Los Angeles/ Munich. Selle Royal has teamed up with
BMW Group subsidiary Designworks to develop a saddle specifically
designed for the needs of e-mobility. The result of this collaboration
is eZone, a saddle with a unique gesture that improves e-bike safety,
comfort and riding performance. To pinpoint the specific performance
characteristics that could be improved with an innovative e-bike
saddle design, the two companies conducted the first comprehensive
study of e-bike users
Unique design requirements for e-bike mobility.
Until recently there were no studies available on the particular
usage characteristics of an e-bike and how these affect saddle comfort
and support. Consequently, up until now saddles marketed specifically
for e-bikes have essentially been slight variations of traditional
bicycle saddles. Selle Royal set out to fill this market gap and just
released eZone, a saddle specifically designed for modern commuter,
leisure, touring, off road and urban e-bikes. Marketing manager Lara
Cunico said: “The big discovery of our research conducted with
Designworks is that the characteristics of e-bikes are in many ways
distinctly different to those of non-electric bikes. This led us to
re-think our product in its entirety. We pushed the realms of
expertise in the industry to develop a completely new type of saddle,
different from any other product on the market. eZone is the outcome
of an amazing project… and this is just the beginning.”
Zonal design for comfort and safety.
E-bike users experience a different kind of compressive force when
quickly accelerating, shifting abruptly to a higher gear or breaking
to avoid collision. In fact, road safety studies have shown that
slipping off of ‘flat’ traditional saddles is the number one cause of
e-bike accidents. ´Enhancing confidence and therefore freedom during
the ride` were also two of the main desires that crystallized during
the consumer research process. To enhance the rider’s security,
confidence, comfort and performance in any situation, the design team
introduced the concept of the ‘comfort atlas’. It defines zones that
speak to the different requirements of e-bike users, adding safety
during acceleration and stopping as well as enhanced control and
balance during the ride. The ‘comfort atlas’ also led to the
innovative shape of the e-bike saddle: The rear zone of the saddle was
raised to prevent backward sliding and a shorter nose was introduced
to make mounting easier. Wings were added with which the rider can
steer and adapt thrust with precision. An integrated fiberglass handle
allows for easy maneuvering. The saddle is padded with a
tridimensional gel structure that reduces pressure peaks by up to 40%.
With its innovative design, Selle Royal´s new e-bike saddle is a
perfect complement to the all-new BMW Active Hybrid e-Bike, the latest
addition to the bike collection of BMW Lifestyle for which Designworks
is also the design partner. Thanks to the integrated Brose electric
engine featuring a power of 250 W, torque of 90 Nm and capacity of 504
Wh, the e-bike is extremely dynamic and agile.
Selle Royal´s eZone will be available for purchase from October 2017
at selleroyal.com and through Selle Royal’s selected retailers.
The new BMW e-bike will be available as of September 2017 online at
www.bmw-shop.de or at selected BMW retailers.
In the event of inquiries, please contact:
Birgit Pucklitzsch, Manager Communications
Designworks, A BMW
Group Company
Tel: +49-151-6052-4026, Fax:
+49-89-548-49399
E-mail:
birgit.pucklitzsch@bmwgroupdesignworks.com
Internet:
www.bmwgroupdesignworks.com
Dr. Gesa Prüne, Spokesperson
BMW Lifestyle
BMW Group Innovation and Design
Communications
Telephone: +49 89 382 940 81
E-mail:
gesa.pruene@bmw.de
Internet: www.press.bmwgroup.com
Designworks, A BMW Group Company
Designworks is a BMW Group company and a creative consultancy that’s
been driving innovation for more than forty years. Acquired by BMW
Group in 1995, Designworks enables its parent company as well as
internationally-renowned clients outside the automotive industry to
grow their businesses through design and creative consulting services.
With studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai and with clients
including BMW, MINI, Rolls Royce, HP, Microsoft, Corsair, Coca Cola,
Embraer, Neil Pryde, Siemens Trains and Singapore Airlines,
Designworks is deeply immersed in a broad cross-section of industries.
Selle Royal
Selle Royal has been a world-leading bicycle saddle brand for over 50
years. Its history is one of innovation built on research, technology,
and advanced design. Selle Royal exports to more than 70 countries
worldwide and is the choice of many prestigious bicycle manufacturers.
Its saddles have won numerous design awards and are today the subject
of scientific research in the bio-engineering laboratories of major
European universities.
www.selleroyal.com
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the
world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles
and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global
company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities
in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140
countries. In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million
cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the
financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues
amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group
had a workforce of 122,244 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview
Google+: http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com