ST5 copycat from India

[bluecat]

No doubt, the biggest disadvantage of the Stromer flagship ST5 is its price.

Neglecting the high technology standard, there must be a way to build a look-a-like bike cheaper. A startup from Bombay / India (which is claiming to be a Berlin startup - but without any facilities in Berlin) has the solution:

Indeed, the similarity is there. And the Calamus ONE is claimed to be "One Giant Leap For E-Bikes." As you see on their website, this bike has some interesting features. A comparison - table versus the 4 times more expensive Stromer ST5 unveils where the Calamus ONE is superior.

To give an impression, they made a video (shoot on the parking lot of the CIDCO exhibition center at Bombay):

A startup needs money. For smaller parts, crowdfunding is usual. For bigger deals, venture capital or private equity is the way to go. But what do, if no investor is found? You have to go back to crowdfunding. So they did - and reach out for 500'000 $

I expect, even for an Indian startup with Chinese manufacturing, ½ million bucks are at least a "very demanding" financial basis to build a new e-bike.

In the video you see a mockup - the to a motorized bike is still far. Even if Bafang would unveil the motor steering protocol, it's really tough to implement this into a own control dispay.

Furthermore, a street legal 45 km/h e-bike in Europe needs to authorized by the government. The first step to the this is the self-registration as a "vehicle manufacturer". Then, the overwhelming EU-bureaucracy will do their work: Detailed technical inspections, various certificates necessary...

So, if you hesitate with the price tag of the ST5, think well before making a wire transfer to asia.

 

[opimax]

I don’t find it that similar, mid drive vs hub, i like this , if it had local service and it’s a another good choice for the Bafang

 

[Asher]

Too bad they didn't copy Stromer's wide tires... I also have to wonder how much of the appeal of the Stromer is in the digital connectivity, vs the overall design finesse (sort of a less preachy Vanmoof). I'm more interested in the latter, and it's a lot less work to develop than having both digital and design elements. Especially when it makes parts hard to replace, like the handlebar.

I have a $10 metal stem cap phone mount that's very secure, and provides all the nav assistance I could want.

The anti-theft stuff is cool if it works, but I'm skeptical until proven otherwise, ie that it works well enough where you could leave your bike unattended for hours safely.

 

[opimax]

I don’t let my bike out of my sight when I ride , don’t care about the gps function just want it to work right when I go...

 

[sfgator]

I live in a high theft city and use the Stromer to run errands in the city. The gps really helps with peace of mind. . See https://electricbikereview.com/foru...olen-and-recovered-30-mins.30626/#post-230053
and https://www.wired.com/2015/04/stromer-theft-mode/

 

[Ebiker01]

look-a-like bike cheaper.

Don't be jealous. They did a perfect job creating this product.
And the people of India are very bright and can make it happen, they did the WattWagon ebike, which is much better then most ebikes out there.

Clearly , this Calamus 1 is a MUST BUY. The technology is way more advanced to what is currently on the market (Belt drive, fingerprint unlock, google maps, blind spot detector ??) .

I would request fingerprint unlock for the battery , also an AIRBAG JACKET specifically made for ebikes and it would be just right. And with min. 750wh.

Won't give funds , well maybe 150-200$, but definetly would buy it when and IF it comes on the market. The situation now with shipping from China is very difficult.

Thank you for letting us know about this newer ebike.

 

[McGivern]

Might ask a few people that gave Elio Motors money in 2009 how that's going for them.....

 

[bluecat]

I don’t find it that similar, mid drive vs hub

Yes, of course, it's a mid drive, so it is for leisure - not for commuting.

I see the audience in people seeking an eye-catcher on the boulevard with a tendency to for high risk investments. But the Calamus comes up with new ideas. Even if these ideas are not thinked to the end, it's worth to discuss:

The turn indicator and the blind spot assistant

Unfortunately, the place to mount this device is one of the most sensitive, if the bike falls aground. There are also some warning systems for the approaching traffic from behind on the market. The tough question is: What will you do with this information? On a 25 km/h mid drive, the cars are twice as fast as you. I the city traffic, you will be alerted by the system all the time. Will you turn to the left without a rear view mirror and without having a look behind?

The after theft retrieval system

Such systems are already in use in the eMTB sector. Once the bike is stolen, you will be able to find it using the GPS function. But Stromer offers additionally the anti-theft funktion: The motor is locked, so the wheel will not turn, riding impossible. It would be a good development goal to implement such protection into a mid drive motor.

A complete different idea for micromobility comes from Microlino. I'm following the activities of this startup since years. They are suffering from some major setbacks. Additionally, they were forced to give up the phantastic Isetta Kabinenroller design. Have a look in their most recent presentation:

 

[J.R.]

Looks like a nice bike. I hope they succeed.

I get a kick out of these crowdfunding videos. They all look the same! It's as though there's a production textbook and they all turn to the chapter entitled "high tech and classy". It's been done many times, they no longer hold my attention.

Even so, it's always good to see new companies giving it a go!

 

[TomD]

So, if you hesitate with the price tag of the ST5, think well before making a wire transfer to asia.

I didn't hesitate with the price tag of the ST5. I just LOLed.

 

[bluecat]

I would request fingerprint unlock for the battery , also an AIRBAG JACKET specifically made for ebikes and it would be just right.

Better than developing a secondary lock mechanism for battery would be the integration of the battery lock into the main display. Fingerprint sensors are common on mobile devices, but these devices are always in a warm and cosy place. Rain, dirt or snow might come to the sensor. This brings up the mandatory question: How is the fallback level?

Stromer offers three different way to unlock the bike: Entering the PIN on the display, by Bluetooth connection or by OMNI / GSM connection. Additionally, for locking the bike, an automatic timeout can be set.

A Swedish startup develop a bicycle airbag, which replaces the helmet. Read more about the bike airbag.
Experiences from medical doctors said, the most common injuries from bicycle accidents are: Elbow, knee, shoulder, hand and hip. Sixsixone is offering protection gear against this, but will you ride on the road with race downhill equipment?

Rain (and the dirt from the road) preventing many people for daily commute with a bicycle. The dutch guy offers fender-extension for the Stromer, which reduce the soiling of the shoes and pants. But a more sufficient system is still missing. A mud flap look horrible, but works well.

What about a self-unfolding system with rain-sensor?

 

[opimax]

Just another item that will need attn. When there is decent support with honestly trained techs that can have local access to parts so repairs can be completed properly I would appreciate the extra toys. My life with Stromer has me looking for repalcement bikes which don’t have these features so they won’t break. In the large city of Atlanta, I would still have to travel to Tennessee for an authorized repair and pay for labor, lodging and hope they may actually fix something. I have had battery doors replaced on 2 of the bikes, wouldn’t matter of any of the 3 choices listed if the door/lock mechanism doesn’t work!