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Shimano Launches Electric Bicycle Component Line

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Shimano has finally officially announced the electric bicycle group they’ve been rumored to be working on, called STEPS (Shimano Total Electric Power System). The German cycling trade press reportedly has their hands on working samples, and the full debut isn’t until Eurobike in early September, but at least we have pictures…and some sparse details.

The computer / power monitor above shows charge, distance and what looks to be gear indicator.

shimano-electric-bicycle-component-shifter-brake-leverMode controls are located on brake “hoods” along with a power on/off button. Make the jump for more…

shimano-electric-bicycle-component-brake-shifter-lever2The right hand brake buttons control what appears to be a light and display mode.

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The bottom bracket apparently does something fancy…perhaps gauges effort to assist automatically?

eb_sm_tse1_bAll components in the group are reportedly waterproof.

shimano-electric-bicycle-component-cranksetTwo crankset images were provided, presumably one for use with a full chaincase and one for uncovered use.

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The complete system will both power the bike via a rear hub motor…

shimano-electric-bicycle-component-motorized-hub2…and help charge itself during riding by capturing energy with a front hub dynamo.

shimano-electric-bicycle-component-chargerThen just plug it in to fully recharge.

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Battery pack has a built in tail light.

Shimano’s STEPS will be competing for attention at Eurobike with the Bosch/Cannondale system that claims to be a complete e-bike solution, too.


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spokejunky
spokejunky
13 years ago

Regarding the BB. It looks like a strain gauge somewhat like the Quarq, but on the BB instead of the spider. I’m sure the magnet would be on the cranks/spider.

VICENT MIKEL
VICENT MIKEL
13 years ago

If Shimano puts it’s new 11 gear Alfine hub and teams with Gruber Assist to make the Whole Wonder e-bike then…Chapó!! If not another one will do it! I hope! I will buy one for my girl and other for me.

Jake
Jake
13 years ago

Why aren’t they using a Gates Carbon Drive like the darn Trek Soho? I mean, who doesn’t want a greaseless, electric bicycle? Kudos on the internal Alfine gearbox, is what they seem to be using. Also a front suspension fork that is made of materials that can take the torsional stress of a drive unit as an option? On another note, why are they NOT also using the Toshiba (SCiB) battery, it has a longer life and much faster recharge times? Then this system would hit it out the park with the latest advances, instead of being just another entry. The designers need to take a look at what’s out there in the technology spectrum as things develop… Hopefully all this will be in the STEPS 2? At least this is a big leap forward overall, and how knows what SRAM is up to?

Jake
Jake
13 years ago

I agree that they should use the 11 Speed Alfine, but it may not be such a necessity with the added power assist, but it wouldn’t hurt! I may have been mistaken, it could be a Nexus they are using, who knows?

Also there are a lot of issues with mounting, are they coming out with something that is rattle free and also mated for Mountain Bikes? I hate riding on or off road without suspension, the road is not a flat place.

Reid
Reid
13 years ago

I’m making a bit of an intuitive guess, but think the present captions are slightly wrong.
Proposed correction: the rear hub is a three speed IGH, not a “motor”.
The front hub is a freewheeling, indirect drive (geared), hub motor, perhaps of the “nano” sort;
that is, it is a front drive bike. It appears to be designed for only low speed use (my guess).
fwiw, R.

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