A High-Tech Control with Bluetooth Display Comes to Mountain Ebikes

A writer for the site CleanTechnica describes upgrading to a new electric mountain bike, a Bulls Copperhead with a Bosch motor, for $3,000. The bike's on-board display is simple — just battery lights and an assist-level indicator — but it pairs over Bluetooth with a phone app that shows a lot more: a map, an altitude graph, speed, trip distance, riding time, battery percentage, and estimated remaining range. Two thumb toggles on the handlebar, usable even with gloves on, switch between these phone screens and change the assist level.

The bike's battery holds 750 watt-hours, and the range changes a lot depending on assist level: about 131 miles on the lowest (Eco) setting, dropping to around 50 miles on full power (Turbo). The writer, who is 86, says he rides almost entirely on full assist and it lets him comfortably do a 30-mile round trip he otherwise couldn't manage. The bike also has a "dropper post," a seat that can be raised or lowered instantly with a handlebar lever, useful for switching between climbing and descending, or letting a shorter rider use the bike. It also has plug-in sockets for a head and tail light that draw power from the main battery, though the writer prefers a separate, cheaper battery-powered taillight for visibility on roads.

This is a look at how far electric bike controls and phone-linked displays have come, not a story about home energy upgrades or rebates.