Category: Electric Bike

German bicycle specialist Rose Bikes has an impressive selection of e-bikes. It continues innovating the performance oriented e-bike sector with the launch of its newest model, the Backroad AL. Gravel bikes have been gaining popularity thanks to their versatility and practicality, and the new Backroad AL offers a mid-tier option in the market.

Offered in two variants, the new Backroad AL follows the configuration of other gravel e-bikes in the market. It does, however, have a more relaxed geometry providing a more versatile platform for riders looking to do both performance-oriented and commuting-focused riding. On top of that, the aluminum frame is equipped with a lot of mounting points for riders to install all sorts of luggage accessories for both urban rides and longer, out-of-town excursions. Thanks to the aluminum frame and carbon fork, the entire bike weighs in at just 13.4 kilograms, give or take a few grams depending on size.

On the performance side of the equation the bike is equipped with the new X35 motor from German brand Mahle. This rear hub setup is more compact and lightweight than other motors, sacrificing extra power output for a lower weight. Delivering 40 Newton-meters of torque, it’s less than half that of other brands like Bosch and Shimano, nevertheless, it’s said to provide just enough support to offer a very natural pedal feel.

A 250-watt-hour battery pack works in tandem with the smart motor, and is said to offer up to 62 miles of range on a single charge, though this is under what the brand refers to as “ideal riding conditions.” Expect a real-world range closer to about 45 to 50 miles. Nevertheless, for those eager to go the extra mile, Rose offers a 208-watt-hour range extender that slots into the bike’s bottle holder.

Riders have the convenience of toggling between support modes through the intuitive iWoc One button found on the top tube. Thanks to this simple system, riders can easily cycle between assist modes without the need for a display. That being said, should you require additional customizability, you can always do so through the Mahle App, where individual settings can be toggled.

As mentioned earlier, Rose Bikes offers the Backroad AL in two variants, though both of which share the same frame and powertrain. They differ in terms of componentry, with the more affordable AL Plus Apex XPLR rocking a 12-speed drivetrain composed of parts from SRAM. This model retails for 3,399 Euros, or about $3,785 USD. Meanwhile, the more premium AL Plus GRX RX810 gets an 11-speed Shimano GRX drivetrain, and retails for 3,499 Euros ($3,896 USD). The bikes are offered in either mint green or sand beige colorways.

After months of trying to keep the ship afloat, VanMoof has sadly decided to throw in the towel.

Those of you who’ve been reading my stuff here on InsideEVs, as well as keeping abreast with the global e-bike scene, would be well aware of how rapidly technology surrounding e-bikes is advancing. A lot of modern e-bikes can be described as pedal-powered IoT devices capable of integrating themselves to multiple facets of our daily lives.

Indeed, we’re seeing e-bikes go as far as integrating ChatGPT into their inner workings, some even going as far as trying to reinvent the bicycle in its totality. While taking on a different path can indeed lead to innovations, it can also lead to disaster. Those of you who’ve been following Dutch e-bike brand VanMoof over the course of the past few months would know that the brand has been in some serious financial trouble, with its future shrouded in a lot of uncertainty.

The latest development reveals that the company has had to file for bankruptcy, as reported in an article published by The Verge. The company has officially been declared bankrupt in its home country of the Netherlands, following a “suspension of payment proceeding” conducted just the week prior. The so-called suspension of payment arrangement was meant to give the company a two-month cooling off period to recoup the funds to pay its creditors, but alas, it seems even this wouldn’t have been enough to keep the business afloat.

The decision to file for bankruptcy was ultimately relayed to VanMoof employees via an internal email – the full text of which can be found in The Verge’s article linked below. As for the future of VanMoof, well, your guess is as good as mine. The brand has undoubtedly blazed quite a trail in the e-bike industry, with quite a lot of proprietary technology to its name. As such, the acquisition of the brand’s assets by a third party is by no means a far-fetched possibility.

It’s worth noting that VanMoof has been declared insolvent only in the Netherlands, and not in other markets. As such, two administrators have been appointed as trustees to assess the situation of the company in its entirety, and see if a reboot is at all possible. As for current owners of VanMoof’s products, well, they also face quite a bit of uncertainty, as the bikes themselves require connection to VanMoof’s mobile app in order to be used.

Luckily, however, other e-bike brands have developed software that can allow users to access their VanMoof bikes even without the dedicated app. Others have also opened trade-in programs for VanMoof bikes, as explained by Electrek. Furthermore, Electrek’s article highlights that VanMoof’s highly technical solutions composed of lots of proprietary tech could have been a contributing factor to its struggles. Indeed, in today’s tech-driven e-bike industry, it can be quite a slippery slope when it comes to throwing cutting-edge tech into machines that were otherwise meant to be simple.

The Pedaling Energy Recovery System (PERS) uses an algorithm that sends power to the back wheel.

We recently talked about so-called Digital Drives in the world of electric bicycles, and how they could shape the future of two-wheeled mobility. Essentially, these types of electric drives eliminate the need for a physical connection between the pedals and the wheels, and make use of complex systems – sometimes even AI – to tailor power delivery to the wheel.

That said, one of the biggest names in the world of cycling has just introduced its own digital drive tech. Look Cycle, a prominent French brand in the world of cycling, has teamed up with French active mobility specialist Cixi, for what it’s calling the PERS system. The Pedaling Energy Recovery System (PERS) is designed to replace a traditional gear and chain/belt setup, and makes use of cutting-edge technology to provide a seamless and efficient ride. Here, a complex algorithm will analyze each and every pedal stroke, and send power to the electric motor while taking other variables (i.e., terrain, incline, and speed) into account.

At the level of the motor, the system will incorporate a continuously variable hub, so no gears will be necessary. Even more interestingly, the system is said to be able to deliver power to the motor even with an empty battery, so long as the rider keeps pedaling – though I’m not entirely sure how that’s going to work. Unsurprisingly, the PERS will be linked to a proprietary mobile app that allows riders to further fine tune the system’s performance through a selection of ride modes. It also incorporates regenerative braking to provide extra range on longer rides.

At this point, we’ll have to make a distinction between what can actually be produced in the real world, as the jargon-filled word salad surely makes a lot of promises. To show proof of concept, Look and Cixi presented the Rover 45, an electric bike featuring the PERS technology. As its name suggests, it’s a pedelec that can hit speeds of up to 45 kilometers per hour (28 miles per hour). Here, the PERS is mated to a 700-watt-hour battery pack housed in the seat tube, while the generator is housed in the bottom bracket, sending power to a rear hub motor.

Thanks to this setup, the bike can take on a variety of shapes and configurations, though the Rover 45 looks more like a standard commuter e-bike. Look and Cixi point out that the PERS transforms your bicycle into a maintenance-free mobility option, as you’ll never have to worry about repairing or lubricating a chain, adjusting your gears, or replacing worn out belts.

As I stated in my previous article about Digital Drives, this tech instills quite a sense of skepticism in me, and presumably, in a lot of other people. Eliminating a physical connection between the pedals and the wheels certainly has its applications in certain bikes, but for the most part, I’m sure most cyclists would rest easy knowing that pedaling their e-bike home like a regular bike is the worst-case-scenario in the event of an electrical malfunction.