DYU C3 vs DYU C5
On the numbers that decide this pair, the DYU C5 is 19.9 kg lighter than the DYU C3. Everything else is below, including where it loses.
Range is our estimate under the reference ride, not the manufacturer's claim. Cost is over 5 years at 3,000 km a year, on the same formula the cost-of-ownership calculator runs. How we work this out
| Spec | DYU C3 | DYU C5 |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range | 25 km | 33 km |
| Battery | 360 Wh | 450 Wh |
| Weight | 39.9 kg | 20 kg |
| Motor torque | 30 Nm | 45 Nm |
| Top speed | 24 km/h | 24 km/h |
| Price | $499 | $899 |
| 5-year cost | $1,093 | $1,395 |
Where each one wins
- DYU C5 is 19.9 kg lighter.
- DYU C5 is 15 Nm more torque.
- DYU C5 is 8 km further on range.
- DYU C5 is 90 Wh more battery.
The DYU C3 does not lead on a single measured axis here. That does not make it the wrong bike, but it does mean the DYU C5 is the one to justify not buying.
Who each one is for
DYU C3
Suits you if you want:
- folds, so it fits a boot, a train or a hallway
- rated to 120 kg of rider and luggage together
What it asks in return:
- 30 Nm of torque, so long climbs will ask for your legs
- 39.9 kg, which is a bike you park rather than carry
- about 25 km estimated, so it wants a charge most days
- 360 Wh, a small pack to keep an eye on in winter
DYU C5
Suits you if you want:
- 20 kg, light enough to carry up a flight of stairs
- rated to 150 kg of rider and luggage together
- about 33 km estimated, which covers a 16 km each-way commute
What it asks in return:
- 45 Nm of torque, so long climbs will ask for your legs
Each line above is read straight from the specification: torque, weight, payload, battery and our range estimate. Nothing here is a preference, and neither bike is being recommended over the other.
What each one costs to own
Over 5 years the DYU C3 costs about 280 EUR less to own, once purchase, charging, servicing, a battery replacement where one is due, and resale are all counted.
That figure moves mostly on the battery. The DYU C3 covers about 19,200 km before its pack is due for replacement; the DYU C5, about 24,000 km. Ride less than that and the replacement never enters the sum.
| Over five years | DYU C3 | DYU C5 |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | $499 | $899 |
| Charging | $68 | $68 |
| Servicing | $648 | $648 |
| Battery replacement | ||
| Resale value | $-122 | $-219 |
| Total | $1,093 | $1,395 |
Run these numbers on your own mileage
Which one to buy
- Pick the DYU C5 if you ride to the edge of the battery and dislike planning around it.
- Pick the DYU C5 if you would rather charge less often than carry less weight.
- Pick the DYU C5 if you carry the bike up steps, onto a train, or into a flat.
- Pick the DYU C5 if your route has real hills, or you carry cargo or a passenger.
- Pick the DYU C3 if the five-year total is what you are optimising.
Verdict
On the measured axes the DYU C3 is the better buy, and the DYU C5 needs a reason of its own: a colour, a frame, a shop you trust, a price that moves. None of those are in our numbers, and all of them are legitimate.
Range here is an estimate under one reference ride, not a measurement. Yours will differ with terrain, weight, tyres and weather, which is what the range calculator is for.
Tell me when either of these gets cheaper
One email when a price moves on a bike you are watching. Nothing else.