If sprinting down dirt tracks or performing breathtaking stunts aren't thrilling enough on their own, LA-based startup Chimera has added in throttle-on-demand electric drive, a lightweight-but-strong titanium frame and an easy repair ethos into the BMX biking mix.
Rather than a pedal-assist ebike, the Chimera BMX is more of a classic unpowered pedal bike that has throttle when you need a burst of speed or are faced with a steep hill.
This is served up by a "hellishly powerful" 3.4-lb (1.5-kg) frame-integrated High Drive inrunner motor which the developers say can peak at up to 5,000 watts, and features a belt-drive gear assembly with silent 4130 clutches along with a high-performance ASI BAC855 controller.
Riders can tap into 59 lb.ft (80 Nm) of torque, and thumb-throttle up to 28 mph (45 km/h) on the street – but those who head off road can look forward to a 5-second sprint from standstill to 30 mph (48 km/h) on the way to a top speed of 35 mph (56 km/h). Motor parameters and settings can be tweaked via a mobile companion app paired with the bike over Bluetooth.
The patent-pending motor setup is paired with a 52-V/8.4-Ah battery mounted under the top tube. Chimera reckons that, in 1,100-watt throttle-only modes, a 165-lb (75-kg) rider could roll for up to 20 miles (32 km) per charge, but that will go down to around 8 miles (13 km) in 3,800-W mode.
To keep the weight down, the material of choice for the BMX-style frame, fork and handlebar is titanium – because "it's nearly half the weight of steel, drastically stronger than aluminum, rust-proof, looks killer, and isn’t suffering the supply chain issues currently plaguing other bike companies."
There's no mention of footpegs being included, but customization has been built into the DNA so it should be fairly painless to add such things in. The bike has also been designed for easy home repair, and is reported compatible with numerous off-the-shelf components.
The electric BMX tips the scales at around 37.2 lb (16.8 kg), rolls on 24-inch spoked rims wrapped in 2.3-inch-wide street tires, and relies on Magura MT5/MT4 disc brakes with 180/160 rotors for stopping power.
The Chimera team is currently raising funds for a limited production run of a hundred numbered BMX bikes on Indiegogo. Two editions are up for grabs, and both will be hand-assembled in Los Angeles.
Pledges for the Standard model outlined above start at US$4,200 – representing a saving of 23% on the expected retail price. Founder's Edition pledge levels start at $5,300, and will carry a retail price tag of $7k.
This latter model shares the main basic specs with the Standard but comes with a variable-current fast charger, its tires rock vinyl Tubolito inners rather than generic rubber, the rotors on the disc brakes will be laser cut, the pedal cranks are titanium instead of steel, and it gains an enduro clutch, titanium bolts and a better saddle. It also comes in lighter at around 35.4 lb (16 kg), including the battery.
If all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in July 2023.
Source: Chimera Cycles
