Romanian bike brand Diodra (no, not Diadora as we’ve been repeatedly typing and correcting), has launched an electric bike with a frame made from bamboo. The S3 uses a rear hub motor, which has been limited to a continuous power rating of 250W but has a peak power of 500W and the full bike weighs just 15kg.
This is by no means the first bamboo-framed electric bike that we’ve reported on – just last year we reported on the Bamboo Bicycle Club’s flat pack e-cargo bike. And before that, the Habre Eco Bike in Nepal – which admittedly does look a lot less sophisticated than the Diodra option.
So what’s different with the Diodra?
It’s designed to be an urban commuter, although it's a pretty pared-back build. There are no mudguards, lights or kickstand.
The motor is an all-in-one deal, sitting in the rear hub and is combined with the 300Wh battery. Diodra claims this provides a range of “over 80km.” The charging port is also situated in the motor.
Interestingly, it also boasts automatic shifting with torque sensors to allow the motor to adjust gears depending on what the rider is doing.
Riders are also able to connect their smartphones to the bike, and there’s an app you can download to run alongside it. It does look like this might be how you control the power of the bike too, although we’re hoping the ‘on’ switch is just hiding somewhere in the images.
The S3 story
Sabin Dimian, the founder of Diodra, commented: “The creation of the bikes was a complex and demanding journey that involved many years of research, development, and overcoming failures.
“Honestly, I've lost count of the number of times we faced setbacks while striving to create a bike that is strong, lightweight, and low-maintenance. But in the end, we succeeded, and I'm incredibly proud that we never gave up. We developed these bikes to meet the needs of today's urban commuters.”
The bike will be available in sizes small, medium and large and just the one colourway – laminated bamboo. So keep it away from any local pandas. The bike comes with a two year warranty for components, and five years for the frame and fork.
The S3 is priced at €2,200, but a launch deal sees €700 knocked off. We've also had assurances they'll ship to the UK.
The bikes officially launch on March 16. You can find out more on the Diodra website.
