This week, we’ve got Bosch’s first-ever hub-based motor and the first-ever e-bike quote from a German rock star, plus a hire-bike crit, and e-bike-related updates from Oxfordshire and Florida.
Bosch unveils its first hub motor
Another week, another Bosch announcement! This time, it’s a bit more interesting than an incremental app update: the German e-bike specialist has revealed its first-ever hub motor for electric bikes.
Targeted at urban e-bike riders, the Hub Line sits in the rear wheel of the bike, and weighs just 2.3kg. It connects to Bosch’s Smart System ecosystem to add features such as electronic gear integration and anti-theft capabilities. Bosch has also revealed a minimalist battery — the PowerTube 360 — that gives Hub Line-equipped bikes ‘over 80 kilometres’ of range.
For some reason, Bosch has quoted Fred Rabe, lead singer of rock band Giant Rooks, to explain how good it is: “My first impression: It’s super-fast and runs very smoothly,” gushes Rabe.
“You really feel like you’re gliding along.”
One of the first bikes to utilise the system is Canyon’s Roadlite:ON CF urban bike, which weighs in at a svelte 13.95kg and certainly delivers on the promise of stealthy motor integration.
It’s a U-turn from Bosch, whose typical mid-drive motors are a seal of quality on road, mountain, and cargo e-bikes. Hopefully, it’s a sign that the urban e-bike market is booming — rather than MTB and road e-bike sales plummeting.
Semi-pro cyclist wins e-bike crit… on a Voi hire bike
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The City of London Nocturne cycling event took place last weekend, with both pros and penny-farthing riders enjoying a rare closed-road event in the heart of the capital. Festival sponsor Voi included its own event, challenging participants to complete the 1.3km circuit as quickly as possible on one of their chunky e-bikes.
In a twist, the riders also had to unlock the bike at the start and park it properly at the end, which may have been harder than the actual ride for some Londoners. Tobias Dahlhaus, a semi-pro cyclist with Foran Cycling Team, won the race in 15:56, with a pace of 29.4 km/h.
“I really wanted to win,” Dahlhaus told the Clydebank Post. “I can’t turn up in a full skinsuit and not try to win! The aim was to get a bit of a lead and have a buffer in case anything went wrong with parking the bike, and that worked out.”
Oxfordshire expands e-bike hire schemes
Oxfordshire County Council is taking aim at the scourge of dumped micromobility vehicles with new plans to improve e-bike and e-scooter operations. As of the 1st of October, the council will create a wider network of parking areas, including some on-road bays. It will also introduce a single operator, and expand the hire scheme to towns including Botley, Kennington, Kidlington and Horspath, and potentially Abingdon and Wheatley.
“I am very excited about the opportunities and benefits the e-scooter and e-bike scheme will bring,” said Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport. “It can give our market towns a more level footing with some of the transport benefits enjoyed by the city, while also building in stronger controls to monitor and enforce responsible use of e-bikes and e-scooters on our streets – including safer riding and parking.”
Florida set to introduce ‘slowing down’ mandate for e-bikes
Florida’s pancake-flat topography, subtropical climate, and endless boardwalks make it a haven for e-bikers. However, the Sunshine State is cracking down on speed in mixed-use areas, according to a report from Fox 12 Tampa Bay. Under Senate Bill 382, a strict 10 mph speed limit will be imposed on shared paths when bikers are within 50 feet of a pedestrian, with a $30 fine for rule-breakers.
The bill, which will also require law enforcement to start tracking crashes that involve e-bikes, is set to come into effect on the 1st of July, if it’s approved by Governor Ron DeSantis. Quite how (and if) it will be enforced remains to be seen, but rumour has it that passing a pedestrian at 11mph in GTA VI will land you with an instantaneous five-star wanted level.
