Tern launches new ‘mini but mighty’ HSD e-bike line
Tern’s latest e-bike line, the HSD, will make its first appearance this week at tomorrow’s Eurobike Urban Mobility Media Days in Frankfurt.
Described as ‘mini but mighty’, the new model is shorter than a regular bike, at 170cm long, but has serious hauling capacity with a maximum gross vehicle weight of 170kg.
Equipped with an extra-large sized rack, the bike can carry a week’s worth of groceries or weekend camping gear and also has a trailer hitch mount to add more cargo.
Its smaller stature makes the bike easy to handle in tight spaces, flipping up for convenient vertical parking and elevator rides and able to be flat-folded in seconds to fit into bus racks and SUVs.
Tern Team Captain, Josh Hon, said: “Many e-bikes on the market look like standard bikes with motor systems and batteries wedged in. We started the HSD project with the goal of designing a better, more useful e-bike.
“That meant wiping away pre-conceived notions for things like frame design, riding geometry, and wheel size. The result is the HSD, a small bike that is just much more useful.”
The bike’s Atlas H Rack is rated to 60kg and compatible with many child seat brands, including the likes of Thule, Yepp and Bobike. An upcoming passenger kit will allow riders to continue carrying their kids as they grow older.
The HSD can be resized to fit riders from 150-195cm so the whole family can enjoy the ride. The Easy-Step frame design offers a comfortable upright riding position and easy mounting for riders, paired with an adjustable stem and seatpost, suspension fork and balloon tyres to deliver a smoother and more comfortable ride.
Taking safety and durability tips from its older brother, the GSD, the HSD frame and fork has been tested by EFBE Prüftechnik GmbH, one of Europe’s leading bicycle test labs. The HSD met the firm’s rigorous Tri-Test standard and upcoming e-cargo bike standards.
The bike is also equipped with several safety features: integrated front and rear lights, hydraulic disc brakes for all-weather stopping power, puncture-resistant tyres and reflective decals.
On top of the standard features mentioned above, HSD models also feature extras such as Gates belt drive, Abus keyed-alike frame locks and Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension seatposts. The top of the line S+ model also features automatic shifting.
Eric Lin, Director of Product Development, said: “In the last two years, we created the Vektron and the GSD, both of which excel in their categories. But there’s this third category, an e-bike designed not for the niche but for almost everybody.
“It doesn’t fold to a tiny size or carry 200kg, but simply does the standard stuff better. Finally, there’s a bike that you and I will want to use daily, a companion for greener transportation. The HSD is the future of urban e-bikes, now.”
The new lineup includes: HSD P9 starting at €/$3,099; HSD S8i starting at €/$3,699; and HSD S+ starting at €/$4,999. The new bikes are expected to be in shops in Q1 of 2020.
Hear what Team Captain, Josh Hon, and Sales & Business Development Director, Matt Davis, had to say about the future of urban mobility in the latest CIN Podcast, here.
