Press pictures with recumbents with Neodrives Z20 from Google Photos (choose picture, then click “Download” top right)

PDF for Download: Press release recumbents with Neodrives Z20 (PDF, 274 kB, August 13, 2019)

Recumbents – powered by Neodrives!

Strong commitment to the rear engine: HP Velotechnik presents German specialists Alber as new drive partner / System Neodrives Z20 also with reverse gear

 

HP Velotechnik Scorpion fx neodrives Z20 Display

Friedrichshafen. Recumbent bike and rear motor: it simply fits together. That’s why HP Velotechnik is equipping all 15 series with the Neodrives Z20 from Alber as of November, replacing its previous premium manufacturer GO SwissDrive. The change had become necessary for the Hessian recumbent bike manufacturer after the Swiss announced their withdrawal from the market at the beginning of 2019. The new system is shown at the Eurobike trade fair at the booth of HP Velotechnik (Foyer East, FO 103) and tested at the demo booth FG-O 401.

“We searched with great intensity and promptly for a system that was at least equal with the others,” reports Paul Hollants, Managing Director of HP Velotechnik, and sees himself on the same wavelength as Alber: “No motor is as powerful and at the same time as harmonious as a rear hub motor.The fact that the Swabians have been found so quickly is a pleasure for partner Daniel Pulvermüller for several reasons: “Whether it’s a recumbent bike or a trike, this form of cycling is characterised by its quiet, enjoyable gliding through the countryside. The whisper-quiet rear motor fits this better for many than the usually clearly audible geared motors on the bottom bracket.” Alber also has great experience as a motor manufacturer in the field of medical mobility aids: “This is an excellent addition to our rehab bikes.We expect this to give us many new impulses in this segment”. The fact that the constructive exchange has already begun can be seen in the presentation of the models for 2020 in an absolute technical peculiarity of the trikes: HP Velotechnik was the first manufacturer of everyday bikes to implement reverse gear in cooperation with GO SwissDrive. “It is precisely this feature that Alber will now make available to us,” says Pulvermüller. “For HP Velotechnik customers, the easy manoeuvring with the trike is a decisive point.”

HP Velotechnik Scorpion plus 20 neodrives Z20

Andreas Binz, head of the neodrives business unit at Alber GmbH, explains: Rear motors are gearless motors with no friction; a further advantage of the rear motor is the low maintenance associated with it in terms of gears and chain. “This is because the power is transmitted directly to the rear wheel, so that not a single bit of it is lost via the chain or sprocket.” On the other hand, this means that the chain and sprocket package last on average four times longer than with mid-engines. In addition, the recuperation function of the engine allows energy to be recovered, for example during longer downhill journeys.

Please find additional background information in our press release