Eurobike is one of the largest international bicycle trade shows in the world. This year saw a record number of electric bicycles. Here we’ve compiled all of the coolest and most interesting electric bicycles that we checked out at the show.
Eurobike 2019 was chock full of e-bikes, to the point where it was hard to find a booth that didn’t have at least one e-bike design.
In fact, while e-bikes were something of a rarity just 5 or 6 years ago, now there are so many that the designs seem to almost run together. Many manufacturers are cranking out cookie-cutter e-bikes with the same mid-drive motors that we see year after year.
So we took it upon ourselves to find the most innovative and interesting e-bikes on the floor.
After checking out the list below, don’t forget to come back and vote on which was your favorite here:
Greyp G5 and G6X
Greyp, a high-end Croatian e-bike maker and sister company to electric supercar maker Rimac, unveiled two new e-bikes at Eurobike this year.
The first (and more affordably priced) is the Greyp G5. It is a hardtail version of the full suspension Greyp G6 e-mountain bike unveiled earlier this year. It shares many of the same specs as the G6, such as the 700 Wh battery, 100 km (60 mi) range and 450 W peak mid-drive motor. It also shares the high tech connectivity of the G6, including front and rear live-streaming cameras, built-in e-SIM, gamification options for riding with friends and competing in virtual competitions from around the world, etc. But it comes in at nearly $2,000 cheaper than the G6, starting at US $4,900.
The G6s is a new limited edition version of the G6 and that puts the “premium” in premium e-bike. This one is going to cost nearly US $15,000 but comes outfitted with the highest quality bike components including new prototype wireless shifting and Ohlin’s high-end suspension.
Check out both the G5 and the G6s in more detail in our dedicated article on both.
Oskar-bebehut electric scooter
This one is a bit out there, but check out this crazy electric scooter.
At most bicycle trade shows there’s a section off to the side for the smaller Asian companies to present their wares. I’ve always felt it was unfair that these companies are essentially relegated to a hidden corner of the show, especially since some of the most interesting and innovative stuff comes from these sections.
Enter the Oskar-bebehut electric scooter. It’s part Erector set, part e-bike, part motorcycle. The front features a girder-style fork like we’ve seen on $75,000 electric motorcycles. The rear features an electric bicycle hub motor. The deck seems to have enough space for a BMW i3 battery pack.
The whole thing is just excessive in the best possible way. The specs are variable depending on the customer, but the designer told us that it can be outfitted to hit speeds of 90 km/h (55 mph) or more.
I’m no stranger to high-speed electric scooters, having spent my fair share of time above 65 km/h (40 mph) on them, but this thing seems nuts even by my standards. And I mean that in good way!
Tern HSD
Tern announced the HSD electric utility bike earlier this year. It’s a heavy-hauling little e-bike that is basically a little brother to the even heavier-duty yet reasonably sized Tern GSD electric bike.
The GSD has an insane 400 lb (181 kg) capacity that is quite impressive, yet probably more than the average rider needs. The newly released HSD is a similar style bike but not quite as heavy-duty, rated at a measly 374 lb (170 kg). That’s still going to offer you a huge variety of options for hauling cargo or passengers.
The HSD comes in multiple flavors designed to hit a wide range of price points. The most advanced version even offers automatic shifting thanks to a new partnership with Enviolo. I had the chance to try out the HSD S+ with the automatic shifting and it was pretty wild. The ability to downshift automatically for you at stops was my favorite part, though I will say that the automatic shifting takes some getting used to. I think my favorite model of HSD that I tested was actually the mid-level HSD S8i which comes with the Bosch Active Line Plus motor, belt drive, and the Shimano Nexus 8 internally geared hub.
We’ll have another article coming soon on the HSD. It will go into much more detail, including a video review of our first ride on the new bike, so be watching out for that.
Tern wasn’t just showing off the new HSD at Eurobike 2019 though. The company was also unveiling its new Tern #BikesForBusiness platform.
In addition to the existing Tern GSD and HSD, Tern unveiled a new bike known as the PZA. It was outfitted as a pizza delivery bike at the show, but the concept could be applied to a number of commercial applications. For such applications, the PZA bike can be modified and outfitted accordingly to meet the needs of a wide range of commercial fleets, from couriers to delivery services to e-bike sharing programs.
The #BikesForBusiness platform is currently being trialed in the US and UK, though further international expansion may be coming soon.
XCYC Pickup
This thing is hilarious. It’s technically a cargo e-bike, I guess. But it’s practically an electric pickup truck that you pedal to move.
It sports a Bosch Performance Line mid-drive motor and a 48 V system for extra power. While the front end looks like a standard bike, the rear is a truck bed that can be swapped for different accessories like a flatbed, standard bed, or cargo boxes.
The XCYC Pickup has high-end Shimano hydraulic disc brakes with giant 203 mm rotors and is definitely built to withstand commercial hauling use. It even has some cool innovations like a parking brake built into the ends of the handlebars.
There are a number of ways to outfit and upgrade the XCYC Pickup, but the prices aren’t cheap. They start at just €5,666 and increase from there.
This is another “bike” for which we’ll have a first ride video and article coming soon, so be on the lookout for that!
OECHSLER DRIVEMATIC automatic shifting e-bike drive
Leave it to the Germans. They’ve built this interesting e-bike drive system that looks like your standard Shimano or Brose mid-drive but combines an electric motor drive with automatic shifting in an all-in-one package.
Check out the rear wheel. There’s nothing there besides the belt pulley. No derailleur. No internally geared hub. Nothing. Yet it still offers 3 speeds. And they shift automatically.
I took this thing for a spin and came away pretty impressed. Despite being rather loud, it actually works really well. It knows when to shift for me and the sound means I get that fun feeling of running through the gears like on a motorcycle. As you speed up you hear it winding up with you, all:
vvvvvvvvvVvvVVvVVVVVVVV!!! *chachunk*
vvvvvvvvvVvvVVvVVVVVVVV!!! *chachunk*
vvvvvvvvvVvvVVvVVVVVVVV!!!
You know what I mean. Don’t make me do the mouth noises.
There’s a phone app that can be used in conjunction that gives you all of your real time data and shows you what gear you’re in, or you can run with a minimalist display, or blind.
The whole system feels a bit “Version 1” with the gear noise, but it actually works really well so I’m excited to see the team continue to develop this new drive.
And as they described it, the gear noise isn’t as much of an issue when you consider the market. They are mostly aiming for commercial vehicles like e-cargo bikes or for city bike-sharing programs. Both are applications where the user doesn’t want to deal with the mental or physical effort of shifting, and also usually mean the bikes will be in louder urban settings anyways.
This is one e-bike drive company to keep an eye on over the next year or two.
Aevon Le Cafe Racer
The Aevon Le Cafe Racer is a mini-bike style electric bicycle that follows a similar design philosophy to the Super73-type electric bikes.
The difference is that this French startup has added moped-style suspension and generally upgraded the ride experience with higher-end components.
The bike features multiple options for a mid-drive or hub motor and includes a Sturmey-Archer internally geared hub with the mid-drive option. Power can range from 250 W to 1,000 W depending on the options and the bike can hit speeds of anywhere from 25 – 50 km/h (15-31 mph).
The Aevon Le Cafe Racer isn’t available for sale yet so we don’t know what the price will be, but it doesn’t look cheap.
Bianchi E-SUV
Bianchi isn’t new to e-bikes, but they did release something new and crazy this year. The Bianchi E-SUV is their answer to other high-end electric bikes like the Haibike Flyon.
The E-SUV is actually a family of three different e-bikes that attempt to cover a wide variety of uses from mountain biking to commuting.
The models have eye-catching integrated lights that run off the main battery. That battery is a custom designed 720 Wh pack that is hidden in the downtube. The bike includes frame cutouts to force cooling air past the battery during riding, helping the battery operate more efficiently and safely.
The mid-drive wasn’t developed by Bianchi but instead comes from Shimano. It’s a Shimano STEPS E8000 unit, one which I’ve tried in the past and found to operate quite smoothly.
The different models are expected to become available in late Q1 of next year. Prices won’t be cheap though, ranging approximately from US $7,000 to US $11,000, depending on the specific model.
Bianchi Aria E-Road
But the e-SUV wasn’t the only e-bike Bianchi had on display. I took the company’s Aria E-Road bike for a test ride and came away impressed. First of all, it weighs nothing. Like, nothing. I didn’t think it was really an e-bike at first. And the fact that it has a battery hidden in the frame and a distinct lack of a display didn’t help the “I’m an e-bike, I promise” image.
But as it turns out, there was a clue. Besides the little motor hiding behind the cassette in the rear wheel, it has a magnetic charging port right at the top of the bottom bracket. So yes, it is an e-bike, despite the pure road bike appearance.
The ride experience is equally surprising. I didn’t expect much out of that little motor, but it gave a nice boost up hills without overpowering the ride experience. I felt like I was on a road bike the whole time and that I was doing the majority of the work, but I also felt like the efficient, lightweight bike didn’t really leave that much work for me as it was. I’m not a strong a cyclist, but I still feel like I could have gone for a long ride on this thing and had a blast, even without any road biking experience or training. And for the guys who actually get all spandexed up each Saturday morning, you can probably get a lot more out of the Aria E-Road bike than I can.
Brose e-bike systems
Brose recently announced a whole suite of updates to their drive system. Not only do they have new versions of their popular motors, but they have three new full-color displays and their own batteries.
I’ve always been a big fan of Brose mid-drives due to their whisper-quiet operation. That stealthy low volume comes from their use of belt reduction instead of nylon gear reduction.
In addition to their motors though, Brose was also showing off their new displays. Check these babies out. There are three different sizes with varying amounts of info.
Some people like tons of data, some people like very little clutter, and some people want a Goldilocks option right in the middle. Brose has something for everyone here.
Lastly, we saw the company’s new batteries.
Brose has never before offered a battery solution, but now they have an entire e-bike package for OEMs. Just add your frame and you’ve got an e-bike.
Can that help them challenge industry heavyweight Bosch? Only time will tell…
E-bike specific accessories
Another interesting thing to see at Eurobike was how manufacturers are beginning to produce e-bike specific cycling accessories. I think that’s a testament to just how popular e-bikes are coming.
Ortlieb, a company whose bags I’ve tested out in my own gear reviews, has a new e-bike specific handlebar bag. It has a built-in light which can run off of the main e-bike battery via a USB plug. Most e-bikes have a USB plug option either on the handlebars (sometimes built into the display) or at the battery itself. But for those that don’t, or for regular bikes, you can also plug in a battery bank to run the lights.
Ergon also has a new electric mountain bike saddle. Not only does it have the company’s twin-shell construction which places a foam layer in the center to help the saddle move and absorb bumps above the saddle’s rails, but you’ll notice it also has a more extreme sloping rear. That mimics the design of many motorcycle saddles and provides more forward support for electric mountain bikes that launch harder and spend more time climbing steeper terrain than conventional mountain bikes.
While riders used to occasionally stand on the pedals for even moderately hilly terrain, electric mountain bike riders can stay seated on steeper slopes than traditional mountain bikes and it appears saddles are now starting to reflect that.
Swytch bike e-bike conversion kit
This thing is a really interesting electric bicycle conversion kit.
I found it in the Start-Up section of the Eurobike, where new cycling companies can demonstrate their innovations.
The Swytch kit is a 3 kg e-bike conversion kit that can easily mount onto just about any electric bicycle. The battery and controller are mounted in a small bag that fits in the palm of your hand, while the motor is a front hub motor that replaces your existing bike wheel.
When you park you can easily disconnect the battery and controller to take them with you, and the small motor is barely noticeable in the front wheel.
There are almost no wires to worry about, save for one from the motor to the bag’s mount. There’s also the option to add a throttle, which would add one more wire.
It’s a really well-packaged solution and it rides great, from what I can tell from my test ride.
I’m looking forward to reviewing it more extensively though before it goes live on Indiegogo later this month.
Rubbee e-bike kit
Speaking of e-bike kits, here’s another interesting one. I’ve actually been following Rubbee for a few years now since they ran a successful Kickstarter campaign back in 2013. Now they’ve undergone a number of revisions and have a nicely refined product that converts any bike into an electric bike.
It uses a friction drive, which places a motorized roller above the rear tire and spins the wheel of the bike with friction. It’s not a commonly seen method anymore, but it can still be quite useful. And the beauty of the Rubbee kit is that you can remove the entire thing in just a couple of seconds, instantly turning an electric bike back into an acoustic bike.
Their newest model will be available early next year, and I’m looking forward to testing it out as soon as it enters production.
Dahon Nuwave Electric
Dahon has always had some nice folding bikes, but a couple of small e-folders particularly caught my fancy this year. The Nuwave Electric is available in either a 14-inch or 16-inch wheel size and is just the most adorable little electric folder I think I’ve ever seen.
The whole thing weighs less than 14 kg (30 lb) for the 14-inch wheel version, and it folds up into a tiny package. It has a claimed 40 km (25 mi) range and offers a cute little 250 W motor.
What’s more to ask for? I kind of want to get one of these for my wife and then occasionally steal it for myself.
JIVR Bike
While the Dahon above is a nice folder, it’s got nothing on JIVR’s innovation. The UK-based company has a new folding electric bike that combines a drive shaft and belt drive system that is completely enclosed in the curved shape of the body. There’s no shifter or drive train visible; it’s all sealed.
The single side-supported wheels look pretty awesome and the bike comes in a variety of bright colors that are sure to turn heads. Plus the bike is surprisingly lightweight at just 18 kg (39.7 lb).
It’s not the cheapest option, costing around $3,500 USD. But if you want a folding e-bike like no other, this is the one.
JIVR is currently looking for international distributors, so if it’s not available in your country yet then it may be soon.
Calamus One
We’ve covered the Calamus One before but it was pretty cool to see the bike in person at Eurobike. The Calamus One is a high-tech smart bike that features built-in GPS and 4G connectivity – two things rarely seen together in e-bikes.
Other interesting features include blind-spot assist and a biometric fingerprint scanner for unlocking the bike and disabling the alarm.
The Calamus one raised over US $250,000 on Indiegogo recently and sold for a surprisingly low price of around US $2,000. That price was even more impressive considering it offers components such as a Gates Carbon Belt Drive system and automatic shifting.
Rayvolt e-bikes
We’ve seen Rayvolt around these parts before, but it’s always great to see their bikes up close.
At a time when so many companies are pushing out nearly identical-looking e-bikes, Rayvolt’s bikes are a welcome relief. The retro, almost steampunk style e-bikes are beautifully designed and crafted. Catalonian leatherwork and brass accents really make the Rayvolt bikes come alive.
Here, have a look for yourself. Try and tell me these aren’t some of the classiest e-bikes you’ve ever seen.
Kumpan electric scooter
While the Kumpan 1954 Ri electric scooter wasn’t technically a part of Eurobike, it’s a scooter I’ve been wanting to see up close for a while now. And since I was already in Germany, I wasn’t going to miss this chance.
I finally had the opportunity to meet up with the Kumpan team and see a couple of their electric scooters in the flesh. Electrek’s publisher and I then took them for a joy ride and had a blast. One model, the 1954 RiS, is rated for 100 km/h (62 mph). That was probably my favorite, though the 70 km/h (43 mph) model was still quite fun.
I’m going to have a complete article and test ride video on these scooters coming soon, so you’ll be getting more info then. For now, suffice it to say that the Kumpan electric scooters look great and ride even better than they look.
Eurobike 2019 takeaway
And that’s it! Of course, there were more e-bikes at Eurobike 2019 than this, but I’ve included what I believe to be some of the best examples of interesting innovation in the industry.
Keep watching Electrek over the next few days for more in-depth articles on some of these beauties.
Lastly, don’t forget to let us know which was your favorite in the comments below.
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