UTgear H2: Separate Gearbox Offering a Simplified Shifting Option for Rear Hub Motors

Shifting gears on an ebike. For some, it’s second nature. Others find it very difficult to get to grips with. They regulate the physical effort required when pedalling almost exclusively using the ebike system’s riding modes. A new player is targeting precisely this group and promising greater simplicity. UTgear has developed a drive with just two gears. What makes the UTgear H2 special is that it can be combined with a rear wheel hub motor.

1. A hub gear system and a rear wheel motor together – can that work?
2. What is the concept behind the UTgear H2?
3. How many gears does this gear system offer?
4. How do you change gears on the UTgear H2?
5. Is the system a gear hub?
6. Which ebike drivetrains use a similar principle?
7. What advantages does the UTgear drive offer?
8. Are there any disadvantages resulting from the integration of the drive?
9. On which ebikes might the UTgear H2 potentially be seen?
10. Which target group is this gear system designed for?
11. Who is UTgear?

1. A hub gear system and a rear wheel motor together – can that work?

The clear answer is yes. For example, motor manufacturer Bafang has had rear-wheel hub motors in its range since 2022, featuring an integrated automatic gear system. It calls its system ‘Gear Variable Transmission’, or GVT for short. The most advanced version of this is currently the Bafang H730, with its fully enclosed automatic gearbox offering three gear ratios. You’ll find this motor fitted in both the Volt Urban and the Hercules Urbanico F3. Other ebikes on the market use the simpler Bafang H720 with two gears.

2. What is the concept behind the UTgear H2?

Unlike Bafang’s solution, the UTgear H2 is simply a drive without a rear hub motor. However, the unit – which can be mounted on a conventional Shimano HG freehub body – can be combined with a rear hub motor. UTgear is currently demonstrating this in collaboration with Bosch. Together, they have integrated the H2 and the new Hub Line into a complete rear hub.

3. How many gears does this gear system offer?

The manufacturer has deliberately limited the system to two gears. “H2 is about removing unnecessary complexity without removing the fun and function of shifting,” says Frank Schneider, CSO of Universal Transmissions. Consequently, the only distinction is between Low and High. One and two. Whichever you prefer. The smoother gear ratio with a factor of 1.0 is designed for setting off from a standstill, for example after stopping at traffic lights. It’s also useful when a strong headwind or an incline makes progress difficult. Gear number two, on the other hand, uses a higher gear ratio of 1.4. It’s designed to make riding on flat terrain at higher speeds easier.

4. How do you change gears on the UTgear H2?

The gear lever mounted on the handlebars gives it away – this gearing system is operated in the traditional, mechanical way. According to the manufacturer, this should also work under load. In our view, an automatic solution would also have been a very good fit. However, UTgear may have wanted to keep the system as low-maintenance and as fault-tolerant as possible. At the same time, this reduces production costs, which could make it easier for some ebike manufacturers to opt for integrating the H2.

The system is designed for use with both a belt and a standard bicycle chain.

5. Is the system a gear hub?

No, with the UTgear H2 we are talking solely about a gearbox – more specifically, a planetary gearbox. Put simply, this is integrated into a disc-shaped housing. On the drive side, this is mounted on the right-hand side of a compatible rear wheel hub motor. Only when combined with the motor, the freewheel and the other components does it form a complete rear wheel hub. Its mounting width is determined by the width of the bicycle manufacturer’s hub or the rear wheel hub motor.

6. Which ebike drivetrains use a similar principle?

Electrolyte, for example, uses a two-stage planetary gearbox with its Straßenfeger S4E. In that model, the gearbox is part of the front hub motor. Classified’s Powershift Hub also builds on this system with two different gear ratios. However, this solution is a complete gear hub.

Furthermore, you’ll find planetary gearboxes in classic hub gears without an ebike motor from Rohloff, 3X3 or Revolute. These manufacturers even use serial planetary gearboxes with multiple gear stages.

There are also mid-drive motors with planetary gearboxes as the shifting system. One example of this highly complex design featuring a motor-gearbox unit integrated into the bottom bracket is the Owuru drive from E2 Drives and Decathlon. The Finnish manufacturer Revonte also pursued a similar approach with its system – though, ultimately, without success.

7. What advantages does the UTgear drive offer?

In its compact, minimalist form, the H2 promises to be exceptionally robust, to enable reliable gear changes, to require virtually no maintenance and, ultimately, to have a long service life. In our view, the effort required for ebike manufacturers to integrate it with a rear hub motor should be manageable.

For the respective brands, the H2 represents a gearing option that has been rather rare to date, one that opens up a wider range of performance than a single-speed drivetrain, yet is not as complex as a derailleur system with nine or more gears. This is also likely to be reflected in the final price of an ebike.

The design of the ebikes remains minimalist, whilst the total weight increases by just 987 grams. That is, in fact, how much the H2 weighs.

8. Are there any disadvantages resulting from the integration of the drive?

Given that it is designed with only two gear ratios, the system’s use is understandably somewhat limited by its very nature. You are left with only two options for adapting to terrain featuring climbs, flat sections and descents, or to external conditions such as strong headwinds – at least as far as gear changes are concerned. This is not compatible with every type of ebike, every region or every rider’s requirements.

9. On which ebikes might the UTgear H2 potentially be seen?

According to the manufacturer, they envisage integrating this new product primarily into urban ebikes, trekking ebikes and simple ebikes for everyday use. First launches surrounding Eurobike 2026 confirm this prediction. Among the first models on the market are, for example, the Vello Via+ Urban folding ebike as well as the Kalkhoff Image 1 Advance and Kreidler Journal Style N H2 city ebikes. In addition, Tour de Suisse will also be introducing urban ebikes featuring this solution in the foreseeable future.

10. Which target group is this gear system designed for?

From the manufacturer’s perspective, there is a phenomenon amongst cyclists that it aims to address with its solution – a laziness when it comes to changing gears. Of course, we’re the only ones putting it in such strong terms here. UTgear chooses far more diplomatic wording. Ultimately, both boil down to the same thing. Some ebike riders feel that switching between the different riding modes is entirely sufficient for regulating the level of effort required when pedalling. It feels as though they’re ignoring the fact that there’s a second, highly effective system fitted to the ebike for this very purpose – whether it’s a derailleur or a hub gear system. Or perhaps they’d prefer to use the model in question with a rudimentary solution from the outset, only this isn’t offered by the manufacturer.

The combination of a rear hub motor and the H2 gearbox now fills this gap. In theory, at least. In practice, it remains to be seen how many ebike manufacturers will make use of it. In any case, however, there is now an option that prevents you from paying for a high-end drivetrain on your ebike, only to end up riding it around unused later on.

11. Who is UTgear?

UTgear is a brand founded in early June 2026 under the umbrella of Universal Transmissions. Through UTgear, Universal Transmissions aims to translate the expertise it has built up since 2006 in the development, distribution, integration and technical support of belt drive applications into concrete, market-ready products. The UTgear label will be used to develop components, accessories, tools and practical mobility solutions. The CEO of both UTgear and Universal Transmissions is none other than Karlheinz Nicolai, founder of Nicolai Bicycles.

Pictures: Universal Transmissions GmbH