Urban Transport

Specialized Turbo claims title of world's fastest e-bike

View 11 Images
The Specialized Turbo e-bike has a top electric-assist speed of 45 km/h (28 mph), reportedly making it the world's fastest electric bicycle (Photo: Specialized)
The Specialized Turbo e-bike has a top electric-assist speed of 45 km/h (28 mph), reportedly making it the world's fastest electric bicycle (Photo: Specialized)
The Specialized Turbo's features include internally-routed cables (Photo: Specialized)
An LED display indicates how much battery life is left (Photo: Specialized)
The Turbo's battery is incorporated into its down tube (Photo: Specialized)
The Turbo's custom fork (Photo: Specialized)
The Turbo features regenerative braking (Photo: Specialized)
The Turbo's wireless power control (Photo: Specialized)
The Turbo's 250-watt Specialized Turbo Direct Drive rear hub motor (Photo: Specialized)
The Turbo features integrated LED head and tail lights (Photo: Specialized)
The Turbo's wireless power control (Photo: Specialized)
The Specialized Turbo e-bike has a top electric-assist speed of 45 km/h (28 mph), reportedly making it the world's fastest electric bicycle (Photo: Specialized)
View gallery - 11 images

Specialized has just announced its new Turbo electric bicycle, which it claims is the fastest e-bike ever made ... a claim that the makers of the BlackTrail e-bike would likely dispute. Whatever the case, the Turbo's top motor-assisted speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) should definitely limit where it will be sold – in the U.S., Britain and most of Europe, for instance, it would be illegal. Nonetheless, limited numbers of the bike should reportedly be available for sale (although it hasn’t been stated in which countries) as of May.

According to an article in BikeRadar, the Turbo was officially unveiled today, after three years in development. Some of its more noteworthy features – besides its speed – include a 250-watt Specialized Turbo Direct Drive rear hub motor, a 432Wh lithium-ion battery mounted in the down tube (recharge time is reportedly two hours), and a wireless handlebar-mounted control unit that allows riders to control the bike’s integrated LED head and tail lights. That unit also displays the battery level, along with various other features common to bicycle computers.

Additionally, with the flip of a switch, the rear brake can be used to help extend the bicycle’s range via regenerative braking. Both the front and rear Magura hydraulic disc brakes are made of carbon fiber, as are some other components, although the frame itself is a custom alloy – there’s no word on the bike’s weight.

Fifty of the Turbos should be showing up at various European Specialized dealerships in April, for prospective buyers to try out. The price has yet to be announced.

The e-bike can be seen in action in the video below.

Source: BikeRadar

View gallery - 11 images
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Flipboard
  • LinkedIn
10 comments
digi_owl
I think it would be classified as a electric moped in EU, and so require some protection gear for the rider.
SamD
Piffle.
You can buy an off the shelf 10 kilowatt stealth bomber for ten grand. How is this thing anywhere near as good as a Stealth ebike? It's one sixth the power. Clowns.
sutski123
My ebike does 28mph and I have had it for 4 years now.
#muppets
Chuck Dick
If it's illegal in the US, why is the guy in the video riding it in San Francisco?
citizenchan
I really don't know what they are basing their figure on of "World's Fastest." The Grace ebike - soon to be builders of the Mercedes Benz/Smart ebikes go faster than that. Plenty of ebikes have hit the 28mph mark for years, as previous poster mentioned. I know of bikes built at home that hit 75kph, and more. Including mine, which hits almost 40mph without gears.
Sure, these were made at home, but still, there are production bikes that are faster. I love it when buzzwords are used without any actual consideration for accuracy.
KosmiKen Weisbro
With all due respect to your excellent research and work and new ideas that you bring to us, I refer you to the following url as the fastest e-bikes available.
http://www.hi-powercycles.com/main.sc;jsessionid=6D1850B2FFA0BB6E66C954D972608547.qscstrfrnt01
They have bikes pre-assembled and kits that you can mount to any bike you want that will exceed 50 mph, double of the speed of the the featured bike on your page. I know 7 plus is a lot for a bike but it sure beats a car l:~)
kosmiKen
John Riley
Particularly in San Francisco, where the video was shot, speed is not the issue. The issue is hills. I don't think a 250 watt direct drive motor could deal with the serious ones.
Chuck Dick
Are aesthetics a factor when deciding which e-bike to buy? If so, this thing makes the others look like fungus-covered anvils. Definitely designed by engineers first, which is, yes, an insult.
Roy Lewisson
WRT the article on the new Specialised Turbo Electric Bike being the fastest electric bike in the world - please refer to the "Stealth Bomber" made by Stealth Electric Bikes in Melbourne Australia. This bike does 80 kph (utilising a 5,000 watt hub motor) without pedalling - 90 when you pedal. It is available over the counter - 3 month waiting period. Please advise Specialised that their Turbo electric bike is not the fastest in the world - by a long shot. This is not even false advertising - this is just outright lying. In fact there are many electric bikes on the market (ove rthe counter) that are faster than the Specialised Turbo. Suggest Gizmag does it's research before putting false statements out to the public.
Joe Tomicki
I said years ago the 20mph bike would never sell in the us and I have to say the 28mph will never sell either. needs to be 40mph and is a lot safer when u r not getting in the way.