Hyena is adding a sporty touch to its range. A few days ago at the Taipei Cycle 2023, the drive manufacturer presented a new system called E-Road Air. In addition to being used on e-road bikes, this is probably also suitable for one or two e-gravel bikes.
According to the statistics of the German Zweirad-Industrie-Verband (ZIV) for 2022, e-road bikes and e-gravel bikes belong to the group of sporty ebikes whose sales figures in Germany have increased by 120 percent compared to the previous year. With about 22,000 bikes, the number is still quite modest. However, the size of the increase gives an idea of the potential this category could hold.
E-drive counts on your support
Given this background, Hyena seems to be on the right track. Regarding some key data, the E-Road Air fits the requirement profile very well. It is light, compact and provides only a limited amount of support. This leaves enough room for your sporting ambitions, should you ever riding with such a drive.
Hyena E-Road Air drive
The heart of the system, the MRC-A150 rear hub motor, weighs just 1.4 kilograms. With an outer diameter of 112 millimetres, it disappears behind almost any cassette. Its Shimano HG freewheel ensures compatibility with cassettes that have a minimum of nine and a maximum of twelve sprockets. In terms of torque, the motor ranks between drives from Mahle and FSA. The 30 Newton metres probably mean a more powerful push than the 22 Newton metres of the Mahle X20. However, it does not come close to the propelling power of the FSA HM 1.0 with its 42 Newton metres.
Rear hub motor of the drive
The sensors integrated in the bottom bracket have a decisive influence on how the dynamics of the E-Road Air actually unfold in practice. It registers torque and cadence and translates this into the final motor assistance. As always, the more power you invest in cycling, the more support you will receive from the motor.
Torque sensor integrated in the bottom bracket
Energy for the motor and other electronics
Of course, this only works as long as the battery is supplying power. The 250 watt hours of capacity of the BP-B250+ are almost identical to what the two competitors mentioned above offer in their respective systems. It remains unclear whether the 1.5 kilogram energy source can be removed or whether it will be permanently installed in the ebike. Unfortunately, Hyena did not respond to a corresponding enquiry from us.
At least it is clear that the battery can also supply the power for the lighting system and electronic gears. This opens up the option for bicycle manufacturers, for example, to develop an ebike with the E-Road Air that complies with the road traffic regulations in Germany. Basically, it was apparently very important to Hyena to design its system as openly as possible. There are interfaces for third-party electronic systems that can later be controlled via suitable applications from Hyena. In addition, the company wants to develop its own intelligent components in the future that can be operated with the help of the software and thus expand its own drive systems.
Hyena quotes a range of around 60 kilometres for the BP-B250+. Knowing that this won’t satisfy everyone, the E-Road Air offers a range extender in the form of the BE-B180. This gives you an additional 180 watt hours, which should increase the range to around 100 kilometres. As is now common practice, Hyena has given the additional battery the shape of a water bottle so that it fits into the bottle cage. Of course, this comes at the cost of weight. At 1.3 kilograms, it is not insignificant. The range extender for the Mahle X20 weighs about 300 grams less with the same capacity.
Range extender in bottle form with 180 watt hours of capacity
Display and operating units of varying quality
The operating concept is based on a rudimentary display called LED Chip and separate buttons mounted on the drop bars. Their plus and minus buttons can be used to change riding modes, while the hands can remain on the handlebars the entire time. In the pictures available so far, the buttons seem a bit clunkier than, for example, the e-shifters from Mahle for the X20 and X35+. In addition, the position in the middle of the drops seems rather inappropriate. Hopefully the bicycle manufacturers won’t do the same.
On the other hand, there is hardly anything to criticise about the display. As before, it can be integrated into the top tube or stem. In its second generation, both the selected assistance level and the remaining battery capacity are displayed.
Control concept with display that can be integrated into the top tube or stem and buttons for the drop bars
Flyweight for a taste
A prototype exhibited at the Taipei Cycle showed what the complete package of the E-Road Air could look like on an ebike. According to Hyena, the e-road bike weighs only about 10 kilograms. A manufacturer for the bike has not yet been found. However, the company expressed optimism that a similar bicycle with the drive system would soon be on the market.
Prototype of an e-road bike with the Hyena E-Road Air drive at Taipei Cycle 2023
Hyena E-Road Air drive system at a glance
- Type of drive: rear wheel hub motor
- Power: 250 W in continuous operation
- Bottom bracket: ISIS
- Maximum support: 25 km/h
- Torque: 30 Nm
- Capacity: 250 Wh, optional range extender with 180 Wh
- Total weight: 3.2 kg
Pictures: Hyena Inc
The Hyena E-Road Air is an exciting addition to the world of e-bikes, offering a sleek design and impressive features. Aspiring cyclists will appreciate its lightweight frame and powerful motor, making it perfect for both commuting and leisurely rides. With its advanced technology and user-friendly interface, this bike is sure to impress.