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Unchaining the bicycle

This is a guest post by Max Neupert. He is an artist and academic who is interested in contemporary social and technological issues. He has been living and working in Korea for three years. Max is a member of ExtraEnergy, a non-profit consumer organization for sustainable transportation with a FOCUS on Light Electric Vehicles and electric assisted bicycles. He contributed his observations of traffic safety in South Korea to Kojects in a two part guest post 1 / 2. Views expressed are his own. You can reach him on @bauchhaus. Full disclosure: ExtraEnergy association has tested a prototype for Mando.

Innovations in the bicycle industry rarely make for headlines. However, we currently see bicycles and Light Electric Vehicles (LEV) evolving in many interesting ways that have impact on how we move. And there are more exciting innovations to come in the near future.

A few examples: Hydraulic disk brakes are pretty much standard now for bicycles, giving reliable brake-power to cyclists even in wet weather conditions. Self balancing gyroscopic technology has taken a hold in various personal mobility products since the Segway. Hydroforming allows complex hollow shapes, previously not possible with welding and casting. LED lights bring the comfort of a proper illumination even to unlit bicycle paths.

Some of these technologies are adapted from the motorbike and car industries and applied to the design challenges of the bicycle. Often these innovations overwhelm the traditional bicycle industry. A few established companies like Magura serve both, the motorbike and bicycle industries, giving them an advantage in the proliferation of technology from motorcycle towards the bicycle. Other companies from the automotive sector just entered the bicycle industry recently, attracted by good profit margins and low competition. They are bringing their brand recognition and engineering knowledge to the bicycle industry. Bosch might be the most prominent example, producing drive systems for electric bicycles.

Mando is a Korean innovator and supplier for the automotive industry like Delfi, Bosch or Brose. It is part of Halla group, which is one of the big Korean family conglomerates and has private, but no structural ties to Hyundai-Kia. Mando presented a chainless electric bicycle under the name Footloose in 2012. The concept of a bicycle with electric power transmission from pedal to wheel dates back to as early as 2001, but Mando is the first manufacturer to go into production with it.

Going chainless

Removing the chain, which for some appears to be essential to the nature of a bicycle, is bound to be met with suspicion by bicycle enthusiasts. Yet, it might be one of the most momentous and groundbreaking steps in the evolution of the bicycle. The chain always has been one of the weakest parts of the bicycle and comes with many obvious issues: it stains your trousers and may break or jump off the gears. In addition, chains interfere with optimal suspension of the rear wheel. If the chain is eliminated, those issues vanish with it. A belt drive or drive shaft will eliminate the chain too, but an electric transmission is even better: It removes restrictions on the frame design, opening up interesting new possibilities (think of recumbents). It allows for multiple power sources (think of tandems or kindergarten group buses which cranks for each kid). As well as multiple drives (think all-wheel drives, anti-blocking systems, tracking control). But there is more; it enables consequential electronic innovations.

When electric drive trains are used on an electric bicycle, the technical term is “human-electric serial hybrid bicycle.” It consists of two power sources: 1. calories burnt in the human metabolism powering muscles, and 2. electricity stored in batteries or supercapacitors applied to the motor. These two sources are combined in a serial way, meaning there is no direct connection between the muscle and wheel, but an electric one. The muscle power is first converted to electrical energy by a generator, it can then be regulated to be either stored for later use or applied to the motor.

In this configuration a continuous automatic gearing can be implemented. While pedalling at your optimal cadence you could ride through mountainous terrain. When cycling downhill, not only can braking recuperate and charge the battery for the next ascent, but pedalling can too. Even a virtual track can be simulated electronically, optimizing your training (doing the Pyrenees climb along the Dutch waterfront). Combine this with heart-rate sensors and the topography will adapt to your exhaustion, giving you a virtual downhill ride on the way home, even if there is a physical mountain to climb.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this vision is this — with the capabilities provided by the serial hybrid, innovations may even be implemented solely by software, controlling the components in new ways. Say hello to apps for your bike.

The Mando Footloose is a promise of this. Two models are on the market, one of them a foldable bike. A third model was presented in 2015 at the IAA, but still hasn’t made it to the consumer. While being a moderate success on the domestic Korean market, the Footloose stayed a niche product for novelty enthusiasts in Europe. Mando sold of a couple of hundred units in a market of 2 million electric Bikes sold in Europe 2016. Not a complete failure – but not the success that Mando has hoped for either. Korean consumers bought the Footloose presumably more as a design icon than as an actual means of transportation. For cyclists, the Footloose has such an unfamiliar feel when pushing on the pedals; it just wasn’t as much fun as the real thing. Mando understood this deficiency and went back to the drawing board. 2017 will be a busy year for the team, getting the model G3 ready for the market. I’ve tried a prototype, and it definitely has the potential to be a game changer on the international market.

The industry in Korea

Korean conglomerates Samsung SDI and LG Chem are suppliers of batteries for electric vehicles, including electric bicycles. But when it comes to complete electric bicycles or drive systems for electric bicycles, no Korean company stood a chance against the international competition. Neighboring Japan led the power-assist revolution over two decades ago, and took Europe by storm thanks to the Pedal-Electric-Cycle, or Pedelec for short. Japan’s Yamaha, Panasonic and Sanyo dominated innovation and business (Shimano was late, introducing their STEPS system in 2013 to the market, 20 years after Yamaha). While Japanese manufacturers can count on their domestic market as the backbone of their business, it is much harder for a Korean company to enter this market.

A Korean manufacturer has to conquer the export market to succeed, because the domestic bicycle market is not significant enough in the high-end segment. This is sadly due to the lost cycling culture in South Korea. The bicycle is not an accepted way to get around if you are old enough for a drivers license anymore. Cycling only seems accepted (and not suicidal) as a fitness activity for the retired and confined to bicycle paths. There are some administrative initiatives to change this, some are quite halfhearted.

Cycling as an everyday way to get from A to B has an image problem in Korea, where cars are still an important status symbol. Mando has developed the Footloose to fit in this situation. Its appearance is in stark contrast to a traditional bicycle, and designed to look fashionable. Mando sells it as a lifestyle object in special Footloose cafes and department store boutiques. This approach is somewhat working for Korea, but doesn’t translate well abroad.

It’s not by coincidence that it takes a company from the automotive industry to innovate given the described challenges. The Korean bicycle industry doesn’t have the vision, engineering knowledge and financial power for substantial innovations. Mando however has big plans. It takes a great deal of persistence to stick to development until the product becomes close to what the vision was. Mando is determined to bring the next generation serial hybrid bicycle to the market. It will succeed, under the condition that they don’t stop development before it is perfect.

A bike or a system?

Just like the competition, Mando had underestimated the engineering challenge of a bicycle drive system in its complexity. Up until now, Mando has still been building, branding and selling the bicycle. This is a new business model for them, because in their car segment they are a specialized provider for brake, steering, and suspension systems which vehicle manufacturers integrate into their products. Providing the drive system for bicycle manufacturers is also the successful business model of competitors Yamaha, Brose and Bosch. Given that the serial hybrid is an intriguing concept for all sorts of vehicle types from cargo bike to recumbent, it certainly would be interesting to see other companies experiment with the technology. If Mando will act as supplier, it could still continue selling their Footloose as a “sample integration”.

We are looking forward to bicycle innovation from Korea. Mando is leading the way, and hopefully this will also encourage the national competition to innovate.

For more information on the serial hybrid and it’s development, get the ExtraEnergy magazine Issue 12 — its free and in English, German and Chinese. The article on the serial hybrid starts on page 33.

Skip the public transport hassles

There is perhaps nothing more agitating than a Monday morning met with sweaty bodies packed like sardines into a subway. Unless it’s being late for a conference call because all the city bus drivers decided to go on strike. Or maybe it’s all the times you went to catch the train but your transit card was empty.

With an electric bike you take back control of your commute and your life — fresh air, open road and no unexpected hassles. No exposure to high levels of body odor or suspiciously stained seats.

Door to door in a dash

Without having to budget train delays or traffic jams, thanks to an easy, breezy commute by electric cycle, you can cut down on your commute time. That means more time for a sunrise yoga class or time to drink coffee before hitting the daily grind. But, how does an e-bike out perform a regular bike to get you to the office in less time?

By itself the Mando Footloose IM motor can propel the bike 18 miles (30 kilometers) on a single charge, add in good old pedal power and the range increases to 37 miles (60 kilometers); top speeds reach 16 mph. The third generation of the bike. unveiled at EuroBike 2015. with larger 26” wheels increases the range of travel by 60 percent up to 56 miles. (Expected availability of this larger model is the summer of 2016.)

Sweat-free commute

With an e-bike less exerted force is necessary to get to where you want to go. Hills become a breeze and distances are much more manageable. Less strain, especially on those hot summer days, equals less sweat. Forget the change of clothes and toiletry kit you used to bring to work. It’s time to put away the Lycra shorts and show up to work like the boss you are.

The chainless design of the Mando Footloose means there’s no chance of grease rubbing on pant legs during the ride which cuts out dry cleaning costs and the price of new pants. Plus, this chainless e-cycle removes the risk of a slipping or rusty chain that can result in crashes.

Design darling

Mark Sanders is the British designer behind Mando Footloose and his philosophy of clean design with powerful tech ‘hidden inside’ translates beautiful to the ergonomically-friendly, easy-on-the-eyes design. Seamlessly fusing elements of science and art, Sanders was keen to cut exposure to cables by tucking them safely inside the minimalist frame.

According to Mando Footloose’s website, the organic form of the aluminum frame for the first generation model is based on the wing bone of a seagull. A bike built like a bird? No wonder it feels like flying up and down those hills.

Disadvantages of Digital Drive

The big one is drive efficiency. Converting between mechanical energy and electrical energy and then back to mechanical energy is very inefficient.

When you put power into your pedals, a single speed chain or belt drive will put more than 95% into propelling you forward. In comparison, a digital drivetrain will likely lose around 20% of the power at the generator and another 20% at the rear motor. With some step-up and step-down gearing to get the power ranges right, you might lose another 10%.

In total, we’re looking at close to half the efficiency of a chain drivetrain.

To put this in perspective, a chain drivetrain would have you riding at 27kph/17mph on the flat at 150 watts while a digital drivetrain would have you riding a full 17% slower (22.5kph/14mph). And on a slope, it gets even worse. A 5% gradient with a chain would have you cycling at 9.4kph, and you’ll be cycling 34% slower with a digital drive (6.2kph).

But keep in mind, these numbers don’t take into account any energy captured by the drivetrain through regenerative braking.

Digital drive would also add at least 25% more weight to a bike.

The lightest rear hub motor is more than one kilogram heavier than a regular hub, plus you can add at least another kilogram for the front generator and wiring. And given there is no mechanical coupling between the pedals and rear wheel, a digital drive motor needs to be especially powerful to make up for it. An appropriately powerful motor could be 2.5 to 3kg, depending on the terrain.

All rear hub motors cannot take advantage of your bike’s gears to operate in their optimal RPM range for both steep uphills and flat riding. Unless you use very large and heavy motors, digital drive can only really be geared for one or the other. Combining this with the high rear motor weight, it’s less ideal for a mountain bike application too.

Digital drive also relies very heavily on software and the controller. If the motor cannot be controlled within a couple of milliseconds, it will not have the same feel as a chain drivetrain.

Ok, so the advantages are big, but the disadvantages have really stacked up too, so let’s break things down further.

Series Hybrid Electric Bikes

I’ve just discussed the pros and cons when comparing digital drive fitted to regular bikes. But things get way more fascinating when we talk about the possibilities of digital drive e-Bikes.

When a digital drive bike is used in conjunction with a battery, it’s sometimes known as a Series Hybrid Pedelec. Digital drive bikes already have all of the components of an eBike, so fitting up a battery to not only provide some power assist but also offset the extra weight and transmission losses just makes sense.

The only production bike you can currently buy with a digital drivetrain is the Mando Footloose. This bike is at least a decade ahead of any other bike, so the drivetrain is not a particularly refined product. From all reports, it feels more like you’re walking up a stair climber rather than pedaling a bike, and the lag between the pedals and wheel torque results in a lot of surging.

Part of the issue here is the software. If the controller uses basic algorithms and cannot control the motor quickly enough, or provide appropriate feedback to the rider through the generator – the digital drive will not feel natural.

One reason why the Mando Footloose is the only digital drive bike available is that the German approval body for eBikes has until very recently classified digital drive bikes in the same category as motorbikes and mopeds, rather than as a bicycle. German bicycle shops attempting to sell the Mando Footloose even risked a €5,000 fine.

A more advanced digital drive system that never made it into production was found on the EE-SpeedBike. Using advanced software simulation of a chain drive in combination with special control algorithms to manipulate the components, it has been described as riding just like a regular bike.

The EE-SpeedBike weighs 29 kilograms (64lbs), can travel at 45kph, and get 80km of range with medium assistance. It’ll be interesting to see where this technology heads next – it looks like Schaeffler might be using some of the patented control electronics from this bike in their new ‘Free Drive’ system.

Digital Drive Efficiency Analysis

Ok, we need to talk about efficiency again because it’s often viewed as a real sticking point for digital drivetrains – but it need not be.

Firstly, drive efficiency is a lower priority for some cycling applications. Commuter bikes, bike rental fleets, and especially cargo bikes are examples where the possible extra weight and reduced range are far less important. And in any case, you can easily install a bigger battery to achieve the required range.

But the difference in drive efficiency to a chain drive bike might not be as large as we previously discussed, given the right circumstances, and provided you have Smart ways to save and use power.

When the motor is doing the majority of the work, digital drive e-bikes are closest in drive efficiency to chain drive e-bikes.

For example, if we compare a mid-drive e-bike to a digital drive e-bike with 200 watts coming in from the battery, when we cycle at 50-watts power output, we can theoretically achieve similar drive efficiencies. This is because there is only a small amount of energy lost to the generator.

I found a great thesis by Edgar Tournon, a student at Claude Bernard University, who explained that with his digital drive system, effective drive efficiency of close to 75% is possible on a 5km flat course, and it’s 62% if you add a 50 metre hill in the middle.

The reason the efficiency is so high is that energy can be recovered by the motor when slowing for traffic lights or cycling downhill. This is something that I didn’t factor in my earlier efficiency estimate – in stop/start situations, digital drive bikes can be quite efficient.

Edgar also determined that his drive system could even keep up with a regular chain drive bike on a stop/start city commute, provided his digital drivetrain had an efficiency of around 70% and he could use regenerative braking.

But perhaps it’s not the bike that needs the efficiency optimisation, but rather, the human.

Improving The Efficiency of Human Bodies

Another promising aspect of digital drive is that the system can make you – the rider – more efficient.

Our bodies work most efficiently at a nearly constant load, rather than a highly variable one. To maintain a constant load, we need to always select the right gear ratio and cadence for different riding situations. We don’t always get this right, but a digital drive could – offering the most efficient extraction of power with the lowest levels of body fatigue.

Mando Footloose IM: de beste e-bike zonder ketting

De populariteit van e-bikes stijgt onverminderd, steeds meer mensen kopen een elektrische fiets. Niet alleen om voor recreatief gebruik, maar ook voor woon-werkverkeer wordt steeds vaker voor een e-bike gekozen. Het is nu eenmaal een zeer aantrekkelijk vervoersmiddel: op de fiets ben je flexibel, heb je geen last van file’s en met een e-bike is het ook nog een lekker comfortabel voortbewegen. En als je er dan toch een kiest, bijvoorbeeld voor in de stad, dan ga je het liefst een stijlvolle fiets, geavanceerd en met wat technische snufjes. Precies zoals de Mando Footloose IM, een fiets met opvallend design, zónder ketting.

De Mando Footloose IM heeft in zijn jonge bestaan al indrukwekkende prijzen gewonnen, zoals de Red Dot Award. Bijzonder aan deze e-bike is natuurlijk dat deze geen ketting heeft. De manier van aandrijving is inventief: normaal gesproken is er een mechanische verbinding tussen de cranks en het achterwiel, maar nu zijn deze via een alternator met elkaar verbonden. De e-bike heeft uiteraard wél pedalen, maar die gebruik je niet om je met kracht voor te bewegen, maar puur om de elektromotor te prikkelen. Doordat de ketting ontbreekt, ziet de Mando Footloose IM er direct super cool uit. De voorganger van deze fiets, de Mando Footloose, was overigens de eerste kettingloze e-bike ooit gemaakt. Deze opvolger is lichter, goedkoper en gemaakt met betere materialen. Het design is slank en er is gebruikt gemaakt van duurzaam met kunststof bekleed aluminium frame.

Ideaal voor in de stad

Met iets meer dan 21 kilo, een topsnelheid van 25 km/uur en een batterij waarmee je (met meetrappen) 60 km kunt fietsen, is dit de ideale e-bike voor in de stad. De snelheid is begrensd op 25 km/uur, maar sneller moet je op een fiets in de stad ook niet willen gaan. Het is gewoon een hele stoere fiets, waarmee je in de stad echt wel gezien wilt worden.

En dan het leukste van deze e-bike: de technische snufjes. Op je stuur heb je een dashboard, een LCD-computer die ongeveer net zo groot als een smartphone is. Hierop krijg je een hoop informatie, zoals het vermogen, je actuele snelheid en je krijgt informatie over het onderhoud van je fiets. Hier kun je ook aangeven in welke versnelling je wilt fietsen. ga je voor eco of wil je juist lekker sportief fietsen. en ook de weerstand van de pedalen kun je hier aangeven. Deze computer geeft je ook nog eens handige informatie over bijvoorbeeld veranderingen in het terrein of de accuspanning, zodat je niet een heel eind van huis met een lege accu komt te staan. Naast het feit dat je hier een hoop informatie krijgt, is het eigenlijk ook de sleutel tot je fiets: zonder de computer is de fiets niet te gebruiken. Een efficiënt beveiligingssysteem dus.

De Mando Footloose IM kies je in je eigen favoriete kleur: rood, wit, geel/groen, donkerblauw of donkergrijs. Via de website kun je alle verkooppunten en meer informatie vinden. De consumentenadviesprijs is 2.690 euro.

De redactie van Dutchcowboys is te bereiken via redactie@dutchcowboys.nl

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Mando Footloose: Praxis-Test des E-Bikes

Das Mando Footlose E-Bike ist nun auch in Deutschland erhältlich. COMPUTER BILD hat das Designerrad unter die Füße genommen.

Wer kennt das nicht? Nach einem Tag auf dem Rad hinterlässt die Fahrradkette dunkle Ölflecken auf dem Hosenbein, die sich nur mit Mühe und Not entfernen lassen. Ganz ohne Kette und mechanischen Antrieb kommt das E-Bike Mando Footloose jetzt auf den deutschen Markt und protzt mit neuer Hybrid-Technologie und puristischem Look.

Ohne Kanten und gerade Linien

Das bisher in limitierter Auflage erhältliche Mando Footloose ist eine Kreation des südkoreanischen Automobilzulieferers Mando und des Unternehmens Halla Meister. Mando verpasste dabei dem E-Bike das Design und die passenden Elektronik-Elemente – ähnlich wie bei Hybridautos. Offenbar inspiriert von einer Möwenschwinge gewann der von Industriedesigner Mark Sanders konzipierte Rahmen des Mando Footloose Anfang 2013 den Red Dot Design Award und den deutschen iF Design Award.

Wie der elektronische Assistent beim Hybridauto prüft die ECU-Steuerung (Electronic Control Unit) des neuen Hybridantriebs kontinuierlich die Umdrehung der Räder, die Trittfrequenz, die Steigung und den erzeugten Strom. Am mitgelieferten HMI-Display lässt sich zusätzlich die bereits zurückgelegte Distanz, die aktuelle Geschwindigkeit und der Akkuzustand ablesen. Ganz ohne Display ist das E-Bike zwar ohne Funktion, dennoch aktiviert sich dann der integrierte Diebstahlschutz. Das Footloose-Rad kann per Hebel am Rahmen in Sekundenschnelle zusammenklappen. Im Falt-Modus passt es in in den Kofferraum.

Weltneuheit: E-Bike ohne Kette

E-Bike Mando Footloose: In wenigen Sekunden startklar

Dank ECU-System und automatischer Gangschaltung ist auch bei Steigungen bis zu 21 Prozent für eine angenehme Fahrt gesorgt. Das Treten in die Pedale verringert zudem den Stromverbrauch des Akkus (8,2 Amperestunden, so viel wie rund vier Smartphones), der sich an der Steckdose innerhalb von drei Stunden aufladen lassen soll. Nach Angaben des Herstellers hält eine Akkuladung Fahrten von bis zu 45 Kilometern durch – abhängig von den jeweiligen Straßenverhältnissen. Eine maximale Geschwindigkeit von bis zu 25 Kilometern pro Stunde soll möglich sein. Nachteil: Bei leerem Akku bewegt sich das E-Bike nicht vom Fleck.

Fazit: Mando Footloose im Praxis-Test

Das Footloose bietet ein entspanntes Fahrgefühl, denn die automatische Gangschaltung passt sich je nach Trittbelastung auf die Pedale dem Fahrer an. Vor Fahrtbeginn ist das E-Bike ohne Mühe zügig auseinander geklappt. Schnell ist die maximale Geschwindigkeit mit nur wenigen Pedaltritten erreicht. Für Rennradfahrer, die meist auf einen harten Antritt bestehen, ist das nichts. Und das nicht nur wegen der geringen Höchstgeschwindigkeit. Beim Treten in die Pedale fehlt der gewohnte Widerstand – der Bord-Computer samt autonomer Gangschaltung rechnet nämlich mit. Ergebnis: Das Mando Footloose E-Bike ist vor allem für Stadtradler eine praktikable Alternative zum gewohnten Rad – mit knapp 4.000 Euro aber auch sehr teuer.

Das elektronische Klapprad ist zur Zeit nur in dem vom Hersteller eröffneten Pop-Up-Store in Berlin (Berliner Platoon Kunsthalle, Schönhauser Allee 9, 10119 Berlin) für 3.999 Euro erhältlich. Bis zum 31. August 2013 bietet Mando Interessenten Probefahrten an. Wahlweise gibt es das Designerrad in Weiß, Grau, Blau und Schwarz.