MiRiDER 16 GB3
A British-assembled 16-inch folding e-bike with a 3-speed crank gearbox, belt drive and hydraulic discs for compact commuting, train travel and campervan trips.
- G3ARED 3-speed crank gearbox: Hill gears with the motor in the rear hub and nothing hanging by the road
- Grease-free carbon belt: Quiet running that will not mark clothes, bags or a car boot
- Clarks CMD-24 hydraulic discs: All-weather stopping with electronic motor cut-off
- 770 mm x 680 mm x 430 mm fold: Under a desk, two in a boot, and on peak trains as luggage
- 250W rear hub and thumb throttle: Walk-assist to 4 mph, then legal boost to 15.5 mph while you pedal
- Die-cast magnesium unibody: British-assembled folding frame with a rear damper and 120 kg rider capacity
MiRiDER 16 GB3 Deals
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Bikesy's Verdict
Shortlist the MiRiDER 16 GB3 if you want a 16-inch folder for trains, a boot or a motorhome, and you also need climbing gears, a clean belt and hydraulic discs. The crank gearbox is the reason this bike exists: it keeps the rear hub motor and belt clear of the tarmac, which is why it sits above the single-speed 16. The thing that should rule it out is the carry. At 19.4 kg you will not want this as a multi-storey station bike every working day. If the lifts are short and you want gears in a tiny fold, compare current offers.
Pros
- 3-speed crank gearbox without a vulnerable 16-inch derailleur
- Grease-free carbon belt that will not oil clothes, bags or a boot
- Clarks hydraulic discs with electronic motor cut-off
- Folds small enough for peak-hour trains with no bike reservation
- Removable 252Wh Samsung battery charged in 2-3 hours
Cons
- Assist arrives after half a crank turn with a noticeable surge, not a torque sensor's smooth pickup
- Rear suspension can bob during hard seated pedalling unless the damper is preloaded
The MiRiDER 16 GB3 is a British-assembled 16-inch folding e-bike for commuting, rail travel, leisure rides and motorhome or caravan trips. Fold it for a hallway, a desk or a boot, then ride with three gears, hydraulic discs and a belt that stays clean. It is a different bike from the single-speed MiRiDER 16: this one had an original UK RRP of £2,495.00, £900 above the single-speed 16, and it is the version with the 3-speed gearbox, belt and hydraulic discs.
Older reviews often used the name MiRiDER One GB3. Current UK bikes are the 7Ah (252Wh) Samsung pack with the G3ARED gearbox.
Why the crank gearbox matters on 16-inch wheels
A derailleur on 16-inch wheels sits very close to the ground. It catches kerbs, collects rubbish, and is easy to bend when you fold. The GB3 puts a G3ARED 3-speed planetary gearbox in the cranks, shifted from a twist grip on the bar, so the 250W rear hub motor can stay in the wheel and a grease-free 111-tooth carbon belt can run the drive. That gives you climbing ratios without a low-hanging mechanism, and nothing oily to mark a suit, a train seat or a camper van.
Folded size, trains and the 19.4 kg carry
The fold is 770 mm high, 680 mm wide and 430 mm deep, held with magnetic catches. That is small enough to put two side by side in a standard car boot or to slide under a desk, and it counts as folded luggage on UK trains in the peak, with no bike reservation. Fully kitted with mudguards, battery and kickstand it is 19.4 kg, against 17.3 kg for the single-speed 16. A short lift into a van or onto a carriage is realistic; repeating that up several flights of station stairs is a proper carry and needs the strength to match.
Assist, throttle and range
The geared rear hub makes 40Nm and cuts assist at 15.5 mph, with five pedal-assist levels through a sine-wave KT controller. The thumb throttle is legal under UK EAPC rules. Without pedalling it is walk-assist to 4 mph; once you are turning the pedals it boosts up to 15.5 mph.
Claimed range is up to 45 miles (72 km). That is a maximum, on assist level 1, and it depends on rider weight, terrain and weather. Independent road testing over moderately hilly terrain consistently achieves 30 to 35 miles on low-to-medium assistance. Aggressive use of high assist levels or steep climbing will reduce range to 20 to 25 miles. The 36V 7Ah (252Wh) Samsung pack sits inside the main frame beam. Fold the bike, unlock it with the key, and it slides out for indoor charging. The supplied 42V 2.0A UK charger fills it in 2-3 hours. A spare 7Ah pack is an upgrade and doubles potential range to 90 miles.
Gearbox oil and warranty
The belt needs no degreasing. The gearbox does: a 20ml top-up of official MiRiDER GB3 oil every 500 miles keeps the shift sweet and keeps the warranty valid. Register the bike on MiRiDER's website within 30 days of purchase, or the 2-year frame, motor and battery cover reverts to 1 year.
There is no rear rack until you add the official bolt-on one, which still lets the bike fold. Tyres are puncture-protected road rubber with reflective sidewalls; on rough towpaths and wet gravel riders often switch to MiRiDER's chunkier Graveler tyres.
Key Features & Benefits
- Removable 7Ah Samsung battery: Unlocks from the frame once folded so you can charge the pack indoors
- Colour LCD dash: Speed, trip, battery percentage and assist level on the bar, plus a USB charging port
- Official rear luggage rack (upgrade): Adds commuting bags or small panniers without interfering with the fold
Alternatives to Consider
The Brompton Electric C Line (Explore / 4-Speed) folds smaller, at 585 x 565 x 270 mm against this bike's 770 x 680 x 430 mm, and is easier to roll when folded. It uses a front hub motor with a separate clip-on battery bag and rim brakes rather than hydraulic discs.
The FLIT M2 has a very smooth torque sensor and a light frame, but it is a single-speed, so it does not have the MiRiDER 16 GB3's three climbing ratios or rear suspension on steep rises.
Reviews
Richard Peace, writing for ebiketips / road.cc, rode the MiRiDER One GB3, the same 16-inch GB3 platform as the current 7Ah bike. He liked the crank gearbox for keeping the rear hub motor and a single belt without a derailleur hanging near the ground. Over moderately hilly terrain he covered over 35 miles, and he found the Clarks hydraulic discs markedly more powerful and easier to control than the rim or mechanical disc brakes common on other 16-inch folders.
Dan Joyce, for Cycling UK, tested the MiRiDER 16 GB3 and found first gear would take steep 25% climbs that stopped other folding e-bikes. He also noted the rear suspension can bob unless the damper is preloaded, and that assistance arrives after half a crank turn with a noticeable surge.
Full Specification
MiRiDER 16 GB3 7Ah build
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original UK RRP | £2,495.00 |
| Frame | Die-cast aircraft-grade magnesium alloy unibody, mid-fold mechanism, rear spring damper suspension |
| Motor | 250W brushless geared rear hub motor, 40Nm torque, 15.5 mph assist limit |
| Motor assist and throttle | 5 pedal-assist levels with sine-wave torque-simulation KT controller; thumb throttle provides walk assist up to 4 mph unassisted and boost assistance up to 15.5 mph while pedalling |
| Battery | 36V 7.0Ah (252Wh) Samsung 18650 lithium-ion cells, integrated into main frame, key-lockable and removable when frame is folded |
| Claimed range | Up to 45 miles (72 km), maximum, on assist level 1; depends on rider weight, terrain and weather |
| Charging time | 2-3 hours (42V 2.0A UK charger supplied) |
| Drivetrain and gearing | G3ARED 3-speed crank-mounted planetary gearbox with handlebar twist shifter |
| Drive type | Grease-free carbon belt drive (111-tooth belt) |
| Brakes | Clarks CMD-24 hydraulic disc brakes front and rear with electronic motor cut-off switches |
| Wheels and rims | 16-inch spoked wheels with aero rims and MiRiDER 1-piece front hub |
| Tyres | 16 x 1.75 / 16 x 2.125 puncture-protected road tyres with reflective sidewalls |
| Cockpit and touchpoints | Riser handlebars on height-adjustable folding stem, soft-touch ergonomic palm-rest grips, Selle Royal gel saddle, telescopic seatpost |
| Display | Compact full-colour LCD dash with integrated USB charging port, showing speed, trip/odometer, battery percentage, and assist level |
| Included equipment | Front LED light, rear reflector, front and rear mudguards, folding pedals, kickstand with stabiliser wheel, magnetic folding latch clasp |
| Weight | 19.4 kg fully equipped (including battery), with mudguards and standard fitted equipment (claimed) |
| Maximum load | 120 kg rider weight capacity |
| Folded dimensions | 770 mm (H) x 680 mm (W) x 430 mm (D) |
| Unfolded dimensions | 1100 mm (H) x 1340 mm (L) x 575 mm (W) |
| Gearbox service | 20ml official MiRiDER GB3 oil every 500 miles |
| Warranty registration | Register within 30 days to keep 2-year frame, motor and battery cover; otherwise 1 year |