Decathlon’s e-bikes — such as the Elops LD 500 E, which we had already tested extensively here — have been particularly convincing due to their attractive price-performance ratio. The technology of these bikes, on the other hand, was not very unusual and consisted of proven standard components.

With its new B’TWIN LD920 e-bike, Decathlon is demonstrating that it can also offer some truly exciting innovations! The heart of the new model is namely a newly developed all-in-one solution for the drive of the bike, which was developed for three years with the Belgian start-up E2 Drives ready for volume production. And the resulting Owuru motor combines electric assistance with continuously variable, automatic gear shifting. Riders simply set their desired cadence, and the motor and transmission control then do the rest. 

Heart of the bike: the all-in-one solution of motor and transmission

So far, we have only seen this type of system in Enviolo’s continuously variable automatic transmission Automatiq — but it also requires the motor as a separate component. In the new Decathlon solution, however, both parts are combined in one component, which is positioned centrally at the bottom bracket and ensures a central and low center of gravity. However, the transmission to the rear wheel is not that innovative: here, a standard bicycle chain is used instead of a largely maintenance-free belt drive.

Pinion also recently caused a stir with a motor-gearbox combination with their new MGU, so the comparison is obvious here. With 85 Nm of torque and at least 568 percent bandwidth, their system is significantly more powerful, but does not offer stepless adjustment of the gear ratio. In addition, the Pinion system is so far only available in significantly more expensive bikes — but more on that below.

The system’s performance is supposed to be particularly quiet thanks to two synchronous belts, and eight sensors and a powerful microcontroller are supposed to provide direct and frictionless support. The torque of the motor is said to be 65 Nm, which should be more than sufficient for urban use. The gear range is 265 percent (for comparison, this value is on par with Enviolo’s new Urban gear and Shimanos Nexus 5 hub gears). Via the display on the handlebars, the desired cadence can be defined between 40 and 90 rpm.

Fully equipped: integrated display, tracking feature and a powerful battery

The full-color display is integrated centrally on the stem and provides permanent information about the time, battery status and support mode. In addition, cadence, remaining range, distance and speed can be displayed. Convenient: via a USB-C port can be charged external components, such as the smartphone.

And your smartphone comes into play at the latest when you want to see the location of the LD920 E automatic. The bike even has an integrated tracking feature that can communicate the bike’s position thanks to 4G, WLAN and Bluetooth. In case the bike is moved unexpectedly, there is also the option of notification on the smartphone.

The range of the bike is supposed to be 80 to 150 km, as always depending on the personal performance. The battery itself is quite large with 702 Wh capacity.

For everyday rides, the bike is not only equipped with mudguards, a rear rack and a suspension fork with 30 mm travel, but also has a StVZO-compatible lighting system installed. The headlight is integrated beautifully in the cockpit, the same applies there for the cables and wires. Only the front hydraulic disc brake is visible.

Conclusion

With their new B’TWIN LD920, Decathlon introduces an extremely exciting urban e-bike that stands out with its innovative drive system. Thanks to the high system integration, this system promises a perfect interaction between motor and gearbox.

In addition, the bike is also visually appealing — although the area around the motor and the down tube with its big battery is obviously quite massive. Anyone expecting a real heavyweight might be surprised: at 26.1 kg, the LD920 automatic isn’t really light, but in view of the full equipment including a suspension fork, it’s well within the expected range.

Also as expected, the new flagship model from Decathlon is also priced in the upper segment at 2,999 euros. However, if you consider the numerous features, including the GPS tracking, this bike also offers a very attractive price-performance ratio. Just yet through and through a Decathlon product!

The new B’TWIN LD920 is available in two frame shapes as a high-frame or as a low-frame with a comfort frame in trapezoid shape in four sizes from S to XL. There are two colors in dark green and marron to choose from. The bikes can be ordered directly via the Decathlon website, and are then delivered to your home or to your next Decathlon store free of shipping costs.

Update: the price of the bike has now been reduced by 500 euros — so the LD920 E can now be ordered directly from Decathlon for just 2,499 euros!