Bicycles

Klever Mobility continues award-winning form at Eurobike 2013

Klever Mobility continues award-winning form at Eurobike 2013
The B25 from Klever Mobility took out an e-bike/pedelec award at Eurobike 2013
The B25 from Klever Mobility took out an e-bike/pedelec award at Eurobike 2013
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The S25 that took out a 2013 Red Dot product design award
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The S25 that took out a 2013 Red Dot product design award
The rear wheel hub motor
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The rear wheel hub motor
The battery is a central element of the Klever pedelec design
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The battery is a central element of the Klever pedelec design
The LED control unit displays key information including battery charge level, speed, distance traveled and remaining range
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The LED control unit displays key information including battery charge level, speed, distance traveled and remaining range
The LED control unit is detachable and acts as an immobilizer when removed
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The LED control unit is detachable and acts as an immobilizer when removed
The S25 and S45 feature the same frame design
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The S25 and S45 feature the same frame design
The charge port on the battery allows it to be charged while still on the bike
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The charge port on the battery allows it to be charged while still on the bike
Removing the battery from the S45
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Removing the battery from the S45
The S45 sans battery
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The S45 sans battery
The batteries are interchangeable between all models in the Klever range
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The batteries are interchangeable between all models in the Klever range
The B25 and B45 are dual-suspended bikes
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The B25 and B45 are dual-suspended bikes
The B25 and B45 offer lower step through than the S25 and S45
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The B25 and B45 offer lower step through than the S25 and S45
The B45''s battery
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The B45''s battery
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The S25 and S45 don't feature rear suspension
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The S25 and S45 don't feature rear suspension
The S25 from Klever Mobility
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The S25 from Klever Mobility
The B25 from Klever Mobility took out an e-bike/pedelec award at Eurobike 2013
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The B25 from Klever Mobility took out an e-bike/pedelec award at Eurobike 2013
The B25 from Klever Mobility
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The B25 from Klever Mobility
The B25 from Klever Mobility
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The B25 from Klever Mobility
The detachable control unit
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The detachable control unit
Like all Klever models, the B45 features front and rear lights
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Like all Klever models, the B45 features front and rear lights
View gallery - 21 images

After taking out a 2013 Red Dot product design award in March for its first e-bike, the S25, Klever Mobilty has added another award to its trophy cabinet by claiming an e-bike/pedelec award at Eurobike 2013 for its B25 model. Both the S25 and B25 were on show alongside the S45 and B45 models, which got their first public airing at the show. While the S25 and B25 are aimed at the urban commuter market, the S45 and B45 up the speed for those hitting the open road.

All models in Klever’s range are uni-sex and uni-size – or “one-size-fits-most” as Klever Mobility Europe General Manager Fritz G. Baumgarten describes it – with the B25 and B45 offering lower step through than the S25 and S45. While the S25 and S45 feature front suspension with 50 mm of travel, the B25 and B45 up this to 70 mm and are dual suspended bikes that see the addition of rear shocks with 90 mm of travel. All feature Shimano Deore 10-speed gears, hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, rear rack and front and rear lights. The S models ride on 26-inch tires, while the B models feature 24-inch wheels.

Industrial designer Adriana Monk, who has done design work for Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, Rolls Royce and Wally Yachts, has turned her talents to two-wheeled vehicles and made the 44 V lithium ion battery a central design element of the Klever line. They feature rounded corners and are lined with a strip of brushed aluminum that also acts as a handle for the easy removal and carrying of the battery. They can be charged separately or when connected to the bike, which also integrates energy recovery technology

The S25 and B25 come with a 360 Wh battery, while the S45 and B45 come with a more powerful 480 Wh unit. Although the 480 Wh battery is 8 mm wider than the 360 Wh unit, both are compatible with all four bikes in the Klever range. With the standard battery, the S25 and B25 boast a range of 40 to 90 km (25 to 56 miles) depending on the pedal assist setting, but slotting the more powerful battery in will increase the maximum range up to 100 km (62 miles). All are designed for a maximum payload of 120 kg (265 lb).

The batteries are interchangeable between all models in the Klever range
The batteries are interchangeable between all models in the Klever range

The bikes feature an in-house designed Biactron drive system with a controller measuring the torque and pedaling cadence to provide steady pedal-assist via the rear wheel motor that provides 45 Nm of torque. This system can be turned on and off automatically by pedaling, or manually by a push of a button. The S25 and B25 models pack a 350 W motor that is restricted to 250 W as required by EU law, while the S45 and B45 “speed pedelecs,” or S-Pedelecs feature a 700 W motor restricted to 500 W.

As the names suggest, the S25 and B25 will reach speeds of 25 km/h (15 mph), while the S45 and B45 will go to 45 km/h (28 mph). Though any pedelec can give anyone the feeling of being a superhero, the S45 that I gave a spin made me feel like that most overpowered of superheroes, Superman. All while remaining in complete control of the bike.

The bikes' settings are controlled via a detachable LED control unit that also acts as an anti-theft device when removed. When the bike is locked and the control unit removed, an alarm sounds and the motor immobilizes the rear wheel, making life difficult for anyone trying to make off with the bike. The wheel also have a frame lock that takes the same key as the battery lock. Rounding out the anti-theft features is Klever Mobility’s bike coding, which sees every pedelec, lock and control unit given an electronic serial number that is registered to the owner.

The LED control unit is detachable and acts as an immobilizer when removed
The LED control unit is detachable and acts as an immobilizer when removed

Riders can choose from four pedal-assist modes, with the lowest conserving battery power and producing just enough pedal assist to overcome the resistance of the rear motor. There’s also a Walk/Boost function that propels the bike at speeds of up to 4 km/h (2.5 mph) when the pedals aren’t in use, or provides a boost when they are for a little extra power when tackling sudden inclines.

The control unit also automatically adjusts brightness in response to the ambient light conditions and displays key information including battery charge level, speed, distance traveled and remaining range.

Although Klever is a new company, being founded in 2011, it draws on the expertise of its parent company KYMCO, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of scooters motorcycles and mopeds that was founded in 1963. As it’s still early days for the company, Klever is initially focusing on western European market where it sees the greatest potential for its bikes, but plans to branch out to other markets in the future.

The S25 and S45 feature the same frame design
The S25 and S45 feature the same frame design

Klever is also adopting a different distribution model than that usually used in the bicycle industry. The company will only sell direct to the consumer, but will pay dealers a retainer to act as intermediaries between it and the consumer so consumers can test ride the vehicles. While the bikes can be ordered online, they still need to be collected from a dealer.

If a person decides to purchase a bike, it will be delivered to any dealer of the customer’s choosing in Germany, who will be responsible for the final assembly, quality control, induction and hand over of the bike. The customer won’t pay any money until this final step. The dealers will also provide service and repairs, with all vehicle data and service history to be centrally stored with Klever, allowing consumers to get their bike serviced or repaired at any dealer.

The S25 and B25 are available now for €2,599 (US$3,430) and €3,199 (US$4,230) respectively, while the S45 and B45 are set to be introduced at the beginning of 2014.

Product page: Klever Mobility

View gallery - 21 images
5 comments
5 comments
Anne Ominous
All the engineering is impressive, but you're still paying $4,230 for a BICYCLE. I can buy a damned nice used car for their current asking price. If they get it down to 1/4 of that I may be interested.
joeblake
In November 2009 I paid $5,000 AUD for a recumbent Greenspeed tricycle with an electric hub motor. I fitted about $300 worth of photovoltaic panels to the rear and since that time I've been able to cruise at about 24-25 km/h towing a trailer capable of toting 30 kg. Since the batteries are being constantly recharged by the sun as I ride, by the judicious application of leg power, I can ride roughly 100 km in a day, and still arrive home with some charge on the battery. (The final 5 km is a fairly steep climb which requires a very low gear to ascend without the motor).
Since purchasing the trike I've spent the following - electricity $0 (the trike's battery has been recharged exclusively from the sun), driver's licence $0, vehicle registration $0, maintenance - 3 tyres $60, pollution 0 kg CO2, NO2 0 kg, particulate pollution 0, reliance on oil 0, damage to road surface 0, noise pollution 0, time spent sitting in a grid locked "freeway" 0, parking fees 0, body fat accumulation 0, number of hours per week I have to work just to keep my trike moving 0.
If you pay $4,230 for a car, you are simply making a deposit on a lifetime of continuing debt, pollution and consumption of non-renewable resources. With the price of oil continuing up, I wish you happy motoring. And when the price gets so high you want to buy an electric vehicle of some sort, who is going to want to take your old petrol burner off your hands?
duh3000
Thank you joeblake for your concise and compelling post. I agree with you, and with your sound economics and environmental concerns. I don't understand why gizmags readers so often mis-portray petrol-powered vehicles as "cheap" transportation solutions. There are, certainly, times when you need the power or speed -- fire trucks, ambulance services, heavy hauling... -- but not that often for commuting or visiting the local shops or most of the common, everyday errands we run. A bike is plenty of vehicle for most of these jobs.
The thing about the e-bikes in this article -- and not necessarly the comparative comment in response -- is the question of the price of the machines. This appears to be a commuter bike, not a load-carrying bike (and not a trike). The added complexity, weight & cost is perhaps not justified for the intended use. So, just a cars have their uses, I support e-bikes as a great tool for certain jobs, but that's really a lot of money to spend -- or extra hours of wage-paying work -- for the added flexibility if you're just going to commute on it. As with your Greenspeed trike, starting with a solid machine and adding a reliable assist kit is a more judicious choice.
Doug MacLeod
Bike = free travel, free workout. Electric Bike = costly travel + gym membership to pay.
Not a logical device except for the disabled or the elderly.
Mike Kling
For the majority of people, bikes will be a toy. Most people need a vehicle that can be used in any weather, and can transport more than one person safely. Bikes do not fill this need. So again for most people, a car is a necessity and a bike is something nice to have if you have the extra money.