Ann M.
Well-Known Member
In all of the glitz and hype at Eurobike 2018, several new bottom bracket and one down tube motor designs stood out among the new products. The Fazua Evation drive system with an integrated battery,motor & gearbox, Brose's Drive S Mag motor that's 15% lighter with the new flex power mode utilizing both torque & cadence sensing and the TQ HPR 120 Nm motors that Haibike's using with it's new FLYON systems.
Fazua spent this year refining it's Evation drive system and it's now available in a number of new electric road bikes from Pinarello, Bianchi, Maserati and others and hybrid or off-road models from Focus, Cube & Fantic. It's the lightest weight complete drive system, tipping the scales at 10.12lbs; that's the motor, controller, battery and gear box! The battery and motor are an integrated unit with the battery neatly slipping into the casing with the motor, the two removable as a single unit mounted under the down tube. Only the gearbox inside the bottom bracket shell is a fixed unit.
Motor Cutaway:
The motor provides 3 levels of pedal assist ranging from 125 watts up to 400 watts of power with a 36V, 250 Wh battery. The motor is only 4.2lbs and the battery, just 3lbs, with the gearbox the remaining weight.
Battery Cutaway:
Gearbox for Bottom Bracket:
Cool feature with this drive system, the motor completely disengages from the gearbox once the max speed, 15mph, is reached or you chose to ride without any assist. This creates a more natural ride feel without extra drag. You can also ride the bike without the motor/battery unit attached at all, just install the protective cover. (Note: I don't know if the speed limit is different for US production ebikes). As with all mid mounted systems, the weight is nicely centered and low, so overall bike handling feels natural. Another plus: the dual torque sensors on the cranks, so that motion by either pedal is more quickly sensed.
The Evation has a moderate sized control that can be mounted on the handlebars for easy reach of a thumb. Ten LEDs indicate the battery level and there's an on/off button along with a 2 buttons for assist selection. Nice plus: the LEDs are color coded to match the pedal assist selection for a quick visual id of the assist level.
The Fazua Evation system isn't as powerful as a Bosch or Yamaha motor; however, it fits a niche for the rider who only needs a little assistance on the hills or an urban rider who wants a more slim ebike profile. It does provide good acceleration even at low speeds like other mid drives with only a little lag from a standstill. Fazua's claim of a 31 mile range on one charge seems ambitious, even at the lowest power assist; however, the battery is small enough that it would be easy to carry an extra one for better range. Expect durability and quality with this German engineered & built system but a higher price tag.
There's no on-board charging for the Fazua battery, so trying to charge on the fly at a coffee shop would be a bit more of a hassle. Keeping road grunge out of the motor & battery area could be a challenge and according to one test rider, it didn't always shift internal gears fluidly. Overall, for the rider who wants an electric bike but wants something a little more stealthy in appearance, the Fazua Evation may be just the ticket.
E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine recently did a review of the FOCUS Raven Pro with the Fazua Evation drive system. Also check out the brief video of the Raven Pro by Mountain Bike Rider.
COMING NEXT: Brose new Drive S Mag & the TQ HPR 120/Haibike FLYON systems
Fazua spent this year refining it's Evation drive system and it's now available in a number of new electric road bikes from Pinarello, Bianchi, Maserati and others and hybrid or off-road models from Focus, Cube & Fantic. It's the lightest weight complete drive system, tipping the scales at 10.12lbs; that's the motor, controller, battery and gear box! The battery and motor are an integrated unit with the battery neatly slipping into the casing with the motor, the two removable as a single unit mounted under the down tube. Only the gearbox inside the bottom bracket shell is a fixed unit.
Motor Cutaway:
The motor provides 3 levels of pedal assist ranging from 125 watts up to 400 watts of power with a 36V, 250 Wh battery. The motor is only 4.2lbs and the battery, just 3lbs, with the gearbox the remaining weight.
Battery Cutaway:
Gearbox for Bottom Bracket:
Cool feature with this drive system, the motor completely disengages from the gearbox once the max speed, 15mph, is reached or you chose to ride without any assist. This creates a more natural ride feel without extra drag. You can also ride the bike without the motor/battery unit attached at all, just install the protective cover. (Note: I don't know if the speed limit is different for US production ebikes). As with all mid mounted systems, the weight is nicely centered and low, so overall bike handling feels natural. Another plus: the dual torque sensors on the cranks, so that motion by either pedal is more quickly sensed.
The Evation has a moderate sized control that can be mounted on the handlebars for easy reach of a thumb. Ten LEDs indicate the battery level and there's an on/off button along with a 2 buttons for assist selection. Nice plus: the LEDs are color coded to match the pedal assist selection for a quick visual id of the assist level.
The Fazua Evation system isn't as powerful as a Bosch or Yamaha motor; however, it fits a niche for the rider who only needs a little assistance on the hills or an urban rider who wants a more slim ebike profile. It does provide good acceleration even at low speeds like other mid drives with only a little lag from a standstill. Fazua's claim of a 31 mile range on one charge seems ambitious, even at the lowest power assist; however, the battery is small enough that it would be easy to carry an extra one for better range. Expect durability and quality with this German engineered & built system but a higher price tag.
There's no on-board charging for the Fazua battery, so trying to charge on the fly at a coffee shop would be a bit more of a hassle. Keeping road grunge out of the motor & battery area could be a challenge and according to one test rider, it didn't always shift internal gears fluidly. Overall, for the rider who wants an electric bike but wants something a little more stealthy in appearance, the Fazua Evation may be just the ticket.
E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine recently did a review of the FOCUS Raven Pro with the Fazua Evation drive system. Also check out the brief video of the Raven Pro by Mountain Bike Rider.
COMING NEXT: Brose new Drive S Mag & the TQ HPR 120/Haibike FLYON systems
