the stem height and angle can be adjusted to increase or decrease the reach on the bike.<\/p>\n

Related Articles<\/p>\n

In any position, though, it offers a nice and upright riding position so you feel in control and have a good visual position whilst riding.<\/p>\n

The frame itself looks like a steel build, but it\u2019s actually made from aluminium \u2013 which is good because a city e-bike with a rear rack mounted battery is already likely to be on the heavier side. So a lighter material like aluminium helps to keep the kilograms at bay.<\/p>\n

The slow-step frame design makes it easy to get on and off the bike without having to stretch over the saddle. It also means that when you set off from a junction you are less likely to lose balance when remounting the bike.<\/p>\n

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But let\u2019s talk about what makes this bike a bike \u2013 the components. Remember it\u2019s only \u00a31,199 at full price, so it\u2019s never going to be a slick, full-powered mid-drive e-bike. Instead, it uses a Shimano 7-speed drivetrain with a gripshifter, and yes, the gear numbers are visible for those of us that rely on that type of cue to know what gear they\u2019re in.<\/p>\n

I found the Revoshift shifter easy to use, even in gloves, which sadly were a staple for the season I tested the Elegance in. The gears themselves weren\u2019t always quite matched up and occasionally skipped, but the ratio was good and I barely found an incline that was too much to ride up.<\/p>\n

Then there are the brakes. It\u2019s quite rare to see anything other than disc brakes on e-bikes these days, and I\u2019m torn between my dislike of mechanical disc brakes and the alternative which Dawes has gone for here: v-brakes. Mechanical disc brakes can be fiddly if not setup correctly but do have greater stopping power than traditional rim brakes. It\u2019s a sign of a budget bike to see v-brakes on it in this day and age, but some compromises do have to be made to hit a certain price point.<\/p>\n

Dawes Elegance review: The motor and battery<\/p>\n

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What does impress me at this price is the motor system. Dawes has gone for a Bafang rear hub motor, which offers up to 36Nm of torque. In the grand scheme of e-bike motors, that\u2019s not a massive amount, but for basic urban riding I found it to be enough. I did find there was a little bit of lag between turning the pedals and the motor engaging, but the boost from the motor was certainly noticeable.<\/p>\n

There are five assist levels to choose from, and I really felt a boost from about level three upwards. Levels one and two were what I\u2019d consider to be \u2018eco\u2019 mode, and ideal for flat terrain where battery conservation is a priority. Overall, I found the motor to be relatively smooth and it was easy to adjust the assistance levels via the LED screen on the handlebars.<\/p>\n

This screen, whilst small, does offer all you really need on a basic e-bike: battery level, current assistance setting and speed. You can also turn on the walk assist mode via this display, which proved to be helpful in pushing the bike up ramps to caf\u00e9s.<\/p>\n

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What you might also notice about this bike is the battery position. It\u2019s not hidden in a chunky downtube, or placed externally in an unsightly way within the frame. Instead, it\u2019s placed over the back wheel, under the rear rack.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a particularly sizeable battery at 375Wh, but for short journey usage only it\u2019s likely enough. Dawes reckons you can get up to 40 miles or 64km of range from one charge, I\u2019d say it\u2019s likely if you\u2019re using the lowest levels of assistance on flat terrain. But in my experience, I drained the battery faster and only got about 25 miles out of it, bearing in mind this was on undulating terrain and in cold weather when batteries don\u2019t operate at their most efficient. I do like that the battery can be locked with the included keys, which makes parking the bike in a public place that little bit less risky. You can also turn the battery on or off via the power switch on the battery, and check the level without having to turn the handlebar display on.<\/p>\n

How does it ride?<\/p>\n

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So, where exactly does the Dawes Elegance sit? And who is it for? Dawes is positioning the Elegance as a classic and stylish e-bike, for \u201criding around town, local country parks and even down your local canal towpath.\u201d It all sounds very middle-class, holidaying in the Cotswolds, but I think it\u2019s got more use as a town bike.<\/p>\n

It comes with a kickstand, flared back handlebars to promote comfort, a chain guard to prevent chain oil getting on your clothes, and full-length metal mudguards. It also comes with a basket for the front, and a rear pannier rack over the battery.<\/p>\n

In essence, it\u2019s pretty useful, as well as stylish. The ride quality of the bike left a little to be desired, but one can\u2019t expect Rolls Royce comfort from a Ford Ka. It\u2019s not uncomfortable, but it\u2019s not a bike I\u2019d ride for long periods of time. Instead, I found it far more useful for quick trips to the shops, or a gentle ride to a coffee shop a few country lane miles away.<\/p>\n

The Elegance geometry forces an upright riding position, which is to be expected from a step-thru frame. And while this is a key selling point, I did find that it slightly compromised the handling of the bike. Personally, I feel it\u2019s a little sluggish, but then again, that\u2019s better than it being twitchy \u2013 particularly if you\u2019re riding with a full basket of baguettes, Mini Eggs, puppies or whatever you carry in your basket. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Conclusions and competition<\/p>\n

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The Dawes Elegance is a stylish electric bike; there\u2019s no doubt about that. Its almost retro design takes influence from an analogue bike Dawes has produced and applies a modern twist with the Bafang motor. At \u00a31,199 it\u2019s still within what many would call a \u2018budget\u2019 price point in the e-bike world. And I think it\u2019s priced quite well.<\/p>\n

Yes, there are compromises, for example, the v-brakes and the threaded nuts on the wheel axles, but the wide 40c tyres and other commuter-friendly features like the kickstand and chain guard make it an appealing product for those not wanting to spend a lot.<\/p>\n

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Nudged just above the \u00a31,000 price point, our Dawes Elegance review pitches up against a reasonable amount of competition, although not from quite as many recognised brands as you might expect. Bikes from the likes of Decathlon, Halfords and Tenways remain the usual suspects at around this price point.<\/p>\n

Pinnacle Energy<\/p>\n

\"pinnacle<\/p>\n

Read our Pinnacle Energy review.<\/a><\/p>\n

Ampere 700 C step through<\/p>\n

\"ampere<\/p>\n

Read our Ampere 700C review.<\/a><\/p>\n

Tenways CGO800S<\/p>\n

\"tenways<\/p>\n

Read our Tenways CGO800s review.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Dawes Elegance Low Step is, as the name might suggest, an urban e-bike with a step-through frame…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":492286,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,85],"class_list":["post-492285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cycling","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=492285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/492286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=492285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=492285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=492285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}