Head to your YouTube channel to see what happened at the Eurobike 2021 edition!
Our technical sales manager Leon outlines the Revonte ONE Drive System and how it’s integrated into bikes with very different applications.
P2 from our partner Lavelle bikes is an e-bike designed for commuting with a futuristic design and state-of-the-art carbon chassis.
The EAV 2Cubed on the other hand is the class-leading vehicle in the cargo e-bike segment. The Revonte ONE Drive System is not only the smartest drive system out there but also the most versatile one.
Watch to see what was on display on our booth and subscribe to your YouTube channel to stay up to date on new video releases!
Eurobike Wrap-up
To summarize the Eurobike 2021 coverage, some of the notable stories and videos are listed below. Click the links to see what the most notable media outlets have to say about the Revonte ONE Drive System!
Eurobike is the premier annual show which showcases the new products for the upcoming year as well as showcasing new technologies and developments which are about to be employed in the market in the near future. In short, the annual show organized in Friedrichschafen Germany shows who’s who by calling every major player to show their hand for the upcoming year.
Making an Impact
Eurobike was a big midterm goal for us. First, we wanted to present all the hard work and development that has gone into the Revonte ONE Drive System since our last appearance in the show in 2019. Back then, we did not have a rideable prototype with us – something that was going to change for 2021.
The testing and development have been ongoing and even fierce. At any given time we’ve had rideable prototypes around the office, but we wanted to make sure that the version that was coming with us to Eurobike would be pristine in its performance. The current supply chain issues and material shortages have not played any favours on this front, but we made it happen.
It goes without saying that there was no shortage in demand when it came to test ride slots. There were almost no idle moments when the bike was on the move, whether ridden by our future potential customers or media personnel.
In Partnership
We partnered with our longtime collaborators EAV and Lavelle bikes to have a strong presence in the show. Our booth stood out with its central location, ample footprint, and timeless black and white color theme. The bikes from EAV and Lavelle were the icing on the cake, displaying the versatility of the Revonte ONE Drive System.
The futuristic and highly refined model from Lavelle Bikes was an eye-catcher to say the least. The shapes and highly engineered carbon lay-ups of the frame are a work of art by themselves as is the asymmetrical design which is enabled by the Revonte ONE Drive System.
The EAV 2Cubed cargo e-bike had just as strong of a stand in the show. Leo from EAV had no dull moment during the entire four days of the show in describing the features of the vehicle and the design philosophy behind it.
Moving Forward
Eurobike produced more than anticipated interest towards the Revonte ONE Drive System. When it comes to e-bike drive systems, combining the motor and the transmission all in one enclosed unit is the way of the future, and has been our solution from the start.
Currently, we are finalizing the mechanical design, testing, and stress-proofing the production methods and moving into the production phase in 2022. The start will be done on a smaller scale to ensure the highest level of quality control. Once the production processes have been verified and thoroughly tested, we’ll be moving into mass production in the 2nd stage.
Bikes equipped with the Revonte ONE Drive System will be available in 2022. If you want to be among the first lucky ones enjoying the automatic & stepless operation of our drive system, stay tuned for future updates on specific bike models.
What does the Media say?
Media coverage is an essential part of the Eurobike show. Below you can find some of the most notable media outlets covering the Revonte ONE Drive System.
Click the links below to see EMBN, Pedelec & E-bikes magazine, and the.european.bike.project channel had to say about the Revonte ONE and our partners!
EMBN.com – The Future Of E-Bike Motors? New EMTB Motor Tech | Eurobike 2021 Day 3 When it comes to e-bikes – and especially e-mtb’s – the EMBN.com site and YouTube channel are the platforms to watch! We had the honor to have a visit by the legendary rider and reporter Steve Jones the first thing when the show started. To get Mr. Jones’ take on our drive system and the future of e-mtb’s watch the video below!
In case your German language skills are a bit out of touch, a translated version provided by Google can be read here. A summary of the test ride is found below.
“The full assistance mode topped it off so that there was an abundance of power available! You notice this when you accelerate quickly, which happens still really quietly. Only the gear changes were a bit rougher, but this will be brought to an optimal level in the course of the development of Revonte.
Overall, the system has already made a good impression on us and we can expect a unique drive system for the series variant, which does not have any susceptible derailleur gears.”
This Instagram channel is for the connoisseurs of the bike industry. The feed focuses almost exclusively on products that are manufactured inside the EU – criteria we are proud to fulfill! The post describes nicely the frames of Lavelle Bikes which are made in Spain and of course the Revonte ONE Drive System which is engineered in Finland.
We are taking part in Eurobike 2021 – the premiere annual bike exhibition aimed at industry professionals.
Meet us there to check out the most advanced e-bike drive system on the market. On our booth, at Hall A1-101 you can also see bikes from EAV and Lavelle with Revonte ONE systems.
Even though the e-bike industry can be considered quite young, a considerable amount of maturation has taken place in just a couple of years. Gone are the days when a bike manufacturer can bolt a motor around the bottom bracket, place a battery on top of the pannier rack and call it an e-bike. Besides more polished looks the assistance behaviour has improved by leaps and bounds – and the Revonte ONE Drive System is going to take it to the next level.
Read further to learn more.
Ride Experience
When it comes to evaluating drive system performance, assistance behaviour rules the game. No matter how nice looking, light or easy to use the system is, it does not matter if the ride experience resembles that of a cheap scooter that gas water mixed in the gas tank.
We’ve taken great care in developing the assistance behaviour of the Revonte ONE Drive System to the extent that it feels as if the bike is thinking already one step ahead. How is this accomplished you might ask? By refining the software with the aid of continuous and prolonged testing and by using high-quality sensors to detect even the smallest actions performed by the rider.
A close second to the assistance behaviour is the ease of use. Conveniently the Revonte ONE Drive System scores the very top on this department, thanks to its automatic & stepless transmission. Just pedal – the bike will take care of the rest!
Configurability – on more than one level
It is already commonplace that a drive system has some level of inbuilt configurability by offering the choice between different assistance modes and possibly even more detailed settings. With the Revonte ONE Drive System, we’ve taken the configurability aspect to the next level.
First, the bike manufacturer can configure the drive system according to their needs, whether it’s a commuter bike or a heavy-duty cargo e-bike. After the initial specs the end-user – meaning the rider – can configure the drive system according to their wishes or needs via our dedicated app.
Inbuilt Modularity
What makes the Revonte ONE Drive System truly unique is that a single drive unit can be used in all types of bikes from a high-performance e-mtb to a commuter designed year-round daily use. From a bike manufacturer’s perspective, this is a very welcomed feature since it lessens the needed design considerations, product variants and stock overhead.
And that’s not all. The Revonte AKKU is the smartest e-bike battery out there for a good reason. Both AKKU 5 and AKKU 7 share the same form factor, i.e., they have the same physical dimensions, hence making them interchangeable. This enables the bike manufacturer, or the rider, to spec his or her bike with just the right amount of energy storage capacity.
The various inbuilt modular features make the Revonte ONE Drive System the ultimate choice both from bike manufacturers, but also from rider’s perspective.
Reliability
When it comes to power transmission, the century-old chain is still looking for a worthy rival. With the Revonte ONE Drive System, one can use a wide single-speed chain which is the most robust and durable type there is. Add to that the fact that the ingenious design of the Revonte ONE Drive Unit makes damage-prone derailleur obsolete, the reliability factor gets multiplied.
As a nice bonus replacing the whole drivetrain costs only a fraction of that compared to a set consisting of a complex cassette, multi-speed chain and compatible chainring.
Up to Date
Nobody likes to ride an old bike, especially if a newer or better model is available. There is no way to stop the ongoing technological development – which is only a good thing – but we’ve done everything in our power to keep Revonte ONE Drive System up to date and performing at its best for as long as possible.
How can this be done once the bike has left the factory floor then? By software updates which can be made swiftly and effortlessly, thanks to the inbuilt 4G connection which is a default feature in the Revonte ONE Drive System.
In Closing
An e-bike drive system has to tick a lot of boxes to be a top performer in all areas. Revonte ONE Drive System does this with flying colours and goes even beyond that. The automatic & stepless transmission and the simple construction of the drivetrain itself take the e-bike ride experience and ease of use to an unprecedented level.
The one and truly smart drive system out there – Revonte ONE.
The bicycle drivetrain started as a direct mount application where the pedals were attached directly to the hub. The use of a chain in the form of a single-speed drivetrain was the next phase of evolution. The possibility of changing gears rapidly while riding followed next with the aid of a derailleur. This is the phase we are now still, but this needs to change.
E-bikes create a whole new set of requirements for the drivetrain – which the Revonte ONE Drive System solves brilliantly. Read further to learn why that is.
A Brief Primer
The addition of electric assistance to the drivetrain creates a whole new set of design conditions and demands. When it comes to e-bikes, the technology used in traditional bike can’t be fully adopted – or not at least with the assumption that the performance will be flawless across the board.
When it comes to other components, such as the frame, cockpit parts, suspension and even brakes, the current technology serves us well when it’s adopted e-bike applications. The drivetrain, however, is of special interest in this case.
The addition of electrical assistance with the need for fast, reliable and shifting creates a whole new situation that hasn’t existed before the era of e-bikes. This leads us to the topic of loads.
Low and High-Loads
The traditional bicycle drivetrain can be defined as a mechanism that’s subjected to low-loads, at least with the majority of use cases. A strong rider can without a doubt apply a respectable amount of torque and power to the pedals, but when compared to figures seen in industrial applications the numbers are meagre at best.
This makes the bicycle drivetrain a low-load application which the technology used so far has been able to cope with.
The situation changes, however, when a powerful e-bike motor is added to the equation. In practical terms, it can double the torque and output that the drivetrain components are subjected to. Now we move on to the high-load territory. When talking about demanding applications like cargo e-bikes, this matter gets even more pronounced.
A chain can handle loads like this without a problem, but the same can’t be said about the entirety of the drivetrain. As it’s often said, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Interestingly, the chain isn’t necessarily the weakest link in this scenario, but how it’s used. A chain will do its task diligently, but moving it sideways from one cog to the next under tension creates a set of problems – as most e-bike enthusiasts have surely noted.
Things That Used to Matter
Historically cyclists have been nearly obsessed with weight which has led to the use of “materials” such as drillium. When not taken to the extreme, making bikes and other human-powered vehicles responsibly light makes sense. The power to weight ratio does matter somewhat, whether one likes it or not.
With the advent of e-bikes, the set of circumstances and limiting factors we are dealing with are quite different! First of all, when the assistance of the drive unit is added to the equation, the weight of the bike becomes almost a non-issue. Trying to make e-bikes as light as possible in exchange for performance and/or durability is an exercise in futility.
The same line of thinking applies to efficiency. With traditional bikes, efficiency is best kept in the high 90’s or so, but with e-bikes, one gets a lot more leeway when the drive unit is churning with steady assistance of 250W – an output that will take a considerable amount of training to sustain for hours on end.
Tried and True Solutions
Traditional bicycle drivetrains tick the boxes somewhat well when it comes to efficiency and low-weight. When it comes to e-bikes, these criteria become nearly marginal. Instead, reliability, robustness, easy shifting and low maintenance are things that are wanted.
A quick look outside of the bicycle industry gives obvious clues of the direction of what a winning drivetrain would look like. When it comes to automotive, industrial or even motorcycle applications, in none of these (or very rarely at least) you see a chain or a belt transferred from one cog to the next. Instead, gearboxes and other similar robust and oftentimes enclosed systems are more than prevalent.
When it comes to e-bikes, we can do better than what’s available currently. This is where Revonte ONE Drive System steps in; a robust, reliable and low maintenance transmission. And we haven’t even mentioned the automatic stepless gearing feature which will provide an unprecedented ride-experience.
In Summary
Until now bicycles have been optimized around weight and efficiency. Although still somewhat important, they are far from the top of the criteria list when it comes to e-bike applications. Traditional bicycles are in the low-load category when it comes to drivetrain characteristics. In the case of e-bikes, we are moving significantly closer to the high-load territory and its accompanying design conditions.
This simple characterisation should be taken into account in the design of the whole drivetrain, and that’s what we are doing with the Revonte ONE Drive System while also improving the ride-experience significantly; just pedal and the bike will do the rest!
This simple characterisation should be taken into account in the design of the whole drivetrain, and that’s what we are doing with the Revonte ONE Drive System. It’s more than capable of handling the high demands of a modern e-bike power transmission while also improving reliability and last but not least, the ride-experience itself; just pedal and the bike will do the rest!
How does the Revonte ONE Drive System actually work?
That’s one question we get asked – a lot! The functioning principle behind our drive unit is surprisingly simple. The basic understanding can be reached rather quickly, even if one does not calculate gear ratios as a leisure pastime.
In order to make things more simple, and save time on both ends – yours and ours – we made a video that takes a deep dive inside the Revonte ONE Drive Unit. With the aid of some neat animation work, one part of the
How a complex transmission and an e-bike motor can be fitted in such a small package? Watch the video to learn more!
If a written version is your preferred format in learning new things, a text version with some illustrative photos can be seen below.
In a typical transmission system, a lot of gear pairs are needed to provide a wide range of gears found on a modern bicycle. Until now, this has been accomplished by running one or more sprockets in front and a cassette in the rear which can have up to 12 sprockets. In the Revonte ONE Drive System, the whole complex array of sprockets has been replaced with simple planetary gear.
Components
A planetary gear consists of three parts:
Sun gear is located in the center.
Planet gears are the three small gears that connect the inner and outer parts of the gear system.
Ring gear is the outer ring. Opposed to the other parts of the planetary gear, the teeth profile is found on the inner surface. It’s also the largest in diameter of all of the three parts.
Function
In a typical planetary gear system, the ring gear is stationary while the sun and planet gears are free to rotate. This type of arrangement provides a fixed gear ratio.
In our system, all three parts of the planetary gear system are free to rotate, including the ring gear. Thanks to this, the Revonte ONE Drive System provides a continuously variable transmission which is unprecedented in the bicycle world. The same technology has been used with a proven track record in automotive and industrial applications.
The ring gear (the big ring with the teeth on its inner surface) is connected to the chainring, and thus the cranks. The power produced from the drive unit and by the rider is transferred to the back wheel by a chain or a belt.
The planet gears are connected to the pedal axle with a clutch mechanism, which enables independent function between the two, and consequently engagement when pedaling.
The sun gear is rotated by the electric motor.
The Automatic & stepless function
The secret sauce behind the Revonte ONE Drive System is found in the planetary gear and how its configured to the electric control motor. When the control motor is idle (e.g. it does not rotate), the drive unit runs on its lowest gear.
Consequently, when the control motor rotates the sun gear, gearing increases.
Running Double Duty
As you might have deduced already, the Revonte ONE Drive System has two electric motors: the control motor and the assistance motor. For the drive unit to work, the power of the control motor needs to match the power of the rider. The power produced by the control motor isn’t wasted, though. All the power produced by the motors is converted to a propulsive force moving the bike forward.
The assistance motor is connected to the ring gear, and thus also to the chainring.
Thanks to the unique construction and the two electric motors, the Revonte ONE Drive System can double the rider’s power output and torque! On top of this, the peak outputs can be reached starting from 0rpm, which is especially beneficial for steep hill starts or cargo e-bike use, for example.
Now you have a basic understanding of what’s happening inside the Revonte ONE Drive Unit, and we hope the video, and the accompanying text managed to satisfy your curiosity.
Make sure to follow our YouTube channel and social media feeds to stay up to date!
A lot can be said about bicycle drivetrains – and even as much has been done in order to make it more simple, efficient, compact or lightweight. True breakthroughs have been a rare delicacy despite the considerable effort that has gone into improving bicycle drivetrains. That has been the situation until now, before the advent of the Revonte ONE Drive System and the ingenious and remarkably simple drivetrain solution it employs.
Read further to learn why single-speed drivetrain is the winning solution in e-bikes in every way.
Freedom of design. The simple structure of the single-speed drivetrain frees a lot of real estate around the bottom bracket and the rear axle. This in turn enables designs that would be out of bounds with traditional derailleur setups.
Take our partner Lavelle Bikes for example. Their single-sided rear triangle is a prime example of a high-level design that takes advantage of this possibility. The end result is a true eye-catcher.
Simple, even elegant looks. Even though bicycle design isn’t a beauty pageant, the looks do matter. Getting rid of the protruding, and sometimes even obscure-looking, rear derailleur makes bicycles a lot more pleasing to the eye.
It’s not a coincidence that there’s a certain pull or attraction towards track and fixie bikes, and we bet that part of it is because of the simple looks and structure. Now the same feature can be found in e-bikes as well.
Robust and reliable. How many times have you had “a mechanical” during a bike ride, e.g. meaning a failure of some drivetrain component? The odds are that at least once, and most likely the correct answer is a lot more than that. The single-speed drivetrain isn’t bombproof, but it’s more reliable and robust by several magnitudes than the current derailleur systems.
Clean shifting. When you shift from one gear to the next or jump over many gears at once, it should not be accompanied by a sound that something is exploding in the drivetrain. Interestingly enough, this is the situation with current drivetrains, especially when electrical assistance is involved.
The automatic and stepless operation of the Revonte ONE Drive Systems makes these destructive and expensive-sounding gear shifts just a distant memory in the past. And it gets even better than that; the automatic mode takes up the shifting duties so that the rider can focus just on the ride itself!
No need for adjustments. Stretched out cables, misaligned gear hangers, and the usual culprits that plague the traditional drive systems are another distant and unpleasant memory when using the Revonte ONE Drive System. The drive system is controlled fully electronically, so there are no mechanical parts that need to be adjusted over the bike’s lifetime.
A lower barrier for simple repairs. If you’re not an avid cyclist, a relatively simple repair like a tire replacement can be a daunting task because of all the components and moving parts involved. The simple single-speed drivetrain makes all the repairs and maintenance more simple by several factors!! In other words, you don’t need a PhD in bicycle mechanics to up for the task.
Optimal weight distribution. When it comes to bicycles and other human-powered vehicles, weight does matter. One could argue that where the weight is located matters just as much. With the Revonte ONE Drive System the weight distribution is as optimal as it can get – low and in the middle of the bike. This brings several benefits related to the ride characteristics of the bike and smaller unsprung mass when it comes to full-suspension e-mtb’s.
Longer service intervals. Narrow chains and cassettes consisting up to dozen cogs are prone to wear and tear caused by regular use, no matter how dutifully the drivetrain systems are kept clean. With the Revonte ONE Drive System and the single-speed drivetrain it employs, the service intervals can be significantly lengthened – just clean and lube the chain once every 1-2 weeks, and you have your bases covered.
If one is looking for an especially care-free solution, then a belt drive provides a very tempting option. “No grease, no rust”, as they say at the Gates – the leading belt drive manufacturer. According to testing performed by Gates, a belt drive can handle as much as twice the mileage compared to a chain.
Affordable spare parts. When you have a simple chain (or a belt for that matter), one chainring and one cog, replacing even the full drivetrain become much, much more affordable compared to traditional solutions. Less time and money spent on servicing is a plus on our books!
A very high degree of compatibility. The number of standards and the lack of cross-compatibility is nearly a laughing joke in the bicycle industry.
Can you fit this cassette on this type of freewheel? Yes, if you replace the driver, buy these two adapters, and purchase a different chain
A conversation like the above is almost too commonplace. With the single-speed drivetrain, the cross-compatibility issues become nearly obsolete. Just get a chainring and a cog in the correct sizes, install the chain (or purchase a belt) in the correct length and you’re off to the races.
A high degree of compatibility not only makes life easier for the end-users, but also for the bike manufacturer. Fewer product variants mean smaller and simple inventory.
In closing
In a way, it’s been a full circle. The application of chain drive into a bicycle marked the revolution of modern bicycles which we are still witnessing today. Over the decades, the number of cogs on the rear cassette increased within the available space constraints. The latest evolution of bicycles is characterized by the addition of electric assistance and dropping the number of chainrings and cogs back to one.
Make no mistake, though. A simpler solution does not equal fewer features or poorer ride characteristics. Welcome the Revonte ONE Drive System and the new era of e-bikes.
It’s not an everyday occurrence that e-bikes make the headlines in the biggest media outlets. When it comes to well-known and established publications, the Forbes magazine needs no introduction.
For that reason we are especially excited to share the story which was written about us and our partner EAV. Click the link below to read the full story!
From the start, the Revonte ONE Drive System was planned to be a complete system that offers a one-stop solution for e-bike manufacturers. An essential part of this is the energy storage system, i.e. the battery. The Revonte AKKU complements the Revonte ONE Drive System exceptionally well, thus making the drive system complete.
Read further what makes the AKKU the most advanced e-bike battery in the market.
Configurable by Nature
A high degree of configurability runs deep in the core of the Revonte ONE Drive System. Consequently, we wanted to keep this overarching principle in mind when designing our battery. It would make little sense to design the most configurable and advanced e-bike drive system on the market only to later limit its capabilities by an additional component.
Needless to say, we are very pleased with the final product and the Revonte AKKU crossed all the boxes it was intended to, and even more. In the following, we cover the main features found in Revonte AKKU and why it’s the most advanced e-bike battery in the market.
Two models
From the start, it was decided that two models will be offered in order to fulfil match every use case and price point found in the market.
Looking for a more affordable bike and long-range isn’t on top of your priorities? Then a battery with a smaller capacity will serve its purpose more than well and it makes little sense to pay extra for the energy storage capacity which isn’t needed.
On the other hand, if long-range and ample battery capacity is of the essence, then it’s best to choose a model with the biggest battery possible, and this is where the Revonte AKKU truly shines with its Smart Linkin Feature which is covered later.
The two models are named according to their capacities. The AKKU 5 has a capacity of 530Wh, whereas the AKKU 7 boasts a capacity of 705Wh. Both models use the latest 21700 Li-ion cell technology which ensures long battery life, and excellent properties when it comes to charging and high discharge currents. The latter is vital for high power peaks and high-torque situations of which the Revonte ONE Drive Unit is capable of.
Interchangeable Sizing
Lot’s of functions and configurations with a minimal amount of product variants. This is the ethos of the Revonte ONE Drive System and the fact that the ONE Drive Unit can be fitted to any type of e-bike, whether it’s high performing e-mtb, commuter bike or cargo e-bike, is a testament to that. All the finer tuning and configurations are done solely by software.
Both AKKU 5 and AKKU 7 share the same physical dimensions to keep the possible product and design variants at a minimum. This is especially beneficial from a bike manufacturers point of view since there’s no need to modify the battery compartment and interface of the frame depending on which AKKU model is used.
Besides this, the end-user has the freedom to upgrade to the larger AKKU 7 model later on, if more range or just longer timespans between recharging are to be desired.
Smart Linking Feature
Last, but definitely not least is the Smart Linking Feature which makes the Revonte AKKU a true outperformer in the e-bike battery game. Thanks to the forward-thinking battery management system, BMS for short, up to four AKKU batteries can be connected in parallel, thus bumping the overall energy storage up to over 2.8kWh!
This amount of energy will keep a cargo e-bike going a full work shift will still leaving some “juice” in the tank. Ample battery capacity enabled by the Smart Linking Feature will benefit more conventional bike types as well. For example, embedding two AKKU’s in the downtube of a traditional e-bike produces a combined battery capacity of 1410Wh, which has been unheard of until now.
Sure, it does come with some additional weight, but in applications where exceptionally long ranges are high on the priority list, this is an option that can be built without any additional components or parts. All the “smarts” are already included in the highly developed BMS.
A Result of Collaboration
The Revonte AKKU was developed in collaboration with AKKU Vision GmbH, a leader in battery development from Germany.
The end product and especially the features it offers distinguish it in the market by a clear margin: latest Li-ion cell technology, easy customization for e-bike manufacturers, and the Smart Linking Feature which can be found only from the AKKU-powered Revonte ONE System.
One Drive System with many possibilities to power it. Choose the one that suits your needs the best.
Almost since the advent of a modern bicycle, the stepless transmissions – and internal gearing solutions in general – have been the subject of plenty of discussions. Until now, the practical applications have been far, and between which is related to the criterions bicycles pose the gearing system used.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the challenges the bicycle gearing systems impose to the design, and most importantly, the practical implications of the stepless transmission which the Revonte ONE Drive System enables. Hold on tight and enjoy!
Bicycle Drivetrain
“If it would be easy, everybody would be doing it.”
This certainly holds for designing bicycle drivetrains since coming up with a good, and most importantly, an applicable solution is a tricky proposition. Since bicycles are (mostly) human-powered, a high degree of efficiency is of the essence. The oat-powered combustion engines, also known as humans, do not produce watts to spare. Therefore, high efficiency is needed to keep the bike moving in an efficient manner.
Not only that, there’s a weight limit – at least theoretically. Cyclists are notorious when it comes to making their vehicles lighter, and therefore anything that adds even a bit of weight to the bike is at least initially met with a cringe, even though the benefits would be otherwise clear.
By now it comes quite evident why bicycle drivetrains have remained relatively unchanged for a long period. As the saying goes: long-lasting, lightweight, and cheap – pick any two.
That is until now, however. The Revonte ONE Drive System is about to change that. with its ingenious design which combines a robust mechanical design and sophisticated control software all in the same package. To get an idea what the former looks like, refer to the previously published article at Pinkbike.
Cadence is the speed of which the rider spins the pedals, and therefore the cranks attached to them. Cadence is quantified with rotations per minute, rpm’s for short. If the rider spins the pedals 80 times a minute, that would give a cadence of 80rpm and so forth.
A lot of testing, spreadsheets, and sweat has gone into finding the optimum cadence when it comes to power production and efficiency. To make the (very) long story short, no perfect cadence exists. Instead, there’s a range in which the majority of the riders fall. Oftentimes the optimal range falls between 80-90rpm. Individual differences play a role as does riding experience; more experienced riders tend to favour slightly higher cadences. The preferred cadence is also task-dependent; riding on a steady pace is another matter compared to an all-out sprint.
The most-honed pedalling motion has even a dedicated word for it – souplesse.
Riding with Indexed Gears
Anyone who has thrown their leg over a bicycle knows that keeping the pedals spinning close to optimal cadence is the ticket for enjoyable ride-experience and efficient locomotion. The optimal cadence range is largely determined by the function of the nervous system and the force-velocity relationship of the muscles involved. As anyone can surely attest, producing a good amount of force against the pedals gets quite challenging, especially if done for long periods of time.
With traditional gearing, the rider goes through the gears to stay in her or his optimal or preferred cadence range. When accelerating, the rider goes through the gears since there’s a feeling of “spinning out”. An analogy of a traditional car isn’t far off. When accelerating after a stop in traffic lights, one needs to go into 2nd gear, then 3rd etc., to not to rev out the engine.
The Stepless Revolution
The ingenious design of the Revonte ONE Drive System turns the ride-experience nearly upside down – and in a good way! When accelerating with traditional gears, the cadence starts from zero and increases to the riders preferred range which is followed by going through the gears in a step by step fashion.
With the Revonte ONE Drive System, the rider reaches the preferred cadence sooner, and can simply hold it almost independently to the speed of the bike. Riding has never been so easy – just pedal and ride! A schematic photo below illustrates the differences between the traditional gears and the Revonte ONE Drive System of which function is illustrated by the slashed line.
A schematic illustration about the differences between indexed and steeples gearing.
Configurable by Software
The goodness does not end here. Besides the sturdy and enclosed mechanical design of the Revonte ONE Drive System, the assistant characteristics and therefore the ride-experience can be tailored according to the type of the bike by the manufacturer, and later by the end-user, meaning the owner of the bike.
Cadence, which has been mentioned several times already, is just one of the many variables that can be tailored via our mobile application.
Do you want your e-bike to behave like a sports car with poppy acceleration? No problem, it can be done. Or do you prefer to have a more mild-mannered bike which adjusts to the changing situations more calmly? That’s on the menu as well. On top of these, the Revonte ONE Drive System can be set emulate a traditional indexed-shifting mode as well if that’s preferred in certain situations.
Advanced mechanical and software engineering are combined in the Revonte ONE Drive System, which brings a ride-experience with unprecedented features.
