Ampler Stellar
Price £2,020, amplerbikes.com
Range 70km
Gears 9-speed
Weight 16.4kg
For anybody with an interest in all things two-wheeled, last month’s Cycle Show in Birmingham was a giant sweetshop packed with tongue-tingling temptations. Cycling royalty was in attendance – the likes of Mark Cavendish, Marcel Kittel, Sam Pilgrim and Shanaze Reade could be seen prowling the aisles – and there were more than 300 exhibitors showing over 500 different brands. One of the fresh-faced newbies making an appearance was Ampler Bikes – a Berlin and Talinn based bike builder founded by three Estonians: Hannes Laar, Ardo Kaurit and Rait Udumets.
After first establishing itself in Germany, Switzerland and then the Netherlands – and having opened its flagship store in Berlin in June – the company has decided that the time is right for Ampler to take its first steps on to British soil. Laar said that the UK’s long history of cycling and its world-renowned brands, such as Raleigh and Brooks, have personally been a source of inspiration for him.
I spoke to the firm’s charismatic press officer, Guy van Koolwijk (who kindly laughed at my joke that he put the “cool into Koolwijk”) at the show and asked him how they’d found Birmingham?
“We discovered some interesting things,” he replied. “First, the food is surprisingly good. Secondly, when it comes to electric bikes people in the UK are a lot less informed than we originally thought – at least compared to Germany and the Netherlands.”
When I asked what he meant by “informed”, Guy said: “Broadly speaking, we heard that there is a lot of stigma about riding an e-bike. There is a taboo that it is seen as cheating. People in the UK still see e-bikes as no more than green scooters, rather than as serious bikes.”
If any bike brand can be trusted with breaking down the prejudice shown towards e-bikes, then Ampler is set to ride to the rescue. Smooth, chic and urbane, these bikes are a universe away from the heavy and clumsy frames we usually associate with electric bikes. For a start, can you even see where the battery is hidden?
The bikes have been in development for the past two years and this summer Ampler unveiled three new models: the Curt, Stout and Stellar. All are assembled in Tallinn, Estonia, and are available through its website. They have an estimated range of up to 70km per single charge. A phone app lets you customise your ride settings so you can choose the power-assist mode to suit you. The big surprise is that they weigh so little. The Curt starts at just 14.1kg, about a third less than your average e-bike. The battery and electronics are all concealed within the frame, keeping the look minimal and the lines streamlined. The greatest compliment you can pay this e-bike is that it looks just like a regular bike.
For most of us, the city commute is a strenuous grind of congestion and stress. But e-bikes could hold the key to unlocking our cities. Barriers, such as hills and long distances, are reduced. A journey that looks exhausting on a conventional bike suddenly comes into range. Research shows that the average trip undertaken on an e-bike has risen from 7 to 12 miles in recent years.
Riders in Europe, Guy explains, don’t see themselves as cyclists but as savvy commuters. We’ve got a long way to go before we catch up with them… Until then, at least we have Birmingham’s legendary baltis to keep us going.
Cool kit
Totally waterproof and reflective, this pack means your stuff arrives dry, even if you don’t… Reflect360 dry bag £69.99, provizsports.com
Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @MartinLove166
Comments (…)
Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion