Pinion Is Upgrading Its Gearbox With Smart Shift

The Pinion E1.9 MGU gives riders a 568 percent gear range, which is a wider spread than any of the 12-speed drivetrains offer. The E1.12 MGU spreads 12 gears over a 600 percent range, a simply unheard-of range. Motors produce 250W nominally and peak at either 600 or 800W, depending on the configuration, while producing a maximum torque of 85Nm.

While the Pinion MGU outweighs competitive mid-drive motors such as the Bosch Performance Line CX, it eliminates the need for a traditional drivetrain. So while the Pinion MGU outweighs the Performance Line CX by more than 2 lbs. (the MGU weighs 8.8 or 9 lbs. depending on whether it is the 9-speed or 12-speed version, while the Performance Line CX weighs 6.4 lbs.), it does away with the rear derailleur, cassette and shifter, plus a Gates carbon belt weighs less than a metal chain. Ultimately, an e-bike equipped with the Pinion MGU can save a pound or more overall when compared to a mid-drive motor plus multi-cog drivetrain.

Combining the smooth power application of a mid-drive motor with lightning-fast automatic shifting while simultaneously eliminating most of an e-bike’s maintenance needs is next-level fantasy stuff, except that it’s here, and real, and available today.

Most of the manufacturers offering the Pinion MGU on their e-bikes are European lines with little to no distribution in the U.S., but there are some brands that will import or produce e-bikes spec’d with the Pinion MGU. They include Stromer, Bulls, Co-Motion and Priority.