Propella Mini Review 2024

With cost efficiency being one of the guiding principles behind the Mini, the 36V, 7Ah battery makes a lot of sense. Batteries are the most expensive component of an e-bike, so by going smaller you’re going to save a good chunk of money.

But with a smaller battery, you’re going to get a smaller range. We did two range tests on the Mini, one in PAS 5 and the other in PAS 3. Our choice to do a test in PAS 5 should be pretty self explanatory: We wanted to see how far it would go using the most assistance, but our choice to use PAS 3 may be a little less obvious. As we mentioned in the circuit test section, PAS 3 was the lowest assist setting that the Mini gave detectable assistance so we chose to range test it in that setting. We theoretically could see a further range in a lower assist setting, but we’d wager few people will want to ride the Mini for a long distance in a lower setting than PAS 3 unless they have to.

In both tests, the Mini performed about as expected. In PAS 5, the bike went for 14.49 miles at an average speed of 15.2 mph while in PAS 3 the bike went for 22.76 miles with an average speed of 12.8 mph.

Compared to the range test results of similarly powered and priced e-bikes we’ve reviewed in the past, the Mini’s range results are a little lower than average. The Ride1UP Roadster V2 we reviewed this year, for example, which is powered by the same size battery as the Mini but with a larger motor, went for over 16 miles on max power. The Rad Power Bikes RadMission, which for the same price boasts a much larger 48V, 10.4Ah battery, went for over 40 miles.

The Mini may not be a long hauler, but I’d argue it very much isn’t intended to be. It’s quirky design alone should be a strong indicator that this bike prioritizes fun over function, and for that purpose I’d say its range suits the Mini fine.

I have to admit that I had a lot of doubts about how the Propella Mini would perform on our test hill, Hell Hole. With a single speed drivetrain and a very modest 250W motor, I wouldn’t have faulted the bike had the hill got the best of it — bikes far more powerful, better geared and much pricier fail our hill test all the time.

But the Mini did not give out. In fact, it laid down a pretty respectable time.

The Mini crested Hell Hole in 1:36.00 with an average speed of 11.3 mph. Compared to all the bikes we’ve tested on Hell Hole, that time is in the bottom quarter of results. But regardless of where that result is on our leaderboard, we’re incredibly impressed the Mini was able to put up a result at all.

There are several factors that, in hindsight, should have tipped me off that the Mini would do fine on our test hill. The first is the bike’s weight — it’s just 33 lbs. Second is the balanced 46t x 16t gear ratio, which feels soft and spinny at high speeds but actually is a pretty decent climbing gear, even on steep stuff. Lastly I have to give credit to the 250W Bafang geared rear hub motor, which, despite its comparatively low wattage, doles out a solid punch of low-end grunt.

I also should have known better than to doubt the Mini because the Ride1UP Roadster V2 also put up a good time on Hell Hole. That bike has a larger 350W rear hub motor, but it’s similarly a single speed with a gearing that’s much tougher on climbs than the Mini’s ratio.

One thing to note is that, like in our hill test of the Roadster, I had to stand and pedal almost the entirety of Hell Hole’s one-third of a mile length. Had I not stood and climbed a little more athletically, I’m not sure the Mini would have made it.

Athleticism is a theme we saw throughout all our testing on the Mini; it’s a bike that requires some physical input from the rider to perform well.

The brakes on the Propella Mini are a mixed set made of Shimano TourneyTX mechanical calipers, generic levers and 160mm rotors front and rear.

These are base-level disk brakes from Shimano that aren’t just affordable, but perform pretty well. Across five full-power stops from 20 mph, the Mini came to a stop at an average distance of 12-feet-7-inches. That’s a really awesome result that’s better than 85 percent of the bikes we’ve reviewed so far.

When tuned properly, mechanical disk brakes are an awesome affordable alternative to hydraulic disk brakes. But they are a very finicky component that I’d highly suggest having set up or at least checked by a professional mechanic.

Handling wise, the Mini rides like a BMX bike. It’s nimble, fast and wants to be ridden aggressively. Much of those handling characteristics are due to the bike’s small 20-inch wheels, which make the Mini more flickable in corners and help it accelerate quicker.

The bike’s cockpit is refreshingly simple, with no shifter or throttle and just one display on the left-hand side. There’s no frills like a color LCD, but that display works very well. It’s easy to read in all light conditions and very intuitive.

Though it looks small — almost child-sized — the Propella Mini rides a lot like a full-sized e-bike.

The 5-foot-2-inch to 5-foot-10-inch ideal height envelope is a little short for me, but I was surprised that I didn’t feel more cramped when riding the Mini. Its got an upright riding position and flat, MTB-style handlebars that are comfortable and wide enough to stretch out a little.

The seat is more of a traditional bike seat as opposed to a comfort saddle — which I think suits this bike well — plus comfortable rubber grips. It’s certainly not a bike I’d reach for to take on a long distance ride, but for short trips around town or rides more geared towards fun, the Propella Mini is plenty comfortable.

Aside from the bike’s core components, there’s very little by way of extras. It lacks fenders, lights and racks, though there appears to be mount points for a rear fender or light rack should you want it.

The Propella Mini isn’t going to be the e-bike for everyone, but for those who dig its funky looks I don’t think it’s going to disappoint.

Bikes like this are really great because they are so simple they’re almost hard to mess up. Propella definitely went on a limb here with the looks and design, but I think they managed to pull it off. Some people are going to like it for its low weight; others for the price and others — people like me — are going to like it for its novelty.

I’ve been pleased with the single speed drivetrain, and I’d tell anyone in the market for a good cheap e-bike to not be scared away by the idea of one gear. The only issue I found with this is they chose a small enough gear that I found myself spinning out at high speeds, but conversely I was able to climb more hills than if they’d put a bigger ratio on there — a tradeoff I’ll gladly accept.

And among its competitors in the $1000 or less category, is it a good deal? I think that’s subjective, but I’d say the only metric the Mini may fall short in is its battery life. There are similarly priced e-bikes we’ve reviewed that do go further, but range is not all that matters.

Rather than battery life or power, the Propella Mini places a premium on fun. In that category, I think it does a really good job. All in all, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Mini. It’s a solid bike for a solid price — an oddball that’s grown on me the more time I’ve spent with it.

You can buy the Propella Mini online on Propella’s website and have it shipped to your door. It’s fairly simple to assemble, but should you need help I’d highly suggest taking it to your local bike shop for assembly or a final safety check before riding.

‘Happy Riding, make sure to let us know if you have any questions down in our comments section or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Propella Mini