Optibike USV owner Hope Connors Brown

The Optibike 850Xli is the invention of award winning electric bike designer Jim Turner who claims his latest bike is the worlds fastest production electric bicycle, “I designed the 850Xli to fit the needs of the American market- it is very fast, made with the highest quality racing components, and is powered by the largest, lightest, and most powerful battery offered in an electric bike- the 850Xli is the ultimate electric bike for the serious commuter or backcountry enthusiast.”

So far, Mr. Turners assessment of the market has proved right on- sales of his $9995.00 Optibike 850Xli have driven unit sales volume of his company up 44% so far in 2009. This, after a solid 230% volume increase in 2008.

“This year we have seen a dramatic shift in the demographics of our customers. Electric bikes are no longer only a niche market for enthusiasts- we sell Optibikes to people ranging from 22 to 80 years old, the biggest thing our customers have in common is the desire to have fun and get out and enjoy life,” says Optibike Marketing Director Craig Weakley.

One Optibike customer, Arnie Singal, sums up his experience: “With the Optibike, I can now do in my 70′s as much or more as I could do in my mid 30′s.”

Optibike LLC is a privately held Colorado based manufacturer of High Performance Electric Bikes that has been in business since 1997. Optibike proudly sources more than 95% of their custom made parts in the United States and distributes Worldwide. For more information visit:  www.optibike.com

For more information:

Craig Weakley

Marketing Director

Optibike LLC

Craig at Optibike.com

303.443.0932 x201

www.optibike.com

“The specs indicate there are two “riding modes” = Fast and Economy.  When clicked into either of these, is the motor outputing a ‘constant’ speed or is the throttle dynamic like a motorcycle would be?  (i.e. the more you throttle, the more you go – up to the motor’s max).  I’m trying to understand the exact mechanics of throttling.  The videos make it seems like the motor is driving the Bottom Bracket at one speed -which you then can ‘add onto’ via your pedaling.  (which also raises the question; if you’re trying to stop, can you throttle down the motor while braking or how does that work?)
> Thanks in advance for the info!
> -Jim”

Jim- Thanks for your question.  You are correct (on several fronts), all Optibike models have 2 riding modes, Fast and Economy- these modes govern the upper limit on output power with the throttle  continuously variable within that range.  For example: The Optibike 850XLi has an upper limit in fast mode of 850 watts of power, but you are welcome to use as much of that as you would like by depressing the throttle, just like a motorcycle throttle or your car’s gas pedal for that matter.  The economy mode in all Optibikes is the same, set at ~300w of output power with the throttle fully depressed.  This “economy mode” has more power than most other electric bikes peak power and with the Optibike’s 20ah Lithium ion battery you can ride for over 2.25 hours in economy mode with the throttle fully depressed. No other electric bike has this kind of range, guaranteed.

The throttle on the Optibike is exactly like a throttle on a motorcycle, in that by pressing it (or twisting it) you control the power output to the motor.  The throttle does not automatically cut off when you squeeze the brake. When stopping, simply let off the throttle and hit the brakes.  All Optibikes with the exception of the USV come with hydraulic disk brakes for your safety and equal performance in wet or dry conditions.

When you pedal the Optibike at a cadence of 85-90, your pedaling efforts are in perfect harmony with the motors’ speed (at full throttle) so you can still get plenty of good exercise while you are zipping along at 25+ mph.

The Optibike’s patented MBB (motorized bottom bracket) is the only electric bike drive system that works in perfect harmony with the rider by seemlessly integrating the motors power with human power- this makes for the only true Human Electric Hybrid™.

Riding an electric bike is about freedom (the real kind),exhilaration, fitness, fun, and a host of other emotions/sensations.  Where does range and distance fit into this experience?

Having adequate range on an electric bike is about having NO LIMITS.  Whether you are cruising the open road, getting groceries, or exploring a vast wilderness area- we believe that you should stop riding when YOU want to, not when your E-bike runs out of battery power.

How far do you need to go?

We have given this question some serious consideration and designed the Optibike to perform according to what we believe is the right answer.  We have talked to E-bike owners(both of Optibikes and other brands) and we have logged thousands of miles ourselves in the quest to determine the answer.  The magic number that we came up with is 100 miles on a single charge.

Riding 100 miles (called a century) on a bike is a tremendous feat that most cyclists seek to attain at least once in their lives.  For us at Optibike, the first time we rode one was at the 2005 Tour De Sol in New York when we rode 104 miles in 4 hours through the rolling hills of upstate New York.

That is an average of 26 mph for over 4 hours on a single charge- and since then, our batteries have vastly improved in both size, energy density (energy capacity per gram of battery), output capability, and lifespan(we warranty them for 3 years/30,000 miles.)

No other electric bicycle made can even come close to delivering this kind of performance.

How does the Optibike go so far, while every other bike leaves you wanting more?

The Optibike has a 20ah lithium battery and is ready to accommodate an additional Optibike Touring Package to double the capacity.  That is a total of 40ah at 36v.  No other electric bike offers this magnitude of capacity.

The Optibike 850XLi uses 23 amps of power continuously at 36v to get 850w, so with this battery capacity- you can ride for just under 2 hours at full speed, or about 5 hours in economy mode (a half power feature that comes standard on all Optibikes.)  Or,in the essence of full disclosure and truth in advertising- the 850XLi runs for just under an hour with the standard 20ah battery at full speed.

** Important note: The Optibikes Motorized Bottom Bracket (MBB), unlike our hub-motor driven ancestors, has the same efficiency on flat ground as it does climbing hills.  So the Optibike will run for an hour strait uphill while a hub motor will die really quickly.

There are E-bikes out there with 1000w motors and only 9ah batteries.  How long will they run?

1000w = 27 amps of discharge current.  (1000/36volts)  So a 9ah battery will run for only 20 min!!!

That’s like riding in a car with a 1 gallon gas tank.

You get what you pay for and while good, big batteries are more of an investment upfront- you won’t feel limited when you want to go out and ride until YOU feel like stopping.