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The contrasting cost of e-bikes seems very much apparent in this week’s news with Moustache’s latest ‘SUV’ e-bike looking to shave around 1400 euros off the price of its bigger-batteried predecessor, whilst Canada’s Nireeka are looking to really make a splash by offering a truly powerful e-bike with carbon frame for under $2500 by going down the direct to customer, crowdfunding route. Meanwhile we see how popular subsidies are proving at state level and there is more evidence from Shimano in Europe that purchase subsidies also go down well there too.
In this week’s e-bike news:
- Moustache Petit Weekend – e-bike SUV not less expensive with smaller battery
- Nireeka carbon e-fat bike crowdfunds
- E-bike subsidies on the near horizon in Oregon
- Vela e-bikes moving production to Detroit
- Cost of living now driving e-bikes sales says Shimano study
- Dutch e-fat bike retailers warned on illegally powerful sales
MOUSTACHE PETIT WEEKEND – STRIPPED DOWN ‘SUV’ ANNOUNCED
France’s Moustache recently announced its Petit Weekend model – it’s a full suspension ‘do everything’ model, a design that increasingly seems to be called e-bike SUV…..well that gives you the picture – powerful mid-drive, plush suspension, wide off-road tires etc.
The Petit Weekend is essentially a smaller, less expensive version of the 27 EQ and is powered by the same Bosch Performance CX mid-drive but limits itself to a 625Wh battery, its bigger relation packing an 1125Wh double battery package.
The Petit Weekend is fully equipped with lights, mudguards and rack and also features the latest Bosch Nyon touchscreen display with navigation features and much more. It retails at 6399 euros as against the 7799 euros of its double-batteried equivalent.
NIREEKA’S LATEST MONSTER CARBON OFFERING – THE REVENANT
Nireeka are a Canadian-based e-bike manufacturer specialising in carbon-framed models. Their latest, now crowdfunding on Indiegogo, is the Revenant with eye-catching prices starting at $2,105 USD.
The Revenant offers a choice of 250W road legal and 1000W strictly OHV motors in one of Nireeka’s highly distinctive carbon frames. The two versions get 480Wh and 840Wh batteries respectively. The quoted top speed for the 100W version is 34mph also taking it well into OHV territory.
The Revenant features hydraulic disc brakes, hardwired LED lighting, 140 mm travel front and rear suspension and 3” fat tires.
The lower powered version is on offer for $2,105 and the 1000W model for $2,361 with availability slated for February 2023.
As ever with crowdfunding offers it is a case of buyer do your homework on the company – though we note Nireeka does have a track record of already producing e-bikes. In fact their website currently also offers the mid-drive Nyx and the beastly looking Prime.
OREGON E-BIKE SUBSIDIES LOOK LIKELY IN 2023
Elektrek reports that ‘….Oregon could become the latest US state to offer a generous electric bike rebate. A new bill known as Legislative Concept (LC) 1994 has been proposed by outgoing Oregon State Representative Karin Power to help provide rebates to e-bike buyers.’
It adds ‘The proposed bill provides a rebate of up to $1,200 off the purchase of an electric bike (non cargo) or up to $1,700 off the purchase of an electric cargo bike. In order to qualify, the e-bike must have a minimum retail sales price of $950….There are no income minimums to qualify for the rebate, but individual e-bike retailers must first register to become part of the program. Upon acceptance, they will be able to provide point-of-sale rebates to customers and then will be reimbursed by the State of Oregon within 30 days.’
VELA MOVING PRODUCTION TO THE US
Bicycle and Retailer Industry News (BRAIN) reports that ‘Vela Bikesan e-bike brand launched in Brazil 12 years ago, plans to move all its operations and manufacturing to the U.S. by early next year. The company is moving its headquarters to Detroit and will partner with Detroit Bikes to manufacture its bikes in the city. Detroit Bikes, owned by Cardinal Cycling Groupmakes all its steel frames in its factory, and also does wheel building and bike assembly there, for its brand and others.’
COST OF LIVING CONCERNS NOW DRIVING E-BIKE SALES
Shimano recently concluded its fourth in-depth State of the Nation European survey into attitudes toward e-bike use. It reveals:
‘In 2021 we asked if Europeans were more or less likely to ride e-bikes than before the pandemic and why. At that time 2 in 5 (39%) told us they felt that a primary reason for using an e-bike was avoiding public transport because of the risk of catching COVID-19. Now, in 2022 only 1 in 5 (18%) think of it as their primary reason, compared with the previous 12-months.
However, it is cost of living which is on our minds with 47% perceiving it as a reason to use an e-bike (in response to rising fuel and public transport costs) and 41% saying an e-bike subsidy, which would relieve the burden of the initial purchase, would motivate them to buy an e-bike.’
‘OFF-ROAD’ FAT BIKE RETAILERS IN THE NETHERLANDS WARNED
Bike Europe reports that ‘ 27 internet resellers have been warned by the Dutch transport authorities to stop offering their fatbikes. Research showed that they offer e-bikes that go faster than 25 km per hour and/or have a higher power than 250 watt without approval. Such e-bikes must have type approval.’ The article makes it clear that simply stating an e-bike is for ‘off-road use’ cannot now be used as a loophole there.
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