Optobike 600T test ride

[Biged]

Let see you do this on a whisper

YouTube - Bobby on an Optibike

Did you read the comments under the video.

 

[Streethawk]

Let see you do this on a whisper

YouTube - Bobby on an Optibike

No problem, really, a few very very small jumps and some wheelies. Any hardtail would do anything on that video and a whole lot more besides. And the excuses for the URT design, pretty lame. I mean really, chain grow as an excuse?! No springs in their derailleurs?

I'm sure it's a fine bike, and comfy over pot-holes and such, but mountain bike its not. Giant, Trek, Specialized, Marin, Cannondale... none of these companies have a single URT MTB in their range, and havent had for years. Trek invented the URT bike and they've not made one for about ten years.

For MTB though, have a look at this, which i dont pick because it's extreme, its fairly normal stuff on a red graded trail. Lopes in a rock garden

 

[NRG]

Let see you do this on a whisper

YouTube - Bobby on an Optibike

Pah! Let's see you do this on an Optibike

YouTube - Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009

 

[stevebills]

Pah! Let's see you do this on an Optibike

YouTube - Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009

Thats a bmx u need to lend my glasses

some big jumps on here!
YouTube - Optibike off road)

 

[stevebills]

OK, lets try the Raleigh RM1

Bloody hell that looks old!

 

[Streethawk]

Thats a bmx u need to lend my glasses

some big jumps on here!
YouTube - Optibike off road)

Better, but i raise you RAMPAGE!!!

 

[stevebills]

Pro-pedal is platform damping to alleviate pedal induced "bobbing" i dont see why you'd need that on a URT anyway. Modern mountain bikes have little to no pedal feedback whether single pivot or linkage driven. Four bar perhaps have the worst, but that's not stopped Specialized selling it's Horst Link to everyone! My own Marin Wolf Ridge exhibits no bob, and i have a pro-pedal Fox RP23 shock on which i never use the Pro-Pedal lever at all.

Perhaps the bike suits you, but any claim of it to be a "mountain bike" are seriously hindered by the use of an out-dated suspension design no longer used on any mountain bike i'm aware of, and not even seen on "supermarket specials" very often anymore. All manufacturers abondoned URT because it simply didnt offer a good enough ride. All rider contact points need to be on the suspended part of the bike, as they are on all motorbikes, cars etc etc.

For me, i wouldnt accept that design on a £200 bike, let alone a £6000+ one.

Optibike Forum

The rant is a little hard to follow and the first paragraph is completely bogus, but it is true that unified rear triangles (URT) have fallen out of favor for generally good reasons.

The first paragraph is based on the laughable notion that "modern mountain bikes have little to no pedal feedback whether single pivot or linkage driven." I don't what this guy is smoking, but I want some! My riding style is completely different on a bike with suspension because of this issue. Overall, I love my full suspension bike, but pounding up a hill (without engaging lockout) evokes the image of wading through mashed potatoes (I'm old enough to remember the feel of pre-suspension MTBs). I guess I sympathize with the author's view of the pro-pedal feature, and rarely engage it when riding off road. On the other hand, it seems particularly well suited to road riding which is 90% of my time on the Optibike.

The second paragraph makes slightly more sense: It is true that the URT design has fallen out of favor, but the argument that "all rider contact points need to be on the suspended part of the bike" is weak. Notice that the Optibike's bottom bracket hangs almost directly below the pivot, transferring the weight on the pedals to the frame so that the rider, even when pedaling hard does not contribute very much to the unsprung weight. Even so, we should count about 1/5 of the weight off the riders feet and MBB as unsprung, which is never helpful. The real problem I have with the URT design is the tendnecy for the frame to drop under hard rear braking. My Optibike clearly suffers from this, and requires an especially smooth touch when braking hard in severe terrain. Four bar designs largely eliminate this effect.

The question for me is practical, not theoretical: Which available e-bike works best for my needs? If you can afford one, Opti
look awfully good in comparison with the rest of the field, with superior power, range, and - yes - handling. Besides which, Opti is the only choice is you want an off the shelf full suspension off road model.

 

[Tex]

Optibike Forum

The rant is a little hard to follow and the first paragraph is completely bogus, but it is true that unified rear triangles (URT) have fallen out of favor for generally good reasons.

The first paragraph is based on the laughable notion that "modern mountain bikes have little to no pedal feedback whether single pivot or linkage driven." I don't what this guy is smoking, but I want some! My riding style is completely different on a bike with suspension because of this issue. Overall, I love my full suspension bike, but pounding up a hill (without engaging lockout) evokes the image of wading through mashed potatoes (I'm old enough to remember the feel of pre-suspension MTBs). I guess I sympathize with the author's view of the pro-pedal feature, and rarely engage it when riding off road. On the other hand, it seems particularly well suited to road riding which is 90% of my time on the Optibike.

The second paragraph makes slightly more sense: It is true that the URT design has fallen out of favor, but the argument that "all rider contact points need to be on the suspended part of the bike" is weak. Notice that the Optibike's bottom bracket hangs almost directly below the pivot, transferring the weight on the pedals to the frame so that the rider, even when pedaling hard does not contribute very much to the unsprung weight. Even so, we should count about 1/5 of the weight off the riders feet and MBB as unsprung, which is never helpful. The real problem I have with the URT design is the tendnecy for the frame to drop under hard rear braking. My Optibike clearly suffers from this, and requires an especially smooth touch when braking hard in severe terrain. Four bar designs largely eliminate this effect.

The question for me is practical, not theoretical: Which available e-bike works best for my needs? If you can afford one, Opti
look awfully good in comparison with the rest of the field, with superior power, range, and - yes - handling. Besides which, Opti is the only choice is you want an off the shelf full suspension off road model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDR-ZPcnRCY
proof's in the 'ridden.

i hope to post my video of some rough & fast riding at my local single-track soon when i've resolved my HD camera upload issues.

 

[flecc]

Besides which, Opti is the only choice is you want an off the shelf full suspension off road model.

Not so, the BikeTec Flyer X model is just that, and at similar high prices:

 

[Tex]

Not so, the BikeTec Flyer X model is just that, and at similar high prices:

Yes. I looked at these as an alternative. But they were completely unresponsive to my enquiries and shipment to /from the US for the Optibike was a less challenging prospect than from Germany (or UK) .. Plus the language barrier and we fought the in the war etc.

 

[Streethawk]

Not so, the BikeTec Flyer X model is just that, and at similar high prices:

Which is a horst-link design, like many good suspension designs today.

There's also the eSpire which is even faster than the Optibike and a similar price. This one is a single pivot design, which may suit the very powerful bikes as the linkages are only there to reduce pedal induced bob. Not likely to be pedalling this so much. Most motorbikes use a single pivot design.

Then there's the Stealth Bike Bomber and Fighter (4.5kw and single pivot again, with a gearbox on the cranks!):

 

[Biged]

I would say its more like a high end MTB with a powerful motor as I haven't seen a moped on 26" bike wheels yet...unless you no different?

Also Steve

The NSU Quickly, i used to play around the fields (off road?) in my teens on one of those, I'm in my sixties now so yes the Quickly is old as well, fits your criteria though moped 26" wheels.

 

[flecc]

Yes. I looked at these as an alternative. But they were completely unresponsive to my enquiries and shipment to /from the US for the Optibike was a less challenging prospect than from Germany (or UK) .. Plus the language barrier and we fought the in the war etc.

No war problem Tex, BikeTec are Swiss, albeit German-Swiss speaking.
.

 

[Streethawk]

Should also point out that Stealth Bikes are Australian.

 

[Tex]

Should also point out that Stealth Bikes are Australian.

The stealth bomber is 50kgs!

 

[tillson]

Moped design has really come on leaps and bounds and some of the examples posted above are testament to this. They really are sporty looking mopeds. Very trendy.

Does anyone know how much it costs to get such mopeds through the SVA? Or how much the annual insurance premium is? I expect the road fund licence is zero, based on emissions.

My questions might be more appropriate on a moped forum where people discuss how fast they can go on their mopeds.

 

[flecc]

Does anyone know how much it costs to get such mopeds through the SVA? Or how much the annual insurance premium is? I expect the road fund licence is zero, based on emissions.

Full answer to all the questions arising in my post here:

Single Vehicle Type Approval
.

 

[kraeuterbutter]

Not so, the BikeTec Flyer X model is just that, and at similar high prices:

hi flecc...

not realy
the Flyer-X-Street starts at 3999,- list-price (so you will get it cheaper at your local dealer)

the Flyer-X-MTB goes - depending on motorversion and gearingchoise - up to 4600Euro
(rohloff speedhub)

the optibike with rohloff speedhub is more like 12.000US$ list-price

so not realy the same price-range
of course: the optibike is stronger
(but hands down: are 300Watt continouse power the Flyer-X can provide not enough ? thats about 3 times the amount of power most people can put out continously)

flyer gives you 5year warranty on the bike and 2 years for the battery

other issues are: up to which kadenza does the optibike assist?
you hear always only power power power...
this would be some very important and usefull information..

 

[stevebills]

Full answer to all the questions arising in my post here:

Single Vehicle Type Approval
.

moped Single Vehicle Type Approval Certification

Golden Eagle cyclemotor

 

[kraeuterbutter]

the optibike looks realy old-fashioned, no question
it looks like the bikes which are sold for few money at the home improvement stores.

here some - more modern - design you may have an eye at:
(specially when you wana have that ridicoulous high power which makes such bikes more to a moped... not my world)


the E-RIDER from Conway
160mm travel front and rear
1000W continously, 2000Watt peakpower
weight: ~18-19kg (Optibike: 27-28kg)
battery: 695Wh (about twice as much as most other e-bikes, 3times as much than the small flyer-batts)

CONWAY E-Rider

VIDEO: YouTube - Conway E-Rider - brachiales E-Bike für den Offroad-Einsatz



another impressiv looking bike, the Ghost E-Ndure
YouTube - GHOST E.ndure WELTNEUHEIT

YouTube - GHOST auf der Eurobike 2010 - fahrrad.de
(E-Ndure starts at 7:18)
390Wh Battery