What is an e-bike?
An electric bicycle is a bicycle with electric support. Especially in Europe and Japan the most successful electric bicycle is the version with proportional support. The power supplied by the electric system is proportional to the power supplied by the cyclist. This way the electric bicycle feels like an ordinary bicycle, but it rides much easier.
Already in 1998 IDbike has done extensive research towards developing the ideal electric bicycle. Marketing research has also been done also and an important conclusion was: An electric bicycle not only has to feel like an ordinary bicycle, but also has to look like one. Based on this conclusion, in the year 1999 IDbike started the development of a new generation of electric bicycles , with the following specifications:
- An electric motor in the rear wheel.
- Batteries integrated in the bicycle frame
- The torque sensor as a modular part offers more freedom of design
Early developments
This picture shows the initial prototype of the Ebow bicycle, which was developed for the Accell Group. This electric bicycle was equipped with a TMM version 1 sensor (Torque Measurement Method 1), for the measurement of the torque generated by the cyclist. The electronics were situated in a box in the middle of the frame and the bicycle was controlled from a unit on top of the main frame tube.
The first Ebow was manufactured by Sparta and presented to the public as the ION at the IFMA bicycle show in Cologne, September 2001.
The main changes over the prototypes were:
- The motor electronics were situated in the motor
- The TMM version 1 sensor was integrated with the motor
- The capacity of the battery was improved
- The frame was modified so the battery can be installed through the lower end of the main frame tube, for better accessibility and maintenance
- The control unit was made smaller and situated on the handlebar
- The motor electronics, the battery electronics and the control unit were connected using a BUS infrastructure.
IDbike also was a member of the development team of the Gazelle Innergy. The Innergy uses the TMM4 sensor, which is integrated in the rear drop out.
