Latest news with #Specialized
WIRED
2 days ago
- Automotive
- WIRED
What's All This Stuff on My Ebike? We Answer Your Component Questions Here
Short answer: There's a drivetrain on it! We go over the battery, sensors, and other components that make your electric bicycle go. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Learn more. An electric bicycle—it's a regular bicycle, but with a motor on it! There are enough moving pieces on these personal mobility vehicles to make buying one confusing. Even if you're pretty sure you know what an electric bicycle is —and that you're not, riding, say, an electric motorcycle from a dealership—the technology changes almost daily. Over the past 10 years, battery capacity has increased by around 50 percent, according to Joe Buckley, the e-mountain bike product manager at Specialized. In addition to monster battery power, motors are also getting beefier. 'Motor power is a big topic right now and is viewed by many riders as one of the most important features when considering their purchase,' says Buckley. Exciting developments are on the horizon, but no matter how ebikes evolve, one rule remains steadfast: Buy a bike from a manufacturer that offers good customer support. 'At some point your bike will need service,' says Buckley, 'and lack of support from the brand means more money from the rider and less time on the bike.' Here are the five major parts of an electric bicycle's power system: battery, sensor, motor, display, and remote. For more information, check out our How to Buy an Electric Bike or How to Rent an Electric Bike guides. The battery is the electric bike's proverbial gas—it powers the motor as well as auxiliary components like lights. Most ebikes use rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The best Li-ion batteries are characterized by their long lifespan, lighter weight, and higher energy density. The worst are poorly made, untested, and can be a fire hazard, so check the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's page on recent safety recalls and battery best practices, before buying an ebike. For an excellent detailed explanation on how a Li-ion battery works, visit the US Department of Energy. The important takeaway on Li-ion batteries for electric bicycles is that they are measured by both their energy density and power density. The energy density, or the amount of energy a battery can store, is measured in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). Power density is the amount of power that can be generated by the battery and is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg). A good way to visualize the difference between the two is using the analogy of draining a swimming pool: Energy density equates to the size of the pool, while power density measures how quickly the pool can drain. Two other vocabulary words that crop up regarding batteries are volts and amps (or amperes). Volts are the amount of electrical force or pressure the battery can produce, or the speed of the battery's output of current. Amps are the volume of electrons that are passing through the system, or a measurement of the strength of the battery's output. While power density, volts, and amps all matter, the one to pay the most attention to is the Wh/kg measurement, because this is a reliable indicator of the ebike's range on one charge. The Wh/kg range from roughly 300 to 1,000, with a corresponding range from about 15 miles to upwards of 100 miles. But don't take these ballpark figures as gospel: An ebike's range depends on multiple factors including terrain, temperature, the rider's weight, the level of assistance the rider is using, how well maintained the bike is, and the tire pressure. If the battery is the heart of the electric bike, sensors are the nerve tissues of the spinal cord that coordinate the reflex actions of the motor. Sensor configuration depends on the manufacturer, but they generally fall under three categories: Speed sensor: A speed sensor measures the bike's speed and talks to the motor so that it can shut off when it reaches the legally permitted maximum assisted speed, which is 20 mph on a Class I or II or 28 mph on a Class III ebike. A speed sensor measures the bike's speed and talks to the motor so that it can shut off when it reaches the legally permitted maximum assisted speed, which is 20 mph on a Class I or II or 28 mph on a Class III ebike. Cadence sensor: When you start pedaling, the cadence sensor signals the motor to kick in, which it does with a short delay. When the rider stops pedaling, the motor stops. Simple and cost-efficient, cadence sensors provide consistent power no matter how much force the rider is exerting. Their top speed is governed by the power level the bike is in. Most ebikes have at least three levels of power ranging from—eco to trail to turbo mode. These power levels can be tweaked via the remote (normally in the form of an app) to further customize. When you start pedaling, the cadence sensor signals the motor to kick in, which it does with a short delay. When the rider stops pedaling, the motor stops. Simple and cost-efficient, cadence sensors provide consistent power no matter how much force the rider is exerting. Their top speed is governed by the power level the bike is in. Most ebikes have at least three levels of power ranging from—eco to trail to turbo mode. These power levels can be tweaked via the remote (normally in the form of an app) to further customize. Torque sensor: A torque sensor measures the movement of the pedals, as well as the amount of force the rider is using to push them. Because it immediately responds to the cyclist's effort without delay, this sensor provides the most natural feeling ride. If the battery is the heart, the sensor is the brains, then the motor is the muscle of an ebike. Ebikes have two kinds of motors: hub-based or mid-drive (what others might call crank-based). There are advantages and disadvantages to each. A crank-based motor is integrated into the bike's frame, making it more expensive to design. But it also feels more natural to ride, like an analog bike. Hub-based motors, which are laced into the rear wheel, are generally less expensive because bike manufacturers do not have to engineer the frame around the motor. They are also generally less powerful on hilly terrain and can wear out more quickly. On the flip side, they are also easier to replace. A motor's power output is measured by wattage: Most ebike motors range from 250 to 900 watts, the latter generally reserved for electric mountain bikes that are designed to climb thousands of feet per outing. Another measurement important to note is the motor's torque—the more torque, the more power and responsiveness you'll get from the motor. For example, the most powerful electric mountain bikes have north of 100 newton-meters of torque. The display is the ebike's brain—tracking and displaying speed, distance, battery level, ride time, and even GPS navigation. More sophisticated bike computers even track elevation, cadence, power, and heart rate. This small screen sits in the cockpit, often around the left brake shifter or on the top tube. An electric bike will also have buttons next to the shifters and gears that will let you control the bike, to add more or less assistance or even use turn signals with your lights. Most ebikes also have corresponding apps downloadable to Android or iPhones that further calibrate and fine-tune the ride, customize the display, control walk assist, and keep track of and even remotely lock the bike. It can do almost everything but turn the pedals. You can also mount your phone to your bike to use as a display. What is an electric bicycle? An electric bike has two or three wheels and has a motor of under 750 watts. 'E-motos are often falsely advertised to consumers as electric bicycles, but they go faster than 20 mph with a throttle and/or they exceed the 750-watt limit required by federal regulations,' says Ash Lovell, vice president of government relations at People for Bikes. 'We've been working on this issue for the past few years, and we're excited to see that people are starting to better understand what is and is not an electric bicycle.' How old do you have to be to ride an electric bike? In many states, you must be over 16 to ride an electric bike, but you can check your laws by state here. Generally, we do not recommend an electric bike for anyone under the age of 16. Power up with unlimited access to WIRED . Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that's too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.
The Verge
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Verge
DJI finally brings its impressive Amflow e-bike to US trails
Starting today, DJI's Amflow electric mountain bike range is available to buy in the United States. It comes over a year since the showcase for DJI's very impressive Avinox drive system was launched in Europe, sending shockwaves through the industry and leaving stalwarts like Bosch and Specialized struggling to respond. What's most impressive about the Avinox system — built around a 1000W Avinox motor capable of producing a very responsive 120Nm of max torque — is how much performance it packs into such a diminutive, lightweight, and efficient package. A remarkable accomplishment for DJI's inaugural effort. I can't wait to see what the company best known for its drones has in store for mass-market commuter e-bikes. The Amflow PL e-bikes are DJI's best effort to promote that drive system in a highly-specced and sleek build weighing just 19.2kg. And while I don't have the chops to properly review this e-MTB myself, trail-bombing experts have been won over again and again... and again. They don't come cheap, however: the Amflow PL Carbon starts at $7,499 and jumps to $10,199 for the Pro model, so it'd be wise to first book a test ride. If that price is too steep then it might pay to shop around. In April, six international brands announced electric mountain and gravel bikes built around the Avinox drive system, which has since expanded to at least 16 brands, according to from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Thomas Ricker Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Electric Bikes Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Rideables Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Transportation
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
What It's Like To Ride A $7,300 Ebike
The new Turbo Levo 4 Comp Alloy ebike If you've shopped around for electric bikes recently, you probably noticed that there are two extremes – ultra pricey bikes and really low-end models. The high-end ones run $5,000 and up, and are collectively made with upscale parts that last long and work well in concert together. The cheap models sell for $1,000 or less, and often fail within two years, typically either because the parts are poorly made and break or the bike just wasn't manufactured well. Even knowing I was reviewing their bikes for my column, several manufacturers have sent me their low-end bikes that arrive with random loose parts just sitting around inside the box. No explanation, no instructions, and no apologies from the manufacturers. It's more common than you think. And definitely more than I would like to believe happens. Bottom line apparently is that you get what you pay for, in this when popular bike company Specialized recently offered me the opportunity to review its new $7,300 Turbo Levo 4 Comp Alloy ebike, I had to see what it was all about. Mind you, my experience will be different than anyone else's. But I was able to pick one up at their local shop. The store manager texted me first and asked for my weight so that he could customize the suspension for me before I got there. Once I arrived, the bike was waiting for me to take for a few days. An associate ran me through the various bike operation menus and buttons, and I was off. The whole process took about 10 really impressed me right away with the bike was not only the beautiful deep sea blue-green color of the frame, but also the way the bright color display is streamlined right into the neck. It's really cool looking and I wish more bikes would have it. Another super feature was that it comes with a hidden tool kit that can pop up out of the top of the neck on demand. Thankfully, I didn't need to use it, but it's great to know that it's I rode the bike five miles back to my house, and then got to ride it around several times for a few days before returning it to the shop. My impressions were that it was a super smooth and ultra quiet ride. I really liked the slightly oversized tires with plenty of traction – they made every terrain nice and smooth. It probably had better suspension than any other bike I've tried to date. And that's saying something. While there's no pedal assist level, the bike instead offers several power modes. I pretty much kept this one in Turbo mode the entire time, which means that the bike effortlessly moves along at the maximum speed I can pedal it at. Speaking of, the associate showed me how to change the speed limiter to 28 mph, which is kind of buried in the menus. Not a big deal, except that you have to reset it every time you turn the bike back on – something I was not a fan of. On every other ebike I've ever tried where you can change the speed limit, it's a permanent change until you change it back manually. Maybe this is a safety feature for in my hilly area that also gets extremely windy, this bike performed like a champ. It was able to tackle every hill with ease. If I felt too much resistance at any point, all I did was change the manual gear shifter to accommodate the incline. I traversed all around my usual bike paths and found it to be refreshingly fun to facet I did not care for was the seat post. You press a lever underneath the left handlebar and it becomes a floating seat height adjuster until you let go of the lever. So once you start riding, you can raise the seat to accommodate your behind height. I set mine a little high because I felt it provided me better pedal leverage. But once I got to a red light or a stop sign and needed to stand still for a minute or two, it became a confusing pain to lower and raise back the seat. That's not intuitive to me. And because I don't need to do that while I'm riding my own ebike, I resented having to do it on this model. I also wish there was a throttle on the Specialized. If I was spending this much money on an e-bike, I think it should be equipped with a throttle for when I need to accelerate up to the speed of traffic without having to you can easily tell why this model costs what it does: It's a premium riding experience, thanks to the quality parts, excellent engineering, and thoughtful build.
The Drive
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Brembo Brakes Are Going on Mountain Bikes Now
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Brembo, popular purveyor of high-performance brakes for cars and motorcycles, is jumping into a new market and arena of sport: downhill mountain biking. The Formula 1 and MotoGP brake supplier will now be making cute little brake calipers for Specialized's 2025 UCI MTB World Series race bike. And yes, they are red. There have been some one-off custom bicycles with Brembo brakes in the past, but this is the first proper OE application on something with pedal power. The Specialized Gravity Team will be running Brembo's new bike brake system (it's not just the calipers) on its race bikes starting with the Val di Sole event, coming up June 20-22. It makes sense—downhill bikes don't hit MotoGP speeds, but absolutely go fast enough to justify extreme braking performance. Especially at the highest level of competition. I did a couple of downhill mountain bike races in my youth as an amateur—never did a full day of downhill riding without damaging a significant component (usually bent wheels). Billy Lebelge New business relationships also surely had a hand in making this happen. Specialized has run Öhlins suspension (another brand that also does elite equipment for motorsport and road vehicles) on its race bikes for many years, and Brembo acquired Öhlins just a few months ago. The Swedish company is still providing suspension for Specialized's race program (and some of its consumer bikes, too). As for the mechanical details on Brembo's new bike brakes, here's what the brand shared: 'The braking system, both front and rear, includes an axial brake master cylinder with a floating diameter of 9 mm and a triple lever adjustment (lever ratio, lever reach, and free stroke), allowing riders to customize the braking feel according to their preferences. The brake master cylinder is paired with a post-mount caliper featuring four 'isolated' aluminum pistons with 18 mm diameter to provide high braking power. The master cylinder and the caliper are connected by a braided steel hose to ensure consistent and precise lever travel. The system is completed by a fixed brake rotor, specifically designed to match the caliper, with an enlarged braking surface to optimize heat dissipation during extreme use.' Billy Lebelge I asked my Brembo contact if the brake kit would be available as a standalone consumer option at some point, and the answer wasn't a yes or a no. As they shared via email: 'Brembo has decided to enter the cycling sector with an initial supply in the Racing applications world: this is the first step into the realm of competitive bike racing and a new sector for Brembo and our racing business unit. We cannot speak to future potential in the bicycle industry right now, but this is not an opportunistic partnership – it is strategic. Brembo and Specialized have just embarked on a journey that we hope will lead to further innovations in the near future.' Specialized's factory riders usually have special prototype race bikes they use in competition, so I doubt you'll be able to grab one of these off the shelf right away. But of course, the brand goes racing to move merchandise, so I'm guessing these brakes, or at least a version of them, will trickle down to production status eventually. You can buy the Specialized Demo Race bike for about $7,100 right now, that model's not sporting Brembos yet but it does have Öhlins suspension. This makes me want to get out and ride—my own Specialized has been collecting dust in the garage; I'll roll it out again if it ever stops raining here in NY. Know about any other car-brand/mountain bike collabs? Drop the author a line at
Bloomberg
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Italy's Brembo to Provide Brakes for US Bike Brand Specialized
By Brembo NV will supply a braking system for US bicycle brand Specialized as part of a partnership the two companies are setting up, people familiar with the matter said. Bergamo, northern Italy-based Brembo already produces braking systems for Formula 1 and MotoGP cars, as well as for supercars including Ferrari NV and Porsche AG vehicles. With the latest move, the Italian company's brake business is entering the mountain bike competition segment, said the people who asked not to be named discussing private information.
