In Europe, more and more people are realizing the benefits of hitting the road on two wheels, particularly, electric bicycles. As it would turn out, slapping a motor onto a bicycle transforms the humble bicycle into an urban mobility device with the potential to replace a car on shorter trips within the city. With multiple countries all over the world encouraging the use of active mobility devices, e-bikes aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Adding to the growing number of e-bikes on the market is none other than Decathlon, the popular French outdoor and sports retailer. Through its in-house bike brands Triban, Rockrider, and B’Twin, Decathlon has provided the cycling industry with a lot of value-for-money bicycles that cover all the bases of cycling. One of the company’s newest models, the B’Twin Speed 900E, presents itself as a sleek, no-frills urban machine with an emphasis on chic styling and modern technology.
At a glance, the Speed 900E’s svelte tubing and retro-inspired stance do an excellent job of concealing the fact that it’s an e-bike to begin with. It gets an all-black look which further conceals the intricacies that give it away as an e-bike. Indeed, the bike is not only visually lightweight, but is also physically lightweight thanks to the use of a carbon fiber fork and aluminum hollow chamber rims. These features allow the bike to tip the scales at no more than 15 kilograms in size medium – pretty impressive for an electric bicycle.
Complementing the bike’s lightweight construction is an equally impressive array of tech. For starters, it’s powered by the relatively new Mahle X35+ electric hub motor which has a rating of 40 Newton-meters. While this is less than half than some of the performance-oriented motors found on for-sport e-bikes, it should be more than enough to make the Speed 900E a capable city ripper, with 250 watts of continuous output on tap. Furthermore, it gets three levels of pedal assistance allowing you to fine tune just how much oomph you want with every pedal stroke.
When it comes to battery tech, we find a 36-volt, 250-watt-hour battery pack housed very discreetly within the bike’s frame. It promises a range of 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a single charge at 50 percent assist. It’s worth noting, however, that as you crank up the assist, the range drops, especially when you put it on full blast at 100 percent. Here, the range drops to 30 kilometers (19 miles). Other complementing features include hydraulic disc brakes, built-in lights, and puncture-resistant tires.
Pricing and availability-wise, the B’Twin Speed 900E has managed to keep itself rather accessible, retailing for 1,899 euros, or about $2,000 USD. It’s offered in sizes ranging from Medium to Extra Large, and comes standard with an integrated tracking feature via the Decathlon Mobility App.
