Booda Bike Reviews 29

There is going to be a long list of what I didn't like about the bike, but please keep in mind that in general, I am very happy - this is definitely a positive review.

What I like about the bike:
- It's a Rohloff-based bike with drop bars and shifting on GRX levers via Gebla Rohbox, on top Gates parts as well. Go find some other bike like that anywhere near this price range.
- It includes an integrated lighting system not powered by a dynamo hub, so there's no efficiency loss.
- Except for the bottom bracket, no proprietary parts.
- Everything came well assembled and properly lubricated; full assembly took me maybe half an hour.
- The carbon parts are also reasonably priced - I got a carbon drop bar for 89 euros, and they made the price even lower by subtracting the price of the stock bars, out of their own initiative!
- In general, communication with the guys was good.

What I didn't like:
- I have my concerns about the long-term effects of having a proprietary bottom bracket. There are no other eccentric bottom brackets suitable for internal cable routing, and I would much prefer having external routing instead.
- The guys used the stock Rohloff shifting cables - it's strictly forbidden by the Rohbox creator due to them being spiral-wound and not compressionless. This led to shifting being really heavy, spongy, and unreliable. I had to replace the cables myself as sending the bike back seemed like an overkill. I hope they fix that for future customers.
- The frame isn't really prepared for Rohloff so the shifting cables are zip-tied to the chainstay. Not very tidy but I can live with that.
- I second the other reviewer's opinion about the mudguards - I swapped them out for SKS Bluemels almost immediately due to the rattle.
- The Supernova is a tad disappointing - you are supposed to connect the front light via a cable that just dangles there when the light is not needed. How come they didn't think about integrating it into the mount I don't understand. Still, it's not Booda's fault.
- It took them three months to send the bike over. Reportedly, it was caused by production issues on the Gates side, which I've confirmed with Gates, but communication from Booda could be more proactive - I had to remind about myself quite a few times.
- Size chart on their site is very misleading. Luckily I already had a bike that went through a bike fit, so I knew that with my 178cm and 82 inseam, I would need an S and not an M recommended by the site. Beware!

So yeah, I am two months in, so far so good. Would definitely recommend Booda and Alpine specifically - I don't see any reason to pay twice as much for a Van Nicholas or Avaghon or Idworks.

Update: Boodabike responded weeks after my initial e-mail. It's always something: Spam folder, busy due to whatever problem they are just facing, ... and then all the points of course are not a warranty issue, some even intended (wrong lacing of the wheel for example).
Would not recommend buying from them any longer.

First of, the delivery took longer than expected. Communication regarding this matter was already not so great. A review about the bike on their website did not get published. Now I have some issues with the bike and boodabike does not reply to emails.

The bike itself seemed nice at first, but:
1. The provided mudguards do wiggle quite a bit. For the price-point I expected more from this.
2. The rear rack is quite expensive as well. Even when mounting is included, I would buy accessories elsewhere (and there is a mudguard/rear rack combination fitting this bike and style far better).
3. After just a couple of weeks there was some rust at the inside of the frame at the bottom bracket.
4. The shell of a shifting cable is damaged going into the frame and is corroding as well.
5. The wheels are laced incorrectly. It is difficult, with some pumps even impossible, to reach the valve because of the spoke crossing above it. Even though the correct spoke space is just right next to the valve. Relacing a brand new wheel - great stuff.
6. The rear rack was mounted with two screws which were quite hard to turn. I realized why: The wrong thread was used (fine vs regular machine thread).

Some of these shortcomings seem very unprofessional from a bike building company. Some just make questioning the overall quality and longevity of the bike. In combination with no replies to emails this is just bad.

I was looking for a clean, high quality bike. The market is full of fancy looking, expensive carbon frames, these were not an option, I do not like plastic. The steel is real but it is hard to find a good one nowadays. The Booda Bike guys created magic and I am grateful that I found them finally. The Astro feels awesome, like in Avatar, the bike and me connected almost instantly. I have ridden many bikes in the last 40 years but nothing compares to a Booda bike. High quality components, clean design and the carbon drive system makes it an outstanding bike. Thank you guys for bringing this miracle to this world.

I had a very good experience with warranty.

I purchased a Booda Bike Pulse - Rohloff and I'm very happy with it:

- The bike looks incredibly cool and is a lot of fun to ride.
- Marcell went above and beyond quickly answering all my many questions via email.
- The carbon fork noticeably helps with shock absorption when riding on cobblestone or similar surfaces.
- The given delivery estimate of 5 weeks from purchase time worked out.
- Assembly was easy for me, despite never having assembled a bike before.
- Coming from an Alfine 11, the Rohloff is loud (in 6th gear and while coasting), but I had reliability issues with my old Alfine, so I'm happy with the Rohloff.
- Most kickstands don't fit on the bike, but Marcell pointed me to one that works.
- Manufacturing quality is amazing, but as advertised, the carbon material is visible on the fork. This can look a little bit like a discoloration, especially when unpacking the bike. But it's not noticeable at all in daily usage, the bike simply looks great.

After my previous bike (Bergamont Sweep MGN EQ Gates 2015) was stolen, I was looking for a similar bike. In particular I wanted a bike with a gear hub, belt drive and urban look that's not too heavy. I ended up purchasing the Booda Bike Pulse - Rohloff, and I'm very happy with it.

There aren't too many bikes like this on the market, so I was happy when I discovered Booda. I was initially hesitant to order a bike online without being able to do a test drive. But after test driving a few other bikes, I still preferred the look, weight and component combination offered by Booda. Additionally I was very impressed with Marcell's service. He quickly responded to all of my questions via email, and helped me with picking the right model. I was unsure whether to go with the Alfine (Tailor) or Rohloff (Pulse) model. The Rohloff is a little heavier, louder and more expensive. But in the end, it's the most reliable hub out there, and after having some trouble with my Alfine and experiencing how difficult it can be to find shops that can properly service these hubs, I decided to go for the Rohloff which is known for its ultimate reliability.

So in the end, I have zero regrets and absolutely love my new bike. I mostly use it for Urban commuting, but have also completed two short tours (~40km each) with the bike already and really enjoyed the riding experience. Since there is a lot of bicycle theft in my city, I've also added Hexloxs to my order and purchased a separate theft insurance.

I recently purchased the Hiker bike and have been thoroughly impressed with it. Primarily, I use it for my 40km work commute along the Vltava river to Prague. The route consists mostly of asphalt, with some gravel sections. Previously, I commuted on my old MTB, but now I've reduced my travel time from 1 hour and 45 minutes to just 1 hour and 30 minutes, making the ride far more enjoyable.

I opted for the bike with both the mudguard and rear rack, and I highly recommend both accessories. For carrying my laptop, I use a simple bike pannier from Decathlon, which fits perfectly.

The ride is incredibly smooth with no noticeable sounds, and I particularly love the belt drive. I anticipate that it will require much less maintenance, although I can't confirm this yet with only 200km logged.

The staff were very communicative, assisting me in selecting the correct size and addressing all my queries. Although the delivery times were lengthy, I understand this as each bike is custom assembled.

One word of caution: when attaching the front mudguard to the carbon fork, ensure that you secure the top of the mudguard properly as outlined in the assembly manual.

Zunächst war ich skeptisch, mir ein Fahrrad aus dem Ausland zu bestellen, zumal PayPal auch nicht als Zahlungsart benutzt werden kann. Außerdem habe ich hier bei Trustpilot auch keine Bewertungen gefunden. Doch ich würde Boodabike zu 100% empfehlen. Eine super Kauferfahrung! Die Kommunikation war hervorragend und das gelieferte Fahrrad ist perfekt! Es war die beste Entscheidung, hier zu kaufen!