Detroit Bikes Published a new E bike--DB-E

It’s always easy to tell when someone is riding an electric bike. Most models look somewhat similar, with thick frames and bulky battery packs that stick out like a sore thumb. The all-new Detroit Bikes DB-E (Detroit Bikes Electric) is the complete opposite, and it looks just like a regular bike.

The Michigan-based bike manufacturer created a ride that almost no one on a bike path would know is electric. The DB-E has a slim frame and weighs only 32 lbs, and Detroit put the hub, motor, and battery all inside the rear wheel.

All of the DB-E’s power are contained inside a Zehus Bike+ hub integrated into its back wheel. Its 250-watt motor can help push the bike to pedal-assisted speeds of up to 15.5 MPH with an estimated range of around 35 miles on a power-saving mode, or around 20 miles at full power, which helps make hill climbs much easier.

The hub incorporates some clever tricks to help it recharge during a ride, including capturing energy from regenerative braking during a stop, or by adding negative torque when a cyclist is pedaling on flat ground, providing imperceptible resistance that generates a charge.

The rider can even pedal backwards while coasting to help recharge the battery, and given the DB-E’s lightweight frame, which is further lightened through the use of a more durable belt drive that’s 200 grams lighter than a chain, the bike is still easy to ride with the power functions switched off or fully depleted.