An ebike under 40 pounds is rare, and the C8 weighs in at just over 36. It has a claimed range of 62 miles.TezeusOne category of e-bike I’m always interested in might best be described as “close to an analog bike but still an e-bike.” Current examples include the Aventon Soltera series, the Velotric ST T1, the Fiido Air, VanMoof’s offerings (past and present), and a long list of others. Aside from a slightly fatter lower frame spar where the battery resides, they all share key elements: tiny motors, lightweight construction, and a minimalist aesthetic that makes it hard to tell they’re e-bikes at all. For harder-core riders and cycling purists seeking an analog experience with a bit of a boost, they’re just the ticket. Now, there’s another new player on the market: Tezeus, with its highly tech-forward model, the C8.Available in stealthy black or with an artful white frame and black wheels, the $2,299 Tezeus C8 is a carbon-fiber road machine that packs a staggering amount of tech into its 36 pounds.Tezeus C8 Tech OverviewSimple and very clean in design with no external cables showing, the Tezeus C8 looks simple but includes numerous tech features. White/black color scheme is great looking.TezeusAs noted, the C8 features a carbon-fiber frame as well as a carbon fork. The bike is fully rigid with no suspension. A tiny 250-Watt motor is mid-mounted and produces 75Nm of torque to drive an automatic three-speed rear hub via a carbon belt drive.The top touchscreen display is about the same size as an average smartphone and is responsive. It can show GPS maps or turn-by-turn directions, along with bike-ride metrics.William RobersonUp top, a phone-sized high-definition touchscreen display (above) works pretty much like any smartphone and shows GPS maps, bike metrics and real-time battery range updates among other data bits. Off to the right, a thumbprint reader to turn on the bike is built into a single button that also activates “boost mode." It also functions as a bike bell and has several classic bike bell tones to choose from.The rear LED taillight borders a millimeter-wave radar panel that warns of approaching vehicles.TezeusA bright LED headlight is built into the bar/screen assembly, and out back, the red LED taill ight braces a rear-facing millimeter radar panel that warns riders of vehicles approaching from behind via haptic buzzing of the handlebar and optional audible alerts.This small lever toggles the assist level while riding. It's easy to use but also easy to bump and accidentally change a setting.William RobersonAdvertisementAdvertisementOn the left bar, a small CNC-type metal lever (above) switches between zero (no assist) and three assist mode levels, plus a “walking” mode. There is no thumb throttle. Energy is stored in a removable Samsung 360Watt-hour battery that recharges in about three hours. Unseen within the C8 are a torque sensor for the pedals, and a gyroscopic IMU. The UI includes cellular connectivity for tracking the C8’s location and mapping rides, and the display will show full-screen GPS routing data. Naturally, a Tezeus app connects via smartphone, and it allows for tweaking motor performance, route mapping, and many other adjustments (below, right).The app allows riders to customize motor response and other options as needed.TezeusOne construction element that stands out on the C8 is that there are no exposed cables, wires, or brake lines; everything is internally routed. I’ve seen other ebikes come close to this level of cablelessness, but so far the C8 is the “cleanest” ebike I’ve ridden to date.Tezeus C8 Riding ExperienceI initially thought the C8 would be a bit small for me, but once I set it up and adjusted the seat, it was surprisingly accommodating for my 6-foot-1 height and 34-inch inseam. Since it only weighs 36 pounds, it rides well with no assist in the flat - just like an analog bike. When the motor does start to pitch in, it emits only the barest of a whir that wind noise quickly drowns out. Top speed with assist is 20 mph for this Class 1 bike.Since the C8 uses a belt drive instead of a chain, there is no rear derailleur. Instead, the rear hub features three internal ratios that automatically adjust based on the bike’s speed. At first, I had a bit of difficulty riding the C8 in “analog mode” (no assist) or with the lowest assist level on because the gear changes came too soon (in my opinion), especially on hills, which Portland has many of.Simple and stylish, the Tezeus C8 has robust e-bike functionality to match its analog form.TezeusAfter consulting with Tezeus, they sent me instructions to adjust the gear-change points on the rear hub. It’s a simple adjustment that requires a screwdriver, but if you’re not sure you want to mess with it, any bike shop can handle making the adjustments quickly. The rear hub is automatic “only,” there is no option to change gears manually, but the shift points do have some latitude for adjustment.AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, in the bike’s settings section in the app, each of the three power-assist levels can be tweaked for output power, torque response, and “smart climb assist.” The app also tracks the bike’s performance and can be linked to riding apps like Strava and Apple’s FindMy device location app.The rear hub holds three gears and switches between them automatically. There is no manual mode.William RobersonOnce I had the rear hub more dialed in for local riding conditions, it was off to my hill test and range test. On the hill test, the reset rear hub (above) performed better but I had to mash the “boost” button fairly often while using maximum assist to surmount the incline. That chewed through the battery pretty quickly, but the nice thing about a bike like the C8 is that even with a battery running on fumes, the light weight of the bike makes it easy to ride with no assist - and the C8’s rear hub gearing does not require power to change gears. Even with the long hill climb, I still had some battery left at the end of my ride because I rode in lower power modes on flat ground to get home.Coming down the hill on the C8, the speedometer touched 35 mph, and the bike rode with good stability, although small bumps hit with some force at that speed, but it was never destabilizing. Brake performance at such elevated speeds was excellent, with no fade, partly thanks to the bike’s light weight. At more typical speeds, the brakes have excellent power and feelSimple, elegant and effective, the Tezeus C8 is the top of the Tezeus range but remains affordable.William RobersonWhere the Tezeus really performs best is on flat roads, where the smaller motor gets it rolling at 20 mph and the automatic rear hub shifts seamlessly through its three gears, leaving the rider to focus on traffic and other conditions. Speaking of traffic, it was also a bonus to have the rear radar chirp when a vehicle was approaching, and if desired, the chirp can be turned off while the haptic system’s buzz can be adjusted for intensity and other factors. Riders also get an on-screen indication that there is traffic behind the bike, but it’s a bit hard to decipher at a glance. For me, the haptic buzz in the bars was sufficient. Because of the screen and haptic integration, the C8’s handlebars are not replaceable with other bars, but I prefer a flat handlebar, so it fits my use profile just fine.AdvertisementAdvertisementI also put the C8’s display and GPS navigation system to the test, and it was about as easy to use as GPS on my iPhone, so it earns passing marks. It can also provide simple turn-by-turn directions or a full map. While riding, the native home display shows speed and motor output, along with time and other metrics that can be configured in settings. It is the best-performing and easiest-to-use display I’ve ever seen on an ebike. While riding home one evening, the headlight automatically activated as daylight dimmed. It can also be activated manually. The rear taillight is always on for added safety.ConclusionThe Tezeus C8 is a great city bike with appeal to both techie riders and analog die-hards. That's hard to do.TezeusI was very impressed with the Tezeus C8. It’s Tezeus’ top-tier bike, and the fact that it comes in at such a low weight with a carbon frame and so much embedded tech for an MSRP of $2,399 makes it a tremendous value. Also, Tezeus’s dedication to routing all cabling inside the bike makes it one of the cleanest and most stylish e-bikes I’ve ever seen. I prefer the white frame that contrasts with the black aero wheels over the all-black version, but both look great.If I could change anything on the C8, it would be to add a couple of gears to the rear hub for better climbing ability in cities, as I live in an area with a lot of hills. But with the tip from Tezeus on adjusting the rear hub’s engagement points, I was able to fine-tune it for my riding style and the hill challenges. As noted, flat ground is where the bike shines best.If you’re a fan of analog bikes but want or need a bit of assist on hills or for a long commute, this is an e-bike that ticks a lot of boxes: it looks analog, has great style, and while loaded with advanced technology, it doesn’t flaunt it, making it a stealthy e-bike most people won’t be able to tell is a tech-forward electrified urban specialist.AdvertisementAdvertisementThank you for reading. Subscribing to Forbes.com allows you to leave comments and supports contributors like myself. You can also follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn.This article was originally published on Forbes.com