Fazua introduces new Ride 60 drive and 430Wh battery

Fazua has announced a new addition to its drive systems catalogue with the new Ride 60, an ultra-light 1.96kg motor paired with a 430Wh battery.

Hosting motor, gear box and sensors, the compact unit is well matched to manufacturers catering for commuters, gravel cyclists and even catering for electric mountain bikers thanks to its to-end 60Nm torque. What will interest most is the comparison against its competitors and where better to start than the weight; the given metric is around 700 grams under Shimano’s flagship EP8. Pronounced cooling fins on the motor chassis indicate where some of that weight may have been shed.

The key question for OEMs, when will the system become available? For the urban bike builder there is a forecast of Summer, but for those looking for a system tuned to gravel or mountain bike it is more likely Autumn.

As for the battery, the lithium ion cells add just 2.3kg in a package that manufacturers can opt to seal in for the first time, or have as a removable unit as before. Where the latter is designed in, an integrated handle and intuitive latch makes for safe and easy removal for the user. Similarly, the battery can be topped up via a magnetic charge port built into frames, or removed for charging off the bike. It’s a smart system too, only activating when the bike is in motion and thus saving juice for the path ahead.

Fazua’s handlebar-mounted control is one of the more intriguing parts of the new system. ‘Ring Control’ is the name for a finger controlled dial that’s complementary to the limited space on a handlebar, but nonetheless easy to use and interpret. With a touch you can change the assist mode, turn on the bike’s lights, or activate walk mode when the hills get too steep to power up.

Paired to the Ring Control, Fazua’s LED hub retains the five-colour indicator that informs on power mode, plus battery levels. Now this unit builds in a USB-C charge port option that can top up devices, plus interface fro ANT+ and Bluetooth.

A second variant listed under ‘Control Hub’ fuses the LED Hub and Ring Control into a unit that blends the functions of both units and channels information via a series of in-built lights visible to the rider on the top of the bar-mounted assistant.

As before, the Fazua Connected app enables customisation by the rider, including three preset modes fine-tuned to suit various riding styles. The trio of pre-loaded modes are badged up Breeze, River and Rocket (no prizes for guessing which is the easy going assist and which is designed to propel you up the steepest sections).

The Fazua business itself has become an industry curiosity of late. Having risen to popularity and widespread use with OEMs in recent years Porsche’s investment vehicle has taken a 20% stake in the company with an option to buy. When approached by CI.N to learn more about the future plans of the automotive brand in the eBike space, Porsche declined to comment. Porsche likewise has bought a (majority) stake in eBike label Greyp, as well as forging other industry links with Storck, to name just one.