Product Briefs: The Beam, MAHLE, Pendix, WAU, Ortlieb and Porsche
Paris, France
French start-up The Beam has launched an eye-catching new helmet that, at first glance, resembles a full-face downhill helmet but is designed very specifically for urban commuters.
The Virgo is a full-face helmet weighing just 650 grams and styled for the urban market, including an LED light at the back.
It is specifically designed for the safety needs of electric bikes and meet new European regulations formulated for to address speeds up to 45 kmh.
MAHLE Extender Battery
German manufacturer MAHLE has unveiled their first e-bike battery extender that fits within a standard bottle cage and will be featured in its display at Eurobike 2023.
Its new Range Extender e185 adds a further 60km of range but weighs just 1.1kg, which MAHLE claims is the lightest on the market and has the best weight-to-capacity ratio.
The Range Extender e185 is compatible with MAHLE’s X20 lightweight drive system, which come fitted on a growing number of high-end road and gravel e-bikes.
Modular Pendix Drive System
German drive system specialist Pendix will use Eurobike 2023 to present its new mid-mounted motor with a particularly high emphasis on sustainability.
The Pendix gDrive’s module system, complete with gearbox for the first time, means individual components of the drive system can be replaced if necessary.
While the ‘g’ in the title stands for gears, Pendix says the system’s capacity to replace particular parts makes it a very green option by saving resources, as well as being cost efficient.
Pendix, based in Saxony, is best known for its electric motor kit to convert analogue bikes and is distributed in Australia by Melbourne’s Cargocycles.
WAU CYBER
US company WAU is the latest start-up with ambitions of revolutionising the electric vehicle industry, with its CYBER e-bike.
WAU unveiled the CYBER last week and is touring prototypes around the US and UK but says it cannot yet reveal all the bike’s features because there are still some patent applications pending.
Ortlieb
German cycling and outdoor equipment brand Ortlieb has calculated and published the carbon footprints for all of its almost 400 products, to further enhance its sustainability status.
Visitors to the Ortlieb website can see how many kilometres they need to cover by bike, rather than car, to compensate for the emissions effects of a particular product.
The calculations extend from the sourcing of raw materials, through the completed production of items such as bike panniers, backpacks and travel bags.
The company already has a strong focus on sourcing materials from within Germany and designing products such specific parts can be replaced or repaired.
Porsche
Porsche has teamed with German MTB brand Rotwild to add to new models to its e-bike cross range, the Cross Performance and Cross Performance EXC.
Studio F.A. Porsche has created a distinctive carbon frame, fitted with Crankbrothers carbon wheels, a four-piston Magura brake system, Fox Factory suspension and a price tag upwards of A$21,519.