It’s that time of year again — for the second time now, the Eurobike trade show is taking place in Frankfurt am Main. Traditionally, many manufacturers take the opportunity to give a preview of upcoming innovations. Thus, there were some interesting things to discover, as can be seen in the following tour of the fair – of course, here with the focus on urban bikes and matching accessories!

Tech: New e-drive and gearing systems for 2024

Just in time for Eurobike, the two manufacturers Pinion and Bosch presented two innovations, both of which caused a real stir among the e-bikes: On the one hand, Pinion presented its MGU, the Motor Gearbox Unit, which combines a mid-motor with the Pinion gearbox in one housing. We have already featured the system in detail here, and the first bikes were already equipped with it at the trade show. The response to the system is tremendous, which was already evident from the long queues for the corresponding test bikes.

Despite all the hype about the MGU, however, there are other innovations to marvel at: for example, the SmartShift system shown last year — the electric version of the Pinion gearbox — is now compatible with more e-bikes and is also available for traditional bikes without an electric drive.

In addition to the new Pinion drive system, there was no way around Bosch. Although the manufacturer has taken a very long time for the development of a compact and lightweight drive — but is now to be seen at the launch of the Performance Line SX already at tens of manufacturers! This also shows what reputation and trust Bosch enjoys among manufacturers of e-bikes.

The announcements from Brose, which give a preview of 2024, went somewhat under the radar. An interesting concept here is a motor and continuously variable transmission, which theoretically goes in a similar direction to Pinion’s MGU. But the voluminous housing already shows that Brose’s drives are aimed at other target groups.

In addition to the mid-mounted motors shown, there were also new things to see in the hub motors. First and foremost, of course, MIVICE, which is visibly gaining a foothold in this segment and now offers a complete drive system with motor, controller, torque sensor and display with its own battery. With the M100 and M200 there are two more motors that have a new plug for power supply and more torque and are also compatible with thru axles.

An exciting announcement was already made last year by 3×3 with its NINE hub gear system, which is also designed to withstand the powerful mid-mounted motors of e-bikes in particular. In the meantime, the system has been developed to series maturity and is also supported by Bosch’s Smart System, among others — which should contribute significantly to its spread.

Bikes: numerous novelties with the Bosch SX drive — and more …

The fact that Bosch’s SX motor has been so well received by manufacturers is particularly great for the urban e-bike segment — where there are already numerous innovations to be seen! The spectrum ranged from almost almost finished series bikes to concepts for 2024.

The Heidelberg-based company Coboc — pioneers of lightweight e-bikes with hub motors — is showing a lightweight study of a SUV bike weighing around 18 kg, which is scheduled for market launch in mid-2024. This product line will then complement the still available (and even lighter) bikes with hub motors.

Flyer, on the other hand, is much more concrete and has already specified the new Upstreet SL series — we have already published a detailed article about it here. The weight of the slim urban e-bike is also supposed to be around 18 kg, and there will be several equipment variants and two frame shapes.

Kalkhoff showed several models with the new SX drive — from fat-tired SUVs to practical city bikes with front racks.

A particularly lightweight example of its compact bikes I:SY brought to the fair. The model with carbon frame and Bosch’s SX motor weighs only about 17 kg! Heavier but equally interesting is an equally new variant with the Pinion MGU.

And two more highlights with the Bosch SX: Moustache is preparing the Dimanche for 2024, seen here as a sporty gravel bike as well as an attractive commuter with comfort frame.

Riese & Müller is also releasing a new series of urban bikes with its Culture — also powered by the Bosch SX. There will be three color variants and two frame shapes, and you can choose between derailleur gears and hub gears from Shimano or the continuously variable one from Enviolo.

Even if you might get the impression so far that almost everything revolves around Bosch: fortunately, there are also other innovations!

From Maxx Bicycles is the Roadmaxx with Fazua’s lightweight Ride 60 drive. In addition to this very sporty configuration, the bike will also be available as a commuter model with mudguards, lights and flatbar handlebars.

The bike genre Randonneur as an intersection of commuter and race bike have already filled in the past the Hamburg-based company Bergamont well. Now there is a new series of bikes, all of which are equipped with the TQ HPR 50 system. And thanks to the almost invisible drive, the design of these bikes is particularly well done!

Let’s stay with Bergamont, but this time a different system. The E-Sweep series with Mahles X35 hub motor is still quite new and has already been presented here. New now comes the Adventure model, which also combines the drop bar handlebar with Commuter equipment.

The Swiss manufacturer BiXS also relies on the Mahle drive for its new series of urban e-bikes.

The eponymous new product from My Esel is not an urban bike, but a real e-gravel bike. Here, too, a hub motor provides almost invisible electric support, but the wooden frame — the trademark of the Austrian manufacturer — is all the more striking.

Great news at Tenways: after the recently presented AGO X now comes the AGO T — a low entry with continuously variable Enviolo hub gears and belt drive as well as powerful mid-motor from Bafang.

One size bigger is Tenway’s new and first cargo bike called Cargo One. Also equipped with a mid-mounted motor, it features Enviolo gears and a Gates belt drive. The visual highlight is certainly the flush integrated position lights at the front, which also serve as turn signals.

Just recently we had the smart Lemmo ONE in our extensive test of which there is now also a singlespeed variants with belt drive. Here to see with the more compact comfort frame with sloping top tube.

Thanks to the compatibility between Pinion’s electric shifting and Mahle’s e-drive, there will be new bikes with the Smart.Shift system: seen here a model from Desiknio’s X20 series.

And Schindelhauer will also install this system in upcoming bikes — seen here on a variant of the Arthur e-bike, which is equipped with a dropbar handlebar.

The electronic Smart.Shift system from Pinion is also spreading further within the Stromer product portfolio: after the top model last year, the somewhat less expensive Stromer ST5 is now also equipped with it.

We also recently reported here on the Monopole Toolbike No 1, which was also represented at the Eurobike together with Pinion. The bike is equipped with the almost invisibly installed Mahle X35 drive and offers some special details, such as a separate belt drive for the steering.

When it comes to compact cargo bikes, Yoonit is not far away. The versatile model in eye-catching colors is now equipped with Shimano’s EP6 motor — if it is to be electric. Alternatively, the bike is also available in classic analog form.

Electric or analog is also the Cargobike Karl from Portus Cycles available. Here in combination with the new and aforementioned 3×3 NINE hub gears.

The CS series from Ca Go is designed to offer maximum flexibility in a small space — it has a total of three areas for load transport.

Parts & Accessories: new products for urban bikes

Not only bikes, but also new accessories and parts were presented at the Eurobike: Abus brought not only the already available new locks from the Goose Lock series, which can be bent freely and remain in position. With the Granit Super Extreme 2500, they now also have a particularly secure lock in the program, which is also intended to withstand a flex (this is the answer to that of Hiplok D1000). Trailer specialist Croozer is launching two new models: Yuuna as the top model of the two-seater child trailers with modular interior design and brakes, and the sporty Lukke, which can be folded vertically and also has brakes. Hövding was represented with its unique airbag helmet (here in the test) for the first time (?) with its own booth, thereby many upcoming new covers were to be seen. Speaking of helmets: the Aura from Unit 1 won the Eurobike Award and is equipped with a remote-controlled light system. Supernova presented not only a new and very flat tail light for mounting on the mudguard, but also an integrated handlebar stem unit with a centrally placed headlight — which could become an alternative to the corresponding Lightskin handlebar (here in the test).

Anyone who has now got the urge, can visit the Eurobike 2023 until Sunday at the exhibition center in Frankfurt. Especially due to the large test area, this is certainly worth a trip, where numerous bikes can be test ridden! For more info, visit the Eurobike website.