It's safe to say that most electric bicycles of today transcend the bounds of mere utility and performance. Sure, e-bikes are a surefire way to supercharge your cycling experience, but you could also say that they're fast becoming lifestyle icons. This is especially true in a world where all standing out is where it's at.
Now more than ever, more and more boutique bike brands are hitting the scene. A lot of them have keywords like "bespoke," "craftsmanship," or "artisan" as their main selling points, and while on paper these bikes could probably be bested by machines that cost a quarter of their sticker price, they attract buyers looking for a sense of exclusivity and affluence that only a work of art can provide. Case in point: the new Series 1 e-bike from German boutique e-bike brand Ponomarets.
At a glance, it's clear to see why the Ponomarets Series 1 is so appealing. For starters, it has a streamlined frame which the company claims combines "German Artisanry" with "Aviation Performance" and "Supercar DNA." That being said, if there's something universally known about German engineering, it's that it's made to exacting standards, and clearly, the Series 1 is no different.
Tipping the scales at just 11.3 kilograms, the Series 1 is possibly one of the lightest electric bikes on the market. Its frame is made entirely out of hand-crafted carbon fiber, and is an amalgamation of small, intricately shaped carbon parts that have hours of handcrafting behind them. Each of the Series 1 frames is painstakingly crafted, with the company stating that its frame building process is "a job no machine in the world is capable of."
Now, you may be wondering where the "Aviation Performance" comes into play. Well, Ponomarets claims that it made use of aviation-grade tools and analysis to strike the perfect balance between weight and rigidity. As for the "Supercar DNA," well, the craftsmen who build the Series 1's intricate carbon fiber frame are also responsible for some of the most exclusive supercars the world has ever seen.
On the performance side of the equation, the Series 1 is packing an equally impressive, and equally German e-bike motor: the Mahle X35+. The Stuttgart-based company's drive system is markedly lightweight when compared to its rivals, while outputting a respectable 40 Newton-meters of torque and 250-watts of nominal output. As for the battery, the bike gets a slim, almost invisible 250-watt-hour power pack housed in the downtube which is rated for about 62 miles on a single charge. Last but not least, the Series 1 incoporates the Mahle iWoc 1 controller, and has connectivity to the Mahle SmartBike app for iOS and Android users.
Given all the cutting-edge technology that's been thrown into this bike, it should come as no surprise that it commands quite the premium. For 9,799 Euros ($10,564 USD) for the standard model, you could instead get yourself one e-bike for every day of the week from some other manufacturer – but where's the exclusivity in that? Speaking of exclusivity, for those who want to stand out even more, Ponomarets is launching the special Founders Edition of the Series 1 limited to just 100 units. The price? A whopping 10,799 Euros ($11,642 USD). Shipping for the fancy new e-bike is set to begin in June, 2023.
