Stromer ST2020 concept bike - Gates belt drive and 5 speed integrated gearbox

[MinnBobber]

Bluecat??
Does this have a tall 5th gear?
At least as tall as ST2-S 11th?
And a really low 1st gear?

Low low for really steep uphills and tall high gear for downhill speed runs??

I wish it had a 7 speed but a wide 5 might suffice.

Would love a belt drive Stromer!!

 

[Johnny]

Despite only having 5 gears,

Disappointing...

SA 5 is very limited especially for a bike that is supposed to be a top end offering.

 

[bluecat]

The new ST2 will be the all easy simple Stromer. No frills, just riding. This bike is built for people who don't care about the gearing, the shifting and the levers. From this point of view, 5 gears fit well. Important for a Stromer: The large 5th gear to maintain 45km/h. The jump between the gears is too much for advanced riders, but "easy" riders are happy with a noticeable jump.

The same on the lowest gear. You can maintain 20 km/h on a hill, and if not, the hill is too steep. This is not a problem for those only want a non-sweating ride.

Remember, a belt drive has halwas a dedicated power loss due to his construction. If you want to use ful power (both, yours and the Stromers), you choose a conventional Stromer.

As the ST1x will be withdrawn from market, I expect the new ST2 will take his position between ST1 and ST3. At the time neither price nor release date is known.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

As usual from Stromer, a Launch Edition will be the first available new ST2.

It will contain these two bags for the rear rack. I expect, a bigger battery than the basic ST2 and this special coloring.

Very cool!
Where is the torque sensor on this one?
I believe they are still using the TMM4 ?

 

[Johnny]

Very cool!
Where is the torque sensor on this one?
I believe they are still using the TMM4 ?

I am also curious about this.

If it is still a TMM4 then why are you not using a bottom bracket one?

 

[bluecat]

Where is the torque sensor on this one?
I believe they are still using the TMM4 ?

Very good question; unfortunataly, I hadn't the time to ask.

Let's start from the beginning. Look at the endings of the three screws. This is how the sensor plate on a ST5 is mounted. Then go to page 1 and compare with my first pictures. You'll see, there a three screws at the rear end located in the same manner. I had have a discussion about the difficulties handling the TMM4 when the high tension of a belt applies to the axle. It was clear, the solution will be something different as it had have on the very first prototype.

Then have look on the prototype on which I've made my test ride. This tells me, the sensor is still there, but something is different.

The photographer from Stromer uses a PhaseOne, so I was able to cut out this closeup:

On the other end of the drivetrain, the chainring is different and, more important, the mounting of the poulie has changed.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

I believe it is because the motor power is not transmitted through the belt, you don't need very high tension as in the case of mid-drive systems!

 

[bluecat]

And here they are:

The 60 tooth chainring and the poulie for the belt's tension.

Usually, a 52T chainring and a 11 gear pinion are mounted on a Stromer. But how many teeth has the gear pinion on the Gates 2020 Stromer? The 5 Gear Sturmey Archer starts with a direct 3rd gear an makes jumps of 25% in each direction. Once I get the tech specs, I'll tell more.

 

[bluecat]

Completely different from the concept bike, the upcoming new ST2 will have the Stromer U-light.

Furthermore, the signature light is newly designed without the USB port. Compared with the classic version, ts is broader and has a wider opening. The lack of the USB port let's look it really different. Unfortunately, I'm unable to tell anything about its brightness.

 

[bluecat]

There is no launch date for the US market.Nevertheless there an excerpt from the media release and attach some tech specs and european prices.


Launch Edition special equipment and delivery date

The Launch Edition of the ST2 will be available from specialist bicycle dealers from October 2020 and comes exclusively with the powerful 983 Wh battery and the Stromer Amsterdam Double Bag 30 l. Beginning in February 2021, the standard ST2 model will follow, available in Royal Blue and Dark Grey with sports frame (M & L) or comfort frame (M) and equipped with the BQ618 battery (range up to 120 km).

Stromer offers its standard model with various factory options: For additional riding comfort there is a suspension fork and a suspension seatpost and for an even larger range, as with all models, there is the option of a battery upgrade to the BQ982 (range up to 180 km).

 

[Ebiker01]

They should make a carbon fiber version or titanium. I would buy it.

 

[opimax]

I would not...like a friends boat I would be happy to ride it, very happy, just won’t buy it

 

[Johnny]

So standard version is almost 6000 euros special edition is 7000, I guess simplicity doesn't come cheap.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Very nice color. Will be interesting to see how the EU customers receive this vs some of the Pinion-based offerings from Klever, Flyer and MTB-Cyclotech.

 

[bluecat]

Very nice color. Will be interesting to see how the EU customers receive this vs some of the Pinion-based offerings from Klever, Flyer and MTB-Cyclotech.

The belt drive will remain a niche within a niche (different drivetrain within the hub motors). The Pinion will remain even more rare. Nevertheless, similar to the Schlumpf drive, it will find its customers. In Switzerland, Stromer is a very strong brand, in Germany, the 45 km/h are a 1% business, but in Benelux....

So let's show the other colour:

For those who take interest: The shooting has taken place next to the Stadtarchiv Bern. This building has a mirror facade, which let reflect a historical building nearby.

In the close up, you can recognize the new motor surface. This was already unveiled with the rideable prototype - but now it's for sure.

 

[Asher]

So standard version is almost 6000 euros special edition is 7000, I guess simplicity doesn't come cheap.

Discrimination against the poor by designers and their employers is reflected in the pricing of many appliances and tools. Rather than
designing an object that will sell at a reasonable price and work well, and then adding other choice options to it as the price rises, we seem to
delight in a different approach. We have established a new cycle: the cheapest item in the line is usually virtually a toy (Polaroid Colorpack
II). One step up in product cost and we reach the level of junk (most mixers and blenders). A further step and we arrive where we should have
been at the beginning: an honest piece of equipment, but vastly overpriced (the IBM Selectric Typewriter). But there are still a few more steps
to go. The next one is usually the same piece of equipment as before but now loaded' with extras. This is called luxury (any American
automobile). Finally, we get basic design simplicity, usually well made and outrageously overpriced. This is status (the Mies van der Rohe
Barcelona Chair).

-Victor Papanek, famous designer.

Full text of "DESIGN FOR THE REAL WORLD - VICTOR PAPANEK"

archive.org

 

[bluecat]

Discrimination against the poor by designers and their employers is reflected in the pricing of many appliances and tools.

...

Finally, we get basic design simplicity, usually well made and outrageously overpriced. This is status (the Mies van der Rohe
Barcelona Chair).

Design is always a statement: "Look at me, I can afford it" and "See how superior my taste is". These are the typical allegations from the crowd. Ignoring the fact that design is always added value. Value beyond the function, like the surplus value according Karl Marx theory. Design must not be necessarily expensive, visit the next IKEA or H&M.

But its price is often a mechanism to get more exclusivity. Within Stromer distance from my home, there is vitra. They build the Eames Chair, one of the most expensive way to have a seat. Is this exploitation? Or is it just absorption of purchasing power?

Bauhaus brought us form follows function. The reduction to the necessary. Like on the ST5: No decoration of the cockpit with cables, wiring, display and buttons. But why this price point? This brings us back to the more democratic design from IKEA and H&M.

Break even point is it called by the entrepreneurs. How high might this certain amount of sold goods be in terms of Stromer? I don't know. But for sure, high level goods with small sales and deep pricing will lead to bankruptcy.

And how to justify a higher price level? With added value, of course. Along with a higher technical standard, proper design is the way to go.

 

[Hasaf]

I am in with the crowd that is very interested in this. I had a belt drive on my first commuter e-bike (now on long term loan to my sister). I can't say enough good things about the belt drive.

As for the TDCM motor, I have one sitting right here next to my desk. It never worked and the vender (not Stromer) basically said: "too bad, you buy, now go away." That said, I have no doubt that a large vendor like Stromer will make the TDCM motor work.

If there is one thing, well, really two things. I would like to see different frame sizes, one size really doesn't fit all. In addition to that, please an option other than 27.5 wheels. There are no studded street tyres in that size. This is an issue to year-round commuters, and this looks like a great commuter bike.

 

[fxr3]

I am in with the crowd that is very interested in this. I had a belt drive on my first commuter e-bike (now on long term loan to my sister). I can't say enough good things about the belt drive.

As for the TDCM motor, I have one sitting right here next to my desk. It never worked and the vender (not Stromer) basically said: "too bad, you buy, now go away." That said, I have no doubt that a large vendor like Stromer will make the TDCM motor work.

If there is one thing, well, really two things. I would like to see different frame sizes, one size really doesn't fit all. In addition to that, please an option other than 27.5 wheels. There are no studded street tyres in that size. This is an issue to year-round commuters, and this looks like a great commuter bike.

Idk. Some forum members with new Stromers that wouldn’t run would have been happier with “Too bad, you buy, now go away”.
instead, no one would even answer phone, in some cases!

 

[Asher]

In addition to that, please an option other than 27.5 wheels. There are no studded street tyres in that size. This is an issue to year-round commuters, and this looks like a great commuter bike.

Stromer is among the few brands to make bikes with 26" wheels and I wish others would follow suit. At ~60mm wide, a 26" wheel has the same outside diameter as a skinny road bike tire. Surface 604 has also done this, but not many others. The Electra cafe moto did it with 2.8" tires and it looks very good. Hard to say yet if ebikes will revive this size.