Bosch's stunning e-bikes come with a built-in computer

Bosch's stunning e-bikes come with a built-in computer

Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the idea of public transportation has become very unappealing. But until Bosch realizes the ambitions of its latest concept electric bike, we might as well hold our fire.

Looking like a bike that could come out of Westworld season 3 or Cyberpunk 2077, the Bosch eBike Design Vision has its sights firmly set on the future of electric bikes, rather than the practical present. While you won't be able to buy this e-bike anytime soon, it offers a glimpse of what's next for e-bikes, as Bosch envisions them on the 10th anniversary of the birth of the first e-bike drive system.

Surprisingly for a transport concept form, carbon fiber is featured heavily, making up most of the entire structure to create a frame that is lightweight, yet rigid and sturdy. In addition, side channels are designed to create a "cooling effect" so that the built-in electric motor does not get too hot.

The chassis downtube houses the battery, which is removable and can be recharged externally. This indicates that the next generation of e-bikes may be much less chunky and cumbersome than the current models whizzing down the cycle lanes near you.

The downtube battery tapers over the drive unit to form a single, clean, white unit around the pedals. Again, the small volume that the drive unit occupies in the bike's frame gives this concept e-bike a cleaner appearance than current electric bikes.

The eBike Design Vision also features an antilock braking system (ABS), which is designed to prevent harsh braking that could cause the rear wheel to bounce by adjusting the brake pressure on the bike's font. When the front wheel is about to lock up due to such braking, a sensor detects it and activates the ABS.

But here at Tom's Guide, we value how high-tech intersects with some of our lives. That's where eBike Design Vision's nylon cockpit comes in.

The bike's carbon fiber handlebars carry an integrated nylon on-board computer. This computer would be something that could be added to any off-the-shelf bike to capture GPS, distance traveled, speed, and personal fitness data. However, Bosch's eBike design vision sees this computer as a device that will be built into future e-bikes, much like a bicycle cockpit.

Minimal controls on the handlebars suggest that riders could control the Nylon computer on the fly as they sprint along commuter routes or bike lanes. However, in a variation of the eBike Design Vision that may be commercialized in the near future, such controls would not be minimalist and symbol-free.

While the eBike Design Vision is only a concept machine, it is a statement of intent from Bosch, hinting at the technology the company plans to bring to e-bikes. And that technology could result in e-bikes like the Gocycle GX, VanMoof S3, and Brompton Electric in the near future.

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