Home > Bike Types > eBike

Detroit Bikes Release USA-Made, 32lb eBike That Looks Like a Normal Bike!

Detroit Bike DB-E head badgePhoto c. Detroit Bike
55 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

The Michigan-based Detroit Bikes, the folks that took on the welding of the Limited Edition Schwinn Collegiate frame, has released its first USA-made electric bike: the DB-E (Detroit Bike Electric). This new ebike has a pretty impressive claimed weight of 32 pounds. It’s the DB-E’s all-in-one hub/motor/battery that helps keep the weight down, and the simplicity and fun up.

Photo c. Detroit Bike

Detroit says that they are “very proud of the newest Detroit Bike” and with its “phenomenal motor, drivetrain, and components, it’s designed to change the way you think about electric bikes”.

The DB-E is welded, powder coated, and assembled in the city of Detroit and comes with a belt drive system and hydraulic disc brakes making it fairly low-maintenance.

The DB-E’s Zehus All-In-One Motor

The Zehus All-In-One hub/motor/battery means no more external batteries and wires. The European-made motor generates 250W of pedal assistance up to 15.5mph with a torque output of 40Nm. The extended range allows riding for “20 miles in the strongest power mode and 35 miles in Eco mode”.

The Integrated Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) actually allows the motor to collect braking energy and recharge the internal battery while riding. It can actually recharge itself by simply pedaling backward.

The hub motor is connected wirelessly and controlled and customized via a simple phone app.

The DB-E’s Veer Belt Drive

Detroit Bike DB-E front chainring

Detroit Bike says that the belt system lasts up to 4 times longer than a chain drive system. The Veer Split Belt system runs on case-hardened, nickel-plated cogs that they claim are 2 times harder than regular steel.

This belt saves a claimed weight of 200 grams over a chain, and using a belt means a cleaner all-around experience for hands, car interiors, and clothes.

The DB-E’s Bitride Connect Mobile App

Detroit Bike DB-E Bitride details

Connecting to your smartphone, the Bitride Connect is a control center that you can use as your riding dashboard via Bluetooth connection to the rear hub. You can customize your power modes, try the new Active Electric Lock System or even reach out to customer care services.

Retail and Availability

Retail: $2599 ($500 pre-order deposit required)

The DB-E comes in either Gloss Black or Emerald Green

Detroit Bikes is welding these frames right now and parts are said to be arriving daily. They will be shipping the DB-E in the middle of March but they are available now for pre-order. Click here to order yours.

DetroitBikes.com

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

55 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
WhateverBikes
1 year ago

it’s designed to change the way you think about electric bikes”
Well, sorry, still think the same about them.

By the way, am I the only one who thinks a headline with an exclamation point doesn’t look all that professional?

paquo
paquo
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

yea dude , you are

Kmm
Kmm
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

It is a website called BIKERUMOR!

WhateverBikes
1 year ago
Reply to  Kmm

Yes it is.
You know the name of a website is not the same as a headline above an article, right?

Mark
Mark
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

BIKERUMOR!

Fred
Fred
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

Area bike bro says he is still not impressed

Jerry
Jerry
1 year ago
Reply to  Fred

Exclamation point

WhateverBikes
1 year ago
Reply to  Fred

LOL, I’m 52. Bro culture is dumb. I don’t know what ‘area bike bro’ is supposed to mean, but I’m pretty sure I’m not it.

Jay
Jay
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

Looks like a plain Jane bike to me. I own a 2022 bianchi Aria e-bike that weighs less and looks like a real bike. And 11 speed.

Alton rivera
1 year ago
Reply to  Jay

Lol…. what does a real bike look like?

Lamont
Lamont
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

I agree click bait central

huskerpick
huskerpick
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

No you’re not.

Sean Murphy
Sean Murphy
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

Yes, you’re the only one!! By the way? Why are you sorry??? I was kind of bummed to see you’re the first comment on this article. Are we to assume that we know your feelings and opinions on electric bikes? That being said, it’s nice to see a USA made bicycle in the city of Detroit that actually looks like a regular bicycle. You might want to take another look, or not, totally up to you! In my opinion, I think the design is clean, the simplicity is great and definitely the internal hub belt driven system is an advanced design and others should follow! Jobs for Americans, in a city that needs it!made in the USA!!

WhateverBikes
1 year ago
Reply to  Sean Murphy

Relax. I have nothing against this bike – for an e-bike it looks okay – but that still doesn’t change my feelings regarding e-bikes.I’ll happily let everybody else do and choose what they want, but e-bikes just aren’t for me. I don’t want, like or need the assist.

Earnest
Earnest
1 year ago
Reply to  WhateverBikes

Never get injured, and never get old. You’ll be fine!!

WhateverBikes
1 year ago
Reply to  Earnest

I am already old.
Also, I was, of course, talking in the present tense. If I feel like I need assistance in the future, then I’ll reconsider.
By the way, the majority of people buying e-bikes nowadays are neither old nor injured. E-bikes have become a luxury product.

Joenomad
Joenomad
1 year ago

Assuming that the hub/motor/battery is only single speed and gives the reported 40 NM of power up to 15.5 mph as neither BR or Detroit Bikes specified.

Rick
Rick
1 year ago

What is the life of the battery

Bikefx
1 year ago
Reply to  Rick

FAQS:
https://www.zehus.it/faqs/#1665560863375-1970e9ef-360d

From Zehus: 15000 km lol
Battery range: only 35km AVERAGE! As per Zehus website.

BA4F7666-B4CD-4352-B72B-1B201AB5BB82.png
will
will
1 year ago

I want pretty much the same bike but not electric. i.e cheap and reliable gearbox+ belt drive. But this bike is cheaper than most.. gearbox options already lol

LarryM
LarryM
1 year ago
Reply to  will

Check into Priority Bikes. They make frames with built in sealed transmissions with 600% spread. Ryan Van Duzer, Bike-packing expert, has ridden his 600X many thousands of miles with flats being his biggest failures. It also uses a Gates Belt Drive.

Christopher
Christopher
1 year ago

This is the problem with “Made in America”
Its a basic azz steel bike with all the critical tech to the headline coming from Europe. Super yawn, boring thing leaning on “feels” for attention and marketing. Gimme a Taiwanese frame with actual USA made high tech componentry and I would change my tune but that is very rarely the case these days. On second look I Double my statement, the bike looks like walmart garbage. open bearings, cheap quill stem, flimsy fork, low quality components all around, all for the low low price of 2500 freakin dollars. You must be kidding me. yuck!

Bruce
Bruce
1 year ago
Reply to  Christopher

Nothing good is made in the USA sadly, lack of skills and imagination.

Troy Phillips
Troy Phillips
1 year ago
Reply to  Bruce

Hope you are not serious, especially for bikes

perky
perky
1 year ago
Reply to  Christopher

Lol USA made high tech componentry

Brad Comis
Brad Comis
1 year ago
Reply to  Christopher

Perhaps it is time you opened your own factory or invest in someone else’s idea to start manufacturing these “high tech components”. Pretty easy to complain about this stuff in a comments section, but pretty hard to actualize in reality. Not a lot of profit in bike parts and then compound that difficultly with the cost of operating in NA and the fact that the whole bike supply chain operates in Asia and you’ll find it ain’t so easy.

Hank
Hank
1 year ago

Where’s the battery no mention of that! And what kind of battery?

don’t think so
don’t think so
1 year ago
Reply to  Hank

Apparently the battery is in the hub so that thing must weigh a ton. Rotational weight is the worse weight and hub drives are the worst for an eBike. It is ridiculously heavy, low torque so prepare to rebuild that wheel a lot if it doesn’t have other issues.

The claimed weight is unlikely real but I am sure someone will weigh it for real as a functional bike and it will go way up. My full steel touring bike is 34lbs that is with pedals, fenders 3x bottle cages, rear rack, dynamo hub plus light front and rear and usb charger.

geemy
geemy
1 year ago

yep that’s the worst place to put the battery. function/form in the wrong order plus it’s not even good looking with huge hub compared to very poor performance

geemy
geemy
1 year ago
Reply to  geemy

although one good point for the Regen enabled with back pedalling. not the best way to control it but at least it’s there and it’s integrated

Jackham
Jackham
1 year ago
Reply to  geemy

Disagree. Keeps the weight very low down. Makes it more manueverable.
Excellent idea.

Dinger
Dinger
1 year ago

Why would a brand state a false weight when something as simple as a scale can dispute it?

What is more likely to be contentious is the achievable range. Even with the most efficient motor, it still takes a given amount of energy to move a distance and as light as this bike is, the internal battery has to be pretty small.

don’t think so
don’t think so
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinger

So you will buy it! Brands frequently have stated weights missing parts or something like that. They have no reason to be perfectly honest with that because they can always claim it was a sample or no pedals or whatever. The race to the lowest eBike weight is on

In terms of Regen I cannot imagine much coming from that maybe a percent with some heavy pedaling I know others have claimed it but it didn’t really give you anything and just made the bike harder to ride. You can’t do everything in one bike

Bob
Bob
1 year ago
Reply to  Hank

The article mentions the “All-in-One hub/motor/battery” or the “internal battery” at least three times. But then who has time to “read” these days?

Terompet
Terompet
1 year ago

Looks like the rebirth of the Copenhagen Wheel. It had a 290 wh battery built into the hub, bluetooth, and had regenerative braking. I can get about 40 mi. out of the Copenhagen wheel in Eco mode. If you go to the Zehuh web site it shows support for gearing. Hmmm… I wonder if it does torque or cadence sensing?

Barry
Barry
1 year ago
Reply to  Terompet

I also own a Copenhagen wheel. What I really hate is all the weight in the back
Makes it very awkward to put on and take off a bike rack.

Bikefx
1 year ago
Reply to  Terompet

This Zehus concept (the FlyKly wheel) was actually conceived abt same time if not sooner than the Copenhagen wheel.
( I used to carry this Zehus wheel at an ebike shop I worked at.)

BUT its crap. Pls see my post in comments. Copenhagens actually better atleast on paper, more range, designed, created and supported by MIT and not just any schmo on kickstarter like FlyKly/Zehus lol.

Good on you for being like a Berean and researching yourself on Zehus’ site.

https://www.zehus.it/faqs/#1665560863375-1970e9ef-360d

Zehus claims avg. range of only 35km…!

As for their sensor, as I recall, they used a torque sensor built into the hub. It was very unreliable – much like the whole system! lol

A good Chinese 250W/36V conventional system beats this any day and runs circles around it + easily serviceable and replaceable parts all under warranty. > cherryebikes.com

geemy
geemy
1 year ago

no thanks.
I don’t want an ebike that makes so complicated to access/service the components, top bottom specs and all that weight all the way back and rotating constantly. if you have to hide the batteries hide them in the frame at least.

James
James
1 year ago

Where’s the batteries?

Bacesp
Bacesp
1 year ago

I went into their shop about 6 years ago and was inquiring on their bikes. I stated that wanted to build a minimal electric and like their frames. I was told that they were not sell me one of their bikes if they thought for a moment I was going to convert it to electric bike. Kid you not like they have some kind of control or what I do with something I purchase from them. I laughed I couldn’t believe it and walked out the store.

Edward
Edward
1 year ago

I own a Pedal Easy that looks more like a real bike. It has a front hub drive and a Nexus 8 speed internal transmission.

Scott
Scott
1 year ago

Outstanding

Damon Hill
Damon Hill
1 year ago

KERS on the rear wheel of a bicycle where 80% of the braking power is at the front wheel is practically useless

Steve
Steve
1 year ago
Reply to  Damon Hill

No kidding

Sean
Sean
1 year ago

I think urban transport is the right place for ebikes. This is a tidy package. Having everything integrated into the hub is a cool concept, and pairing it with a belt further eliminates hassle for the commuter. While it will make for a very tail heavy bike I don’t see anyone doing a lot of air time on this so it’s pretty irrelevant.

Steve
Steve
1 year ago

Nothing like a REAL bike…….ebikes what’s the point. Pretty useless to say the least.

Jackham
Jackham
1 year ago
Reply to  Steve

How old are you Steve? 12?

Al Kennedy
Al Kennedy
1 year ago

First off 15 mph is boring I t s is way to slow when you at 13 to 15 mph it is bearly pedaling if you can’t pedal faster than that you really shouldn’t be on a bike if battery is in hub it is macroscopic small not to mention battery wears out throw whole wheel away stupid thing ever heard of.

Keith
Keith
1 year ago

The Volkswagen of e.bikes? Not for this price, range, and max speed.

Strega
Strega
1 year ago

I like it. What’s the chance of getting an adult trike?

Lampo
Lampo
1 year ago

Sometimes we get cought up in the stupid. I like the bike and its a great change in what we are used to see with E-bikes and I’m sure there will be more like this to follow. There’s a lot of change to pick at going on in this world today but this isn’t one of them….Go Blue with your Black and Green E bikes “Make it better”

Che
Che
1 year ago

News in what context? Riding my fixie zehus bike already for years now… This is just sad

Yes no
Yes no
1 year ago

Disappointing to see how many people didn’t read the actual article. I own two a high end e mountian bike and switch off and on between that and my manual. One problem is lack of regenerative braking … stop and think about it .. the only way to achieve it is to have a solution like this. Frame from Detroit and belt driven .. not sure how gears work but I can’t wait to see a high end version suitable for bikepacking etc with regen. For those that hate on e-bikes, they can troll all they want … those like us that actually own them don’t care

Bikefx
1 year ago

I have tested and tried to sell earlier versions of this same Zehus all in one ebike system.
IT. IS. CRAP.
Why?
In short, it simply DOES NOT WORK!
+ service support is CRAP.
+ no parts available.

Longer story, I was head mechanic (now owner of my own bike shop) for a major ebike store in Toronto, Canada and we carried the Zehus all in one ebike rear wheel.

It relies on the unreliable to work lol which are: 1. Bluetooth connections between itself and your phone.
2. Their own crappy app.
3. All of their chintzy unreliable ecosystem elements I dont even want to get into. Ok I will because you need to know:
You have to turn on multiple devices in a certain order and then while the bike is standing still you have to backpedal it a certain number of times and then more steps after that and then, once you’re riding, it MIGHT work!

Your phone battery low or dead? Youre screwed. Zehus wont work lol.
App crashes? Youre screwed.
No connection? Youre screwed.

And, they have no presence in US or Canada.
Entirely based off-shore…in Europe.

https://www.zehus.it/

Congratulations! Youve found possibly the worst product in existence.

8C102A8C-9FC2-4472-9382-79E249CD656D.png

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.