Quantcast
Channel: The Hub » Gear
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 3

Specialized Brings Its Turbo E-Bike to the U.S.

0
0

This pedal-assist model has a top speed of 27.9 mph

By Emily Furia

When Specialized launched its Turbo e-bike last year, distribution was limited to Europe. The company recently announced that the bike, which has a top speed of 27.9 mph and weighs about 50 pounds, is now available in the United States. It will retail for about $5,900.

The Turbo, which has no throttle, is a pedal-assist bike, which means that the motor kicks in only if you’re pedaling. Thus under federal law, it’s considered a bicycle, not a motor vehicle. However, some states and municipalities place additional restrictions on e-bikes—banning them from bike paths, for example, or requiring that e-bike riders wear helmets—so we recommend familiarizing yourself with the regulations where you live.

Related: Bob Mionske Explains E-Bike Laws

Bicycling’s test team hasn’t yet ridden the new bike, but check back for a review on Bicycling.com. In the meantime, here are frame and component highlights, excerpted from Specialized’s press release:

Custom alloy frame:
The frame has been built with a performance geometry for high-speed riding with a tapered head tube, fully integrated down tube battery, internal routing, thru-axle dropouts and full fender/rack mounts. Custom tube shapes, such as the super‐oversized down tube and fork enough to handle the large forces placed on the front end during steering and braking, while the shaped seat stays, chainstays and a 12mm through‐axle beef up stiffness and strength around the motor and rear brake. A 15mm through‐axle in the fork combined with a 1-1/2” head tube further bolster stiffness at the front.

Custom Turbo Li-Ion battery:
Our engineers found the finest quality Li-Ion cells with the best “C-rates”—this
means they allow for maximum power to be pulled out to the motor. They optimized the battery management system specifically to our motor. The Turbo battery has 342 Watt-hours of real capacity, meaning that all of this energy can actually be used by the rider instead of some theoretically possible calculated number. This energy provides the Turbo with one hour of support at top speed though multiple riding modes are possible to get the most out of battery range. Finally, the cells have been carefully placed to facilitate the quickest cooling.

A wireless interface unit with illuminated display shows assist level, battery status, and light on/off switch as well as normal bike computer features like speed, time and distance. A custom illuminated grip remote switch adjusts the Turbo’s power level. Integrated LED lights in front and rear provide all the light needed for safe riding anytime, anywhere and internal cables means better durability with no clutter.

Turbo Direct Drive rear hub motor:
By putting the motor directly inside the rear hub we assure that all the power generated goes directly into forward motion—nothing is lost or wasted in the process. BB-mounted systems, for instance, drive from the chain rings, meaning potential loss through the rings and chain, while also increasing wear on these components. The Turbo rear hub has 250 watts of nominal power output and is able to function efficiently above this for extended periods; the maximum power output is much higher. This custom system is optimized for reduced heat and top performance, whether you’re speeding on the flats or up a hill.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 3

Latest Images

Trending Articles



Latest Images