Whats the deal with ebike manufacturers claiming their electric triathlon and time trial bikes are optimized for aerodynamics when theyre still rocking the same old 700c wheels and chunky frames as their commuter counterparts? I mean, come on, if Im shelling out top dollar for an ebike specifically designed for speed, I expect some serious aero wizardry going on.
Take, for example, the recent crop of aero-optimized ebikes from the likes of Giant, Trek, and Specialized. Theyre all touting their sleek, wind-tunnel-tested frames and wheelsets, but when you dig deeper, theyre still using the same old rim brakes, chunky fork legs, and bulbous downtubes as their non-aero cousins. And dont even get me started on the integrated batteries and motors, which seem to be little more than afterthoughts slapped onto an existing frame design.
Meanwhile, companies like Ventum and Ceepo are pushing the boundaries of aero design with their radical, drag-reducing shapes and innovative wheelsets. But are these bikes truly optimized for electric propulsion, or are they just repurposed triathlon frames with an ebike motor slapped on?
So, whats the real deal? Are we seeing genuine innovation in the world of electric triathlon and time trial bikes, or is it just marketing fluff? What are the key design elements that set a truly aero-optimized ebike apart from the rest, and which manufacturers are actually delivering the goods?
Take, for example, the recent crop of aero-optimized ebikes from the likes of Giant, Trek, and Specialized. Theyre all touting their sleek, wind-tunnel-tested frames and wheelsets, but when you dig deeper, theyre still using the same old rim brakes, chunky fork legs, and bulbous downtubes as their non-aero cousins. And dont even get me started on the integrated batteries and motors, which seem to be little more than afterthoughts slapped onto an existing frame design.
Meanwhile, companies like Ventum and Ceepo are pushing the boundaries of aero design with their radical, drag-reducing shapes and innovative wheelsets. But are these bikes truly optimized for electric propulsion, or are they just repurposed triathlon frames with an ebike motor slapped on?
So, whats the real deal? Are we seeing genuine innovation in the world of electric triathlon and time trial bikes, or is it just marketing fluff? What are the key design elements that set a truly aero-optimized ebike apart from the rest, and which manufacturers are actually delivering the goods?