The new research aims to quantify the differences in energy expenditure, perceptions of difficulty, and acceleration between regular bikes and e-bikes in a bike-share system. Following a fitness evaluation, the 15 participants took two near-identical bike rides; once with an e-bike, and once with a regular bike. During the course of the ride, heart rate and speed were continuously measured, and participants shared their own perceptions of exertion and enjoyment.
The study’s key results were as follows:
Individuals expended about 13% less energy on e-bicycles compared to conventional bicycles on a steady-state ride.
E-bikes and conventional bicycles provided moderate intensity physical activity.
Individuals reported higher enjoyment on the e-bike.
Individuals reported less exertion and difficulty on the e-bike.
Most participants reported preferring the e-bike for commute travel.
Of course, results from any research with such a small sample size (n=15) should be considered with caution.
AMBici offers new sustainable mobility options to city residents and will integrate with the existing Bicing scheme.
Last week, Barcelona’s public transit operator presented the infrastructure of the upcoming AMBici bike-sharing service, which will cover the entire territory of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB). The scheme will launch early in 2023 in the municipalities of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Joan Despí and Cornellà de Llobregat, expanding further over the subsequent 3 months. Once fully operational, AMBici will provide 2,600 electric bicycles and 236 stations to residents of the metropolis.
Regarding the integration of AMBici with Barcelona Municipality’s existing Bicing service, transfer stations for the two services will be created in areas bordering Barcelona with the municipal terms of Sant Adrià de Besòs, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, l’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Esplugues de Llobregat, and a metropolitan pass, with discounts for users of both services.
The AMBici service will offer 100% electric bicycles of the latest generation – the e-SMARTbike 2.0 model, that provides agile and safe commuting. The bicycle boasts features such as a low centre of gravity, ‘starter boost’ function, and automatic assistance levels.
In 2023, AMBici will apply a promotional rate of €25 per year per pass, which will allow 30 minutes of free use for each journey. After the free 30 minutes, it will cost 0.50 euros per half hour.
From 2024, the subscription will cost 40 euros a year, with the first 30 minutes at a price of 15 cents. After the initial 30 minutes, it will cost 0.50 euros per half hour.
Comments Off on Podbike begins construction of final FRIKAR e-bike
The updated version of LEVA-EU member Podbike’s FRIKAR vehicle will incorporate all design and engineering changes from the last 12 months.
Construction is underway at Podbike HQ in Stavanger, Norway, with the bike being slowly and deliberately built by hand. This precision allows the team to develop its compilation documentation during assembly; following this, the final model will be tested for a month. After a successful testing period, the pre-ordered models will be hand-assembled and the scalability of manufacturing will be analysed.
When Podbike set out in 2016, it was predicted that their bikes would be commercially available some time ago. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, supply chain problems, funding shortfalls, and design challenges have continually set back the release date. For this reason, the team is not yet able to commit to a final release date. Despite this, the previously confirmed roll-out plan will be followed: FRIKAR will be delivered to pre-order customers in Norway first and then to customers in Germany in 2023. The model will launch in other European countries, one at a time.
Johnson Electric announces the acquisition of an 80% stake in LEVA-EU member Pendix GmbH, a well-established technology-driven market player in the e-bike industry. Based in Zwickau, Germany, Pendix designs, manufactures, and brings complete electric cargo bikes and electric drives for bicycles to market. Pendix’s offering combines leading innovation with an extremely high level of product reliability.
“By welcoming Pendix as part of Johnson Electric Group, we are expanding our e-mobility offering and entering the e-bike market. With Johnson Electric’s industrial scale and global reach together with Pendix’s expertise in the e-bike sector, we are positioning ourselves into a fast-growing and innovative industry,” said Dr. Patrick Wang, Chairman and CEO of Johnson Electric.
“Our engineering center in Dresden, Germany, is in close proximity to Zwickau. This will enable close collaboration with the highly skilled Pendix team. We’re excited about expanding into the e-bike sector, and by doing so we hope to create a more sustainable future for personal mobility,” added Austin Wang, Senior Vice President of Johnson Electric.
All Pendix founders, who started the company in 2013, will remain shareholders of Pendix and continue in their active management roles to lead the business growth plans.
“We are extremely pleased to join such a reputable company as Johnson Electric and are convinced that our common passions for innovation and engineering perfection together with a strong cultural fit are a great foundation for reaching the next level of success,” commented Thomas Herzog, co-founder and CEO of Pendix GmbH.
Comments Off on Bafang Sponsorships 2022 – Applications open
LEVA-EU member Bafang is looking for new sponsorship partners who are ready to represent Bafang on a global scale.
In the upcoming sponsorship scheme, the manufacturing giant aims to support and collaborate with a range of e-bike riders and racing teams.
Bafang is seeking partners with whom to work for both parties’ benefit. Collaboration, creativity, and communication have been outlined as highly valued in potential partners. Visual content (photo/video) will be a key aspect of any selected partnerships; alongside this, event support, technical discussion, and more can be explored. The scheme aims for selected partnerships to grow into close working relationships beyond the basic exchange of goods. Generous sponsorship deals are available to suitable candidates. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Full details can be found via the Bafang website, here.
The Bafang Sponsorship Opportunities interest form can be accessed directly, here.
The NieuwsFiets DealerTrip is back on the agenda and will travel to Bike Value in Portugal from 8 to 15 January 2023. As the registration period is much shorter than usual, this is a trip for quick decision-makers!
As travel restrictions have been considerably relaxed again, the new NieuwsFiets.nu ‘DealerReis’ will travel to Portugal next year. This trip will take place in January, and due to the rapid approach of the date, interested entrepreneurs will have to decide quickly. It is certain that it will again be an exciting professional trip, heading to the beating heart of the Portuguese bicycle industry. The program of factory visits is currently being finalized, but visits to companies such as SRAM, Polisport/Bobike, Miranda, and Fritz Jou (producer of QWIC, among others) have been confirmed.
DealerTravel to Vietnam is too risky due to corona
The last NieuwsFiets.nu DealerReis took place in 2019 when travel to China was still possible. A trip to Vietnam was originally planned for 2020, but disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed this visit. “That trip has been postponed twice and was in principle planned for November this year. And although it is currently possible to travel to Vietnam, I think it is too risky,” says organizer Arnauld Hackmann. “Suppose COVID-19 flares up again and Vietnam starts re-instituting quarantine rules, then we have a big problem. I first want to see how things are going there in the coming months, but Vietnam will definitely remain on the wish list for the near future.”
Portugal: The main production location in the EU bicycle market
In addition to NieuwsFiets.nu, Hackmann also organizes dealer trips for the German trade magazine Velobiz.de. Editor-in-chief Markus Fritsch proposed the idea of visiting Portugal as an alternative to Vietnam, which has Bike Value in Agueda, where a lot of the bicycle industry is located. “The first discussions were held during Eurobike. November, the month in which the trips normally take place, was not feasible, so we opted for the beginning of January,” explains Hackmann. “An additional advantage is that this trip is a lot cheaper than the Asia trips of the past.”
The northern Portuguese metropolis of Porto is one of the most beautiful cities on the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, the port city is now an important center of the European bicycle industry; more than one-fifth of bicycles produced in Europe roll off the assembly line in Portugal. The country on the Iberian Atlantic coast has thus developed into the most important production location in the EU bicycle market. In addition, Portugal is an important location for the production of bicycle frames and other parts.
With the NieuwsFiets.nu DealerTrip 2023, travelers take a look behind the factory gates of eight companies that produce in Portugal from 8 to 15 January. Of course, getting to know the destination’s culture and people is not neglected during this time. During the 8-day trip, there is extensive of opportunity for dealers to network and exchange experiences.
Launched in partnership with Westminster’s City Council, the e-bikes join the area’s expanding electric service fleet.
The 14 new e-bikes are to be used for the fly-tip collection process, the delivery of commercial waste bags, and for monitoring hot spot littering areas. They join over 60 electric cleaning and collection vehicles that are already operating in the area in the council’s bid to reduce the number of diesel vehicles used in the sector.
Helder Branco, General Manager for Veolia Westminster shared, “We’re very pleased to be operating with such a large electric fleet in Westminster. The new electric bikes not only lower emissions and contribute toward Westminster City Council’s target of net-zero emissions by 2040, but also allow us to offer a further improved and streamlined service for Westminster residents. We hope that our innovative approach to our operations across the borough will continue to set the standards for the future of sustainable operations.“
Of course, replacing diesel vehicles has extensive environmental benefits, including a significant reduction in noise pollution and a 100% reduction in operational nitrogen oxide emissions. Additionally, the bikes’ higher level of operational flexibility allows waste collection to continue during road closures and for services to be extended into pedestrianized areas. The e-bikes will contribute to the council’s 2040 net-zero commitment.
Comments Off on Bafang Direct-to-dealer Services see primary launch with select brands
In the past, to meet the individualized needs of different e-bike brands, LEVA-EU member Bafang Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (hereafter referred to as Bafang) developed a variety of products and provided after-sales services to brands in a flexible and efficient way. With the maturity of products and development of consumers’ service requirements, some brands took the initiative to ask Bafang to extend its services further to include dealers. To meet the evolving market demand, over the past two years Bafang has developed a direct-to-dealer service (DDS) mode for select bicycle brands and dealers in response to their service requirements, creating a comprehensive, closed-loop system.
This concept was first put into practice in February 2021; in this preliminary stage, the service was available only to a few selected dealers. Following with an excellent response, Bafang’s dealer services network has further expanded and now serves dealers of multiple brands.
As one of the world’s leading electric bike drive systems and electronic components manufacturers, Bafang knows its responsibility for the continuous flow and exchange of information between brands and their dealers. Therefore, Bafang has refined and strengthened its DDS, heavily investing in the project to provide applicable training programs for the existing products each year.
In February 2021, Bafang launched the DDS with a Dutch brand, Gazelle. In the first interactive training stage, the brand invited a few dealers to thoroughly trial the dealer services system and assess any problems that arose. By the end of 2021, all of Gazelle’s dealers had been connected to the Bafang DDS system. For the Gazelle brand alone, Bafang will continue to provide more than 700 dealers with services including product training, customer service, and spare parts sales.
Currently, 5 brands have joined Bafang’s DDS, and the Bafang dealers’ service team has established contact with more than 1,200 dealers to provide relevant services.
The Bafang DDS service team boasts established technicians with years of industry experience who will train dealers and workshop employees to ensure that they can provide high-quality services to their customers. The scope of services provided by Bafang DDS includes:
– Free replacement and maintenance of parts (within the warranty period)
– Stable diagnostic systems
– Training courses for new products
– Technical documents in various languages for download (e.g., manuals, e-learning videos,
assembly/disassembly demonstrations)
– Quick response and follow-up on any technical issues
– Sharing of the dealers’ experiences
At present, the Bafang DDS system remains in its initial development stage, including the logistics system, service platform, training activities, etc., which are being continuously improved upon. In the future, Bafang plans continued expansion of the system to quickly meet dealers’ demands with real-world data and support. Dealers will have the advantage of using the full range of services provided by Bafang and purchasing parts directly through the system, while Bafang Dealer Services itself will continue to expand service outlets and increase service personnel. In April of this year, Bafang held a professional, innovative, and successful online training event with Fischer Bicycle and its international dealers, and is preparing for the provision of a professional service system for more brands and dealers in the future.
Although the Bafang DDS is a relatively new offering, many dealers have shown great enthusiasm and encouragement for the program, providing valuable suggestions for Bafang to improve the subsequent service work.
Bafang dealer service process
How does the Bafang DDS function? Following the signing of a dealer service agreement by a bike brand, the brand’s list of dealers and their relevant details is shared with Bafang. Bafang then prepares all goods and content for the dealers, who can submit product queries through the dedicated DDS web portal. Bafang’s service engineers handle all incoming queries promptly, liaising remotely with the dealer through the most appropriate channels to reach a resolution.
LEVA-EU member Vässla has always stood out for their unique designs. Now, their latest product has been unveiled, an e-bike that “anyone can afford, and sit comfortably on.”
Vässla Pedal, as it is called, has a stripped down design, and lacks displays, switches, and cabling. The battery is almost completely integrated into the bicycle’s frame. The bike is only available in a single size – 24 inches. The idea is to satisfy everyone’s needs, regardless of gender or size. “With an electric motor that drives, the diameter of the wheels is no longer a factor, something that traditional bicycle manufacturers have not really grasped”, says Vässla’s founder and CEO Rickard Bröms.
“We have made a SEK 30,000 electric bicycle that everyone can afford and everyone can sit comfortably on. A commuting monster, something you can ride a couple of miles on every day,” he continues.
The e-bike is available purchase outright, or via a subscription service with the goal of improving the accessibility of the e-bike market to all. With a range of 100 km, and a host of accessories set to launch over time, the product is designed to meet a commuter’s daily needs while being open to other uses such as grocery shopping.
More information regarding the Vässla Pedal can be found here.
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