California's Vanpowers is heading east this week with two new bikes set for a CES 2024 reveal. The UrbanCross is the company's new lightweight gravel bike, and the GrandTeton rides as an all-terrain, all-weather all-rounder.
"We're excited to reveal our newest innovations, the GrandTeton and UrbanCross, at CES 2024," said Darik Duan, Head of R&D at Vanpowers. "These additions not only broaden our intelligent ebike lineup but also motivate us to continue to push the boundaries of smart ebike technology to enhance rider safety and security."
The UrbanCross road/gravel bike weighs in at 39 lb (17.6 kg), and rolls with a flared drop handlebar made from carbon fiber and a color display atop the stem, which can pair with a companion mobile app over Bluetooth. Its 6061 aluminum "advanced gravel" frame features numerous mounting points for fenders, racks, bottle cages and bags, and there's a rigid carbon fork holding one of the double-wall alloy rims wearing 700x40c CST gravel tires.
A 250-W rear-hub motor is reported to offer 40 Nm (29.5 lb.ft) of torque, and a top assisted speed of 20 mph (32 km/h) via a torque sensor that responds to power at the pedal. A motor lock is onboard as a theft deterrent, along with vibration detection, 4G and GPS tracking, and geofencing – "significantly mitigating the risk of bike theft while enhancing the likelihood of successful recovery in the even of theft." And the ebike sports an 11-speed Shimano GRX groupset or a CUES 400 9-speed, depending on the model – it comes in Ultra and Pro variants.
The UrbanCross features a 60-mile (96.5 km), 345.6-kWh downtube battery but can be optioned with a bottle cage extender. Stopping power is provided by Shimano or Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 160-mm rotors. And it benefits from a dual-beam headlight and a braking tail-light.
The GrandTeton "all-weather, all-season" tourer is again offered in Ultra and Pro variants. The former powers along with a 500-W Bafang M560 mid-drive motor for 95 Nm (70 lb.ft) of torque, with the latter boasting a 750-W rear-hub motor for 130 Nm (95.8 lb/ft) of torque.
The top assisted speed in either case is 20 mph. The Ultra is pedal-assist only, while the Pro gains a throttle, and both variants include a torque sensor for a more natural assisted ride. For more flexible choices while on the move, the ebike also comes packing a 9-speed Shimano gearset.
In the downtube of this model's alloy frame is a 692-Wh removable battery for up to 110 miles (180 km) between charges, with the addition of an optional range extender. For uneven terrain, the ebike benefits from an air-suspension lockout fork with 120 mm of travel, as well as 26-inch alloy rims wrapped in 4-inch-wide CST tires. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 203-mm rotors help bring the ride to a stop.
Each GrandTeton flavor comes with a similar smart system as the UrbanCross, including real-time tracking and geofencing along with emergency SOS. There's a 1.9-in color LCD display that can pair with the Vanpowers mobile app. This model also gains a dropper seatpost that "allows you to tackle challenging routes with ease." Daylight visibility in traffic or after-dark adventures are supported by a 100-lux headlight plus a braking tail-light.
Pricing and availability information has not been shared at this time, but visitors to CES 2024 in Las Vegas from tomorrow can stop by the company booth for more.
Source: Vanpowers
