Duncan
Duncan is behind our web content; working with Dan's creative talents is no mean feat. Not content with crafting compelling stories online, Duncan also takes on the role of the EDEMO crash test dummy, demonstrating a fearless pursuit of improvement and safety in everything he does.
Key Features
The Riese and Müller Tinker2 is a compact urban e-bike, delivering a package that’s surprisingly capable, incredibly convenient, and undeniably fun. Here’s our Riese and Muller Tinker 2 review.
- Agile and Stable Ride: Smaller wheels provide enhanced manoeuvrability without sacrificing a balanced, comfortable riding experience. It just feels fun to ride.
- Ultimate Portability: Compact design and easy folding mechanism make storage and transport effortless.
- Low-Maintenance Convenience: Enjoy the simplicity of the Enviolo Vario hub, Gates belt drive and Bosch Smart System’s auto mode for hassle-free riding.
- Unexpectedly Versatile: Tackle a wide variety of urban and light off-road terrains with confidence.
- Share the Joy: Quickly adjustable for different riders, making it ideal for families and shared use.
Frame, Sizing, Colours
The Tinker2’s compact frame is a brilliant piece of design. It’s perfect for city riders to hop on and off, and it’s easy to grab hold of and pick up the bike to carry it up a couple of steps. However, it’s worth noting that although the Tinker is compact and easily stowable, it still weighs approximately 25 kilograms, so you won’t want to carry it a long way!
It’s nice and simple in terms of sizing – one size fits all! The Tinker has two main areas of adjustment that enable the bike to fit a range of riders from approximately 150cm to 195cm. There’s ample adjustability in the seat post height, and the folding stem allows height and angle adjustment to change the reach to match the rider (there are three different positions); it can even be folded below the top tube to allow for storage. This simple adjustability is one of the standout features of the Tinker. It can be put in the back of a car or a motorhome and taken away camping or on weekend adventures. Then different riders can use it, whether it’s popping to the shops from the campsite or exploring the Tinker2 is quick, fun and accessible to everyone. True to Riese & Müller tradition, the build quality is exceptional, and even with all this adjustment, the bike feels solid, safe and responsive.
The Tinker2 is a little limited colour-wise. It comes in Crystal White or Black Matt. I guess this is because it’s considered an urban bike, but it’s also a very fun bike, so some more lively colours would be great!
Battery and Motor
The Tinker2 is powered by a Bosch Performance Line motor with a Bosch PowerPack 545 Wh battery which is attached to the frame. This motor is capable of 75 Nm of torque. The Tinker2 is now on the Bosch Smart System, which means there’s over the air updates, customisation of the display (if you go for the Kiox 300 option) and the excellent new ‘auto’ mode for assistance. This mode adapts the help from the motor to environmental conditions, so if you’re heading up a hill or into a headwind, the assistance will increase for you. It’s a nice feature and matches the Tinker well; get on and ride! We’ve ridden the Tinker on the big hills around us and off-road, and it has plenty of power. The Performance Line motor is quieter than the CX version which is a pro.
The 545 Wh battery is slightly larger in capacity (45Wh) than the original Tinker. Depending on the rider’s weight, assistance chosen and conditions, you should get 40-50 miles, covering most Tinker rides.
Wheels
The Tinker2 has 20-inch wheels rather than the usual 27.5 to 29-inch wheels on other bikes. The smaller wheels contribute to both the Tinker2’s incredible agility and its compact folded footprint. Don’t be fooled by the size – these wheels provide a surprisingly stable and planted ride, even on rougher urban roads. The rims are 20 inches, and the Schwalbe Big Ben Plus tyres both provide a very comfortable ride without the twitchiness you can get from smaller wheeled bikes.
Suspension
The Tinker2 has a Spinner Grind OS suspension fork, which is great at soaking up uneven UK roads. For £ 140, you can upgrade to a Shulz suspension seat post. This option is well worth considering; it’s a great seatpost and makes for a very comfortable ride.
Gearing
Unusually for Riese and Muller bikes, there is only one gearing option, The Enviolo Vario continuous hub gear. This is a great option for this bike. The simple step-free twist on the handlebar system uses a Gates Carbon Belt Drive, which is oil-free, so it is perfect for taking on and off public transport or wheeling the bike inside for storage. It’s also very low maintenance and works well with the simplicity of the Tinker.
Displays, Cargo Carriage, Extras
The Tinker2 comes with a Bosch Purion 200 as standard. This is a neat little colour display which displays items such as speed, assistance level, distance etc. There is also the option to upgrade to the Kiox300 which gives more information such as turn-by-turn directions (in conjunction with a smartphone) and can pair with heart rate monitors via Bluetooth. When you upgrade the Kiox (+47), the LED remote on the handlebars replaces the Purion 200 allowing you to control the Kiox300 display from the handlebars.
Being a Riese and Muller bike, the Tinker2 has all the features you’ll need. It comes with mudguards, front (Supernovamini) and rear (Busch and Muller) lights, a rack and a bell.
The rack can work with the cargo platform option (+£66), which allows an 18L volume box to clip onto the rack. It’s a really nice, well-designed system, perfect for trips to the shops.
We rarely recommend all the upgrades but we do think that the suspension seatpost, display and cargo platform upgrades are worthwhile and make this bike so versatile.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that we love the Tinker2 here at EDEMO. Several of our team own their own Tinkers and don’t have a bad word to say about them. The Tinker2 starts at £4399 and goes up to £4699 and is a very versatile bike for that money.
You can take them everywhere, and a range of different-sized riders can enjoy them so you’ll find the Tinker covers a lot of distance, gets a lot of use, and you’ll enjoy every last mile.
Watch more on the Tinker Ebike
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE RIESE AND MÜLLER Tinker2?
- We’re here to answer any questions, call us on 01453 834300 or email [email protected]
- Our Tinker2 is available to test ride.