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Formula 1 teams have partnered with bike brands for years, but few collaborations feel this extreme. The new Mercedes-AMG Petronas Rallye Edition from N+ Bikes combines race-inspired engineering with one of the most advanced drivetrains we’ve seen on an e-bike. Featuring a German-built sequential gearbox, a 70-mile assisted range, and styling pulled straight from the F1 paddock, this futuristic electric bike feels less like a commuter and more like a two-wheeled race machine. At $7,500, it’s expensive—but after riding it, we understand why it’s nearly sold out.
What It Is
A surprising number of professional racecar drivers love cycling, for both physical endurance of aerobic exercise as well as the mindset required to push hard and maintain focus over the course of a long ride. A few laps around a circuit on a road bike can also help to reveal the tiny details that might make the difference between a race win, a podium finish, or an off-track excursion that ruins a whole weekend.
Hence why bikemakers love to partner with automotive, and even motorcycle, racing teams in the modern era of e-bikes. But not many bicycles on the market, much less those with powerful electric assist, can match the level of detail that went into N+ Bikes’ new partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team.
N+ Bikes Mercedes-AMG Petronas Rallye Edition E-Bike Courtesy Image
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 e-bike bridges the gap between a high-speed commuter and a capable off-road explorer. Finished in matte black with a few eye-catching details that pop thanks to the racing team’s teal blue, the Rallye Edition looks mean and futuristic. Fittingly, the powerful rear hub motor pairs to a unique nine-speed sequential gearbox (SMG) derived from automotive technology and handbuilt entirely in Germany.
This powertrain sets the Rallye Edition apart from three other models available in the lineup, a City Edition, Track Edition, and Urban Edition that all use more traditional gear sets. The City Edition weighs slightly less thanks to a Shimano Cues chain-drive groupset, the Track Edition swaps on semi-slick tires, and the Urban Edition drops electric power in favor of weight savings. The latter employs a carbon-fiber road frame, carbon flat bars, a 55-millimeter-deep F1 team wheelset, and SRAM’s Apel XPLR 12-speed groupset to tip the scales at just 16.8 pounds.
Among the lineup, the Rallye Edition winds up as an e-bike that can handle some gravel, while serving perfectly for light trail rides and urban commuting alike. But it doesn’t quite top out the spec sheet because N+ and Mercedes-AMG Petronas also released a super-collectible Limited Edition with even more appeal for diehard fans of F1 racing.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Rallye Edition E-Bike Overall Impressions
For an all-rounder, the Rallye Edition offers solid capability with 80mm of front fork travel and a set of Pirelli Scorpion eMTB tires that feature a specific rubber compound designed for the high torque of electric propulsion. In this case, that SMG powertrain setup might truly strain more typical MTB tires. It’s a Pinion C1.9 sequential, with every single part handmade in Germany, and can shift smoothly in as little as two-tenths of a second with the push of a button.
The handmade Pinion C1.9 sequential shifts smoothly in as little as two-tenths of a second and uses a carbon-fiber belt instead of a chain.Deven McCoy
The planetary gear-based setup reduces gear noise, as well as powertrain losses through the carbon-fiber belt and e-motor, which results in a crisp sensation from pedal to tire. Plus, the gearbox can shift while either riding or stationary, from one gear at a time to partway through the ratios, or all at once—which means no more forgetting to downshift while coming to a stop, then struggling to get going again while overgeared.
Either way, the 750-watt rear hub motor—yep, scientifically that’s the wattage of one horsepower—helps this 68-pound e-bike pull away with ease anyhow. The Rallye Edition qualifies legally as a Class 3 e-bike, and can deliver full assist up to 28 miles per hour. With those quick shifts, nine gear ratios, and Race mode engaged, the powertrain delivers serious pep. In the unlocked mode, hitting 32 miles per hour becomes easy while pedaling with the thumb throttle. Comfort mode, on the other hand, maximizes range, while Sport and Sport Plus split the gap between all-out pace and battery drainage.
The 750-watt rear hub motor helps this 68-pound e-bike pull away quickly and can deliver full assist up to 28 miles per hour. Deven McCoy
When riding at a reasonable clip in the real world, the Rallye Edition can manage 70 miles of assisted range. Dual batteries total 720 watt-hours of capacity, with 480 watt-hours of cells in the downtube and a removable 240 watt-hours in the seat tube. Keeping track of speed, state of charge, and range remaining is all straightforward in the 5.5-inch digital gauges, finished of course in the teal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team.
Key Features
That sequential gearbox stands out as the Rallye Edition’s biggest differentiator from other e-bikes. It’s an automotive-grade unit, though the integrated housing does require gear oil changes every 6,000 miles. At least this reduces fiddling with or worrying about damage to a derailleur, plus the carbon-fiber drive belt also requires minimal maintenance and puts out a bit of a futuristic whine at higher speeds.
Charging the Rallye Edition requires plugging into a typical wall outlet with the provided cable, or alternatively, removing the seat tube battery to swap in another unit. This e-bike also comes with a Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team smart helmet, which connects to either the dashboard or a smartphone via Bluetooth to enable light signatures, including turn signals, that match with the bike’s slickly integrated and automatic lighting.
Speed, state of charge, and range is all straightforward in the 5.5-inch digital gauges, finished in the teal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team.Deven McCoy
Despite the middleweight status that allows for so much range, four-piston brake calipers can rein in speed with ease and a surprising amount of modulation. Pulling the brake lever also cuts power to the electric motor, as a safety features (but one that unfortunately limits the ability to do sweet burnouts). And luckily, the bike comes almost fully assembled, which reduces the common frustration of unboxing and putting together a complicated machine before that first ride.
Pros
Real automotive-grade sequential transmission
Up to 70 miles of assisted range
5.5-inch color dashboard is more motorcycle than bicycle
Cons
Costs an arm and two legs
Weighs 68 pounds with peculiar size/ergonomics
SMG requires oil changes every 6,000 miles
Final Verdict
There are plenty of other e-bikes on the market at lower price points, but this one is for Mercedes owners and F1 fans who want to jump from four wheels to two without abandoning their favorite racing team. Plus, the Rallye Edition’s unique sequential gearbox serves as a constant reminder of advanced technology proliferating down from the world of F1 racing, setting this bike well apart from the rest of the industry.
Though not quite a full-suspension mountain bike ready for huge jumps and top-speed descents, the Rallye Edition features everything for perfect daily riding or weekend trails. The $7,500 Rallye Edition is already almost sold out, with remaining orders available at Mercedes-Benz dealers and online. Potential buyers should probably go to check out sizing in person, if possible, because the bike definitely runs bigger than expected for both standover and reach.
Why You Should Trust Me
When I’m not on the road testing cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles all across the planet, I spend most of my time riding—and obsessing over—bicycles. I love pushing hard up a challenging climb on my road bike, then flying back downhill in a full tuck. Then there’s the freedom of gravel and mountain bikes, well away from automotive traffic. Admittedly, I was a bit of an e-bike skeptic originally, but after testing many e-bikes I now know they open up a world of distance with significantly reduced exhaustion levels, ramping up the fun factor at increasingly acceptable price points and an impressive level of integrated tech to make every ride more of an adventure.
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on May 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Gear section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.