Motor round-up: Drone brand brings its expertise to e-bikes, ZF’s “uniquely compact” Coke-can-sized mid-motor + …
There has been plenty of new kit announced this week, starting with some impressive looking drive systems
Eurobike is well and truly underway, and we’ve been blessed with a lot of new electric bike tech. We’re splitting the tech round-ups into two, so the motors get their own standalone page (here) and the rest of the cool stuff gets its own, too.
So what’s new in the world of e-bike motors? There’s a drone company[1] making super powerful e-bike motors and their own electric mountain bikes for starters, an e-bike motor that’s the size of a Coke can, and an even lighter motor by BH bikes. Let’s dive in.
Drone manufacturer DJI expands into electric bikes and motors
If you’re intro drones, you’ve probably heard of DJI[2].
If not, welcome to a voyage of discovery over the next few paragraphs. Essentially, the brand has created its own electric bike drive system, called the Avinox Drive System, as well as its own standalone e-bike brand which it’s calling, Amflow. The Avinox Drive System boasts some pretty impressive stats, including 850W peak power (250W continuous) and 108Nm of torque.
All that, in a claimed 2.52kg package. Furthermore, the Amflow electric mountain bikes (of which there are two models), weighs a claimed 19.2kg even with a 600Wh battery. That’s pretty lightweight for such a powerful mid-drive equipped eMTB.
Find out more about the DJI motor and the Amflow e-bikes here.[3]
ZF unveils “uniquely compact” e-bike motor that’s the size of a Coke can
Eurobike visitors have been lucky enough to see a few new motors this week – including the ZF Centrix mid-drive unit. This comes with 90Nm of torque, and weighs 2.5kg. The brand says its installation dimensions are 88mm x 118mm, making it only slightly bigger than a 330ml drinks can.
It can be paired with both derailleur or hub gears, and is available in two versions. The Centrix 90, with 90Nm of torque and a maximum output of 600W, or the Centrix 75, which has 75Nm of torque and a maximum output of 450W. The former is designed for mountain, SUV or trekking applications, and the latter for commuter, urban or gravel electric bikes.
Interestingly, ZF has made the Bike Eco System ‘open’ so that manufacturers have more choices when it comes to choosing additional components. Raymon Bicycles is the first manufacturer to use the Centrix motor, on its Tarok full-suspension electric mountain bike, which is set to be available from early next year. > Best electric bike motors – everything you need to know[4]
BH bikes latest motor weighs just 2.1kg and made by SEG Automotive
The BHZ by SEG motor is the culmination of a partnership between the bike brand BH and the automotive parts manufacturer SEG.
It’s manufactured in Spain, and is pretty lightweight for a mid-drive, at just 2.1kg. It offers up to 65Nm of torque and a peak power of 500W so it’s not particularly slack in the numbers department, either. Like many newer mid-drives, it focuses on cadence to reward riders with higher assistance levels.
It uses torque, speed and cadence sensors which perform 1,000 readings per second, to help determine the level of power delivery required to match the effort exerted. BH also says the new motor has an immediate cut-off when the rider stops pedalling, and a progressive assistance cut-off once the rider reaches the 15.5mph assistance limit.
The system’s battery is a 630Wh offering, weighing 2.6kg and is situated in the bike’s down tube. There is an option to add a 180Wh range extender, which can be used without the need for more cables.
The assistance is controlled through an iRemote controller, with three buttons and a visual LED indicator. You can connect to a Garmin computer to expand on ride data, and there is an app called iConnectz which allows you to customise the motor assistance modes. It’s already featured on two models from BH, their iLynx Trail and iLynx Race Carbon electric mountain bikes.
There are six variations of the iLynx Trail e-bike, starting from EUR4,299 and three of the iLynx Race Carbon, which start at 6,299.
> Best electric mountain bikes 2024[5]
References
- ^ drone company (ebiketips.road.cc)
- ^ DJI (www.dji.com)
- ^ Find out more about the DJI motor and the Amflow e-bikes here. (ebiketips.road.cc)
- ^ > Best electric bike motors – everything you need to know (ebiketips.road.cc)
- ^ > Best electric mountain bikes 2024 (ebiketips.road.cc)