Issue Six - Spring 2013 - Electric Bike Magazine

NEWSI
Mission and
Conv-E team
up a trike
WAW Associates, best known for
their Conv-E conversion kit, and
Mission Cycles, a well known supplier
of trikes and other specialist mobility
cycles, have teamed up to create a
new range of electric tricycles. The
low step-through frame on the ‘E-Solo’
trike makes it particularly easy
Batribike boost
batteries
Batribike have announced that new
bike buyers can now register to get
two years’ battery warranty instead of
one – if they sign to say they’ve read
the battery care instructions! This
initiative reflects two factors. First is
the general improvement in battery
technology at all price points, meaning
that two year warranties are now
more widely offered (and an attractive
selling point for customers). Second
is the need to make customers aware
of the maintenance requirements, to
avoid premature failure and warranty
claims. Keeping batteries topped
up when not in use is perhaps the
most commonly neglected measure
customers can take.
for the less agile to get on and off,
while the ‘E-Trilogy’ models use more
conventional frames. 20" and 24"
wheeled versions will be available.
The trikes will be available through
Mission Cycles dealers from April,
each priced at around £1400.
www.missioncycles.co.uk
Cytronex
UK manufacturer Cytronex are known
for fitting minimalist and silent
electric assist systems to lightweight
racing bikes from the likes of
Cannondale, Trek and GT. Now they’ve
also teamed up with German brand
Merida, fitting front wheel motors
and waterbottle battery systems to
create a fast, 16.5 kg commuter e-bike.
Cytronex are still working on a kit
version of their system, and this is
expected to be launched in the near
future – watch this space!
www.cytronex.com
Atmosphere Electric win
enterprise award
Congratulations to retailer Atmosphere Electric Bikes
in Bristol, who have won £10,000-worth of advertising
in the regional press as winners of a ‘Local Business
Accelerators’ award.
www.electricbikes.org.uk
Kalkhoff
update
Several developments
have been afoot at
50Cycles, the UK’s
importer for Kalkhoff
electric bikes. First,
they report that since
our review last issue,
the firmware for the
Agattu C11 has had a significant update, which provides
torque from the motor much more quickly as you start
pedalling – the ‘soft start’ was indeed one of the aspects
we didn’t like so much. The new software has also much
improved hillclimbing performance, they say.
They also now have stocks of the Schwalbe Energiser
tyre, specially made for e-bikes, and are recommending
it as an upgrade to customers.
Finally, they’ve taken on the Focus brand, also from
Germany. The Jarifa mountain bike shown here uses
Kalkhoff’s new Xion drive, a torque sensing direct drive
rear hub motor.
www.50cycles.com
Momentum
Set up by experienced e-bike experts from Germany,
London’s Momentum Electric have launched a compact
range of two bikes: diamond frame and step-through.
With recommended retail prices starting at £1095
they’re quite possibly the lowest priced torque-sensing
bike in the UK, and they combine their own crank drive
system with a SRAM two-speed automatic hub gear to
provide gear-changing without cables.
See: www.momentumelectric.com
Issue 6 Electric Bike 5