NEC Cycle Show 2017: Wisper e-MTBs, Swytch & other highlights

[Pedelecs]

Just a few images from our visit on Saturday below.
Full story & more images from the show can be found here:
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/news/nec-cycle-show-2017/

 

[EddiePJ]

The KTM Lycan and Mondraker hardtail both certainly look very nice.

Beyond those two, there isn't anything that catches my eye or interests me.

 

[soundwave]

me neither tbh the pivot bike is nice but not at 10k lol and the batt is the wrong way round, wonder if they will do a frame motor combo that you can self build in the next few years as even on expensive bikes you get stock crap parts.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

There were some interesting things away from the electric bike section. there was a road bike with that new removable crank-drive system, and Grant Sinclair was there with that enclosed trike thing.

In that glass cabinet on the Swytch stand were what looked like a pair of those tiny Xiongda motors. I wanted to talk to the guy about them, but he was busy with other guys all the time. His kit is perfect for a Brompton and other small folding bikes.

 

[footpump]

talking to a local ebike dealer who attended the show and looking at the ebike range pampflets there seems to be far more battery integration into the frame and streamlining than just bolt onto front tube approach.
saw a pic of new ktm macina with new bosch moter with the big front chainring

 

[Wisper Bikes]

A quick statistic: We had the two new Alloy Wisper eMTBs on the test track. Between them they clocked up over 250 Miles. Consider the track was not much more than 100M long!

Great show, with loads of cool bikes, a shame we weren’t allowed to put the Wispers on the eMTB track though.

All the best, David

 

[Swytch Bike]

There were some interesting things away from the electric bike section. there was a road bike with that new removable crank-drive system, and Grant Sinclair was there with that enclosed trike thing.

In that glass cabinet on the Swytch stand were what looked like a pair of those tiny Xiongda motors. I wanted to talk to the guy about them, but he was busy with other guys all the time. His kit is perfect for a Brompton and other small folding bikes.

Hi D8veh
Oliver here, I'm "that guy"
You're right, our new SWYTCH system is perfect for Bromptons. You can either fit the new bracket on the handlebars and keep the brompton bag empty, or you can relocate the parts into the brompton bag. Either way the fold is unaffected.

Our system is the same spec as the Brompton eBike, and most other eBikes for £1,000 and up - but we are offering it by pre-order for the first people to get in there for just $299 (about £225). We will be announcing on the forum soon how to get first access to order your unit before the price goes up.

More info here: www.swytchbike.com - additional tech specs images and videos being released soon.

Happy to talk to you about more techy details!

 

[Crockers]

a shame we weren’t allowed to put the Wispers on the eMTB track though.

All the best, David

Why not ???

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Why not ???

Bosch track... so only for Bosch equipped bikes.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Hi D8veh
Oliver here, I'm "that guy"
You're right, our new SWYTCH system is perfect for Bromptons. You can either fit the new bracket on the handlebars and keep the brompton bag empty, or you can relocate the parts into the brompton bag. Either way the fold is unaffected.

Our system is the same spec as the Brompton eBike, and most other eBikes for £1,000 and up - but we are offering it by pre-order for the first people to get in there for just $299 (about £225). We will be announcing on the forum soon how to get first access to order your unit before the price goes up.

More info here: www.swytchbike.com - additional tech specs images and videos being released soon.

Happy to talk to you about more techy details!

Have you tried one of those Xiongda motors that you had in the glass cabinet?

 

[Crockers]

Bosch track... so only for Bosch equipped bikes.

Sounds childish.

 

[anotherkiwi]

It's very Bosch you know! Zorry I have a cold an a runny noze...

 

[Steve A]

Sounds childish.

If they paid for the track to show off their motors and other manufacturers didn't it makes perfect business sense to restrict to Bosch motor use only.
Let the others invest in their own track or share costs.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Sounds childish.

Chidish? Bosch pay out thousands to build a track for customers to test their bikes on. Why would they let others benefit when they've not helped with the costs? its simple business.

There was also another eBike test track that was open to all brands / motors. It was just the Bosch one that was Bosch only.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Shimano sponsored the main ebike track but didn’t seem to need to ban Bosch or any other motor.

Maybe Shimano weren’t worried about the competition?

If I were running the Bosch Test track, I wouldn’t want to put it up against the Shimano E8000 either.

All the best, David

 

[EddiePJ]

I can see why you wouldn't with the reported overheating issues suffered by Shimano.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi Eddie, thanks for pointing that out again. As already discussed, the one or two overheating problems happened a long time ago to the MK1 motors.

We asked those that rode the Shimano 8000 system on the test track which they preferred out of all the riders over four days only one couple said they preferred the CX motor. They had just bought Bosch bikes so I wasn’t surprised.

I am sure Bosch will leapfrog Shimano soon and Shimano will then leapfrog Bosch again etc etc. That’s the way products improve.

We will probably use Bosch motors in our 2019 City and Trekking range, they are cheaper and are good motors. I have nothing against Bosch, we simply chose what we believed were the best motors for eMTBs at this time.

My point here is that Shimano we’re happy for anyone to test competitors bikes on their track. Bosch for some reason known only to them were not.

All the best, David

 

[EddiePJ]

Hi Eddie, thanks for pointing that out again. As already discussed, the one or two overheating problems happened a long time ago to the MK1 motors.

Just for the record, that is not factually correct.

The Shimano 8000 motors are also overheating, and in an attempt to dismiss this fact, you even tried to discredit amongst others, Christoph Milan, who is a highly respected eMTB tester/rider in his own right, and who's opinion I would trust and believe more than that of your own as a manufacturer.

 

[Steve A]

I chose a bike with a Bosch motor in 2016, for at the time was obvious reasons for me. I have no loyalty to a brand, as those days have unfortunately gone. I say this as larger brands tend too have little loyalty to existing customers. I also think it would be very bad for e-biking if only one manufacturer had dominance.
I understand the Bosch track scenario business wise, but of course prefer the Shimano attitude.
Finally, when looking in 2019 i will be comparing motors whether Bosch or Shimano etc and choose the one best fits my needs.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Just for the record, that is not factually correct.

The Shimano 8000 motors are also overheating, and in an attempt to dismiss this fact, you even tried to discredit amongst others, Christoph Milan, who is a highly respected eMTB tester/rider in his own right, and who's opinion I would trust and believe more than that of your own as a manufacturer.

We’ve spoken to Shimano about this in detail. There is absolutely no problem with overheating now if there were we would not have gone with them.

Thanks fir your interest.