EDEN BICYCLES debuted at Eurobike last month, featuring a prototype version of its clean, unisex e-bikes. The showcase bike will be available
from Q1 2013, with the edition at Eurobike (pictured) a fully functioning version of the bike. Sat at the premium end of the
market, the bikes feature a 42V system and 350W motor, capped at 250W. The clean design has hidden the brake cables, etc, and is expected to do particularly well in Holland and Germany. The UK e-bike market is gaining ground too, according to Active Trend Consultants’ Ravi Hingorani. He told
BikeBiz: “The margin available to dealers on e-bikes is a real opportunity. They can sell less bikes but make a bigger margin. It’s best
to sell e-bikes through physical retailers where they can explain the benefits. The UK is catching up.” Hingorani added that the Dutch are
strong on selling e-bikes not just in traditional bike shops, but also in ‘e- shops’ that sell other electric mobility products to the public.
Eden will be available around Q1 2013
‘Margin on e-bikes is a real opportunity for cycle retailers’
“The Eden is a showcase product
for us, and features a display that is also a smart key – without it the e- bike won’t work. We might also look at creating a lighter sports e-bikes in the future too.” www.eden-bicycles.com
OPINION: REFINED RIDES
IS THIS the year that e-bike became more refined? Going by the attention to looks as well as innovation seen at Eurobike this year, there is soon to be a far wider range of more attractive e-bikes on the market. Key to this has been the widening trend to incorporate wires and batteries into the frame and look more like, well, a normal bicycle. That might outrage the purists, and no disrespect to any brands that haven’t plumped for integrated batteries, but it is likely to attract a wider demographic of consumers that will be more willing to part with their cash for an electric bicycle that looks less unusual – perhaps most likely in the conservative commuter sector.
Volt r-amps up with new e-MTB Electric bicycle brand releases new folder and MTB bike to the trade
Volt hopes to have 20 dealers by Q4 2012
VOLT BIKES has released two new e- bikes – the Metro and Alpine. The Volt Metro boasts a 36V lithium polymer battery combined with 250W maintenance-free Bafang motor, meaning the Metro is capable of 40-plus mile distances. Pitched at commuters at cyclists faced with steep hills, it features a thumb throttle, so the bike can be ridden with pedal-assist, throttle-only or no assistance at all. A simple-to-use folding frame means it can be easily transported in car boots, taken on public transport or stored comfortably
in limited spaces. Marketed at £999 this electric bicycle can be purchased through the Cycle to Work initiative. The Volt Alpine MTB comes with two lithium polymer battery options – 36V 10Ah, or 36V 16Ah. Both have been designed to complement the design of the bike and blend with its looks. Also using a maintenance-free Bafang rushless 250W motor, the 10Ah battery allows cyclists to cycle for 50 miles on medium pedal assistance, whereas the huge 16Ah battery increases the range to a whopping 80 miles.
Pedal assistance can be altered using an LCD controller, which also measures distance. High specification RST front suspension forks feature on the bikes, which is specced with Shimano eight speed gears and Tektro disc brakes. There are currently eight shops in the UK selling the Volt range and there are ambitions to increase that to nearer 20 by the end of the year. For more information call 0207 378 4728 and visit www.voltbikes.co.uk or www.electric-bike-store.co.uk. 0207 378 4728