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Japan’s soldiers used them to wreak havoc in the jungles of south-east Asia, and they helped the Vietcong stand up to the military might of the USA – now military bicycles are once again seeing deployment as upgraded “e-bikes”.

Elite military special forces are being equipped with ‘combat e-bikes’ for operations deep behind enemy lines!!

Photo: Australian defence ministry

Nations including the UK, Several EU countries, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia have already bought or are currently trialling models offered by various manufacturers for paratrooper and special forces units. Some models even come equipped with handlebar-mounted gun carriers and portable solar panels to allow battery charging while on operations, making them perfect for commando forces wanting to get behind enemy lines.

Eighty years ago, The British Army introduced the Royal Enfield WD/RE ‘Flying Flea’ and the Welbike, which were parachuted into occupied Europe, providing a means for airborne and assault troops to transmit messages. Since motorcycles were invented, they have been used in the military. So, the use of military bikes is nothing new – what’s new is the possibilities and opportunities that electrification presents.

This new breed of electric bike is an entirely new beast, stealthy and silent and with almost no thermal signature, perfect for operating in complete secrecy and rapid movement behind enemy lines. Moreover, the e-bike can be used in a way where a petrol engine would give the position away. As a result, the electric bikes are proving to be the ideal choice for infiltration and communications between positions where messages need to be passed on in situations where electronic communication is jammed or intercepted.

When riding the e-bikes, what would take a good couple of hours on foot takes less than half the time on a bike, fast, light, and agile, less likely to be seen, less likely to come into contact with the enemy, and less likely to be decisively engaged. 

Captain Thomas Ovey, a member of 2/14LHR’s (QMI) A Squadron who first experimented with the new capability, outlined the advantages that the e-bikes provided when gathering information on the battlefield. (See the article)

“They’ll call us up, we’ll get the stealth bikes out, head down there and grab the information. It’s a lot quicker.

“We cover more ground much faster, and it saves time instead of waiting for troops to come to us when they’ve found something.

“It’s easier to punch out the e-bikes and return.”

Corporal Ovey went on to explain why the e-bikes were superior to a motorbike.

“The footprint is minimised due to less power, less noise, and you’re not kicking up much dust that could be seen by enemy forces,” he said.

“It’s much more effective than a standard motorbike.”

Corporal Ovey found using an e-bike had some unexpected work benefits.

“We all join the Army to find a little bit of excitement,”

“This is one of those things about the job that’s exciting, fun and awesome.”

So while we can’t divulge if the British or any other Military have any of our e-bikes in deployment, we certainly can show some bikes that are up to the challenge!!

Take a look at these…

2022 Haibike HardSeven 5 500Wh Electric Mountain Bike in Blue

Tour or trail? Uphill or downhill? With the new HardSeven 5, there is no need for tradeoffs because this is a versatile and agile eMTB.
With 120mm travel, snappy disc brakes, nimble 27.5″ wheels and a powerful Bosch Performance Line motor with a sleek, integrated 500Wh battery you will have a huge amount of fun on and off the trail. Adventures – here we come!
Features:Frame material – AluminiumDrive unit – Bosch Performance Line, 65Nm, 25km/hBattery – Bosch PowerTube 500WhFork – SR Suntour XCM32 Boost DS, Travel: 120mm

Riese and Muller Delite Mountain Rohloff Electric Bike Urban Grey

A full-suspension electric mountain bike with Control Technology with Fox Float full suspension and 150 mm travel, the latest generation of powerful Bosch Performance CX motor and Schwalbe Hans Dampf tyres are just a few of the many highlights that make the Delite mountain such an exceptional bike off-road. A powerful and extremely reliable training partner, simply waiting to head off on your next trip. So what’s keeping you?

Delite Mountain Rohloff Basic Specification

• Bosch Performance Line CX (Gen4)
• Bosch PowerTube 500
• Bosch Kiox
• Fox Float 36 Performance
• Fox Float DPS Performance
• Rohloff Speedhub E14, 14-speed
• Gates drive belt CDX
• Magura MT5/MT4
• Schwalbe Hans Dampf 70-584
• Supernova M99 Mini Pro-25

2021 Haibike AllMtn 5 625Wh Electric Mountain Bike in Black

With the AllMtn 5, you’re ready for any challenge on the mountain: the more powerful 4th generation Bosch Performance CX motor ensures full ePerformance uphill and thanks to the integrated 625Wh battery, you’re guaranteed not to run out of breath on long climbs.

The 29″ front wheel offers precision and comfortable rolling behaviour, while the 27.5″ Plus-size rear wheel in combination with the 85Nm motor provides the perfect traction for steep climbs. With its modern geometry, 160mm RockShox suspension and Shimano Deore XT disc brakes, you can master even the most demanding trails with ease.
Features:

Mixed wheel sizes – 27.5″ / 29″Drive unit – Bosch Performance CX GEN4, 85Nm, 25km/hBattery – Bosch PowerTube 625WhFork – RockShox Lyrik Ultimate RC, Travel: 160mmFull-Suspension electric mountain bike