Optibike SIMBB 29C now available for pre order

[Optibike]

The completely new SIMBB 29C by Optibike is now available for pre order, and will start shipping in late March 2014. If you want great performance in the most integrated electric bike design currently available, with smart phone interface, this might be the bike for you!
SIMBB 29C E-Bike

 

[GaRRy]

Bloody vikings

sent by pigeon post

 

[Streethawk]

So i was right, the battery is in the bottom bracket assembly.

 

[Tor Atle Lunde]

Too little, too late. They milked the original Optibike too long with no real changes to the design.

 

[103Alex1]

Goodness knows how they've done that but it's amazing. Range will be short if you use it at 600W continuous though !!

Have to agree that it most likely kicks all overpriced German hardtails into touch. Perfect off-road design too (except the throttle-only). Now they just need to bring it out in a full-sus version and the Haibike S-Pedelecs are totally blitzed.

The only possible shortfalls (other than low range) are the lack of PAS and vulnerability of twist throttle. Oh - and the rubbish looks, but that can be easily fixed with some better paintwork.

 

[Hugh]

GNow they just need to bring it out in a full-sus version and the Haibike S-Pedelecs are totally blitzed.

The only possible shortfalls (other than low range) are the lack of PAS and vulnerability of twist throttle. Oh - and the rubbish looks, but that can be easily fixed with some better paintwork.

And price - 4995 bucks, never mind what full sus would add to that. I'll stick with my 2.5 grand German job I reckon

 

[Streethawk]

Also worth noting that despite the claimed 600w and "3x Bosch torque" so at least 150nm... that really would risk chain snapping, i torqued my 1200cc motorcycle rear axle to 117nm with a 2' long torque wrench... 150 is a LOT.

Also it only does 26mph, whereas a Bosch 350w is limited to 28mph, and would probably be capable of matching that top speed on throttle alone, if it had a throttle.

The power and torque claims smell fishy to me, so i'd be very wary of this bike until it's all cleared up, let alone the "4.SIMBB has 480 watt hr battery, Bosch has only 300 watt-hrs." bull****.

 

[flecc]

The power figures are nonsense too. The Bosch 350 watts is the legal rating , not the continuous power capability which is much higher.

 

[trex]

would you trust a guy who said that his battery is 37V, a lot of other bikes have only 36V?
So the optibike has the battery enclosed inside the same box with the motor. Big deal.
The price tag is ridiculous. The SRAM X-7 derailleur says how much this bike should sell for.

 

[103Alex1]

Also it only does 26mph, whereas a Bosch 350w is limited to 28mph, and would probably be capable of matching that top speed on throttle alone, if it had a throttle.

I don't think so, especially as it only has a 37V battery. If the motor is wound fast enough to give meaningful assistance at 26mph on 'throttle only' the realistic torque is going to be very limited. When I tried one it was not much more powerful than my 250W Impulse.

 

[Cyclezee]

And price - 4995 bucks, never mind what full sus would add to that. I'll stick with my 2.5 grand German job I reckon

Of course $4995 is the US price, so goodness knows what it will be when it gets here, but it converts to £3,085 or to put it another way an eZee Torq and an eZee Sprint with £500 to spare

 

[103Alex1]

would you trust a guy who said that his battery is 37V, a lot of other bikes have only 36V?
So the optibike has the battery enclosed inside the same box with the motor. Big deal.
The price tag is ridiculous. The SRAM X-7 derailleur says how much this bike should sell for.

Quite a few of the European bikes come stated as "37V" too - same difference. Of course the price tag is ridiculous - but then just look at the latest Moustache 37.5 thing, not to mention the grossly overpriced Grace offerings with dodgy belt drive arrays etc etc.

It's the first on the market with battery integrated to the crank array so there is at least a USP in meaningful stealth, and when compared to the cost of fitting a Vivax with tiny battery to a half decent bike (which tails off the harder you work and gives about 200W) it doesn't seem so bad. The mechanical components and looks, however, let it down badly. Perhaps in a few years' time bikes with decent power and batteries integrated like this can become more widely available at a sensible cost.

None of these bikes are actually worth the money for what they give & considering the volumes of Bosch units produced and sold, the pricing is especially unsupportable. The whole thing should be no more than 700 quid retail (contributory value to bike price) with the bigger battery and drive system on that scale of production. As usual, the magic "£500 over the top" which basically is to keep up the leasing payments of the middlemen's "Ford Mondeos".

 

[Cyclezee]

As usual, the magic "£500 over the top" which basically is to keep up the leasing payments of the middlemen's "Ford Mondeos".

£500 over the top, if only
We don't make anywhere near that figure selling eZee bike and kits and we don't have any middlemen's 30% or more to bump the price up further.

BTW, I drive a 6 year old Volvo estate, live in a tent and can't afford a yacht

 

[jackhandy]

.... can't afford a yacht

I expect Dave'll lend you his if you grovel suitably

 

[Streethawk]

I don't think so, especially as it only has a 37V battery. If the motor is wound fast enough to give meaningful assistance at 26mph on 'throttle only' the realistic torque is going to be very limited. When I tried one it was not much more powerful than my 250W Impulse.

I'm just spinning to keep 26mph on mine, almost no effort from me except to keep the cadence up, however between 26 and 28 the power tails off as it approaches the limiter. One day i may try a dongle, to see what it's really capable of, but for now, i like the display being accurate and it's fast enough.

 

[Cyclezee]

I expect Dave'll lend you his if you grovel suitably

Not sure which Dave you mean Pete they all seem to own yachts and they will all be toooooo big for my bathtub

 

[Optibike]

The power figures are nonsense too. The Bosch 350 watts is the legal rating , not the continuous power capability which is much higher.

The 600 watt power rating on the SIMBB is continuous, not peak power. Peak power is almost twice that.

 

[flecc]

The 600 watt power rating on the SIMBB is continuous, not peak power. Peak power is almost twice that.

I wasn't speaking of peak and didn't mention it. The Bosch 350 watt rating is NOT the actual continuous rating, it delivers far more, so the Optibike website comparison is misleading. The Optibike output is possibly a bit higher if correctly reported, but by a very much smaller margin.

As I said, the 350 watt figure is a representation for legal purposes, something necessary in Europe but not so necessary in the USA with it's multiplicity of legal power levels. US and EU manufacturers' ebike power figures are rarely directly comparable.
.

 

[Optibike]

The power and torque claims smell fishy to me, so i'd be very wary of this bike until it's all cleared up, let alone the "4.SIMBB has 480 watt hr battery, Bosch has only 300 watt-hrs." bull****.

How are the power and torque claims fishy? Stating that it has 600 watts and 3x the torque of a Bosch unit are just simple facts. And please explain how stating that it has a 480 watt hr battery compared to the Bosch 300 watt hr battery is bull****. Again that's just a simple fact.

 

[Optibike]

I wasn't speaking of peak and didn't mention it. The Bosch 350 watt rating is NOT the actual continuous rating, it delivers far more, so the Optibike website comparison is misleading. The Optibike output is possibly a bit higher if correctly reported, but by a very much smaller margin.

As I said, the 350 watt figure is a representation for legal purposes, something necessary in Europe but not so necessary in the USA with it's multiplicity of legal power levels. US and EU manufacturers' ebike power figures are rarely directly comparable.
.

Ah ok I misunderstood you before. Do you know what the Bosch's actual continuous power is?