Jukka Mäennenä, Author at Revonte

Revonte Q&A – you asked, we answered

Jukka Mäennenä on 2020-04-15

We made an inquiry in our social media feeds, i.e. Facebook and Linkedin, about things you wanted to know about the Revonte ONE Drive System. The most popular questions with answers are listed below in a Q&A format. Enjoy!

Q: Is the system capable of re-generation, e.g. recharging during riding?

The Revonte ONE Drive System has the capability for re-generation, similar to KERS used in cars. Initially, that feature isn’t included in the system though. That might change in the future, depending on the future applications and needs that might arise.

It is important to note that the re-gen is only possible with rear hubs that do not have a freewheel. Otherwise, the chain won’t be able to transfer the kinetic energy from the rear wheel.

Q: What is the weight of the system? How many kilometers can you do with one charge?

This, of course, dependent on the battery. As a whole, the weight of the Revonte ONE System is competitive compared to any other current drive system. All of the relevant specs can be found on our technical specification site. It is also worth noting that our system has an optimal weight distribution since nearly all of the mass is located low and around the bottom bracket.

The range depends on many variables, such as the combined weight of the bike and rider, terrain and elevation covered, the level of assistance used, tire choice, external conditions (wind, etc.) and battery size. Because of that, it is impossible to give even a somewhat accurate estimate.

When the specific bike model, battery size and other relevant variables are known, it’s possible to give estimates with certain conditions, such as the level of assistance used and so on.

Q: Is it possible to use the bike while the battery is discharged?

Yes. The bike is 100% rideable. Because of the design on the drive unit, it can only be run with the lowest gear if the battery has run out completely. To counteract this, our software has been developed to conserve battery life to control the gears as long as possible.

Q: When will the drivetrain be generally available for sale with bike manufacturers in the US? What is the price range?

The Revonte ONE Drive System has been available for the US bike manufacturers since the launch of the system. Pricing is always negotiated case by case, since it’s dependent on several factors, such as the number of bike models, quantities and so on.

Q: Can you provide a demo of the transmission software on YouTube? Is the software open source.

The software is proprietary by nature as one could expect. However, some aspects of it or at least the basic functions and thought processes behind the development might be shared later on. Youtube would a good platform for this.

Q: When will we see full-suspension MTBs or fatbikes on the market (in my case in Germany) with Revonte Drive System? And in which price-range?

The launch of the first Revonte-equipped full-suspension MTB is solely dependent on bike manufacturers and who wants to take the lead in this front. We have already announced the first wave of e-bike manufacturers to use the Revonte ONE Drive System and more will follow.

The price range is a decision that the bike manufacturer makes and is dependent on several factors, such as the frame, materials used, components and so on.

Q: Is the Revonte system available for the public and what’s the price?

At the moment we are providing the Revonte ONE Drive System only to bike manufacturers. It is yet to be decided if it will be available outside of the OEM market. We will provide further information about availability, pricing and other conditions when and if the subject becomes relevant.

Q: In the early photos we have seen belt drive, but it seems it’s gone now, and all marketing material uses a chain. I assume the belt or chain is outside of Revonte’s offering, but I would like to know if we can expect belt driven Revonte bikes in the future or not.

Yes, our first render images used a belt drive. It’s not outside our offering or list of options by any means, but chain drive certainly is more common, affordable and easier to install. The use of a belt drive is solely a choice to be made by the bike manufacturer. The Revonte ONE Drive System will adapt to it without any limitations.

Q: Some questions related to belt drive. What are the impediments for a belt system? Is a belt itself more expensive than a chain? Does a belt wear too quickly? Can a belt transfer the required torque reliably?

Belt drives are inherently more expensive than a traditional chain. One can verify that just by looking at the prices for belts and “chainrings” required to use them. The more complex geometry alone needed for the “chainrings” increases the price somewhat. The durability of a high-quality belt is no less than a chain and it can even outlast a chain, which is something to consider since belts require zero maintenance. A belt can be very stiff, even stiffer than a chain in some cases so no power losses will occur even on the highest amount of torques.

Q: Is it too expensive to make a frame that can be opened (for putting on the belt) or is it just that most bike manufacturers don’t want to slow down the time to market by designing a frame for belt drive?

The construction of a belt-compatible frame is more complex and therefore more costly, but not considerably. Adding the feature needed (e.g. a drive side dropout with a bolt connection) is up to the bike and/or frame manufacturers to decide. The good thing about belt compatibility does not exclude the use of chain and therefore we are a big supporter of belt drive.

Q: How hard or easy it’s to drive without electric assistance? (in case the battery happens to go low and you are lost in the forest).

Easy, very easy indeed. The inherent drag on the drive unit is on the same level as in the rest of the market and perhaps even more towards the lower end. The design principle of our drive unit dictates that the motor can only be run on the lowest gear when the battery has run out.

Our software has features to make the drive system work as economically as possible to prevent unwanted occurrences of running out of battery life mid-ride.

In Closing

Hopefully, you found this list of questions and answers interesting. If something left you puzzled or you want to know more about the Revonte ONE Drive System, follow us in social media and even give us a question and we’ll be happy to get back to you.

Revonte in Facebook

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Revonte Youtube Channel

Software as a Service – a New Look into E-bikes

Jukka Mäennenä on 2020-04-07

Until now e-bikes are seen only as hardware that provides a means for transportation. The addition of electricity and circuit boards to a 200-years old invention can open doors that haven’t been discovered before. E-bikes can be so much more when some “smarts” are added to them and we are on our way in doing that.

The Mechanical Foundation

It goes without saying that a sound mechanical structure is a prerequisite for a well-functioning e-bike, no matter if it’s a frame, wheels or in our case, the drive unit.

Revonte ONE Drive System is based on robust and time-tested mechanical design, which is further refined to match the demands of an e-bike drive train. No matter how advanced or ingenious the drive units design is, there’s a limit when it comes to versatility.

A drive unit that functions solely on mechanical principles is inherently limited. One does not simply have the space needed to add extra gears, differentials, cogs and, belts into the mix. If the motor compartment is limited in the automotive world, the real estate inside of an e-bike drive unit is truly at a premium.

Software in Command

When electronics are added to the mix and highly developed software is put in command, several limitations are overcome and possibilities grow almost exponentially!

When the motor provides the working basis for the drive unit and the finer actions are left to the smart party – software that is – a whole new level of possibilities are brought to the table, such as:

Automatic and stepless function – the thing Revonte ONE Is known for. On the other hand, software preferences allow the use of traditional indexed shifting, if one wishes so.
Ride-diagnostics include tracking, mapping functions and service needs of the bicycle.
Anti-theft feature. The bike can be disabled remotely in case if it ends up in the wrong hands.

Software at Your Service

Besides the features listed above, the software-first approach enables a wide range of possibilities – some that have only been thought of before and some completely new.

For example, the shared economy model is growing rapidly since people prefer to pay for the service and utility functions of products. In certain cases, owning something is more of a liability than an asset. With the growing density of cities and other changes in the urban landscape, the shared economy model simply makes sense. A small number of cars already work in this way. Bicycles are catching up and possibly even taking the lead soon! The highly adaptable software platform enables service providers, housing cooperatives and alike to harness the power of e-bikes to a large group of people with only a nominal fee compared to buying and owning a bike.

The shared economy model has a lot in common with rental use. One could argue that it’s renting with the exception that it’s limited to a certain group of users. Since the commonalities are clear, the software can be easily adapted to be used as a platform for operating a rental fleet of bikes.

The Revonte ONE Drive System has been planned from the start to have continuous updates. In other words, the bike and the ride-experience get better over time! It’s the opposite of what happens to utility products by default! Several update packages will be available so that the end-user can choose what features he or she deems necessary and is willing to pay for – an approach which is standard practice in computer programs and phone apps.

The Next Step

Inventing the wheel was the first necessary step in the birth of the bicycle. The invention of chain-drive, pneumatic tires and gears have been some of the major milestones in the later developmental arc.

It can be argued that the addition of electrical assistance and smart features provided by the software is the next big step! It enables features and possibilities that haven’t existed before and on top of that, one can choose the right combination of features and services that are considered beneficial and necessary – just like on a smartphone.

Here at Revonte, we are taking the leading role with the revolutionary Revonte ONE Drive System. The first wave of e-bike manufacturers to use our drive system has been announced already. The latest addition broadens our operating field to cargo e-bikes which are among the fastest-growing sectors in both bicycles and logistics. We are thinking beyond the hardware and are excited to see the possibilities that lay ahead.

EAV and Revonte ONE Drive System – A New Type of Cargo E-bike

Jukka Mäennenä on 2020-03-11

As you might have already heard we have collaborated with EAV – a new generation vehicle production company – with a goal in producing an innovative cargo e-bike by integrating the revolutionary Revonte ONE Drive System into a new type cargo bike platform.

The powerhouse of choice for the upcoming and innovative EAV models will be the Revonte ONE Drive System.

Out of the Box Thinking

The traditional model for cargo bikes includes a bicycle with added cargo-carrying capabilities in the form of a platform or similar construction. EAV has taken almost the opposite route by approaching the design from a cargo van point of view.

EAVans and EAVcabs have the capabilities and features previously found only from motorized vehicle categories, but it still falls under the legislation of normal e-bikes. Besides improved payload capacities, the EAVans bring several benefits from safety and operational point of view.

Despite the hefty appearance, EAV’s models are incredibly light, thanks to a highly optimized design, material choices, and manufacturing processes. Besides the high-tech features, simplicity has been a priority throughout the design process so that the number of moving parts is kept to a minimum to make the EAVans and EAVcabs very robust and low-maintenance.

The Versatile Powerhouse

The highly configurable nature of the Revonte ONE Drive System makes it an excellent match for cargo e-bikes. Heavy payloads require raw numbers in the form of peak power output and torque to keep the bike moving – both of which the ONE Drive Unit possesses. It’s not just about the numbers, though. A first-class ride experience requires just as much brains as it asks for brawn, and this is where the Revonte ONE Drive System truly differentiates itself.

An ingenious mechanical design of the drive unit is enhanced with sophisticated software which is where the magic lays. The behavior of the drive system can be configured depending on the bike model and later fine-tuned by the user via our dedicated app.

A list to summarize why Revonte ONE Drive System is the advantageous choice for cargo e-bikes.

Automatic & stepless transmission makes accelerating effortless in all types of terrain.
High peak power output and torque, up to 1500W and 90Nm to be precise.
Highly configurable assistance modes and ride behavior enabled by sophisticated control software.
Mid-drive design is the optimal choice from a weight distribution and design point of view. This applies as well to cargo e-bikes as to regular bikes.

Combining the Revonte ONE Drive System with the modular construction of the EAV line-up opens new areas for the design and use of cargo e-bikes. The potential has been noted not only inside the industry but among the more mainstream media. One such example is a recent feature in the popular Newatlas.com tech site.

New Chapter in Logistics

EAV is the first cargo e-bike company to employ the Revonte ONE Drive System and among the first wave of e-bike manufacturers in benefiting the many features of the smartest e-bike drive system available.

We at Revonte are enthusiastic to collaborate with EAV to advance the logistical industry by creating a cargo e-bike with unprecedented features. No other solution has similar payload carrying capacities, safety aspects, simple but versatile construction, and forward-thinking feel to it.

In spite of being a relatively new player in the field, EAV has already established relationships with globally operating logistics companies. We are excited to join the journey in turning the next chapter in the logistical chain.

Ride Experience Is More Than Performance Metrics

Jukka Mäennenä on 2020-02-21

Evaluating e-bike drive systems is a lot more than comparing performance metrics, i.e. peak power or peak torque values. Numbers do matter but a lot remains hidden if the assessment is done purely based on them. To deliver an exceptional ride experience, the drive system needs to work in smooth harmony to determine how the available power is used
Read further to learn more about the thinking behind the Revonte ONE Drive System and why the ride experience it offers is like no other.

Revonte in action — The Revonte ONE Drive System demonstrating the unprecedented ride experience during the Revonte ONE test drive video shoot.

Beyond Numbers

The mechanical design behind the Revonte ONE Drive System generates plenty of power even for the most challenging user-cases and conditions. Besides having a robust, time-tested and reliable mechanical construction, it was clear from the start that the raw numbers should also meet a high standard.

As the name suggests, Revonte ONE Drive System is compatible with all and every type of e-bikes, including cargo bikes which demand a lot of torque to move respectable payloads.

We would have liked to announce the performance metrics of our drive system in a similar fashion to one well-known British car manufacturer as stating simply: “Enough.”

However, the number of questions and inquiries related to this domain reaches overwhelming quantities quickly which is the reason we decided to take the unequivocal route.

Control Precedes Power

To put it shortly, raw power is important. Deficiencies in that department will show up in the form of slow acceleration and sluggish uphill performance among other things. No amount of power is useful though if it’s not controlled. A drag car can drive a straight line with considerable speed, but it turns almost useless when the first turn in the road presents itself.

E-bike and the desired ride experience demands a lot more than merely delivering the most amount of watts or horsepowers to the rear wheel. Contol in the form of timing and the amount of power delivered is of the essence here – and we tackled the challenge to perfect that.

To reach the desired assistance characteristics, the rider inputs are monitored continuously by the software among the incline, speed, and other relevant metrics. Based on the gathered data, the software calculates the right amount of assistance for every moment. It takes a considerable amount of work in the form of programming, testing and repeating this development loop more times than we care to count, but the resulting magic in the form of ride experience provided is worth it.

Real-life Examples

Our recent and test ride video provides an ample amount of examples of how the Revonte ONE Drive System ride experience is ahead of the game.

Acceleration with a steady cadence – Using indexed manual gears requires constant changes in cadence for keeping in the optimal range for human-based power output. With the automatic function of the Revonte ONE Drive System, the whole acceleration can be done with a steady cadence, i.e. 70 or 90RPM.
Smooth assistance – The nature of how the power is dosed from the motor to the rear wheel plays a major role in the ride experience. A quick and large burst of power gives a feeling similar to a motorbike, whereas a more mild-mannered dose of power preserves the feeling of a traditional bicycle. Either one of these and anything in between can be had because of the highly configurable nature of the drive system.
Option to choose – It poses no problem if one wants to use a more traditional type indexed shifting. The switch from automatic to manual and back can be done easily via our App.
Intuitive use – the human-machine interface is important but oftentimes overlooked aspect of the drive system. We took great care to make our Remote design right.
Focus on the essentials – Revonte ONE Drive System makes riding easy so that one can focus on the things that matter the most, the surroundings and ride itself.

Software First

The recipe for ultimate ride experience constitutes of ingenious mechanical design which is further enhanced with a highly developed software. The vast amount of options for configuring the behavior and the ride characteristics built into the software which forms the core of the Revonte ONE Drive System. As our CEO Otto Chrons eloquently put it in a recent interview:

“For us, all the cool things are in the software.”

The unprecedented ride experience is a lot more than just having lots of power and transferring it quickly to propulsion. We have taken great care to design the Revonte ONE Drive System that it fills the demands of every type of e-bike in the market and perhaps even exceeds the rider expectations.

Cargo E-bikes Pave the Way For Electrical Transportation

Jukka Mäennenä on 2020-02-05

E-bikes are here to stay and it is not something to be argued with. The relevant question is to what extent will e-bikes substitute their “acoustic siblings”. Commuter bikes and e-mtb’s are undergoing an electric revolution, but it does not end there. The main goal in developing our drive system was to make not only compatible but also the most competitive drive system to all types of e-bikes. Let us explain why the Revone ONE Drive System is the powerhouse of choice for cargo e-bikes.

Challenges with Urban Environment

Unquestionably, the urban environment is changing and so is urban mobility. Private motoring leads to heavy traffic, long commuting times, wrecked nerves and pollution. Combine this with the ever-growing transportation of goods and the recipe of serious traffic jams are already brewing. Most – if not all – of city centres were not designed for the number of cars that swarm the streets. The roads and even the widest highways are often seriously undersized for the level of use they encounter daily.

Combine this with the lack of parking spots and living space in general, not to mention the poor air quality that most metropolitan areas suffer from. It is evident that alternative options for transportation need to be developed.

E-bikes offer one piece of the puzzle when it comes to commuting. It does not end there, though. The same technology can be harnessed to small-scale transportation as well.

Pedal-driven Transportation

Bicycle-equipped courier isn’t a new invention. Pedal-driven velocipedes have been used for transportation purposes since the 1860s. A regular bicycle is well-suited for delivering letters and other small shipments, but the limits of the payload are reached rather quickly.

The next organic step in the evolution of different bicycle types was the invention of cargo bike, or also known as the freight bicycle. First used by tradesmen to deliver mail and conveniences, like milk and bread. It is telling that in the UK, this bicycle type is sometimes referred to as a butcher’s bike or delibike.

Nowadays cargo bikes are used routinely in purposes such as:

Courier and delivery services in urban environments.
Child transport – this type of use is growing in popularity rapidly.
Industrial use, ie.g. warehouse inventory transportation and tool and raw material transportation in large industrial facilities.
Mail delivery – the UK post office alone operates a fleet of 33,000 bikes.

As one can see, the cargo bikes can be used in a variety of ways and they provide a competitive option to combustion engine powered means of transport, especially in short distances and small to medium payloads.

Cargo Bikes Supercharged

Electrical assistance can literally supercharge cargo bikes. In traditional bikes, heavy loads and rolling hills will take the win over even the most dedicated courier unless he or she has the legs of a Tour de France contender or elite-level track cyclist.

The continuous assistance of 250W will make the difference between a struggle on a saddle and enjoyable riding. Couple this with the high peak torque value of 90Nm which the Revonte ONE Drive System possesses. This amount of torque is enough to climb up even the steepest of hills with a respectable payload.

Since cargo bikes are inherently heavier than traditional models, increasing battery size or even adding a second battery won’t cause any problems weight-wise. Bigger battery means more range so that one full workday can be covered with one charge. This, in turn, means more efficient transportation.

Revonte ONE is the Powerhouse of Choice for Cargo E-bikes

Revonte ONE Drive System is the most versatile e-bike drive system around. Mid-drive unit is the best fit for all types of bicycles, including cargo bikes. Technical specifications are in the leading class and are more than enough for cargo e-bikes. Heavy industrial use is a case of its own but for everyday use, Revonte ONE Drive System is a trusty companion.

The automatic and stepless function of the transmission is a very good fit for cargo e-bikes since it enables the rider to concentrate 100% on riding and observing the surroundings, whether it be in an urban or industrial setting. In a varied terrain with lots of hills or steep inclines, the automatic feature is particularly useful, since it prevents the rider from getting stuck because of too high gear selection. The sophisticated control software of the Revonte ONE Drive System continuously adjusts the assistance based on the inputs received from the rider and the angle of incline.

Because of the software-first approach, the behavior of electrical assistance can be tailored according to the bike model and the type of use it’s designed for. Configuration can be done in two steps: by the bike manufacturer and lastly, by the rider. Not only can the bike manufacturer decide the ride-characteristics of the bike, but the rider is also able to fine-tune them as he or she wishes. Remote diagnostics and service recommendations are provided by the inbuilt 4G connection provides. This way, it is made sure that the bike is operational when it counts and recommended service times can be planned accordingly. The Revonte ONE Drive System is currently the only motor option to offer these features.

Cargo E-bikes provide a noteworthy option for transporting small to medium-size goods. Adding a highly-developed electrical motor to the mix quite literally supercharges the bike, giving it the ability to move heavier loads, further than before and with more convenience.

The future of electrically-powered transportation is here and cargo e-bikes are a part of it. Don’t miss out.

If you’re in the business of building cargo e-bikes, get in touch [email protected]

The Story Behind Our Remote Design – Part 1

Jukka Mäennenä on 2020-01-08

Those of you who have visited our site previously might remember the remote control which had a lot of similarities to existing control units. We have moved on from the original design because things have changed on many fronts. First of all our thinking about the subject has changed and the whole industry has made a notable shift as well. To summarize, we weren’t satisfied with the initial design and decided to create a better one.

Core Values

The term core value is usually mentioned with company policy or business strategy. We´ve employed the same tool and line of thinking on the level of individual components whenever needed. This was the case with remote controllers since it is such an important part of the system and user experience. After careful consideration and idea gathering session the core values were condensed in the four following points:

Intuitive. If the rider needs to think about how to use the remote or the learning process takes a considerable amount of time, the design hasn’t met this goal. In other words, controlling the behaviour of the bike must become effortless according to the “No look” principle.
Screenless. An overflow of information will distract the user while riding – keep it simple! We believe that all the needed information can be conveyed through a led indicator. Our drive system does not require a screen and if the user wishes to use one, mobile phone or a dedicated ride computer will provide a platform for all the information imaginable and most importantly, with a customizable view. More on this later.
Right-hand side. Since the traditional shifter is gone and there is space to occupy, the right-hand placement is an obvious one and supports what the rider is used to at this location. A placement like this declutters the cockpit setup and creates a more streamlined and elegant looks.
Integrated. The goal was to integrate the remote into the cockpit rather than occupying new space.

On top of these things, we decided early on that the index finger should remain free so that it´s always available for braking purposes. With e-mountain bikes this is an obvious design feature, but it applies to all other bike types as well.

Design Drivers

From core values, we moved on to a more practical level. Design drivers are properties or features that we want you – the rider – to notice when using a bike equipped with the Revonte ONE Drive System. In this case, there were some similarities between them and core values, but the list got diversified and most importantly, more exact.

Simple & intuitive design. All of the relevant functions to riding can be controlled underneath the handlebar by using the thumb only.
Versatile. Works on multiple platforms. No matter the handlebar setup, bike or ride computer you are using, our remote system will be compatible.
Simple & compact. The form and use should be broken down to a minimum without sacrificing features and functionality. No one will benefit from a huge clunky remote with too many buttons.
Stealth & integrated design. No matter how good the function is, if the end product is an eyesore, it has not met all the goals – or not at least in our books. Smooth surfaces, shapes, tactile features, alloy construction on levers and a nice colour scheme are a must-have. Our remote integrates itself seamlessly to the cockpit.
Great ergonomics. Although this is an obvious criterion, not all designs meet it. The remote should be comfortable to use, it should not require loosening the grip and reaching when used, etc. These are basic things and therefore something that we want to make especially well.

Where´s the Display?

The decision to leave the screen out was made early in the design process. The reasoning behind it is quite simple.

First of all, there is a limited amount of information that is useful when riding. Even if you ride in a straight road without any traffic or other variables that need to be considered, eye-contact should be kept mostly on the road (or on the nice scenery surrounding it). When it comes to mountain biking, the importance of this factor grows several magnitudes. If eye-contact wanders off from the optimal line choice, big trouble can ensue. Given these points and the fact that not too many metrics are useful to observe while riding, a need for a screen does not really present itself. When it comes to post-ride analytics, the situation changes of course. Ride data can be viewed and analyzed from a mobile phone or from a laptop interface.

A second reason for leaving the screen out is that we want to give the control and customizability back to the user. If he or she wishes to use her own device, the option exists and is even the preferred one. The companies who manufacture ride computers know their job and we want to leave it to them.

Closing Thoughts

There you have it. Those were the basic factors that guided our design process which resulted in innovations that led to filed patents. A component like the remote seems simple on the surface but the number and depth of decisions are quite surprising when the design challenge is truly tackled. The final product ended up being quite a lot like our motor: functional, robust and almost elegant in all of its simplicity.

No corners were cut in the process. We are happy with the end result and confident that you will like it as well. Stay tuned for more info and photos about our remote on a later date!

Changing Landscape of Urban Mobility

Jukka Mäennenä on 2019-12-18

Urban mobility is reaching a critical turning point. The condensation of services and working opportunities into cities has caused a considerable increase in population density i.e. more people are living and getting by on their daily tasks in smaller areas. This poses considerable challenges to the infrastructure and how transportation is conducted.

Luckily, the answer might be found in an invention which has a history reaching back over 200 years. Read further to learn more!

The Ever-changing Urban Environment

The modern direction of development has led to cities and urban environments that are more densely populated and constructed than ever before. Space is at a premium, as are convenient ways of moving from point A to B. This isn’t the first city-related challenge we’re facing and certainly not the last. It is intriguing though, to think how the nature of the challenges changes over time. For example, the great horse manure crisis of 1894 seems like a very far-fetched problem, but the solution that arrived in the form of a combustion engine and the automobile was hard to see beforehand.

The days of getting by with horse carriages and using hay as the fuel of propulsion are long-gone. Nowadays, the challenges can be pinpointed into three main categories:

Heavy traffic and long travel times
Pollution
Lack of space

Luckily, a bicycle that is equipped with electric assistance provides a solution to the problem or at least is a considerable part of it.

Solving the Traffic Dilemma

When population density reaches a certain limit, it is not feasible that everyone travels by their own car in a timely manner. Bottle-necks are bound to be formed in the intersections, crossroads and even 4-lane wide highways when the stream of cars is big enough.

Public transportation like subways, buses and, tram cars are one solution to the problem with their huge transportation capacity. The simple bicycle got overlooked for a long time, but fortunately, urban planning is finally catching up. Bicycles, and especially e-bikes, provide a versatile, easy to use, fast-moving and environment-friendly mode of transportation that isn’t dependent on any schedule besides the one that the rider has.

The network of bike lanes and bike-friendly roads is growing steadily to the level that e-bikes can be the fastest way of transportation inside the city centers. The most progressive cities in this front are Copenhagen, Colorado Springs and the whole country of Netherlands. Not only might the e-bike be the fastest, but it’s a very convenient mode of transportation that is immune to traffic jams.

Keeping the Green Values in Mind

Emissions and the pollution caused by it are a big topic at the moment since we’re living in the crucial moments of climate change. Every action to reduce emissions and pollution is warranted to keep Earth a good place to live for future generations.

To put some numbers on the table, research conducted by the Municipality of Copenhagen concluded that cyclists can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 20,000 tons a year! E-bikes have a bigger carbon footprint than the traditional bicycle, but the difference is almost trivial. Charging a standard size 600Wh battery costs around 0.093€ which means that only a trivial amount of electricity is consumed in the grand scheme of things.

If the electric assistance tips the choice in the favor of an e-bike instead of hopping into a car, the situation is clear which option is more environment-friendly.

No More Searching for a Parking Spot

How many times have you searched for parking space for a considerable amount of time? How many times you’ve been busy or already running late for an important appointment? Everyone can empathize with situations like these. With an e-bike, finding a parking spot is a trivial task! One parking spot can fit up to 10 e-bikes, which increases the parking capacity by several magnitudes.

In short, bicycles fit into a small space. It is not an uncommon thing that the most forward-thinking companies offer storage space for bicycles to encourage the employees to choose the bike over a car when tackling the daily commute.

After some simple calculation, it might turn out that e-bike is a considerably faster way to commute even on long distances when the time needed for parking is added to the equation. For example, if a car ride takes 10-15 minutes, but the search for a parking spot plus the walk to the destination takes the same amount or even more time, a bike commute up to 45-minutes is justified for being just as fast.

That’s Not All Folks

The fortes of e-bikes do not end here. We haven’t even touch topics like cargo bikes, the potential of shared economies and rental bike fleets, which are topics for later discussions.

E-bikes are an important ingredient in solving the challenges that the modern urban environment poses at us. To summarize, e-bikes bring the following benefits:

Daily commute is a fun event instead of a stress-laden chore!
Parking is a trivial task!
Environment-friendly mode of transportation.
Suitable for all fitness levels and ages.
No sweat since electric assistance flattens the uphills.
Fast(est) way of transportation inside city centers.

Will the current times be remembered as the traffic jam crisis of 2020? And will e-bikes come to rescue us? Only time will tell, but we are doing our best to make e-bikes a more viable option than ever before.

Revonte in Taichung

Jukka Mäennenä on 2019-10-30

The Taichung Bike Week and Eurobike form the big duo of events as far as the bicycle industry is concerned. To describe the nature of the events, Eurobike is the place to show what you have and Taichung is where agreements are written and hands shook. After the very successful launch of the Revonte ONE Drive System at Eurobike, we had our eyes on the Taichung Bike Week well in advance.

Same but Different

Eurobike is mostly about industry people, but on the last day of the fair is also open to regular consumers. Taichung is strictly business, meaning that It is aimed only towards professionals who work in the industry. It is also rare that brands launch any new products during Taichung since Eurobike is a better place to that as far as timing and publicity are considered.

The difference in geographical location between the two events also effects. Eurobike can be considered a truly international event, meaning that people attend literally from all around the world. As one can guess, most of the Taichung attendees have an Asian background, which makes sense location-wise and because the majority of the manufacturing takes place in Asia.

The Agenda

Our agenda was simple: to have as many productive meetings and customer negotiations as possible.

Our position in the market is very favorable since we do not have any competition with similar qualities. Sure, the array of e-bike motors is vast and plentiful, but no other drive system has as integrated automatic and stepless transmission that runs on a robust and care-free single-speed drivetrain. Couple that with our highly customizable software and we can confidently say that the Revonte ONE Drive System fights in a class of its own.

Industry heard our message during Eurobike, and people know what we are about, it was all about negotiations at this point. The goal was achieved since the number of productive and large-scale meetings was plentiful. Not much can be disclosed at the moment, but things are progressing and moves are being made!

What Is Going to Happen Next?

We are working hard and long to get our “prototype fleet” in prime condition to kick off the test rides. The whole Revonte ONE Drive System will go through an arduous testing process to expose and smooth out all the possible kinks in the hardware as well as in the software.

Test ride opportunities are naturally available for all interested (industry) parties. If interested and you have not jumped on board yet, sign up to our newsletter or contact us by email [email protected].

The Early Adopters

This gives us a nice transition to our early adopter phase. If you want to be among the first ones to run the Revonte ONE Drive System and gain the competitive advantage along with it, right now is the last possible moment to hop on board!

A limited amount of our valued customers are featured in our soon-to-be-released joint public note that describes their design approach and the branch of bicycle industry they are offering their products for.

Eyes on the Taichung Bike Week

Jukka Mäennenä on 2019-10-07

There are two big annual events in the cycling industry that are relevant for the industry people: Eurobike and Taichung Bike Week. As you probably and hopefully know already, the launch of the Revonte ONE Drive System in Eurobike was a big success for us. As a reference, we were listed as one of the highlights of the show by EMBN.com.

“And for me, I think two of the highlights are definitely the Everysight eyewear from Israel. You can see your heart rate, your cadence and all sort of things.

Plus, Revonte from Finland! Which is the combined motor and gearbox with 90Nm. As I mentioned, you can run it on automatic or configure it to your own settings.“

Eurobike Summary in Short

We reached our goal in Eurobike when it came to launching the Revonte ONE Drive System and attracting the wanted attention from the media and industry. people. Customer relationships were established, negotiations were held, hands were shook, photos were taken and videos were shot.

Some of the people visiting Eurobike had already heard of us – which was a nice thing to learn – but at least as many people were surprised when they learned about the Revonte ONE Drive System and most of all, the benefits and features it offers in the form automatic & stepless transmission and high degree of configurability.

Please refer to the Media site to read more what the industry media has written about us.

What has happened after Eurobike?

There’s a 6-week period between Eurobike and the upcoming Taichung Bike Week. What has and will happen in between?

First of all, the development and testing work has been constant. Motors have been running on the test-bench nearly 24/7 and the only pauses have been allowed when the test data has been analysed. Besides that, internal real-world testing has continued, i.e. bikes have been ridden out in the wild.

On the software side of things, the development has been swift. It goes almost without saying that refining the code that controls the motor behaviour and ride characteristics have been our top priority. Besides that, plenty of work has gone into our app to the extent that we will have our first dedicated and customer-specific versions of the app ready for Taichung. As you learned from the post about the configurability of the Revonte ONE Drive System, the software and user-interface can be customized for every bike manufacturer who employs our system.

And most importantly, some very happy news! Our staff has once again expanded in the form of adding two more highly skilled and passionate people to the ever-growing Revonte team! Stay tuned to for full staff introduction later.

In Taichung

Taichung is different than Eurobike, since we don’t expect that too many visitors have heard about us; different geographical area, different people. Also, compared to the long-standing industry players we are not recognized in the field – yet. Be sure though that it is about to change.

Our goals in Taichung is to strengthen our position in the field, make our presence known and, tie new relationships with industry people and potential new customers. Taichung Bike Week is the time and place for locking the component specs for the latter part upcoming model year and beyond that. After Taichung, we will know who are the early-adopters and trailblazers in making e-bikes smart by using Revonte ONE Drive System!

If you’re around in Taichung between 16-18^th of October, visit our booth 1510 in the Splendor Hotel.

Eurobike 2019: Launch of the Revonte ONE Drive System

Jukka Mäennenä on 2019-09-23

Eurobike took place in the first week of September in Friedrichshafen, Germany. It’s the event where the whole bike world gets together to show their latest products and visions. As usual with every major expo, plenty of gadgets and inventions with questionable utility can be found as well. To put it shortly, Eurobike was big for us, since it was our first public appearance and the event where we launched our Revonte ONE Drive System. We had set our expectations high well before the event, but those got exceeded by quite a large margin by the amount of interest our system gained!

Our booth just moments before the three-day event started.

Read further to learn more.

We have Arrived at the Party

The days in Eurobike were filled with scheduled and spontaneous meetings. Our goals for the event were threefold:

1) Start negotiations with new customers for the first deliveries in 2020.

2) See what the rest of the industry is up to.

3) Media coverage.

Iiro explaining the inner workings of the Revonte ONE Drive Unit.

All of the goals were met and none of our team had a boring moment during the fair. The list of contacts we made during the event produced quite a stack of paper which will surely provide plenty of work for us for the following weeks. If there’s a delay with our reply, that is the reason and please accept our apologies beforehand.

Antero and Uwe explaining the features and benefits of the Revonte ONE Drive System.

Our presence has been noted and we got daily visits by some of the biggest players in the field. It was a sign of things to come when the representatives of one very notable e-bike motor manufacturer came to our booth just half an hour later after the start of the whole event!

Not only we were noticed by the industry people, but by the media as well. A big highlight for us was that the legendary reporter Steve Jones from EMBN.com listed Revonte ONE as one of the highlights of the show! This mention meant a lot to us and we are honoured and very grateful for it.

To get the message, it’s best to hear from the source itself:

“I mean this has got to be the future of e-mountain biking. So from Finland then, Revonte is absolutely on it!”

A Long List of Unique Features

Eurobike also provided an opportunity to see what the rest of the industry is doing. Although we’re very focused on developing our product and service package, it was encouraging to see that no one else has taken the route we’re on. The Revonte ONE Drive System is still the only one with the following unique features:

A single-speed drivetrain. When several options exist, the simplest one usually prevails. This is especially true when it comes bicycle drivetrains. The Revonte ONE Drive System uses a single chainring, cog and durable single-speed chain, which produce a robust, low-maintenance, affordable and reliable drivetrain solution. Getting rid of the cassette and rear derailleur does good things to weight distribution and suspension characteristics in mountain bike applications.
Combined motor & Internal gearbox. Placing all the ´moving parts´ in one enclosed package creates a drivetrain that is care-free, functional and pleasing to the eye as well.
Automatic & stepless transmission. This was the feature that produced most of the questions during the show. Since bicycle transmission has been based on indexed solutions since the beginning, it can be hard to grasp the features and ride properties of a stepless version. When automatic shifting and our steady cadence mode is added to that, it’s quite a lot to take in. Our software enables the rider to use an indexed type of shifting as well which emulates the function of traditional drivetrain by dividing the gear range to the desired amount of steps.
Software first approach – which stands on the sturdy foundations of robust mechanical engineering. Although almost all of the existing e-bike motor systems have some type of in-built software, no one is going as far as we have. More on this below!

No Other System Goes Software First

We are taking the e-bike motor software to the next level. First of all, the ´magic´ behind the ride experience which Revonte ONE offers is based on sophisticated software that is monitoring rider inputs and other parameters (used assistance mode, velocity, battery life, etc.) with very high frequency and adjusting the output and motor behavior accordingly. It also learns from user behavior over time. Accomplishing this type of ride experience would not simply be possible with a simple electro-mechanical system.

*Our app is the portal between the rider and the motor, enabling a high level of customization on the fly.*

The other major feature and benefit of our system is the high level of configurability that happens on the level of bike manufacturers and end-user. Read our previous blog text to learn more.

Our goal is that bikes with Revonte ONE will get better over time. How is this possible you may ask? Via continuous, over-the-air software updates. At the moment Revonte ONE is the only one able to do this to a considerable extent because of the connectivity and the ´powerful brain´ inside the motor.

Other Major News

Our trip to Eurobike was accompanied by other good news in the form of funding. A funding round of $2 million got confirmed towards the end of the event. This sets us up nicely to start the production in the second quarter of 2020 and enables us to expand our strong and motivated team. Good things have happened, and it will only get better from here!

On an ending note, take a look at the more detailed description of Revonte ONE from EMBN.com video below.