This week in e-bikes features a fun game of ‘is this image AI?’ The answers are: definitely and probably. We’ve also got cool new e-MTBs from Honda and Alutech, Citi Bike’s apparent profiteering from speed restrictions, and a new test bench for e-bikes.
E. Honda: Japanese auto giant unveils electric MTB
Honda has unveiled a slick prototype e-MTB at Sea Otter Europe. Details on the bike’s components and build are scant (and the publicity photos crop out the drivetrain), but the pre-production model features a Fox Factory suspension fork, plus Rotwild branding, suggesting the German MTB manufacturer has had some input into the model.
”The bike aims to combine the fun of motorcycling with the fun of mountain biking, offering a new kind of riding experience”, Honda said.
Honda is no stranger to the world of mountain biking: the company’s crazy-looking 2004 non-electric RN-01 G-cross was developed with custom-built components for pro downhill MTBers, including an internal gearbox, but it was never made available to the general public.
The new e-MTB looks to carry a little of that bike’s DNA, and thankfully seems to be steering clear of being another licensed e-bike, as we’ve seen from Volkswagen and Mercedes AMG. We’ll find out for sure when the bike is released next year.
Gobao’s X1P debuts on Alutech e-MTB…
It’s been a good week for ekectric mountain bike announcements: German company Alutech has unveiled the ePelmo X1P, which is one of the first e-bikes to be delivered with Gobao’s X1P drive system. This gearbox-based setup boasts a belt drive to eliminate the mess of conventional derailleur and chain-based systems, with a tensioner to ensure reliable transmission and maximise ground clearance.
The X1P’s continuously variable transmission boasts 150 Nm of torque and a peak power output of 1,500 watts. Its software constantly monitors cadence, torque, speed, and gradient, and adjusts the gear ratio in real time, but riders can control it manually if they prefer. An initial limited batch of 50 bikes is set for delivery in Spring 2027.
…and Gobao is also powering the all new Estarli SUV X
There was talk at the Cycling Industry News show earlier this week of Gobao seriously challenging – or even surpassing – Avinox in popularity, as some brands and distributors reported that getting hold of Gobao products has been much easier than Avinox so far.
On display at Estarli’s stand were several bikes described to us as prototypes (although they all looked pretty much ready to go), one of which was the Estarli SUV X. This will come with either Enviolo or Shimano Nexus hub shifting, a Gates Belt drive, a 720 Wh battery, and a motor system described as ‘Estarli Cycle Systems powered by Gobao’. It has 110 Nm of torque, auto-shifting, and hill hold technology to stop the bike from slipping when you’re pushing it uphill.
It will be priced between £2,995-£3,250 depending on the specification, and we’re expecting full details to land in early 2027.
Has Citi Bike benefited from slower speeds?
.jpg)
A story from the Gothamist explains that restrictions on e-bikes introduced may have boosted profits for Citi Bike. In October last year, then-Mayor Eric Adams ordered the operator to drop the maximum speed of its hire e-bikes from 18 mph to 15 mph, resulting in slower journeys for riders.
Rider Andrew Kam did the maths and figured out that the cost of a six-mile ride has gone from $5.40 to $6.48. New Yorkers are now calling on Mayor Mamdani to cap members’ rides at $3, but the privately owned and operated Citi Bike might be unlikely to want to give up its cash cow: the Gothamist notes that it recorded $24.7 million profit in 2025, up from $6.8 million in 2024.
“As the only major U.S. bikeshare program that’s entirely privately financed, Citi Bike’s continued growth depends on the system remaining financially healthy, and we’re proud that years of investment are now allowing us to reinvest in expanding service for New Yorkers”, Citi Bike said in a statement.
New roadside test bench unveiled
Just this week we reported on how sketchy Met Police speed testing can be, but we’ve also commented on how London’s cops are using ‘rolling roads’ to check that e-bikes can’t go over the 15.5 mph speed limit dictated by the government. It is confusing!
However, German company EMEC-Prototyping has developed a roadside test bench to help police identify ‘illegally tuned’ e-bikes. How it compares to the system the Met Police uses (sometimes!) is unknown, but apparently it’s ‘AI-enabled’, and the Dresden-based company has previously developed test benches for e-bike companies such as Decathlon. The system is set for deployment next year.
