Chris Birch rides the Alps with Neematic FR/1
We traveled to Italy to meet the enduro icon. Gave the offroad electric bike and watched him go.
The only chance to meet was in between races. Chris had few days off to enjoy with the family and do some mountain biking. Just before his another attempt to conquer Red Bull Romaniacs 2017 (unfortunately later stopped by broken finger).
We wanted Chris’ feedback on the recently launched model, FR/1 — an extreme performance all-terrain electric bike. It is equipped with a 15 kW peak power, mid-drive motor, a 2.2 kWh removable Li-ion battery and Fox suspension. A true hybrid between a dirt bike and bicycle worlds.
Here’s what he’s got to say.
(all pictures by © Lucie Byrne)
NEEMATIC FR/1 key specs
A closer look at the machine Chris tested.
Top speed — 80 km/h
Weight — 52 kg curb weight
Motor — brushless mid-drive motor
Power — 15 kW peak
Range — up to 100 km
Drivetrain — twist throttle and pedal assist modes
Gearbox — 9 speed Pinion gearbox for pedaling
Battery — 2.2 kWh capacity, Li-ion cells, removable pack
Suspension — Fox shocks (203 mm and 200 mm travel front and rear)
Brakes — Hope Tech3 v4 and adjustable regenerative motor braking
Wheels — 26" front wheel, 24" rear wheel
Following the tests, NEEMATIC team and Chris Birch agreed upon a new partnership. Chris will help us establish the concept of high-performance electric bikes, provide feedback for the R&D team, and open a distribution network for New Zealand and Australia.
Chris Birch
In his long career, Chris Birch has become an industry icon. He is eight times New Zealand Enduro overall champion, three times Roof of Africa winner, he has been on the podium seven times at Red Bull Romaniacs including winning it in 2010. He has been in partnership with Red Bull and KTM since 2007, and when he’s not riding in elite competition, Chris coaches offroad riding (http://www.chrisbirch.co.nz)
NEEMATIC
Neematic was launched in 2015 in Lithuania with the backing of venture capital fund Practica Capital. The engineers behind the bike, Domas and Linas, leverage 12 years of experience in electric bicycle development and race suspension engineering. Having made its first appearance at Intermot 2016, Neematic FR/1 is now available for reservations. The first series of FR/1 model, limited to 50 bikes, will be shipped worldwide mid 2018. (www.neematic.com)
