Kalkhoff Electric Bikes Explained: Meet the New 2027 Image, Endeavour & Entice Range

Choosing an electric bike should feel exciting, not confusing. Yet when a model name includes words, numbers, symbols and technology labels, it is not always obvious what each part means.

The new Kalkhoff Model Year 2027 range has been designed around a simple idea: creating the right riding experience for every rider and every journey. Its three main families—Image, Endeavour and Entice—take you from comfortable city riding to versatile trekking and confident all-road adventures. The rest of the model name then helps identify the bike’s platform, equipment and character.

In this guide, we introduce the new 2027 Kalkhoff range, explain names such as Move, Advance, Excite, Season and Auto, look at the bikes at the heart of our work with Kalkhoff, and explore one of the most interesting additions for 2027: the new Bosch Hub Line.

First, why Kalkhoff?

Kalkhoff has been building bicycles since 1919 and develops and assembles its e-bikes in Emstek, northern Germany. Product management, development, testing, painting, assembly, quality assurance and sales all operate under one roof, bringing more than a century of experience into a thoroughly modern range.

That experience is backed by serious testing. Kalkhoff’s own test centre puts components through extensive checks, with up to 2,000 parts tested each year and bikes tested over 35,000 kilometres. A 10-year frame guarantee underlines the brand’s confidence in its engineering.

But the most appealing part of Kalkhoff’s philosophy is that the technology is designed to fade into the background. The motor, battery, controls, luggage solutions and comfort features should work together intuitively, leaving you free to enjoy the ride.

The three Kalkhoff families: Image, Endeavour and Entice

The easiest way to understand a Kalkhoff model is to begin with the family name. This tells you the bike’s primary purpose.

Kalkhoff Image: comfortable city and everyday riding

Image is Kalkhoff’s e-city family: the most comfort-focused choice for urban journeys, everyday errands, relaxed leisure rides and time with family or friends.

The riding position is generally comfortable and upright, helping you see traffic and your surroundings while reducing strain on longer rides. Practical equipment is central to the Image concept, with features across the range including MIK HD carriers, compatibility with transport accessories, integrated lighting and easy-to-use gearing. Wave-frame options make getting on and off especially straightforward.

Choose an Image if your priorities are comfort, confidence and daily practicality, and most of your riding takes place on roads, cycle paths and smoother surfaces.

Kalkhoff Endeavour: versatile trekking and commuting

Endeavour is Kalkhoff’s e-trekking family, made for riders who want one bike to do almost everything before, during and after the working day.

It bridges everyday transport and longer-distance touring. An Endeavour can be a weekday commuter, a shopping bike, a weekend explorer or a capable companion for family trips. Multi-use tyres, front suspension, practical luggage options, stable handling and removable batteries make the family well suited to varied journeys.

The new Endeavour L Touring pushes that versatility in a sportier direction, combining a gravel-inspired drop-bar format with commuting, bikepacking and child-trailer practicality.

Choose an Endeavour if you want an adaptable e-bike for commuting, leisure and longer tours rather than a bike focused almost entirely on city comfort or rougher tracks.

Kalkhoff Entice: all-road freedom

Entice is the e-allroad family. It is designed for riders whose routes do not stop when the tarmac ends.

Compared with Image and Endeavour models at a similar level, Entice bikes use more adventure-focused tyres and typically offer more front-suspension travel. Selected higher-level models add powerful Bosch Performance Line CX assistance, strong four-piston brakes and equipment intended to inspire confidence on broken roads, forest tracks and mixed terrain.

Choose an Entice if you want everyday usefulness but expect to spend meaningful time on gravel, rough lanes and unsurfaced routes. It is an all-road e-bike rather than a full-suspension mountain bike, and that distinction helps it remain practical for daily life.

How to read a Kalkhoff model name

Take Entice 5+ Advance Belt as an example:

• Entice identifies the all-road family.

• 5 identifies its platform or equipment level within the range.

• • signals Kalkhoff’s high-load Plus concept.

• Advance describes its specification package.

• Belt tells you that it uses a low-maintenance belt drivetrain.

The exact components still vary by family and model, so these words are best treated as a guide to the bike’s character—not as a promise that every model with the same suffix has identical equipment.

What do Move, Advance, Excite, Season and Auto mean?

Move is the straightforward, practical specification. Move models concentrate on the essentials that matter in everyday riding, with carefully selected components and an accessible route into a platform.

“Move” does not mean basic in use. Depending on the model, you can still find integrated batteries, hydraulic disc brakes, suspension, luggage equipment and Bosch smart-system technology.

Advance indicates a step towards greater refinement or capability. The upgrade may appear in the motor, display, drivetrain, suspension, braking or comfort equipment, depending on the family.

For example, the Image 1 Advance combines the new Bosch rear-hub system with a two-speed Gates belt setup, while the Image 1 Move uses a beautifully simple single-speed belt arrangement.

Excite generally marks a more technology- or performance-led specification within its level. An Excite model may add a stronger drive system, a more informative display, belt drive or upgraded equipment. Always compare the individual specification because “Excite” is tailored to the purpose of each family.

Season identifies a thoughtfully simplified, value-focused specification. Season models retain the essential character and practical equipment of their family while using a more economical component mix.

Auto means automatic shifting. Rather than asking the rider to manage every gear change, the system works to maintain a natural cadence. Selected MY27 models include automatic options such as Enviolo Trekking Automatic and TRP electronic automatic shifting—ideal for riders who want to concentrate on traffic, scenery and the simple pleasure of pedalling.

You may also see several additional labels:

• Belt means a low-maintenance belt drive is used instead of a conventional chain.

• Air highlights an air-suspension fork, which can be adjusted more precisely to suit the rider.

• L denotes a lighter platform. Relevant 2027 L models use the compact Bosch Performance Line SX system and a 400 Wh PowerTube Compact battery.

• • denotes Kalkhoff’s Plus concept, with strengthened frames and carefully approved components for higher permissible total weights. The exact limit must always be checked on the individual bike.

What do the numbers mean?

The numbers—such as 1, 3, 5 and 7—place a bike within Kalkhoff’s platform and equipment structure.

As you move through the range, you will generally gain more performance, comfort, carrying capacity or premium equipment. However, the best number is the one that suits your riding rather than simply the highest one.

For MY27, Level 3 is particularly important. Image, Endeavour and Entice share a new frame platform with updated, comfortable geometry, integrated cable routing, MIK HD luggage capability, modular mounting points and front-carrier readiness.

The common platform keeps the range easy to understand, while each family receives the tyres, motor choices and suspension travel appropriate to its purpose.

At Level 5 and above, selected models add larger 800 Wh batteries, stronger drive systems, Kalkhoff’s clean Cockpit 2.0, premium suspension and braking, and Plus-rated carrying capability.

Entice then extends to Level 7 for the most capable all-road platform in the range.

The new bikes at the heart of our 2027 Kalkhoff range

One of the most exciting results of our work with Kalkhoff is the new, approachable Level 1 range.

These bikes have been shaped around the needs we see every day: easy handling, genuine practicality, reassuring comfort and excellent value without unnecessary complexity.

There are three key models.

Kalkhoff Image 1 Move

The Image 1 Move is the beautifully simple city option.

It combines the new Bosch rear-hub motor with a single-speed Gates belt drive, a choice of 360 Wh or 540 Wh battery depending on the selected model specification, a low-step Wave frame and a 150 kg permissible total weight.

With an MIK HD child-seat-compatible carrier and front-carrier readiness, it is simple to ride without being limited in everyday use.

The single-speed belt drivetrain removes the complication of conventional gears and requires less routine maintenance than a traditional chain system. This makes the Image 1 Move especially appealing for relaxed urban journeys, errands and everyday transport.

Kalkhoff Image 1 Advance

The Image 1 Advance keeps the accessible Wave-frame format and adds a compact mechanical two-speed transmission with Gates belt drive.

Its 1.4 gear-ratio step gives riders extra flexibility while preserving the clean appearance and low-maintenance appeal of a belt system.

For 2027, it pairs a 540 Wh battery with a Purion 200 display, suspension and practical carrying equipment.

The result is an approachable city e-bike that remains easy to operate but provides additional flexibility for changing gradients, longer routes and more varied riding conditions.

Kalkhoff Endeavour 1 Move

The Endeavour 1 Move takes the same welcoming idea into the trekking category.

It uses the Bosch rear-hub motor with Shimano CUES nine-speed gearing and a choice of 360 Wh or 540 Wh battery, depending on the selected specification.

Multi-use tyres, suspension, an MIK HD carrier and front-carrier readiness make it a versatile partner for commuting, shopping and longer leisure rides.

Where the Image models focus more strongly on city comfort and easy operation, the Endeavour 1 Move offers a wider choice of gears for riders covering longer distances or encountering more varied terrain.

All three bikes are offered as low-step Wave models, and the 2027 range includes three colours for each model.

More importantly, each bike makes electric cycling easier to understand: choose city simplicity, city flexibility or trekking versatility.

Introducing the new Bosch Hub Line

The new Bosch Hub Line is a major part of the Level 1 story.

Instead of placing the motor at the crank, Bosch’s new system uses a compact motor in the rear wheel hub.

Kalkhoff specifies the new rear-hub drive at just 2.3 kg, with up to 45 Nm of torque and a stated 400 W output. Its small size allows neat, minimalist integration and contributes to an agile, natural-feeling bike.

A cadence sensor detects pedalling speed and uses that information to deliver assistance. The system is designed to work alongside Bosch smart-system batteries, displays and rider controls, creating a clean and approachable package for everyday cycling.

Why does that matter to the rider?

A lightweight hub motor can make an e-bike feel visually cleaner and less imposing, while its smooth assistance and reduced complexity suit riders who want dependable support without chasing maximum torque.

It is especially well matched to everyday city riding and moderate trekking routes.

It is worth being clear about the trade-off. Riders tackling very steep hills, carrying demanding loads in hilly country or regularly riding rough terrain may be better served by one of Kalkhoff’s more powerful mid-drive Bosch Performance Line, Performance Line PX or Performance Line CX models.

The Hub Line is about lightness, simplicity and natural everyday assistance—not winning a torque contest.

More MY27 highlights

Beyond the new entry platform, Kalkhoff’s 2027 range introduces meaningful improvements across the portfolio:

• New Level 3 frame platform: Comfortable updated geometry, integrated cable routing, MIK HD carriers, modular mounting points and front-carrier readiness across Image, Endeavour and Entice.

• Clean Cockpit 2.0: Selected higher-level models integrate cables more neatly while retaining an adjustable riding position.

• High-load capability: Selected 5+ bikes reach a permissible total weight of 180 kg, supported by reinforced frames, wheels, braking and carrying components.

• Automatic shifting: Selected city and trekking models reduce the need to think about gear changes, with automatic Enviolo and TRP systems available.

• Lightweight L models: Compact Bosch Performance Line SX assistance and a 400 Wh battery create lighter, agile options for city, trekking and all-road riders.

• Greater all-road performance: Selected Entice models use the Bosch Performance Line CX smart system with updates of up to 120 Nm, alongside appropriate drivetrain and hub upgrades.

Which Kalkhoff is right for you?

If you mainly want relaxed city riding, easy mounting and everyday comfort, start with Image.

If your week mixes commuting, shopping, leisure rides and longer tours, look at Endeavour.

If your sense of adventure regularly takes you onto gravel and rougher tracks, Entice is the natural place to begin.

Then decide how much range, power, carrying capacity and equipment you genuinely need.

A simple Image 1 Move may be more enjoyable for a city rider than a much more powerful bike. Equally, a high-capacity Endeavour or Entice can transform longer, hillier and more heavily loaded journeys.

The best way to understand the difference is to ride them.

Explore our new Kalkhoff electric bike collection, compare the models and speak to our team for straightforward advice. We will help you find the Kalkhoff that fits your routes, your priorities and the way you want to move in 2027.

Specifications and UK availability may vary by model, frame style and size, and may be updated by the manufacturer. Always check the final product page or ask our team to confirm the specification, permissible total weight and compatibility of the exact bike you are considering.