Tested: The Look E-765 Gravel Electric Bike – Perfect for Road and Trail at Just 13.8kg!

Look is probably better known for its road bikes and pedals, which is understandable. The brand, a manufacturer of bicycles and ski bindings, was acquired by Bernard Tapie in the 1980s and introduced the first automatic pedal for bicycles in 1984, a groundbreaking innovation that laid the groundwork for all subsequent pedals and significantly enhanced performance.

I could spend hours discussing Look, from their insane carbon frames to the fierce rivalry between Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon, but that’s not why we’re here. Today, we’re here to talk about our test of the Look E-765 Gravel electric bike.

Indeed, Look has ventured off the beaten path, occasionally with mountain bikes, including the recent Look 989, 987, and 979, but more notably with gravel bikes. The company has adapted its endurance bike, the 765, into a version suited for trail riding, including an electric assist model that we had the chance to test.

Technical Specifications

This test was conducted using a model provided by the brand.

Design: Integration as a Key Feature

This gravel version comes in a shade called Metallic Hope Green Satin, which looks like military green in the sunlight and gray in the shade. I was actually surprised when I first unboxed it in the garage; I thought it was gray.

The carbon frame is complemented by black components: the SRAM Apex mechanical groupset (including brakes), the Look seat post and saddle, the handlebars and bar tape, the Praxis crankset, and the Fulcrum E-Racing 900 wheels are all in matte black, giving the bike a stealthy, aggressive look that we quite like.

The integration of components is also noteworthy: the brake and derailleur cables are barely visible under the stem and near the rear derailleur (a necessity for mechanical derailleurs).

A ring at the base of the head tube perfectly matches the frame’s shape, the battery’s charge indicator is embedded in the top tube, and the battery itself is integrated into the downtube, making it invisible, as is the motor, which is almost entirely hidden in the bottom bracket housing.

Even the motor controls are concealed in the hollow of the handlebar; if the downtube weren’t oversized, it would be nearly impossible to tell this is an electric version.

Unusually for a Look frame, the geometry of this model is comfort-oriented. The reach is short at 375 mm, while the stack is high: 592 mm for a size M frame. In other words, you tend to adopt a more upright position on this bike.

A courier might be slightly disoriented during the first few kilometers by the less stretched, less aerodynamic position, but it does make the bike more accessible, which is what one ultimately expects from an electrified model.

Riding: Comfortable on Both Trails and Roads

I initially tested the Look E-765 Gravel… on gravel, as that’s what it was designed for, you might say. And the first thing you notice when you get on is the very upright riding position: Look clearly wanted to make it comfortable for long rides. To be honest, I didn’t find the competitive DNA of my Look 795 Blade RS, which I use personally for weekend races.

When you stand up on the pedals, you immediately feel the weight of the battery in the downtube. The bike sways a bit less naturally than a non-electric bike, but this isn’t a problem since the Fazua Ride 60 motor assistance doesn’t require you to stand up on the pedals.

The assistance is smooth and natural, regardless of the power level selected. However, the activation of the assistance takes a bit longer: it’s not instantaneous like some other motors.

The bike comes standard with 40 mm Hutchinson Touareg tires. While the grip is adequate on dry surfaces, on muddy terrain, a bit more tread on the tire would be desirable for better grip. But above all, the Look E-765, in this gravel configuration, seems constrained by these tires, which are too thin and not durable enough.

I had several punctures during my test period. Therefore, I recommend removing these tires and directly mounting a wider section in tubeless to avoid pinching the inner tube on stones. With tubeless, you can lower the pressure, which would certainly make the Look E-765 Gravel more comfortable on slightly too rough terrains for a gravel bike, and reduce the risk of punctures. It’s still a mystery why bike brands don’t equip their gravel and mountain bikes with tubeless tires right from the start.

Even though the position is designed for comfort, the Look E-765 Gravel is relatively rigid: nature cannot be completely suppressed. There is no difference in the frame between the gravel version and the Optimum designed for the road; the differences are in the equipment. This gives us a gravel bike that is a bit too stiff for some trails, but performs well as soon as the track becomes smooth. As for handling, there are no complaints: it maneuvers well. The frame has a short wheelbase, which makes it nimble. On descents, the braking provided by the Sram Apex group is reliable, fairly progressive, and the position isn’t too forward-leaning.

However, this stiffness is an advantage on the road. To test it on asphalt, I swapped the Fulcrum wheels for my Corima 47 Black DX carbon wheels. And you end up with a fairly stiff, almost responsive bike if you disregard the weight of the battery. And ultimately, that’s how Look designed the E-765: the manufacturer encourages you to have two sets of wheels to have a single bike, suited for all uses, with only two minutes of work.

On the road, I had fun keeping up with my training colleagues on the E-765, and it was a pleasant surprise. The Fazua motor doesn’t inhibit pedaling too much above 25 km/h, which means you can keep up in the slipstream. However, if you take the lead against the wind, you’ll struggle to maintain the pace, as you’re up against wind resistance, slight motor resistance, and the extra weight of the bike due to the battery.

With a 28 mm tire section, always with an inner tube, the bike loses some comfort. The frame, quite stiff, combined with the significant weight and tire pressure that can’t be too reduced, means you quickly feel road irregularities or hit speed bumps hard. The bike is less agile than a classic muscular model under 8 kg. To find a good compromise, I tend to recommend 32 mm tires, and again, a tubeless setup.

Motor: The Fazua Choice

Look designed this electric gravel bike as a sporty bike. The goal was to keep the bike relatively light while involving the cyclist in pedaling. Therefore, they chose the Fazua Ride 60. This motor is integrated into the crankset and weighs less than 2 kg. It is paired with a 432 Wh battery weighing 2.2 kg. This gives us an electric assembly of only 4.2 kg, allowing the Look E-765 Gravel equipped with Apex to weigh only 13.8 kg in total.

What we appreciate is its ease of use. A simple button hidden in the bar tape, in the hollow of the handlebar, starts the electric motor and changes the assistance mode. These assistance modes are quite smooth: the bike doesn’t take off suddenly, even at maximum power.

In Breeze mode, the bike actively involves you in pedaling, and if you ever get tired, the most powerful mode just encourages you to turn your legs without straining to get home. The LEDs on the insert of the top tube allow you to know the battery level, but also the power mode selected for the motor assistance.

Battery Life and Charging

In terms of battery life, there’s no problem planning rides of over 100 km on the road. On gravel, I did a 106 km ride using only the Breeze (eco) mode of the Fazua motor, but I arrived with the battery almost empty. The route had some elevation, but I only weigh 65 kg. So, a hundred kilometers is what you can expect at most in 100% gravel (or 80% trail – 20% road, if I’m completely honest).

Obviously, with the most powerful assistance mode, this range wouldn’t reach that threshold.

As for charging, it takes 3.5 hours to fully charge the battery. The charging port is located under the bottle cage. It is protected from the elements, such as moisture and dust, by a plastic cover. This is fairly standard compared to other electric bikes.

Price and Availability

The Look E-765 Gravel is priced at 6,990 euros with a Sram Apex 1×12 speed transmission. This places it in the high-end category of Gravel bikes, but you do without carbon wheels, whereas some competitors include them. However, the advantage here is having two bikes in one.

Swap the wheels of a Look E-765 Gravel and in 2 minutes, you get a Look E-765 Optimum, or almost, since the version designed for the road is equipped with Sram Rival AXS (wireless electronic transmission). But broadly speaking, in terms of motorization, battery, and geometry, these two bikes are identical. You can very well ride on the road on Wednesday and hit the trails on Sunday, or vice versa. That’s the advantage of a Gravel bike, and Look has clearly understood this.