City Slick – Hybrid Electric Bikes from OHM Cycles, Green, Efficient Urban Travel

OHM electric bikes make traveling around urban landscapes a fun, green experience; bikes integrate human power with an electric motor assist

VANCOUVER, B.C., CANADA– Looking for an innovative, green mode of transport to get around your favorite metropolitan area – one that doesn’t involve a car the size of a shoe box, the belch of biodiesel, or bus fare?   If so, you’re a candidate to climb aboard a hybrid electric-assist bike from OHM Cycles.

An OHM Cycles hybrid electric-assist bike is just like a standard bike, but one energized by an electric motor integrated into the rear wheel.  An enclosed rechargeable lithium-ion power pack straddles the top tube.  Atop the handlebar, a micro-chipped control module choreographs the symphony of human and e-power.  The result?  A bike that automatically adds a pedaling boost – the more grunt the rider gives, the more boost the electric motor provides.

OHM Cycles 2009 product line up includes five models: Urban XU450, XU500 and XU700 and Sport XS700 and XS750.  The Urban models are ideal for in-city commuting, featuring a lightweight aluminum frame, front suspension, and upright position for a more comfortable ride.  The Sport also utilizes high-performance components — plus a more powerful motor and all-terrain tires.

“In many big cities of the world, electric-assist bicycles are common place, but in a very rudimentary form,” explained Michael DeVisser, president and founder of OHM Cycles Ltd., who lived in Asia and saw firsthand the potential of electric-assist bicycles as an efficient mode of city transportation.  “We took the latest cycling technology and created what we feel is the ideal electric-powered bike for urban travel.”

OHM Cycles can be ridden as a conventional bicycle or with pedal assist from the intelligent drive system.  With its lightweight components and customized power system, an OHM e-bike will send the rider racing up hills and around the city with ease.  Range is 20-75 miles.  OHM bikes have caught the attention of the mainstream media, too, with positive reviews in the Wall Street Journal, Wired magazine, AutoWeek and the Vancouver Sun.

At the core of the OHM Cycles’ bikes is the BionX motor, a brushless direct current generative wheel motor capable of peak power output of 700 Watts (450 Watts for the 250 Watt series motor).  The silent motor features a microprocessor that calculates rider thrust and compensates for the weakest leg to ensure a smooth ride.

Key features of the BionX motor include:

Brushless and gearless design requiring no maintenance.

Four power modes, with the motor compensating pedaling power by 25 – 300 percent, depending on the power level selected.

Four generative modes – the battery can be recharged at four strength levels when riding, braking or going downhill.

Magnetic-field-drive technology works with no friction or wear inside the motor. In testing, the motor has covered 45,000 miles of operation with zero maintenance required.

Completely sealed hub is impervious to rain and snow.

Thermal protection to prevent overheating.

OHM Cycles’ 2009 models feature four power packs, each designed to offer optimum power and range for every riding application. All OHM Urban and Sport models combine the BionX drive technology with a Molicel® Rechargeable Li-ion cell power pack.

Key features for 2009 also include:

4 Power packs available – 25 to 70 miles per charge with custom OHM Quick Connect system to easily remove and recharge

Fast Recharge – 90% capacity in 20 minutes, fully charge in 3 hours, charge over 500 times without loss of capacity

Intelligent Sensor – Patented BionX torque sensor automatically responds to the rider’s pedaling force and provides a smooth natural sensation

Suntour® Suspension seat post for a more comfortable ride

Adjustable stem and handlebars to customize riding position

Topeak® rear carry rack with QuickTrack™ MTX

“We wanted to make the most versatile hybrid e-bike on the market,” DeVisser said, “and we’re confident we have achieved that goal.  As the leader in electric cycling, OHM Cycles has created bicycles that match technical innovation with environmental concerns.”

Clean Green Transportation

Expanding the bicycle network is an important step to support a clean, green and healthy mode of transportation. OHM bikes produce zero emissions during operation. Each Power pack consumes about one kilowatt-hour of energy while recharging.