german engineers unite to design sophisticated electric mountain bike

german engineers unite to design sophisticated electric mountain bike
image courtesy of BMW

what do you get when a handful of german engineers from some of the biggest technology companies team up to create an electric mountain bike? you get a the HNF heisenberg ‘XF1’. together with BMW and bosch, they designed an advanced frame technology for full suspension ebikes with a mid motor. the integrated swingarm developed and patented by BMW allows the bosch motor and drivetrain to vibrate freely. this newfound freedom enables a combination of rear suspension and a long lasting, maintenance free carbon belt drive for the full suspension ebike that leads to impressive riding and handling characteristics.

image courtesy of HNF heisenberg

HNF heisenberg’s chief designer karlheinz nicolai and his team implemented this frame technology to their ‘XF1’ frame from their line-up to create fully autonomous configuration. the kinematics are thoroughly integrated above the middle motor and securely locked it to the frame. the belt tension is kept constant amid the chainring and hub, allowing for ideal transfer of high load peaks from the bosch electric motor. compared to other rear suspension templates that are optimized for muscular power, these bikes don’t stiffen up in the rear construction when the motor kicks in, during acceleration, long rides at high speeds or gradients. the HNF heisenberg ‘XF1’ remains responsive and ensures good grip and high traction, and since the proportionate rider power is relatively low, there are no unpleasant rocking movements when accelerating or braking. even on extremely uneven terrain, clean and smooth pedaling is possible.

BMW ‘i’ division patented the swing arm system
image courtesy of BMW