With a distinctly innovative concept, Mavic is planning a new chapter as a manufacturer of a motor for ebikes. Although the development of the unit called X-Tend is already in an advanced stage, it currently seems completely open whether there will ever be a series production of it.
Last week, several international bicycle magazines reported on a new ebike motor from Mavic. Two facts in particular stood out. Firstly, the tenor across all articles was absolutely positive. Several editors reported enthusiastically on test rides and agreed that the mid-motor had enormous potential as a drive for very light, very sporty bikes – from e-road bikes and e-gravel bikes to minimalist urban ebikes for commuting.
Mavic X-Tend prototype
Info, we’d like info
Secondly, the hint given in many cases that more information could be found on Mavic’s website proved to be a dead end. On its website, the manufacturer is currently completely silent about the X-Tend. The same applies to almost all of its profiles on social platforms. Only on its Youtube channel is a hint to be discovered. At the end of a clip published on 12 April 2023 entitled “Our DNA: Innovation”, there are ten seconds with a cutaway view showing the inner workings of the motor.
Of course, we too have become aware of the unveiling. To get first-hand information, we contacted Mavic directly and asked for pictures, technical information and more. The answer from France was that no official press kit or anything similar would be distributed. At least they didn’t leave us completely in the lurch, but added a link to a longer video of the British online magazine “Road.cc”. Well, we had already discovered that ourselves by then, but ok.
Therefore, the following details about the X-Tend from Mavic are based on the work of colleagues from other media. It is, so to speak, our extract of what we know so far.
1. Long run-up
2. Future unclear
3. Deliberate reduction
4. Just letting go
5. High-speed and robust
6. Expected solution for the battery
7. E-road bikes – and what else?
8. What remains to be done?
1. Long run-up
Many of you have probably saved Mavic as a specialist for everything to do with wheels, i.e. hubs, rims and so on. So you were probably all the more surprised by the news about a drivetrain from the manufacturer. We were, anyway. However, the French magazine Vojo reports that the first ideas for a motor emerged as early as 2016. Two years later, the first patent applications were filed in this context. Due to the economic ups and downs of Mavic with the sale by Amer Sports in 2019, the insolvency proceedings in 2020 and the subsequent takeover by the Bourrelier Group, the whole project apparently took a halt. Now it has reached a stage that the manufacturer deliberately wanted to go public with.
2. Future unclear
To this end, he invited selected magazines to Annecy in the French Alps for test rides at the beginning of April. Obviously, the aim was to get an impression of how experienced editors judge the state of development. At the same time, of course, the aim was to draw attention to the project. In the Road.cc video, Maxime Brunand, head of product management at Mavic, talks openly about the search for financial partners. At the moment, the company does not consider itself capable of industrial series production on its own. Therefore, a market entry is to be expected in 2025 or 2026 at the earliest.
Not even a few screws on the non-drive side indicate the installed motor.
3. Deliberate reduction
At least one partner has accompanied Mavic in the development of the X-Tend for a long time. This is the Swiss bicycle manufacturer BMC. The prototypes of the motor, with which the media representatives completed the tests, were in their road bikes. The reason why especially those who are mainly involved in road cycling had a lot of fun with it is because of the type of motor. The mid-mounted motor is anything but a powerhouse. Its nominal torque of 39 Newton metres in continuous operation with an output of 250 watts is quite a bit less than what units like the HPR50 from TQ or the Ride 60 from Fazua achieve. Even if the values can rise to 50 Newton metres at 390 watts in the short term during power peaks.
BMC test bike incorporating the prototype of the Mavic X-Tend.
It is precisely this level of support that Mavic considers the advantages of the X-Tend. It is one reason why the motor weighs only 1.2 kilograms. People who do not expect more than a gentle push should find it fun. Consequently, only three support levels seem to be planned for the drive: Eco, Sport and Boost. The standard assistance in the riding modes is 30 per cent, 60 per cent and 120 per cent as a maximum. Later, this can be individually adjusted for each riding mode.
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- In the app, riding modes are supposed to be individually adjustable.
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- In addition, you can see your own performance and that of the motor at the same time.
4. Just letting go
For this clientele, it is also particularly important not to be unnecessarily slowed down by the motor when the speed exceeds the limit of 25 km/h or when the e-drive is switched off. Therefore, the motor decouples completely in these two scenarios. A mechanical clutch ensures that there is no friction whatsoever. The only resistance comes from the bottom bracket bearing, Mavic emphasises.
Mavic X-Tend ebike drive in exploded view
How does this work? Well, Mavic has designed a motor that does not need its own axle. Basically, it’s a cylinder with a hole in the middle. The axle of an ordinary crank with Shimano’s Hollowtech standard passes through it. A special arm, mounted on the axle on the drive side, is connected to the chainring. Its shape is somewhat reminiscent of a barb. Inside the motor there is a connection to the freewheel. If this is disconnected, the axle and thus the cranks rotate like a bottom bracket that is merely a little bit oversized.
Mechanical clutch for disconnecting from the drive axle of the ebike
In addition, the motor provides a Q-factor of 146 millimetres. This means that every standard Shimano crank that you know from a bike without an electric motor is also suitable for use on an ebike. This should make it much easier for bicycle manufacturers to integrate the motor. Especially since its diameter is extremely small at 87 millimetres.
5. High-speed and robust
The inside of the motor is just as exciting. Mavic has installed a cycloidal gearbox. This is a type of eccentric gearbox. It allows for large gear reductions. Consequently, the motor can be operated at high speeds, which can nevertheless be reduced to a speed that suits cycling well. In the course of his test ride, the Road.cc editor reports, for example, a passage in which his cadence is 60 while the motor is rotating 4,500 times at that point. Another advantage of the cycloidal transmission is its simplicity. The number of its components is manageable, which usually benefits durability because there are simply fewer parts to wear out. It gets by without additional stages, which are typical of a planetary gearbox, for example. There are also no gears, which is why no shearing forces can occur.
Simplified representation of the cycloidal gearbox
The X-Tend also has an integrated power meter. This measures the power that is applied to the pedal by muscle power and, depending on the selected support level, adds the corresponding percentage of power.
6. Expected solution for the battery
In addition to the motor, the battery seems to be almost ready for the market. Mavic has decided to integrate it firmly into the down tube. This way, the total weight of the ebike can be kept as low as possible. With a capacity of 360 watt hours and a weight of 1.8 kilograms, it is almost on a par with the one from TQ. The supplementary range extender is supposed to add another 180 watt hours of capacity and weigh 1.2 kilograms.
In the published videos, relatively little is known about the control unit mounted in the top tube. A plus and minus button can be used to change the riding modes. A display divided into six sections provides information about the battery’s charge status.
Control unit integrated in the top tube
7. E-road bikes – and what else?
As mentioned, Mavic is thinking about e-road bikes as the future main use for the mid-motor. Product manager Maxime Brunand also mentions light commuter bikes. They would be easy to take into the flat if the bike weighed only about twelve kilograms in the end. The test rides with BMC’s e-road bikes suggest that such a prediction does not seem to have been pulled out of thin air. All of them weighed less than 9.8 kilograms, of which 3.2 kilograms were accounted for by the actual drive.
Urban ebikes could be another application for the Mavic X-Tend.
Due to the lower torque, the French magazine “Vojo” hardly expects other applications. The X-Tend would only be suitable for e-road bikes for people who are well trained and only need the electric assistance to a limited extent. As soon as there is a high load or steeper climbs, the drive might quickly reach its limits. Therefore, e-gravel bikes with the motor would be much more difficult to imagine, while e-mountain bikes would actually be completely out of the question. However, the counter-evidence to this thesis already exists in the form of the Thömus Lightrider E Ultimate and its Maxon Bikedrive Air with 40 Newton metres.
8. What remains to be done?
The various media agree that the X-Tend is not yet fully developed. Mavic itself, for example, mentions the power meter as a current matter to be solved. It already works very well on the small chainring, but not yet optimally on the large chainring. There is still no control unit for the handlebars. And the app is not ready yet either.
After its test ride, Vojo points out that the decoupling of the motor is still a bit tricky. According to the current design, unlocking requires a short backward pedal so that the locking arm releases the crank. At the moment, this is still noticeable. In addition, the motor would push for a fraction of a second when you stopped pedalling. Due to the connection between the motor and the crank, the legs would also move, which is irritating, especially at the beginning.
Several times, the motor sound is also mentioned as still too loud. For a better understanding, it should be mentioned again that the test rides were carried out with a prototype.
In contrast, the extremely gentle crossing of the 25 km/h threshold and the re-entry below this threshold were already considered ready for series production. The natural riding feeling when the motor is switched off was also praised.
Mavic X-Tend drive system at a glance
- Type of drive: mid-mounted motor
- Continuous rated power: 250 watts
- Peak power: 390 watts
- Maximum support: 25 km/h
- Bottom bracket: Shimano Hollowtech
- Nominal torque: 39 Newton metres
- Maximum torque: 50 Newton metres
- Riding modes: Eco, Sport, Boost
- Battery: 360 watt hours
- Range extender: 180 watt hours
- Total weight: 3.2 kilograms
Pictures: Mavic Group; Road.cc
