Ebike Industry Updates

The bag itself is made from a laminate material called Hexalon that is made to Apidura’s specs. The material is both waterproof and dustproof, making it perfect for carrying electronics. And because it features a dry-bag-style rolldown opening, it can securely carry both batteries and chargers that measure between 8.1 in. (20.5cm) and 11.8 in. (30cm) and are as tall as 2.8 in. (7cm). Total carrying capacity measures 1.6L (98 cu. in.).

The contents of the Apidura Expedition Charging Pack are protected with PU foam, better known as memory foam. Additionally, padded ribs run lengthwise along the Expedition Charging Pack both helping to give the bag shape and to insulate the bike frame from the bag’s contents—and vice versa. The bag attaches to the frame via a single Velcro strap that is silicone-coated to keep it from moving while riding.

We can’t say we are aware of what the previous lightest bamboo e-bike’s weight was, or even what that bamboo e-bike was, but at 33 lbs. (15kg), we don’t need to make much of an effort to concede Diodra’s claim about the S3. A 33-lb. e-bike is light by any standard, bamboo or otherwise.

The frame isn’t 100 percent bamboo, but we think that doesn’t disqualify them from the claim. The laminated bamboo is bonded to an aluminum head tube and seat tube, which makes sense considering that the headset and bottom bracket bearings need a precision fit in order to work correctly.

Diodra says that the bamboo is weatherproofed with a two-component coating as well as three layers of varnish. The company touts the bamboo’s vibration-damping qualities, which, when combined with aluminum inserts, does dampen nearly all vibration.

The website is short on details, but we know this much: It features a 250W motor that will be limited to 25kph in Europe (15 mph) but will offer a Class 1 top speed of 20 mph here in the U.S. They estimate a range of 63 mi. (100km) with its 300Wh battery and if you’re wondering why you don’t see a battery, that’s because it is contained within the hub along with the motor.

Let’s start with what hasn’t changed, or hasn’t changed much. Vvolt kept the 350W, 45Nm brushless, geared hub motor powered by a 375Wh battery (though that battery now carries UL 2271 certification). This is still a city e-bike with low-profile tires and a single speed (50x22t) drivetrain featuring a Gates belt. And it still has hydraulic disc brakes. Its weight remains nearly unchanged, ticking up from 43 to 44 lbs.

So what’s new? For starters, a new frame design. This low-step frame now has a substantially lower standover height (25-26.5 in. depending on size) and it now comes in three sizes, not two. There aren’t many e-bikes retailing for less than $2000 that come in three distinct frame sizes. Vvolt says they will cover riders from 5 feet up to 6 feet 3. The new frame also has an integrated headlight which gives it a very stylish look.

The Vvolt Alpha 2 now comes with a wider handlebar with more sweep, which will give riders a more upright position, making it easier to look around, whether those views are of nature or traffic. They also spec a longer stem on the medium and large sizes than they do on the small, further dialing fit.

The French factory was previously known as MBK Industrie. It had already been producing several Yamaha models including the MT-125 motorcycle and XMAX scooter. Production in this facility will be devoted to the PWseries S2 motor which is used in a variety of e-bikes, including eMTBs.

1. Buy an e-bike
2. Get $450 off the price

The program is not without criticism, though. The list of approved retailers isn’t especially long, though it is growing in length. Currently, it includes 47 brick-and-mortar retailers and four online retailers, including Ride1UP, Vvolt and Priority Cycles.

The biggest criticism has come from the retailers themselves. Colorado is asking the retailers to bear the cost of the discounts for a full year. That means a participating retailer who sells an e-bike sold today must wait until they file their 2024 taxes to see that reimbursement. Selling 1000 e-bikes means having $450,000 in revenue they can’t access.

The program is administered by the Colorado Energy Office. Sarah Thorne, the senior program manager running the rebate program said that they anticipated a slow start to the program in 2024 due to the long wait for rebates, but that in 2025 she anticipates that they will offer quarterly reimbursements to participating retailers.

Apparently, after Mr. Beast put out a call for submissions through social media, they were inundated with videos. How big was the response? They had to screen thousands of videos just to narrow the applicants down to the 600 ultimate recipients. While some of the e-bikes were delivered by hand, there were so many recipients around the U.S. that they had to ship many of them.

“Lectric Ebikes time and time again steps up to the plate, asks for very little, and helps us help as many people as possible. In this video, they gave us $600,000 worth of bikes! If you ever were curious if a brand actually likes helping people and wants to do good, you shouldn’t have to wonder that about Lectric Ebikes. If there ever was a brand you should support, it’s them,” said Mr. Beast.