In search of lightness, Spherik offers less heavy electric bikes

Electric-assisted bicycle (EAB) designers are constantly striving to reduce the weight of their frames, so riders can enjoy both the power of electric assistance and the maneuverability of conventional bicycles. This is what Spherik has accomplished in Quebec.

Quebec bicycle designer, distributor and dealer Spherik is currently at the Eurobike show in Germany, introducing the world to his new family of five Super Light bikes, equipped with electric drive systems from Swiss motor manufacturer Maxon, which works with NASA and supplies engines for Tesla cars.

These are the bikes that stand out for their weight compared to that of muscle bikes, and then their appearance that doesn’t make it possible to guess if it’s a VAE or a conventional model. That’s why Spherik offers “strong utility bikes, which are as sleek, light and fun to ride as regular bikes.”

Lightness, maneuverability and assistance

“At the moment, in mountain biking, there’s 20% of people who want heavy, powerful bikes, but it’s not for everyone,” explains Dominique Faure, co-owner of Spherik, because without electric assist, it’s difficult for them to ride and control.

“So we’re talking to the 80% of people who don’t want to lose feelingthe maneuverability, the ease and lightness of a muscle bike, and then they get, when they need it, a big helping of electric assist.”

If an electric mountain bike generally weighs around 50 pounds, some companies manage to offer classes around 40 to 43 pounds. Spherik goes one step further, proposing a line of mountain bikes (Trail, All Mountain and Enduro) that range in weight from 36.8 to 40.3 pounds. There is no longer any difference with a muscle bike.

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E-SMT Spherik’s electric-assist mountain (trail) bike weighs just 36.8 lbs.

Image courtesy of Spherik

As for the Spherik road bikes and gravel bikes, they come in at 24.7 pounds and 25.4 pounds, respectively. Therefore, they are all pedals that a cyclist can push using his physical strength alone, with as much maneuverability and fun as with a conventional bicycle, and with access to an electric boost when climbing an incline or when the power is low.

It’s the freedom to ride while respecting your level of effort, then maximizing your fun. This means you no longer have to limit your outings for fear of running out of energy or not being able to keep up.

other qualities

The bikes are equipped with a high-performance motor, which has “a variety of sensors that deliver the same pedaling fluidity, the same continuous control as an unassisted bike, plus create less vibration and no sudden acceleration,” asserts Mr. Fore.

Each road and gravel bike includes two batteries (250 watts internal and 250 watts external, for a total of 500 watts), which fit inside the frame, giving no indication they are there. Then by eliminating friction from the motor, battery life is increased by 15% to 200 km on a road bike.

These Super Light performance bikes retail for between $8,750 and $14,000, with more affordable lines coming in the next few years. These first lightweight bike prototypes will be available in the spring of 2024, but riders should be able to try them out by the end of the season.