With the Goroc2 and GorocX as well as the Uproc2 and UprocX, Flyer has now presented all its new products for the 2022 season. In the aforementioned ebikes, the manufacturer has installed the Panasonic GX Ultimate Pro Fit. As usual, this is a Panasonic motor that Flyer upgrades with its own software. All in all, Flyer is on a par with the drives from Bosch, Yamaha and Shimano.
Lots of power, little space
The basis provided by Panasonic is already of very high quality. With a weight of only 2.9 kilograms, the drive is one of the lightest units currently used as a mid-mounted motor with a continuous output of 250 watts and a torque of more than 80 Newton metres. Panasonic itself lists the motor with 90 Newton metres. With the help of its own engineering, Flyer gets an additional five Newton metres of torque out of the motor. Since the motor develops its power relatively constantly, you already benefit from this pulling power at low pedalling frequencies.
In addition to its reliability, the GX Ultimate impresses with its compactness. This is reflected in a narrow Q-factor of around 166 millimetres. Many bikers find such a small distance between the pedals kind of natural and therefore pleasant. At the same time, this dimension promotes efficient pedalling, as biomechanical requirements for optimal movement are met. As a result, the risk of knee pain is reduced.
Making the drive smart
The real added value compared to the predecessor models, however, comes from FLYER Intelligent Technology (FIT). For the 2022 season, the motors are equipped with the FIT 2.0 version. This allows you, for example, to individualise the four existing support levels “High”, “Standard”, “Eco” and “Auto”. However, the smartphone app “FIT E-Bike Control” is required for fine adjustment. With its help, the four levels can be adjusted via percentage values.
Another benefit is the long-life mode for the battery. This setting increases the range of the respective ebikes. If you need an additional boost in other situations, FIT 2.0 also offers a solution. This is the “boost function”. You can use it to switch to “High”-mode for a short time – regardless of the support level you are currently using. This can be a great advantage on a hill or when riding out of a tunnel.
Display and battery are also convincing
In terms of display, the FIT 2.0 comes in two different versions – the smaller “Compact” display and the larger “Comfort” display with a 3.5-inch colour screen. In Bosch dimensions, this would roughly correspond to the Kiox or the Nyon of the first generation. Both displays can be interchanged at will. Switching from small to large is just as possible as switching from large to small. Both the communication with the “Remote basic” control unit and the simple attachment to the handlebars with the help of a magnetic interface work identically.
On current bikes, Flyer combines the Panasonic GX Ultimate Pro Fit with batteries of different sizes. The top model is the FIB, which is fully integrated into the GorocX and UprocX and has a capacity of 750 watt hours. On cheaper models you will find a smaller version with 630 watt-hours. You can use the aforementioned long-life mode on both.
Background: Biketec’s special digital team
A few years ago, the bicycle manufacturer founded a small subsidiary to optimise the connection of the Panasonic drive to the Flyer ebikes. Biketec GmbH works from Flyer’s headquarters in Huttwil and a branch in Elsenfeld, Germany. A small team of around ten employees designs displays and control units and advances the entire smart intelligence of the drive. A large part of the work therefore consists of programming the app. The results are incorporated into Flyer’s bicycles and their entire periphery. In fact, Biketec offers its services quite freely to other manufacturers, too.
Pictures: Flyer AG
