For most people, bicycles are a tool—something to get them from A to B quickly, efficiently, and conveniently. E-bikes, in particular, have become pretty popular across Europe and Asia, with folks turning to these easy-access vehicles to navigate the urban jungle.
In the US, e-bikes are finding their place, too, with folks using them for both commuting and recreation. And manufacturers are taking notice of this, and are now producing e-bikes that are so much more than just bicycles with motors on them.
Take, for example, the Centauri II from Portland, Oregon-based e-bike specialist Vvolt. At a glance, this thing looks like your run-of-the-mill step-through bicycle designed for riding around parks and neighborhoods. But if we look a little bit deeper, we’ll find quite a bit of tech that makes it a fairly well-rounded commuter—one that might actually be the ultimate urban runabout.
For starters, Vvolt has built this thing for maximum convenience. It ditches the traditional “manual” drivetrain of a bicycle for an automatic shifting geared hub dubbed “Autoshift3.” It’s essentially a three-speed geared hub that automatically changes gears as you accelerate and decelerate. It has far too few gears to make sense for a non-electric bike, but for an e-bike with a substantial amount of torque, this goes a long way in boosting efficiency.
Speaking of torque, this thing has quite a lot of it. It’s powered by an Ananda Mid-Drive motor with a peak power output of 650 watts and a claimed torque rating of 120 Nm (around 88.8 pound-feet). It’s paired with a 490-watt-hour battery pack that claims up to 60 miles of range on a single charge. So yeah, it’s more than enough for your daily errands around town, and perhaps enough to get you from school or work and back home on the daily.
The best part is that unlike traditional bikes, the Vvolt Centauri II doesn’t get a chain and sprockets. Instead, it’s rocking one of the newest performance innovations in the cycling scene: a Gates CDX Belt Drive. This carbon belt drive system doesn’t need any maintenance, and is claimed to last four times longer than a traditional chain. It’s also quieter, and makes the bike look pretty cool, too.
Lastly, the Centauri II comes equipped with frame-integrated lighting that draws power from the bike’s main battery. So no need to fiddle with individual batteries on your bike’s lights. The headlight flows seamlessly into the frame’s top tube, while the tail light is integrated into the back of the saddle for a clean look.
Overall, this thing looks like a pretty well-equipped bit of kit. You can even slap on a rear rack to carry heavier items on your daily commute. And provided you’re willing to pardon the rather steep $3,000 USD price tag, you just might have yourself a capable city slicker.
Source: Vvolt
