A Catrike Trail E-Cat accessorized with a Shimano Alfine-8 drivetrain upgrade, Racktime rear rack with integrating basket, phone-mount, and extra mirror using AlphaBENT accessory mounts.
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22 October 2014 - 8:46pm
NeoDrive - German electric-assist for recumbent trikes
22 October 2014, Sacramento, CA: AlphaBENT is shipping its first NeoDrive electric-assist retrofit kits.
For the past 5 weeks, AlphaBENT has been sourcing the German-engineered NeoDrive electric-assist systems to fit onto most of the trikes in the recumbent market. The first two kits have shipped this week for installation on ICE and Catrike recumbent tricycles.
The NeoDrive is the same system promised by ICE for the 2015 model year and is pictured prominently in the 2015 ICE catalog. The NeoDrive is rated at a nominal 250W with peak power output of 600W. Coupled with a high-capacity 15.5amp-hour lithium-ion battery, the NeoDrive is expected to be capable of tremendous distances between charges.
How far that is has yet to be determined and will depend on factors such as boost setting and rider behavior. Distances of 60-80 miles per charge are expected. More concrete numbers will be forthcoming. Pricing for a 250W system with 15.5Ahr battery and associated mounting hardware is approximately $2650. This system is drop-in compatible with standard configurations of ICE, Catrike, and HP Velotechnik recumbent trikes -- meaning that no major changes to other componentry are needed. Unlike other hub-based electric-assist systems, the NeoDrive retrofits can be fitted with quick-release axles facilitating wheel changes and tube and tire repairs.
The NeoDrive is a torque-based pedal-assist system, meaning that the system measures rider pedaling force and amplifies that force without the need for external throttles. Its motor occupies the under-utilized left-side of the hub to reduce rotational inertia. The NeoDrive is made with an external freehub body allowing use of the standard 8, 9, and 10-speed cassettes predominant throughout the recumbent trike industry.
All of these factors weighed into the decision to carry and support the NeoDrive brand at AlphaBENT.
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Information
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