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eBike Trends To Expect In 2021

Interested in just where e-bikes might be heading as we head towards 2021? We take a look at five e-bike trends set to accelerate over the coming months and years.

Lighter, More Responsive and More Automated Motors

There have been plenty of new motor releases and upgrades in 2020. The power increase and weight reduction war between the big four mid-drive motor manufacturers (Bosch, Brose, Shimano and Yamaha) continued in 2020 with the release of Shimano’s headline-grabbing EP8 as exemplified by the Orbea Rise with the EP8 especially tuned for a ‘more natural and sportier’ ride as the ‘RS’ version.

Just by tweaking the software of the motor, Orbea managed to reduce the maximum torque from 85 Nm to 60 Nm – Orbea realised that, at cadences between 80 and 90 rpm, neither the Performance Line CX nor the EP8 use their full torque at maximum power and the difference in torque becomes evident particularly when setting off, accelerating and negotiating steep technical climbs: here the EP8-RS requires more input from the rider and thus makes for a very natural, sporty ride feeling and reduced battery consumption.’ This in turn means less power consumption, a greater range and so a smaller battery is suitable (Orbea went with 360Wh capacity for the Rise with the option to extend the capacity to 612Wh via a ‘bottle’ battery if required).

Bosch have also been tweaking their software in 2020 to get a more natural feeling ride for off-roaders. I’ve done a lot of serious off-road miles in this semi-automatic e-mtb mode which switches between power levels for you based on your effort and the terrain – and really like the feel of it. 2021 sees the release of an e-mtb mode software upgrade for the Performance Line CX motor which is fitted to many, many top-line e-mtbs. The motor itself boasts a headline-grabbing extra 10Nm of torque but the real innovation comes in how and when the power is applied in an effort for a natural ride that is aimed at getting the rider over more obstacles in difficult positions and toning the power down in some situations such as at high cadences with light pedal pressure.
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Reflective Bike Backpack: Riderbag Reflektor35 Review

Being easily seen is important for bicyclists, as a lack of visibility is often cited as one of the leading factors in many of the 45,000 biking accidents and collisions that happen per year. While there are a number of great accessories that increase visibility, they often come in the form of bulky, hard to wear backpacks or vests, or tend to only work at night or certain parts of the day. Many visibility options are also quite uncomfortable to wear, or don’t offer other benefits outside of just increasing the biker’s profile.
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eBike News: US eBike Imports Doubling, Powerful Priority Current, Tern’s Clubhouse Fort & Much More! [VIDEOS]

In the news this week:

Huge Growth in US Imports in 2020
Priority Current – Powerful New Mid-drive for Under US$3000
Rad Power’s Rad Runner Plus Heads to Europe
People for Bikes Vote for Bikes Update
Van Moof Security and Speed Limit Settings
Tern Adds All Weather Protection to Clubhouse Fort Carrying System
eBike Share from Boulder, Charlotte and the UK’s Big Issue
Tier eScooter Developments
All the Latest eBike Biz News

US eBike Imports Doubling this Year With Demand Outstripping Supply

Micromobility Newsletter reports that ‘Last year, the US imported about 270,000 ebikes. This year, the total is expected to end up somewhere between 500,000 and 600,000.’

This is from Ed Benjamin, founder and chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association. This year, Benjamin expects the total will end up somewhere between 500,000 and 600,000. Even that won’t fully meet demand, he says, because the virus forced many Chinese factories to shut down in the spring: “There’s howls of frustration about getting more bikes.”
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The World of Smart eBikes

Is the Smart eBike Finally Here?

Cowboy are one of the new breed of tech-savvy e-bikes looking to make a real impact in area where other ‘smart’ e-bikes have come and gone.

So, what’s a smart e-bike? It’s really just shorthand for any e-bike that has some degree of wireless connectivity that lets you either import data that can be displayed on the e-bike, like a GPX route file, or allows you to access some of the digital parameters of the e-bike, for example, its motor performance characteristics.

The ‘smart e-bike’ connected to the ‘internet of things’ has been talked about for years and there have been many concept e-bikes at trade shows boasting all sorts of functionality but these have rarely made it into the real world. But there are signs that the world of smart e-bikes is finally starting to awaken.

Shimano & Bosch

Progress from the main mid-drive manufacturers could best be described as cautious but 2020 and 2021 e-bikes are now arriving with an increasing amount of connectivity, allowing you to use either your smartphone or other third-party wireless device like a bike computer and/or GPS unit to enhance the use of your e-bike.
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eBike News: Riese & Muller 2021 Innovations, Haibike, Trek, eBike Taxis & More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

New Riese & Muller eBike Details
Yamaha Premium Mid-Drive for 2021 Haibike AllMtn
Trek’s New Leisure-Orientated Powerfly
EAV’s Innovative eBike Taxi for 2021
Tier eScooter Sound Alerts to be Introduced
All the Latest eBike Business News

New eBikes & eBike Systems

Riese & Muller’s New eCargo Bike, the Packster 70 & Other Developments

German-based premium e-bike brand Riese and Muller announced the new Packster 70 back in late summer but it should now be arriving in dealers in the US – previously their Packster line of e-cargo bikes comprised three models, the 40, 60 and 80 with the numbers indicating the length of the load bed. The 60 and the 80 now disappear to be replaced with the 70 which has also had a design overhaul. R&M say it will carry up to three passengers in its secure EPP box and has a new ‘minimal turning circle, thanks to its cable-operated steering system, combined with maximum storage space’.
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eBike News: Harley Davidson Announce eBike, EVELO Dual Battery Model, Smart LED Lighting and Much More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

Harley Davidson’s New Serial 1 eBike Teaser Photos
Evelo’s Delta X Duo Promises Double the Range
Berlin’s Schindelhauer’s New Pinion Geared Models
News Accessories; Smart LEDS, E-bike with Your Pets and High Quality Chrome Industries Jacket
Trail Grants Powering Ahead Across the US and eCargo Bikes Used for Road Maintenance in the UK
Electric Kickscooter Updates from the US and the UK
Plus All the Latest eBike Biz News from Around the World

New eBikes and eBike Systems

Bosch Announce New Speed Pedelec Motor for US and New Zealand

Bosch have been in touch to say that they have just added the Performance Line Sport drive unit to their portfolio of pedal-assist eBike motors. It fits within the Performance Line and it supports riders with 65 newton-meters of torque at speeds above 20 mph— in fact up to 28 mph. Because it’s a Class 3 drive unit (up to 28 mph), Performance Line Sport is only available in the U.S. and New Zealand.
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A Guide to E-Bike Locks and Security Ratings

E-bikes are lucrative targets for thieves under just about any circumstances but the Covid-19 propelled boom in cycling and e-bikes has raised their profile – and their second-hand sales market- something that has not gone unnoticed by those who want to get their hands on your e-bike for free by helping themselves to it.

Indeed, as CBS, reports, bike and e-bike theft has spiked during Covid-19. The article tells us that from March 1 to September 21 New Yorkers filed 4,477 complaints related to stolen bicycles, including electric bicycles. That’s up nearly 28%, from 3,507 complaints over the same period a year earlier, according to the New York City Police Department. It’s estimated around 2 million bikes and e-bikes are stolen each year in the US alone.

Over in the UK cycle database BikeRegister has also seen a rise in reported bike thefts, with figures showing 932 thefts reported in August, up 59% on the same month last year. This followed the 900 thefts reported in July, a 51.5% rise compared to 2019, and 786 reported in June, an increase of 48%.

Time then to make sure you have taken every precaution to ensure that your e-bike doesn’t become another statistic.
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CUBE 20″ Compact Sport Hybrid Spec Review – 2020

In this Spec Review, we’ll take a look at the components and specs to get an idea of design, quality and functionality of the CUBE 20” Sport.

The CUBE 20” Compact Sport ebike is an updated model from CUBE, a European ebike company with over 10 years experience in the ebike industry. This sporty bike features innovative geometry that maximizes rider comfort but maintains a small frame size for convenience. The 20” wheels keep the wheelbase low and the step-thru frame is easy to get on and off while the telescoping handlebars and seat post make it adjustable for different size riders.

There are lots of compact bikes available with folding features that maximize functionality while minimizing frame size. CUBE has included the Speedlifter Twist handlebar adjuster on the stem which allows the handlebars to be raised up or drop down. The Speedlifter has another trick up its sleeve: flip the lever and you can twist the bars round so they’re parallel with the frame. This is a real bonus if you have limited storage space at home or at work.
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Orbea Rise – Is This Lightweight Electric Mountain Bike a Game Changer?

Today, Spain-based bike manufacturer Orbea released their latest electric bike in their lineup, the Orbea Rise. The Rise is an all-mountain/trail ebike that is targeted towards sporty mountain bikers who are looking for a more natural mountain biking experience with an EMTB.

Our first take on the Orbea Rise:

This is an obvious shot across the bow to the Specialized Turbo Levo SL, which is Specialized’s light-weight EMTB. Coming in just above 35 lbs for the highest/most expensive version of the bike, the Orbea Rise is lighter than the Specialized Turbo Levo SL but has more torque (60 Nm vs 35 Nm). This will be very interesting to test out, especially on uphill climbs and through technical sections. The SL has been a fantastic emtb (one of our favorites) because it feels much more like a normal mountain bike. The Orbea Rise has the potential to do that while possibly providing even more power.

Gecko Tyres Review – Puncture Proof and Sustainable

What Are Gecko Puncture Proof Tires?

Having a puncture can be a total nightmare; you might find yourself stuck in unpleasant weather attempting the fix, or discover your particular type of tyre are one of those hard to get off the rim ones, or find that that you thought you had removed the object causing the puncture only to discover that the tire goes down again immediately after ‘fixing’. Or a whole host of other problems…if only there were a truly puncture-proof tyre…

In fact so-called puncture proof tyres have been around a while. We aren’t talking the ones with kevlar and other types of reinforcement that are still in essence pneumatic and can still suffer punctures from very sharp and sizeable objects. Truly puncture-proof tyres are one-piece construction and have no inner tube but rather are a ‘solid’ tyre, though ‘solid’ can be something of a misnomer, as we discover later.

But product launches of ‘solid’ tyres over the years have come and gone and reviews of them in the cycling press have been almost universally critical. They were found to be extremely harsh to ride and at worst potentially dangerous because of issues such as derimming and skidding. At best they were hard to ride with huge rolling resistance and a jarring, uncomfortable ride.

Gecko tyres replace the puncturable air space in a pneumatic tyre with a unique cellular – and totally unpunctureable – form of rubber.

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