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Drive units for SIMPLON e-bikes at a glance

15.10.2022 |Know-How

TQ, Bosch & Mahle: SIMPLON e-bikes & E-MTBs are equipped with e-power from these manufacturers. Read on to find out more about e-bike motors!

Which e-bike drive unit is right for me?

Are you looking for gentle support with a natural riding feel or a powerful drive unit that noticeably propels you forward when riding? Do you prefer a lightweight option or maximum power? Whether you are an e-biker or an e-mountain biker: Every rider has different requirements when it comes to the equipment and especially the motor of the bike. But how do you decide on a suitable model?

Read on to learn which drive system is best suited to your riding style and which motor manufacturers we like to use for our SIMPLON bikes. Also find out about the much sought-after market innovation, which is now also installed in selected SIMPLON models.

E-bike motors: the right drive unit for you

Which motor suits my riding style best? You should ask yourself this important question right at the beginning of the bike selection process. Depending on whether you are looking for gentle or powerful support, there are different drive units to consider. SIMPLON e-bikes and e-mountain bikes use motors from the following manufacturers:

New to the market in 2023: The lightweight and whisper-quiet drive unit by TQ for an extra natural riding experience.
The powerhouse with a large battery capacity by Bosch
The beautifully integrated Mahle motor for efficient support directly at the rear hub

TQ motors: natural riding feel in the mountains and in the city

Do you love the natural feel of an ordinary bike but would like some light assistance when pedalling? The TQ motor does just that! Whether it’s on your way to work or while climbing the summit: The support from the state-of-the-art HPR50 drive unit feels more natural than ever. All components are beautifully integrated into the design, so they can easily go overlooked. To hear the drive, it has to be virtually silent around you. The only thing you’ll immediately notice is the natural support, which gives you a slight boost in performance – almost as if you had just eaten a power bar.

The HPR gearbox is installed in the crank area, and this contributes significantly to the natural riding feel, as friction and noise are reduced. In addition, the pin-ring technology allows for a very compact motor design, which in turn ensures a very low overall weight. The integrated flywheel guarantees that there is no unnatural resistance even when freewheeling or riding without the motor switched on.

Key facts about the TQ drive unit:

whisper-quiet and barely visible HPR50 drive unit “made in Germany”
360-Wh battery – also suitable for longer e-bike and E-MTB tours
range extender that provides an additional 160 Wh
3 riding modes that can be individually set via the app
convenient, very compact remote button for switching between riding modes
natural support with up to 50 Nm for a sense of effortlessness when riding the bike
total weight of only 1.85 kg

The drive unit can hardly be seen on the bike itself. The LED display integrated in the top tube shows important data such as the current battery status, the riding mode and the range. Another task of the display: communicate with bike computers or the TQ app.

In the TQ app, the data is mirrored one-to-one and in real time. If you want to change the riding mode, you can also do this on your smartphone: The settings can be individually adjusted in the app.

SIMPLON e-bikes with super-lightweight TQ motor

TQ motors are the optimal choice for riders who want to experience a natural riding feel. If you are mainly riding in the city, then you’ll make heads turn with the Silkcarbon TQ. However, the fact that the city bike is an e-bike is easy to overlook and ignore.

For pure trail fun in nature, hop onto the Rapcon Pmax TQ. The natural soundscape isn’t disturbed for a second thanks to its whisper-quiet motor. And the gentle support allows you to enjoy the beautiful surroundings to the full.

Powerful e-bike motors by Bosch

Harmonious or powerful support: Bosch offers the right motor for every riding style. City bikes, mountain bikes and trekking bikes – there is a suitable motor for every SIMPLON bike category. A Bosch drive unit consists of a mid-drive motor, battery, display, control unit and optional app. Over the years, different lines have been developed for different areas of use.

Light support for SIMPLON e-bikes from the Active Line Plus

Are you looking for minimal support for everyday rides? Then Bosch Active Line Plus motors are the perfect choice for you. At SIMPLON, you’ll find the system in the Kagu Bosch Uni as well as in the Chenoa Uni – the powerful city bike that is even more comfortable thanks to the low step-through frame. Plus, it’s still the lightest in its class on the market. If desired and for even more range, an optionally available battery can be retrofitted to the luggage rack.

Key facts about the Active Line Plus

harmoniously controlled acceleration
agile and easy handling
winner of the Red Dot Design Award
low weight of 3.2 kg (excluding battery)
natural support with 50 Nm

Powerful Performance Line drive units for long-distance enthusiasts

If you want to cover longer distances with as little battery use as possible, we recommend the Performance Line by Bosch. The virtually silent drive units support you with a torque of 65 Nm and are installed in the Kagu Bosch Uni and the Chenoa Uni.

Key facts about the Performance Line

compact, robust and extremely quiet
support from 65 to 75 Nm
natural riding feel
dynamic and sporty acceleration even at low pedalling cadence
perfect drive unit for city and trekking bikes
weight of 3.2 kg (excluding battery)

Powerful support for SIMPLON e-bikes from the Performance Line CX

The Performance Line CX is responsible for the powerful support on SIMPLON e-mountain bikes. Whether it’s on trails, during climbs or on longer tours: You’re guaranteed powerful support with a torque of 85 Nm and the 625-Wh PowerTube battery. The Steamer Pmax, Stomp Pmax and Rapcon Pmax additionally offer maximum power transfer.

The Chenoa Max, Chenoa Bosch CX and Uni, Kagu Bosch CX 275 and Spotlight Bosch CX feature the Performance Line CX as well. Here, too, it provides powerful support – both on the way to work and on longer tours.

Tip: If you want to expand the existing battery capacity of 625 Wh, check out the SIMPLON Edition bikes. Selected models can easily be extended with an additional 500 Wh.

Key facts about the Performance Line CX

compact and robust
powerful support of 85 Nm
dynamic and sporty acceleration even at low cadences
noticeable support at high cadences
perfect drive unit for trekking and mountain bikes
special E-MTB mode with optimised riding characteristics
weight of 2.9 kg (excluding battery)

New in 2023: Performance Line CX Race

Do you love challenging trails and want to climb summits with the help of maximum E-MTB power? Then you might be interested in the latest innovation by Bosch: the Performance Line CX Race.

Low weight, extremely fast acceleration and a riding mode specifically developed for E-MTB races are just some of its impressive features. The optionally available drive unit turns the Rapcon Pmax CX into an energy-charged powerhouse. With 750 Wh of battery capacity as standard, you can master even challenging tours with little effort.

Key facts about the Performance Line CX Race

compact and robust drive unit
85 Nm torque for a super-sporty riding experience
exclusive race mode with increased support (400 %) for maximum speed
low weight of only 2.75 kg (excluding battery)

Customisation options à la Bosch

Another optional feature is the display, which shows the most important data, such as the number of kilometres travelled. Four Bosch display models are used on SIMPLON e-bikes.

Mahle: for uncompromising electric power, directly from the rear hub

If you need barely audible support from an efficient motor, then we recommend the drive unit by Mahle. Only recently, the X35 motor was replaced by the new X20 drive unit. The lightweight, low-noise system is especially suitable for the road bikes, urban bikes and trekking bikes.

On the Spotlight Mahle, one of the 2023 newcomers, as well as on the Inissio Pmax, the hub drive unit is harmoniously integrated into the design. The X20 drive unit is installed directly on the rear hub, which results in efficient and virtually invisible support. The 250-Wh battery in the down tube is hardly noticeable at all. Through the use of artificial intelligence, a customised riding experience can be achieved that is optimally tailored to the rider. The drive system consists of a motor and battery as well as a shifter. The shifter is located on the handlebars and is used for electronic shifting.

Key facts about the Mahle drive unit:

250-Wh battery for extensive e-bike tours
range extender that provides an additional 175 Wh
convenient shifter for selecting the support levels
powerful support with 60 Nm
total weight of around 3.2 kg (including battery)

The MySmartBike app is particularly important: It equips the smartphone with the functions of a bike computer. Information on the charging status or the bike status can be read from the display in real time. Plus, as with Strava or komoot, routes can be recorded. Another real highlight is the option to have the support level be determined by the rider’s heart rate.

More expert knowledge about e-bike drive units

Now you know the three manufacturers that provide the electric power for SIMPLON’s e-bikes. You also know that the range of many bikes can be extended using a range extender. But can you explain the differences between a rear-hub and a mid-drive motor? In our magazine article, you can read up on the two types of motors.

If you want to learn more about the systems and their influence on bike performance, check out our article on the different drive systems!

Regina M.

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