Ebike Industry Updates
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Bosch has introduced a new 250Wh range-extending battery to work with e-bikes using their SmartSystem and Flow e-bike app.
If 250Wh sounds like a modest amount of power, it’s important to keep in mind that this is meant to work with Bosch mid-drive motors which do not need the kinds of capacity that are necessary to give an e-bike with a 750W hub motor reasonable range. Also, as this is a range extender and not a primary battery, we wouldn’t expect it to be huge.
The Bosch PowerMore 250 is meant to take a big day and make it bigger while also serving as an insurance plan: With the PowerMore 250, you can be confident that you’ll have enough power to make it home.
The PowerMore 250 does have limitations on just which Bosch-equipped e-bikes may use it. According to Bosch it is compatible with SmartSystem e-bikes from model year 2024. To learn whether your e-bike is compatible, you can find out in the Bosch Flow app. If you’re not using the Flow app, that might be your first indication that your e-bike may not be compatible.
If your e-bike is recent and you’re using the Bosch Flow app, then you can verify your e-bike’s compatibility by going to: System Settings > My eBike > eBike pass > Components. Also, if you are using a Bosch e-bike display, you can find out within its settings; click on: My eBike. If you see a menu item for PowerMore, then you’re in luck.
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Bosch continues to increase the range and sophistication of the features in their Smart System.
New advancements with the Smart System include the ability to integrate electronic shifting systems from Shimano and TRP so that a Bosch-equipped e-bike can automatically change gears when the rider needs it. The Bosch eBike Flow App can be used to specify exactly when the drivetrain shifts.
Bosch has also added artificial intelligence to its mapping and route-finding features. Range Control allows a rider to plan a route and then for the eBike Flow app to display the remaining range more precisely once the rider reaches their destination. Riders can even set a minimum battery level they want when they reach their destination. That means that the commuter who can’t recharge at work can set Range Control to not drop below a 55 percent charge upon reaching work, ensuring they will have enough battery to reach home. The Smart System adjusts the assistance level as necessary to give the rider as much support as possible while maintaining the minimum battery level upon reaching the destination. A rider can also choose their arrival time when planning a route and the Smart System will tell them when they need to depart. The Smart System also recommends routes that are appropriate to cycling based on road surface, gradient and other factors.
Other recent Bosch innovations include a new mode, Eco+. This new mode keeps riding as close to traditional cycling as possible by leaving the motor turned off until a rider-selected threshold is reached; the threshold can be customized in the eBike Flow App. Eco+ helps to extend range for riders.
The eBike Flow App also allows riders to customize the Purion 200 display, choosing just what data points can be displayed in select display tiles. E-bikes equipped with Bosch’s ABS system will now be able to view statistics regarding the system, such as how much braking was performed with the system on a ride, vs. without.
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There’s no telling when you’ll need to pick up a friend on the way to the ride location or rescue someone who has run into a bigger mechanical than they can fix on the ride.
The Hollywood Racks Destination E hitch rack has more range than most. In a world full of one-size-doesn’t-actually-fit-all, this hitch rack can accommodate everything from a 70-lb. cargo e-bike down to a BMX bike, not to mention any e-bike with tires up to 4.5-in. wide.
While the versatility of this bike rack was the star of the show for us, it also scores well in the affordable and reliable boxes, making it worthy of a look for any e-biker in the market.
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The famed Italian brand has introduced a road e-bike that weighs just 24 lbs. and its Mahle X30 hub produces a spirited 45Nm of torque.
And now, for everyone who needs some help going 20 mph, the Bianchi E-Oltre adds the Mahle X30 hub motor to yield one of the lightest e-bikes on the market—just 11kg (24.2 lbs.)—light enough to rival Trek’s Domane+ SLR. It wasn’t that many years ago that a racing bike weighed 24 lbs.
The Mahle X30 hub in the E-Oltre produces 250W and 45Nm of torque. It’s unlikely that another e-bike could put this hub to use as well as the E-Oltre; 45Nm of torque will see this e-bike accelerate like other e-bikes with much bigger motors while still retaining the feel of a regular road bike. This may be as close as some of us come to keeping the cake we are eating.
The Mahle X30 hub draws its power from a 250Wh internal battery that Bianchi says can offer as much as 90km (56 mi.) range on a single charge. It seems unlikely that such a small battery has ever accounted for so much range. Mahle makes a range-extending battery that is estimated to add another 55km (34 mi.).
Bianchi offers the E-Oltre in seven different sizes to give riders an optimal fit. They also make it in three different versions. One is equipped with Shimano’s 105 group and goes for around $5,500. There’s one with Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting that runs close to $7,000, while the top-of-the-line version with Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 goes for close to $11,000.
Bakcou, whose name comes from backcountry, has introduced an electric scooter with wheels and tires big enough to go offroad. The Timberwolf has a 24-in. wheel in front, with a 20-in. wheel in the rear. The tires are 4-in.-wide knobbies, perfect for going offroad.
It is equipped with not one, but two, 750W Bafang hub motors. They are powered by a whopping 1008Wh battery, which seems huge (okay, it is objectively huge), but considering that it is powering two motors rather than one, and considering that most riders will be using the throttle full-time, range won’t be as enormous as you might expect. Bakcou indicates a top speed of 20+ mph, which suggests it has a mode that will allow it to go faster than 20 mph, but they don’t go into detail on the site.
Bakcou specs a GT MRK coil-spring suspension fork with 110mm of travel to help soak up the bumps so your knees don’t have to do all the work. Because of the deck you stand on, ground clearance is an issue for the Timberwolf in a way it is not with an e-bike. It offers 6 in. of clearance below the deck, which means that any rocks or roots someone rides over will, hopefully, be less than 6 in. tall.
It features Tektro hydraulic disc brakes both front and rear and they are matched with 203mm rotors, which is the largest size you can get for an e-bike. This e-scooter won’t have any trouble stopping—as long as it’s on solid ground.
The max load for the Bakcou Timberwolf is 320 lbs., though they say that depends on the terrain. Reading between the lines, that suggests that on a steep enough uphill, the two motors may not be able to produce enough torque to move that much weight. The weight of the scooter is a factor in this. Because it has that ginormous battery and two motors, it weighs 90 lbs. Should you need to pick it up, removing the battery will drop the weight to 79 lbs.
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E-bike ownership skews young, as does participation in bike share programs, while conventional bike ownership skews toward affluent, educated men.
Young adults aged 25-34 were found to have the highest rate of ownership of e-bikes as well as the highest rate of participation in bike share programs. They also had a lower rate of conventional bike ownership.
Regular bike ownership skewed toward those who were male, young, highly educated and affluent. No surprise there.
The study found that factors such as being foreign-born, paying rent (rather than a mortgage) and living in an apartment reduced the likelihood of owning a bike, whether conventional or electric.
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Citi Bike rental rates will increase for both members and nonmembers; the company blames high overhead due to the logistics of recharging.
Citi Bike’s e-bikes provide a great alternative to buying an e-bike for those who live in New York, but they are about to get a bit more expensive due to a new price increase. The convenience of a Citi Bike is considerable: Citi Bike riders don’t have to worry about security, range or charging.
Citi Bike has already imposed one rate increase this year, taking the cost up to $0.20/minute and now the rate will increase by another 20 percent, to $0.24/minute. That’s the cost for members who pay an annual membership fee of $199/year (Lyft Pink) or $219.99/year (Citi Bike). For those who aren’t members, the cost will also rise by 20 percent, from $0.30/minute to $0.36/minute.
Citi Bike blames the price increases on high overhead due to the fact that the docks do not charge the e-bikes. When a Citi Bike’s battery runs low, it must be picked up by staff, driven to a warehouse where it is charged, and then returned to a dock.
Battery swapping would seem to alleviate this issue, but Citi Bike says that battery swapping has proven to be more expensive than anticipated.
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Designer Sergii Gordieiev made special wheels with slippers at the ends of the spokes to create the world’s first slipper bike.
Some slippers are so comfy that you wish you could wear them all the time, be it to work, a wedding—or on your bike. Sergii Gordieiev took that idea literally (not metaphorically) and made a bike that rolls on—you guessed it—slippers!
In his YouTube video, Gordieiev adapts wheel hubs with the addition of steel rods and plates to sandwich the slippers (which feature the face of Jake the Dog from the cartoon Adventure Time). After welding everything together, he mounts the slipper wheels on his mountain bike and takes off.
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The Amflow PL Carbon features a proprietary motor called Avinox that produces 850W at max and a whopping 105Nm of torque, and that’s before setting it to Boost mode.
Not to overstate things, but in a world full of disruptions, this new motor is going to disrupt the eMTB market.
The Avinox drive unit looks like a typical 250W mid-drive motor. It’s not, though. This mid-drive may produce 250W nominally, but its peak power output is 850W with a massive 105Nm of torque. That is, that’s the peak output until you put set the controller to Boost mode in which peak power output jumps to 1000W and torque climbs to 120Nm. Despite all that power, this is still a Class 1 motor with a maximum assist speed of 20 mph. It weighs just 2.5kg (5.5 lbs.), giving it one of the highest power-to-weight ratios on the market.
Amflow produces the PL Carbon in two different versions. The Amflow PL Carbon is made in four sizes and features 150mm of travel. In spec, the Amflow PL Carbon comes with the Avinox drive unit, an 800Wh battery, Fox Float Performance shock and Fox 36 Performance fork and a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with Magura MT-5 4-piston calipers matched with 203mm rotors. Maxxis tires, an alloy bar and KS dropper post.
The Amflow PL Carbon Pro features the same frame and Avinox motor, but upgrades the Fox Float Performance to a Fox Float X Factory and the fork to a Flox 36 Factory. Riders are given a choice between a lighter 600Wh battery and the 800Wh battery. The drivetrain goes to SRAM’s X0 Eagle transmission with a wireless AXS Pod controller. The bar is upgraded to carbon fiber and an adjustable-travel Fox Transfer dropper post.
Hauling multiple bikes in your truck without them toppling over, scratching each other, or causing a tangled mess is a real struggle. Finding the perfect tailgate pad that fits your truck and can securely carry up to six bikes without damage seems almost unheard of.
Ever wonder what happens when you walk into a bike shop and grab any ol’ tailgate pad without doing any research? You might end up with a tailgate pad on a full-size truck that was probably made for a mid-size. Ask me how I know.
Picture a fat guy in a little coat (RIP Chris Farley).
Sure, he’s wearing a coat, but the sleeves are too short, and if he sneezes, some seams might split. Does it bother me? Yes, every day. Don’t be like me.
Determined not to make that mistake again, I was pumped to see the Saris 6-Bike Tailgate Pad come across my desk for testing.
Let’s get the basics out of the way. The Smith Payroll features Smith’s exclusive Zonal Koroyd material, which is an energy-absorbing material made up of plastic tubes that are welded together. Think of the material as a box of soda straws all glued together, side-by-side. It provides terrific compressive strength, but absorbs energy through plastic deformation—a kind of crumple zone for your head.
The Smith Payroll also uses MIPS to protect the rider’s head from rotational forces should they fall. Both Koroyd and MIPS are technologies that protect beyond what is needed for the Payroll to meet NTA8776, CPSC, CE EN 1078 and AS/NZS2063.
Of note is the NTA8776 certification, which is the standard helmets must meet for Class 3 e-bike use. The Payroll features an integrated skeletal structure that functions as a roll cage for the wearer.
There are a couple of features we like about the Smith Payroll that give it an appeal beyond what we see with many helmets. The most significant among these is that because the Payroll is aimed at mountain bike and eMTB riders, it features greater coverage at the back of the rider’s head, giving the rider increased protection in the event of a fall in which the back of the helmet strikes first. The helmet also offers a bit more forehead coverage than some helmets.
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The management consultants believe the market will grow by $180 billion by the end of the decade and then another $180 billion in just five more years.
These numbers reflect the size of the worldwide market, rather than one region. According to their analysis, they peg the current worldwide market at $160 billion dollars. By 2030, they predict the market will grow by $180 billion to $340 billion. That will grow another $180 billion in just five years to a total of $520 billion.
According to McKinsey, the biggest drivers will be regulation and consumer behavior. Regulation will figure as a driver because of how governments will prioritize forms of transportation that help them meet their climate targets. Subsidies and investment in micromobility infrastructure will help spur consumer behavior.
Currently, five European countries account for a whopping 50 percent of the market, some $29 billion in sales. Germany leads, with France coming in second and the U.K. third.
E-bikes the biggest segment of the European micromobility market, they say; e-bikes account for 40 percent of the total market. They project that e-bike sales will grow by 13 percent annually through 2035.
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Atlanta’s e-bike rebate program received more than 4,500 applications in the first 12 hours the page was live.
By the time the application window closed on June 23, the city had received nearly 9000 applications.
Depending on your view, that is either good or bad news, possibly both. The overwhelming response shows just how keen people are to add an e-bike to their transportation options, which is certainly good. The bad news is that only 700 rebate vouchers are available in this first round.
Income-qualified Atlanta residents (those who demonstrate they meet the threshold to qualify as low income) can receive a rebate certificate good for $1,000 off a regular e-bike or $2,000 off a cargo e-bike. Residents who exceed the income threshold can receive a rebate of up to $500 for an e-bike or $1,000 for a cargo e-bike.
The first round of rebates should be distributed to recipients by the end of July. Recipients will have six weeks to purchase their e-bike from a qualified Atlanta retailer.
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The ZF CentriX Drive is a surprisingly lightweight system with up to 600W and 90Nm of power output, while offering powerful 48V circuitry.
The ZF CentriX Drive is a mid-drive motor that can produce up to 90Nm of torque and a maximum power output of 600W. Those are solid numbers but what is even more impressive is that the CentriX Drive weighs just 2.5kg (5.5 lbs.). In fact, ZF makes two different versions of the CentriX Drive, the CentriX 90, which produces up to 600W and 90Nm of torque and the CentriX 75, which produces up to 450W and 75Nm of torque.
The motors can be configured with either a 504Wh or 756Wh battery. ZF also produces a controller, a color display, a top-tube-mounted power button and a smartphone app.
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Of that $750 million, $20 million has been designated for an e-bike rebate program. Compare that with the $1 million that Atlanta set aside.
The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) will administer the program and they have been authorized to hire staff and/or organizations to implement the program.
Seetha Ream-Rao leads the transportation decarbonization programs for the PCEF. In presenting the program to the city council she framed it as being, “Absolutely essential to meeting Portland’s net zero goals.”
To bolster her case, she cited a recent Oregon Household Activities Survey that revealed the average daily trip in the Portland metro area was just 6 mi. and 80 percent of those trips are conducted by car (that 20 percent are conducted by means other than vehicle is impressive).
Ream-Rao said, “That [distance] is well within the range of any e-bike on the market today and one of the biggest opportunities for carbon reductions.”
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The Dutch brand CYCLR has introduced a design for an expandable cargo bike. Riders can adjust the length of the storage area based on their needs.
Eurobike, the world’s largest trade show for bicycles is going on right now in Friedrichschafen, Germany. For those looking for the latest in new ideas in bikes or e-bikes, Eurobike is the place, and one of the newest ideas to debut there is a design concept for an extendable cargo e-bike.
Designer Nikolaï Carels of the Dutch brand CYCLR spent six years working on his design for a variable-length cargo bike. The Dutch call this style of cargo bike a bakfiets and they are prized for their ability to haul big loads. Multiple kids and groceries? No problem.
The challenge with bakfiets is that they are long, like school-bus-long. That makes them terrifically stable at low speeds, but difficult to maneuver in tight spaces because they have the turn radius of an SUV. CYCLR’s design allows the rider to change the container length, which changes the overall length of the bike.
CYCLR worked with VROEGH Design to create a patented system and build a prototype, the CYCLR-FLEX. While they don’t explain quite how they did it, they say the design uses customized bearings and slides that work with the steering cables that run from the handlebar to the fork, and that are said to be stiff enough to give the rider and load sufficient support so that it provides a stable ride. The CYCLR-FLEX can carry a load of up to 175kg (386 lbs.), including rider. As the CYCLR-FLEX will be an e-bike destined for market in the Netherlands, it will have a maximum assist speed of 25kph (15.5 mph). It is expected to come to market in the third quarter of 2025 and will retail in the neighborhood of €7,500.
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Shimano’s new update allows more boost, smoother power cutoff and adjustable carryover assist.
The best part? This is available to everyone with an e-bike equipped with the EP801 motor. This is possible because the changes come in the form of a firmware update.
The biggest change this firmware update gives riders is more power in Boost mode. Shimano says riders will be able to reach a 400 percent assist ratio with ease—making the most of the EP801’s 600W max output. This means a more immediate response to pedal input and improved acceleration, as well as max torque on command.
For anyone who has ever been annoyed by the way their motor shut off once they reached its maximum assist speed, this update allows riders to customize the manner in which the power ends. Whether someone wants max power right up to cutoff or they want it to taper off to give them some warning, the motor’s behavior can be tailored to your preference.
Shimano says the most exciting new feature is the extended assist carryover. How long the motor continues to produce power after the rider stops pedaling can now be adjusted according to the rider’s needs based on terrain, race-specific needs or the rider’s riding style and what feels natural.
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Minneapolis, Davis California, and Mackinac Island, Michigan topped People for Bikes’ annual list of the best communities for cycling in the U.S.
Each year People for Bikes comes out with their list of the best places to ride. To avoid unfair comparisons, PFB groups communities into those with a population of fewer than 50,000 people (small), those with 50,000 to 300,000 residents (medium) and those with more than 300,000 residents (large). They also rate international cities.
Communities are scored on a 100-point scale and the select 10 per category. The criteria for selection are designated by the acronym SPRINT: Save speeds, Protected bike lanes, Reallocated space for cycling, Intersection treatments, Network connections and Trusted data.
2024’s Best Cities for Bicycling
Small Cities (<50,000 population)
Mackinac Island, Michigan: 99Provincetown, Massachusetts: 96Harbor Springs, Michigan: 92Springdale, Utah: 89Washburn, Wisconsin: 89Fort Yates, North Dakota: 88Crested Butte, Colorado: 87Blue Diamond, Nevada: 85Murdock, Nebraska: 84Sewanee, Tennessee: 83Medium Cities (50,000-300,000 population)
Davis, California: 78Cambridge, Massachusetts: 72Berkeley, California: 71Boulder, Colorado: 70Corvallis, Oregon: 70Ankeny, Iowa: 70Ames, Iowa: 66Anchorage, Alaska: 64Hoboken, New Jersey: 62Grand Forks, North Dakota: 61Large Cities (>300,000 population)
Minneapolis, Minnesota: 71Seattle, Washington: 65San Francisco, California: 64St. Paul, Minnesota: 61Portland, Oregon: 59Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 58New York City, New York: 56Washington, D.C.: 46Denver, Colorado: 46Milwaukee, Wisconsin: 46International Cities
The Hague, Netherlands: 89Brussels, Belgium: 87Paris, France: 87Lyon, France: 86Utrecht, Netherlands: 86Leuven, Belgium: 85Munich, Germany: 85Amsterdam, Netherlands: 85Almere, Netherlands: 85Eindhoven, Netherlands: 85Sponsor
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Thanks to a 1040Wh battery and the addition of a torque sensor, Magicycle estimates that the Ocelot Pro 2.0 can offer as much as 120 mi. of range.
Magicycle has updated their powerful step-thru e-bike, the Ocelot Pro with the launch of the Ocelot Pro 2.0. The new version of the Ocelot Pro comes in a maroon color and improves upon several features of the existing Ocelot Pro.
The basics of the Magicycle Ocelot Pro remain unchanged. This is a Class 2 or Class 3 e-bike with a potential top assist speed of 28 mph. The 52V, brushless, geared hub motor produces 750W (1500W max) with a sizable 100Nm of torque. Powering the motor is a 52V, 20 Ah (1040Wh) battery. It is still equipped with a 7-speed Shimano drivetrain and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes paired with 180mm rotors.
The big change is that the Magicycle Ocelot Pro 2.0 comes standard with a torque sensor. This change alone has allowed Magicycle to increase their range estimate for their 52V, 20Ah (1040Wh) battery from 100 mi. up to 120 mi. on a single charge.
Magicycle still includes a 12-magnet cadence sensor with the Magicycle Ocelot Pro 2.0. This gives riders the choice between a motor which responds to pedal input immediately, but requires more effort from the rider to hit top speed. The cadence sensor provides a steadier power output and can provide a greater degree of assistance to riders.
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Completely automatic shifting comes to this combination mid-drive motor/gearbox while still offering riders adjustability and manual override.
Automatic shifting is a software update that improves upon what Pinion already offered with the MGU. Previously, Pinion offered a mode called Pre.Select that would change gears while the rider was coasting. I would compare the rider’s speed compared to a preset target cadence and then select the gear most appropriate to that cadence. Now Pinion has added two more shift modes, Auto.Shift and Auto.Shift.Pro.
With Auto.Shift the MGU automatically shifts—even under a full pedaling load. Pinion is careful to note that the automatic shifting isn’t predictive, but instead is reactive. The system monitors a number of inputs, according to Pinion, and while they don’t detail those inputs, it’s easy to connect the dots and conclude that some of those inputs would be cadence, speed and the amount of torque the rider is exerting on the pedals.
Because cadence is to some degree a matter of personal preference and riding style, Pinion allows a rider to define their preferred cadence range so that the MGU doesn’t shift at cadences above or below the rider’s preferred range. They can do this dynamically while riding with the TE-1 E-Trigger.
Pinion also offers Auto.Shift.Pro which allows riders to override the gear that the Pinion MGU has selected by using the E-Trigger. Pinion says this allows a rider to derive all the assistance of an automatic transmission without losing the dynamic edge that comes with shifting manually.
