New ebikes 2018: integrated battery, double wheel size...

The first news on ebikes 2018 has been leaked to the press, and we can already tell you that the upcoming season is very lively. But much.

As a general trend, high-end ebikes are increasingly enduro. It is when the steepest slopes come that the thrust of the electric motor takes its full meaning. So all the changes we will see go in this direction.

Let's review the main trends we have seen.

BH Bosch 2018 (foto: Mountainbike Magazine)

- Integrated battery. It is almost definitive. Most ebikers want the battery to fit into the frame. Aesthetic reasons are imposed on practices, as the solution has more drawbacks than advantages. Among the first, difficult to manipulate it to repair the electric part of the bike, and between the seconds, greater protection of the battery.

--The wide wheels are consolidated. The 27.5+ has come to stay. Of the twelve brands we have heard of, only one tire waiver plus.

- Different measures of front-rear wheels. The trend comes from the world of the bike and Mustache was the first to adopt it a couple of years ago: 27.5+ last to have more traction and 29 ahead to gain in safety.

--Double suspension. In an electric bicycle the weight is of secondary importance and what is above all else is efficiency and comfort. So except for cases where you are looking for a super lightweight ebike, most bikes adopt front and rear suspension.

--Long suspension travel. For the same reason as in the previous case, the brands bet on travel suspensions that are more typical of enduro or near downhill bikes. We have not come to this world to suffer, but to enjoy it!

Let's review the first e-bike 2018 that has been released.

--BH. It presents new models with motorization Bosch Performance CX with the new integrated battery of the German manufacturer. Covers 2.80 ".

--BMC. Spectacular frame carbon, Shimano E8000 engine, integrated battery and the usual level of finishes that the Swiss manufacturer has us accustomed.

--Fantic. The Italian manufacturer, very popular in the world of mountain bike in the eighties, presents some models that will run a lot of ink. Wheels 27.5+ behind and 29 front, Brose engine and semi-integrated battery -attention- 630Wh! There will be models with 160 and 180mm of suspension travel.

--KTM. Bosch engine, integrated battery, different front-rear wheel size.

--Nicolai. Another brand that launches a spectacular model. Bosch engine, integrated battery and steering angle of 63.5. Enduro one hundred percent!

--Corratec. Bosch engine, integrated battery, possibility to mount wheels 27,5+ or 29".

--Simplon. Its name will not help you to sell in our country, and that presents a spectacular model of carbon, Shimano engine, integrated battery and XT Di2 gearbox. For the tires, it conforms to 2.60 ".

--Maxx. This German manufacturer, unknown in our country, presents new models with Brose engine, integrated battery, sizes for cyclists up to two meters high and a model with covers of 4.80 ".

-Conway. Shimano engine, "disintegrated" battery and different sizes of front-rear wheel.

--Bionicon. Shimano engine, non-integrated battery.

--Stevens. Shimano engine, non-integrated battery.

--Rocky Mountain. The prestigious Canadian manufacturer bursts into the ebikes sector with new models equipped with its own engine. A risky bet.

In short, there is an avalanche of new models equipped with Shimano E8000 motorization. They will have to face the Performance CX of Bosch and Yamaha. Yamaha? So far there is no news from the Japanese manufacturer. But knowing that each year have presented novelties and knowing their traditional discretion, sure that in 2018 we will see advances in the powerful PW-X engine.