Today at Eurobike, Blubrake is unveiling NEO, its third-generation ABS platform for electric bikes. The Italian brand introduced its first anti-lock braking system (ABS) back in 2021, with the goal of bringing greater braking control to the heavyweight e-bike market. Blubrake followed that up with ABS Gen2, which cut the size and weight in half, making it easier for brands to integrate into their bike designs. With NEO, Blubrake says its third-gen ABS “is not an evolution. It is an entirely new platform, designed from the ground up to meet the needs of bicycle brands.”
What are those needs? According to Blubrake, the number of brands interested in offering ABS technology on their bikes is growing rapidly, but cost and integration (size) have been barriers to widespread adoption thus far. With its compact form factor, lower price, and open integration/communication platform, Blubrake is aiming for broader mass market appeal with its new NEO ABS platform.
“We are convinced that within a few years ABS will become a widespread standard on e-bikes,” says Koen Van Der Weerd, Chief Commercial Officer at Blubrake. “The strongest demand originally came from s-pedelecs, cargo bikes, and e-MTBs. With NEO, we are now seeing a rapid increase in interest for city and trekking e-bikes, since the third-generation ABS is significantly more compact and affordable.”
Blubrake NEO
ABS is already a ubiquitous safety feature on cars and motorcycles, and Blubrake believes that e-bikes could also benefit from greater braking control and stability, especially as they get faster, heavier, and more numerous. Blubrake’s third-generation NEO ABS performs the same function as the first and second generations. The system connects to the front brake and “continuously monitors wheel speed and modulates braking pressure in real time to prevent wheel lock, rear-wheel lift, and skidding.”
In order to get ABS technology on more bikes, Blubrake designed NEO for mass market adoption and OEM integration. The size of the previous generations was a limiting factor, and based on the photos, they managed to reduce NEO’s size to less than half of the ABS Gen2. Additionally, Blubrake says its system is open for compatibility/integration/communication with major drive and braking systems. Combined, its size and system integration should allow e-bike brands to incorporate ABS more easily while maintaining complete freedom in their designs. Blubrake says it’s more affordable, too.
“The key challenge is integration, making ABS easy to adopt within the e-bike. That is exactly what we designed our product around: an open platform compatible with different e-kits, brake systems, and integration solutions, so OEMs can adopt it to their liking,” says Van Der Weerd
Blubrake NEO Highlights
- Compact: The unit measures 96 × 38.5 × 35 mm and can be mounted in the fork, in the frame, or into the steerer tube, preserving bike geometry and brand character.
- Open and compatible: NEO integrates with major drive systems via standard electrical interfaces and CAN communication, including Bosch, Ananda, and Bafang, and with widely used hydraulic disc brakes such as Shimano and Magura brake models.
- Plug and play: Easy to integrate, easy to use, and easy for dealers to service: no dedicated maintenance is required beyond standard brake inspection.
- More accessible: A significantly lower price point than the second generation opens ABS to mainstream e-bike segments.
Blubrake at Eurobike
Blubrake is at Eurobike and is offering test rides on NEO ABS-equipped e-bikes at the demo booth area. If you happen to be there, you can find them at F12.0, B44. Otherwise, bike brands interested in testing the new ABS system can reach out to sales@blubrake.com to arrange for a demo.
