An automatic gearbox with two gears – that doesn’t sound particularly exciting to everyone at first. Especially not when it is supposed to be the biggest attraction of a drive manufacturer at the upcoming Eurobike in Friedrichshafen. The whole thing changes when the gear hub also contains the motor for an electric drive. This is exactly the case with the new Dual Speed Drive from Bafang. Therefore, it is quite possible that the stand of the Chinese manufacturer will be very busy after all.
Lightweight and compact solution
You won’t find a rear motor with an integrated automatic gearshift system from any other manufacturer at the moment. Until now, the system was simply considered too challenging from a technological point of view. The lack of space makes such an undertaking difficult from the ground up. At least if you are looking for a solution that is competitive both technologically and in terms of price. Bafang has at least made the attempt. The system for the rear wheel, called H700, weighs 3.2 kilograms and measures 136 millimetres in outer diameter. Thanks to its axle width of 135 millimetres, it is suitable for standard frame sizes of e-bikes – regardless of whether a belt or a conventional chain will later move the drive.
Which of the two gears the motor operates in depends on the respective riding speed. According to Bafang, the gear ratio that enables a better cadence is always selected. Exactly which frequency is considered “better” remains open at this point. However, this decision will take into account both your riding comfort and optimal motor performance, Bafang states.
Future integration in urban e-bikes conceivable
In terms of performance, you should not expect too much. The continuous rated power is the legally prescribed 250 watts. The H700 has a torque of 32 Newton metres. In some cases, this is significantly less than what other drives from Mahle, Cowboy, VanMoof, Modmo or Equal offer. It is precisely these names that are likely to compete with the Bafang system. The manufacturer considers its power unit primarily as a potential candidate for lighter, urban e-bikes that aim to swim along comfortably in road traffic. If you’re trying to reach the summit of the next 2000-metre mountain, you’ll probably end up in the lower switchbacks.
Of course, the overall package of the H700 includes an appropriate battery. It can be installed in the down tube and has an electric charge of ten ampere hours. What this means in terms of range in practice will only be reliably shown in the first test rides. Bafang has decided not to opt for a display. Instead, the Dual Speed Drive is controlled via a rather puristic control unit with only one button. This will be located on the down tube. Optionally, there will be a Bluetooth interface that enables connection to other mobile devices. By the way, Bafang does not mention an own app for the time being.
If you want to know even more, you can drop by at the Eurobike in a few weeks and take a look at Bafang’s latest development for yourself.
Pictures: Bafang
