Artificial intelligence, automatic emergency calling, video streaming, blockchain technology, gamification, augmented reality – if you’ve been following the announcement of the new Greyp G6 eMTB (and have read our first review) you’ll know that the long fingers of connectivity and digitalisation have now reached the world of eMTBs. What does this mean for us? How much technology do we need on an eMTB?
“With the new Greyp G6, we’ve been able to add a new dimension to the riding experience. The integration of sensors, processors, cameras and eSIM technology into an ebike creates an eco-system that is constantly connected to the internet, offering completely new possibilities. We believe the presentation of this bike will not only be a turning point for our company but also – all modesty aside – for the industry.” Mate Rimac, CEO of Greyp Bikes and Rimac Automobili, makes his ambitions clear at the official presentation of the G6 in the Croatian capital Zagreb.
We are among the best in the electronics and software industry, so we built a bike around that know-how.
Greyp Bikes have been a hitherto almost unknown brand, although they’ve got high-profile investors such as Porsche behind them and employ more than 60 people. That includes around 30 designers, engineers and developers who are constantly pushing the development of their bike, with a particular focus on software and connectivity. Moreover, they also benefit from an immense wealth of battery know-how as well as their own battery production plant. The sister company Rimac Automobili has over 600 employees and not only produces its own electric supercars, but also manufactures supercar powertrains and batteries for the likes of Aston Martin, Koenigsegg, Jaguar and Porsche. For the G6, Greyp Bikes have signed an agreement with Hrvatski Telekom (a Croatian telecommunications company) providing the bike with worldwide Internet connectivity.
“This is not a bike, but an accessory for your smartphone.” This radical statement by Zvonimir Sučić, CTO of Greyp Bikes, shows what can happen when a tech company develops an eMTB. CEO Mate adds: “We are among the best in the electronics and software industry, so we built a bike around that know-how.”
The purist vs. the technology geek
We asked the members of our editorial team what they thought about digitisation and connectivity in eMTBs and ended up starting a big debate. We’ve got two contrary opinions from our editor Andreas Maschke and our CTO, Aaron Steinke on this phenomenon:
“Whether it’s a one-day adventure or an overnighter, when I’m on the bike, there is one thing counts to me most: minimalism. I prefer enjoying the trail and the scenery with minimal frills or bling, staying in the moment while others are busy taking photos for Instagram. I fear that increasing connectivity and technology are distracting us more and more, disconnecting us from our immediate environment. The display of the device you’re using keeps you busy, drawing your attention to things that you don’t really need or want. To me, it’s obvious: a flood of information inevitably leads to the fact that it takes more energy to focus on the essentials. There is also the risk that this technology and its functions will be integrated as standard,- whether it makes sense or not, and as a result you’ll also have to pay for it, carry it around, take care of it, and in the worst case have no alternatives left. But please don’t get me wrong, when I ride, I don’t navigate with a paper map either and I’m not opposed to using a map app on my iPhone. It all comes down to context and I think you have to ask yourself a few important questions: Can an eMTB be puristic? How much technology is too much technology?
Talking about eMTBs and minimalism is a hard sell, because with the motor, the battery, and a minimal interface (small display and small remote) you’ve already got quite a lot of technology on the bike. But what matters to me is reliability and discrete integration. I also consider an integrated light and the option of adjusting the settings and getting updates via an app to be quite useful.
Anything that costs me extra time or that regularly diverts my attention starts to become too much technology. Games, live videos etc. may inspire some, but for me, these are unnecessary gadgets that distract us from the essentials – riding, experiencing nature and the flow of the trail. It’s even worse when the bike is full of gadgets and cables cluttering the cockpit, which make it ever more susceptible to defects. Imagine you have a great bike full of technology and somewhere along the line the tech malfunctions – there goes the fun you could have had on the trails. Well, maybe in the future your bike will automatically call a mobile breakdown service … “.
“I am fascinated by the new possibilities created by digitalisation. Every day I measure my body metrics and fitness data via wearable tech, more specifically a smart ring. For me, collecting data means having options, whether that’s for personal statistics, the optimisation of my training or for purposes that might only reveal themselves in the future.
eMTBs offer the perfect basis for tinkering with tech since they’re already equipped with electronic technology. The step from eMTB to “Smart Bike” is smaller than that from a non-motorised MTB. As already mentioned, modern eMTBs already have a lot of technology integrated into them. For the future, however, I think it is very important to improve the connectivity of the technologies we already use and to simplify the interfaces – be it for navigation, software updates, information on the bike’s “health status” or the exchange of information between individual components.
I also see the bike as an exciting gaming platform. Besides the numerous bike games available for smartphones, you’ve already got virtual racetracks and competitions on Strava or Zwift, for both the trails and the home trainer. So the question I ask myself is, why not take the whole thing to the next level? I also see the motivational aspect. If the technology or the gamification makes you ride more often, riding faster and further, that’s a good thing. Also, I can imagine that this fascinating technology will attract new demographics to the eMTB segment.
I even consider a direct internet connection to be useful. Imagine simple “over the air” software updates for your bike to immediately get new features – how cool is that?
I regard the argument of too much tech on bikes as quite weak. After all, everyone can decide for themselves whether they want a high-tech bike or not. Just because this new technology is there doesn’t mean you have to buy it. Also, I’m convinced that minimalism is a mindset, not an inherent property of bikes. Just because I have something, doesn’t mean I have to be distracted by it. Those who let themselves be distracted in this day and age will have problems everywhere.”
As you can see, the debate about digitalisation is not an easy one to answer and comes down to personal preferences. But we’re sure it will play a major role in the development of bikes over the next few years. What do you think of the digital transformation in the bike industry? Do you want more technology on your bike or are you more of a purist? Let us know at hello@ebike-mtb.com
Here you’ll find our review of the Greyp G6: First Ride Review: Greyp G6 – Is Artificial Intelligence coming to eMTBs?
This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #017
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Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Robin Schmitt, Greyp Bikes
