Tag Archives: Bosch Drivetrain

Tern’s HSD electric-assist bike, out of the box and on the road

by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking

Every so often, I run across a truly unique bike, and the Tern HSD electric-assist bike is one bike worth checking out. Especially if you are looking for a comfortable ride with options when needing to haul cargo or a child. Looking over some of the latest electric bikes that will be available to test-ride at the E-bike Challenge Minneapolis, I had a chance to take this new Tern  cargo e-bike out for a spin

My initial test ride of the Tern HSD electric-assist bike

Using three parallel streets, on a hillside in my neighborhood as my personal test course. I had a chance to experience the pedal-assist-power and comfort of this new e-bike. On my initial ride, with close to 300 pounds of weight between myself and some extra gear, I found the bike had a smooth acceleration with plenty of power to spare. It didn’t matter if I stopped on the flat or on the 12-degree incline of the hill. Each time I started pedaling, which kicked in the motor, there were no irregular jerk movements, it was smooth. Plus, with the Bosch motor set on the Eco mode (the lowest of four e-assist settings) and the 1×9 gear drivetrain, my cadence was comfortable going up all the hills. It was also reassuring that I still had the Tour, Sports, and Turbo motor settings at my fingertips if needed.

About Tern’s HSD electric bike

THE TERN HSD ELECTRIC-ASSIST BIKE IS A COMPACT CARGO BIKE OFFERING A COMFORTABLE RIDE.

The Tern HSD P-9 is a compact cargo bike perfect for commuting, recreational riding, and running errands with some extra space to haul cargo or a child. At 5.5 feet long it is slightly shorter than the average road bike and has a load capacity of 374 pounds.

The HSD P-9 model uses a Bosch Active Line Plus motor and 400Wh battery with a Purion display, with Eco, Tour, Sports, and Turbo power settings. The drivetrain uses a 9-speed Shimano® Alivio Shadow RD cassette/derailleur. So this motor/drivetrain combination was smooth when beginning to accelerate and throughout the ride.

Bonus items that come standard

The HSD comes with a headlight and taillight. A Suntour suspension front fork to help ease bumps, 20″ wheels, an aluminum frame, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and an integrated Abus frame lock in the rear wheel. Plus, the bike can be stored standing on its rear rack and the handlebar stem folds down flat, making it easy to fit a compact space.

THE HSD EASILY STANDS ON THE BACK RACK FOR CONVENIENT STORAGE.

Accessories

You can buy many accessories online, but Tern’s proprietary ones are fit to the bike and add convenience. Specifically, the Go-To bag that attaches to the front of the bike using a Tern Luggage Truss™ adapter. It was easy to fit my laptop inside this bag, and perfect for commuting to work, school or the library.

THE TERN GO-TO BAG COMES WITH A SPECIAL COVER FOR ADDED WEATHER PROTECTION AND VISIBILITY.

On the rear, Tern’s proprietary cargo hold panniers are weather-resistant and pack down flat. Each pannier can hold up to 60 pounds and closes securely with a magnetic clip. I found I could easily slip in two paper grocery bags on each side, nice!

Need more cargo or kid hauling capacity, test ride all the Tern Bikes

Stop by your local Tern dealer or mark your calendar for the E-bike Challenge Minneapolis, March 11-12, 2023. There you can ride all the Tern Bikes including the GSD on the electric bike expos huge indoor test track. Have Fun!

Tern is launching the Vektron*, a folding bike on Kickstarter that combines the best-in-class compact cycle technology with a leading electric drivetrain.

Folding Bike Being Launched with Leading Electric Drivetrain Technology

The folding bike market has been offering a great combination of collapsible bikes for both the commuting and touring cyclist over the past several years. And now, Tern Bicycle Company is launching a new electric bike on Kickstarter that combines best-in-class folding technology with the world’s leading electric drivetrain, the Vektron*.   Watch the Vektron launch video here.

The Tern Vektron*, a folding bike on Kickstarter is great for packing in a car or storage unit.

The Tern Vektron*, a folding bike on Kickstarter, is great for packing in a car or storage unit.

Two Companies Team Up to Make This New e-Folding Bike

The Vektron* is designed by Tern in collaboration with Bosch. Together these two companies have been pushing the envelope of electric bike design by solving three critical shortcomings of conventional electric bikes: portability, storage, and theft. The Vektron is a Bosch-powered electric bike that you can take anywhere. Additionally, it folds in under 10 seconds and easily rolls aboard buses, subways, and trains. It goes into elevators, so you can easily park it under your desk at work. Plus, a pair of these folding bikes easily are convenient to stash in the trunk of a car for weekend getaways.

“Electric bikes are fundamentally transforming the way people get around in cities,” stated Josh Hon, Founder and Team Captain of Tern. “They flatten hills, make headwinds disappear, and shorten commute times. That is why people love e-bikes. The problem is that most e-bikes are really hard to put in a car or take on public transport. And most e-bikes are difficult to store in downtown apartments leaving them vulnerable to theft. The Vektron solves these issues.”

A Folding Bike with Low-Step Frame

With a low-step frame and a patented adjustable stem, the Vektron is great to share among family and friends. That is, as long as it’s  anyone from 4’10″ – 6’5″. Adjusting the bike for a custom fit takes only seconds, so a single bike can serve many people. Thanks to the rear rack and an optional child seat, it’s perfect for smaller passengers.

A Folding Bike That Flaunts Small Wheels and More Distance

While small wheels flaunt conventional bike design, they’re a game-changer with an electric drivetrain. With every Bosch motor calibrated to a bike’s wheel size, the 20″ wheel Vektron cruises at the same 20 mph speed and accelerates even faster. The exceptionally low center of gravity makes the bike extremely stable and easy to ride. And thanks to Bosch’s best-in-class power efficiency, riders can expect a remarkable range of between 40 and 80 miles on a single charge.

“There’s a reason a Vespa motor scooter is designed with small wheels,” says Joakim Uimonen, Design Director of Tern. “With small wheels you get punchy acceleration, a more maneuverable ride in traffic, and plenty of space between the wheels and rider for cargo-carrying. The Vektron brings together all of those benefits, plus it folds, so it fits anywhere. Try putting a Vespa under your desk.”

The Tern Vektron*, a folding bike on Kickstarter is great for multi modal commuting and touring.

The Tern Vektron*, a folding bike, with a Bosch Electric Drivetrain is ideal for multi modal commuting and touring.

The Vektron Folding Bike Kickstarter Campaign

With the help of Kickstarter, the Vektron is available for customers throughout the U.S. at a special backer price from October 19th until mid-November. For many Kickstarter campaigns they usually deliver the bike un-assembled in a box to consumers. Not Tern. Tern will be fulfilling orders through its network of more than 125 dealers across the United States. That means bikes can be picked up from the shop, tuned-up and ready to go. Most importantly, they’re covered by Tern Care. Tern care is a 10-year warranty and rider-support program, so buyers have the assurance of a decade of reliable service. Additionally, service for the drivetrain can be provided by Bosch’s extensive service network. Because this network consists of highly certified electric bike technicians throughout North America, you don’t need to worry.

Side Note To Kickstarter Folding e-Bike Campaign

Looking at the 100% fulfillment rate of last year’s Kickstarter’s Cargo Node bike, there’s no hint of vaporware in Tern’s campaign. Final stage prototypes were tested in the field for more than three months. Tern recently debuted prototypes at Eurobike, the world’s largest bicycle trade-show. More than 500 bike dealers and designers from around the world test-rode this bike.

Information for this Kickstarter Campaign provided by Tern Bicycles.