Sophisticated and with automatic drivetrain, the new Decathlon e-bike for the city

There will be no more excuses for getting around cycling with the urban e-bike developed by Decathlon, which has once again surprised us with the development of a model that promises to make it much easier to cycle in the city and presumably, in line with the French firm's usual pricing policy, in an affordable way.

The LD 920 E CONNECTED has everything it takes to become the most desirable urban e-bike

For some months now it has been rumoured that Decathlon was preparing an urban e-bike with which it intended to take over a good share of the market. There were even images of a modern-looking concept bike in which we didn't know whether the brand was expressing ideas or simply desires, but which undoubtedly made clear the French sports products multinational's interest in entering the world of urban mobility.

Now, on the occasion of the Reveal Innovation event in which the brand recognises the work of its engineers and developers in different fields, the new Long Distance 920 E Connected was presented with the award for technical innovation.

RECOMENDADO

Why the World Champion's jersey is rainbow

What bike size do you need? Here's how to find out

The real importance of signing up for a race

What is the blackout period and why we won't see RedBull helmets at the Tokyo Olympics

Guidelines for a perfect and safe tanned cyclist

We look back at all the results at the MTB events in the Olympic Games, from Atlanta 1996 to Tokyo 2021

The reasons for this award are to be found in the development, in collaboration with the Belgian firm e2Drives, of a motor located in the bottom bracket area, which integrates an automatic gear system that simplifies to the maximum the use of this new e-bike for the city that Decathlon has developed.

The absence of derailleurs, cables or pushbuttons not only simplifies the use of the Long Distance 920 E Connected to the maximum. The rider only has to worry about pedalling and gets an immediate response from the motor at the slightest pedal stroke. It also serves to reduce the maintenance of the bike to a minimum and achieve greater reliability as there are fewer mechanical parts susceptible to failure.

However, hardly any details have been released about this new urban e-bike from Decathlon. From the images published we can draw some conclusions, such as that it will live up to its name in terms of Long Distance if we look at the volume of its diagonal tube in which the battery that powers the motor is housed.

The bike integrates several elements as standard in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible, as shown by the front light positioned as a natural extension of the stem or the slender mudguards which, in the case of the rear mudguard, combine its structure with that of the luggage rack. Also visible in the images is an extension between the fork head and the lower part of the steerer tube that could well house a shock absorption system to make riding more comfortable.

Specifications, availability and price

Almost no technical details have been released about the specifications of the LD 920 E Connected, although we can guess at several aspects if we take other models in the Decathlon range as a reference.

If we look at the name Long Distance, the Decathlon catalogue already included the LD 500 E model under this acronym, equipped with a 504 Wh battery that provided a range of between 60 and 120 km depending on the assistance mode chosen. In this new LD 920 E Connected, we don't know how much of a drag on consumption it will be to have an automatic drivetrain, which always involves a set of gears that add a certain amount of friction.

What does seem clear is that this bike will not hit the market until spring 2023. As for the price, we can't say anything either, although, again taking as a reference its LD 500 E which can be purchased for 449.99€, it is to be assumed that this new LD 920 E will have a higher price, although, knowing Decathlon's policy of making affordable products, it is not unreasonable to think that it will have an absolutely devastating price in comparison with other models of similar characteristics.