With an electric bike powering your commute, you might get a few cheeky comments from the guys at work about how you’re ‘cheating the system’. But is using an electric bike actually cheating? The team at Stealth share their view and explain how you can take advantage of this technology.
Manufactured and designed with strength and durability in mind, the B-52 frame is one tough cookie. What are the technical specifications of the frame and how can you take full advantage when riding along tough terrain or attempting epic mountain biking jumps?
Duro Razorback and Schwalbe Crazy Bob might sound like interesting characters from your school days, but they’re actually two of the leading tyres for electric bikes. Learn more about how each can add to your riding experience – from muddy forest tracks to slippery concrete cycle paths.
Riding an electric bike is good for your health, right? Correct! By hitting the bike paths and trails on an electric bike, you will boost your cardio health, pump those endorphins and end the day with a smile on your face. Check out these health advantages.
The front suspension forks are one of the most important components affecting performance on an electric bike. Take a bike with too little travel on a downhill trail or equally a bike with heavy forks on a cross country trail and you’ll be in for a hard time.
We all hate those adverts, but thankfully, this one will come true, as Stealth continues to turn the e-bike world upside down – this time with the introduction of the new DNM USD-8 inverted forks, which will come standard on all new Stealth models.
Whether pinning it at high speed, negotiating technical trails, or sending it skyward (in the bedroom or on the trails!), there’s no substitute for a plush, smooth ride… and an extra inch to work with.
“Our close relationship with DNM has seen us testing these forks throughout their pre-production stage, and after many hours refining their valving on the trails, we’re happy to say that we’ve now got a formula which is certainly worth raving about,” said Stealth’s CEO John Karambalis.
The USD-8’s upside-down design also brings further rigidity to the front end of every Stealth model, whilst reducing un-sprung weight, leading to better bump responsiveness.
“It’s no secret that every single one of the best motorbikes in the world uses upside-down forks, for the rigidity and performance they offer, so naturally we need to ensure this technology is offered as standard on all our e-bikes,” added Karambalis.
The air/coil/oil combination gives riders a wide range of flexibility across all terrain, with rebound and preload adjustments at their fingertips. Using air, the forks can be stiffened for those who’d like to push things a little harder, and the extra inch of travel balances nicely with the Stealth’s rear suspension system, whilst offering riders more room for outlandish on-trail antics.
But, of course, for those who aren’t swayed by the advert and really want to take it to the extreme, Stealth still offers the all-American MRP Groove 200 forks as an upgrade, designed to really unlock riders’ full performance envelope. MRP continues to dominate the inverted fork arena, with one of the smoothest and most advanced rides around, backed by nearly two decades of engineering excellence from famed US-based firm, White Brothers.
At the same time, Stealth has made a significant upgrade to its F-37 Fighter power pack, which has pushed the riding range of its mid-weight model beyond 100km, firmly cementing its position as the front-running enduro e-bike.
So, guys, with an extra inch at your disposal – and longer staying power – it’s time to saddle-up. Your nearest Stealth dealer is ready and waiting, or you can request a test ride right here.
Stealth Electric Bikes encourages riders to experience the future in hybrid electric bike technology, with the Stealth B-52 Bomber, F-37 Fighter, and H-52 Hurricane available for test ride via our global distribution partners. Contact us today to find your nearest dealer.
Aspiring Stealth owners can push “range anxiety” aside as Stealth HQ has backed-up the F-37 Fighter’s recent power upgrade with a new, long-range power pack. Real-world test results have already seen the upgraded F-37 covering over 100km on a single charge, sending it deep into the e-bike Holy Grail, where speed comes without comprising battery range.
With battery technology evolving at an ever-accelerating rate, a 40% increase in energy density is now possible, and represents the beginning of a new wave of performance enhancements across the Stealth range, sending it even further ahead of the top-tier electric bike market.
To take advantage of the enhanced technology, F-37 riders can utilise the DC-1 Display’s new “E” mode, a setting which test riders have claimed has increased their range by a further 25%.
Driving the technological progression is Stealth’s obsession with continuous improvement and R&D. “When we’re talking about electronic systems, evolution and development is rampant on a worldwide basis. No company stays ahead of the game by resting on its laurels, which is why the team at Stealth actively enhances their own technology rather than waiting for others to do it for them,” said Stealth’s CEO John Karambalis.
“We know we’re at the forefront of our industry, but that’s not enough, and this is why our products are bolstered by a huge technical investment every year. We consistently act on our riders’ feedback and use our grasp of technology to take our bikes to new heights,” adds Karambalis.
And the investment is paying off, with the F-37 seeing record sales for the first quarter of 2015. “What we’re seeing is a real spike in enduro-style riding, driven primarily by the huge boom in this riding style within the mountain biking industry,” said Stealth’s sales manager Theresa Moolenschot.
“Our F-37 product is positioned nicely to meet the needs of these riders and they’re obviously appreciating this. It’s of course way faster and more durable than an enduro mountain bike, offers infinitely more thrills, and still doesn’t need a drop of a fuel – and this simple, low-maintenance style matters to mountain bikers.”
With around 100km of riding range and a 3.7kW output at its disposal, now is the time for your first F-37 experience, especially if you’re hitting summer in the northern hemisphere. You can request your test ride right here.
Stealth Electric Bikes encourages riders to experience the future in hybrid electric bike technology, with the Stealth B-52 Bomber, F-37 Fighter, and H-52 Hurricane available for test ride via our global distribution partners. Contact us today to find your nearest dealer.
The Stealth team has released a new bike carrier, meaning transporting your machine just got a lot easier. Why do you need one? Well, some members of the public might not like seeing you fly past them on the local bike path at 80km/h whilst on your way to the trails… Who’d have thought, huh?
The Stealth Bike Carrier is custom made to suit your Stealth bike, can support up to 60kg, and is valued at $498 (AUD). It mounts directly to your vehicle’s towbar and requires nothing on your bike to be removed or adjusted – just lift your bike on, strap it up, and hit the road.
Rear-mounted bike carriers are leagues ahead of all other designs, largely because of the ease with which they can be loaded. Roof-mounted racks are both a risky option (due to height clearance issues) and a challenge to load, given hoisting 50kg of Stealth B-52 Bomber above your head isn’t necessarily easy. And we won’t even mention dissembling your muddy or dusty bike to load it in the boot.
The sister model of the Stealth Bike Carrier is the popular Gripsport Downhill carrier – the main difference between the two being that the Stealth-specific variant carries only one bike. The same ease of use applies, though, with the potential to have your Stealth all loaded up and secure in a matter of seconds.
You’ll probably find, too, that being able to get to the trails more quickly and easily will mean you get more use from your Stealth bike and are more willing to make the longer trips in search of the most famed riding terrain.
To put it simply, then: got a Stealth already? Get a carrier. Buying a Stealth? Get a carrier, too. After all, it’s all about riding, and the more you choose to ride, the more you want to ride. Our bike carrier just makes it even easier.
Stealth Electric Bikes encourages riders to experience the future in hybrid electric bike technology, with the Stealth B-52 Bomber, F-37 Fighter, and H-52 Hurricane available for test ride via our global distribution partners. Contact us today to find your nearest dealer.
When the Big Names are seen riding a Stealth with the biggest custom specs, Stealth Electric Bikes’ customers begin to get excited. The company’s latest YouTube hit, featuring Stealth test pilot Jarryd McNeil shaking down a tricked-up B-52 Bomber, has led to an influx of upgrade requests.
Leading the charge toward maximum performance is the premium Mountain Racing Products (MRP) Groove 200 fork upgrade. Originally engineered by US-based suspension guru, White Brothers, the Groove 200’s upside-down design links back to its founding company’s motocross engineering roots, and ties in nicely with Stealth’s overarching moto vibe.
But for the Groove 200, it’s not all about the aesthetic appeal. With an extra inch of wheel travel over Stealth’s standard RST R-One forks, as well as high-end Norglide bushings and handcrafted internals, the Groove delivers benchmark plushness and lasting reliability. At the same time, the inverted design reduces unsprung weight, enhancing small-bump responsiveness.
Due to the nature of the inverted design, front-end stiffness is also increased when the Groove is specified, as the length of the large diameter outer tubes is far longer than traditional dual-crown forks. The tighter front-end, combined with the additional support provided by the Groove’s advanced high and low-speed valving, means greatly improved rider control, and more opportunity to exploit your Stealth’s full potential.
“All of our customers who have upgraded to the Groove forks praise the quality of the ride they deliver. We’ve been working closely with both White Brothers and MRP for a long time, and can confidently say that the latest valving tweaks to the Groove are truly top-notch,” said Stealth’s managing director John Karambalis.
The enhanced front-end control is equally matched at the rear, with revised valving available for the DNM rear shock on the new B-52 Bomber and H-52 Hurricane designed to improve high-speed responsiveness. At the same time, the progressively wound spring on these models has also been enhanced, offering better small-bump compliance.
Of course, the greater speed also puts your braking system under more intense pressure, and this is why Stealth also offers Magura’s range-topping MT-8 braking package as an additional option. Given greater braking pressures introduce more heat and potential expansion to the hydraulic fluid, the MT-8 offers on-the-fly adjustment of the brake pads’ bite point, giving riders more control, even under intense downhill riding conditions. And, just to add to the overall package, the MT-8’s brake levers are also carbon fibre, reducing weight and further boosting your Stealth’s aesthetics.
“We don’t just offer our upgrades for the sake of it,” said Stealth’s sales manager, Theresa Moolenschot. “We carefully select every option in our upgrades list, ensuring that each one delivers significant benefits over its standard equivalent. Our bikes are ready for anything straight out of the box, but our upgrades really turn things up to 11.”
For riders who really want to stand out, though, Stealth can also provide many custom colour options outside of those in the standard list. This is done by special order and is a service designed to illustrate the boutique nature of the Stealth company, which is akin to that of Ferrari or Pagani in the motoring world, wherein one-off specials are still produced to this day.
“Despite the growth in our bikes’ popularity, we’re eager to maintain our boutique vibe, and customisation is central to this. The fact that so many of our orders request special features is also a testament to how valuable this service is to our customers,” adds Karambalis.
Some examples of the custom colour schemes are available on the Stealth Instagram page, where everything from special rim colours, right through to a wooden veneer finish, are on show, highlighting what happens when Stealth customers really want to crank things up.
Every option and upgrade listed in The Stealth Hangar website is available for each of the Stealth models: B-52 Bomber; F-37 Fighter; and H-52 Hurricane. Existing Stealth customers looking to further enhance their machine can also request upgrades. To take advantage of the service, or to enquire about a brand new custom Stealth of your own, the factory is just one email away.
A new Stealth customer takes us on a factual journey through B-52 Bomber ownership, and in doing so, highlights just why our e-bikes are leaving the competition in their wake.
It was in February of 2014 that Australian customer, Ricc Storti, placed an order for his Stealth B-52 Bomber. An experienced electric bike pilot who had in the past produced a custom hybrid e-bike of his own, Ricc was looking to take the next step in quality and adjustability: he was a seeking a more advanced battery management system (BMS) than he could develop with his own hands, a more robust and durable battery, and more scope to tweak power outputs based on his mood, which, for the record, ranged from “quiet commuter” to “full-throttle assault”.
Now, Ricc is also someone who is not afraid of calculations; he understands range and power outputs, is inspired and intrigued by technology, and accordingly, was willing to spend the time computing just which e-bike would best meet his requirements. Ricc was able to calculate that his B-52 Bomber could take him some 160km when set at 250 Watts and relying on pure electric power, and that at 1600 Watts, it would already be accelerating so quickly that his legs would be physically incapable of keeping up. And, in reality, Ricc was right… At maximum power, he claims to be frightened of the performance (in a good way, of course!).
What makes the B-52 particularly appealing, says Ricc, is that inside the 250 to 1500 Watt range, it offers the perfect fusion of pedal-power and electrical assistance, finely balancing his desire for a cardiovascular workout with a New World edge. Beyond 1500 Watts, he says, the B-52 becomes a motor bike with a difference, crossing into the realm of “the immensely powerful – almost too powerful”, where the thrills are unparalleled.
For most riders, says Ricc, “1500 Watts is as much as they might practically want”, yet the notion that the B-52 kicks out some three-and-a-half times this, is one that Ricc still welcomes, purely for the “fun of having an immensely powerful beast between [his] legs”.
And, beyond the accelerative thrills, Ricc was keen to touch on the advantages of his B-52’s regenerative braking technology, noting that the system is “absolutely marvellous, not just because of the energy capture, but also as a great braking device”. Stealth’s re-gen system is designed to integrate fluidly into the riding experience, enhancing battery range, whilst offering a seamless engine-braking effect, which reduces riders’ “arm pump”, especially on steeper and more demanding trails.
It is the technological advantages like these, borne out of Stealth’s ongoing investment in worldwide R&D, that are the hallmark of each and every one of its bikes. And, in support of these efforts, Ricc goes even further, advocating the variable power outputs, managed by Stealth’s proprietary BMS, which works in conjunction with the DC-1 Stealth Management System. The DC-1 is a multilingual display, offering twin trip meters, a range estimator, system diagnostics, ride efficiency calculator, average speed, and more. It even calculates the total recovery yielded by the aforementioned re-gen braking system. Perfect for riders like Ricc who are passionate about the technology, but also attuned to its technical advantages.
“We’re proud that our customers – like Ricc and many more – are genuinely using and benefiting from the features we build into our bikes,” says Stealth’s managing director, John Karambalis.
“It’s all well and good to build high-end products that last and deliver the thrills our customers expect, but we also strive to lead the technological charge in the electric bike world, and our DC-1 and the associated regenerative braking system, are critical parts of this aspiration. All the feedback we receive on these (and our bikes overall) is exactly what allows us to further enhance them. This is just one of the reasons we always look to build a relationship with our customers. No matter how many bikes we sell and distributors we sign up, we’ll always retain our boutique feel.”
And this is just how the Stealth experience goes further than the bike, adds Ricc himself (who, by the way, also wanted to point out that people stop him in the street to photograph his bike), for “the customer and technical service and support from Stealth Electric Bikes is”, in his own words, “superb and super-fantastic”.
In signing off his letter to Stealth, Ricc had one last line of praise for his B-52 – something that he shares with every Stealth rider worldwide – and that is the sheer aesthetic appeal of his bike. In his own words, “it looks like it comes from the Bat Cave”.
Good thing it has the technology to match.
Riccardo Storti is a genuine Stealth Electric Bikes customer, and one that wrote to the company on his own accord – Ricc’s original letter is published below. Stealth is proud to say that all the quotes and statistics published above are Ricc’s own words, and that this article was written with Ricc’s permission. Stealth openly encourages customers to book their own test ride and find out just what Ricc is talking about.
G’day Everyone,
I ordered my Stealth Bomber on 20-02-2014 and received it about 6 weeks later (I think, can’t remember exactly). The reason I purchased the Bomber was because I wanted a dirt bike experience, but hated the noise generated by the petrol models. The tinny, twangy sound of a petrol dirt bike bothers me, so the Bomber was instantly appealing. Moreover, I wanted to be as green as possible, but not compromise on the dirt bike experience I was seeking. In addition, I’m a keen cyclist and cardiovascular fitness is extremely important to me, so the Bomber seemed to fit all my requirements. They’re not cheap, but I was willing to take a chance and I’m very glad that I did.
I’ve undergone somewhat of a physical transformation in my life and it was quite a journey; this is an important story (in my opinion), so please bear with me and keep reading. At the time of writing this, I am 46 years of age, I weigh 75kg, am 175cm tall and wear 30” trousers around my waist. However, six years ago, I was 124kg and wore 42” trousers. I managed to lose 56kg, down to 68kg, then up to 75kg because at 68kg I was carrying about 5% body fat and would nearly faint; at 75kg, I’m about 7% body fat, so, why is this important? …. Good question, I’m glad you asked … The answer is because I learned the need for cardiovascular exercise during my transformation process …. No, I didn’t lose this weight from the Bomber, I lost it by power walking one to two hours every day, carrying a 25kg backpack stuffed with books and dinner plates. However, this practice gave me a sore back and my doctor suggested to take up cycling instead.
So, that’s what I did; I started cycling as a method to manage and maintain my weight-loss. However, like almost everyone, I have to work and I needed a cycling activity that fit into my lifestyle. I also wanted a way to kill two birds with one stone, that is, commute to work and get my daily exercise simultaneously. Consequently, I purchased an e-bike conversion kit and commuted to work. After chewing through two e-bike conversion kits (the batteries will tend to last about 12-18 months, no more), and having dealt with an endless stream of electrical problems induced by my own poor electrical wiring skills, I decided to purchase a professionally built e-bike and avoid electrical problems. So, I bought an OptiBike R1100 and a Stealth Bomber. Why both? …. Again, great question and I’m glad you asked. I have 6 bikes all up and each one gives me a different riding experience: a bike is not [“just”] a bike, they’re all different and provide different kinds of fun. I have four regular bikes and two e-bikes – each one is very different from the next. The OptiBike is a push-bike for a cyclist, the Bomber is a push-bike for the dirt biker.
Here, I’m going to talk about the Bomber specifically. Firstly, I need to make some statements about e-bikes in general. It has been my experience that they are widely misunderstood as being a form of “cheating” or “easy riding”. This is absolutely ridiculous, so much so that it isn’t even wrong, it’s just childish and reflects a complete lack of understanding of fundamental physics. As I mentioned above, I take weight-loss and weight management very seriously, and I have recorded thousands of measurements (literally) regarding my energy expenditure during power walking and cycling. Here’s what I’ve found:
So what does all the above mean about the Bomber? Oh, God, I love your questions, well done kids:
Here’s the approximate range performance you can expect from the Bomber with a full charge (this is a rough guide, subject to many variables):
Important notes:
Further observations:
Things I would like to see SEB provide to the market:
Conclusion: as I’m sure you can see from everything that I have written above (which took me a couple of hours to compile), I would recommend purchasing the Stealth Bomber for seven keys reasons:
Cheers …. Ricc