No gadgets, hardly any maintenance - this bike is made for everyday use

Developers are coming up with bicycles for more and more special purposes - from manoeuvrable cargo bikes with a short wheelbase to recumbent bikes for off-road use. But they still exist, the normal bicycles, without auxiliary drive and built for everyday use.

They do not require thick studded tires, complex spring elements or large loading areas. It has not yet reached the digital age. In return, they should be easy to care for and robust, and come with “traffic-safe” equipment ex works. So be delivered with the prescribed brakes, reflectors and lighting components as well as a bell.

The Al-2 from the Contoura brand competes with this claim. And it should be a touch more individual, but the promise doesn't work as well - but that's bearable. Like Victoria, Conway or the cargo bike brand Tern, the brand belongs to the wholesaler Hartje.

The commute to work in the morning, fetching bread rolls at the weekend or going on a day trip where panniers are used, just like when shopping – Carsten Schabacher from Hartje’s communications department describes the model as a “universal everyday bike”.

On the website, the Al-2 is listed as a trekking bike. If you choose an Al-2, technical details, such as gear shifting, are less important than the right fit.

In order to make it as comfortable as possible for as many types of buyers as possible in the saddle, you can choose from four sizes, which are available for the three frame shapes Diamond, Trapezoidal and Curved.

The Al-2 rolls on 28-inch wheels for the necessary smoothness in everyday life. The frame and fork are made of an aluminum alloy, and there are no spring elements - they are too high-maintenance.

Instead, there are some components on board that require little maintenance and are easy to use: The light works automatically and is equipped with a parking light function. Like the rear light, it draws power from a hub dynamo; You don't have to worry about batteries and charging processes.

The supplier Magura describes the hydraulic rim brakes installed on the test bike as “carefree”. Thanks to the closed system, changing the mineral oil used as brake fluid is not necessary; the pads can be replaced without tools.

Typical of the design, the Nexus hub gear from Shimano is also less susceptible to wear and tear than a chain counterpart. But you should have them serviced regularly. The eight gears are controlled by a twist grip. The current gear can be read in the viewing window.

A drive belt would be more durable than the chain, but it is provided with anti-rust protection - not always a matter of course.

The Contoura has a luggage rack bolted to the frame so that it is also suitable for everyday use when transporting moderate loads. This withstands the usual maximum for the design: 25 kilos.

A front rack that could be used to better distribute loads - which has become very popular with city bikes - is not planned.

An angle-adjustable stem is on board for a variable seating position. In contrast to higher-quality solutions, tools are required to adjust it.

The same goes for the saddle. If you want to adjust the height, you'll miss a quick release - which, on the other hand, would make it easier for thieves to steal the part.

Smooth-running and solid – the Al-2 makes this impression right away on the first meters. The rigid fork is made of aluminum and therefore rather stiff. But the driving comfort is satisfactory thanks to tires that are not too narrow on asphalt roads. On forest paths with roots in places and especially on cobblestones, you miss the driving comfort.

The fact that price-increasing and maintenance-requiring spring elements have been avoided makes sense on the everyday bike, which shouldn’t be too expensive either. It only gets uncomfortable on cobblestones - neither the padded saddle nor the possibly reduced air pressure in the 42 mm tires hide that the Contoura is not a fully sedan.

The frame geometry alone ensures a comfortable and only slightly bent posture and thus the necessary overview of traffic situations. If you adjust the stem accordingly, you will sit almost as upright as on a Dutch bike.

The bandwidth of the shift between the lowest and highest gear is completely sufficient for normal cyclists. Although in hilly towns a finer gradation would be desirable. After all, you can choose between the variants with freewheeling or resignation.

In order to give the Al-2 an individual touch, you can choose between 15 frame colors - matt or glossy. You can order your own lettering instead of the Contoura lettering for a surcharge of 44 euros. The driven special model with hydraulic brakes and color "Wet Asphalt Gloss" costs 1099 euros.

The Contoura with V-brakes from Shimano is usually sold for 1199 euros. Bikes from the brand are only available from specialist dealers.

Conclusion: The model is a long way from the claim of a dream bike, as the manufacturer raises it and which is more likely to be attributed to individual custom bikes. The current options are too few, which are currently limited to circuitry and frame shape and color due to the still tense delivery situation. Nevertheless, the Al-2 is a bike that should satisfy many everyday cyclists - at a reasonable price.

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