20 www.electricbikeaction.com
Discover the
wonders of an
automatic
transmission
{ BIKE TEST }
A2B ENTZ
Some electric bikes have gears to shift, and some have just one gear. A2B has come up with a new type
of electric bicycle, one with an automatic transmission. But not just any
automatic transmission—a continuously
variable one. Whereas most bikes with
gears, even internal-shifting ones, shift
in discrete steps, the Entz does it continuously and steplessly.
“The drive technology is truly brilliant and surprisingly simple.” The name of the bike comes from Justus B. Entz, a 19th-century electrical engineer that worked for Thomas
Edison and then at the Electric Battery
Storage Company. That company introduced an electric cab to the streets of
Philadelphia and New York in the early
1900s. During that time Entz designed
an electromagnetic transmission for
gasoline-powered vehicles. It was one
of 75 patents he was granted in his lifetime.
It’s fitting to name this bike after him
when you realize how incredibly smart
and intuitive this system is. It’s not just
the mechanical part of it; it’s the software as well. It’s harder to explain than
it is to use.
WHO NEEDS GEARS?
For an experienced rider, gear shifting is natural. For less experienced
riders, it can sometimes require a little
thought. If you’re climbing a hill and you
don’t know to downshift to hold your
pedal cadence, you’ll expend way more
effort to climb the hill. And if you’re riding an electric bike, that also uses more
battery power, which can cut your range
signifi cantly.
Because they have enough assist
to think they’re plenty efficient, even
experienced riders may not know
