Recently, the electric bicycle B'TWIN LD 920 E that Decathlon showed in 2022 was officially launched on the official website and has been listed in several European countries.
Designed for urban commuting, the vehicle follows the brand's usual simple appearance, is a modern and beautiful smart electric vehicle, and is equipped with a rear seat, can be matched with product kits according to their needs, in order to match different user groups, Decathlon has launched two models: high frame and low frame.
This model has attracted a lot of attention since it was not yet on the market, because it is equipped with a powertrain that can bring users a game-changing riding experience, which is the Owuru electric system designed by E2 Drives. Owuru's innovative combination of two motors and a planetary gearbox, with two timing belts ensuring that the motor shaft and drive shaft interact as harmoniously as possible, enables the entire system to be automatically stepless, meaning that the vehicle can use different levels of assistance at any gear ratio of up to 375%.
Automatic electric bike
The earliest bicycle gear change was required to stop the operation, and later upgraded to a transmission, when from downhill to uphill terrain, accompanied by a "click", you can climb hills more effortlessly, until today, without any operation to achieve smooth gear changes, and secondly, there will be no condensation shift time when riding, because Owuru's gear shifting has continuity, and the vehicle can automatically adjust an infinite number of gears. In addition, Owuru eliminates the limitations imposed by transmissions, as shifting functions are integrated into the motor and there is no need for a derailleur, instead of a chain with fixed gears for smooth shifting in any situation.
Intelligent assistance systems
If the transmission is used, the rider needs to adjust the vehicle gear in real time to adapt to his own rhythm, Owuru does not need, through Owuru's cadence setting control, as long as you set the cadence cadence you want, the system will automatically and continuously adjust the gear ratio according to the speed and pedaling torque of the bike.
Smaller and more sensitive
The entire Owuru system is controlled by a printed circuit board, two motor driver assemblies and eight sensors mounted on a single board, resulting in a higher level of component integration, a smaller footprint, and a microcontroller inside the system to monitor the performance output of the entire engine. Thanks to the meticulous handling of components, the system operates almost silently and the planetary gears are perfectly coordinated with each other for a seamless driving experience.
Drives are available in three secondary levels. They are Eco, Standard and Boos, which provide 100%, 235% and 375% auxiliary power, respectively. With a torque of 65 Nm, the motor is good enough for city commuting with a gear range of 265%.
The B'TWIN LD 920 E is equipped with a 702Wh Samsung battery and has a range of up to 150 km. The vehicle supports Bluetooth to connect intelligently, with automatic unlocking, location tracking and other functions. The built-in color screen displays real-time speed and remaining mileage, and the vehicle also has a USB-C charging port in case the smart device needs to be charged.
The vehicle is currently on sale for 2,999 euros.
Compared to the Pinion MGU, another mid-motor integration system on the market, the performance of the Owuru is not so superior, in terms of gear ratio, the MGU with a 9-speed gearbox is 568%, and the MGU with a 12-speed gearbox is up to 600%, Owuru is in the front of the chain link, the chain system has a total of three pulleys, two of which are located in the conventional derailleur cage, compared to Pinion's solution, it is impossible to judge its smoothness from a distance, Quietness and degree of wear, at least the MGU with ribbon and single pulley looks neater than the E2 Drives concept.
According to E2 Drives, after the launch of urban commuter models, the company will develop a second-generation continuously variable transmission for mountain bikes and cargo bikes.