Riese & Müller with COBI.Bike, theft protection and new bikes
Riese & Müller takes a big step towards the future and presents a number of exciting, mostly digital innovations. COBI.bike integration with Bosch interface, a comprehensive theft protection program with GPS tracker and lots of assistance-related services. There are also a personal customer portal and two new bikes on their way — that’s not all of it but certainly the most exciting additions.
Networking and digital services are at the top of Riese & Müller’s agenda for 2019. As part of the Rider Experience (RX) program a number of new products and features should help customers to use and maintain their bikes and effectively allow them to focus on riding their bikes and having a good time.
The connectivity Dreamteam: COBI.Bike, Bosch and Riese & Müller
Let’s introduce the most exciting news straight away. Riese & Müller will be the first manufacturer to offer a Bosch-based COBI interface. Thanks to Bosch’s acquisition of COBI.bike the integration is straightforward. It relies on a standard Intuvia mount and uses the same remote it has used so far – and of course you’ll need to use the display of your mobile phone in connection with this system. The collaboration with COBI.bike is not just limited to the system itself but is a long-term development partnership. One of the special Riese & Müller features is a user-interface with a very own design — more special features are planned for the future and can be added later-on by simply updating the app. The system will be available as an optional for nearly all models (except for HS models and automatic gear-shifters) from September the 1st at an extra charge of €169.
Riese & Müller is also setting up a customer portal for its end-customers. When customers place an order they will receive a login-code for their individual configuration which they can use to track the production status of their bike. More features regarding assistance- and maintenance-related services will be released in the near future — as well as a complete dealer-interface. This will allow you to book a maintenance or repair and check the status of either. The features of the customer portal will be connected and combined with the COBI.bike app.
Comprehensive theft protection: RX-Connect and RX-Service
An optional thief protection tracker called RX-Connect will soon be released but will initially only be available for the Nevo series. This tracker sits deep inside the drive-slot and draws its power from the main battery. In addition the tracker has its very own battery in case the main battery is removed. Thanks to cutting edge narrowband IoT technology the chip is extremely energy-efficient and can run on its own power for another 5 months.
And there’s more. If customers who subscribed to the RX-Service suffer a theft all they have to do is call the hotline and report their bike stolen. At this point they just have to be patient while their case is taken care of and wait to get their bike back. If the bike doesn’t turn up within a certain time frame the stolen bike will be replaced with a brand new one. Due to the nature of the service the RX service doesn’t have one-off payment option but needs to be purchased through a yearly subscription which costs € 99/PA.
New models: Load 75 and Multicharger
The Riese & Müller Load 75 is not exactly a brand new bike but rather the new extra-long version of the Load series. It shares all the features with the Load but features a 75 cm-long loading area. This gives you 50% more loading-volume than the Load 60 and is just 6 cm wider — which means the handling should be pretty much identical. Fun Fact: The reason this version has been released is the arrival of the chief-engineers’ third child… that’s how many children you can carry on it. Two of them will be sitting facing front one of them facing back. Of course the Load 75 can also be used to transport other goods and there will also be the usual range of accessories. The bike will be available in two versions starting September the at a price ranging between € 5,599 and €5,899. The equivalent HS versions (45 km/h) will cost € 600 more.
The Multicharger might not be as radical as the Load 75 but is still pretty unique. Based on the normal Charger it features a longer rear-end which makes it a classic cargo-bike. The carrier can take up to four standard panniers, R&M’s own bag system or a “passenger” seat. The Multicharger will also be available FROM September onwards; it will be released in 4 standard versions and 2 HS versions at prices ranging from € 3,899 to € 5,099 – without any DualBattery- or bag-upgrades.
For more information head to the Riese & Müller Website
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