Machines and gadgets that caused a stir at Eurobike

E-Bikes Direct were at the Eurobike show in Friedrichshafen, Germany this week and boy were we impressed at what we saw! Reflecting the growth of the electric bike market there were electric bikes exhibited in every hall with massive sections devoted to the machines that we love. Here we will reflect on the new Haibike Flyon e-bikes, the Maserati Trofeo e-race bike, and a new drive system that we might see on electric bikes in years to come.

Haibike Flyon Electric Bikes

One of the top spec brands we sell at E-Bikes Direct is the German designed Haibike electric bike brand. While never cheap they are extremely high quality, whether you are after a solid commuter / trekker bike or crazy trail machine.

Most ebike manufacturers bolt on other brands’ components onto their frames. Haibike and Raleigh often use the Bosch Performance CX crank drive motor and Intuvia display – it is often commented that the cheapest bits of the bike are those actually made by the brand that it is sold as!

This year Haibike have gone a step further – they have forged an exclusive deal with motor manufacturer TQ to build a power system of their very own. This is no half hearted attempt either – the TQ motor has a massive 120 Newton metres of torque, meaning it is by far the most torquey motor on the market. It is even rumoured that the motor has more to offer than 120Nm but has been dialled back. Under EU regulations you’re not allowed to have power at higher than 25kph so where electric bike makers have gone is delivering even more of a kick at the low end. Kick? This’ll kick like an angry shire horse!

Haibike haven’t stopped there either. They have an OEM, 630Wh in-frame battery that again is market leading. Could we see realistic rides of 100 miles? OK, they’ll probably claim something slightly unrealistic like 150+ miles but 100 in real world cycling is a serious piece of kit. Want fast charging? How about 80% in an hour, a market leader? The fast charger will be sold separately.

You will also find an OEM stem mounted display on the Flyon machines, which is one of the biggest on the market too. While we didn’t see it in action, one of the facets is that it tells you what power setting you are on by the colour of the screen (it might be blue for super low and red for full blast). They also tell us the digits on the screen get bigger as you go faster – going crazy speeds down the trails you will only need a brief glance at the big numbers while at lower speeds you may want to see more parameters. 

All of this is controlled through Haibike’s own software. Add in the wireless dropper seat post and you have a series of machines that have been built from end to end by German engineers at their best.

When will we see it? Keep an eye out on E-Bikes Direct from the end of 2018. Don’t expect much change from £4,000 for the lower end bike or £6,000 for the top NDURO 10.0 – yes, this will be one of the most expensive electric bike ranges we sell.

Maserati Electric Bikes

If Haibike are the Porsche of electric bikes, then Maserati are only the Maserati! There are no plans to stock these bikes but we will zero in on one component that the new Trofeo e-road race bikes have – a Bafang motor. European bike makers have been a bit sniffy about Bafang even while it is one of the biggest drive system makers in the world. We’re not sniffy – we use Bafang motors on many of our machines. What is interesting is that Maserati have given the Chinese manufacturer a massive vote of confidence by using the high performance and lightweight Bafang M800 crank motor in their world class machines.  According to a Eurobike press release, “”We put a lot of effort into developing this compact drive train system. Currently one of the lightest and smallest systems in the market we see many more opportunities for other bicycle categories as well,” said Sunny He, one of Bafang’s founders and CMO.”

Will other European electric bike makers follow Maserati’s lead? Given their recognition at the Eurobike show, you could bet on it. Watch this space!

Shaft drive system

Shaft drives have been used on big touring motorbikes for a years, and are a favourite among motorbike couriers who don’t want to fiddle with their chains every five minutes due to the problem of chain stretch. They are a lot more efficient too, with far more energy going from the power source into the wheel than the relatively inefficient chain system. The main problem is that bicycle manufacturers put weight above many other parameters – you aren’t going to see a lightweight shaft drive system… until now?

“A traditional chain-and-derailleur drivetrain contain eight points of sliding friction, which is generated from the articulation of the chain at these points. CeramicSpeed’s new Driven concept impressively eliminates all eight points of sliding friction,” the company said. They claim 99% efficiency, a revolution in cycling.

While it is at concept stage, e-bike makers may be some of the first customers as they frequently allow a little extra weight in return for better performance. Again, keep an eye out as in just a few years we at E-Bikes Direct could well be selling such machines.

Overall?

It was really cool seeing all this new gear. We will almost certainly be selling a lot of what we have shown above, whether the Haibikes, Bafang M800 motor (as a component of another bike) or a futuristic shaft drive machine in years to come. For now? Have a look at the electric bikes we have on sale today!