France’s Coleen has just released something tech-loving e-bikers might start drooling over – A powerful Pinion gearbox driven e-bike with a display unit built into the stem. The recently announced Modern DB is Coleen’s fastest, sportiest e-bike boasting a 750w motor and a top speed of 28mph. This full carbon bike also features Coleen’s own rear hub motor and long-lasting battery.
Coleen Modern DB Electronics:
The Modern DB gets a 750w rear hub motor, providing 43Nm of torque. The battery is a 48v, 522Wh unit which will take the bike up to 45km/h (28mph) within a few seconds. Of course this means this bike is not considered a bike in many countries! Coleen advises a licence plate, insurance and safety gear may be required depending on where you call home.
Maximum range goes up to 70km (43.5 miles), and the battery charges in 2.5 hours. Coleen designed their battery using aeronautic battery-preserving technology, and claim it will last over eight years under normal use.
Coleen’s stem is pretty wild – It contains a 3.2” HD color transflective screen that shows your key ride data. With the Coleen smartphone app, you can enable features like GPS tracking and theft alerts, remote locking, ride mapping, phone call or text message alerts (Android only), and check your battery life. Coleen bikes also don’t require a key, they will recognize your phone and power up for you. An integrated USB port ensures your mobile devices stay charged.
For safety, the Modern DB has integrated Supernova M99 Mini head and tail lights. Personally, I can’t say Coleen’s tail light bracket was the cleanest way to integrate the rear light (not shown here – see complete bike photo below), but it should help keep you safe! The rear light is also wired to work as a brake light, and the bike has a horn.
Frame details:
The Modern DB has a carbon frame and fork, which are both hand made in France and covered by a 10 year warranty. The frame is designed ‘to maximize performance and comfort’, so it’s engineered to be torsionally stiff but vertically compliant. One obvious standout feature of all Coleen’s models is the missing down tube – as you might guess, that beefy top tube carries the battery.
The big news with the Modern DB is the Pinion 6-speed gearbox with a Gates carbon drive belt (Coleen does list a 9-speed option online, but you’ll have to inquire for details). The 6-speed gearbox offers a 295% gear range, and an expected lifespan of 60,000kms with proper maintenance. The belt itself only needs to be changed every 10,000kms.
The Modern DB rolls on 27.5” wheels, wrapped with Schwalbe Big Ben tires. The rear dropouts bolt to a rear triangle that splits between the seat and chain stays to allow for drive belt installation/removal.
While it’s a different look from Coleen’s Aston-Martin DB4 inspired bike we saw last year, the Modern DB also draws inspiration for its color scheme from the same line of classic sports cars.
Geometry:
There’s not too much to say about components, but the Modern DB comes with carbon Coleen rims, and Formula hydraulic disc brakes. If you’re hoping to haul some stuff with this bike, Coleen also offers rear luggage racks and a stylish wood and steel front basket that bolts directly to the frame.
The complete Modern DB weighs 54lbs. MSRP is €9,990 (roughly $11,800 USD), and it is available online now.
